Today is my stop on the blog tour for heartwarming novel The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves. Thank you to Tracy Fenton for the invitation and to Trapeze Books for my copy of this lovely book.
About the book:
What if you had a second chance at first love?
Annika Rose likes being alone.
She feels lost in social situations, saying the wrong thing or acting the wrong way. She just can’t read people. She prefers the quiet solitude of books or playing chess to being around others. Apart from Jonathan. She liked being around him, but she hasn’t seen him for ten years. Until now that is. And she’s not sure he’ll want to see her again after what happened all those years ago.
Annika Rose likes being alone.
Except that, actually, she doesn’t like being alone at all.
The Girl He Used to Know is an uplifting novel full of surprising revelations that keep you turning the page. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Gail Honeyman, Jill Santopolo and Sliding Doors.
About the author:
Tracey Garvis-Graves lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband, two children, and dog Chloe.
She blogs at http://www.traceygarvisgraves.com, and can also be found on Twitter @tgarvisgraves and Facebook at facebook.com/tgarvisgraves.
This is her first novel.
My Review:
Oh my, what a surprisingly gorgeous and emotional read this is! When I started it I was expecting a typical rom-com kind of story, but The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves is so much more than that.
It’s the story of Annika Rose, a young woman who feels lost in social situations, never knowing how to say or do the right thing. She prefers to lead a solitary life, reading books or playing chess rather than being around people. But then she meets Jonathan, who accepts her for who she is. He doesn’t judge her or care that she sometimes says the wrong thing. And for a while they’re inseparable, but then something happens that tears them apart.
Ten years later their paths cross again, but Annika isn’t sure Jonathan will want to have anything to do with her after what happened all those years ago. The narrative flips back and forth between 1991 when they first met and 2001 when fate throws them back together again. But will they be able to put the heartache of the past behind them? Or will Annika have to accept that time has moved on and so has Jonathan?
It’s difficult to put into words just how incredible this book is. It tackles some difficult subjects with sensitivity and a warmth that melts your heart. I loved Annika, this beautiful girl who feels like she never fits in anywhere, from the outset. Her naivety and difficulty in reading social situations made her vulnerable to the unkindness of others, meaning she was sometimes taken advantage of, which is something that broke my heart as I was reading this book. People can be so cruel at times, but then there are others like Janice, Annika’s friend from college, who restore your faith in human kindness.
The Girl He Used To Know is a perfect blend of romance, heartache and tension. Once started I could not put it down, the story sucking me in as I experienced the highs and lows of Annika and Jonathan’s relationship right along with them. It’s a book that has everything, making me laugh one moment then burst into tears the next, moving me beyond words. What can I say? I absolutely adored this book!
A surprising, glorious and moving read that I highly recommend. I can’t wait to see what Tracey Garvis Graves comes up with next!
The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves is available to buy now: Amazon UK
Check out what these other lovely bloggers have to say about this book:
Cal Turner Reviews 