Mikki Daughtry and Rachael Lippincott, who wrote the movie-to-novel phenomenon Five Feet Apart, team up again for an emotionally charged contemporary romance that is as much about finding self-worth as it is about falling in love.
After three months of recuperating physically and mentally from a car accident that killed his long-term girlfriend, Kim, 18-year-old Kyle is trying "to find a way to live without leaving her behind." This proves difficult because everywhere he goes he thinks he either sees Kim or hears her voice, rendering him unable to do anything but grieve. Then he meets Marley, who's mourning the loss of her twin sister. Together they work through their grief, finding understanding, empathy and something more than friendship. As Marley says, though, "Something this good can't last," and it isn't long before Kyle's life is once again derailed.
In All This Time, Daughtry and Lippincott tell a compelling coming-of-age story about teenagers navigating a world without their loved ones. The authors examine the inner feelings of those left behind after someone's death, providing insight into how people move forward and redefine who they are without "their person." Using flawed characters flailing to become whole again, Daughtry and Lippincott show the long, difficult road to healing and self-growth. Kyle's and Marley's journeys are both filled with moments of heartbreak and joy, which are conveyed through painful memories, clarifying self-discoveries and revealing conversations. All This Time is more than just a romance; it is a lesson in working through trauma and tragedy to understand oneself better. --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader