“Can you find true love after losing everything? Kyle and Kimberly are the perfect couple. At least that’s what Kyle’s always thought. But when Kimberly breaks up with him on the night of their graduation party, Kyle’s entire world is turned upside down – literally. Their car crashes, and when Kyle wakes up he has a brain injury. Kimberly is dead. No one in his life could possibly understand…Until Marley. Marley is suffering from her own loss, a loss she thinks was her fault. As Kyle’s and Marley’s feelings for each other grow stronger, Kyle can’t shake the sense that he’s headed for another crashing moment, just as soon as he’s started to put his life back together. And he’s right…”
What is the book about?
Kyle and Kimberly are the perfect couple. A jock and a cheerleader. The couple everyone wants to be. At least, that's what Kyle thinks. He thinks Kim is the one and he never wants to let her go. So when she tells him that it's time they go their separate ways, he doesn't know what to do. Angry and desperate, Kyle tries to show Kim exactly how much he loves her, but then his whole world turns upside down and he finds himself in a hospital room. There was a car crash. Kim is dead. Kyle doesn't want to carry on living. Kim can't so why should he. He doesn't think anyone could possibly understand what he is going through. Until he meets Marley. Marley isn't like all the other girls Kyle has known. But she understands. She knows. Marley has gone suffered her own sad story, he own loss, one she feels responsible for. As Kyle begins to put back together the pieces of his messed up life, his and Marley's feelings for each other grow, and Kyle can't shake the feeling that something is about to go wrong. That everything is too perfect. And he's right. How far will Kyle go to save the girl he has come to love? And will it be enough? Can Kyle and Marley really find love after losing everything?
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
I had just finished Five Feet Apart and was really for another heart-breaking experience. I really don't understand why I put myself through these books but here I am reviewing another beautiful, sad book that I don't think I will ever forget. One thing that made me think of buying All This Time was the cover. The covers of Five Feet Apart and All This Time had both been absolutely gorgeous and magical when I first saw them and, obviously, I immediately wanted to buy them. The blurb was also amazing and as soon as I read it I was already anxious to find out more about Kyle's life and the mysterious Marley. When I began to read I was immediately captivated by Kyle and Marley's world and I felt like I was really there with them. The book was quick to start and soon I was already in tears and on the edge of my seat waiting for the next disaster to strike. Even in just the first few chapters, the book had already left me with a rollercoaster of emotions: crying one minute and laughing the next. I enjoyed every minute of All This Time and it was almost as it I was simply absorbing the story into me; I know this book will always be a part of me and I don't think I will ever forget it.
Who was your favourite character and why?
My favourite character was undoubtedly Marley. She was probably the strangest character in the series, but I always like the strange ones. The first thing that stood out about her was her love for stories. Now, when I'm reading a book, the second I see a character that likes to read or enjoys telling stories, the immediate become my favourite. So, obviously, Marley was already up by one when I learnt this about her. The second thing was how, even though she was suffering from her own life-changing loss, she helped Kyle to open up and share his experience. She might not have been ready to tell anyone about her own sad story, but she helped someone else recover a bit and she didn't push him into it. The third and final thing was that she was a really beautiful character. Not just on the outside – although Kyle sure did emphasise her looks – but also on the inside. She gave Kyle a new life when she wasn't even really living her own. She helped others when she was suffering on her own. She risked everything for others and, the saddest thing about the book was that, she did it all while believing she was responsible for her own tragic experience. She gave someone hope when she thought she couldn't ever be happy. She gave someone a new life when she wished her own would end. Marley was one of the most inspirational characters I have ever read about and I wish I could have the same effect she had on people.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
There were a lot of incredibly beautiful and amazing parts I could have chosen in the book. There were lots of sad parts and a number of happy parts. However there was one that towered over the rest: the first time Kyle and Marley met. There have been many books with many couple and many interesting introductions but I don't think any can top this one. This part pretty much sums up what Marley and Kyle thought of each other and what they were really like. The first words Marley spoke were also so beautiful: “Once upon a time there was a boy…” I will never forget her words and the everlasting effect they had on Kyle. Kyle's first thought on Marley were basically: who the hell is this girl and how in the world am I already falling in love with her. I think it's hilarious that this is how he reacts and how he sort of already knows he is falling hard for this girl. Later on in the book we discover that Marley's first thoughts were: this boy will understand. In my opinion, I think it also shows that Marley knew she was already falling in love with Kyle and that he would be the first person she would open up to. Marley was Kyle's happy place and Kyle was Marley's happy place. She would be there for him and he would be there for her. They would be there for each other. Forever. I think it is amazing that you can see when a couple is meant to be from just one scene.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Overall, All This Time is one of the most astonishing books I have ever read. I liked everything about it and there is nothing, not even a single word that I would change. One of the things that I liked about it was its fast pace because I found it so easy to be travel back and forth between my two realities: real life and books. It was so simple to slip into Kyle and Marley's world because of how quickly things happened. I was taking in the words so quickly I was desperate to find the next sentence and soon I realised that there were no more. Another thing that I liked about the book was the rollercoaster of emotions that it took me on. I cried on 3 different occasions and laughed at multiple moments. At one point, I was so utterly shocked by what just happened, I had tears streaming down my face and repeated, 'what in the actual world just happened', for a full 10 minutes (still reading obviously). There are only a few books I can claim have made me cry more than one and I am very proud to say that this is one of them. I enjoyed the experience immensely and I was sad to see it end. One last thing that I would like to mention was the ending. Even during the very last chapter, All This Time kept me on my toes. At the end I was so anxious to read what happened next that I skipped whole paragraphs to get to the end and, in the process, ended up spoiling certain bits and almost dying from the shock. I was clutching the book so hard, even on the last page, that when I was finally ready to out down the book, I had imprints on my hands and, unfortunately, the cover was slightly bent. It was an honour to get the opportunity to read All This Time and I am really sad that the book had to come to an end. I hope to read others like it and that other people get to go through the same adventure that I did.
Would you recommend this book?
I 100% recommend this book, specifically for readers over 14 with a love for romance. If you are looking for a reason to cry, this is definitely a good book to try. If you want to go on a wild romantic rollercoaster, then All This Time is perfect for you. And finally, if you are looking for a magical story, then don't hesitate to pick up this book.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A sad story that will make you cry, laugh and then cry again.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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