A review by jennastopreading
All I Want is You by Falon Ballard

emotional lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review! 
 
I have read everything that Falon Ballard has written and felt so excited to see a Christmas novel on the new release list for 2024! Not only do I love love, I love Christmas, so what can be better than love at Christmas penned by an author I’ve previously enjoyed, right? 
 
One thing Falon Ballard is unmatched on for me is creating the sweetest male leads. Each of them had such a sweet, sensitive side, with some more mysterious than others. ALL I WANT IS YOU featured Nick, a somewhat grumpy but total romantic author of romance novels. He captured my heart from the beginning with his devotion and admiration of his assistant, Hilary, and his niche role as an unmarried romance author. As more layers were peeled back throughout the story, Nick was hands down the best part of this book. His character had depth, charisma, and as we got further into the story, a vulnerability that a lot of MMC don’t have. 
 
I struggled with Jess. I’m not sure where this one missed the mark for me, can’t quite put my finger on it. I didn’t find her entirely unlikable, necessarily, but I also didn’t see her as someone that Nick would be totally head over heels for. She lacked the depth and range that I typically connect with in stories, and that made the sections from her POV a little unreadable for me. 
 
I know that this next part will be a hot take, as there seems to be a belief in the book community that thinking too much explicit content in a romance book is not a reason to knock off a star in a rating…but I feel it needs to be said. I believe that book reviews are subjective and are based solely on opinions, and I found the amount of sex in this book to be a lot more than what I prefer as a reader. 3 VERY open door scenes in a 272 page book is just..a lot. It was right on the cusp of taking away from the story, as it made it feel that Nick and Jess only cared for each other because of their chemistry in bed. 
 
I enjoyed the way the typical “third at breakup” was approached in this story, the part that I usually dread. While some may say it was centered around miscommunication, I would say that it was centered around Nick’s insecurities, and to me, that felt totally believable and relatable with where the characters were in their lives. 
 
I enjoyed the tropes incorporated into this one, as well - enemies to lovers, second chance romance, snowed in, there’s only one bed - I thought they were all woven together effortlessly. I thought the Christmastime setting was great, too, making it read like a true holiday novel. 
 
Overall, a solid Christmas romance from Falon Ballard, and I will read more from her in the future! 
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