Colleen Hoover writes book with issues that every day people can relate to. All Your Perfects is no exception, as it deals with a hard issue that many couples face.

I liked how the chapters alternated between now and then, as it not only gives readers insights into the bad times, but also into the happy times in Graham and Quinn's relationship. Those happy chapters are definitely needed to balance out the darker chapters.

This is not a light read, and at times it's downright depressing. You can't help but feel for both Graham and Quinn, both individually and as a couple. At one point Graham does something that I normally wouldn't approve of, but even I couldn't blame him when he was at his wit's end. They would have been stronger if they faced everything as a couple, but Quinn pushes Graham away time and time again, deciding to go it alone. It puts an incredible strain on their marriage and at times I questioned if they would even be able to come back from it.

If you're looking for an emotional, heart-wrenching story, look no further because Colleen Hoover has delivered it with All Your Perfects.

This is a tough review to write. Please know that I am humbled and incredibly grateful to have received a copy of this book for review. Colleen Hoover writes books that resonate. She's an incredibly talented storyteller and she's not afraid to pull some pretty hefty punches. I appreciate that about her. Some of her books rank in my top favorite books of all time.

However, sometimes they just don't work for me, and All Your Perfects was one of those. I knew going in that this one might be tough for me. I read as an escape from my real life, and a book about a struggling marriage was a little bit too "real life" for me. I know there was likely a payoff in the end, but I didn't like how the story was making me feel. I was stressed out and depressed and on edge. It was ratcheting up my anxiety. It was definitely not providing me the escape that I look for in my reading material.

So, in the end, I put it down. It's a DNF for me. It's safe to say that it's due to my own personal issues relating to this subject matter and the fact that it was pulling out the exact wrong feelings for me. I read to escape stress and this book only added to it. Definitely my problem, not a problem with the book itself. Again, I sincerely appreciate the opportunity, however I will not be leaving a review beyond this Netgalley review.

It’s been a while since I’ve truly sat down and read a Colleen Hoover book until I came across the blurb for this book.

One. It has a marriage-in-peril trope that I love in my books. Two, the blurb along with the first chapter the author shared on social media truly captured my interest. Three. The meet-cute was quite unique. The whole book itself, however, was disappointing.

Quinn and Graham are two married couple whose marriage is on the brink of collapse. There were many things that contributed to this collapse, which readers will slowly learn but the main contributor to their marriage’s demise was Quinn’s infertility.

This was handled well by Hoover. As the book is told by Quinn, we get to experience her pain and bitterness first hand. And a lot of the scenarios that she mentioned rang very true. We immediately understand that this is a woman who is depressed and is barely holding on. Quinn’s POV benefited a lot from Hoover’s sparse but emotional prose. She captured Quinn’s pain so well.

Unfortunately, the past and present storytelling ruined the momentum for me. I hated it. Just when the story starts to get really interesting, you get pulled into the past again. It was Ugly Love all over again! Maybe it was an attempt to make the story more suspenseful than it is or emotional, but whatever the reason was, it didn’t work for me. I found myself getting angry and frustrated having to go back and forth to get the whole story.

Another thing that didn’t work for me were the secondary characters. Quinn’s mother was also a piece of work. She wasn’t a very developed character. She’s just there to be terrible and make Quinn feel bad. And now that I think about it, this book didn’t have a lot of characters. We get to meet Quinn’s sister and her husband, Quinn and Graham’s exes, and Graham’s sister, but they’re not very well-developed characters. They’re there to either prop up (Quinn’s sister) or tear down (Quinn’s mother) the two main protagonists. But I digress.

I didn’t really like Graham either. He is, in my opinion, one of Hoover’s weakest heroes. And I don’t know if it’s because we didn’t get his POV or whatever but he was just boring. The whole cheating thing—yes, it was cheating and there was really no justification for it—made me dislike him even more. I’m not even going to touch on his asinine reason for doing so but yeah, I wasn’t a fan of Graham at all. Not even his letters could make me like him.

And that ending? Ehhh. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t spectacular or fleshed out either. It felt very rushed. They opened the box, they cried, and everything just smoothed itself out. However, it was worth mentioning that they apologized to each other and renewed their commitment. But overall, it felt, I don’t know, underwhelming and rushed after all that build up.

Ultimately, this was too heavy-handed for me. Like it’s not enough that Quinn is infertile, she has to suffer more tragedy, she has get cheated on. But that wasn’t enough apparently because she has to miscarry and get a hysterectomy. I mean, goodness, the option to adopt was even taken away from her. There has to be more! More suffering, more hopelessness until it becomes a never-ending cycle of suck.

I was reading this book and I couldn’t help but think “Wow, CoHo really loves to torture her heroines.” Some of her last few releases had been a torture-fest for her female characters. I should be happy, I guess, that at least they’d get HEA but my gosh, she has to torture them first. Which brings me to my last point. One thing I realized about myself as a reader is that the more an author makes the heroine suffer by letting her go through tragedy after tragedy, after the less I care. Other readers have said this was an emotional book and I can see that, but it was just lost on me. It felt manipulative. From the way the whole story was structured to the ungodly amount of tragedy that befell the heroine, it felt manipulative. That was the whole feeling I had while reading this book.

“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.”

The main characters, Quinn and Graham meet under unusual circumstances and form a bond practically straight away. The story is told from Quinn’s POV. I really liked the flashbacks showing THEN and NOW. It was great being able to see the before and after effects. I was drawn into the story from the very first chapter. Quinn and Graham were so relatable and likable. I easily became invested in their lives and outcome.

Colleen Hoover does a great job of painting a picture of a marriage that is both realistic and raw. She showcases problems that any couple could ultimately face and how those issues can lead to heartbreak and possibly healing. Life is never perfect. Relationships can feel far from perfect at times. But you learn to roll with the punches and weather the storm and hopefully you come out of it a better stronger person/couple.

I have to admit, when I read the synopsis, I thought I knew what to expect from this book. Turns out, I was wrong. I Should have known.
I think it’s probably best that way, to go in without knowing a lot about the story. All Your Perfects is not your typical love story that’s for sure. It was very much an emotionally charged read.(You might need tissues…) I’m still trying to completely process how I feel after reading it. After being put through the ringer, I can say that I throughly enjoyed this book. It was well worth the emotional rollercoaster I was on. I’d say this comes a close second to Colleen Hoover’s other book, It Ends With Us.

If you are looking for a different yet satisfying love story then I would recommend you try All Your Perfects.


RATING: 4½ out of 5.

I simply have no words only that I still have tears in my eyes! AUGUST! This was such heartbreaking story that had me gasping, crying, sobbing, getting angry, and everthing imagineable. I loved it! CH follows through as always!

Do I need to say anything other than, it's Colleen Freaking Hoover! I rarely show emotions, like it's almost concerning. I freaked my husband out while reading this. I was a hot mess. I loved this one so much. I can't imagine someone not liking it. The storyline is so unique and honest. I waited to read until I knew I wouldn't have to put it down and it's a good thing because it was unputdownable. I'm surprised by the mixed reviews that I've seen.

Colleen is the Queen of Quotes. I highlighted the heck out of this book. I'm going to leave you will a quote instead of the blurb. I don't even read the blurbs to her books anymore. I trust her. I've read every single one of her books, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon.

“What's the secret to a perfect marriage?' The old man leaned forward and looked at me very seriously. 'Our marriage hasn't been perfect. No marriage is perfect. There were times when she gave up on us. There were even more times when I gave up on us. The secret to our longevity is that we never gave up at the same time.”
― Colleen Hoover, All Your Perfects

I'm not crying, you're crying.

The way this book goes back and forth between the past and present puts me on a rollercoaster of happiness and utter despair. The trouble is, these two have stopped communicating. I mean, there are other problems, one ongoing and one giant mistake. Which, by the way, not that it's EVER okay, but there are always reasons. And anything can be worked through. Anything. As long as that is the goal of BOTH parties.

I know this sounds a little different than my typical reviews but I guess I feel like I just went through this with Graham and Quinn. I feel like I know them. Ok, I guess I am crying. You win.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting in this book, but it wasn’t what I got: It made me so emotional! I’m not an avid romance reader, but this book read as more drama than romance. Quinn and Graham meet and fall madly in love. Their marriage, like all marriages, can’t be perfect all the time, and their marriage suffers some serious category 5 style issues. They, in different ways and for different reasons, begin to question if it’s worth continuing.

Seriously: I get why Quinn fell for him. I fell for Graham like I fell for Mr. Darcy: he’s that freaking swoon-worthy. For instance: “But, I recently concluded that there’s no other explanation for how you and I could end up on the same planet, in the same species, in the same century, in the same country, in the same state, in the same town, in the same hallway, in front of the same door for the same reason at the exact time. If God didn’t believe in me, then I’d have to believe you were just a coincidence. And you being a coincidence in my life is a lot harder for me to fathom than the mere existence of a higher power.” ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Or how about when he said, “When you meet someone who is good for you, they won’t fill you with insecurities by focusing on your flaws. They’ll fill you with inspiration, because they’ll focus on all the best parts of you.”

I also loved the title. Our culture adores perfection. We strive for it. But what is really perfect? How do we define it? I won’t quote the passage that explains the title, but oh my goodness is it shockingly profound. It made me think about marriage, relationships, careers, parenthood, wow. I finished the book thinking, man, my life isn’t perfect, but there sure are a lot of perfect things in it!

This was such a quick read, and I was shocked at how profound it was! I recommend! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

While I am still new to Colleen Hoover's books, I have come to realize that her books pack an emotional punch that hits hard...hard enough to bring the ugly crying. But I don't regret reading these books at all...as much as they might be tough, uncomfortable reads at times, they are so worth it in the end...she truly has a gift of getting to the heart of human emotion in such an original, heartfelt way.

This book was probably one of the most difficult ones I've read in a while because in all honesty, it could have been the story of my life. It deals with something that I never in a million years thought I would ever have had to go through and so much of what Colleen Hoover put into her story I experienced first hand - infertility.

There was a time, right after I went through all this that I would never have been able to read this book - it was too hard and I was too emotional and raw to handle anything having to do with pregnancy, good or bad. But, being a few years removed from this and having made my peace with everything, I can now not only read books about it, but also appreciate it that much more. And I think Colleen Hoover does such a good job really showcasing the true struggles a couple goes through when they deal with infertility. I fully understand just how insensitive others can be, not realizing what someone is going through when they deal with infertility...but it really isn't something that is easy to talk about. It isn't even always easy to talk about it with your own spouse and that is who you are going through it with.

This book really struck a chord with me, in such a profound way. It's emotional, it's raw, but it's told in just the right way. I loved that Colleen Hoover gives us the story of Quinn and Graham's love both "before" and "now"...'before' being when they first met and how they fell in love, while 'now' is years into the marriage where they are experiencing a crisis that just might be the end of them unless they can figure out how to fix things. This really creates quite the emotional suspense - are they going to be able to work things out or not?

This is the type of book that will stick with you long after you finish reading it. It's emotionally charged, powerful and thought provoking. Even if you haven't gone through what this couple has gone through, it will open your eyes to the struggles that so many people go through. It is well-written and a story that should be on everyone's reading list. Just have those tissues at the ready!

Colleen Hoover has once again blown me away! This book completely ripped me apart. It was so beautifully written I hate that it came to an end. The story was spell binding and real. It opened my eyes and heart for people that go thru that type of situation. Garrett... damn if I didn’t fall completely in love with him. He was such a heart throb. The story truly kept you on your toes with the jumping from past to present. It gave it just the right amount of suspense that literally wouldn’t let me put it down until I was finished with it. I devoured this book in 2 hours. It was that good! Reads this book!

"When you meet someone who is good for you, they won't fill you with insecurities by focusing on your flaws. They'll fill you with inspiration, because they'll focus on all the best parts of you."

I truly feel that Colleen writes on a level most will never achieve. On every page you will find pieces of her soul as her words ooze emotions. They keep getting better and better and I’m not sure my heart can take it!

Difficult subject matter creates an emotionally raw story of love, loss, and self-destruction. This beautifully written book wrecked and shattered me, then slowly put me back together. Beautiful characters and a storyline line that only Colleen could deliver, have created a world to lose all sense of time and space in. All Your Perfects was just that… perfect! Do yourself the favor and grab this one, dive in blindly, and enjoy the world Colleen has created. She is an author that will never have a shortage of positive praise from me and I will gladly read each and every word she gifts me with.

“My husband’s heart is my saving grace but his physical touch has become my enemy.”

This book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster that I don’t even know where to begin on trying to explain the complexity of it all. Colleen takes us readers inside a broken marriage of two imperfect people trying to hold on to their happily-ever-after in the midst of devastating circumstances. I was astounded at how relatable both of these characters are. I honestly believe everyone who is married or has ever been married can relate to this on so many levels. Marriage is hard and Colleen portrays this in a hauntingly beautiful and real way. She focuses on an issue that is all too real for many women and marriages throughout the world, myself included and All Your Perfects will leave you raw in ways that you cannot imagine. This novel will consume your soul and squeeze your heart. Colleen…if you ever read this, please know that my world has been made brighter because of your words.

“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.”

Told in alternating past and present Colleen lets us see how Graham and Quinn meet while also giving us the sad situation that is their present. I’m grateful that she chose to write the story this way because with the present being so emotionally draining and raw, the past was a breath of fresh air, but in a way it made the present even more sad to us as readers because we see their relationship as a whole and just how much they love each other. Overall, the layout and pace was uniquely Colleen; she grabbed my attention from the start all the while enrapturing my heart as only she can.

The characters themselves were perfectly written and portrayed. I felt everything…from their happiness to their devastation. Quinn’s inner monologue gutted me because it so closely resembles my own at times and just for that reason alone it was heartbreaking to see those thoughts on paper. All bases of the particular issue at hand were discussed and touched on and I felt as if Colleen gave validation and recognition to everything people with this issue go through. I loved it because I felt that, for the moment at least, my pain and sadness and worry were understood. Even for people who have never dealt with this topic will be touched by it and the way it shapes Quinn and Graham’s marriage. Graham is a total godsend and will forever hold a soft spot in my heart. I loved how Colleen gave us his inner monologue eventually and it made this experience even more devastatingly beautiful.

“The problem is, love and happiness are not concordant. One can exist without the other.”

I’m not going to give away too much on the plot because I went into this story completely blind. I had no idea what it was about except for what the synopsis gave, and I believe that is the way you should go into this story as well. Just know that in true Colleen Hoover fashion it was perfectly crafted, unique but relatable on such an intimate level, and deeply moving. It is definitely a page turner that you won’t want to put down until the end. It left me breathless, vulnerable in a way that I haven’t been with a book since Hopeless, and forever grateful that her brilliant mind gave us this. Just know that even though this novel will break you, it will also heal you in ways that you cannot even imagine. All Your Perfects is the ultimate story of love, loss, and unimaginable strength in times of chaos. You have to read this book. You will be forever changed by it.

This book was absolutely stunning. I've never read a bad book by Colleen Hoover and I don't suppose I ever will. I got absolutely nothing accomplished because I just couldn't put this down. I ugly cried, I laughed and I swooned. And if I could rate this more than five stars I totally would. Perfection.

Beautiful book, well-paced, inside view into someone else's relationship and marriage.

This book goes between 7 years ago and present.  Seven years ago, Graham and Quinn met, started dating, fell in love and got married.  Present day is seven years later and they are having fertility issues that is driving them apart.  I love books that give you an inside look into someone else's relationship or marriage because I do think we all have a story to tell and I also think it's interesting to see what makes other people's marriages tick.  I felt myself getting caught up in their relationship and hoping they would work things out.  I actually got tears in my eyes when they wrote letters to each other...I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to give too much away!

I recommend this book to fans of romance, women's fiction and domestic dramas.  If someone is struggling with fertility issues, I think this book may be a good fit to see how another couple deals with things.

“My husband’s heart is my saving grace, but his physical touch has become my enemy.”

Colleen Hoover writes vague blurbs for a reason. She's doesn't want you to know or to even guess what's coming between the pages. And you don't need to know. All you need to know is what lies ahead is sheer brilliance and utter perfection from start to finish.

All Your Perfects tells the story of Quinn and Graham, alternating between present time and
seven years ago. Generally, I find it difficult to connect with stories told in this manner. But we
needed to go back in time to see the future. We needed to see the love that Quinn and Graham
come from to understand the devastating heartbreak they were presently drowning in.

At times, I really had difficulty with Quinn and her perceived selfishness. Not having ever being
in her shoes, I couldn't completely relate to her struggles, and I think that's why I had such a
hard time with her. Graham, however, was a shining star. His ability to love his wife and have his love be strong enough for two was remarkable. But what really stood out to me was the journey
they took together. It was frustrating, heartbreaking, and at times, impossible to overcome. But it
was real. And it was honest.

Hoover's latest novel brings us the story of what happens after the happily ever after; What
happens ​after​ the intensity of their love and chemistry is no longer enough. It's a grueling road,
but one you'll be glad you took.

Damn, I binged All Your Perfects in a few hours and I feel like I cheated myself. I should’ve paced myself and made it last longer, but I COULDN’T! It’s a fairly quick book anyway, but I could not put it down once I started. That’s the way it is when I read any of Colleen’s books, honestly.

Graham and Quinn were genuine characters that I absolutely fell for. This book beautifully follows the ups and downs of their relationship that took me through a wide range of emotions. It’s definitely an emotional read that caused some waterworks, but it produced plenty of laughs and feel-good moments.

I really like how this was told in alternating timelines of then and now until they converge. Truthfully, I wasn’t in the mood for some of the now chapters at the beginning of the book. They were very sad at times, and I just wasn’t in the mood for the downer feels. I preferred the then chapters a lot more, but came to love them equally as the story progressed.

Really, though, I loved All Your Perfects and won’t soon forget it!

P.S. I love how Colleen inserts little Easter Eggs in her books.

5 wine Glass #Review of All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

All Your Perfects is a raw, potent tale of the trials of love and marriage that will break you down into a sobbing mass of emotions before rewarding you with a ray of hope that is bittersweet. It's a story that will stick with you long after turning that final page...

Quinn and Graham didn't have the most conventional of meetings, but it is apparent from the start that they are meant to be. After seven years of marriage though, they've grown and changed in ways that they never expected, and may not be able to find their way back from. Despite their struggles and disconnect over the last few years they still share an everlasting love. But is love enough?

"…it’s hard to admit that a marriage might be over when the love is still there."

All Your Perfects is a story that resonated within me and held me captive from beginning to end. Being a married woman of 14 years, I don't read romances that feature married couples for a variety of reasons, but the main one being that I live it. Why would I want to read about it when sometimes that fictional escape is (honest moment here) much needed? However, since I am a fan of Colleen Hoover's works already, I decided to give this book a try. Despite knowing going into it, the author's predilection for the gut-wrenching. And I am so glad that I did...

“What's the secret to a perfect marriage?' The old man leaned forward and looked at me very seriously. 'Our marriage hasn't been perfect. No marriage is perfect. There were times when she gave up on us. There were even more times when I gave up on us. The secret to our longevity is that we never gave up at the same time.”

Though our situations are slightly different, there were so many instances that I could personally relate to instances between Quinn and Graham. I even discussed the book with my husband while preparing dinner one night, which I don't often do. Complex, unforgettable, and heartbreaking; the story kept me turning the pages well into the wee hours of the morning making for a couldn't-put-down, all-night-read. The tale is narrated in 1st person POV by Quinn, vacillating between past and present. I have so much love for the couple, Quinn and Graham, their journey from THEN to NOW pulled at my heartstrings. Sometimes this type of transition confuses the plot, and other times it helps to complete a picture. All Your Perfects is the latter. You fall in love with this couple as they fall in love with each other, and you learn what has put them in such a fragile state. You'll end up both anticipating and dreading the eventual revelation of "the box". Knowing it was the start, and could potentially be the end. There were moments that I cried silently while reading in bed, moments that I wanted to reach into the pages and shake a character while shouting, "Why?!". Other moments that my heart would soar while in the next it would plummet. The sphere of emotions that I was put through while reading cannot be put into words, and I wouldn't change a moment of it.

“If you only shine light on your flaws, all your perfects will dim.”

If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be - Inspirational. As with the stirring quote above, and with anything in life, if you only focus on the negative - the flaws - that is all you will eventually end up seeing. Unfortunately, like many of us in real life, our characters found themselves at a time living in a world of flaws. I love how real, and gritty, and dynamic the story was. How it highlighted the tough topics with not a hint of gloss. Compelling from beginning to end, Hoover penned a fabulous story with a richly written, character driven, and highly emotional plot. All Your Perfects hit every check-mark in my list for a perfect romance - a perfect story period. Generally only truly understood while living it, the author perfectly captures the trial and tribulations of marriage, breaking it down so entirely that I think this book should be recommended during premarital counseling. I honestly can't say enough about this book so I hope you'll take my word on it when I say that you must read it.

The way All Your Perfects started out sucked me in right away. You would have never thought that this couple would have survived a relationship. Graham and Quinn both had their faults but for some reason I really could not relate to Quinn. She was so wrapped up in her own feelings that she never once really cared about what Graham was going through. I mean she did but she didn’t. Graham on the other hand, I felt for him. He tried so hard to be there for her through all this and she just kept pushing him away. You could feel his heart breaking through the pages. In the end I leaned more towards Graham and that’s how I was able to get through this book. I could feel and see Quinn’s heartbreak too. I absolutely hate that I could not like her. Throughout the book I kept thinking why the option of a surrogate wasn’t ever thought about. This isn’t one of my favorites by Colleen but it was good nonetheless.

Arc provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

This was absolutely perfect. Gut-wrenching and raw, Colleen Hoover is a master of connecting with real-life topics. She tears your heart out before putting it back together!

Bravo!

This one killed me and put me back together again. I loved it. Once again Colleen Hoover writes a book that is impossible to put down!