All Your Perfects Book Summary. it is a 2018 romance novel written by Colleen Hoover that follows the story of the couple Graham and Quinn. It is Colleen Hoover's 16th book and can be read as a standalone.
The book shows Graham and Quinn meeting each other for the first time in the past and their present when they are married. In the book, Quinn struggles due to her infertility. The book ends with the couple adopting a puppy.
 |
| All Your Perfects Summary |
All Your Perfects Summary
All Your Perfects opens seven years in the past, when Quinn discovers her fiancé, Ethan, sleeping with another woman. She receives this news from the woman’s boyfriend, Graham, with whom she quickly hits it off. Quinn and Graham almost engage in rebound sex, but are too emotionally affected by their partners’ cheating. Graham leaves Quinn his phone number, but she never calls it. Six months later, they run into each other by chance and reconnect, quickly starting an intense romantic relationship.
The novel alternates between scenes set “Then” (seven years ago, at the beginning of Quinn and Graham’s relationship) and “Now” (the present). In the present, Quinn and Graham have been experiencing infertility for years and have been profoundly changed by feelings of guilt and shame. Quinn cannot conceive because of her endometriosis, and the couple cannot adopt because of a criminal conviction in Graham’s youth. They try three unsuccessful rounds of IVF and are rejected by several adoption agencies. Quinn feels deep shame about her inability to conceive a child; this is accompanied by guilt over denying Graham the opportunity to be a father. She copes with these feelings by withdrawing from Graham—crying in the shower and avoiding physical intimacy when it’s not for conception—but also begins to view sex as traumatic.
“Then” flashbacks to the rapid progression of Quinn and Graham’s relationship. Graham views their relationship as fated, which unnerves the more cautious Quinn. However, Quinn’s hesitance is overcome by her deep love and appreciation for Graham. She meets and loves Graham’s close-knit family, as her own family situation is complicated. She’s close to her sister, Ava, but their mother, Avril, is cold and judgmental. In the present, Quinn confides in Ava about her feelings but doesn’t share them with Graham; this drives a wedge between the couple. One night during lovemaking, Graham becomes upset when he realizes Quinn is only interested in sex because she’s ovulating; he refuses to finish inside of her. Quinn reacts to this by weeping, which sparks a long period of the couple not having sex. Quinn’s sister Ava moves to Europe with her husband and soon becomes pregnant herself. Quinn mourns the ease with which other women are able to get pregnant, but is also genuinely happy for her sister.
The tension in the couple’s sex life “Now” is vastly different from their intense physical chemistry “Then.” Flashbacks show Quinn and Graham as sexually compatible and active. The novel draws an interesting parallel using this method, as “Then” Quinn and Graham discuss how to weather what they call “Category 5” moments in a marriage. Their younger selves are confident that they’ll be able to get through anything together, while their older selves struggle to connect and find the same closeness. In the past, Graham eventually meets Quinn’s mother, Avril. Quinn is worried that Graham will judge her based on her cold mother, but Graham says that seeing where she came from makes him admire her even more.
In the present, Quinn and Graham begin to lie to each other. Quinn sees Graham holding his newborn nephew and overhears him telling his sister that he’s devastated they haven’t had a child yet; grief-struck, Quinn leaves and pretends as though she never arrived in the first place, claiming traffic prevented her from visiting her sister-in-law. When he returns home, Graham lies and tells Quinn that he didn’t get to hold his baby nephew. Graham comes home drunk one evening and initiates sex. Quinn, who’d been oddly relieved by the removal of sex from their lives, belatedly counts the days of her cycle to see if she’s ovulating. Graham objects to her lack of sexual response, saying it feels like he’s “making love to a corpse” (139). Quinn begins to suspect that Graham is having an affair. She confronts him, and he confirms it. Quinn is devastated and angry, packing a bag and driving to her mother’s house, intending to stay there—but instead has a conversation with Avril. They discuss Avril’s lack of interest in having children. Avril says she didn’t originally want children but is grateful for Quinn and Ava. Quinn feels better and goes home.
Graham explains that his affair consisted only of kissing. He says he thinks he did it because the woman, Andrea, reminded him of Quinn. That night in bed, Quinn experiences intense stomach pain and begins bleeding. Graham takes her to the hospital, where they discover that Quinn had a rare type of nonviable pregnancy—a cervical ectopic pregnancy—and has miscarried. The hemorrhaging is so severe that the doctors perform a hysterectomy, removing any hope the couple has of conceiving naturally. Quinn grieves, but reassures Graham that he isn’t to blame for the situation. When Ava plans to fly back to the United States to be with Quinn, Quinn decides to fly to Europe instead. She stays with Ava for several weeks, relieved and happy to be away from her marital heartbreak; she doesn’t talk to Graham during this time. One day, Graham shows up unannounced at Ava’s door. He’s brought a wooden box with him and demands that Quinn make a decision about their marriage. Inside the box are love letters they wrote each other early in their marriage—they’d agreed to open these letters either on their 25th wedding anniversary or in case of a marital emergency. Quinn notices that Graham wrote her additional letters over the years; each one addresses the growing rift in their marriage and expresses understanding of Quinn’s pain. She is deeply moved by the letters and weeps; Graham holds her. Quinn tells Graham that she loves him and wants to stay together. The couple decides to move to Italy for a few years to be near Ava.
The Epilogue takes place two years in the future, when Quinn and Graham are shopping for their nephew’s second birthday. When asked if they’re shopping for their own child, they spin an elaborate lie about their six daughters; this is a game they started playing to cope with intrusive questions. In another store, Quinn finds a puppy. The couple adopt it and name it August, after the numbers on the back of their fortune cookies and the date of their anniversary.
You may also like to read: Under the Banner of Heaven Summary
All Your Perfects Themes
Love and its flaws: The novel portrays a marriage between Quinn and Graham, initially idyllic, but later strained by infertility, secrets, and betrayals. It explores the complex dynamics of love in the face of challenges, questioning the idealized notion of "perfection" in relationships.
The burden of infertility: Quinn grapples with the emotional and physical toll of infertility, struggling with societal expectations and her own sense of worth. The novel sensitively depicts the psychological impact of fertility issues on both individuals and couples.
The power of communication and forgiveness: As Quinn and Graham confront their past mistakes and secrets, the importance of open communication and forgiveness in mending a broken relationship emerges. The novel explores the challenges of rebuilding trust and overcoming resentment.
The impact of the past on the present: Throughout the story, flashbacks reveal events from Quinn and Graham's past that shaped their present dynamic. The narrative emphasizes how unresolved issues from the past can resurface and affect relationships in the present.
The strength of resilience and second chances: Despite the hardships they face, Quinn and Graham's characters exhibit resilience and a desire to salvage their love. The novel offers a message of hope for healing, rebuilding trust, and finding redemption in second chances.
Self-acceptance and finding worth beyond societal expectations: Quinn's journey involves finding self-worth beyond her ability to conceive. The novel challenges societal pressures surrounding traditional roles and promotes self-acceptance and individual fulfillment.
These are just some of the core themes explored in "All Your Perfects." The novel's rich exploration of human emotions and its nuanced portrayal of love and relationships make it a thought-provoking read for anyone who has ever questioned the complexities of love and personal growth.
You may also like to read: All Your Perfects Quotes
Questions about All the Perfects Plot
What happens at the end of All Your Perfects? The book shows Graham and Quinn meeting each other for the first time in the past and their present when they are married. In the book, Quinn struggles due to her infertility. The book ends with the couple adopting a puppy.
What happens in All Your Perfects summary? All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?
What happens in All Your Do Graham and Quinn divorce in All Your Perfects? Quinn finally realizes that she can live a fulfilling and happy life alongside Graham without having children; it is something that she hard a hard time admitting but feels good once she confesses it. Two years later, they are still together and happier than they'd ever been.
Do Quinn and Graham get a baby? With that being said, I did write purposely time the book to fit with the timeline of Finding Cinderella so that readers could leave the book knowing that Graham and Quinn eventually adopt a child and that child is Six and Daniel's.
Was Quinn pregnant in All Your Perfects? Que the tears 😠Quinn was pregnant but had a miscarriage and all she could focus on was how if she known, she could have given Graham the hope of being a father even if it was a short amount of time—she could have made him happy. Then after this, she goes to Europe to see Ava.
Did Graham cheat on Quinn? Quinn packs a bag, hoping to be gone before Graham returns home the day after his cheating. She plans to go to her mother's house, but dreads Avril being smug about it. As she finishes packing, she sees the wooden box she mentioned several times before.
What is the message of All Your Perfects? All Your Perfects is a profound novel about a damaged couple whose potential future hinges on promises made in the past. This is a heartbreaking page-turner that asks: Can a resounding love with a perfect beginning survive a lifetime between two imperfect people?.
Who is Graham in All Your Perfects? Graham is the youngest of four kids. He is three older sisters and is very close with his family. He and wife Quinn spend every Sunday with his parents and sister. As a kid, he wanted to become an astronaut.
What did I miss while you were sleeping All Your Perfects? I love you. What did I miss while you were sleeping? No matter how much you love someone—the capacity of that love is meaningless if it outweighs your capacity to forgive. Until then, I will continue to love you more and more with every struggle we face than I loved you when all was perfect.
Are Graham and Quinn married? Quinn meets her future husband, Graham, in front of her soon-to-be-ex-fiance's apartment, where Graham is about to confront him for having an affair with his girlfriend. A few years later, they are happily married but struggling to conceive.