The Girl he Used to Know. What a beautiful love story....but not your normal run of the mill love story. Not the usual couple gets together, loses each other then gets together again. In fact it is - but it’s so much more. It’s the story of Annika (like Monica without the M) and Jonathan who meet and fall in love during college senior year. Annika is very shy, socially awkward, but brilliant and beautiful. Jonathan is handsome, warm, caring and compassionate. The author’s writing is beautiful and I just fell in love with this couple, especially Annika - I felt her pain when she suffered people’s ridicule or rejection. The story goes back and forth between 1991 and 2001. Unfortunately, sad circumstances force Annika and Jonathan apart but they meet again ten years later. Can things ever be the same? I recommend you read the book. Great read.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This novel was set mostly in Chicago in 2001 and 1991. Annika is working as a librarian, she is out shopping when she accidentally meets Jonathon, an old boyfriend from 10 years ago.
The chance encounter sparks memories of their relationship and what went wrong.
Annika has autism, she has a good memory, is good at chess but struggles in social situations.
Her roommate, Jannice helps her get through College. After College Annika is on her own and has to learn how to socialize. Annika watches how other people behave and interact and tries to copy. Sometimes she gets it right. I loved the way Annika’s character was developed.
This novel switches between Annika and Jonathon and describes their relationship in 1991 and 2001.
I loved the ending.

I loved it. I love everything from Tracy Garvis Graves. I hope there is a sequel from it with the man and boy she picked up along the road. I work with autistic adults and could relate to Annika. I shed a few tears and laughed too. Highly recommend!

There is a lovely intimacy to this story. The characters make a place in your heart and bring over a calmness to the reader as much as they do to themselves.

I loved how the author has paired up the characters,made the story enjoyable.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to start by saying that my love for Annika, for MON CHER, is lasting and profound and intense. I love her SO MUCH. Not only is she kind, compassionate, independent, loving, sweet, nurturing, [insert your positive quality of choice] but she's also SO MAGICALLY INSPIRing.

I'd also like it to be known that I predicted I would love her based on the premise alone, because my girl worship senses are getting sharper than ever. As I read this, I was constantly cheering for her. If you need a character you can get behind and support with tender care, I mightily suggest Annika. I want her to be my best friend, I will fight for my girl against every adversary, our relationship was slow-burn but now it's so strong.

Plot

This was a really sweet love story???? At least there were sweet \\moments\\. But full-disclosure, Jonathan is an *sshole and Annika deserves better. It's basically about two college students who fall in love only to have something estranges for ten years, after which they reunite accidentally. The narrative alternates between past and present and it's so painful???? Mostly because of Jonathan LET'S BE REAL.

I feel like this review is going to be me dragging Jonathan. SO LET'S BEGIN, FRIENDS.

Why Jonathan needs to get his sh*t together and be a better boyfriend to Annika (my gorgeous hero)

1) He doesn't really trust her??????? Trust is key in any relationship, if I'm going to ship you I'm require the ride-or-die attitude. Jonathan DOUBTS my bb all the time. UNACCEPTABLE. *slams hand down*

For example, at one point he tells his friend that he's not sure if Annika was "serious" about him during their long and intense college romance. Then, NOT FIVE MINUTES LATER, he admits no one has ever loved him more fiercely or unconditionally as Annika did. Does anyone else feel like there's been an injustice????? Because there's been an f'ing injustice.


2) He's in it for her tremendously gorgeous looks. While Annika adores Jonathan without caring a morsel about his attractiveness, Jonathan basically says he initially looked past her autism because she's hot. I'm all for pure attraction. But when you say someone is attractive in *spite* of who they are as a person/their nature???????? Hold me back or I will throw John Green books at Jonathan, because that's what he deserves.

3) Later, Annika asks Jonathan if he can handle being with her. She says there may be a woman out there who isn't autistic and might be Jonathan's perfect girl. And guess what his reply was? YOURE' NOT READY::::
He basically says, his dream girl may be out there, but maybe he'll never find her, so Annika is cool too. Maybe dream girl won't love him back. Also, Annika is loyal, so he may as well stay with her because she'll never cheat. IN SUM: There's for sure someone I'd love better out there, but you're here so I may as well stick with you. Because Jonathan sure is charming bro.


4) When Jonathan goes to New York for a job, he expects Annika to follow. When she doesn't, due to *****extremely personal distress and needing to work through it independently***** he creates drama and basically says his heart is broken and why did you break my heart I'm filled with anger. Healthy relationships include putting the other person when something is essential to their well-being. Jonathan failed her when she needed his support and acceptance most.

5) Lastly, he's a self-centered poster child! Everyone says Annika has trouble understanding how people feel/reading emotions, but Jonathan is far worse at this skill. And he's worse because he's often too involved in his own feelings to understand his girlfriend's.

Why Annika is the best girlfriend ever and she's so sweet

1) She believes "the closeness of two people has no limits."
2) "When you walk into the room, my whole body relaxed because i think, 'Jonathan is here.'"

3) She loves Jonathan more than anything in the world and tells him so. *has tears in eyes*

4) She is so forgiving???? Anyone can confide in her and she'll comfort you with the knowledge that she, too, makes mistakes and everything will be okay.

5) She is genuine af and never hides her emotions/feelings/opinions

6) When she realizes she's in a bad place, she takes the measures to care for herself. She knows when to put herself first (even if her jerk boyfriend doesn't get it) and that's so admirable.


7) She shows up, admits her faults, and works to be a better person/girlfriend 24/7. I'm in love with her. Goodbye I've got to go wax poetry about my eternal admiration.

Overall, this book has excellent autism rep and such a great female protagonist. Major Concerns: It ended abruptly, I strongly dislike contemporary narratives that alternate between past and present (THE STRESS, IT'S TOO MUCH), and Jonathan upset me in ways only he could.

This novel has a very appealing retro-style cover and so I was quite surprised to learn that it is set in 1991 and 2001. The story is told through the voices of Annika, a bright young woman who is clearly on the autism spectrum and her boyfriend Jonathan whom she meets at her university chess club in 1991, loses touch with and then reunites with in 2001. Whist the story is clearly about their earlier and current relationship at one level, it is also an exploration of how those with any kind of social difficulty struggle to cope in ‘everyday’ situations. Tracey Garvis Graves does create an authentic sounding Annika even though some of her character’s situations and decisions seem a little too ‘neat’ to be plausible. Why, for example, is she having weekly meetings with a counsellor at this stage in her life rather than earlier when she really needed them? The idea that the medical community has only recently acknowledged high functioning autism is a misconception. I should have liked the author to have focused in more depth on some of Annika’s concerns and preconceptions in her own voice; they are mentioned briefly but often through the filter of Janice, her friend.
Whilst Jonathan clearly sounds different from Annika in that he does not see the world through her unique view, there is little to distinguish their voices stylistically. He clearly adores her and we understand why as Garvis Graves creates a delightful, generous hearted girl but there must be times when he is, at the least, extremely worried about how she will manage to cope in certain situations and about his role in supporting her. Their relationship would have seemed more realistic had the reader seen a little more light and shade in its development.
In the last quarter of the novel when the plot moves at a pace, it would have been interesting to have read of the characters’ reactions and necessary adjustments to the unfolding events in much more detail. The final chapters did feel rushed where, in fact, they could have been the most thought-provoking, had we learnt in more detail of how new roles are undertaken after the present has been shattered.
My thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl He Used to Know is Slow to Get Where it Wants to Go

A quiet love story written with a whisper of a plot, slightly interesting characters, and the weight of a short story. Disappointing.

Wendy Ward
http://wendyrward.tumblr.com/

This book remind me why I loved the author's other book Covet so much. She just make you feel for the characters in way that makes them so real and fragile. Annika and Jonathan story that switches back to 1991 then to 2001 tell you how they've grown into themselves when they meet each other again. Really enjoyed reading from Annika's perspective and understanding how she handled all the feelings and hardships she has faced through her young life.

delightful read- the characters were well written - the book was set in different times and told from different perspectives but never felt clunky or tiring- and even though it was about rekindling romance, it was told in a relatable way, with events and emotions sounding natural rather than contrived for the sake of a story. Would 100 percent recommend. (an uncorrected galley provided by netgalley)

I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with Annika. Reading about her world with autism was very insightful and really stuck with me long after the book ended. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I will be purchasing this book for my library branch and know that my patrons will love it also.

4.5+ I am deducting half a * as I needed an epilogue! I wasn’t ready for it to end and needed just a little more of what their life would be in the future.

This book grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down.

I loved the h, how she dealt with life and how she couldn’t stop just saying what she thought. My heart broke for her when she let the H go. The strength she showed when the biggest hurdle ever was put in front of her was mind blowing.

The H - he was great! How he was with the h and how he understood her made him the ideal BBF..

Loved the book but just wanted an epilogue to rejoice in their future.

Wow, I finished this book last night and have just felt drained since, I did not see that coming! It was very interesting to get a glimpse at a character who isn’t “normal”. Annika for sure had her quirks but was able to navigate life with help from some good friends. Along the way she fell in love, expirenced heart break, learned to live on her own and then did it all again. This is a great book but I was disappointed by its abrupt ending, I would have loved an epilogue or something more. #TheGirlHeUsedToKnow #NetGalley

Loved it. I connected with all the characters, I liked the way they and their dialogue were written. This is a very readable book that pulls you in and keeps you there until the end. Annika reminds me a lot of Edward (600 Hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster) and Sheldon Cooper (Big Bang Theory) in that they simply don't get social cues. Black and white, no gray area. What you see is what you get. And they're relatable to their core. Open and often painfully honest. There were great descriptions of Annika and I could form a picture of her in my mind. There were not so many descriptors of Jonathan, like he was secondary to Annika's character, even though he narrated part of the book. He is a good human being, you know, for a fictional character. I wonder if there's some symbolism in that we just know he has dark hair and blue eyes.

This is a book I didn't want to put down at night. I feel like I know the characters and was invested in their fate. This is a genuine, cleanly written, good read.

I liked this well enough, and it does have some unique elements to it, but I don't think any of this author's books will live up to her book "On the Island" for me. I've read a few of her books but that one is by far the best one I've read and one of my all-time favorites so it's always hard not to compare.

That said, this was pretty good and I think lovers of second-chance romance will find it very satisfying.

You know those books that you pull you in by the fifth page? The ones that make you feel connected to the main characters right away? Yeah, this was one of those books. At the beginning, I devoured it wanting to know all about what happened next with Jonathon and Annika both in college and now but as the end of the book got closer, I found myself slowing as I didn’t want it to end. THEN THERE WAS A TWIST. And you best believe this girl stayed up late to finish it.
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Plot - The world was always a little different to Annika. She never quite could keep up with social cues or make friends easily. In her senior year of college she met Jonathon and for once, things were easy. Now, 10 years later Annika sees Jonathon the first boy she has ever loved in a grocery store.

Every single character in this book felt relatable and truly human. There are so many books, especially books that focus on a love story that romanticize characters too far. Tracey embraced the quirks of her characters and that’s what makes them special.

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves is the story of Jonathan and Annika, who met in college and fell in love, were separated and met again 10 years later. The difference here is that Annika is on the Autism Spectrum and Jonathan fell in love with her unconditionally. I'm sure you can imagine what happened once they met. Although this was a pleasant read, it was nothing out of the ordinary or remarkable as far as I was concerned and I struggled to complete it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of this novel for my honest review.

I am usually not a big fan of storylines that flip back and forth her between past and present but this book kept my interest. Annika and Jonathan were so sweet together. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Ms Graves writing! I wish we got an epilogue because I wasn't ready to say goodbye.

3/5 ⭐️
For starters I found this book really boring and slow. Nothing really happened in the book. The premise sounded good but it lacked depth

I had never heard of Tracey Garvis Graves before, but clearly I need to read more from her because a) The Girl He Used to Know was a delight and b) Apparently one of her other books, On the Island, has quite the fanbase! The Girl He Used to Know was such a sweet love story and it's pretty much impossible not to love the main characters Annika and Jonathan, both as individuals and as a couple.

The book bounces back and forth between current day for Annika and Jonathan (2001) when they're in their 30s and their college days. Annika almost drops out of college because she doesn't do great in social situations and gets anxious/has trouble making friends. She has a difficult time understanding people and how to react to them. Almost immediately, you'll get the feeling she's on the autism spectrum, but highly functioning. Her roommate ends up taking her under her wing and encouraging her to join the chess club, one place she feels at home. Senior year, Jonathan joins the chess club, too, and the two become friends and soon a couple. Watching their relationship evolve is one of the best parts of the book.

It's apparent from the start that Annika and Jonathan are no longer a couple in 2001, but you won't know why until you continue reading their stories. But one thing is for sure; if you are a living breathing person with any feeling at all, you will be rooting for Annika and Jonathan the entire time. This book is also just a really good reminder that everyone is different in social situations and just because someone doesn't react just like you, doesn't mean you should discount them.

The Girl He Used to Know ended a lot more emotionally than I was expecting, but I don't want to share too much because the book will be so much more enjoyable without spoilers.

I was happy to be chosen to read this book -thank you Net Galley. This is about Annika who knows that social situations she is awkward. She was homeschooled and now at college. She meets Jonathan at the chess club. they are both very good. They become very close and plan to marry. Then a tragedy happens, and Annika withdrawals and Jonathan goes to New York. He marries and continues his life. In 2001 he comes back to help his mother and they meet again. The story alternates between 1991 and 2001. The story is very moving, and the ending was unexpected
I have read several books by MS Graves and this one is very good. The book is well written, and I could feel the emotions that she was trying to convey.