As a current doctoral level grad student in history, I was immediately drawn in by the description of this book. I had high expectations going into the book, but author Kristyn Miller exceeded them all. She did a phenomenial job portraying the world of academia through the story of Clara and Teddy.

Clara and Teddy have been friends for seventeen years, but due to a series of missed opportunities, they never became romantically involved, until Teddy ends up as a visiting professor at Clara's university.

I loved the way Miller used flashbacks to provide a look into the backstory of how Clara's relationship got to the present day. I felt myself growing even more connected to her as the storyline unfolded. The struggle for tenure is indeed, real.

The ending in particular, was especially satisfying. I only wish we had a little more of a look into Teddy's life, and an epilogue, but neither detracts from the beautiful story Miller has crafted.

I look forward to reading my next book by Kristyn Miller. I'm a new fan and absolutely love the small details she adds for fans of history.

10/10 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to enjoy an ARC copy of this book!

All opinions are my own.

4 stars!
As a history lover (and teacher) myself I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of a romance between two history professors!

This was my first Kristyn J Miller book, and you can consider me a fan now! Dual timelines can be so hit and miss, but I loved this one! Watching them become friends the first time in the past, then again in the present was such a special treat. I loved their chemistry and love for history and each other. I was rooting for them from the first page. I loved getting to know their history, it just made me love them and their second chance at love even more.

Read if you love:
Second Chance
Friends to Lovers
Academia

"Given Our History" intricately weaves the tale of Clara and Teddy, two lifelong best friends whose bond withstands the test of time and adversity. As they navigate the complexities of love and friendship, the novel delves into themes of familiarity, self-discovery, and the profound realization of never truly ceasing to love someone.

Kristyn J. Miller masterfully crafts characters who resonate deeply with readers, such as Clara, whose journey mirrors the struggles and triumphs of real-life introspection and growth. Through Clara's narrative, Miller captures the nuances of ambition, indecision, and familial dynamics, creating a character whose authenticity leaves an indelible mark on the reader's heart.

Teddy emerges as the epitome of steadfastness and devotion, his unwavering love for Clara serving as a beacon of hope and stability throughout the narrative. Miller's adept handling of their relationship, punctuated by poignant moments and heartfelt confessions, epitomizes the timeless allure of friends-to-lovers narratives done right. With its richly drawn characters, evocative dual timeline, and heartfelt exploration of love and friendship, "Given Our History" stands as a testament to Miller's storytelling prowess and is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end.

Ahhh I love this book! Given Our History is your classic friends to lovers meets second chance romance with an academic flair. It’s set mostly in the fall so it has my whole heart. Clara and Teddy met at camp (all those mid 00’s references were spot on) and the story alternates between past and present, giving us more depth to their friendship. I really loved it and can’t wait until it’s published so I can buy a copy with that gorgeous cover!

I received an advanced copy from netgalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me access to the e-Arc.

4.25 stars

Their love story is adorable and messy. It shows how life can derail a story and relationships. We never know how one choice can alter our paths entirely. I loved how the main character was a history professor. That she has always had a passion for history at a young age. I really enjoyed the past and present perspectives on their lives. It felt like I was watching a movie. I felt like the characters were well written and more realistic than sometimes presented in romance books.

I highly recommend it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚪️ Alternating Timelines
⚪️ Childhood Friends
⚪️ Right Person, Wrong Time

Clara has always wanted to teach history and has never let anything get in her way, not even love. Naturally, the year she’s finally up for tenure is when Teddy, her ex best friend (and could’ve been love of her life), shows up as a visiting scholar that she must share an office with. They haven’t spoken in 10 years and are now working together on the same committees while revisiting their lifelong friendship and contemplating where it all went wrong. Is the timing finally right for the two homeschooled history nerds?

I seem to have a knack of always having an authors debut on my TBR and end up reading their second release first. I simply fell in love with Clara and Teddy from the very beginning. Clara’s insistence to prove herself and her abilities hit home for me, and I wanted to shake her every time she went about sabotaging herself for the sake of others. Teddy gave me warm butterflies the whole way through - he’s the kind of guy I would’ve wanted to notice me at a young age, and while I had my suspicions about him, he blew me out of the water by the end.

I also really enjoyed Clara’s relationship with her younger sister - it’s not perfect by any means, but it reminded me a lot of the dynamic between my sister and myself, and how I’d do anything to help her succeed and make the world less difficult for her.

Loved this story, and the present POV mixed in with past events, giving more depth to the story. I wasn’t thrilled with the hard stop ending, would have loved to see an epilogue but otherwise enjoyed this ARC (thank you Net Galley!). The growth during the story was supported by the fierce independence of Clara and I was happy to read how she recognized positive changes. Between her sister, Izzy, Teddy & Bel - it was supportive of a full picture of her. Julien seemed like a great coworker!

The main characters lacked chemistry, it's a weird situation where they seem pretty ideal in theory but I never really felt anything for them or like they felt anything for each other. I enjoyed the academic side of things much more, although the main characters struggles with being too professional in a work setting was weird and could be better contextualised. Also the tenure committees decision felt pretty fair? So it comes off a bit entitled and weird when she is so offended after she takes a swing at a fairly unusually early shot at tenure and it doesn't work out because she needs more experience - honestly, it sounds like she does.
Overall there's nothing really wrong with this, it's just aggressively mediocre and the relationship drama is a bit tedious

I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did! This was an entertaining read, with lovable characters and a sweet romance. So cute!!!

The longing of 16 years of history, the play on the title, the ways their lives were intertwined with each others ever since they met; this book left me aching when I was finished with it. Both Teddy and Clara left such impacts on each other's lives that everything they did and held dear to themselves had to do with each other. to see them love one another, then fall apart, meet again, let it fall to the wayside, then come back together again, for good, was a delicious pull and tug, with their years of their history between each other woven in between their nows. I've been put off by other long term (years and years, they keep interacting and meeting) second chance books but none have been so articulate and well strung out and put together as this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

2.5 stars rounded up

This was mostly boring. I had a hard time connecting to anyone in the story. The two main characters showed very little emotion for people who had known and loved each other for close to twenty years. It was a mystery to me why they couldn't connect again. They were so bland. The character of Mindy might as well have not even been in the story - that was a missing plot line for sure. I liked the academic setting but that's about all I liked.

Clara is an assistant history professor and finally up for tenure. Theodore is back in her college as a visiting scholar bringing back their ugly history. Now she's falling back in love with him all over again...

Love the characters. They are terrific. I like the academia plot. It's a sweet story. The side characters are terrific too.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

"Given Our History" by Kristyn J Miller is a captivating and heartfelt romance that explores the complexities of love, forgiveness, and second chances. Clara Fernsby's journey as an assistant professor navigating the reappearance of her past love, Theodore Harrison, is both relatable and compelling.

Miller's writing is engaging, drawing readers into Clara's world as she grapples with the unexpected resurgence of feelings for Teddy. The exploration of their shared history, from their time at a sleepaway camp to their present-day interactions, adds depth to the story and highlights the intricacies of their relationship.

What sets "Given Our History" apart is its exploration of the power of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption. As Clara and Teddy reconnect and confront the mistakes of their past, readers are taken on a journey of self-discovery and healing.

Overall, "Given Our History" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that will leave readers rooting for Clara and Teddy's love story. Miller's portrayal of their relationship is both tender and authentic, making this a must-read for fans of contemporary romance.

Was happily surprised with this book. Lately (more because of me) I can’t find a book that can hold my attention, but this one I finished in a few days

Tropes
Best Friends to Strangers
Second Chance
Forced Proximity
Academia
Slow Burn
Dual Timelines

Exploring the complexity of (introvert) friendships over the course of 17 years between Clara and Teddy. Told from Clara’s POV only, we get taken back and forth through a now and then of their adolescence and its influence on their adulthood. Clara’s love of history as a teen sets them both on a pathway to academia as professors of history. (As a history major, loved this).

This was a bit of right person, wrong time - but with Clara constantly unable to commit to Teddy. I felt the logic wasn’t really there to back her decisions. Especially after she knows what it’s like to live without him, and was considering losing him again. I felt frustrated with Clara and that she didn’t deserve Teddy since she couldn’t be honest with him over and over again. However, the Tudor coin got me and Clara’s realization “But there was no falling, this time around—there was only remembering how to love him, a sort of muscle memory.”

Random thought:
Really putting a divide between Pepsi and Coke (IYKYK). But now I understand. Nostalgia and memories will do that.

Overall, 3.5 star read, rounding up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love books based on these imperfect, on and off relationships, spanning years, phases of life, etc. They are messy, they can be exhausting but they are beautiful stories worthy of being told. I felt each heart tug, each long distance yearning, each inability to communicate out of fear as if I were there.

The story brought in meaningful secondary characters, told stories not just of romantic love but familial and friendly love. It introduced us to unique friendships and family dynamics and explored a unique take on a second chance romance, one where the first chance never really took.

Clara and Teddy are wonderful characters that it was fun getting to know. I wish so badly we could have spent time in Teddy’s head, but that’s just how the dice roll in a single POV.

This was really cute! I like the premise but I think I wish we would have gotten more of Teddy and Clara actually being together after they worked things out. It was a lot of back and forth, breaking up, conflicts and miscommunications, compared to the happy ending. I didn’t dislike it by any means and will recommend, but it left me wanting as a reader, since the two weren’t together for what felt like 90% the book. Super cute, and I’m glad they worked things out!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars rounded up to 4
Spice Rating: 3/5 Open door, explicit scenes
Format: E-ARC

*Thank you to NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.*

I gobbled up this friends-to-lovers/second chance romance! Told through alternating timelines starting when the MCs, Clara & Teddy, are teens who meet at a camp for homeschooled kids to present day where they're both History Professors. I loved reading how the friendship and love blossomed. I appreciated the elder emo/millennial references, and it made me warm up to read that much faster.

With fall academia vibes, this novel is for those who want a slow burn, cozy read.

I have two main criticisms. One, since it's mostly from Clara's POV, I didn't feel the chemistry and longing from Teddy. It felt too one-sided, but the characters were likeable enough. Two, this is definitely a slow burn where it took so long to get to the conflict that it felt so anticlimactic... I wanted more of that conflict and the aftermath

I love a campus romance book and as someone with a history degree, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Given Our History. I also adore a friends to lovers journey and a bit of second chance romance, so trope wise, this had my name all over it. Miller’s writing is easy to sink into and I enjoyed Clara as a character, especially her relationship with her younger sister. She is a tenure-track academic who finds herself unexpectedly sharing an office with a visiting academic - a former best friend, almost-boyfriend called Teddy, who she hasn’t seen in six years. The story is told in alternating present and past, where we get to see how Clara and Teddy found each other and what happened to break them up.

While I enjoyed the setting and there was nothing really that brought the story down, there wasn’t much that stood out, either. Teddy and Clara didn’t have many interactions until they were suddenly declaring their love, and what encounters they did have they never really talked about anything. Conversely, there were long sections about Clara’s day to day life that didn’t really fuel the narrative. I finished with no real connection to the characters, or idea about how their relationship was going to look if Clara moved to Edinburgh. There was a real potential for some top tier yearning with the forced proximity and childhood history to contend with, but sadly it didn’t quite do it for me!

This is a great fall read! It’s perfect if you love friends to lovers/second chance romance.
Teddy is a really fun read- he’s so personable and kind. Clara is also great, but she’s a bit more stubborn. She falls into the miscommunication trope a lot. However, if you’re looking for a sweet quick romance read, this is the one!