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Given Our History
Assistant professor Clara Fernsby is nothing if not driven. She’s wanted to teach history since she was fourteen, and she hasn’t let anything stand in her way—not even the love of her life. And it all paid off in the end, because she landed a well-paid position at a private liberal arts college fresh out of grad school, and this year, she’s finally up for tenure.
When Theodore Harrison is brought on for the fall semester as a visiting scholar, it’s an unwelcome blast from Clara’s past. She hasn’t spoken to Teddy since a falling out ten years ago. Now that he’s here, she’s reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.
That boy might’ve been her best friend, but the man teaching HIST-322 is a total stranger. But as they spend evenings working on a shared project and brainstorming over drinks at a college bar, Clara realizes she’s at risk of falling all over again. Given their history, she knows there’s every chance he’s not interested. But history’s all down to interpretation, and this time around, she’s got no intentions of repeating it.
When Theodore Harrison is brought on for the fall semester as a visiting scholar, it’s an unwelcome blast from Clara’s past. She hasn’t spoken to Teddy since a falling out ten years ago. Now that he’s here, she’s reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.
That boy might’ve been her best friend, but the man teaching HIST-322 is a total stranger. But as they spend evenings working on a shared project and brainstorming over drinks at a college bar, Clara realizes she’s at risk of falling all over again. Given their history, she knows there’s every chance he’s not interested. But history’s all down to interpretation, and this time around, she’s got no intentions of repeating it.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2024
153 people are currently reading
27.4k people want to read
About the author
Kristyn J. Miller
3books295followersKRISTYN J. MILLER gravitates toward telling stories with lush settings, upbeat humor, and complicated, flawed heroines. Outside of fiction writing, Kristyn earned her M.A. in history and museum studies at the University of New Hampshire. She spends her free time wandering peat bogs, antiquing, and sampling craft beers. After growing up in Southern California, she moved to rural New England, where she lives in an old colonial house with her husband and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,257 reviews
July 16, 2024
writing: loved it | plot: love a dual timeline | ending: yay
my opinion
I am quickly learning that I am a hoe for an academic romance. Nobody asked but my OG career dream was being a professor LMAOOOO. Anyways. The dual timeline had me up until 1:30 am. Usually I enjoy seeing how their relationship develops over the years in the flashbacks, but in this case, I was more tickled pink by how accurate the time period was depicted. Mall Madness? Yu-Gi-Oh? MSN? Secretly downloading Nelly Furtado, The Black Eyed Peas, and Akon songs to burn onto a CD and listen to via walkman???? I felt fully transported to the past. Loved the nostalgic vibes.
Okay, when you really deep it, their adult feelings were based on teenager feelings which were based on vibes and horniness, BUT I don't care. Kristyn somehow bamboozled me into feeling like they were soulmates who NEEDED to be together. I liked their dynamic together. Instead of an opposites attract situation that you usually see in books, Clara and Theo were both nerdy introverts, but Clara was slightly more extroverted. And while they both had family baggage, Theo definitely shouldered his differently. I like that they didn't have to become different people to be with each other.
Clara is the perfect example of how to do "quirky" without slamming on other women. She was supportive of her outgoing sister's lifestyle and never condescending about her behaviour or choices. TAKE NOTES PEOPLE. WE NEED MORE CLARAS.
Funny, well-written, and made me feel things... easy four stars. Looking forward to more from this author.
pros & cons
pros: love an academic romance, Clara and Theo were a great match, Clara was a fantastic FMC, FUNNYYYY, all the nostalgic vibes � she nailed the early 2000s, dual timeline!!!!!!! (not insta love for once)
cons: wish their connection had been a bit deeper during their college years but c'est la vie, great book overall
__
my opinion
I am quickly learning that I am a hoe for an academic romance. Nobody asked but my OG career dream was being a professor LMAOOOO. Anyways. The dual timeline had me up until 1:30 am. Usually I enjoy seeing how their relationship develops over the years in the flashbacks, but in this case, I was more tickled pink by how accurate the time period was depicted. Mall Madness? Yu-Gi-Oh? MSN? Secretly downloading Nelly Furtado, The Black Eyed Peas, and Akon songs to burn onto a CD and listen to via walkman???? I felt fully transported to the past. Loved the nostalgic vibes.
Okay, when you really deep it, their adult feelings were based on teenager feelings which were based on vibes and horniness, BUT I don't care. Kristyn somehow bamboozled me into feeling like they were soulmates who NEEDED to be together. I liked their dynamic together. Instead of an opposites attract situation that you usually see in books, Clara and Theo were both nerdy introverts, but Clara was slightly more extroverted. And while they both had family baggage, Theo definitely shouldered his differently. I like that they didn't have to become different people to be with each other.
Clara is the perfect example of how to do "quirky" without slamming on other women. She was supportive of her outgoing sister's lifestyle and never condescending about her behaviour or choices. TAKE NOTES PEOPLE. WE NEED MORE CLARAS.
Funny, well-written, and made me feel things... easy four stars. Looking forward to more from this author.
pros & cons
pros: love an academic romance, Clara and Theo were a great match, Clara was a fantastic FMC, FUNNYYYY, all the nostalgic vibes � she nailed the early 2000s, dual timeline!!!!!!! (not insta love for once)
cons: wish their connection had been a bit deeper during their college years but c'est la vie, great book overall
__
April 19, 2024
� 3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!!
Second chance romances are one of my favorite tropes when done right, and this one was� okay! I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would have mainly because I wasn’t really engaged in the story. It started off great but I felt like over the span of 300ish, pages nothing really happened at all and I just wasn’t hooked�
🍂 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
🍂 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞
🍂 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭/𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
🍂 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
🍂 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
🍂 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
“We’ve been apart longer than we were ever friends.�
� clara � there wasn’t anything I disliked about her� but there also wasn’t anything I liked. her character kind of fell flat for me and her reasoning for not wanting to be with teddy annoyed me because she never even tried!
� teddy � I liked him I guess, I think maybe adding his pov would’ve added more to the story; having some insight on how he felt towards clara would have been cute since it was so obvious he loved her!! one thing I would’ve liked more touch on was his kind of recent 6 year relationship; it was kind of just mentioned and that was all there was to it� what went on there? why did it end? 6 years is a LONG time and if I were Clara I would’ve been so curious as to what happened�
� clara & teddy � I really liked how they became friends during camp and their dynamic/friendship was really cute! I love how they bonded over being homeschooled, their parents, and Clara making him fall in love with history was really cute! Them being apart for almost ten years and then finally finding out what caused their fallout towards the end of the book annoyed me a little (miscommunication�) but at least they’re together now and I’m happy for them !!
“I’ve missed this�
“I’ve missed you�
�
𓍢ִ໋˖� 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⊹� � - I loveeee second chance romances I’m so excited to start this arc!
“Sometimes people drift apart because the timing’s not right, but if they’re meant to be together, they find their way back to each other in the end.�
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!!
Second chance romances are one of my favorite tropes when done right, and this one was� okay! I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would have mainly because I wasn’t really engaged in the story. It started off great but I felt like over the span of 300ish, pages nothing really happened at all and I just wasn’t hooked�
🍂 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
🍂 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞
🍂 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭/𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
🍂 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
🍂 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
🍂 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
“We’ve been apart longer than we were ever friends.�
� clara � there wasn’t anything I disliked about her� but there also wasn’t anything I liked. her character kind of fell flat for me and her reasoning for not wanting to be with teddy annoyed me because she never even tried!
� teddy � I liked him I guess, I think maybe adding his pov would’ve added more to the story; having some insight on how he felt towards clara would have been cute since it was so obvious he loved her!! one thing I would’ve liked more touch on was his kind of recent 6 year relationship; it was kind of just mentioned and that was all there was to it� what went on there? why did it end? 6 years is a LONG time and if I were Clara I would’ve been so curious as to what happened�
“Except in all the ways you were exactly the same: in the way he looked at you every time he saw you, like you were the first rain after a long drought—palms turned up, catching droplets, because to have some small part of you was better than having none of you at all.�
� clara & teddy � I really liked how they became friends during camp and their dynamic/friendship was really cute! I love how they bonded over being homeschooled, their parents, and Clara making him fall in love with history was really cute! Them being apart for almost ten years and then finally finding out what caused their fallout towards the end of the book annoyed me a little (miscommunication�) but at least they’re together now and I’m happy for them !!
“I’ve missed this�
“I’ve missed you�
�
𓍢ִ໋˖� 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⊹� � - I loveeee second chance romances I’m so excited to start this arc!
November 4, 2024
4⭐️
"Love is the hard road. The person you're meant to be with is whoever you choose to be with. And you'll have to fight for it and make sacrifices for it every step of the way. You just have to choose someone who's worth all that trouble, and then you have to keep choosing them, every day."
When I said I wanted a cute, perfect second-chance romance set in the fall, THIS IS WHAT I MEANT! This book was sooooo cute. It was everything I was looking for in this moment. Now listen, I am not the biggest second-chance romance fan out there okay. I think that's just because I haven't found the right book that does it well. But this? I enjoyed this so much!!
Right from the beginning, I knew I loved Clara. I found myself relating to her so much on a personal level and I think that's why I clicked with her so well. I loved getting the present and past POV's, as I really think it gave more depth to the characters and really showed where their history stemmed from. The fact that Teddy and Clara have been childhood best friends for 17 YEARS was crazy to me. You could just feel the love and history through the pages.
I guess the only problem I had with this book is that even though we get past POV's, the characters still didn't feel so fleshed out or three dimensional. I found myself not needing the past to really add anything to the present timeline.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I really did. I think it was a cute, heartwarming second-chance romance that has the perfect fall setting and plenty of feels. I am so glad I randomly picked this up at the bookstore. What I didn't have the highest expectations for turned out to be one of my favorite fall reads this year. 🧡
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second-chance romance is calling my name and this seems PERFECT for a sweet, fall read 🧡🍂
"Love is the hard road. The person you're meant to be with is whoever you choose to be with. And you'll have to fight for it and make sacrifices for it every step of the way. You just have to choose someone who's worth all that trouble, and then you have to keep choosing them, every day."
When I said I wanted a cute, perfect second-chance romance set in the fall, THIS IS WHAT I MEANT! This book was sooooo cute. It was everything I was looking for in this moment. Now listen, I am not the biggest second-chance romance fan out there okay. I think that's just because I haven't found the right book that does it well. But this? I enjoyed this so much!!
Right from the beginning, I knew I loved Clara. I found myself relating to her so much on a personal level and I think that's why I clicked with her so well. I loved getting the present and past POV's, as I really think it gave more depth to the characters and really showed where their history stemmed from. The fact that Teddy and Clara have been childhood best friends for 17 YEARS was crazy to me. You could just feel the love and history through the pages.
I guess the only problem I had with this book is that even though we get past POV's, the characters still didn't feel so fleshed out or three dimensional. I found myself not needing the past to really add anything to the present timeline.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I really did. I think it was a cute, heartwarming second-chance romance that has the perfect fall setting and plenty of feels. I am so glad I randomly picked this up at the bookstore. What I didn't have the highest expectations for turned out to be one of my favorite fall reads this year. 🧡
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second-chance romance is calling my name and this seems PERFECT for a sweet, fall read 🧡🍂
July 15, 2024
2.5
I'll never get that week back...
I wanted to read this because it was a second chance romance which is one of my favorite tropes, the cover was beautiful, and I was in a mood for an academic-driven book. Sadly, I find the most interesting aspect of the book is the cover.
Clara first meets Teddy at a sleepaway camp because they are both homeschooled and this is their only "opportunity" to make friends and socialize. The camp aspect should have been fun but it remains a mystery to me what they did when they were there. Quite frankly, it was all around boring, but it did remind me of the parent trap. They didn't do anything particularly special, but it was nostalgic in the way it was written that when they were apart, they had to wait for the phone calls, that the telephone line didn't extend far enough and you're stuck in the kitchen talking to your friend with everyone around. Today's kids will never understand.
What I can admire is the uniqueness of this second chance romance. It definitely isn't like most of the other ones I have read. There's no cheating, no big event that makes them run away. It's simply life getting in the way, being the right person and the wrong time, but Clara was very immature for most of the book and their miscommunication was unreasonable. (On a side note, their music taste was perfect. My Chemical Romance? Taking back sunday? Thank you for the emo representation for real!!!! it's so refreshing to not read about taylor swift in a romance book.)
What ruined this book for me was how boring it was. Should I have expected that with how academia-focused the book was? Maybe. Clara, in present time, is trying to get on the tenure track. That, and she's on a scholarship committee which gets info dumped every other page, along with a billion other professor-y things that I don't care about. It's very slow paced, very low-stakes, and tame.
It takes more than half the book before anything interesting really begins to happen. Teddy is there, yes, but he's so vacant in the first half of the book in the present chapters it's almost as if it's not a romance book at all. (I may be remembering this wrong, because I was really bored while reading and mostly checked out.) And while the past chapters took place at a sleepaway camp, not all of them do. They stop once after maybe three or four of them, and then the past chapters are them just being separated trying to come together again, which is a seemingly difficult task for both of them considering the distance, and we're stuck in Clara's POV which is not a desirable place to be. I really did not care for her character at all.
Once they were together, or were trying to be, they were cute, though I will say that neither Clara nor Teddy exhibit any real likable traits or qualities. Go on and give us nothing, the author said, and she delivered. They were as stale as old wonderbread. They didn't stand out to me in any way. I didn't connect with either of them at all and they didn't come alive to me in the pages. They were forgettable and if this weren't an arc I would have dnf'ed by the early pages to be honest. I can't even recall what they supposedly look like either. I just found myself not caring. I'm struggling to write this review because I can barely recall anything that happens in this book aside from snippets that I've highlighted. I'm also deathly tired of the greek MMC. We already have elliot from love and other words. this serves no purpose at all to include. Y'all know other ethinicities exist, right???
The side characters were also very underdeveloped. Izzy, Clara's friend from sleepaway camp, is still in contact with her but she's abroad and they, from the beginning of the book, miss each other's calls and texts etc. This just seemed lazy to me and I wasn't appreciative of that. Clara also just uses her only other "work friend" Bel to her own gain when needed and then they barely talk after that. I also have no idea what year these take place, because they're friends over seventeen years, and then they don't talk for ten? I really don't know the timeline and was pretty confused. (Again, didn't pay much attention either)
there was also this scene that just irked me beyong belief. There was this gala that they spent a couple months preparing for, and of course, her and teddy are alone at the end of the night. not only are they 1) fucking at the school, but 2) she says she can't come without a vibrator. HOME GIRL PULLS OUT A VIBRATOR FROM HER PURSE????? like who brings a vibrator with them to a school event where YOU TEACH?!!??!?!
Since second chance is one of my favorite tropes, I'm always eager to read new ones. This one unfortunately did not deliver any angst or painful yearning that most second chance romances book evoke in me. But thank you netgalley for the arc
I'll never get that week back...
I wanted to read this because it was a second chance romance which is one of my favorite tropes, the cover was beautiful, and I was in a mood for an academic-driven book. Sadly, I find the most interesting aspect of the book is the cover.
Clara first meets Teddy at a sleepaway camp because they are both homeschooled and this is their only "opportunity" to make friends and socialize. The camp aspect should have been fun but it remains a mystery to me what they did when they were there. Quite frankly, it was all around boring, but it did remind me of the parent trap. They didn't do anything particularly special, but it was nostalgic in the way it was written that when they were apart, they had to wait for the phone calls, that the telephone line didn't extend far enough and you're stuck in the kitchen talking to your friend with everyone around. Today's kids will never understand.
What I can admire is the uniqueness of this second chance romance. It definitely isn't like most of the other ones I have read. There's no cheating, no big event that makes them run away. It's simply life getting in the way, being the right person and the wrong time, but Clara was very immature for most of the book and their miscommunication was unreasonable. (On a side note, their music taste was perfect. My Chemical Romance? Taking back sunday? Thank you for the emo representation for real!!!! it's so refreshing to not read about taylor swift in a romance book.)
What ruined this book for me was how boring it was. Should I have expected that with how academia-focused the book was? Maybe. Clara, in present time, is trying to get on the tenure track. That, and she's on a scholarship committee which gets info dumped every other page, along with a billion other professor-y things that I don't care about. It's very slow paced, very low-stakes, and tame.
It takes more than half the book before anything interesting really begins to happen. Teddy is there, yes, but he's so vacant in the first half of the book in the present chapters it's almost as if it's not a romance book at all. (I may be remembering this wrong, because I was really bored while reading and mostly checked out.) And while the past chapters took place at a sleepaway camp, not all of them do. They stop once after maybe three or four of them, and then the past chapters are them just being separated trying to come together again, which is a seemingly difficult task for both of them considering the distance, and we're stuck in Clara's POV which is not a desirable place to be. I really did not care for her character at all.
Once they were together, or were trying to be, they were cute, though I will say that neither Clara nor Teddy exhibit any real likable traits or qualities. Go on and give us nothing, the author said, and she delivered. They were as stale as old wonderbread. They didn't stand out to me in any way. I didn't connect with either of them at all and they didn't come alive to me in the pages. They were forgettable and if this weren't an arc I would have dnf'ed by the early pages to be honest. I can't even recall what they supposedly look like either. I just found myself not caring. I'm struggling to write this review because I can barely recall anything that happens in this book aside from snippets that I've highlighted. I'm also deathly tired of the greek MMC. We already have elliot from love and other words. this serves no purpose at all to include. Y'all know other ethinicities exist, right???
The side characters were also very underdeveloped. Izzy, Clara's friend from sleepaway camp, is still in contact with her but she's abroad and they, from the beginning of the book, miss each other's calls and texts etc. This just seemed lazy to me and I wasn't appreciative of that. Clara also just uses her only other "work friend" Bel to her own gain when needed and then they barely talk after that. I also have no idea what year these take place, because they're friends over seventeen years, and then they don't talk for ten? I really don't know the timeline and was pretty confused. (Again, didn't pay much attention either)
there was also this scene that just irked me beyong belief. There was this gala that they spent a couple months preparing for, and of course, her and teddy are alone at the end of the night. not only are they 1) fucking at the school, but 2) she says she can't come without a vibrator. HOME GIRL PULLS OUT A VIBRATOR FROM HER PURSE????? like who brings a vibrator with them to a school event where YOU TEACH?!!??!?!
Since second chance is one of my favorite tropes, I'm always eager to read new ones. This one unfortunately did not deliver any angst or painful yearning that most second chance romances book evoke in me. But thank you netgalley for the arc
September 25, 2024
Still not sure how to rate this one since it read more like contemporary fiction? Unfortunately the fall vibes were lacking, which I didn’t expect from the cover. I LOVED the first half way more than the second half!
August 9, 2024
“𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣� 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚: 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧� 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚.�
people always say that kids that are homeschooled never receive enough socialization with kids their own age. clara’s parents solution to that was sending her to a summer camp with other homeschooled kids. during a rainy day at camp clara meets teddy and unbeknownst to her, her life is forever changed when clara declares that she wants to be his friend. years pass, their friendship and connection continues to grow. as they navigate their teenage years they find that they both have feelings that go beyond being just friends. attempting to navigate the waters of a romantic relationship leads to the downfall of their friendship. 10 years pass without speaking to one another, clara has followed her dreams and became a history professor. clara finds out there is going to be a visiting history professor for the upcoming semester and will be forced to face all of her unresolved problems because that visiting professor? it’s teddy and she agreed to share an office with him.
𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:
this book was SUCH a cute, fluffy fall romance. the setting, the overall aesthetic of the story was just *chefs kiss* 🤌🏻. the author nailed it. it wasn’t necessarily a “women in STEM� romance, it was interesting to get more of an in depth look into the world of higher academia.
i usually don’t read a lot of second chance romance, but this book had me questioning why I don’t read more books with this trope. the second chance romance was incredibly unique. it was refreshing for there not to be a cataclysmic problem that lead to them not working out, but simply individual aspirations and life just getting in the way. i appreciated the commentary of following your own dreams and aspirations, and not allowing what you want to fall to the wayside because of your love for another person.
there were only really two things i didn’t necessarily like about this book, and it did knock down my rating by a star. the spice was great but one of the situations was entirely unrealistic. i mean really, who brings their vibrator with them to a party? especially with the reason being “I thought something might happen� after they had a fight? like WHAT? it just took me out of the story when that happened. the other thing i struggled with was the lack of depth when it comes to the side characters. some of them seemed to serve no purpose to the overall story, and felt like they could have been removed all together.
overall it was a fun, light read that’s great as a pallet cleanser and i would definitely be interesting in reading some of her future books.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Kristyn Miller and the publisher St. Martins Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
people always say that kids that are homeschooled never receive enough socialization with kids their own age. clara’s parents solution to that was sending her to a summer camp with other homeschooled kids. during a rainy day at camp clara meets teddy and unbeknownst to her, her life is forever changed when clara declares that she wants to be his friend. years pass, their friendship and connection continues to grow. as they navigate their teenage years they find that they both have feelings that go beyond being just friends. attempting to navigate the waters of a romantic relationship leads to the downfall of their friendship. 10 years pass without speaking to one another, clara has followed her dreams and became a history professor. clara finds out there is going to be a visiting history professor for the upcoming semester and will be forced to face all of her unresolved problems because that visiting professor? it’s teddy and she agreed to share an office with him.
𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨:
this book was SUCH a cute, fluffy fall romance. the setting, the overall aesthetic of the story was just *chefs kiss* 🤌🏻. the author nailed it. it wasn’t necessarily a “women in STEM� romance, it was interesting to get more of an in depth look into the world of higher academia.
i usually don’t read a lot of second chance romance, but this book had me questioning why I don’t read more books with this trope. the second chance romance was incredibly unique. it was refreshing for there not to be a cataclysmic problem that lead to them not working out, but simply individual aspirations and life just getting in the way. i appreciated the commentary of following your own dreams and aspirations, and not allowing what you want to fall to the wayside because of your love for another person.
there were only really two things i didn’t necessarily like about this book, and it did knock down my rating by a star. the spice was great but one of the situations was entirely unrealistic. i mean really, who brings their vibrator with them to a party? especially with the reason being “I thought something might happen� after they had a fight? like WHAT? it just took me out of the story when that happened. the other thing i struggled with was the lack of depth when it comes to the side characters. some of them seemed to serve no purpose to the overall story, and felt like they could have been removed all together.
overall it was a fun, light read that’s great as a pallet cleanser and i would definitely be interesting in reading some of her future books.
—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Kristyn Miller and the publisher St. Martins Griffin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🫶🏻
February 28, 2024
I actually don’t know if I’ve ever truly enjoyed reading a book more??? I don’t know if I just happened to pick it up at the perfect time for me, but I just fell in love with these characters and getting to see into their past, how their friendship formed and crumbled and came back together, just everything about it was so beautiful.
10/10, highly recommend you read this when you get the chance 🩷
10/10, highly recommend you read this when you get the chance 🩷
September 13, 2024
Given Our History by Kristyn J Miller
Contemporary romance, dual timeline. Second chance troupe. NA.
Clara Fernsby and Theodore Harrison became friends when they were at a summer camp. They had a lot in common including home schooling but eventually a falling out caused them to go their own ways.
Clara is now an Assistant Professor at a private liberal arts college on the tenure track. Exactly where she planned to be. She’s shocked when the person she’s to share an office with is none other than Teddy. But he’s not the same person. He’s cold and unemotional and Clara misses her friend. The more they work together, the more Clare believes old feelings are emerging but her life is on track. Will falling for Teddy again just be a repeat or loss?
A lot of reveals and story telling is done by a look back on Clara’s memories.
I’m not a fan of miscommunication or conflict because of not talking to each other. Fortunately they get it right and their childhood friendship is the basis for a new relationship. And while we get to know the sister only a little, she really has an impact on Clara.
Loved the cover. Loved the second chance and Teddy is a dream. I didn’t connect with Clara like I wanted to. I admired her ambition, her dedication to helping her sister but she doesn’t seem to be enjoying her life. Im glad she got a second chance with Teddy.
I received a copy of the from NetGalley.
Contemporary romance, dual timeline. Second chance troupe. NA.
Clara Fernsby and Theodore Harrison became friends when they were at a summer camp. They had a lot in common including home schooling but eventually a falling out caused them to go their own ways.
Clara is now an Assistant Professor at a private liberal arts college on the tenure track. Exactly where she planned to be. She’s shocked when the person she’s to share an office with is none other than Teddy. But he’s not the same person. He’s cold and unemotional and Clara misses her friend. The more they work together, the more Clare believes old feelings are emerging but her life is on track. Will falling for Teddy again just be a repeat or loss?
A lot of reveals and story telling is done by a look back on Clara’s memories.
I’m not a fan of miscommunication or conflict because of not talking to each other. Fortunately they get it right and their childhood friendship is the basis for a new relationship. And while we get to know the sister only a little, she really has an impact on Clara.
Loved the cover. Loved the second chance and Teddy is a dream. I didn’t connect with Clara like I wanted to. I admired her ambition, her dedication to helping her sister but she doesn’t seem to be enjoying her life. Im glad she got a second chance with Teddy.
I received a copy of the from NetGalley.
April 2, 2024
⭐⭐�.5/5 - As always, I enjoy a woman in a STEM romance novel, and I enjoyed Given Our History!! With main characters that make you want to shake them a little and a love that spans over a decade of missed chances, readers will love Clara and Teddy's story!
THOUGHTS:
- The main characters have A LOT of the miscommunication/stubbornness trope that they have to get through.
- Alternating timeline between our main couple's past and present.
- Love a romance centered in academia.
**Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. � SLR 🖤
THOUGHTS:
- The main characters have A LOT of the miscommunication/stubbornness trope that they have to get through.
- Alternating timeline between our main couple's past and present.
- Love a romance centered in academia.
**Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. � SLR 🖤
September 10, 2024
Los odio a todos ojalá se mueran por que ahora tengo que volver a la realidad donde yo no estoy viviendo esta historia de amor. Terrible
March 10, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ a cute and cozy second chance romance with a whole lot of friends to lovers. I did enjoy the past and present chapters but sometimes the jumps from past to present weren’t seamless. & listen I’m all for a good miscommunication moment but Clara’s reasoning for her and Teddy not being together seemed silly. I did enjoy the academic setting of the book & location!
The friends to lovers aspect was so precious. I did love the way they met and how they found a friend in each other. 🥹💗 the millennial references were so real lol! Loved that!!
The friends to lovers aspect was so precious. I did love the way they met and how they found a friend in each other. 🥹💗 the millennial references were so real lol! Loved that!!
Want to read
May 20, 2023did i put this on my tbr only because the fmc has the same name as me? yes i did.
September 3, 2024
I really enjoyed this!! Second chance romance is my favorite and this one didn’t disappoint. Childhood friends to lovers to strangers to lovers hits so hard. This book was full of tension, pining, regret, and hope. It made me feel exactly what a second chance romance should make me feel. The longing and regret physically hurt me. I absolutely loved that there was a dual timeline. Those are my favorite for a second chance. I loved the academia setting and the transition from summer to fall in this book. I read it at the perfect time!! I loved Teddy, he was so cute 😭 and the character development for Clara was excellent.
I really did love the romance, the dual timeline, the reunion and reconciliation between Teddy and Clara, and the setting, but there were a few things lacking to make this a perfect 5 star. While I did love the dual timeline, the past POV chapters were too vague. There would seem to be random time jumps that weren’t clear to the reader and we were told SO MUCH instead of being shown. The past chapters just seemed so rushed where I felt they could’ve been fleshed out more to give a bigger emotional impact. That really disconnected me from the story a few times. The reason behind them not speaking for 9 years was also a little unserious. I was disappointed by that tbh.
I still absolutely loved this read and it overall gave me what I hope for in a second chance romance. I finished it in less than 24 hours bc I enjoyed it so much!! Def recommend for a good fall time romance 🤍
I really did love the romance, the dual timeline, the reunion and reconciliation between Teddy and Clara, and the setting, but there were a few things lacking to make this a perfect 5 star. While I did love the dual timeline, the past POV chapters were too vague. There would seem to be random time jumps that weren’t clear to the reader and we were told SO MUCH instead of being shown. The past chapters just seemed so rushed where I felt they could’ve been fleshed out more to give a bigger emotional impact. That really disconnected me from the story a few times. The reason behind them not speaking for 9 years was also a little unserious. I was disappointed by that tbh.
I still absolutely loved this read and it overall gave me what I hope for in a second chance romance. I finished it in less than 24 hours bc I enjoyed it so much!! Def recommend for a good fall time romance 🤍
August 27, 2024
A “right person, wrong time� second chance romance. One of those books that I’m glad it was told in single POV cause it had me wondering what exactly happened between the two of them in the past. Chapters alternate between present and the past leading up to the moment their friendship / almost relationship comes to an end� or should I say pause. Most of the time with second chance romances there’s this big moment that causes them to not speak to each other again, but in this one there wasn’t anything big. It was truly just not the right moment for them. I found the fmc pretty relatable and loved the academia setting. In another life I imagine myself to be a professor, though not in history. One thing I would have liked more of is dialogue between Clara and Teddy. I needed more moments between them where they were talking things out.
🫶🏻 second chance
🏫 academia setting (both professors)
🥰 childhood best friends to lovers
💭 flashbacks
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶�
🫶🏻 second chance
🏫 academia setting (both professors)
🥰 childhood best friends to lovers
💭 flashbacks
single POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶�
September 28, 2024
I was really excited about this one. I love second-chance romances, especially ones with dual timelines. And that fall-themed cover? So pretty! But in the end, I found myself feeling pretty bored.
The flashbacks started off strong. The title is fitting because there’s truly a lot of history between Teddy and Clara. Their memories from the sleepaway camp for homeschooled kids, where their friendship first blossomed, were very sweet and sentimental.
However, something went wrong between them, and now, ten years later, they find themselves hired as history professors at the same college, forced to confront their unresolved past. While the conflict between them did feel realistic, it was dragged out far too long for such an underwhelming reveal.
And in the present-day chapters, the story leans heavily into the academic setting, something I thought I’d enjoy—their conversations about history, the cozy campus atmosphere—but I struggled to stay invested. It just didn’t hold my attention, and I found myself zoning out a lot.
(heat level: a few open-door scenes, moderate to explicit details)
The flashbacks started off strong. The title is fitting because there’s truly a lot of history between Teddy and Clara. Their memories from the sleepaway camp for homeschooled kids, where their friendship first blossomed, were very sweet and sentimental.
However, something went wrong between them, and now, ten years later, they find themselves hired as history professors at the same college, forced to confront their unresolved past. While the conflict between them did feel realistic, it was dragged out far too long for such an underwhelming reveal.
And in the present-day chapters, the story leans heavily into the academic setting, something I thought I’d enjoy—their conversations about history, the cozy campus atmosphere—but I struggled to stay invested. It just didn’t hold my attention, and I found myself zoning out a lot.
(heat level: a few open-door scenes, moderate to explicit details)
August 18, 2024
I picked this book up because it looked like a cute second chance romance set in the fall time (and the cute cover). But honestly, I found it boring. The characters were underdeveloped and I didn't feel like their relationship had any chemistry. I liked the beginning of it and some of the past timeline, but there was no major conflict so it failed to keep my interest.
August 10, 2024
YESSSSSS
Delicious east coast fall vibes, the sweetest second chance romance, and a stunning cover! I absolutely loved this, and devoured it in two sittings.
GIVEN OUR HISTORY is a dual-timeline story of history academics Clara Fernsby and Theodore (Teddy) Harrison, who met at homeschool summer camp years ago and after a painful falling out are now forced to share an office when Teddy is a visiting professor at the university Clara teaches at.
Clara has always stuck to her goals, even when it cost her the love of her life. Now up for tenure, Clara must face the blast from her past that is quiet, curly-haired Teddy Harrison, who she hasn't spoken to in a decade. Now that they're sharing space, Clara's reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.
Soon they're working together on an upcoming gala to raise scholarship funds and spending time re-learning what brought them together in the first place. Over drinks and trivia nights at a local bar, they realize that given their history, reimagining their futures -- together -- might be the biggest and best goal of all.
This book is so incredibly tender and will both hurt and heal you in the best ways. I loooooove a parallel timeline within a second chance romance and I was so invested in Clara and Teddy's romance. Plus, this book has such a cozy setting that you won't want to leave. This book will make you FEEL things -- it's just a gorgeous reading experience.
Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-ARC (and St. Martin's for the physical ARC) in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. GIVEN OUR HISTORY is out 8/27.
Delicious east coast fall vibes, the sweetest second chance romance, and a stunning cover! I absolutely loved this, and devoured it in two sittings.
GIVEN OUR HISTORY is a dual-timeline story of history academics Clara Fernsby and Theodore (Teddy) Harrison, who met at homeschool summer camp years ago and after a painful falling out are now forced to share an office when Teddy is a visiting professor at the university Clara teaches at.
Clara has always stuck to her goals, even when it cost her the love of her life. Now up for tenure, Clara must face the blast from her past that is quiet, curly-haired Teddy Harrison, who she hasn't spoken to in a decade. Now that they're sharing space, Clara's reminded of their shared history at every autumns spent at a sleepaway camp in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she traded battered books and burned CDs with a quiet, dark-haired boy—and fell in love with him.
Soon they're working together on an upcoming gala to raise scholarship funds and spending time re-learning what brought them together in the first place. Over drinks and trivia nights at a local bar, they realize that given their history, reimagining their futures -- together -- might be the biggest and best goal of all.
This book is so incredibly tender and will both hurt and heal you in the best ways. I loooooove a parallel timeline within a second chance romance and I was so invested in Clara and Teddy's romance. Plus, this book has such a cozy setting that you won't want to leave. This book will make you FEEL things -- it's just a gorgeous reading experience.
Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the e-ARC (and St. Martin's for the physical ARC) in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. GIVEN OUR HISTORY is out 8/27.
August 24, 2024
Kristyn J. Miller really shows her range as an author with her sophomore adult romance. Whereas Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts was an edgy/snarky romp perfect for the beach, Given Our History is cozy like a mug of hot chocolate with fall vibes. As a reader, I loved both of them. This dual timeline second chance romance is perfect for fans of Carly Fortune.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
February 12, 2024
I finished this author’s debut in one day, and I did the same with GIVEN OUR HISTORY. There is so much to love about this book! Miller’s storytelling has an effortless kind of flow about it, and she navigates the dual timelines (to a sweet summer camp setting! childhood best friends? I die) with a level of expertise that reminds me of Emily Henry’s HAPPY PLACE.
The characters had my heart—even minor ones like Clara’s very extra ex-roommate and her Plath-loving little sister. As a geriatric emo kid, I was giggling and kicking my feet at all the references to bands like My Chemical Romance and Hawthorne Heights, and the mix CDs that little Teddy made for Clara. Combined with the summer camp flashbacks, this was just brimming with nostalgia for me. I also really loved Clara’s openness about needing to use a vibrator during their first spicy scene.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
The characters had my heart—even minor ones like Clara’s very extra ex-roommate and her Plath-loving little sister. As a geriatric emo kid, I was giggling and kicking my feet at all the references to bands like My Chemical Romance and Hawthorne Heights, and the mix CDs that little Teddy made for Clara. Combined with the summer camp flashbacks, this was just brimming with nostalgia for me. I also really loved Clara’s openness about needing to use a vibrator during their first spicy scene.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
April 28, 2024
A cute, albeit slow, romance that spans decades.
Two professors, and childhood best friends, with a complicated past get a second chance to prove history won't repeat itself.
I found this to be just okay. The blurb immediately got me excited for this read, but the execution left me wanting more.
I felt like the miscommunication dragged when it was obvious the timing was right for these two. I also struggled with the main characters.
They're kind of...boring? I feel like we really didn't get to know Teddy, and while we know more of Clara, it just feels like her life has always been kind of sad, lonely, and nonexistent. And her friendship with Izzy felt incredibly awkward.
I liked the setting of being accomplished university professors and Clara's sister Reagan and her shenanigans really helped make some scenes more fun, but otherwise, this read was just fine.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my free electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Two professors, and childhood best friends, with a complicated past get a second chance to prove history won't repeat itself.
I found this to be just okay. The blurb immediately got me excited for this read, but the execution left me wanting more.
I felt like the miscommunication dragged when it was obvious the timing was right for these two. I also struggled with the main characters.
They're kind of...boring? I feel like we really didn't get to know Teddy, and while we know more of Clara, it just feels like her life has always been kind of sad, lonely, and nonexistent. And her friendship with Izzy felt incredibly awkward.
I liked the setting of being accomplished university professors and Clara's sister Reagan and her shenanigans really helped make some scenes more fun, but otherwise, this read was just fine.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my free electronic advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 21, 2024
This was a very quick and easy read. I was so eager to know what happened between Clara and Teddy.I enjoyed both timelines and setting. Just throughout the book I wish there was tension.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2024
I am loving second chance romances lately and this was a great one! I loved reading this couple’s whole story from when they met until the present day when they reconnected. I was very satisfied by the way things ended up for them. I would love a bonus chapter from the MMC’s POV!
March 13, 2024
given our history is a friends to lovers & second chance romance about two history professors, unfolding in two timelines: one in the present and the other starting from when they met at 17. despite my initial excitement for the book, being a big fan of romance in academic settings, it ended up being just an okay read. to me, the characters weren't very charismatic, and i couldn't really understand the reasoning for why they couldn't be together, so i didn't feel any emotional connection to the story.
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
thank you to netgalley for the arc!
September 8, 2024
(4.5 ⭐️) Friends to lovers, second chance ¿que más tengo que decir? Fue PERFECTO. Me encantó todo. El amor que se tenían lo pude sentir con cada palabra, Clara y Teddy mis papás. 鷡Í.
December 2, 2024
Actively rooted for them not to get together as I read this. Clara is the worst.
Edit: I feel like I need to add that Clara is the worst because she was one dimensional. And yes- that was part of the whole thing right... how she struggled with feeling like she couldn't do more than one thing. Literally. Everyone in her life is like "come on Clara like, you can be a professor AND get dicked down by your bff." "Come on Clara, you can like, do trivia, and also read a book and have a sister". For being such a SmArT pErSoN with a degree and learning the history of people and "why people are peopleing" she's dumb. Dumb dumb dumb. You have this dude, who will LITERALLY go where you want, do what you want, HAS TOLD YOU THAT TO YOUR FACE HOLE, and you're like "but what if I'm keeping you from also being able to do more than one thing?"
Okay rant over. This book was just not my jam. Clearly.
Edit: I feel like I need to add that Clara is the worst because she was one dimensional. And yes- that was part of the whole thing right... how she struggled with feeling like she couldn't do more than one thing. Literally. Everyone in her life is like "come on Clara like, you can be a professor AND get dicked down by your bff." "Come on Clara, you can like, do trivia, and also read a book and have a sister". For being such a SmArT pErSoN with a degree and learning the history of people and "why people are peopleing" she's dumb. Dumb dumb dumb. You have this dude, who will LITERALLY go where you want, do what you want, HAS TOLD YOU THAT TO YOUR FACE HOLE, and you're like "but what if I'm keeping you from also being able to do more than one thing?"
Okay rant over. This book was just not my jam. Clearly.
May 14, 2024
This was such a feel-good read! I enjoy when an author takes me between the past and the present. I like a little back history of the characters as they are interacting in present time. I also enjoy a love story that was meant to be, but one of the characters just didn't know it yet! Reading this book while saying "just get there.....you love each other....realize it please" was actually very enjoyable. Seeing how each character developed throughout the story and where they ended up in the end was exactly what I was hoping for in the book.
(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley, Kristyn J. Miller and St. Martin's Press)
(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley, Kristyn J. Miller and St. Martin's Press)
August 18, 2024
For this time in my life, it was nice to have a little escape into somewhere else and I probably would have rated this higher had I finished last week.
For a right-person-wrong-time, dual-timeline story, I thought this was well-done. My biggest complaint is from the present perspective, I feel like the time jumps were often and obvious (within a single page, weeks would go by.. I expected more time planning the gala than only a few chapters). The past timeline was full of all the throwbacks from when I was a teenager and very nostalgic feeling. I didn't think the fall-out between Clara and Teddy was as dramatic as they were building it up to be, I definitely expected more.
Overall, I would recommend this book - it was cute and light-hearted.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
For a right-person-wrong-time, dual-timeline story, I thought this was well-done. My biggest complaint is from the present perspective, I feel like the time jumps were often and obvious (within a single page, weeks would go by.. I expected more time planning the gala than only a few chapters). The past timeline was full of all the throwbacks from when I was a teenager and very nostalgic feeling. I didn't think the fall-out between Clara and Teddy was as dramatic as they were building it up to be, I definitely expected more.
Overall, I would recommend this book - it was cute and light-hearted.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
March 7, 2024
A charming and sweet book about childhood best friends who have become estranged and their reunion. At times I found the lead incredibly frustrating but in a way that was realistic and still sympathetic. The supporting characters are rich and it really is a heart tugging book with love story I really wanted to work. I also appreciated the academia setting and the home school aspect. I learned a lot in that regard. Would read this author again for sure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
so cute & so sweet. like i said, i think all the best love stories start at 14 yr old summer camp. This book covers so much -- second chance romance, long distance friendships, homeschooling, prioritizing career > personal life (and learning what matters). I liked this book even more than Seven Rules for Breaking Hearts and would definitely continue to read books published by this author !
thank you netgalley for the ARC
thank you netgalley for the ARC
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
March 20, 2024DNF @ 48%. This one had a promising start and premise that unfortunately fell flat. The main characters chemistry simply did not exist, and the supporting characters left much to be desired. Dual timeline can be tricky, and I feel the author wasn’t successful with it here. The huge gap in time between the main characters last interaction just further made for a disconnect between them. In the 48% I read, the past timeline friendship blossoming didn’t give me any of the feels, and present timeline nothing was happening, nor have the two characters shared any real moments, leaving me underwhelmed and choosing to quit the read.
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