Tracey Garvis Graves

SPOILER ALERT: I am going to review one part of the book in detail because it was done SO well and intrigued me SO very much! This story is about a girl named Annika and her love interest Jonathan. This story will cover young love, a tragedy, lost love, found love and living life in a different way. Annika has autism. As a former teacher and a mother who has a grown son with autism, this book really hit home. My experiences with autism have been from the side for fighting for rights for both my students and my son. This book really lets you see how Annika's autism lets her see the world. The minute the book mentioned that Annika loved to take off her shoes and put her heels on the cold floor, I KNEW she was autistic or had sensory issues. It was a feeling. The book slowly introduces you to her. It will be interesting to hear how others with no background in autism or sensory issues will finally "discover" the truth. I would hope not too long. The world has been more informed about how valuable autistic people are. They are often more highly intelligent than the average person. They can often solve problems that no one can not, because they experience the world differently through their senses. The problem is, people forget that just because they are different, they still fall in love and still can function quite well along with unaffected adults. No one knows the pain they suffer or the homework they do on their own to be socially accepted. The best example of this that most people have seen is the TV show "The Good Doctor". Shaun Murphy is autistic but is working as a skilled surgeon who often needs accommodations because he just does not realize or can't help that sometimes he comes across as socially inept or uncaring. I loved this book's storyline. Everything flowed. It was very easy to get attached to the characters. I also knew immediately the one other character in this book who was autistic. I also thought the climax of the book was amazing and informative. An important TRUE historical event is covered in such a way that I felt like I was there and was crying for those who were affected. I liked the ending, but I wish that there had been more details of life ever after in the end. I guess a Part 2 could be written, but it feels final the way the author wrote the ending. If you love good love stories, or you love stories about intellect or love reading about lives similar to others love watching soaps to observe the lives of others, you will LOVE this book! If you don't understand the challenges of being autistic, you will be better informed. I am very happy to read a love story with substance. When I first saw the title, without reading the blurb, I made a guess that the book was about a man's daughter that he lost in some kind of custody battle and reunited years later, not knowing how to be a part of her life. So my guess was wrong, but I truly enjoyed reading this story for the feeling it gave me and the experience of seeing life through a different autistic person, as no two people, autistic or not, are alike. If the movie version is made, I would definitely go see it. #READTHEGIRL book club #shespeaks… (mere)