Review: All of You by Christina Lee

All of You by Christina Lee
Published September 17th, 2013 by Intermix

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Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He's irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.

Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she's perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother's bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.

When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won't accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.

Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.

So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

Every time I think about this story, and replay it in my head again and again I get butterflies. The writing was great, the story reads at a good pace, and the characters are very likable. 

When I first read the blurb my immediate thought was bad boy covered in tattoos, but happens to be a virgin? Could be interesting. I had no idea what I was jumping into. 

This story is the total opposite of what I was expecting and this was a good thing because I didn't jump into it with high hopes. No particular reason why? I  just read too many New Adult novels. Every now and then you find some that you devour and are left wanting more. I thought it would read like any other New Adult out today where boy and girl meet, have a huge attraction to each other, have crazy sex, and decide they love each other... the end. 

Again, this book turned out to be the total opposite. Boy and girl do meet, have huge attraction, but become friends before anything else. Bennett and Avery build a friendship and really get to know one another. There is a huge ball of chemistry between the two, but I loved that the author took her time bringing these two together. You learn so much about both of them and fall in love with them individually, and as a couple. 

The reason I think I enjoyed All of You so much is mostly because the roles were reversed. Avery and her friends were like college dudes. All they wanted were hook ups and fun. No strings attached. Bennett was the female holding out and hoping the right person came along. This was a bit refreshing. Even though Bennett has never had actual intercourse with a female before, he has done other sexual things. Some readers had an issue with this, but honestly, if he was too clean cut and too sensitive I probably would have hated him.

There are tons of sweet moments in this story, and times where Bennett just makes you swoon. This is one romance I would like to read over and over again.

With the New Adult novels I've been reading there are very few that stand out from all the rest. I have a short list of books I feel are unique and different, and All of You has made that list. I truly enjoyed it and would love more on Avery and Bennett, but at the same time I was super happy with the ending, and wouldn't want that ruined. 

A definite Good Choice for Reading!