"When violence arrives, it rarely knocks. It seldom taps you on the shoulder, suggests you get ready. It creates change with the most capable tools in the toolbox: confusion, humiliation, destruction. And its survivors are lucky to have coughed out a raspy I never saw it coming."

In "The Girls She Used to Be", the story told in Melanie Grace McCartney's POV. In this sequel, we now have Jonathan Bovaro's. In the first book, we get the story through the eyes of the woman who for 20 years has had go through changes not only her physical appearance but her whole life appearance as well all because she and her family witness a heinous murder by the hands of Jonathan's mafia family. And through out these 20 years, Jonathan has been looking out for her from afar, protecting her. He was a boy of 10 and she a little girl of 6 years old when these crimes were happening on the streets of New York City. "I still cannot understand what captivated me; she was a little girl and I a little boy. But I became aware of myself-fearful." Not only has Jonathan been Melanie's protector but has also loved her for those many years.

Throughout the years of Melanie's many changes and transformations, Jonathan has been there every step of the way, making sure his family doesn't get to her first. He has seen how she has grown up from that little girl with a bright smile and bouncy blond hair into the 26 year old woman who fears her life and never sleeps well wondering when her last breath will be at the hands of the mafia. All those years Jonathan would only look and never interact with her. Finally, he could wait no more. At first Melanie is scared and has no idea if Jonathan is there to kill her or what will happen. Little does she know that Jonathan just wants to take her away and give her a life that she finally wants to live. I life far away from what and who she is now. Both have lived a double life through these two decades and finally they collide to live as one.

"We are perfectly cast for the roles we have to play, two people with experience in lying and manipulation, in convincing those around us we are something other than what everyone sees-something else, if not something greater."

I very much enjoyed this book. The first one was good but Jonathan's POV was much better. I was able to read the thoughts that were in Joanthan's head. This one can be read a stand alone. Where in the first one the ending is a bit off, this sequel closes the chapter of Melanie and Jonathan.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC.