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evadiva05's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
loved the concept of this book, haven’t read anything like it previously. Would’ve loved to see what happened if his actions affected the future.
deckle_edged_dre's review against another edition
5.0
I was hooked immediately with this book. It was such a realistic look at what a relationship can start to look like after a couple has been together for a good while and life has thrown them all kinds of wrenches. I usually read romances that are strictly about the couple meeting and falling in love, so this was so refreshing in that sense.
There were so many heartfelt moments, especially between Ben and his mom ♥
I also loved the scenes between Ben and he best friend, Harv.
It's pretty rare for me to read a book that is written by a male, with a male protaganist. It was a lovely look inside the male mind.
“I forgot we could be like this together. I forgot that we fit so perfectly, that I can lose myself so completely in the moment with her.”
There were so many heartfelt moments, especially between Ben and his mom ♥
I also loved the scenes between Ben and he best friend, Harv.
It's pretty rare for me to read a book that is written by a male, with a male protaganist. It was a lovely look inside the male mind.
“I forgot we could be like this together. I forgot that we fit so perfectly, that I can lose myself so completely in the moment with her.”
whateveryoneelseisreading's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ in exchange for an honest review.
What a joy this book was! All About Us is the story of Ben, a man concerned that his relationship with his wife is falling apart. One Christmas Eve, he gains a watch from a mysterious man in a pub and finds himself thrust back in time to various important dates in his life (and his relationship). The blurb is a little misleading because it implies he will go back in time and reverse the initial decision of which girl he picks, but actually the book is not focused on that almost at all. It isn't a question of which girl is better, rather whether he wants to pursue Daphne at all knowing that they might inevitably drift apart. There is also a focus on how he has generally messed up his life outside of the romance, particularly his relationship with his mum and estranged dad.
Firstly, I have read this author's previous book which was co-authored and I'm pleased to find that I definitely loved this author's writing. The characters are brilliant and I was particularly impressed with the protagonist. It would have been easy to make him a stereotype who was bored of his wife and wanted a shiny new partner, but Ben has depth and a lot of heart. He clearly adores Daphne throughout and he was incredibly likeable. I wanted him to work things out and do well, and I was never rolling my eyes at his behaviour. Daphne was similarly great and I loved all the characters and felt connected to them.
The plot is unoriginal on paper but the execution is perfect. I couldn't really tell where it was going even though I should have been able to, and the Christmas elements are also really well done. The book starts on Christmas Eve and a few of the important dates take place on Christmas, but apart from some lovely imagery it isn't super Christmassy. I didn't feel out of place reading this in October and I was concerned I would, so that was a great balance hit.
Overall, I would strongly recommend this book. It's perfect if you want a well-written, interesting romance that you can actually root for. It avoids all of the pitfalls romance books can fall into, and it has convinced me to check out this author's entire backlog now. I am so so glad to find a good romance book written by a male author with a male protagonist that didn't alienate me as a female reader, and to find a book with a lot of heart and charm is always a treat.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
What a joy this book was! All About Us is the story of Ben, a man concerned that his relationship with his wife is falling apart. One Christmas Eve, he gains a watch from a mysterious man in a pub and finds himself thrust back in time to various important dates in his life (and his relationship). The blurb is a little misleading because it implies he will go back in time and reverse the initial decision of which girl he picks, but actually the book is not focused on that almost at all. It isn't a question of which girl is better, rather whether he wants to pursue Daphne at all knowing that they might inevitably drift apart. There is also a focus on how he has generally messed up his life outside of the romance, particularly his relationship with his mum and estranged dad.
Firstly, I have read this author's previous book which was co-authored and I'm pleased to find that I definitely loved this author's writing. The characters are brilliant and I was particularly impressed with the protagonist. It would have been easy to make him a stereotype who was bored of his wife and wanted a shiny new partner, but Ben has depth and a lot of heart. He clearly adores Daphne throughout and he was incredibly likeable. I wanted him to work things out and do well, and I was never rolling my eyes at his behaviour. Daphne was similarly great and I loved all the characters and felt connected to them.
The plot is unoriginal on paper but the execution is perfect. I couldn't really tell where it was going even though I should have been able to, and the Christmas elements are also really well done. The book starts on Christmas Eve and a few of the important dates take place on Christmas, but apart from some lovely imagery it isn't super Christmassy. I didn't feel out of place reading this in October and I was concerned I would, so that was a great balance hit.
Overall, I would strongly recommend this book. It's perfect if you want a well-written, interesting romance that you can actually root for. It avoids all of the pitfalls romance books can fall into, and it has convinced me to check out this author's entire backlog now. I am so so glad to find a good romance book written by a male author with a male protagonist that didn't alienate me as a female reader, and to find a book with a lot of heart and charm is always a treat.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 stars
miaelli's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Grief, and Death of parent
x10v3x's review against another edition
5.0
This was perfect!
I was hoping for a good Christmas-themed, romance book that wasn’t overly sexual, sugarcoated-cutesy, or fake and this was that and so much more!
A modern retelling of “A Christmas Carole” by Charles Dickens, it’s the story of Ben Hazeley, a fella who finds himself in a Pub on Christmas Eve 2020 wondering if he’s made the right decisions in his life. I found it refreshing that the story was told from a male POV by a male author, and I loved that Ben’s character was fleshed out and came alive throughout the book. Ben seemed like a guy who’d exist in real life - a guy with feelings, doubts, a history, and someone who’s made mistakes.
I was hoping for a good Christmas-themed, romance book that wasn’t overly sexual, sugarcoated-cutesy, or fake and this was that and so much more!
A modern retelling of “A Christmas Carole” by Charles Dickens, it’s the story of Ben Hazeley, a fella who finds himself in a Pub on Christmas Eve 2020 wondering if he’s made the right decisions in his life. I found it refreshing that the story was told from a male POV by a male author, and I loved that Ben’s character was fleshed out and came alive throughout the book. Ben seemed like a guy who’d exist in real life - a guy with feelings, doubts, a history, and someone who’s made mistakes.
chryscurl's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting take on A Christmas Carol, it was really good to read a story about regret that focuses so much on true love from a male perspective. The lead character is on the cusp of making some life changing decisions, when he is given the opportunity to relive some key moments in his life. I really enjoyed this, there were some great characters and also some really unpleasant ones. Nicely written and well balanced.
christi_reads's review against another edition
5.0
great Christmas romcom
loved that it was told from the male point of view
loved that it was told from the male point of view
erinjaffe's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars, an excellent holiday book to kick off December. A modern Christmas Carol with a lot of heart.