Review: All of It by Kim Holden * Book Blitz *

Title: All of It
Author: Kim Holden
Release Date: Nov 24, 2013
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Seventeen-year-old VERONICA SMITH has it all: a loving family, a funky car named Jezebel, and a plan to go to college after graduation.

On the first day of senior year, she meets DIMITRI GLENN–a mysterious transfer student with gray eyes and a mischievous smile who seems determined to win her heart. But there’s something odd about Dimitri, leading Veronica to wonder if there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Before long she finds herself in a whirlwind romance that seems too good to be true–until a series of devastating events leaves her questioning everything.

It’s not until she chooses to think with her heart instead of her mind that she can rise from the ashes to learn the truth of their connection.

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Dimitri’s face is peaceful and angelic as he rises to help me put my coat on. “Thanks for coming over tonight, Ronnie. You don’t know what it meant to me. I feel like this is the first time I’ve been able to breathe in months.” He lifts his hand, but hesitantly stops just short of brushing my cheek. He smiles and lowers it. “Can I walk you to your car?”

My heart is soaring and my palms are sweaty. “I’d like that.”

We walk slowly down the long driveway, our bodies so close that our arms brush against each other. I think back to the first day of school and smile; personal space is so overrated.

He opens the driver side door and stands behind it at a safe distance so as not to make the situation awkward. I throw my bag through onto the passenger seat and stand with one hand on the door and the other on the steering wheel. When I look up at him he’s staring down at me. His eyes glitter in the streetlight.

It’s at that moment that my life comes into focus, like flipping a switch. The entire world tilts back onto its axis. Call it an epiphany; the rare type of realization that changes your life absolutely. I need this man in my life. I need him like I need air and water. He is part of me—my past and my future. Since the day we met I’ve given my heart to him ... piece by piece. And it’s at this exact moment that I realize he has all of it. My heart is no longer mine; it belongs to him and always will.

I can’t help but smile.

He returns the smile—his beautiful smile. “What?” he asks softly.

“Thank you for being you, Dimitri.”

Not much escapes him and I know from the look in his eyes that he understands. He nods humbly. “You’re welcome.”

I duck down into the driver’s seat and look back up at him. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.” I don’t know if it’s a question or a declaration, but it’s hopeful.

He winks. “You can count on it.”

Slowly he shuts the door and moves to the sidewalk. I wave and pull away, watching him in my rearview mirror as he begins to fade into the distance. He stands there glowing under the streetlight like an angelic statue. When I turn the corner, he’s gone.

Life is sometimes … an epiphany.

Some of my favorite things: reading, writing, the two coolest guys on the planet (my husband and son), my bicycle (my husband built it for me), Facebook (I'm fairly certain it's an addiction at this point), iced coffee (hazelnut), and music (LOVE the 1975, Dredg, the xx, Haim, Manchester Orchestra, Teenage Bottlerocket, and 30 Seconds to Mars).  I also love dreaming. Big. Writing a few years ago was an elusive dream until I grabbed ahold of it with both hands and refused to let go. Keep following YOUR dreams. Be brave and do epic!

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My review :

* Copy provided by Southern Belle Promotions for an honest review *

I love being surprised by a story and Kim Holden succeed to do it.
All of it is not your usual romance, it was so much more.  
This story captured me until the end, this is a story that you won’t forget. A must read, an EPIC love defying time and space.

This is the story of Veronica Smith, a seventeen year old girl meeting intriguing, charming, and very mysterious Dimitri Glenn on her senior year.
Veronica was such a great character; kind, always here for her family or friends, selfless, always putting the ones she loves first. Sometimes, she forget herself in the way and wanted to content everyone. But I love her inner conversations, and her references to John Hughes’ movies!
She used to make list for everything and liked things planned, and Dimitri wasn’t something she expected.

Dimitri is a new year transfer student and Veronica was her guide through his first day at this new school. This new guy was very intriguing, and very intense when it came to Veronica.
We could sense a certain mystery about Dimitri, how he acted around her and how she felt immediately attracted to him. It’s like he knew her, read her and anticipate her reactions.
Even her parents and Dimitri shared an immediate bound, like they knew each other from years.
From the moment they met, she started to have dreams about them, in different times and places.

Why did she started to dream about this young boy, with his grey and piercing eyes? Why this undeniable and strange connection? What was Dimitri’s secret?

Little by little, they begin to be friends, even if Dimitri would have more, but would wait for her.
But the more they spend time together, the more they deeply felt connected, like two pieces of a puzzle.
This relationship was very interesting; Dimitri was so young but at the same time kind of an old soul, and very mature for his age. He acted sometimes like he didn’t belong to this time.
How can’t you fall in love with Dimitri? He made Veronica feel like she was the most special person in the universe, making unforgettable dates. Dimitri was like an adult with a body of a teenage boy.

But everything was going too fast for Veronica, overwhelmed by all this waves of
emotions and feelings. That intensity, passion that they shared was too much. She felt that she betrayed her friends, because she was spending all her free time with Dimitri. She was scared that everything was a dream and that Dimitri would disappear.
She put everything in perspective.
She reconnected with her friends and even all this time they were apart, Dimitri was always waiting for her, be there if she needed even if it was very hard for him to stay away from her.
Veronica had to accept to follow her heart instead of her mind, and not over reacting too much.

Their love was just beautiful, real and even they were very young, it didn’t felt fake.Their love was unique, special, defying time and space. Wow, Dimitri and Veronica completely melt my heart. I don’t know how Kim Holden found her inspiration for their love story but it was mind-blowing. When Veronica had to get through very hard times, he was always there, putting her first, showing her how his heart craved for her.

Throughout the story, there was an air of mystery, very present in the beginning, and slowly maintained, just to put Veronica and Dimitri’s relationship forward and started over again very powerfully in the last chapters. Until the end, Kim Holden kept Dimitri’s secret and when it came out, the revelation was emotional, moving.
I would like to warn you: « All of it » is a roller coaster of emotions and get ready to take a ride!
You’ll not be disappointed, with this epic love story, which amazed me all along. And It was a first novel!!
I highly recommend this book. I love « All of it »!