Loved this book. So different than Emily Giffin’s usual love stories. Very timely. Loved all the separate viewpoints. Would highly recommend.

(Reviewed on Goodreads)

Thank you to the publisher, Ballantine Books/Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for the free e-copy of All We Ever Wanted. All opinions expressed below are my own.

All We Ever Wanted is the newest novel by veteran author Emily Giffin. It is told using alternating POVs: Nina, a wealthy Nashville mother to a male high school senior; Tom, a single-father working multiple jobs to make ends meet and raise his sophomore daughter; and Lyla, Tom's daughter. The novel starts with a drunken photograph that gets shared via social media - Nina's son shares a photograph of Lyla passed out on a bed with a racist comment. The remainder of the book deals with the aftermath of this single event.

I'll admit - I anticipated a "chick-lit" read out of Emily Giffin. It has been years since I had read any of her novels, but I think of them as lighter and more fluffy works of fiction. In fact, that is part of the reason why I wanted to read this one! I was pleasantly surprised at the more difficult subject matter tackled in this one: fidelity, marriage, social classes, rape culture, social media and parenting.

Emily Giffin knocks it out of the park with this novel that approaches difficult subjects with grace and while keeping the reader engaged. She doesn't get on a pulpit to preach about the effects of social media, parenting and rape, but rather lets the story unfold and slowly brings the issues to the forefront.

Personally, I found myself rooting for so many of the characters - even the "bad" ones - you want them to see the error of their ways and want them to admit their wrongs and move forward. I found this to be an excellent work of fiction that feels like it was ripped from headlines - it is timely and tackles an important subject. I highly recommend it - 4.5 stars rounded to 5!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this. I think it's not easy to handle the subject of privilege when the author is one of the privileged. I was concerned about tropes, plot shortcuts and unlikely happy endings. But that isn't what I found. All We Ever Wanted is a well imagined and told scenario of what happens when a young girl makes some unwise decisions and is taken advantage of by boys who not only don't believe there are consequences to face, but don't actually believe they have done anything wrong. It's about the length a parent will go to protect their children, whether those inclinations work for or against justice. It's about integrity and character and how to regain those when we've lost them, or whether we actually can. It's about who owns women's bodies and our choices and whether or not we have to the right to ever feel safe in them or will there always be those who see us as objects to be used.
This book made me mad and sick and sad - and it should. It's the story of a mad and sick and sad world. But there's also a great deal of hope and empowerment to be found there too.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin is an emotional tale that is very fitting in today’s social media obsessed age. One drunken night leads to a risque photo being passed around of a young teenage girl leading to the characters all dealing with the situation from their own points of views.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

‼️Mini Review‼️
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Books: All we ever wanted
Author: @emilygiffinauthor
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you @penguinrandomhouse @prhinternational #partner #sponsor #ad for sending me the free ebook in exchanged for an honest review..
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Three completely different people- Tom, Nina and Lyla are forced to cross paths with each other. A small town girl Nina ends up marrying in the elite of Nashville, although she adapts the luxury life like she was born in it, the girl from bristol never grows out of her. She’s soon hit by something her son does that was not on her schedule. The situation forces her to choose between what right thing to do in the situation is and whats right to do for her son. They could obviously buy their way out of this but would this decision straighten her son out in the long term? Why can’t her heart just go above and beyond for her child, despite his mistakes like every other person does around her? Why is she so reluctant on doing the right thing for Lyla?
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Okay so obviously this is a very different genre from what i normally read but this book was about Nina, my fav main character from this book self discovering herself. Apart from being a mother and a wife, who was she really for herself? What were her morals? Why were they so different from her husbands? This is a story that every woman should read, about diversity, self-discovery and self-help. Amazingly put together by the Bestselling Author @emilygiffinauthor
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I’ll definitely be reading more of her books soon! And Happy July to you all 💕
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‼️‼️How many books did you read this June? I read 3 only 👀 wby? And which one was your favorite?

I really enjoyed this! Somehow I have missed reading all of Emily Griffin's other books, so I was glad to get this ARC from NetGalley. I thought it was just a fun chick lit book, but the themes really were deeper than that. A high school girl goes to a party and after drinking too much, pictures are taken of her and then they are passed around the school. The book is from the point of view of the girl, her dad and the mom of the buy who took the pictures. A very trendy topic and and interesting story line.

One of Emily Giffin's best, yet! The characters were so well developed and realistic, as was the story. As a mother of a teenage girl, it really hit home. As much as I was afraid to find out how it would end, I could read it fast enough! I was so happy to see that Emily Giffin did not give the reader a predictable ending, too! Her carefully crafted story unfolded perfectly and left me missing the characters once I was finished with the novel. I will definitely be recommending this to many!

A heart warming story told from 3 perspectives that makes you question what really is important in life. As the story of Nina, Tom and Lyla unfold, you find yourself rooting for the characters individually and as a unit, and wanting to find the good in secondary characters. Each perspective offers something unique to the story, and allows you to see just how closely people are connected despite their differences. This book felt like original Emily Giffin, with characters you can relate to and a story that could likely occur in today’s society.

Emily Griffin did not disappoint with All We Ever Wanted. She takes us on a powerful journey through marriage, motherhood, friendship, teen life, racism, and the negative effect of social media. This book definitely deals with some heavy topics that are going on in today's world right now.

The story is told from three points of view: Nina, Tom, and Lyla (Tom's daughter). I have to say, I loved all three of these characters! First, we have Nina, she is living the dream. She has a wealthy handsome husband and a son who is going off to Princeton in the Fall. She has it all! Then, we have Tom, he's a lonely single father raising Lyla and working several jobs to pay the bills. Lastly, we have Lyla, she is a stunning teenager who earned a scholarship to Windsor Academy, Nashville’s most prestigious private school. But unfortunately, she doesn't always fit in.

Then, one photo, that was shared on social media, changes their lives forever. In the end, they have to choose between their family and their values.

This was a very powerful and moving read for me. Highly Recommend

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC.

This is what I consider a horror novel. There isn't blood and guts or a killer at large, but the plot itself felt like I was reading a horror novel. It made me tense, queasy, and anxious. While reading, I kept wanting to know who the photographer was and thinking, "This is my worst nightmare."

But, but, but... I am by no means telling you NOT to read it. Instead, I am telling you the exact opposite. Giffin has stretched herself with this one and has moved far from her rom-com writing days to write a novel that will scare the crap out of parents with teenagers or soon-to-be teenagers. Taking the plot straight from the headlines, she writes a layered novel that will make parents less likely to say, "My kid would never..."

All We Ever Wanted tells the story of the aftermath of a teenage girl, Lyla, who has a little too much to drink at a high school party and finds out the next day that a picture that was taken when she was blacked-out and exposes her breast with a derogatory racist caption is being shared throughout the entire school community. The aftermath is told through the eyes of Lyla, her father (Tom), and the mother of the boy who is accused is taking and sharing the photograph (Nina).

Set within an upper-crust elite private school, there are racial issues and socio-economic factors at play as well. Here is where Giffin does something different: Nina, the mother of the possible photo taker and distributor, does not blindly jump to her son's defense. Instead, she searches for the truth and reevaluates her son's and her husband's characters.

Giffin does a great job of showing how these things happen and the possible consequences. The book is a fast read - especially because the reader will want to know the truth and rush to find it. Side note - the truth is unclear throughout the novel, which I really appreciated.

I finished the novel a couple of days ago, but I had to sit on it before I reviewed it because...the ending. The ending will leave your mouth hanging opened and your fists shaking at the ceiling. And, you will still have questions. But, now that I have had time to digest it, I appreciate the ending because I feel like it is clearly representative of how you would hear these types of stories from a friend - like a glimpse back over the shoulder without all the details but just the key points.

Trigger warning - This book deals with sexual assault and personal harm.

All We Ever Wanted was released this week and will be a great book club pick or summer read.

All We Ever Wanted is a realistic portrayal of issues faced by teenagers in a society dominated by social media. I have read a few other novels by Emily Griffin and think this is her best one by far. The characters and the plot are much more developed that those in her early works. I highly recommend this book.

I received an advanced copy of this book by the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have always been a huge Emily Giffin fan, and I'm happy to say All We Ever Wanted was excellent! Emily isn't afraid to tackle difficult issues, and she does so in a way that brings you into the characters lives and makes you feel for them - all of them.

The novel is told in alternating narrative, which is done seamlessly - switching between three of the main characters -Tom, his daughter Lyla, and Nina - a classmate of Lyla's mothers. The story begins with Lyla at a party, she drinks too much and wakes up in the morning finding out pictures of her have been taken and shared by Nina's son. What follows is a surprising friendship between Nina and Lyla while they try to figure out what really happened on that dreaded night.

I don't want to spoil anything, I'll just say you should add this to your TBR if you haven't already. This is another winner for Emily Giffin.

This is my first Emily Griffin novel. What can I say? I really enjoyed it. From the beginning it caught my attention and I wanted to know how the story would end. Talk about every parent's nightmare. One mistake can ruin their life and the lives of those around them, unless, of course, you have money. Then the rules all change. I found myself bouncing between whether Finch was guilty or not. I kept wondering how Lyla could be so naive, and then remembering that at that age I was just as naive. My favorite character though was Nina, Finch's mom. She was such a good person. She made hard choices in order to do what was best for her son, even if it meant him hating her. This was a good and very relevant read. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction.

Thank you to Emily Giffin, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this tour de force of a book. I have enjoyed many books written by this author, but this book will stay with me for awhile. Giffin makes you feel for her characters - some you loathe, some you feel sorry for, and some you root for. It has so many complex themes roaming through the pages - entitlement, privilege, prejudice, marriage issues, moral dilemmas, the negative repercussions of today’s social media outlets, peer pressure, and seeking justice. It was very engrossing and I had difficulty putting this book down. I have to admit that I didn’t believe the evolution of Finch at the end of the book - seemed to be too wrapped up in a pretty bow. You will be questioning what you would do under the circumstances as you race through this page turner.

Wow this book is fictional, but feels so real..... Being a mother (my kids are too young right now) this is my worst reality turned nightmare. ALL WE EVER WANTED has such a powerful message - especially with current events in society taking place that is very relevant for this book to be published and gives it much further depth and meaning.

<b>"And it's never too late to say you're sorry."</b>

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In my opinion, this Emily Griffin novel is more depressing compared to her other books. Which I have read several of them awhile back. Its such a great book, with an incredible story that I don't want to give anything further away. It has multiple points of views, with two families majorly impacted from one night in an upscale Nashville neighborhood. And it has some Mean Girls Movie vibes to it.... <u>Seriously check this book OUT</u>!

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I am a fan of Emily Giffin and was excited to receive an advanced copy of her latest book, All We Ever Wanted. It was a wonderful read that deals with real world social issues that anyone can face. A single picture is the center of the book’s drama. How quickly lives can be altered and changed. I enjoyed the authors choice of 3 characters to tell the story. It makes you think how you would handle the situation as a parent of the accused, parent of the victim or the victim herself. She tackles racism and social status as well. The characters were believeable and I was rooting for truth to prevail. I really enjoyed it and this book is a must read for the summer!

Emily Giffin's new book shows the danger of social media in the hands of a teen: one picture can topple your world. The topic is compelling and the story is engrossing. I will definitely recommend this book to my upper-grade high school girls.

This book was so much about the relationships you have in your life. Whether that be with a spouse, a parent, a child or your best friend. No one ever wants to disappoint someone they care about and when you are under pressure and in a situation that may not paint you in the best light or might cause problems for you or a loved one, you are more likely to do whatever you can to make it right and this was very evident in this book.

I give this one 3.5 stars. All We Every Wanted by Emily Griffin tells the story of very timely events surrounding social media and the repercussions it can exact in the lives of young people. I found this novel to be highly engaging and very well written. Griffen writes of the students in such a realistic way, that it was difficult as a reader to tell which character was telling the truth. I did take away 1/2 star for the ending of the story. It left me a bit dissatisfied. Overall, I recommend this to others to decide if the ending worked for them in such a well-written novel.

Thank you to netgalley and Random House for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of Emily Giffin and cannot imagine disliking anything she writes. However I was disappointed in this book. Maybe it was high expectations due to the seemingly long wait since her last book & the year+ of hype I have seen about it from following her on social media. If I'm completely honest I did not care for any of the three main characters in the book. Nina came across as a privileged rich b*tch who was somehow blindsided when her spoiled son did something despicable. I felt like she was more shocked she raised someone who could do that then she was by the fact he actually DID it. Tom was just as bad - stereotype of a blue collar worker who thinks people with money look down on him (pretty conceited to you think he even crosses their mind!) Lyla was tolerable but her teenage snottiness got old.

I did love Julie - the girl who ends up with her teenage sweetheart and is raising her family in the same town she grew up in was probably intended to be a stereotype but I thought she was awesome. Bonnie was great as well - I cheered for the scene at her house when Lyla said “And I appreciate that he’s a really good father and stuff.… But … he’s always so angry at everyone.… It’s like he thinks the whole world is against us or something. And they’re not. They’re just … not.” I was like finally someone is saying this to him!

The book started off slow but did pick up and grabbed my interest about halfway through. The end of the book felt very rushed and skipped what could've been the climax – the hearing at school. I did not like the outcome of the consequences for Finch but again....privilege. IMO The book would have been way better had the author not gone that way and done the exact opposite of what was expected would happen to him.

I usually post reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads but in this case I'm just leaving it here is feedback because I feel very odd not giving a five star review to one of my favorite authors. I am giving it three stars because the writing style is excellent and the storyline was current and relevant & that counts for a lot even if I do not care what happens to any of these people.