The Girl He Used to Know

The Girl He Used to Know is a love story that is sweet, full of heart and will bring you close to tears. This is a book about real people and situations that we each hold close: life, love and heartache.

"It's like everyone around you has a copy of the script of life, but no one gave it to you so you have to go in blind and hope you can muddle your way through. And you'll be wrong most of the time."

Annika Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people's behavior confusing, she'd rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game―and his heart―to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She's living the life she wanted as a librarian. He's a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.

I cannot put into words how much this story completely blew me away! From the second I picked it up I did not want to put it down. I even started nagging my friends to pick up this book when I was only a quarter of the way through. I loved where Graves took her story, and I just love the way she writes. There are moments in this book—not even the highly dramatic ones, but the quieter, "ah ha" moments—that just took my breath away.

The Girl He Used to Know has an incredible cast of characters that were real and brought complexity and depth to the story. Right from the start I fell in love with Annika. How could I not love a woman who says “I want to work at a library someday….I want to spend every waking day of my adult life surrounded by books.” A girl who carries around a book of Eleanor Roosevelt quotes (I was Googling Eleanor Roosevelt quotes after this)? Her favorite: ‘A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” And Jonathan...well, he is the perfect boyfriend we all wished we had met in college, but instead met only the jerks. And then there was Janice, Annika’s best friend (who I want as a best friend), who was just the most outstanding and supportive friend a girl could ask for. She helps Annika navigate a world she finds confusing as she also deals with the “social norms” in day to day life.

This is a beautiful love story (with quite a bit of steam and I loved it), but it’s so much more than that. It’s a story of how some people struggle with social norms. It’s a reminder to not judge and be kind, always. It’s a story about love, friendship, and rising above adversity.

I highly (buy the book now) recommended this book to everyone. This is a fast paced book that will appeal to those who love a character-driven story that falls into the category of lighter fiction with depth. Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is for romance readers only.

Run, don't walk, to get this book now!