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.
Annika Rose has never been a typical girl. She prefers libraries to parties, animals to people and the only time she really feels free is when she’s playing chess.
The game has been a great teacher to her for most of her life. It taught her about people, about herself and about the world around her. But she never thought that it would also teach her about love. Until my dad taught me to play chess at age seven, there wasn’t a single thing I was good at. I did not excel at sports, and I was all over the board academically, earning either the very highest or the very lowest marks, depending on the class and how much it interested me. Debilitating shyness prevented me from participating in school plays or other extracurricular activities. But much like books, chess filled a void in my life that nothing else had been able to satisfy. Though it took me a long time to figure it out, I know that my brain does not work like other people’s. I think in black-and-white. Concrete, not abstract. The game of chess, with its strategies and rules, matched my worldview. Animals and books sustained me, but chess gave me the opportunity to be a part of something.
Jonathan Hoffman is trying to find his way back from a mistake that almost cost him everything that he’s worked his whole life for. But he can feel his luck changing when he’s paired with Annika on his first night in the Illini Chess Club. She’s an enigma that he desperately wants to solve. Brilliant, beautiful and yet painfully shy, she sees him for who he truly is. And her love is the absolution that his soul has been longing for.
All of their awkward pieces seem to fit effortlessly together and soon the future that they dreamed of is finally within reach. When an unexpected tragedy tears them apart, it sets them both on a path regret and self-discovery. Reconnecting a decade later, the spark between them is stronger than before. But would fate be so cruel a second time around? “Seeing you was like seeing a ghost. I wasn’t sure it was you at first.”
Do you believe in soul mates? Well, you certainly will after you read this book! Tracey Garvis Graves has crafted an epic love story that is as tender as it is unique. In a thoughtful and almost manic form, she captures the very heart of her characters in a way that is simply unforgettable.
You’ll remember Annika for her unexpected strength and kindness and you’ll remember Jonathan for his steadfast love. And you’ll remember how they made you feel when you finished the very last page… Get This Book!
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