This was a sweet second chance romance. Loved the academic setting. I am not usually a fan of dual timeline books but this one kept my attention in both time lines

"I am not in love with a man I haven't spoken to in over a decade. I hardly know him. But I did love him once, in my own way. And maybe that doesn't ever go away completely."

If you're looking for a second-chance romance that doesn't make you want to throw the book across the room, this one might interest you!

There was, of course, the miscommunication that made the two main characters part ways, but I genuinely think they both needed time to live life and grow up before they came back to one another. The ultimate "right person, wrong time" story.

I loved the alternating timeline, which gave insight on the beginning of their friendship (at summer camp!), how it all fell apart, and their slow rekindling – and determination to not let history repeat itself.

If any of this sounds interesting to you, give it a try!
- second chance
- childhood friends to lovers
- academic
- early 2000s nostalgia
- alternating timeline

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-arc!

The highest praise I can give a book is rereading it. And I already know I am going to reread Given Our History over and over and over again. It had all of my favorite things. The best friends trope is one of my favorites, and pairing it with second chances was just perfection. I also really enjoyed the dual timeline part of the story. It was almost like we got the best of both YA and adult romance worlds, and it made me want to continue reading to find out what happened next in each timeline—which also meant staying up way past my normal bedtime because I just couldn't put it down!

Sometimes will-they-won't-they storylines can result from the fact that one or both of the main characters are not communicating or being irrational, but that wasn't really the case here. There were perfectly rational circumstances keeping them apart or making them feel like they should be apart; the whole relationship as a whole felt even more believable.

This book was just perfection. I'll read anything Kristyn J. Miller writes.

This was a sweet contemporary romance set in an academic setting. The story was told from one POV with 2 timelines provided. The first timeline is present day with the second starting with our MCs first met at a sleep away camp around age 16 years old (I didn’t think to note their exact age). The flashback timeline progresses with the present to show the history behind the present day emotions. I found this to be really enjoyable. I liked being able to think more deeply about the ‘why’ of their actions throughout the story. The romance in this story was nice. There was tension and some banter. I enjoyed it.


Thank you to NetGalley, Kristyn J. Miller and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC.

I enjoyed this second chance romance book. Clara and Teddy were endearing characters, and since I have a daughter in academia I could relate to a lot of what she was going through. It was enjoyable to read their story in flashbacks and present day, from friends to lovers to not talking to each other for years. After a while, though, it got a bit tedious hearing much of the same with each encounter. I was frustrated by the fact that they were both so wishy-washy about everything from their relationship to their jobs to their families to their education to where they wanted to live. It should have felt complicated, but I really just wanted them to make a decision! Overall I enjoyed the book, I think I needed deeper connections and not the constant back and forth.

I’ve been looking forward to this book ever since I saw that gorgeous fall cover months ago. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it absolutely did not disappoint.

This book felt like a knit scarf and a cinnamon coffee on a perfect late September day. It’s definitely very character driven, so don’t go into it expecting tons of twists and turns. But if you, like me, are here for the slow burn, a second chance romance, friends to lovers, or an academic romance, all wrapped up in the coziness of fall, then you are in for an absolute treat. And even though the book lacked tons of action, the pace moved nicely and I found myself wanting to get back to it every time I had to put it down.

I also really enjoyed the dual timelines the author used and loved watching Clara and Teddy’s relationship develop in the past while also watching it rekindle in the present. This set up also helped build some tension as we waited to learn about the big incident that severed ties between Clara and Teddy.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and highly recommend checking it out when it releases on August 27. I will definitely be checking out more from Kristyn Miller in the future.

4 ⭐️ 2 🌶️

Read As An Arc

🍂 College
🍂 Academic Romance
🍂 Stem
🍂 Dual Timeline
🍂 Second Chance
🍂 Right Person, Wrong Time
🍂 Past x Present
🍂 Childhood Friends
🍂 Friends to Lovers
🍂 Stubbornness
🍂Miscommunication


Okay, but this cover?! It’s giving me all the vibes!! It is so pretty, I want to just eat it up, the whole book before I even began! This cover literally excited me and made me so happy with the fall season, and Clara and Teddy being so cute! Ahhhh! <3

There is a dual timeline… not really one of my faves but my lord this timeline being in the past… BROUGHT ME BACK! It literally took me back to my childhood era, and I am so happy that this timeline did this! I loved having that connection to the past, it brings that sense for nostalgia, and perhaps maybe even for you! This honestly makes it off to a great start in my books.

Clara and Teddy are soulmates; I swear, if these two didn’t end up together, I don’t know what I would’ve done. They are cute right from the start, their childhood, straight to their relationship. Also Teddy being supportive of Clara’s goals and dreams?! Going wherever she is just to be with her? And the way he genuinely loves her? I can’t, absolutely in love! He is the new book boyfriend babes!

So why does this book only have 4⭐️ you may ask? I feel like I know what may be missing — a dual pov — so I can get into Teddy’s head! I need his perspective! His pov would give a lot more insight and depth to their relationship and how he feels, rather than it just being a one-sided story narration. His pov would quickly bring this to a 4.75. The other .25 is from the weird things that just happen. Things that I find would not even happen in real life, or for someone to even think to do? But you do you girl, to each their own!

Overall, this read was great! I loved it! I can’t wait to get that physical copy in my hands and just read it in the fall, even though there is nothing really fall about this book, but who cares!





* Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

**Will be posted on Goodreads Aug 22 @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/170879374-bee?shelf=read

This second-chance romance has two college professors re-connecting more than a decade after their almost-relationship ended.

Clara has been offered the opportunity to apply for tenure. It's what she wants -- or what she thinks she wants. But there's a distraction headed her way: Theodore "Teddy" Harrison is coming to her college as a visiting history professor. She used to love him, but the timing just wasn't right. Now that they're back in each other's orbits, and working on a project together, sparks are flying again. But can they overcome the same problems they had before to move forward?

This is a sweet book and I love the academic setting. Clara and Teddy are both a little nerdy, which I kind of love.

I think there were a few too many flashbacks -- I prefer minimal flashbacks to keep the story moving forward. But other than that, it was delightful.

4.5 ⭐️

Given Our History has to be the romance of the fall!! I fell in love with this story and these characters. It is an academic, childhood friends / second chance slowwww burn romance and it is so good.

I love a classic mystery storyline and past and present point of view is my absolute favorite in romance. I feel like it adds a lot of depth in second chance and Miller did a great job at flushing out these characters and their story. Theo is soooo dreamy (we love an educated man) and Clara is so real & relatable. There was a lot of emotion in this but I did feel like I was missing something (nonetheless, still devoured it). Also — the autumn vibes are immaculate!!! The writing in this is truly wonderful!! I wish I could share all of my annotations.

Definitely recommend this one! Thank you St. Martin’s Griffjn for the advanced copy. Given our History releases Aug 27!

2.25 stars. I didn’t really believe the connection between Teddy and Clara, and I didn’t feel like there was enough growth for their relationship to be healthy and last in the long term. There was also a narrative inconsistency (about vibrators lol) that really bothered me. Overall, this book is fine, but it just wasn’t for me.

This will make a good choice for fall romance reads. Told in alternating timelines we followed the romance of Clara and Theo through the past and present. Second chance is a favorite trip of mine but theirs was only okay. These two had great chemistry but the miscommunication was just too much for me.

What an absolutely perfect romcom just in time for fall. I love an academia setting and a camp setting, so between present day and the flashbacks, this book had my heart immediately. Watching Teddy & Clara’s friendship develop from childhood was so sweet and their homeschool background was unique. I also felt like their conflicts throughout the book were realistic and understandable. There’s so spice but not like blushing, uncomfortable amounts, which made for great balance between the intellectual dialogue and witty banter. I’ll definitely be recommending this one to everyone come fall. Kind of a When Harry Met Sally but in Baltimore with professors vibe. So sweet and a must-read for romcom fans.

4.50 stars
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TW: Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Death of a parent
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I'm a sucker for an academic romance. Assistant Professor Clara is driven in life and has always felt the need to prove herself. All that drive has paid off over the years, she has her dream job teaching at a liberal arts college and is up for tenure this year. When Clara is asked to share her office with a visiting professor during the fall semester, she has no problem helping out - that is until she realizes that her officemate is also the man she hasn't spoken with since a fallout 10 years ago.

I loved Teddy and Clara - these two introverts (with Clara being a tad more extroverted) have the perfect relationship. We learn the two of them meet at an autumn camp and from there the friendship blooms. From weekly phone calls, a long-distance history book club, and burnt CD's these two form a close bond. I loved watching them fall in love with each other without even realizing it. There are also a lot fo nostalgic vibes that I couldn't help but love in this book! It brought me back to the 00s.

If anything, I disliked how stubborn the two of them were - their fallout was due to a miscommunication which could have been easily avoided if they had both talked out their feelings. When the two of them reconnect years later, they immediately fall back into a friendship when Teddy agrees to help throw a gala that year in the fall. For characters that are supposed to be sharing an office - Teddy is never around, I think I would have liked to see them share the office a bit more and perhaps add a steamy scene or two!
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I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, and Kristyn J. Miller for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinons are my own. Given Our History will publish on August 27th, 2024. Pre-order your copy today!

3.5 stars. It was cute, it was sweet, it was a little too long.

This follows two estranged former friends over the course of their lives, from childhood to early adulthood. In the present day, they’re history professors tasked with sharing an office, in the past we see when they met at camp and how their lives progressed.

It’s second chance, first person, single POV, with then/now timelines.

This feels like if you mixed “When Harry Met Sally” with “People We Meet On Vacation” but set it in a workplace. The first 60ish% was great, then I started to lose interest. The way Clara reacted to seeing Teddy at the beginning of the book had me thinking he did something terrible. Once I got into the "why" chapters of the past I was somewhat underwhelmed.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

Clara and Teddy were camp friends when they were homeschooled kids, now as history professors they are temporarily assigned to share an office while Teddy lectures for a semester at the college where Clara is trying to get tenure, and her younger sister is am undergraduate student. A sweet but believable love story with fully realized characters, this is will appeal to fans of alternating timelines/flashbacks, friends-to-lovers, workplace romance. I will recommend to readers of Ali Hazelwood and Sarah Adams. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for digital review copy.

I wanted to love this book, but it just moved so slowly. I was bored several times throughout the book. Overall, it was a cute story idea, but the execution was just average for me. There was too much talk of academia. I know that they are both professors and super smart, but it just made parts of the story boring. Overall, a 3 star read.

WOW! I really enjoyed this book! I think it’ll be the perfect fall read when it comes out in August.

Clara is a burgeoning history academic up for tenure in a “boys club” type department. When she’s asked to share her office space with a visiting professor, she quickly learns said scholar is her ex-best friend, Teddy. Estranged for nearly a decade, the two form a tentative friendship as they learn to navigate their new shared space (campus), responsibilities (fundraising committee), and their long-shared history. Will Clara and Teddy rekindle what they had, or will their history remain in the past?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book! I particularly liked the chapters that took place in the past, which I felt really gave depth to the characters. I could feel the two fall in love over two separate timelines and I swooned the entire time. Plus, the writing was so beautifully done, I couldn’t help but binge read the entire book.

I had not read anything by Kristyn J. Miller before, but she is definitely on my radar now! If you loved Love and Other Words, Every Summer After, and Same Time Next Summer, you’ll definitely love Given Our History.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This is a cute second chance romance which is probably my favorite trope out there. The dual timeline keeps things interesting and gives us an idea of the past history of Clara and Teddy versus the current. I liked the way it was laid out and feel that the dual timelines helped reveal details of their relationship which made it more intriguing. The characters had a ton of personal growth which is always a huge plus for me. Minus one star because I would have liked the connection of the two main characters to be deeper than it was portrayed at times. Still a very enjoyable read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Clara and Teddy met at a camp and they easily nerd out together as homeschool kids with similar quirks. They see each other almost every year at the camp and stay in touch in between. They have clear goals and they’re both hyper focused. It’s what makes them so similar but also so cautious about asking each for anything more.

They have a falling out and meet again in the present, in their 30’s, as professionals.

I enjoyed reading their friendship slowly grow since age 14 but there were a lot of time jumps as they grew older that I found not as enjoyable. I grew attached to the younger versions of these characters but I didn’t really understand where the older versions were coming from.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read

Second chance romance is everything to me and Ive been looking forward to this for so long. I loved it. The pain, the connection. I wish there was a bit more conflict but its okay.