Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

After reading and being hooked by Seven Rules For Breaking Hearts I was excied to request this second chance romance. It ended up being an okay read for me, I didn't feel very invested in the characters. The duel timeline felt off to me as well.

I did love how they met and found friendship in each other and I am obsessed with the cover.

An academic romance novel with a friends-to-lovers storyline that is cute if not totally groundbreaking. Fun side characters that I could see getting more life in follow up novels.

I'm a sucker for a contemporary romance set in Academia. As a liberal arts college graduate, it was easy to pull me into a world that felt familiar and like coming home. I really enjoyed this story and how easy it was to fall into.

I read this book in one sitting. I really enjoyed the characters and although i think it would have been helpful to have more of Tedd's perspective in this i really did enjoy it.

Given Our History 🧡 Arc Review
. . .
TROPES:
🍂 Second Chance Romance
🍂Friends to Lovers
🍂Women in Stem
🍂Forced Proximity
🍂Soulmates
🍂Dual Timelines
. . .
I don’t think I’ve ever loved an arc more than I’ve loved this one! 🥹 Here we have a beautiful story about life and love, bad decisions and second chances, timing, family… There’s so much to say about this novel!

In this book we follow two people who were undeniably made for each other, they become friends in a camp for homeschooled kids and it just makes sense.🩵 They just make sense. That is until life gets in the way, and priorities shift, and future plans turn into tunnel vision, and they fall apart. Years later, they meet again, forced to share an office and to confront their past.

This is a slow burn ❤️‍🔥 (which I absolutely love), the chapters alternate between “before” and what’s happening now, the settings are so well constructed and described, the pacing is exactly what this kind of “second chance” needed, the side characters bring light to the story, the writing was so good… there’s not a single bad thing to be said about this book, in my opinion! ✨

Imagine my surprise when I found out this is only the author’s second release.🤯
Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Given Our History is a slow-moving, friends to lovers romance. It was a nice story, written with a past/present format that brought a great understanding to the characters and their actions, but did little to keep my interest in the long haul. I'll admit, alternating chapters of past/present information is my LEAST FAVORITE format when reading. Although the author did a great job with it, that back and forth did nothing to pull me further into the story.

The main characters, Clara and Teddy, were okay. I didn't get that "compelling" feeling that usually drives me to turn the pages faster than I can read. All-in-all, this book was well-written and somewhat interesting, but it just didn't grab my attention and pull me in so I never wanted to stop reading. That doesn't mean it won't interest you. I definitely think it's worth the read to find out. Grab yourself a copy and give it a try!

What jumped out to me about this book was the possibility of a second chance romance. It hit such a personal note for me. Actually, there were several things about this book that resonated with me. The love for history, the career in academia, meeting "your" person as a teenager and awkwardly sifting through complicated feelings into adulthood- it was all there. While this book started off at a school zone pace, I couldn't put it down once the relationship between both characters was developed. And Kristyn Miller really came through on that one. This was the ending that I was too scared to embrace myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. This was a cute friends to lovers romance with dual timeline as well. I wasn’t incredibly invested in the characters though.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one of the best friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, cinnamon roll MMC, that I have read in such a long time. If you are a fan of Emily Henry’s writing then you will love this book! Kristyn does an amazing job at bouncing between the present and the past to give us a full (pardon my pun) history on Clara and Teddy. I absolutely adored their story and highly recommend this book go straight to the top of your ‘must read’ list.

Second chance romances are always a delight to read , enjoyed the main characters and their story a lot. The premises are interesting and very well developed. Love it

This was a cute and heartfelt second chance romance that I would recommend to anyone who loves books set in an academic setting (similar to Ali Hazelwood) that have main characters whose relationship spans decades. I really enjoyed this one.

I'm a sucker for a good cozy romance, and Given Our History delivered everything I love about the genre and more. It's like a warm cup of cocoa on a chilly night, filled with sweetness, comfort, and just the right amount of spice.

This book was okay for me. I thought that the plotline of both of our MC's meeting because they were homeschooled and went to a homeschool camp for the month of September was really adorable. I liked that there was both past and present timelines that we got to be a part of Clara and Teddy's growing friendship as well as their interactions as adults. I thought that they honestly were just better as friends, and that a lot of the conflict they dealt with in their "relationship" when they were younger could have been avoided through just having genuine conversations with one another where they honestly laid it all out instead of panicking about the potential outcomes. However, I can acknowledge that this is a book of fiction so it still works! If you're looking for a book about two history nerds who fall in love, this is the book for you.

Closed Door Modifications: Chapters 19, 21 & 25

My Thoghts
Dedicated and driven History Professor Clara Fernsby is a character who has worked tirelessly to reach her life goals.

Professor Theodore/Teddy Harrison has done the same.

For two people who are so passionate about learning they have not yet managed the most important lesson, until now 19 years after meeting at summer camp.

Both of these characters are trying their best to not repeat what they perceive to be errors in judgement on their respective parents’ part.

Errors that caused both families to struggle and caused Clara and Teddy personal stress at a young age while forming their desire to not make the same mistakes in their own lives.

After years of pushing and pulling, do they or don’t they, will they or won’t they a mutual decision about their future as friends is once again strained at its seams.

More importantly any future at all for the pair in a more meaningful capacity is at stake as well.

Friendships, relationships issues and career obligations all are a part of this story.

How each is handled by the two main characters takes place during alternating timelines, past to present, that explain a lot of their backstory that dictates what they finally decide is best for them as a couple.
[EArc from Netgalley]
On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

“Given Our History” by Kristyn J. Miller
A Long Journey
I had a bit of trouble adjusting to the format of jumping between the present and yesteryear; although it really did enhance the understanding of the present (and accentuate the tendency of history to repeat itself?). I enjoyed reading this story. But I never did get emotionally attached to the characters; maybe I am just a bit too tired and need a rest. This is a worthy read. Happy Reading ! !

This was such a cute, cozy read!

I love how we went from the past to the present day. The author did a great job with the pacing, making us feel truly connected to Teddy and Clara by the end. I was rooting for them from the beginning!

Throughout this story, you alternate between their history at summer camp and their current lives, where they haven’t spoken in years.

This book had a lot of miscommunication, which kept me sucked in, whereas sometimes that can be a big turnoff.

Overall, it was an easy, palate-cleansing read that I would recommend to others!

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

-Childhood friends to lovers
-Second chance
-Summer Camp

There were so many things in Given Our History that resonated with me, it was just a perfect fit book. I loved the homeschooling, college professors, history lovers, summer camp, and childhood best friends who grew apart aspects of this book. I enjoyed the dual timelines, and waiting to reveal what had driven the characters apart when they were younger kept a bit of suspense and kept me reading. I was definitely invested in Teddy and Clara's love story and was rooting for them in both timelines. I also appreciated that there was no miscommunication trope.

I enjoyed both of the characters, even though at times Clara's stubbornness drove me a little crazy. Teddy was so sweet and I just ate up his undying love for Clara. The side characters were entertaining as well.

Given Our History is a sweet, quick read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys second chance romance and childhood best friend tropes, as well as books involving academia, characters who were homeschooled, and summer camp.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

A quick and cozy read. Honestly requested this book, because I loved the names Teddy and Clara. Friends to lovers trope and second chance romance/friendship tropes. It had dual timeline going on through the book which I’m honestly not always a fan of, I get annoyed waiting to find what happened between the characters but I think Kristyn Miller did a good job with this style. The book could be slow at times and there is a lot of miscommunication coming from Clara which made me what to slap her at times. Overall I enjoyed this book and I’m giving it 3.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins press for this ARC!

Romance, college campuses, and so much more. This book definitely delivered and I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this one early! Recommending it :)

Given Our History gives multiple dimensions to history: the subject in school, the past experiences you have with a person, and generational history you may or may not try to repeat. It's a romance story of two history professors who used to be friends, but fell apart. And retells their history as they decide if they want a future.

As a historian, I wanted a lot more historical depth. But it is a romance after all, so I didn't begrudge it too much. I did find the rest of the book a little underwhelming, despite how much I wanted to love it for the subject. It went very slow, the tension was very tame, and the final thing that made them grow apart was very anticlimactic. Maybe a bit realistic, but not exciting to read about. I did finish it in the end, but just barely.

I did like the characters, especially the little sister. And the jumps from camp and homeschooling life back to present did a good job sharing their back story a little at a time to keep progressing. And it had the perfect amount of spice in my opinion.

Overall, I'd give it 3/5 stars.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital advanced reader copy.