ALL WE EVER WANTED
BY: EMILY GIFFIN

This was an author I have ignored and dismissed in the past so I took a chance and the read was terrific and surpassed my ignorance of this author's talent to pack an emotional punch touching on so many sophisticated feelings. I can't say that the prose was poetic or beautiful, but I am so grateful to this author's ability to make me feel the full gamut of so many different emotions. I will remember the book and am so glad I read it. The rich tapestry of so many different feelings were evoked in me.

The Good Reads synopsis is well written and describes the character's motives and philosophy. In Nina who marries a husband who is unlikable and arrogant; she is among the rich and privileged. Nina is an ethical person who ponders and struggles to instill integrity in her only son Finch. Finch is given everything that money can buy materialistically. But, as a mother, myself, who gives everything I can to my own sons' this novel had me contemplating if I gave too much. I could so much relate to her questioning of how much is too much to give and wanting to instill all the good inner beauty that accompanies good character.

The timing of the story touches on so many reverent themes that we face today. Social media and repercussions of bad judgement affect another character named Lyla that I really cared about. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and it wasn't a page turner that grabs you right away. Once I got into the story I read it nonstop to the end.

There is the question of staying true to yourself. There are three points of view that propels the arc forward. Lyla, who is caught in a very uncompromising image and it catapults the narratives towards what happens as each develops profound circumstances. I recently read in a book that is separate from this that stated that 50 percent of our happiness is genetic. Circumstances only make a small 10 percent and 40 percent of our happiness is derived from practicing gratefulness, compassion, forgiveness, etc. Yet, in this very appealing and realistic story circumstances such as consequences regarding money, honesty, relationships, ethics and so much more are at the heart of this story.

I would love to read more by this author. It is really so much more than women's fiction. I really will remember how diverse the book was and how many complex themes are incorporated throughout this. I took off one star because the ending was written in an epilogue. That was my only humble opinion that reflecting back could have been better if it continued in these character's own development.

I am very grateful for receiving my digital copy from Emily Giffin, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine. Ballantine Books and Net Galley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank you for making this available.

#AllWeEverWanted #EmilyGiffin #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBallantineBooks #NetGalley

Nina thinks all of her dreams have come true. She has a handsome, wealthy smart husband, a beautiful house, teenage son on his way to Princeton.
One night her son made a mistake, thinking it was a silly prank and her whole like starts to unravel and begins to shatter. She starts to find out that she's been lied to by the men in her life and starts to take a strong look at her lifestyle. She starts to see that maybe this life isn't what she always wanted. This book was so good, I couldn't put it down. The characters we well thought out and the story moved at a fast pace, with some surprises thrown in!

Unlike her usually fluffy romance novels (which I openly devour), Emily Giffin, has broken into a new territory and she does it so well. Told through multiple POVs we see the effects social media has on families and how lives are changed by its impact. Race and class are addressed.
Some topics may be triggering so check the CW.

In a gripping tale of privilege, scandal, and self-discovery, the lives of Nina, Tom, and Lyla collide, forcing them to confront their identities and relationships. With skillful storytelling, the author delves deep into the complexities of social class and personal integrity, keeping readers captivated until the very end.

Nina Browning was a middle-class girl who ended up married to a wealthy man, entering the circle of the financial elite of Nashville. She is worried that her son, Finch, has been growing up too entitled. On the very day he finds out he's been accepted to Nashville, her son allegedly sends his friends a Snapchat of a sexually explicit photo of Lyla, a sophomore at his private school who lives in the middle-class part of town. Her father, Tom, is livid and wants the school to take action against Finch. Nina can't believe that her son would do such a horrible thing, but she also wants to make sure that justice is served.

This was a very compelling read. It had moments of mystery and suspense, although I wouldn't classify it as a mystery or a thriller, and it was very hard to put down. I think the social justice aspect of it really drew me in. Lyla deserved justice, as did Finch if he didn't really do it, and I wanted to find out what happened next. This book hits many great topics: the love of a mother, the power of a mother's love, the sense of entitlement that often accompanies wealth, facing the consequences of one's actions, nothing on the internet/social media truly goes away or is private once it's been shared, doing what's right even when it's hard. The ending didn't go down the way I expected it or even really wanted it to, but at the same time, the very end of the epilogue was beautiful.

The downside to this book was there was a moderate amount of language, including a healthy dose of f-words, and there was a pretty descriptive sex scene between some teenagers. Too bad, because it was beautifully written and very compelling, but most of my friends would be turned off by that, as would I if I ever considered reading it again. Thanks to NetGalley for the free ebook.

Emily Giffin never misses and All We Ever Wanted is no exception. I read this book in a day. And I thought about it for weeks after.

A great story about a family and a scandal surrounding them. Overall it wasn’t my favorite Emily Giffin book, but it was good. Can’t wait for other’s reactions!

I ended up reading this as a finished audiobook, and while there were some low points, I ended up enjoying the book overall! It's definitely more serious than what I was expecting from Emily Giffin, but it's a very well portrayed situation, and unfathomable for young women to potentially deal with.

Lila is the underprivileged girl on scholarship at one of the most prestigious private schools in Nashville. Finch is the good looking and popular jock that has never wanted for anything and has just been accepted to Princeton, one night at a party things go wrong.
This book is mainly about sexual assault, but also tackles privilege, racism, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. I felt like all of these were too much for one book. The situations and how they were handled became clichéd. I felt the same with the setting. I felt like the author just tried to throw out every tourist trap and street name in Nashville that is popular right now and it didn’t flow well. While I don’t mind flawed and unlikable characters, a hard hitting book needs someone to root for. Even the “good guys” in this book weren’t likable in my opinion and everyone made excuses for the bad choices they made.
These issues were unfortunate to find in a book that could have made a big impact.

This one was just okay for me. There were a lot of stereotypes going on here, and I needed some deeper emotions out of the characters. It was my first Emily Giffin book, and I haven't read any more since. They're not really in a genre I like,. But I'm glad I picked this one up to give her a try.

I absolutely loved this departure from Emily Giffin's normal contemporary romances. The story is so heartbreaking, but felt very real at the same time. Giffin tells the story in multiple points of view and honestly I felt a connection to each of the characters. I thought I would hate Nina, the mother of the boy who humiliated Layla in a horrible way online, but I actually felt for her. She loved her son, but couldn't condone his toxic behavior. I connected with Tom too and him having the task of trying to do what's best for his daughter despite racial and class biases. There's no happy endings here, but it was so thought provoking. I hope Giffin writes more of this type of novel because this is a new favorite of mine.

I loved "All We Ever Wanted" as it had more depth than several of her other novels. The characters were REAL, the dialogue was true, and the plot was well-defined. Definitely one of my favorite books by Emily Griffin.

She is one of my favorite authors ever since "Something borrowed" And I loved this one as well.. I couldn't put it down until I was done. Keep 'em coming!

I had a really hard time getting into this. I actually started it and then put it down after reading 25% of it. I think it was me though because I picked it back up and finished it in 2 days, reading most of it in one sitting. The ending isn't very satisfying and once again, I read another story about rape culture in America and how the rich good ol' boys get their way always. What happened to happy endings, Emily Giffin? Bring back more Something Borrowed type literature. Those were a nice escape, not a sad drag. Either way, the writing was engaging and I finished because I wanted to know what happened to the characters. I did not like the chapters where Lyla was the voice because I felt like I was listening to a kid at school. I found Tom and Nina to be the most interesting characters. I think hearing Finch's perspective would be interesting, especially since he is such a piece of garbage like his father.

Nina is living the life she always dreamed of, but she doesn't feel that she fits it. Tom and his daughter Lyla are living their lives as well. He's a single daughter who is a bit overprotective, but when a picture threatens to blow up their lives, will they find themselves, or lose everything.

As with all Griffiths books this is a page turner. With the world of social media this is a must read for any parent.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into it. I still look forward to reading future books from Giffin! I have been a fan for years but this one wasn’t for me!

Reminded me of Beartown but much more readable.
This broadcasts the dangers of social media for this generations youth.
This was a fast paced book. Could be triggering for some.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. Unfortunately. could not finish it. The subject matter was triggering for me, so it became difficult to read. Thanks again!

I thought this was pretty mediocre. The story did nothing to engage me and the characters felt like cliches.