Review: Two words - Male Virgin
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 22, 2013
***ARC received for honest review*** - Originally posted at [...]Two words - Male Virgin! How many books have THAT? Bennet was the perfect guy. Respectful, Sweet, Funny, Considerate, Caring, Understanding, Non-Judgemental - you name it, he was it. And Avery is the complete opposite of heroines I've read about recently. I completely understand why she is how she is. She had a tough childhood, and her mom was the least maternal person I think I've ever heard of. Talk about a bitch!Bennett grew up with 3 sisters, and a mother who spent the majority of her time trying to find a man to take care of her - much like Avery's mom. But, even though they had similar backgrounds, they dealt with things in completely different ways. Bennett didn't want to end up as a teenage father, so he saved himself for when he was sure he was in love. Avery gave herself to anyone she liked, to ensure that she was giving herself on "her terms" instead of someone taking it from her.One of my favorite characters in the book was Mrs. Jackson, an elderly lady that Avery takes care of at work. She was smart, funny, take no prisoners, and she didn't let Avery lie to herself. She was the grandmother Avery wished she had, and Mrs. Jackson loved her like a granddaughter. She encouraged Avery to give Bennett (and love) a chance. Reading about Avery & Bennett's relationship progressing, and even some of their problems was refreshing. So many books are instant love, and in All of You, this was definitely not the case. There was a lot of genuine emotion, but there was also a lot of build up to an actual relationship with them. Avery knew she had strong feelings for Bennett, but she was so afraid of risking her heart, even while she had no problem risking her body. Bennett showed her repeatedly that he would be there for her, that he cared for her."I heard you loud and clear. You're not ready for this. For me. For us.So I'll leave you alone - I'll walk away.But if you decide you want to talk, you know where to find me."Between her conversations with Bennett, Mrs. Jackson, her friend Ella, and even her brother Adam, Avery learns to trust him, and herself. There was an amazing poem in the book called Forget Me Not by Anna Peters that Avery used to tell Bennett her feelings after she hurt him deeply. She made a lot of mistakes, and Christina did an amazing job writing how Avery and Bennett came back together, forgave each other, and moved on from hurtful things that were said - on both sides. All of You is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2013, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for a deep, emotional love story.I give this book 5 stars - but, if I could, I'd give it 6!