I don’t usually read this type of novel, but for some reason it intrigued me and so I forged ahead. The main character, Anna, comes from a low middle class background, and she has had to work for every penny she has. She is an American studying in London, which she became fascinated with ever since she began to read British novels, such as those by Jane Austen. She is working on her master’s degree in literature and to pay her upkeep she tutors high school students who come from very wealthy families. The people she meets and the choices she has to make during the course of the plot line all seemed pretty predictable to me, and so I found the novel to be an interesting and good one, but not a special one.

Anna moves to London to pursue her Master's degree after her mother dies. When she gets a great opportunity from her tutoring job, a trip to the French Riviera introduces her to new friends and a different type of life.
Anna enjoys being able to set aside her worries, and she goes too far into the facade.
I liked Anna and felt for her, but I knew this couldn't end well. Add on Theo and Callum, who both seem to be interested in her but for different reasons. Suddenly things fall apart, all at once and quite badly.
I wanted Anna to be able to succeed, and I am glad she didn't give up. I loved the scenes with her and Callum, those with her true friends, and those with Pippa. This was a good read with hardship and redemption. Lots of Jane Austen and other literary references.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!

Our protagonist Anna was fully giving Jenny from Gossip Girl - Poor Lil A trying to keep up with the rich crowd but eventually everyone will spot a faker eventually.

Just like Jenny, Anna was a frustrating character to follow. I understand her intentions and why she felt the need to fit in, but the lies, manipulation, and secrets were stressful - I couldn't understand how she kept justifying her actions. Especially if you are DIRT POOR, don't waste money to fit in... im sorry!!! but that seems like common sense to me. I also don't understand how all the boys were falling for her, when she was a mess. Probably pretty privilege + the allure of being "different" compared to the rest of the crowd.

Overall, it was an engaging but frustrating read. I expected to enjoy it more, cause I usually live for rich ppl drama, but I think Anna was a bit too frustrating and things were a bit too predictable for my liking.

I enjoyed how this book explored class, wealth, and grief wrapped up in one plot. I also liked the references to famous literary characters sprinkled throughout, though I think a few of the references to Great Gatsby could've cut. It was a fun read with the descriptions of St Tropez and London, with more complex themes underneath. Would definitely read the authors' next book!

This book really did not do it for me. I found it hard to get through. The plot and the characters all fell flat.

I thought this was a fantastic story that drew me in right away. I loved the London/UK setting (couldn’t help but think of Taylor Swift’s London Boy as I was reading it). I thought the themes of wealth and how one presents themselves was really interesting to think about. I enjoyed that there was a good amount of romance (love triangle) in this coming of age story. As far as a book club pick there could be good discussion of her decisions, her intent and all the morally grey areas of this story,

This novel is about Anna, an American grad student in London to get a master’s in literature. She’s from a poor family and barely making ends meet, but after getting hired as a SAT tutor for a rich family she gets caught up in trying to fit in in the life of the posh set. But the book is also a coming of age story as she tries to figure out who she is and what she wants from life, a book about literature, a portrait of grief as she mourns her mom, and a book about friendship and romance. And it’s terrific!

I really loved this one. Now that I have a daughter almost as old as Anna, sometimes I struggle with books about characters that young, but not this one! Sure there were times where I wanted to stop Anna from making mistakes, but more in an “aww sweetie, no,” kind of way. Plus I loved the meta quality of this one - Anna talks about studying and loving books about class and poor characters in the world of rich characters like Austen, Wharton, etc. This book is not a retelling but it is sort of a love letter/homage/modern version of such a story, and I loved how smart it was!

And having already had a fantastic and deep buddy read conversation about it, I totally see why Reese’s Book Club picked this one for this month, because there’s just so much to talk about!

4.25 stars

Small town American girl studies literature in London and gets swept up masquerading as a posh elite, thus challenging her own identity. Not exactly an original plot, but if you're like me, you don’t care! I can binge formulaic storylines with the best of them, especially when British accents are involved, and I enjoyed this quick read. It will make a great streaming service rom com one day, and can’t wait to see who is cast as Callum.

Confessions:
1. I ditched the Wheel of Titles to scarper off and read All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett due to the press it was getting as Reese’s Book Club’s May selection.
2. I read the reviews whilst taking a break from reading said novel.
3. Though class and privilege are the anchors on which this story tethered and Jane A. herself is an integral part of the story , I did not consider this to be a retelling of Pride & Prejudice.​

Though perhaps not as deep in poverty as Anna, most of us live outside the world of the jet-set elites. We wonder at their privileged existence and imagine what our own lives might be like given the advantages of money and status. Anna is given a peek at this world via her tutoring jobs and the opportunity to immerse herself when one of her students talks her parents into having Anna tutor over Christmas break.

Once inside this world, Anna’s moral lines begin to blur as she wants to reinvent herself. Wandering down this path of deception, her true friends are left behind and we readers are left to wonder if Anna will succeed in her charade or will it all end rather badly.

I enjoyed this book and felt that the characters were fleshed out fully. It resonated well in that there are no entirely happy endings, life is, after all, quite messy.

A solid 4.5 star read. Thank you to NetGalley for the preview copy.

3-3.5⭐️ Anna knew she would love London since she first read about it in the pages of a Jane Austen novel. The London she experiences, post-college, is anything like she had expected, and she struggles to keep her head above water living paycheck to paycheck.

When she meets the affluent Wilder family, her luck quickly changes as they fly her to Saint Tropez to be a tutor for their daughter. Soon she is experiencing all that money can afford her, including not one but two potential love interests. But at what expense will her new life come, and is she willing to pay it?

I’ve seen comparisons of this book to the Magnolia Parks series, and I think that’s probably an appropriate comparison. However, Magnolia Parks has a lot of the messy romance drama that kept us coming back for more, you know that train wreck you cannot turn away from. This book, while not a bad debut technically, by any means, felt kind of, well, boring.

I struggled hard to connect with most of the characters, and as a result, never developed any meaningful emotional connection. While I appreciated the flashbacks to the tough moments in Anna’s life, and how much her mother has experienced being both diabetic and of low socioeconomic status, all of the moments in the present felt a little too over the top, lacking in depth. Almost like a trip to Las Vegas, the first few moments are bright and shiny and fun, but soon become cloying to the soul.

Read if you like:
▪️debut novels
▪️coming of age
▪️rich behaving badly
▪️socio-economic class divides
▪️love triangles
▪️Magnolia Parks vibes

Thank you Putnam Books and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.

Anna is an American grad student in London, barely scraping by. On the side, she tutors students on how to take the SATs. When the Wilders pay for her to come to France to tutor their youngest daughter, Pippa, it's her chance to see how the other half lives. Will she be able to cast aside her prior life for the one her mother wanted her to have?
I really enjoyed this book. Anna was an extremely likable character, and you couldn't help but cheer for her. Highly recommended.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

All That Life Can Afford is a dazzling, emotionally rich novel that had me hooked from the first page. Anna’s journey from a small-town dreamer to navigating the glittering, complex world of London’s elite is both heart-wrenching and empowering. The writing is sharp, immersive, and brimming with insight about class, ambition, and identity. I couldn’t stop turning the pages—or thinking about Anna long after I finished. If you love character-driven stories that blend romance and reality with elegance, this book is absolutely not to be missed.

I enjoyed the writing and the concept but I still feel like it's all been done before. Perhaps that's the point as I've seen it's supposed to be a Pride & Prejudice retelling? I'm excited for the future projects the author will work on but I think this will be better enjoyed as a TV mini-series so we can see the decadence.

All That Life Can Afford is a story of the haves and have nots, lies vs omission and the cost of fitting in. I enjoyed the story and iit made London very compelling.

I absolutely loved this book, and loved the writing. Jane Austen and other classic literatures melted into pages, timelessly yet freshly.

At its core, the story captures the messy, complex emotions of being young and naive. Anna’s longing to belong, her desire to appear as though she’s made it, and the selfish choices she makes along the way all felt painfully real. She’s too busy defending herself, rationalizing her behavior, and wallowing in self-pity to fully see the people around her—particularly Callum, whose quiet support comes at a cost to his own comfort.

Anyone would be able to relate to Anna to a degree and see a piece of themselves in her contradictions and missteps. It is a honest exploration of ego, insecurity, and the complicated ways we try to find our place in the world.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Emily Everett and current Reese's Book Club pick. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Anna is from America and a grad student in London, still navigating the grief of losing her mother. She's trying desperately to scrape by with the hope of finishing her dissertation and being able to extend her visa. She takes a job teaching SAT prep to a wealthy student. Her family soon flies her to Saint-Tropez to continue the tutoring, thrusting Anna in a whole new world. She soon meets two young men, Theo and Callum, quite different. When the family ask her to housesit for them in London, Anna feels like she's been given a gift and can save her rent money. But it's costly to fit in with all her new friends, in more ways than just monetarily.

This is a sparking coming-of-age story and I truly felt for Anna. Struggling with grief and estranged from her father, she's trying so hard to do the right things and achieve her dreams, but got swept up feeling part of a different crowd. It's an exploration of class and privilege, and truly heartbreaking to see how easily her mom's life could have been different had she had a bit more money. I enjoyed Anna's journey into realizing what's really important.

Stunning debut novel by Emily Everett! In All That Life Can Afford we follow Anna in her efforts to reinvent her life. She has grown up in America knowing struggle, lacking finances, and watching her mother’s health decline from not being able to afford the insulin to control her diabetes. Anna is now in London in 2009 to complete a Master’s program in Literature and create a better life for herself. A family she tutors for ends up taking Anna under their wing, and suddenly she finds herself surrounded by astounding wealth, class, and opportunities. How far will Anna go to create the life she really wants for herself and what does being truly rich in life actually look life?

Key features I loved in this book:
-2009/2010 setting
-Exploring London, Saint-Tropez, Lisbon
-The homage paid to Jane Austen and literature in general
-Fancy parties, designer clothes, and aristocracy
-“Found family” and camaraderie
-Admirable work ethic, chasing your dreams, and enduring hardships

This would be an excellent book club read! It made me want to explore London, set up a picnic on Parliament Hill, and read Hemingway or Austen.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read, but I think it is best suited for YA or new adult readers. The protagonist is fairly immature, and the writing seems designed to appeal to a younger audience as well. The theme of living a dishonest life has certainly been done before, and the inevitable crash is fairly predictable, but nonetheless the story flies right along and is a pleasure to read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

Anna, an American graduate student living in London focuses on British Literature. In order to afford the city, she tutors on the side for the wealthy families. Then Anna meets the Wilders, a family who sort of takes her under their wing and invites her to St Tropez for the summer so she can continue to tutor their daughter. Anna is then exposed to the life of the British upper class and eventually tried to become a part of it camouflaging her upbringing with fancy clothes and accessories. But when you deny your past, you deny who you really are.

I personally loved this novel - as an English major I fully appreciated all of the literary references. This is not quite a retelling of Pride and Prejudice but it takes it and shows if from a different angle. The storyline kept me reading, even when I was not enjoying the characters in the story. The characters are definitely young, making stupid choices, but these choices were not to the level of cringeworthy and I thought they all worked well interwoven into the story. I really enjoyed this coming of age novel with the light dabbling of Austen.

4.25 stars

Thank you to G.P. Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Anna an American Masters student living in London who is scraping to get by. She gets swept up into a new crowd and spends most the novel trying to keep up, losing herself along the way. While the crash is predictable - I really enjoyed this coming of age story.