Wowzie! “All Your Perfects” was intense. I’d give this Colleen Hoover a 4.3/5 only because I noticed myself skimming a few sections. But overall, the raw authenticity of their relationship was very relatable. Avoidance is a big thing to overcome after years of formed patterns with a significant other and it tricky to overcome. It’s not something that you can magically snap your fingers and make everything back to normal the next day. Their journey was almost cringe-worthy to read because of how real it was.
Here are my thoughts live while reading:
Right away we experience Quinn and Graham’s life changing moment when they both hear their significant others cheating inside an apartment. Quinn vows not to cry since she will have to call off the wedding but realizes she doesn’t want or need to cry. Somehow Graham impressed her more in a few minutes exchange than her fiancé had in four years.
The next chapter goes to present day when Quinn and Graham are already married. Hopefully we get to hear how they ended up together. At page 22 I can see where this is going but hope that it’s more than this issue of infertility that created the change in who they are in their marriage. She’s contemplating divorce because she can’t give him a child. But all their reactions toward each other are relatable to couples who don’t have a “reason” like infertility and just shift over time. So I hope that ends up playing into it too.
After chapter 4 I can’t relate to the infertility struggle. If I were in her shoes, with NO options, which was clearly shown through the author’s detailed list of Quinn’s attempts, I’m not sure it would bother me as much. Maybe it would. Everyone has their own goals, dreams, inner demons, and difficulties. She may be judged and reminded for her infertility by others on a daily basis but I felt judged by the character’s comment about moms who complain about their children on social media. I understand her viewpoint, but it feels like in this day in age, no matter what you’ll offend someone. It’s s little bit tiring to censor ourselves so much. I guess all we can do is live our own life and hopefully not unintentionally hurt too many along the way.
Chapter six shows fantastic reality of how disconnection feels in a relationship and the dance of faking conversation back and forth and not knowing how to communicate as well as in the early years. I feel bad for Graham, man. So far I like their past story more than their current story. Watching them fall in love is much more pleasant than seeing everything fall apart.
Chapter 12- what the heck is in that freakin’ box?
At the halfway mark at page 157 all I can think is fuck, fuck, fuck.
When Graham confesses… That was raw. And rough. And hard as hell to read. This is much more relatable when it’s less about the infertility and more about missing someone who has turned into a ghost.
In chapter 23 everything switched and now I’m more eager to read the current timeline than their past.
The climatic scene being letters was a bit long and I wish it was then talking but I understand why. At the end, I was happy with the result and would recommend this to readers who like depth in their characters.
COHO books I still need to read:
It Starts With Us
Maybe Now
Maybe Someday
Maybe Not
Confess
Losing Hope
Slammed
Finding Perfect
Hopeless
Without Merit
Point of Retreat
Too Late
This Girl
One More Step
NeverNever
Finding Cinderella
Cassie Swindon 