The Girl He Used to Know

The solid latest from Graves (after White-Hot Hack) follows the romance between a high-functioning autistic woman and her college flame. In August 2001, Annika Rose and Jonathan Hoffman run into one another at a Chicago grocery store 10 years after they ended their relationship. Jonathan went to New York to pursue his dream of working in finance and was heartbroken when Annika decided not to follow him. Now back in Chicago, Jonathan’s wary of their mutual spark and has yet to deal with their unresolved past. Largely homeschooled before college, Annika is lonely and finds solace in caring for animals, reading books, and playing chess. With the help of Jonathan and her friend Janice Albright, she navigates the overwhelming stimuli that has always aggravated her anxiety. As their relationship evolves, Annika wants to prove that she’s changed for the better and won’t give in to the urge to hide when things go wrong. The narrative builds to a life-or-death situation that puts Annika to the test. Graves does a good job of putting readers in Annika’s shoes and setting up the foundation for the book’s ending, though the narrative often gets mired in lengthy lovey-dovey scenes. Readers who don’t mind the over-the-top emotional element will find a solid story here. (Apr.)

This review has been updated to remove a spoiler.