A review by labraden
With You All the Way by Cynthia Hand

4.0

As her family attends an annual medical conference in Hawaii, Ada is upset over discovering her boyfriend has been cheating on her. To make things worse, she's fighting with her sister, and she thinks her parents' marriage is in trouble. In the meantime, she is trying to figure out what sex is and why it seems so difficult. When she runs into geeky Nick, who she knows from previous conferences, she decides that he is a safe choice for her first time, so they make a plan to meet on the final night of the conference when nobody will miss them. As the time to meet Nick gets closer and she becomes more confused about the anger she feels with her sister and her parents, Ada begins to wonder if maybe she simply isn't ready for such a big step.

With You All the Way is a fairly realistic view into family dynamics and the insecurities that surround people who in trying not to hurt one another, manage to cause the most pain. Ada seems like a fairly typical teenager with common goals and feelings, but she still displays a very dry sense of humor that makes her likable, even when she isn't making the best choices. In the beginning, Nick fits the stereotype of the nerdy game player, but as the story progresses, he shows himself to be much more than a geek and becomes very easy to like. Overall, this is a good family drama that centers around the teenagers and the issues and self-doubt they often face. 4 1/2 stars.