Celebrate Lit / September 11, 2026

Until I Knew You

About the Book Until I Knew You

Book: Until I Knew You

Author: Tanya Eavenson

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Photographer Jacob Michaels has spent his life running- from foster homes, from emotional attachment, from anything that asks more of him than a fleeting moment through his camera lens- except for Clay Logan, his one true friend and the only person who ever saw past the walls.

Olivia Logan lives in a world of color and quiet, expressing through art what words cannot, and Clay understood her without explanation, offering a steady presence in a world that often feels overwhelming.

But when a hiking trip ends in tragedy and Jacob returns alone, everything changes, and Clay’s final request becomes Jacob’s new reality: take care of Olivia, protect her, don’t walk away.

Now her legal trustee, Jacob steps into a life he never intended. Bound by grief and a promise neither asked for, he and Olivia are drawn into a fragile closeness they don’t know how to navigate.

And perhaps God isn’t finished mending what was never meant to be broken.

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My Thoughts on Until I Knew You

Until I Knew You is a wonderful contemporary novel that shows a wide range of feelings, but also a version of autism and what that’s like. You’ll get to know people with pasts. From foster care to abuse from a parent, to being misunderstood, and to not knowing how to let go, there are so many things in this novel. Oh, and you might learn a thing or two about bugs as well.

You see, Olivia is our main female character. And Olivia is autistic, high functioning, but still autistic. Jacob is our main male character. In the beginning, he does not like Olivia; he avoids her, to be honest. But she’s married ot his best friend. So he can’t completely avoid her. But even when he’s around her, he’s uncomfortable.

Here’s the first plot twist. Jacob and Clay, his best friend and the husband of Olivia, go on a camping trip. They’re photographers and going to take pictures of the falls. But things go wrong, and Clay plunges to his death. Jacob goes to tell Olivia. He feels it’s his fault, and he’s overcome with grief. Olivia is stoic and silent. No tears, no emotions, and Jacob can’t deal with that and says words he will regret.

Clay left a will and instructions. Jacob is to be Olivia’s trustee. Clay knows he can trust him and that if Jacob gives Olivia even half a chance, he’ll see why he’s so perfectly suited to care for her.

Jacob has a choice to make. Will he accept? Or will he leave Olivia’s care to Ellie, her caretaker? Clay told Jacob that Ellie was holding Olivia back.

What will he choose?

Spoiler or not, but Jacob decides to stay. Jacob decides to put another before himself and his happiness. I won’t give away the ending or the hidden surprise, but I will say I loved this novel. I loved getting to know Jacob and Olivia. They’re both complex characters with pasts that bind them in a way others wouldn’t understand. They share grief together.

Jacob has a girlfriend. He’s had a string of them. Let’s be honest, he has a problem with commitment. How will she feel about his need to care for Olivia?

How will Olivia feel about having Jacob around? After all, he’s made his avoidance known. And how will Olivia handle her grief?

This book gives a wonderful picture of someone with autism and shares their struggles while also helping maintain their dignity. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would read it again as well as recommend it.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

About the Author of Until I Knew You

Tanya Eavenson is an award-winning Christian romance novelist who writes heartfelt stories of love, faith, and second chances. To date, she has written thirteen fiction novels and seven craft books for new writers. Her historical romance The Rescue, from the All Roads Lead to Texas series, won the 2018 Cascade Award, and the series has gone on to be a finalist for several awards.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with family or curling up on the couch with a cup of coffee, chocolate, and a good book.

More from Tanya

“If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.”

Some stories come from imagination . . . and others feel gently placed on your heart for a reason. Until I Knew You is one of those stories.

At its heart, this is a story about grief, love, and healing, but also about the quiet ways God works in our lives, even when we do not fully understand what He is doing. Jacob and Olivia’s journey was never meant to be easy, but it was always meant to lead somewhere meaningful.

Olivia was a character I approached with a lot of care.

I truly wanted to do this right. Along the way, I had the privilege of speaking with several people who have worked closely with autistic children and adults. They were so generous with their time, answering my questions and sharing their experiences, and I am incredibly grateful.

“If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism.” Patricia’s words stayed with me and shaped how I wrote Olivia. Every individual is unique, and it was important to me that Olivia reflect her own voice, her own experiences, and her own way of seeing the world.

There is a moment in this story where Olivia observes a black widow, something many would fear or turn away from, but she sees beyond that fear and recognizes that even it was created with purpose. Not random or a mistake. That realization reflects something deeper woven throughout this story: that each of us, no matter how we are seen or misunderstood, was created with intention and for a purpose.

I wrote this story to the best of my knowledge and ability, with respect, care, and a genuine desire to honor both the beauty and the challenges within it. My hope and my prayer is that you not only enjoy this story, but that you also find something meaningful within its pages.

Here’s a short excerpt.

Olivia

It happened so fast. … Clay didn’t make it. … Clay is dead.

I could still feel the heat of Jacob’s breath against my face, his nearness burning my skin. I wanted to scream, How dare you! Leave me be! But his words rushed through me, painfully churning their way through my heart, touching the deepest parts of my innermost being, and I felt them there for a moment, but it was the fear of being without Clay that clenched my throat.

I struggled to make sense of it all, to breathe, and by some miraculous power I’d been able to hold myself upright, but the moment Ellie made Jacob leave the house, my knees buckled, and I hit the floor so hard that pain radiated up my right side.

I gasped. The air forced into my lungs caused my body to crave more. The pressure in my chest grew. Please, Lord. I can’t. Breathe.

It happened so fast.

Clay didn’t make it.

Clay is dead.