I loved tough, moody, mysterious, protective Hemi. He tried so hard to be the good guy and do the right thing. He felt he did not deserve her. He did not need the extra problems in his life either. He had secrets that made it all even more complicated, and  it was a battle between what he wanted and what was best. he could be a jerk, but he could also be sweet. And the more we got to know him, we got to see more of his caring and vulnerable side.

Sloane was sassy, spunky, and sweet. She was just trying to experience life and find herself. She wanted her family and others to see she was growing up. She hated being held back. She was trying to challenge herself and push boundaries. She would not make promises she could not  keep. And she had her own secrets.

And Hemi was the perfect man to help her gain new experiences. I liked that it was not insta-love. Yeah  it was insta-lust, rejection, tons of sexual tension, but then there was actually a build up of friendship, appreciation, and feelings. 

I want to be with her, I want to watch her eyes open first thing in the morning, I don't want just to have her, I want to possess her, I want to make her mine, to mark her so deeply that she could never be anyone else's.

They were opposites in many ways. Experienced vs. Inexperienced, Controlled vs. out of control. Their age, their family background, and where they were in the scheme of their lives. But they also shared a passion for art and each other.  Their chemistry was intense. Their feelings continued to build as their stories slowly unfolded. 

There were obstacles...plenty of them. And it all became a convoluted mess of lies, secrets, omissions, danger, and intrigue. There were various back stories that built slowly through the book adding mystery and keeping it interesting. There were many layers to the characters and plot twists. It was told in both points of view and the story flowed flawlessly. There were mistakes made. It was tense, surprising, heartbreaking, sweet, intriguing, swoonworthy, and emotional. It had romance, intensity, suspense, steam, revenge, and mystery. And it all came together to be an engaging read that I could not put down. I think this one edged out  Down to You as my favorite M. Leighton read. 

I was completely invested in Hemi and Sloane. And even though this is the start of a series, their story felt complete. I  enjoyed the side characters and I would love to see more with her brothers especially Sig and Steven. And her friend Sarah was freakin' hilarious. I am also intrigued by his brother Reese. Since Sloan has three brothers and Hemi  has two brothers, there are lots to choose from. I can't wait to see who the next book All the Pretty Poses will be about. 

Thanks to M. Leighton for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.