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ARC Review: I'll Take Everything You Have by James Klise
I'll Take Everything You Have centers around Joe Garbe, a young man hoping to support his mother and help pay off the debts they owe in their small town of Kickapoo. He gets a job as kitchen help with his cousin, Bernie, in Chicago. Suddenly he finds himself caught up with Bernie in something criminal, if only to make ends meet. Pulled through the city's dark underground while tangled up with two handsome boys --- Eddie, a flirt with a delivery truck, and Raymond, a rich and carefree kid --- Joe discovers what truly matters to him when the world tells him what should be kept in the dark.
This book was short and quite fast-paced, but I enjoyed the events Joe found himself going through as the story progressed. We only ever get his POV, which is interesting enough that I was able to stay intrigued with, but I think I would have also enjoyed seeing the story through Eddie or Raymond or even Bernie's eyes. He spends a lot of time with Raymond and Bernie, but Eddie didn't seem to get enough attention throughout the story despite being showcased as a potential love interest.
This is not a love story by the way. Joe gets intimate with Eddie and Raymond, but this story is about him and his journey as a character. From knowing who he should really listen to and who he should really trust. I liked that this story didn't focus on building a sole relationship but showed all the people that mattered in Joe's life. I wish that we could have switched POVs every now and then. What was Eddie thinking and doing off screen? And Raymond and his trip to Canada? Or Bernie, despite his rough exterior, with his hidden fondness for his cousin?
Overall, this was fun to read.
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