Review: THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW by Tracey Garvis Graves

THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW

by Tracey Garvis Graves

Publication Date: April 2, 2019

Published by St. Martin's Press

Pages: 304

Source: Goodreads | Publisher

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Synopsis

Annika (rhymes with Monica) 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.



My Thoughts

THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW deserves 5 stars and more! Annika and Jonathan experience a love so genuine that it spills from the pages. It is tender, almost ethereal. I hope that everyone could experience a love like theirs.

I was in a state of complete awe as I read it - the pacing is perfection. And when I was rapt with too much emotion (and the tears started to fall), . . . I never do this, but I had to flip to the end of the book to get just a glimpse of what was to come for Annika and Jonathan. I HAD TO know what was in store for the characters and prepare my heart for whatever was coming their way.

Favorite Quotes:
"Let's take a nap." (page 114)

"I learned that the closeness of two people had no limits.
Out of all of the firsts I experienced with Jonathan, that was the one I treasured the most." (page 167)

THE GIRL HE USED TO KNOW was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. Tracey Garvis Graves left a mark on my heart with ON THE ISLAND and now with TGHUTK, she did it again. It is incredible. It's one of those books that you hope will conjure up the same feelings that you had the first time reading it.

I know I'll share this book with friends and readers for a very long time. It's a story that I will always remember.

Disclaimer:  I received this ARC from Goodreads and the publisher.  I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sunkissed Days by Samantha Chase - Excerpt

We are so excited about the release of SUNKISSED DAYS by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Samantha Chase. SUNKISSED DAYS kicks of the brand new Magnolia Sound series and it's a story you don't want to miss!

 

About SUNKISSED DAYS

Mallory Westbrook is ready to make her move on Jake Summerford, the boy – now man – she’s been crushing on for years. Coming back to Magnolia Sound to celebrate her great-grandfather’s birthday provides the perfect opportunity to show Jake that she’s no longer a child.

The last thing Jake expected to do at his mentor’s birthday party was to find himself kissing Mallory under the moonlight. Though he’s known her for years, the thought of kissing her never crossed his mind. But the shy tomboy he once knew is gone, and in her place is a woman he can’t resist. They have one summer before they go their separate ways. Insecurity wars with the possibility of a future together, but it could all come to an end before it even has a chance to start.

Add SUNKISSED DAYS to your Goodreads TBR!

Get your copy of SUNKISSED DAYS today!  

Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay | Audible

 

Read an Excerpt

     His first thought was finally.

     But his second thought was this is so wrong.

     Nudging that second thought aside, Jake Summerford put all of his focus into the responsive girl in his arms and dove in for another taste. For years he had denied that there was any attraction between himself and Mallory Westbrook.

     She’d always been cute, always been sweet. But because of their age difference he’d never allowed himself to think of her as any more than a kid.

     Well…she certainly wasn’t a kid anymore and he was fairly sure he was allowed to think a lot of different things about her.

     Like how soft her skin was.

     How full and wet her lips were.

     How her family trusted him and treated him like one of their own.

     Yeah, this was so wrong.

     And still he couldn’t find the strength to care – not as Mallory pressed even closer and made the neediest little sound. He found his own arms banding tighter around her as he tried to think of the best place to move them for a little more privacy. Not too far away there was a party in full-swing for Ezekiel’s ninetieth birthday. There was a houseful of people, music was playing and really, it was where he and Mallory should be right now. How the hell had they gotten out here?

     Oh, right. Mallory had given him a shy-yet-flirty smile and asked if he could help her move a painting from the boathouse, and like an idiot, he’d said yes.

     And now look where they were.

     Then a thought hit him – the boathouse! They hadn’t even made it all the way down to the pier before she had shocked him with this kiss. If he could maneuver them the rest of the way across the yard, they’d be completely out of view once they were inside the boathouse!

     Carefully, slowly, Jake began to walk them further down the lawn toward the pier without breaking the kiss. The urge to swing Mallory up into his arms was strong, but right now he couldn’t think straight.

     What the hell was happening to him?

     He wasn’t a kid, for crying out loud! He was a man! A man who’d kissed more than his share of women. Women who…

     And that’s when it hit him.

     The enormity of what was happening here finally broke through and as much as he wanted to keep on kissing Mallory, he couldn’t.

     Jake broke the kiss and took a step back. His breath was ragged and once his eyes focused on her and he saw how sexy she looked in the moonlight, he almost dove back in to start all over again.

     “Why did you stop?” she asked breathlessly.

     He swallowed hard as he tried to remember exactly why he stopped. In the moment, he knew it was the right thing to do. But now? Not so much.

     How could he possibly explain to her how this wasn’t right when all he wanted to do was pull her back into his arms?

   

Don't miss all the Magnolia Sound stories coming in 2019!

Sunkissed Days | Remind Me | A Girl Like You | In Case You Didn't Know

 

 

About SAMANTHA CHASE

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina. 

 Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter | BookBub

It's Release Day!! SUNKISSED DAYS by Samantha Chase

We are so excited about the release of SUNKISSED DAYS by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Samantha Chase. 

SUNKISSED DAYS kicks of the brand new Magnolia Sound series and it's a story you don't want to miss!

 

About SUNKISSED DAYS

Mallory Westbrook is ready to make her move on Jake Summerford, the boy – now man – she’s been crushing on for years. Coming back to Magnolia Sound to celebrate her great-grandfather’s birthday provides the perfect opportunity to show Jake that she’s no longer a child.

The last thing Jake expected to do at his mentor’s birthday party was to find himself kissing Mallory under the moonlight. Though he’s known her for years, the thought of kissing her never crossed his mind. But the shy tomboy he once knew is gone, and in her place is a woman he can’t resist. They have one summer before they go their separate ways. Insecurity wars with the possibility of a future together, but it could all come to an end before it even has a chance to start.

Add SUNKISSED DAYS to your Goodreads TBR!

Get your copy of SUNKISSED DAYS today! 

Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay | Audible

   

Don't miss all the Magnolia Sound stories coming in 2019!

Sunkissed Days | Remind Me | A Girl Like You | In Case You Didn't Know

 

About SAMANTHA CHASE

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Newsletter | BookBub

MORE THAN THIS by Jay McLean - On Sale Now

SERIES STARTER ON SALE!!

Book 1 MORE THAN THIS by Jay McLean 

The More Than Series is a #1 Bestselling New Adult Romance.

The series starts off as high school seniors and goes beyond college years :)

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Meet the More Men:

★Book 1 ⇒ More Than This - Jake Andrews: Sweet jock. 

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★ Book 4 ⇒ More Than Forever - Cameron Gordon: High school sweetheart. 

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*U.S only. 

Start the unforgettable journey here >> mybook.to/mtt

Review: THREE LITTLE WORDS by Jenny Holiday

THREE LITTLE WORDS

Bridesmaids Behaving Badly #3

by Jenny Holiday

Publication Date: January 29, 2019

Published by Forever Romance

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher | Netgalley

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Synopsis

Gia Gallo is officially in bridesmaid hell. Stranded in New York with her best friend's wedding dress, Gia has six days to make it to Florida in time for the ceremony. And oh-so-charming best man Bennett Buchanan has taken the last available rental car. Looks like she's in for one long road trip with the sexiest - and most irritating - Southern gentleman she's ever met...

Bennett's pretty sure that if there was ever a woman to break his "no flings" rule, Gia would be it. Sure, she's stubborn. She's also funny, smart, and the attraction between them is getting hotter with every state line they cross. While Bennett doesn't do casual, Gia doesn't do "relationships." But if they break the rules, this unlikely pair might discover that their impromptu road trip could turn out to be the best ride of their lives.

My Thoughts

THREE LITTLE WORDS is majorly sexy and I won't even pretend that isn't one of the reasons I loved this book. Because it is!! 

Bennett and Gia are perfect for each other. They just need to forget their rules and figure it out for themselves. They both are intuitive and make things easier for each other because they sense it's what's needed - Bennett with his family and Gia with her career and the issues that come with it.

What I Loved:

• Gia's snapshots of the day
• Bennett's need for a sweet tea. I'm right there with you. Hook up the IV.
• Their road trip that I never wanted to end. 
• Bennett's friendship with the soon-to-be groom, Noah
• Love when all of the girls are together and their attempts at low-key weddings. Someone always brings the drama.

A favorite quote/moment:

And suddenly, with a great big sickening thud, the third item on her little “Why is Gia having a low-grade panic attack?” list rose in her consciousness. The closer they got to St. Pete’s, the closer they were to the end of…them.

THREE LITTLE WORDS completes this fun series about best friends, bridesmaids, and brides. These books make me laugh with their silliness and warm my heart with the characters compassion and understanding. And the fact that Jenny Holiday turns up the heat between each couple doesn't hurt at all. 

Disclaimer:  I received this e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I was not compensated in any way other than the e-ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cover Reveal: THE LAST POST by Renee Carlino

A brand new evocative and poignant standalone from USA TODAY Bestseller Renee Carlino releasing on AUGUST 20th, 2019!

     

  In this evocative and poignant novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Blind Kiss and Wish You Were Here, a young widow in the midst of grieving her late husband through Facebook posts learns to heal and fall in love again. 

“See you on the other side.” 

Laya Marston’s husband, Cameron, a daredevil enthusiast, always said this before heading off on his next adventure. He was the complete opposite of her, ready and willing to dive off a cliff-face, or parachute across a canyon—and Laya loved him for it. But she was different: pragmatic, regimented, devoted to her career and to supporting Cameron from the sidelines of his death-defying feats. 

Opposites attract, right? 

But when Cameron dies suddenly and tragically, all the stages of grief go out the window. Laya becomes lost in denial, living in the delusion that Cameron will come back to her. She begins posting on his Facebook page, reminiscing about their life together, and imagining new adventures for the two of them.

Micah Evans, a young and handsome architect at Laya’s father’s firm, is also stuck––paralyzed by the banal details of his career, his friendships, and his love life. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, only that there is someone out there who can bring energy and spirit to the humdrum of his life. 

When Micah discovers Laya’s tragic and bizarre Facebook posts, he’s determined to show Laya her life is still worth living. Leaving her anonymous gifts and notes, trying to recreate the sense of adventure she once shared with her late husband, Micah finds a new passion watching Laya come out of the darkness. And Laya finds a new joy in the experiences Micah has created for her. 

But for Laya, letting another man in still feels like a betrayal to her late husband. Even though Micah may be everything she could wish for, she wonders if she deserves to find happiness again. 

Written with Renée Carlino’s signature “tender and satisfying” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Maybe in Another Life) prose, this warm and compassionate novel shows us how powerful the courage to love and live again truly is. 

PREORDER NOW

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2MFqODB&N: https://bit.ly/2TmRMTgAPPLE BOOKS: https://apple.co/2RlA2WsKOBO: https://bit.ly/2sTfgnbSimon&Schuster: https://bit.ly/2S9d89j

 

  

About the Author

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women's novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she's not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. 

Learn more at www.reneecarlino.com 

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Review: ONLY A BREATH APART by Katie McGarry

ONLY A BREATH APART

by Katie McGarry

Publication Date: January 22, 2019

Published by Tor Teen

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher | InkSlingerPR

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Synopsis

They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.

The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.

A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

My Thoughts

I believe that Katie McGarry writes some of the best books about friendships and what it's like to be a young adult. I'm drawn to her stories about resilient teenagers and Only A Breath Apart definitely one such story.

Books about childhood friends who find their way back to each other are without a doubt my absolute favorite, but Only A Breath Apart is more than reconciling friendships and romance. It's about family secrets and domestic abuse in its many forms and what it's like to grow up in a home where that occurs. Through Scarlett, we see that it takes courage to make the tough decisions, to accept the help and to also help herself. 

What I loved: 

• I loved the rural setting and the gorgeous descriptions of the land and Jesse and Scarlett's connection to it. It is their lifeline. It's where they feel most themselves. It's where they are most free.
• I loved reading scenes that included Jesse's cousin, Glory. She is definitely a favorite character. Is she a con? Is she intuitive? Does she see (or sense) dead people? Maybe, but I think yes to all. She reads people and understands what they need to hear. She gives them a small push. She's not all-knowing, but she knows enough.

Some Favorite Quotes:

My cheeks burn under his continued inspection. Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else. - This alludes to Scarlett and Jesse's history - what they once had and the possibility of what might still be there.


"You've been asleep for a very long time,” she whispers. “It’s time to wake up, Scarlett. There’s a whole world of possibility waiting for you.”  - This is what Glory says when Scarlett goes to have her palm read.

There is so much beauty and hope in this story and I want readers to embrace it just as I have. Like Noah and Echo from Pushing the Limits, Beth and Ryan from Dare You To and Emily and Oz in Nowhere But Here,  Scarlett and Jesse are characters that I will continue to hold in my heart and imagine their beautiful future together.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any way other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

   

About Katie McGarry:

 Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. 

 Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.

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