Nina, a middle-class woman, married rich and became richer. Their son has been accepted to Princeton. Tom, a single dad, lives on the other side of town. Lyla, Tom’s daughter, tries hard to fit in at the expensive private school she attends on a scholarship.
Windsor is shaken when a scandalous photo circulates among the students—and parents—of the prestigious community. When her son is accused of taking the photo of Lyla, Nina’s life becomes intertwined with Tom’s as they try to protect Lyla from a situation that doesn’t seem to bother her. In fact, she is drawn to Nina’s son.
In one vivid scene, I felt like I was reading child porn. I’m uncomfortable with details of teenage sex meant to titillate.
As I got farther into the story, I kept waiting for something else to happen. Eventually, something did. I would have liked the story keep building. Still, it kept me turning the pages.
The story is broken up by chapters into POVs of Nina, Tom, and Lyla. I really liked the main characters. Had it not been for the “child porn” scene, and had there been a couple more plot twists, I would have given it five stars.

This book is unlike any I’ve read before. It digs right into some very serious real life issues without getting to heavy or being preachy. The character development is excellent and the plot has enough (believable) twists to keep you guessing. I couldn’t put this book down and highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Emily Giffin has touched on an issue that many teens face in today's world without holding anything back. I enjoyed this story and the way she handled it. The story centers around blue collar worker Tom, and his daughter Lyla, who attends a prestigious prep school where she feels she does not fit in. Since her mother abandoned them, Tom is strict, trying to keep her from becoming anything like her mom. After telling a fib (lie), Lyla goes to a party where, of course, drinking is expected. Finch is a good looking rich boy, who attends the same school and of course the party. When Lyla has a little too much to drink and passes out, Finch snaps a picture of her and shares it with his friends. Before the next morning it has gone viral, and the ensuing fallout threatens not only Lyla's world, but his as well. His acceptance to Princeton could be in jeopardy if the school board reports it. His dad, Kirk, will do whatever he has to in order to prevent that. His mom Nina wants him to face the situation and take responsibility for what he has done. This book will have you questioning what exactly is fair and justified, and shows how one seemingly innocent action can have an unexpected snowball affect on everyone.

Emily Giffin presents a real look at families in today's world, and how there is more of a generational gap than we realize, more so now than ever before. This book touches on so many subjects; the realities of being a teenager in our current social media driven world, a look at wealth and the differences in thinking/living between those who have it and those who don't. There is also the topic of morality and judgement, and how the most small, insignificant moments and lapses in judgement can seemingly affect one's entire future.

Nina Browning lives a picture perfect life in Memphis' wealthy Belle Meade area. Her husband, Kirk, had sold his business a few years back and money was never an issue for the Browning's again. Their son Finch attended an exclusive private school, and had recently been accepted at Princeton University. While attending a gala fundraiser that recognized the generous contributions of a suicide awareness program, an acquaintance of Nina's shares the news that Nina's son had texted a compromising photograph of a young women captioned with a racial slur. Over the course of the next few weeks Nina uncovers some truths about her life, her husband, her son, and her life that disturb her, causing her to re-evaluate her life and how her son was raised.

This is such a current topic - the use of social media and its repercussions. I found it quite a comparison, too, of how causal that has become, along with sex and teen angst. Nina's husband, Kirk, has become really good at glossing over truths, and he has become accustomed to using his money as a way to pave the way through his families lives. Nina realizes that by not standing up for her own beliefs and taking a more down-to-earth hand with her son she may have helped create his flawed character. I enjoy Emily Giffin's writing style. Her women's fiction really strike a chord in the lives of modern women living in the 21st century. I was so grateful for a chance to read this book in advance; I look forward to having my book group read and discuss it in the future.

This story spoke to me as someone who has had pictures spread of me. YA is so full of teenage angst, and this story was no different. It will speak to teenagers about making poor decisions that affect their entire lives.

'All We Ever Wanted' is an easy read that attempts to delve deeper than your average chick-lit, but ultimately isn't quite edgy enough to provoke real tension. To me, it seemed a bit too soft, as if the author was pulling punches so as not to offend, rather than really saying what she wanted to say and going for the jugular. The book is enjoyable with its fluid story lines, average characters, and straightforward language, but could've contained far more conflict and blurred lines. I'd recommend this as a beach read, especially for audiences who are more conservative in their views, as it's not particularly salacious. It would also make a nice present for someone in that demographic.

Let me start by saying I love Emily Giffin books. I love her writing style & usually breeze through them. I generally love all the characters so much am sad when the books ends.
All We Ever Wanted was a different story. The entire book I kept comparing to 13 Reason Why and it was eerily similar. I knew where the book was going before it even got there and because of that it dragged on and on. I did not enjoy the main character or any of the supporting characters. While I usually can connect quickly with a flawed character (as long as there is that emotional pull that draws me to them), I felt this book lacked all of the feeling. The characters were not developed (Why even reintroduce her ex? Why briefly introduce her parents?), the book was emotionless (as was the main character), and the plot was simple—maybe too much so? Very disappointing.

Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read Emily Giffin’s newest novel before it’s released. I read a couple of her first books, but haven’t checked in on her for a while and her writing has really gotten good. I was stymied by what was going to happen in this book and the ending surprised me, which is hard to do.

Nina has married a wealthy man and lives in the upper crust of Nashville where her son, Finch, has just been accepted into Princeton. But all is not right with the world. Enter Lyla, another student at the same high school as Finch, only she’s there because of earning a scholarship, not because her dad, Tom, is rich.

Enter: the ugly teenage angst, photos that never should have been taken and social media. Now everything has turned on its head for both these families.

Written in rich language, impeccable detail and characters you probably know, this book will keep you reading until the last sentence. I can’t wait for another installment from Giffin.

I was provided an ARC of "All We Ever Wanted" written by Emily Griffin from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In one of Nashville's most prestigious private schools, most students are there simply because they have the money to pay their way in. Not all students though, take Lyla for example. She is currently a sophomore, one of the few students there because of her good grades and assistance with financial aid. At a party one night, Lyla drinks a little too much. A well loved senior from the academy, Finch is also there and makes the despicable choice to to take a picture of a passed out Lyla and send it to a few friends, who then continue to pass it on. This one photo changes everything, especially for Lyla. The community takes sides, honestly based on which side of the tracks you live on...or more importantly, the size of your bank account.

Finch's mom Nina is not like the others. She is one of the few who feel sorry for Lyla for what her son was accused of. As the story continues, the blame will shift, lies will be told, secrets will be kept. It also reveals while money can buy a lot of things, it certainly can't buy happiness. For both Nina and Lyla's dad Tom, they each start to understand maybe people aren't so different after all.

This is not my first Emily Griffin book, and it will certainly not be my last. Her writing flows so well, the characters are well developed, and you really react to what they are feeling. There are many 'hot topics' addressed in this, racism, sexual harassment and assault, entitlement...many of which are front and center today. The author does a great job of not only highlighting these issues, but also proving everything isn't always as black and white as it seems. There are both good and bad people from all walks of life.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It was a quick read, although I wish I had the time to sit and read it in one day! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something to read while sitting on a nice beach, just give yourself enough time to read it in one sitting!

Emily Giffin is one of my must read authors so I was thrilled to receive an ARC of her latest novel.I have read every book of hers and feel like as I've grown as a person, she has grown in her writing . All We Ever Wanted really hits hard at so many topics that are in the news today, racism, sexual assault, and harassment. I loved the way each chapter was told from a different characters POV, yet they all flowed so seamlessly. This will definitely be a perfect summer read!

ALL WE EVER WANTED tells the story of an inappropriate photo/text that was shared. The novel tells the story from three perspectives: Nina, the wealthy mother of the accused who’s also dealing with other issues as well; Lyla, the teenage victim; and Tom, the victim’s parent who struggles to make ends meet for him and his daughter. While the novel lightly touches on important issues, it was disappointing that it contained no surprises. I wish the novel wouldn’t have taken the easy road… #AllWeEverWanted#NetGalley

Another amazing book from Emily Giffin.. The plot is riveting, capturing your interest and won't let you stop reading while the subject matter is so appropriate in our world of lies and scandal and deceit that we face everyday.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. But I was disappointed in the Epilogue. I felt that it didn't tie up all the loose ends or skimmed over some of the more important parts of the books. I would've like to have closure with Kirk, Polly and would've liked to have known more about the letter that was referenced. Overall, it was a gripping storyline, one that makes me think about how I want my boys to act when they're teenagers/young adults.

This book started out strong for me as I’m
All about the #metoo movement. I was happily surprised that it was such a departure from her other books. But then, sometime around the 10th time the girl in the story told her dad that he was ruining her life, I lost interest. It was so repetitive and predictable.

Though somewhat predictable this book is highly readable. It's also not the usual Giffin chick lit. She delves into issues of race, class and gender which makes the book a bit more thought provoking than Giffin's other work. I think I would have liked a bit more concrete closure with respect to certain characters

I really enjoyed the story and the back and forth between the kids. I only wish the ending had been a little bit more expanded to fully show what happened with the school. I also wish Kirk's character had been explored a little bit more and I wanted him to face the repercussions of his actions! So while the ending did feel a little bit rushed, it was still a good read. 4.5 stars!

One of my favorite Emily Giffin books. I've been a fan since "Something Borrowed." I have read all her books and honestly, I didn't enjoy the last few. But this book changed everything and I was hooked as soon as I started reading and didn't want to put it down.

Pretty much through the whole book I wasn't sure who was telling the truth about what really happened at the party and the stories constantly changed. I also couldn't believe Lyla didn't think it was that big of deal. She even defended Finch and thought the picture was sort of artsy. I enjoyed the story, it reminded me of news stories I had recently seen. I wasn't sure why the police weren't involved. Finch was eighteen and Lyla was underage. I couldn't stand Kirk or Finch. To them the whole incident was no big deal and their money should get them out of any situation. I was glad to see Nina really cared for Lyla and was concerned for her welfare, even though her son was he cause of the problem. There was so much more to the story, especially when Polly revealed what she knew about Finch and his friend. Finch was truly despicable and I could see he modeled himself after his dad instead of his mom. I'm not sure how Nina managed to spend that many years married to Kirk, especially since none of her true friends or family even liked him. How did she not see what type of person her son was turning into?

I definitely recommend the book and look forward to reading more books by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and the author, Emily Giffin, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.

I loved reading All We Ever Wanted! It's the story of teenage immaturity in the social media age. It revolves around a very wealthy family in the aftermath of an inappropriate photo which went "viral". I was compelled to read the book quickly, with all it's emotionally intense "ups and downs". I couldn't wait to find out the truth in this very ugly situation. I was somewhat disappointed in the way Giffin chose to end it, and felt I could have used some more explicit clarity in what actually happened between the main characters. I would categorize this tale as being "young adult" reading.

This read like a Lisa Scottoline book (which is a compliment, as I love her novels) - lots of twists and turns in a big battle to figure out who's right and who's wrong. While Emily Giffin's reads are usually pretty light and beach-y, this one was a hard hitting page turner - I ended up staying up to finish it in one night! The topic was incredibly timely (sexual assault and social media), and the characters were both likable and fascinating. The only thing I didn't love was the romance that sprung up, which felt a bit contrived and detracted from the main plot. Overall, highly recommend this book!

While telling a very absorbing and real kind of story about family tensions and conflicts, Emily Griffin points out the need for instilling right values into children at a very young age.
This is the story of two families, each dealing with teenagers. One father uses his wealth and power to protect his son; the other, a middle class working man, makes his daughter face the truth and its consequences.
The writing is so clever you don't know who should be believed.
It reminds us of the need for communication and honesty in families, between husband and wife, children and parents.
This novel truly did make me think. It would be a wonderful read for anyone raising teens in this troubling time!