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A review by rebroxannape
All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
5.0
**addendum to original review 06/30/23**
Yes, this was as good as I remembered it. So lighthearted, funny, and romantic. I think Ian might be one of KH's most intriguing heroes, and the match with Callie is inspired opposites attract. I loved that Callie's people-pleasing ways were not apologized for. She does grow away from that a little bit by the end. But Gosh darn, she is just a very very nice, upbeat, and cheerful person and people just like her! It was an interesting blow to her when Ian's difficult mother did not love or approve of her. Anyway, although the end was very happy and satisfying, I did have an issue with a few things that led to that happy conclusion. First I guess KH needed that conflict and suspense to conclude the book, but it was very Hallmarky.
**original review 2016**
I'm reading Kristan Higgins again because there is no one, (except possibly SEP) better. Callie is probably the most adorable and likable heroine KH has written. I loved that some people (including the hero, sometimes) thought that her sunny, people-pleasing personality was something she needed to fix. She is self-aware enough that she knows she is the way she is due to her parents' divorce when she was 8. But she likes the way she is, so screw it! I loved Ian, who is shy (almost asbergerish) and the opposite in every way from Callie. Kristan really knows how to write interesting, non-cardboard cut-out characters with real depth. She definitely has a stable of types and tropes that appear in all of her novels, but they are delightful every time, on the whole. Yes, yes, her signature "swear" words and interjections are too cutsie wootsie, but no one's perfect. As always, a few tears, laugh-out-loud scenes and descriptions, and stand-up and cheer moments are present and accounted for.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/books/
Yes, this was as good as I remembered it. So lighthearted, funny, and romantic. I think Ian might be one of KH's most intriguing heroes, and the match with Callie is inspired opposites attract. I loved that Callie's people-pleasing ways were not apologized for. She does grow away from that a little bit by the end. But Gosh darn, she is just a very very nice, upbeat, and cheerful person and people just like her! It was an interesting blow to her when Ian's difficult mother did not love or approve of her. Anyway, although the end was very happy and satisfying, I did have an issue with a few things that led to that happy conclusion. First
Spoiler
her leaving her $30,000 dollar Morelock chair on Ian's porch while he was out of town really really rubbed me the wrong way. First, it was stupid. Anyone could have stolen it. And it came across as manipulative and trying to buy his forgiveness. The second thing is she did nothing she had to be forgiven for. Ian should have trusted her, and I don't care about him finding his ex-wife in bed with someone else. Failing that, Callie should have demanded that he believe her and gotten really really angry with his reaction, instead of begging him to believe her.**original review 2016**
I'm reading Kristan Higgins again because there is no one, (except possibly SEP) better. Callie is probably the most adorable and likable heroine KH has written. I loved that some people (including the hero, sometimes) thought that her sunny, people-pleasing personality was something she needed to fix. She is self-aware enough that she knows she is the way she is due to her parents' divorce when she was 8. But she likes the way she is, so screw it! I loved Ian, who is shy (almost asbergerish) and the opposite in every way from Callie. Kristan really knows how to write interesting, non-cardboard cut-out characters with real depth. She definitely has a stable of types and tropes that appear in all of her novels, but they are delightful every time, on the whole. Yes, yes, her signature "swear" words and interjections are too cutsie wootsie, but no one's perfect. As always, a few tears, laugh-out-loud scenes and descriptions, and stand-up and cheer moments are present and accounted for.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/books/