This book wasn't written for me, a 36-year-old woman, it was written for a teenage girl. And, a teenage girl would really like it. As an adult, jaded by life experience and reading too many YA books, I found the writing bland and juvenile. The book has a "twist" but it was pretty predictable. It is a sort of impossible love story, shrouded in tragedy, but again, I didn't feel anything because I've read this book 100 times before.

However, for my classroom library, this is a book I would definitely purchase. I can think of the exact reader that this would appeal to. Teenage girls who aren't as old and jaded as me would enjoy this story and likely not find the twist predictable. The romance is sweet and pretty innocent. I like that it was told by the male protagonist instead of the girl, too. Kids that liked Five Feet Apart would definitely enjoy this.

Having been a huge fan of Five Feet Apart, I knew I had to read All This Time and see what other wonderful story Daughtry and Lippincott came up with this time. I was not disappointed.

This story is such a good read. It’s fast too. It follows Kyle as his life is completely upended on graduation night. He has to bounce back from loss in many forms and find out who he is and who he wants to become. He finds a little help along the way.

Kyle’s character is so open. I love how hard he loves and how deeply he cares about his friends and girlfriend from the immediate start. I actually wonder if some feel that as smothering at times. And when everything he had planned out for himself is ripped away, he does not know what to do. This book takes you to a very dark place and Daughtry and Lippincott write it so well, as proven in their first novel. This book covers all that dirty stuff people don’t want to talk about. Depression. Anxiety. Grief. Heartache. It’s the hard stuff and not the feel good stuff, but this book rips you up with it. I love the side characters and was super suspicious of Marley in the beginning. Her character was a breath of fresh air though. She reminded me of some of my friends.

Overall this book was great. I devoured it and would read it again today. The characters are these thick, juicy onions with layers of personality to peal back, the plot line is rich and gritty, and its absolutely not what you expect most of the book. What a rollercoaster of emotions this caused! Definitely pick up a copy and see for yourself.

I received an ARC of All This Time through NetGalley and was excited to dive into this sweet and heartbreaking YA.

Overall, I enjoyed this. I know some folx think 3 stars means "meh" but for me it's an "I am not mad I read it, I enjoyed it, and many others will probably love it". I didn't love it for a few reasons, but want to also share the things I did enjoy.

Kyle Lafferty and his girlfriend Kimberly are the teenage power couple - together for years, everyone's favorite couple, everything goes right for them. Until a car accident leaves Kyle with a severe brain injury and Kimberly dead. After Kyle wakes up, he is forced to live without his girlfriend, while also struggling with taking the shine away from a relationship that might've not been perfect. While he's spiraling, Kyle meets Marley who helps him come back to life - and really they help each other come back to life. But a deep secret could threaten both of their progress and their happiness together.

I absolutely adored the portrayal of grief, which seems so weird to say but ultimately grief isn't always portrayed as the life-altering thing that it is. Both Marley and Kyle are living but their grief means that their life is always on hold, they are always judging their own happiness, and they can never fully thrive. I also loved the general vivid imagery, the beauty that flowers bring to the story, and the relationship that Kyle and Marley built. What I struggled with the most was some of the back and forth of Kyle and Sam's relationship (and Kyle and Marley's). The book is definitely YA and I think I might've liked it a bit more if it was an adult book - no shame to YA at all but I think that folx a bit younger than me might connect with this more than I did.

This was close to 4 starts primarily for the twist and the ending, which I was not expecting. There is a magical realism to All This Time that I was completely immersed in and I can imagine that make folx will really love this one.

**4.5 Stars**

On the night of his High School graduation, Kyle thinks he has his whole life planned out perfectly- that is until one ugly truth is revealed and everything spirals out of control. Now, after having survived a deadly accident, Kyle is not sure how to move on or even if he deserves to. When he makes a new friend in Marley who is dealing with her own grief, Kyle feels like he has someone who understands him, and can maybe help him heal.

Keep in mind that this was a cute fast read, it just doesn't have the same emotional upheaval that I experienced and expected from the author's first book, Five Feet Apart. That being said, this story is about grief and loss but it didn't make me sad of want to sob (like the previous book did), instead this was more a hopeful story about healing and redemption. BUT the real heart (pun intended) of the story was the epic romance that crosses all kinds of boundaries and expectations, a true love that not everyone can have and it may melt your heart. Let's just say that Kyle really is the best kind of hopeless romantic and he is relationship goals.

I was going to give the book a solid 4 but then there was this super surprising twist I never saw coming and I loved the direction the story took which instantly bumped my review up to 4.5 stars, but that is all you get out of me to avoid any spoilers. Overall this was a really charming YA romance full of feels and insightful personal growth as well as the best HEA.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Five Feet Apart so when I saw another book by the same author, I was a little nervous about getting it. You never know if another book is going to be as good as the first one you loved. I shouldn't have worried about All This Time. It was such a fantastic book. The characters were well developed and the storyline flowed wonderfully. Every time I thought that this book was just going to be a young adult rom-com book, a new twist would pop up and change my mind. You definitely need to be sure to have plenty of time to read because you will not want to put it down.

I went through an intense period in my reading life where all I wanted to read was books where the protagonists had some kind of catastrophic trauma, injury, illness, or death to overcome. It's been a while since I have found a book that hits those marks and remains hopeful and a little fluffy. All This Time is that book! A good follow up to Six Feet Apart. Plus, the cover is beautiful,

This is one of those books that I am walking the edge of the line between love and hate.

Kyle and Kim’s characters seem to be believable teenagers in a relationship; typical fights and make-ups and individual flaws. When Marley comes on the scene, I really started to see how Kyle was less of a cute, suffering teenager and more of an obsessive boyfriend with very bad relationship habits. His main faults where kind of glossed over from one relationship into the next.

That said, it was also fun watching them interact with each other not as a couple, but as friends. Little things like going to the park to feed ducks and eating hotdogs was way more enjoyable than the forced romance. YA really needs to learn that a new romantic relationship isn’t the key to getting over a lost romantic relationship. The ‘friends’ Kyle and Marley were much more authentic than the ‘couple’ Kyle and Marley.

The big struggle is the last third of the plot. At some point an author has to know when to stop, and some just don’t. At this point it started to get ridiculous and headed into plot line overkill. I was so aggravated that a good story was taking a harsh nosedive. I loved the first couple of twists the book had taken, but when they kept piling up the effect was ruined, and at the very end it kind of started adding a supernatural element.

Overall, I have such conflicted thoughts on ‘All This Time’. It’s a quick and easy read, great for a weekend, but it’s still up in the air if it was actually came to a satisfying end.

Have you ever had a book that you were so inside the story, so with the characters, so tethered to every word that was uttered, every feeling conveyed, every moment captured...that you were simply wrecked by book's end? I mean like in tears, sighing with relief or acceptance, and quite honestly needing a few moments at the very least before you could even think about wrangling your thoughts into something coherent, or ,goodness forbid, reading something else? Yeah, that's me with this book.

I will admit to having WATCHED their previous collaboration, Five Feet Apart, and having a very similar reaction to the film...but I never got around to reading the book. I bought it with every intent of diving in, but with my reading schedule being a little booked at times, I haven't had the chance. I totally regret not having read it at this moment because if it's half as good as this story, I'm totally missing out!

Kyle and Kimberly were a couple for as long as anyone could remember, which is especially long in today's world where some folks trade significant others like flavors of the week...but sometimes that familiarity, sometimes that constant togetherness, can make it hard for them to see themselves anymore. The bomb drop on graduation night was epic...but the fallout would last SO much longer and affect so many lives in ways no one could possible imagine. Throughout the ordeal, we get to know Kyle like never before, Kimberly more in depth, Sam beneath his jock-ish bravado, and Marley to the very core of her soul. All those connections, all those life links are going to come into play at different times throughout the story, and no matter how insignificant they may seem in the moment, their importance is a matter of sanity or downward spiraling, looking back constantly or moving forward...quite literally life or death.

I can't say enough and yet I don't want to spoil it for you. You deserve to experience it all for the first time too...untainted, uncertain, and yet fully involved. So if this sounds like a story you may like, or perhaps you enjoyed the other book, make haste to clear your calendar for a read of this remarkable release. It'll certainly remind you of the important things in life, and to treat each day like the present it is.

Kyle thought he had everything right. His girlfriend that he has been with for years and a est friend who is always there for him. His problems started when he is injured during a football game and suddenly it is not the quarterback and the cheerleader any more. But with the help of Kimberly and Sam (his best friend) he moves on, until graduation night when he and Kim fight and get in his car and get in an accident. He can't believe that everything has changed. But then, he meet Marley, a mysterious and quiet girl who seems to know just how to listen to him and she knows just the type of relationship that he needs. But is everything as it seems?

This was a great YA book and I read it quickly wanting to see how it would all turn out. There was a great twist that I didn't see coming. I really loved the growth that Kyle and his friends had and I liked the close relationships that changed and matured.

Fans of Five Feet Apart are sure to devour this beautiful tale. The authors weaved a wonderful, page turner that I couldn't put down! There were so many twists and turns, yet none of my predictions ever seemed to be correct. Prepare yourself to be swept away by this delightful read.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes. I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this opportunity

This book starts off as a very depressing book. Kyle has an accident with his girlfriend after she gives him unpleasant news and he has to deal with the guilt of her death. As he begins to move on, he comes to a realization of all the mistakes he has made. I did not expect the twist in this book and it perked the book up immensely.

Received this book as an ARC; my teenage daughter read it on my kindle and gives the following review (she is a better judge as she is the target audience!):

My favorite genre of fiction is hands down romance, and Rachel Lippincott and Mikki Daughtry never fail to leave me on the edge of the seat- with tears in my eyes, of course.

“All This Time” is a story of dreamers, loving and losing all at once, to create one big heartache. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, reality pulls one over on me and changes the path of the story completely. Kyle is just a teenager struggling to recover from the biggest loss of his life- no, not his football scholarship. The death of his girlfriend and best friend of 6 years, just after she came clean about a secret she had been hiding from him for weeks. Overwhelmed with betrayal, confusion, and guilt, the book follows Kyle’s emotional and mental recovery.

Since he’s only human, Kyle mourns and struggles to return to normalcy, and can not get a grip on life, hitting rock bottom in all aspects. Just when giving up seems like the only option, he sees a light at the end of the tunnel, and begins to turn his life around. Happiness now becomes normal, instead of a guilty pleasure. But is this new life really real, or too good to be true?

I enjoyed Five Feet Apart so I was excited to read this one and it definitely did not disappoint. Daughtry and Lippincott are an unbeatable pair and write so well together. There were so many twists and turns that I was not expecting. This quick and emotional read kept me guessing and entertained throughout. An ideal love story exemplifying the power of soulmates for contemporary YA romance enthusiasts.

From the very first scene, this book takes you by surprise, carrying that on in nearly every way. It made me laugh, it made my cry, it made me scream and gasp. It was beautiful and it touched me deeply, in places that made my heart hurttttt

I can’t really say much without giving it away, but yeah. Just please read it. I don’t even love YA contemporary and I FLIPPING LOVED THIS. Hands down one of my favorite contemporaries ever….wow…

All This Time by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott is a unique and heart-wrenching story about family and friends, love and loss, and a story about guilt, healing and forgiveness. All This Time follows Kyle Lafferty, a young man who is graduating from high school. He and his longtime girlfriend Kimberly have been making plans to attend UCLA together in the fall and he’s very excited for what the future holds. That is, until the night of their graduation party when Kyle’s life is turned upside down. At the party, Kimberly informs Kyle that she is not attending UCLA and then tells him she doesn’t want to be his girlfriend anymore. They fight in the car on the way home and end up in a horrific car accident that leaves Kyle in the hospital with a brain injury and Kimberly dead.

Kyle is struggling to move on from the accident, both in terms of his physical recovery and because he is wracked with guilt about Kimberly’s death. When he is at his lowest, Kyle meets a girl named Marley at the cemetery. She’s there mourning the death of her twin sister and, like Kyle, she feels guilty and responsible for the death of her loved one. Slowly Kyle and Marley get to know each other as they open up about everything they’re feeling, especially the guilt. They begin the healing process together, but Kyle is plagued by this nagging feeling that the happiness he is finally starting to feel is too good to be true and that something is going to happen to take it all away from him. Are his fears justified or is this just more guilt about Kimberly?

What a tearjerker of a book this was for me! I actually lost track of how many times I cried while I was reading. My heart just broke for Kyle from the moment we meet him. It’s like no matter what he does, he just can’t catch a break. The writing is so powerful and vivid too, especially with respect to Kyle’s emotions. His heartbreak, his confusion, his grief, and even his hope were just palpable as I was reading. As much as I adored Kyle though, I think it was Marley who really stole my heart. She’s just such a unique character and I was truly captivated by her. Marley loves to write original fairytales, she has a small army of ducks that follow her at the park because she feeds them popcorn, and she also nurtures small creatures like snails, moving them off of foot paths so they won’t get stepped on. Marley is almost too pure for this world, which made it all the more heartbreaking that she was carrying around so much grief and sadness for her dead sister. I loved Marley and I loved the person Kyle started to become when he was around her.

My only real issue with All This Time is that there’s a major unexpected plot twist about two-thirds of the way through the book and it completely changes the direction the story is going in. I’m always up for a good dramatic plot twist, but I just didn’t find this twist and subsequent events to be all that believable. It didn’t hamper my overall enjoyment of the story very much; it just felt like one twist too many and that the story didn’t really need it. Even with that issue, however, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend All This Time to anyone who enjoys heartfelt stories about love, grief, and healing. If you need a good cry, this is definitely your book! 3.5 STARS.

Thank you Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for the gifted e-copy.

Well this book gave me all the feels and made me cry! Kyle and Kim have been together since middle school. The night of their high school graduation party, Kim derails their plans for college and drops a bombshell...the next thing you know, they are in a terrible car accident, and Kim doesn't survive. Or so Kyle thinks...He spends a year mourning her loss and trying to move on. He meets Marley and falls for her.

And then he wakes up.

WHAT?

I had to go back and reread everything to make sure I understood what exactly I was reading. Then I thought, "OK, No way is this story going to explain and/or redeem itself."

Yeah, I was wrong, because it so did.

I read this one in less than 2 days, because I needed to be sure Kyle got that HEA. It was questionable so many times...but I'm ok with the way it ended. The last bit was a bit touch and go (literally and figuratively) but I liked it overall.

Sometimes you just have to read a YA story with all the usual tropes. I think this is one of those books that you should read without knowing what's going to happen, and also be willing to stick it out. Without revealing any spoilers, I started out being really annoyed by Kyle. As one of his friends said at least once, "It's not always about you." So yeah, I was really annoyed by him. Fortunately, he does slowly learn his lesson, but it takes many tries with a few false starts. But I loved the surprises that the authors put into the story (no, I did not think it was predictable), and I really liked the ending. In many ways, this was like a Grimm's fairy tale, including the darkness and the happily ever after. If you get annoyed by YA tropes, then maybe this is not the book for you, but if you like realistic sad fiction, then you should definitely give this book a try. I had to pull out the tissues for this one!

FTC Disclosure: Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Rating 4.5

The book "All This Time" by Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott was a beautiful story. I will be honest this book did not grab me from the beginning and only after a few pages I almost put it down. However, I forced myself to keep going and I am so glad I did. The main character Kyle survives a car crash that killed his longtime girlfriend Kimberly. Throughout the story we see Kyle going through the grieving process, trying what he can to heal. His character felt full of emotion and so genuine one could tell the author's did their research or have dealt with trauma in their life. I couldn't imagine going through what he did but by reading this story in a way I felt like I was right there with him during that painful time. I also loved how is character grew towards the end of the story learning from past mistakes. I loved Marley's character and how she interacted with Kyle. I loved that she had her own personality and wasn't your typical female lead. Without giving too much away I will say I noticed small details in the beginning of the story that later led to the ending. But even though I started to figure it out in no way did it take away from the story or that official moment. In my opinion, this book would make a great movie and I believe the author's wrote it with that intention.

Should you read "All This Time"?
Yes! It is a well written story but be aware it does deal with mental illness and the emotion in this story is strong! Some parts of this book can feel slow but overall it was such an enjoyable book. I can honestly say by reading this story I have a better understanding of grief.

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

Kyle is a high school senior who has it all: plans to play football at UCLA, a beautiful girlfriend of several years, and an amazing best friend. After suffering a football-ending injury, at least he still has his best friend and his girlfriend, Kimberly, who plans to attend UCLA with him. But on the night of their high school graduation party, tragedy strikes, and Kimberly is killed in a car accident which also badly injures Kyle. Kyle sinks into a deep depression and cannot seem to go on with life without Kim - until he meets Marley. Life with Marley is wonderful, but then there's a twist. And then another twist. This book was completely unrealistic and a rollercoaster of emotions in the last several chapters, but luckily, sometimes you need a little bit of an escape from reality. It's a little bit like Stranger Things and The Sixth Sense in terms of things not always being what they seem. I don't think this book will go down in history as a must-read YA book, but it was a quick read that I neither loved nor hated.

Maybe I'm the only person on Earth who hasn't read or seen "Five Feet Apart", so I wasn't on the Mikki Daughtry train before reading this book. But now I can understand the hype a little more.

YA Contemporary as a genre for me is usually hit or miss, mostly because it relies on too many tropes, which many young readers eat up. They don't know any better; most won't have read that many books to know how overdone some of them can be! But unfortunately for this age-ed reader, most of this book was unsurprising, and thus a bit unengaging.

Kyle (the former quarterback for his high school football team) and Kimberly (captain of the cheerleading squad) are high school sweethearts, bound for the same college and a cloyingly sweet future together. But Kim breaks the news, on graduation night no less, that she won't be going to the same school, and she thinks they should see other people. (Predictably) out of nowhere, a truck hits Kyle's car while they are in the midst of this life-changing conversation, leaving him severely injured and Kim dead. Kyle must deal with the grief and guilt of losing his (ex-)girlfriend, his identity without her after six years together, and being the one who gets to move on. This is all made even more complicated when he meets Marley, a girl dealing with her own grief, and they have an instant connection.

This book was an easy, casual read for me. The writing style was precise and simple, but still engaging. While the first half of the book took a bit to unfold, the last half flew by. And I really liked the ending.

Now, while I know that tropes are often an inevitable part of fiction, this book just had a few too many for me, and some that came straight out of soap operas! It made it a bit too difficult to suspend disbelief and engage completely with the story. But overall, I enjoyed the pacing and romance in this novel enough to recommend it to my younger high school readers. I'm sure they will eat this one up!