The Girl He Used to Know
Author: Tracey Garvis Graves
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: April 2, 2019 
Pages: 291
My Rating: ★★★

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.
A girl that is bad in social situations falls in love. 
First of all, I am a sucker for a good love story. So, when I read the concept for The Girl He Used to Know... I immediately added the book to my to be read list. The book follows a girl named Annika who is socially awkward, to say the least. When you first pick up the book it is apparent that Annika struggles with a mental disability but the book doesn't disclose which one right away. 

Annika is constantly complaining that there is something wrong with her. It gets to a point where it's almost annoying. I know how hard it must be to struggle with a disability like hers..... but it gets to a point where your pity party can be a little too much.

I adored Annika's love interest, Jonathan. He loves Annika for all that she is. Johnathan even gets mad throughout the book at Annika's pity party she is often displaying. I know that this was the point of the author and the character's characterization but it just wasn't for me. 

The ending was very predictable and came on a little abrupt. It almost didn't make sense why the author chose to write it. I don't think it was handled the way it should have been. Considering how tragic and sensitive of a topic it was. I needed something more to draw me in just a little bit. 

Honestly, I do not know why this novel is so hyped up. The Girl He Used to Know was not the worst book that I have ever read but it wasn't the best either. It was a very average read for me. The book is told in a dual perspective which did keep me on my toes a little. I loved seeing two sides of the character's story. 

This book is another average second chance at a love book. Nothing special and nothing horrible. Plot points dragged on. Switching back and forth from the past and present really worked when showing the character growth of the main characters. I applaud the author who wrote a very diverse Annika. I guess I was just not as invested in this story or the characters as much as I hoped I would be. 
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Tracey Garvis Graves is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into thirty-one languages, and is in development with MGM and Temple Hill Productions for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, Cherish, Heart-Shaped Hack, White-Hot Hack, and The Girl He Used to Know. She is hard at work on her next book.