I loved this book! One of my favorite tv shows is The Good Doctor about a surgeon with autism. Annika is like the female version of Shaun.

This very well-written book is heartwarming and heartbreaking by turns. The wonderful characters are so realistic and sympathetic. The story progresses at an even pace and kept me holding my breath wondering what on earth had driven Annika and Jonathan apart ten years ago,. And then I was holding my breath again wondering if their
chance meeting would lead to a reconnection.

The story is too good to ruin with spoilers. Suffice it to say I spent the last half hour of the book in tears. Sad tears? Happy tears? Read the book and decide for yourself.

I've really struggled with how to review this book because i couldn't find the words. I really enjoyed this book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming. I laughed and i cried. Frankly, i thought the story and how it was told was beautiful.
I reserve 5stars for books i will read again.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own. :-)

Title: The Girl He Used to Know
Author: Tracey Garvis Graves
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Annika Rose prefers books and chess over people. She doesn’t understand people—and they don’t understand her. When she meets Jonathan, who’s new to the college and to chess club, she thinks he’ll be just like everyone else. But he’s not. He understands her. He wants to get to know her. And he loves her unconditionally.

Ten years later, Annika runs into Jonathan again. She wants to show him how much she’s changed, but Jonathan is wary after Annika broke his heart all those years ago—with no explanation. She wants to try again, but he isn’t sure he wants to risk his heart a second time.

This novel was an intriguing look inside the head of someone who thinks just a little differently, who sees the world in slightly different shades. Annika is a fascinating character, and her journey is compelling. I found myself rooting for her all the way.

Tracey Garvis Graves is a bestselling author. The Girl He Used to Know is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

As I was reading I kept thinking that this is one of those feel-good books, where you witness two characters' lives and love story. There is more to this, of course. Annika is an autistic woman and this makes many things more difficult and challenging for her. I adored her! Jonathan, the other half of the love story, is a guy who sees Annika's awesomeness and falls in love with her. I adored him! Basically, there is no bad character for me in this novel.

By the time I crossed the half point of the novel, I was worried that things seemed to be heading in a too good to be true direction: where is the twist? the drama? the unexpected something? It comes when you see the date at the beginning of one of the chapters: September 8. And the year 2001. So that's why this story is set so many years ago! I literally stopped reading, closed the book, and whispered: "oh, my God! I hope not!" Because 9/11 can only mean one thing.
It was a good novel, it was funny and Annika was an endearing character, as was her best friend, Janice (if I remember correctly...)

One thing that bothered me was all the explicit love scenes; the graphic depictions could have been left out and nothing of the romance of the story would have been lost. In order to understand that Annika and Jonathan's love story was possible, I am sure we could have done without being given all the details of their intimate moments. Annika would have cringed had she seen this part of her life exposed. Just sayin'. It seemed that their story was hard to believe possible, so we needed to be proven through detailed love-making that see? they can be a normal couple. It was a belittling of the characters.

Other than this unfortunate part, I enjoyed this novel. Annika reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant of Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine, but this is only because these two novels are the only ones with an autistic character.

Review found here: https://www.lifewithemilyblog.com/2019/04/march-2019-reading-list-reviews.html

The Girl He Used to Know is a wonderful, memorable novel. Told in dual timelines, you follow the story of Jonathan and Annika who meet in college, and then again when reconnected in Chicago a decade later. Their romance is anything but conventional. Annika prefers space, alone time and doesn’t do well in social situations because she is on the Autism spectrum. Jonathan is the guy everyone can’t help but like with his good looks and personality, but he only wants Annika. Graves is methodical and deliberate in her story telling. The story of their relationship is a gripping one and you will certainly fall more in love with Annika and Jonathan the longer you read. review: I don’t think I could have loved this book more, even if I tried. I adored this book and everything about it. The dual timelines work perfectly for this book and the storyline within it. I loved seeing how Annika and Jonathan’s relationship progressed with the dual timeline and found myself cheering them on and wanting them to work out so badly. I felt a fondness for Annika – my youngest sister has Asperger’s and a lot of Annika’s anxiousness and social awkwardness is something I am very familiar with. In fact, I picked up on Annika being on the spectrum almost right away from just a few clues at the beginning. I certainly was not prepared for quite a few parts of this book and ended up crying over the ending, but man, it was excellent! This was my first book written by the author and her others have quickly jumped high on my TBR list. rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐️

I received an Advanced Review Copy of The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves from the Publisher St. Martin's Press through NetGalley (I also won a copy in a Goodreads, so we (the book and I were destined to meet) ) in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: This book tells the story of a couple over ten years, the book is told when they originally met in college in 1991 and when they are reunited in 2001. Annika and Jonathon met in chess club and began dating, except things are not so simple. Annika is different (she is on the Autism Spectrum) and she has habits and frustrations that can be difficult for her to understand. The first part tells the story of how they fell in love, while the later part tells the story of how they find their way back to each other after a really awful break-up.

What I Loved: This book is the ultimate romance book. It has characters that you cheer for, hot scenes, and a really beautiful/sweet love story at its core. However, its so much more than that, It talks about trying to find yourself in your twenties, trying to understand the world around you, while handling complex relationships. This book has very likeable characters. I fell for Annika and her caring nature and love of reading and really felt connected to her. I also loved her roommate Janice and her mother who understand her nature and are patient and loving with her. You felt like you were observing a really great connected group of people and it was a joy.

What I didn’t like so much: The conflicts that arise seemed sudden at times and like not enough time was being spent dealing with them. They all seemed to pop up in the very end of the book and I wish we had gotten more time to see the characters manage them.

Who Should Read It: People who love a good love story. People who love stories about human nature. People who love characters they can cheer for.

General Summary: A love story told over ten years that you will feel invested in.

The Girl He Used to Know is a beautiful love story between the quirky Annika, and the sweet and caring Jonathan. Annika and Jonathan meet in college, when they both join the chess team. Jonathan quickly falls for Annika's quirkiness, and Annika, for his kindness and acceptance of her differences. The two develop a meaningful first love, before parting ways as their college years draw to an end. 10 years later, Annika runs into Jonathan at a supermarket and asks to see him again. Can they rekindle their relationship after so much time has passed?

I truly loved the characters in this book. Annika was adorable, and Jonathan was an amazing match for her. Annika's best friend Janice, is the kind of friend every woman should have in her life. I became completely wrapped up in this love story, and it was just such a feel-good book. I give it 4.5 stars, rounded up.

This book was amazing, I didn't expect to love it so much, but it touch me in so many ways.It was intense , emotional, fast paced and intense. The story was perfect, it was unique and it has a deep meaning.It's not your usual romance.

Annika was an interesting heroine, I adored her.I liked her personality and her love story was sweet but also there were moments I cried so much.Annika and Jonathan’s relationship touched me, I loved their moments together.

It was an amazing story that I would definitely reread it!If you are looking for a powerful story this is what you need!

Struggled a bit to finish this one. The different time periods were unevenly spaced and I felt myself slogging through the one to get to the other. Main character wasn't always the most likeable as the growth was slow and there was a lot of repeated behaviour. But had some nice moments.

Holy cow what an emotional book. These characters are unlike anything I have read in recent years. I always love stories about people who are in love, break up and then find themselves back in each other’s orbits. This is what happens to Annika and Jonathan; together in college but split up afterwards, 10 years later they fine each other again.

Annika has worked on those things that she struggle with during college and Jonathan is still recovering from a divorce.

What an awesome story. The Girl He Used To Know is such an original and beautiful book.

Annika Rose is unique and kind and drawn for us by the author with such care and honesty. There is no way to read this book and not be touched deeply by the story and it’s amazing characters.

The story is told back and forth between 2001 and 1991. This is not a style I’m usually overly fond of, but in this case it works and the flash back chapters connect perfectly keeping the story flowing seamlessly.

This is a book that I will be recommending to all of my friends.
-5+ Stars!-

Quite simply, I loved this book. One of the characters is on the autism spectrum, and it was very enlightening to read the sections that are told from her point of view. This book also contains a beautiful love story. I highly recommend it!

Charming romance between awkward, introverted Annika and her boyfriend Jonathan who she meets at chess club. The story is told from alternating viewpoints and back and forth in time between 1991 and 2001, when the two first date and then when they reconnect a decade later. I really enjoyed the authenticity of the characters and following Annika’s self-growth. I do wish they hadn’t made both Jonathan and Annika good-looking- it’s ok to have average or not so good-looking protagonists sometimes. I really like the 3 dimensional portrayal of a person with high-functioning autism showing strengths as well as weaknesses. Strong 4 star read.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author Travis Garvis Graves for a digital review copy. This book was first published April 2, 2019.

Well, if this one of the sweetest romances that I’ve read in a long time! 'The Girl He Used to Know' by Tracey Garvis Graves was honest, emotional, and such a refreshing read!

Jonathan and Annika’s characters completely captured my heart! I adored Annika’s unique and quirky character. I felt for her challenges in social settings and conveying how deeply she really cared for people. Jonathan’s character was just wow! He had such patience and a simple appreciation for Annika. I felt his pain and understood his conflicts in dealing with her, and I also loved his wholehearted belief in her as well!

Jonathan and Annika’s second chance romance was definitely challenging but incredibly sweet. Their story was told in both of their point of views, in the present and when they first met ten years prior, and their insight really brought their characters to life. Their journey was passionate, angsty, and heartbreaking at times, but above all showcased the true meaning of understanding and unconditional love.

Tracey Garvis Graves did an amazing job with this beautifully written story that will make you think and make you feel. It’s a story of overcoming your weaknesses, finding acceptance and success with who you are, and also a reminder of how judgmental and cruel people can be. I really don’t want to give too much away, because I loved how everything unfolded in an unpredictable and captivating way!

I’m not trying to be greedy here, but the ending was quite abrupt. If I had it in me to take a little off my rating, I would. But, I just can’t do it. This is such a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it!

I started out liking <i>The Girl He Used to Know</i> quite a bit, however the last 1/3 of the novel totally ruined it for me. <i>The Girl He Used to Know</i> is a story told in alternating time lines and points of view between Annika, a young woman with undiagnosed Aspergers and Jonathan, who falls in love with her in college. The novel moves slowly at times, but the characters are engaging. However, the novel moves into the ridiculous in the last third. I feel like up to that point the novel had the potential to be a lighthearted love story with interesting character, but the twist at the end seemed completely out of place for the rest of the story.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Girl He Used To Know is a contemporary romance, as well as a tale of loss and becoming. Annika and Jonathan meet in chess club, while in college. She is a bit different from her peers. He has just changed schools for his senior year, following a scandal. What follows is the story of their romance, separation and reunification. Told in dual timelines, we see the evolution of their love story, then and now.

I loved this book. I loved the romance, the unlikely feel of the pairing, the diverse voice of Annika and how the author so sympathetically handles the reason for their split (spoiler: I cried. A lot). I devoured this book in 24 hours, which is a rarity! My only criticism is with the final chapters. I’m still unsure whether that was due to my own race to find out what would happen, or if the writing was as rushed as it felt. Regardless, Annika and Jonathan are one of my new favorite literary couples! Pick up this book if you enjoy complex characters, a diverse voice, tension, and a great, solid love story with a bit of steam.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley #partner for the complimentary ARC and eGalley of this beautiful book! All opinions are my own.
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I loved this love story so much. I particularly loved how the main characters was on the spectrum and how true she rang to me.

Tracey Garvis Graves has stolen my heart with this evocative and emotional story. I read “On the Island” A few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Going into this book I knew I was going to be treated to brilliantly developd characters and an intriguing storyline. What I was not prepared for was The emotional toll this book would have on my heart! This book both destroyed me and pieced me back together again. I seriously feel a little squeeze on my heart just thinking about this book! If you enjoy stories with characters that will worm their way into your heart then this is a can’t miss!

The story bounces between 1991 and 2001 and is told from both Annika and Jonathan‘s perspectives. In 1991 both Annika and Jonathan are attending the University of Illinois, where they meet while attending chess club. Anica is a bit socially awkward, a little anxious, a little oversensitive to her surroundings. She is on the autism spectrum, however in 1991 this was not a common diagnosis so people saw her as quirky or just plain weird. Jonathan was immediately drawn to Annika and saw through to who she truly was inside. What follows is a beautiful and intense romance that was so special to read about. Watching Jonathan so tenderly and cautiously try to understand Annika and her needs was so sweet! He legitimately made my heart melt, I might’ve fallen a little in love with him myself. Sadly tragedy struck and the couple was torn apart. 10 years later Monica was at the grocery store when she hears a familiar voice, it must be fate because there is Jonathan in the bread aisle. Anica and Jonathan try to rekindle the flame, but has too much already happened to prevent this? Can Annika and Jonathan open their hearts up to each other again, regardless of the past?

In case you missed it, I really loved this book! The characters popped off the pages and the story was so well told. There is something about a second chance romance that really resonates with me. It’s definitely not that I want a second chance with anyone I’ve ever been with *shutters* I think it is the idea of hope, and this book had that in abundance.

Beautiful and moving, I cannot recommend this book enough, be sure to have Kleenex on hand before reading!

*** many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my copy of this book ***

I’ve been waiting for Tracey Garvis-Graves to write us another book and The Girl He Used to Know was just what I was hoping for. This book has everything I expect from her books, a great story, fantastic characters, and swoons.

Annika (pronounced like Monica without the M) was a great character. From the start of the book it is clear that she isn’t like everyone else and I know that makes some people uncomfortable. The unfortunate part for Annika is that it makes her stand out and, in some cases, people react in a negative way. When she goes to college, it’s the first time in a long time that she has been away from her family and luckily, she meets some people she can rely on. I loved Annika. She’s real and although life isn’t perfect, she is motivated to make a place for herself and do it on her terms. Having the ability to experience the world from her perspective really helped in understanding her as a character.

The story kicks off with Annika running into her ex-boyfriend ten years after they broke up and from there, we get to learn what happened in the past as well as what happens from their chance meeting going forward. I loved how Garvis-Graves structured the story to provide all the backstory and character development as well as how she inserted chapters reflecting their story going forward from their run in.

One of my favorite things about this book was getting to learn how Annika’s and Jonathan’s relationship began and grew. Jonathan’s patience and understanding was amazing and although it’s clear something happened to end their relationship and Annika feels guilty about it, we don’t learn all the details until the story hits that point and although it was a painful point in the story, the way it is revealed and dealt with by both characters felt very real and also, heartbreaking. I can’t say enough about how much I loved Jonathan.

The other relationship I loved in this story was Annika’s friendship with Janice. It is clear that without her, Annika probably wouldn’t have stayed at college and it was wonderful to learn just how much Janice stepped up to help and support Annika. Not only while in college, but the continuation of their friendship was great and Janice’s ability to be real with Annika without being hurtful was something that helped Annika learn along the way.

I’m not going to say a lot about the ending of the book, but I will say that once I hit the last third of the book, I wasn’t willing to put the book down. Something happens that weirdly, I wasn’t expecting but when I thought about the timeline, I had a duh moment. I couldn’t stop reading until I found out how things were going to go for these characters, and I have to say, that is something that happens to me with every book Tracey Garvis-Graves writes. She makes me love and root for the characters in her books so well that I want their stories to continue forever. If you’re looking for a book that will give you all the feels, definitely check this one out. Trust me – the story inside is just as beautiful as the cover.

"The affection I once felt for Annika might have gone dormant for a while, but it roars out of hibernation and makes me feel better about life than I have in a long time. There's something so hopeful about being around her again." -Jonathan

The Girl He Used to Know is a powerful story about life and love with high-functioning autism. Annika always knew her mind worked differently than others' did. She had no expectations for having a best friend, and especially not a boyfriend until she met Jonathan.

I fell in love with the characters. They were all well-developed, especially Annika. The novel was beautifully written and deserves every bit of praise its getting for bring autism out of the shadows and making it trait to be embraced rather than one to be feared. I loved that Annika didn't end up along because of her developmental disorder, but rather, her quirks made Jonathan love her even more.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Disclaimer: If you are not comfortable with explicit sex scenes, there are two chapters surrounding Annika and Jonathan's intimacy about halfway through the book.