Review: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: April 2019

Annika Rose is a beautiful woman living in downtown Chicago. She is 32 years old and she is pretty happy with her life. When she is reunited with Jonathan, her first boyfriend who had disappeared from her life 10 years ago, her world is turned upside down. She has grown so much since the last time she saw Jonathan, but she still has feelings for him. When they decide to give things another try, Annika and Jonathan learn more about themselves and each other than ever before. Will love win this time, and is Annika really different from the girl he used to know.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Heros & Heartbreakers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I've said it many times on my social media while reading this book, that I devoured it. This book grabs you right from the start and draws you in for the long haul. Full of things that will make you laugh, make you cry and even make you gasp. Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen.

In the story you find out that Annika is a little quirky and that is because she is on the Autism Spectrum. I could really relate to this part of the story, since I have a child on the spectrum myself. There are some people who will accept the quirky habits and learn more about the person and there are others who are cruel and who just won't understand.

The story starts when Jonathan runs into Annika after 10 years in the grocery store. The story flashes back and forth from current day, which is 2001 in the book, to 10 years previously when Jonathan and Annika first met and the development of their relationship. I think this is a book everyone will enjoy.

  

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Review: Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown 
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

JUST RELEASED THIS WEEK!!

Billie Flanagan is an exciting woman. She lives for the moment. On the other hand, her husband, Jonathan, and her daughter, Olive, are a little more reserved. When Billie goes missing after a hike in Desolation Wilderness, her family is sure she is dead, but when Olive starts to have visions of her mother, she is unsure. Together, Jonathan and Olive embark on a quest to find Billie, and in the process discover secrets she kept and a bit about themselves as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Spiegel & Grau, and Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sybilla "Billie" Flanagan is the type of character you're not sure if you love or hate. She lived her youth free and reckless and now as a wife and mother, she's your typical "room mom" always there for school activities, to help where needed, snacks for Olive after school, and a home cooked meal on the table every night. But this is not the life she envisioned for herself, she misses the days when life was much more carefree. After spending time with her husband and daughter at the beach, Billie decides to take a weekend hike to sort out the thoughts that are going on in her head. Unfortunately, she never makes it home. Much to the devastation of her 16 year old daughter, Olive, who was going through enough as a teenage girl in high school. When she starts having visions of her mother at every turn, and Jonathan finds things hidden amongst Billie's belongings, they question whether she is really dead, or if she has just left them. Together, they will try to find the answers to the questions they have.

This is the first book I have by Janelle Brown, but it will not be the last. This was a totally enjoyable book. You felt like you were sitting with Olive in the Subaru searching all over for her mother. This was a great summer read. There are a couple of twists you don't see coming, but it fits with the character of Billie. The more you learn about her, you're not sure if you want to be her friend and go along for the ride, or hate her for all the secrets she keeps from the ones she loves. I wasn't sure if I was routing for Olive to find her mother, or to just accept the fact that she was dead.

Highly recommended!!

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Review-Unbound--Colors of Love by Kathryn Taylor

Unbound - Colours of Love by Kathryn Taylor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Grace Lawson is about to start the greatest internship.  She gets to spend three months in London, interning at Huntington Ventures.  Jonathan Huntington, the company's CEO is a gorgeous guy who is almost always wearing black.  Catching the red-eye to London from Chicago, and having to rush off the plane to make it to her new job on time, Grace runs(literally)into Jonathan Huntington at the airport.  Making the mistake of thinking he was there to pick her up, she gets a ride with him in his limo(along with some colleagues he was actually waiting for) to the office.  Feeling embarrassed the whole time.

Once at Huntington Ventures, Jonathan extends her internship from working in the investment department to working side by side with him.  Grace or no one else in the company was expecting this turn of events.  Jonathan has never had an intern working with him before.  Will Grace be able to work this closely with Jonathan without falling in love with him? Everyone has warned her about this man, including Jonathan himself.  This is going to be an interesting and exciting three months.

Unbound is the first in the Colors of Love series by Kathryn Taylor.  I'm not sure how many books total are in the series.  Book two Uncovered, is set to be released in the United States on August 17, 2015.

This book starts off a lot like 50 Shades of Grey.  The virgin meets this wealthy, handsome man and is enticed by his power and the fact that he is unattainable.  Jonathan's sexual desires aren't sadistic the way Christian Grey's are, I would say he's just a bit kinky.  Then there's a little "Eyes Wide Shut"(Tom Cruise/Nicole Kidman sex club movie) thrown in.  I enjoyed this book.  The erotic scenes are believable.  I think a few words may have been lost in translation, though, as I believe this book was first written in German.  For instance, the word clit is never used, but "sensitive place" is used quite a bit and, in my opinion, in those instances, clit would have been an appropriate word to use.

I'm not a big fan of Jonathan Harrington, he seems to be abrasive to everyone.  Grace seems a little naive for a woman embarking on her own to London for three months. Maybe these two are meant to be or maybe we have another erotic romance series on our hands that we will grow to love to hate like 50 Shades and the Crossfire series.  Either way, come on August for Colors of Love #2 - Uncovered.


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Review - The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson

The Opposite of Maybe by Maddie Dawson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rosie and Jonathan have been together for 15 years.  They never married or had kids even though everyone around them were.  They were content with their lives the way they were, or at least that is what Rosie thought.  One morning, when birth control goes out the window all because of a strange name on the caller ID, Rosie is about to find out exactly who and what it is she wants in life.

This story was really very interesting.  Jonathan doesn't seem like the kind of guy that any woman would want to date.  He is all about himself and doesn't really seem to notice or care what is going on around him.  He used to be an artist until he wasn't anymore and then he started to collect teacups.  When he gets the opportunity to be a part of a museum for the precious teacups, he jumps at the chance.  Rosie isn't quite as eager as he is and he promises marriage as a way to get her on board.

Rosie has a lot going on in her life, but then Jonathan shows his true colors just days before the wedding and it makes quite an impact.  Finally, Rosie decides to do something that is going to be best for herself instead of going along with what Jonathan wants.   In making this decision to stay and take care of her grandmother and settle things, she discovers something amazing about her life.

Too many women in this world put their lives on hold to do what is best for the family.  Following their military spouse all around the world, giving up a career for children, leaving behind family to pursue a dream.  If we don't we are labeled as unsupportive and when we do we are also given grief about leaving our own wishes and desires to support someone else.  You're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Rosie learns a lot about her life through this book and is a testament to others about doing what is best for yourself.  
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.


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