Thank you to Kristyn J. Miller, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

First, I want to say I am obsessed with the cover of this book. I love it so much. Second, this was good but wasn't as good as I expected. The miscommunication drove me crazy. I also couldn't connect to either of the main characters. I just wanted more.

I usually love a second-chance romance story, but unfortunately, for me, this one was simply boring. I never got fully engaged in the story of Clara and Teddy.

In addition to second chances, other tropes found here include friends-to-lovers and miscommunication.

The story tracks two young history professors who both grew up as home-schooled children. They met at a camp for home-schooled kids and became long-term friends. But something happened to derail their friendship before it could move to the next level. There are a lot of (clearly labeled) flashbacks, so you gradually see their friendship grow and change. But I kept waiting for something big that caused them not to talk to each other for 10 years, and once it was revealed, it was anticlimactic. I did enjoy all the references to pop culture of their youth, like the Twilight books and movies and bands like My Chemical Romance.

I have worked at a university and understand the tenure process quite well. There is no way that it would have happened as depicted in this novel. Also, who brings a vibrator to a gala???

Sorry, but this one just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

4 ⭐️ - OMG this was so cute. I loved reading this book. It had a great setting, relatable characters, and a swoon worthy romance. I enjoyed the timeline changes between past and present to really develop and digest the characters growth and love for each other. I wish there was more!

I liked this book well enough. It was a very atmospheric academic romance. The romance felt a little lukewarm and I didn't really feel like any of the side characters added anything to the story. So on most counts, it was a miss for me.

This book was seriously just such a sweet romance novel. I loved the dual timelines and being able to see how their relationship grew and changed over the years leading up to them being reunited.

Teddy is absolutely book boyfriend material and the steamy scenes between the pair really delivered.

The beginning was a bit slow for me but overall, I absolutely adored Given Our History. I highly recommend you check it out if you are looking for an easy read that's lot of sweet and a little bit spicy!

LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED this one. What a beautiful romance. I loved these characters and loved the dual timelines. I do wish there was an epilogue because I love those but it didn't damper how much I enjoyed it!

This gave me some Ali Hazelwood vibes in terms of the build up and romance. Cute love story about missed connections and poor communication that runs awry.

Not a very dense book and rather easy to read. Great before bed reading

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. love a second chance romance, love a miscommunication trope a bit less. overall i thought it was well written and well planned out. the way the characters went from friends to lovers to strangers was a better idea than letting them stay together. the reason they weren't speaking for so long could have been a better reason.

Clara has her whole life planned out - college, grad school, history professor, tenure. She has sacrificed friendships and relationships to follow this strict path. When a former best friend (and more) comes waltzing back into her life, she is forced to reexamine what she really wants and what she's willing to sacrifice to get it.

I love a good second chance romance and Given Our History fits that bill perfectly. Clara is so relatable to me in many ways. Miller has such a way of creating characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I will absolutely continue to read more books by her.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Given Our History.

Strong start, with glimmers of delicious angst but oddly there was just not enough present-day characterization or development for me to fully understand them. So the pacing fell apart a bit there midway for me - especially because the tension was sorta resolved by 70% .

Looking for your next fall read? Look no further!

🍂Academia
🍂Dual timeline
🍂Fall vibes
🍂Friends to lovers
🍂Nostalgia (especially for millennials)
🍂Nerdy MMC and FMC (history professors)

I wish we got a liiiiiitle bit more of Clara and Teddy - I would’ve loved a cute little epilogue!

Overall, this was a sweet romance. If you like friends to lovers and want something with fall vibes, this one is for you!

I found Clara to be relatable, even if she was a little frustrating at times. However, I think this made her very human. I’m glad she grew as the book progressed.

Burned CDs, My Chemical Romance, worrying about text message costs, and Twilight? This book is for the millennials for sure. I felt so nostalgic reading the chapters set in the past, when Clara was in high school and college.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my eARC! Given Our History is out now!

I absolutely adore a well-done dual timeline, and this does it perfectly. I adored the nostalgia and felt it was perfectly done. I also adored Clara and felt like she was GENUINELY quirky as opposed to being the "not like the other girls" type. Theo also perfectly complimented her and I genuinely loved their chemistry and bond. The academia vibe was perfect for the end of summer, I loved this one!

Clara and Teddy met at a camp for home schooled kids when they were teenagers. Their friendship grew into a deep love but sometimes love comes at the wrong time. They end up separated from each other for years while pursuing their college degrees and careers. Can a twist of fate allow them to finally be together?

Clara has some emotional scars from her childhood that hold her back. Her storyline in this book forces her to face the facts that she needs to put herself first. I think the author did a good job showing how Clara could only see one possible outcome with her career often at her own detriment. Clara’s growth curve was well done. Teddy comes into the story fully formed. His only issue is that he wants to make things right with Clara. In some ways he is almost background noise. He helps Clara redefine her goals and to deal with her past emotional pain. I like where they ended up at the end of the book. There are a number of side characters that all add to the book. I didn’t think there was anything superfluous.

My one issue with the book is that it is forgettable. It was a nice, easy read but it didn’t make any impact at all.

This is a contemporary romance that take place in the then and the now. Both of the main characters are adults with careers. I might read more from this author in the future.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Clara and Teddy. They meet when they are kids going to camp. Clara tells Teddy that she will be his friend. They begin to call and text each other. They both go to college and study history. They have heartache and miss one another. Clara is working as a professor and Teddy comes to her college to be a visiting professor. They have an attraction that won’t go away. They fall in love.

I enjoyed how the relationship between Clara and Teddy played out over two timelines simultaneously. I rooted for them to both repair their friendship and fall in love.

A fun story about Clara Fernsby, a history nut working as a professor up for tenure at her small private college. Having been homeschooled, this shaped much of Clara's life as a young adult. The majority of her socialization with peers came at sleep away summer camp, where she met her best friend, Teddy. Until they weren't. After ten years of not speaking, Clara learns she'll be sharing her office with a visiting teacher... Teddy! The anxiety the main character felt was palpable, and so relatable. It's a feel good story that follows them as they navigate lives as adults. The ending felt a bit rushed and I would have preferred more closure there.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Kristyn J. Miller for the eARC.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Friends to Lovers
Second Chance
Teachers

Clara and Teddy's love story was cute to read. Clara wanting to get ten year to support her sister and doesn't go after her dreams and Teddy trying to figure out his life's career after a tragic that happened to his family. They're trying to find love after being friends.

I'm not a huge fan of reading the past and present because a lot of times it's hard to follow, but this was simple to read. It was an easy read, but nothing spectacular. Clara just pushes people away because she thinks that's what best and not communicating on how she feels, until finally she doesn't want to loss Teddy again.

It's a cute and fast little read if you're looking for a friends to lovers pallet cleanser.

Assistant professor Clara Fernsby is determined and focused on her dream of teaching history. Since the age of fourteen, she has pursued this goal relentlessly, overcoming all obstacles, including a significant relationship from her past. Her hard work pays off when she secures a full time teaching position at a university right after graduating, and she is now up for tenure.
However, everything changes when Theodore "Teddy" Harrison arrives as a visiting scholar for the fall semester. Teddy is a reminder of Clara's past, as they haven’t spoken since a falling out a decade ago. Their shared history at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains resurfaces, where they exchanged books and music and fell in love as teenagers. At this point, they don’t really know each other anymore.
As they collaborate on a project and share drinks at a college bar, Clara finds herself falling for Teddy once more. Aware of their complicated history, she grapples with the possibility that he may not be interested. Yet, both heart and history have their own interpretations, and Clara is determined not to repeat the past. This novel's dual timelines juxtapose Clara and Teddy's early friendship with their present-day interactions. Readers witness their growth from childhood friends to strangers, and perhaps back to something more. I wanted to jump in and help them with their communication skills!
The characters of Clara and Teddy are compelling and relatable, making the reader root for their romance. The pacing is well-executed, and the emotional depth of their relationship adds to the overall charm of the narrative. The backdrop of academia and the transition from summer to fall amplify the cozy, romantic atmosphere. "Given Our History" is an engaging, heartwarming read that fans of second chance romances will adore. It's a perfect book for fall, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a light, enjoyable escape.

This was such a cozy little romcom with flashbacks to my childhood/college years. There was so much nostalgia: dial up, AOL, MySpace, and of course all the emo bands mentioned throughout 🥹. I’m still a sucker for emo music so I was all about it! This book was well crafted and told in present and past timelines telling a story through the years. I absolutely loved Teddy and Clara’s friendship, love story, and all of the bumps in between. I definitely recommend!

We love:
- Second chance childhood romance
- Cozy autumnal academia setting (that cover!!! The tweed!! The sweaters!!)
- A MMC who is direct, respectful, and communicative
- A FMC who knows her worth, professionally
- Tooth-achingly sweet teenage best friendship that provides a real foundation for an adult romance built to last.
- Dual timelines that pace the story well.

I’d read a book like this every time.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 4.5 stars rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.