In the aftermath of a bridge collapse in Boston, five teens find their lives intersecting in the ER waiting room of Boston General as they wait to hear the status of their loved ones. Siblings Alexa and Jason, wealthy Back Bay WASPS, each have their own secrets but are both still grieving over the loss of a close friend some months back. They face the possibility that they could lose their parents on top of everything else. Skyler can’t imagine life without her older sister Kate, who has been like a mother to her as she has struggled with an abusive relationship. She lives with her grandparents, who are visiting family in Cambodia, so she is for the moment completely alone. Scott and Morgan are also facing the loss of people they love, and they, too, each have secrets and stories that only unfold after many long hours of waiting. The story is told from multiple viewpoints with an omniscient third-person narrator. As the night moves on without any news about the victims, the teens bond, and through the use of flashbacks and strategic reveals, the author manages to keep the narrative tension going as the characters take on depth. At 275 pages, the novel is fast-paced for the reader while still conveying the sense of time dragging for the protagonists. Although the teens are well-developed, believable characters, they are not the witty, wisecracking kids you find in most YA novels, because they are all facing the unthinkable and it’s no time for joking around. Also, I always appreciate a book in which the author truly knows and loves the city in which the story is set, and I like the authentic cultural and geographic anchors. The ending may not feel as tidy as one would want, but the ambiguity makes it feel all the more real.

I appreciate Netgalley's providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Scott's girlfriend Aimee, Skyler's sister Kate, and the parents of Alexa and Jason, where all driving their cars on a bridge in Charlestown when it collapsed.

They all are waiting now in a Boston hospital till their relatives are brought in, and waiting for the ordeal if they alive or dead. Meanwhile they find support. a listening ear and even tell each other some secrets and talk about their fears about their loved ones.During the wait they talk with each other about their relative and the author describes more about the background of each of the main character.

Skyler for example frantically tries to contact her grandparents who are on a travel to their homeland Cambodia when she hears about the bridge collapse her sister Kate was involved in. As she has no parents anymore, Skyler is very unsure and scared if she is just alone in the world right now.

Scott's girlfriend, or should we say ex-girlfriend, was on her way over the bridge with a theater group. Their relationship had some downs, as Aimee was quite excited to leave town and go to a far away college, and he wasn't sure is she would stay with him. If she be okay after the accident, and he just can tell her he loves her, everything will be okay for him.

Jason and Alexa have experienced quite some grief in their young lives, and now have to wait to hear what happens next. Jason has lost his boyfriend Kyle recently in another car crash. So because of that he isn't that much of a support for Alexa.

There is also a girl named Morgan in the waiting room. Her family wasn't on the bridge, but she just lost her dad who was suffering from cancer. She had nowhere to go and just finds the right place in the waiting room with the other teens.

This book is just very well written. The storyline is also very entertaining. What made it a bit slow was the individual backstories of each of the main characters, instead of a storyline that went on. In the end the author reveals piece by piece if the loved ones have survived the crash or not, and the effect on the teen related to them. There wasn't really a character that stood out, and all the teens where pretty much normal, all with their own background. I liked how the author revealed how it went further with all the family members involved in the collapse. It wasn't a happy conclusion of the book for everyone, as some didn't make it out alive.
Alltogether this is a very entertaining new young adult novel that I recommend!

In the aftermath of a bridge collapse, a random group of teenagers is brought together in an emergency room while they wait to know what happened to their loved ones. Siblings Jason and Alexa have had a strained relationship after the previous summer and neither knows how they could possibly cope with the loss of their parents. Scott is waiting for his girlfriend, even though their relationship has been problematic because he feels that she is leaving him behind. Skylar's grandparents are in another country and the only person she can count on is her sister, who may be dead as a result of the tragedy. All are forced to face their pasts, while they wait for possible major changes in their futures.

I found this novel interesting and compelling. It moved quickly. I enjoyed the variety in perspectives. Kinda felt like a season finale on Grey's Anatomy, which I enjoy.

All We Can Do Is Wait is a heartfelt read with an intriguing premise. I can see teenagers really enjoying this novel. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I will be discussing this in group with my teens, as a decision is made about whether to use in future book club.

My wanting to read All We Can Do Is Wait by Richard Lawson started out solely as a quick book recommendation from my friend and a Penguin Random House representative, Ms. Honey De Peralta. She read an early copy of the book, and said that I might be one of the author's intended audience. Upon reading the synopsis of the title on Goodreads, I found myself agreeing with her, and I was immediately on board this exciting work of fiction. And I'm so lucky to be once again be working with them and be featuring an amazing book with an even more amazing story. Read on for a detailed review of Richard Lawson's debut novel.

I'm gonna be honest and share with y'all that I had a hard time powering through the first 50 pages of this book. As much as I wanted to like it, I found the writing to be a little too excessive, and it focused immediately on back stories instead of introductory details, which somehow, in my opinion, made the story a little dragging to read. At the back of my mind, though, I can't entirely fault the author or his writing style at all since I literally came from reading 3 YA Fantasy books beforehand, so... Also, I came to appreciate all the back story in the end, so this didn’t really have that big an impact in my overall reading experience.

After getting through the next few pages though, I realized that I did like how everything was written, with present scenes jumbled with flashbacks, giving readers an easily comprehensible reading experience. This technique, in my opinion, offers readers the chance to fully understand the plot, along with the back stories that came with all 5 of the main characters. I find that there wasn't any question left unanswered through this writing style, and I can't deny how I love reading mystery stories that could somehow answer every question that it brings to your attention towards the ending of the book. This might not have made everything fast-paced, but it did make it satisfying to read.

And lastly, I love how the author was able to portray different kinds of emotions through the lives and voices of his main characters. Jason, Alexa, Skyler, Morgan, and Scott are very different people but what they all shared in common was the fear of potentially losing someone they love. They came from unique walks of life, some having a life that's more bearable than the others, but in the end, they were all just the same group of kids that were painfully waiting to be informed of the whereabouts of their families and friends. And I love how this portrayed the resilience of a person, amidst all the stress and drama. I love the message that this particular aspect conveyed, that we're never truly alone. And if this doesn't convince you to give this book a try, I don't know what will.

"Told from 5 alternating points of view, All We Can Do Is Wait is a character-driven novel that focuses on loss, grief, the fear that comes with losing a loved one, whether they be family or not, and human resilience. It offers a very unique reading experience, especially for fans of realistic contemporary fiction. Richard Lawson, in his debut novel, gives life to 5 well-developed characters, who readers will for sure come to root for towards the ending of the story. It might not have been as fast paced as I was hoping for it to be, but it was a satisfying novel to read overall."

An awful accident brings a bunch of teenager together in the waiting area of a hospital: a Boston bridge collapsed during busy traffic and now they are waiting for news. Scott is afraid that his girlfriend Aimee might be amongst the dead. Skyler was on the telephone with her sister when Kate suddenly broke away. Jason and Alex fear the worst about their parents who were on the way to Alexa’s school. And Morgan already knows that her father is not alive anymore. While they are condemned to wait in the sterile area without any information, they all recall the last couple of months, what they went through with the loved ones, the good sides and the bad ones. But sharing this feeling of utmost anxiety also brings out things which were long buried and in the morning, they are not the same anymore.

“All we can do is wait” has the classic drama setting: all characters in one place, waiting for the moment when they are either relieved or their biggest fear is confirmed. There is nothing they can do to change the situation, they have to sit and wait for the verdict. No matter what they wish or pray for, their fate is already sealed but they do not know about it.

Richard Lawson makes his young protagonists alternate in the narration. Each chapter is dedicated to one of them and slowly their lives unfold. Thus, we are not constantly in the situation of extreme stress in the waiting room, but look back also on happy moments full of joy and love. But the sword of Damocles of looming over them all the time and inevitable we return to the hospital.

The story is full of emotion, positive and negative ones, and the author created authentic and lovable characters who are credible in their fears and hopes. They already show whom they are going to be in a couple of years and yet, they are still adolescents with great hopes and wishes. Apart from this, there is obviously a lot of suspense because you just want to know what happened to their friends, sister and parents. This just makes you read on and on and on. I really loved the novel even though it is a rather melancholy story that is told.

Beautiful cover, heartfelt premise, good writing and teen angst that director John Hughes would have lapped up like a cat with cream. But I felt a whole lot of nothing because as exciting as the premise sounded, there was way too much backstory and I was a bit worn out by it all.

I usually devour YA novels and I am sure that some of my students would love the story. I do appreciate the lack of insta-love! It just failed to bring forth any type of emotional reaction for me.

A completely engrossing story of disparate characters coming together.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Following a fatal bridge collapse in Boston, five teens meet in a hospital waiting room while anticipating news of their loved one(s). Jason and Alexxa are siblings waiting to hear about their parents. With the exception of last summer when they were able to put their differences aside, this brother and sister haven't had the best relationship and they need each other now more than they realize. Scott is waiting to hear about his girlfriend Aimee. He is desperate to hold on, even as Aimee is looking towards her future. Scott knows if given the chance, he can show Aimee that theirs is a love that will last. Skyler's sister Kate has always been her rock, and Skyler needs the chance to repay Kate for always being there.

While desperate for news, each teen relives his or her recent interactions with loved one(s), and readers are given a glimpse into what their lives are like. Each has some reason, some regret, or something to tell his or her loved one(s), and one at a time each is given news that will change his or her life forever.

THOUGHTS: Readers will devour the story, desperate to know the outcome for each character. The pacing of this novel was fantastic, and the alternating perspectives will keep the pages turning. Many issues and insecurities are addressed, but to name them would give away the surprise. Mature readers will devour this story of regrets and desperate wishes for one more conversation.

This book had a great premise and an exciting first chapter but became way to teen drama after that. I was very excited to get this book but it was not what I expected at all. I wanted to know more about the bridge collapse and rescue efforts and the aftermath for the survivors instead of what the teens did last summer. The book is well written and it was a quick read, it just wasn't what I was looking for.

A group of teens pacing around a hospital waiting room, impatiently hoping for news of their loved ones after a bridge collapse is nothing something I expected to enjoy. I was proven wrong almost immediately.

My initial reservations were that a single setting was going to leave little room for character development. Not everyone can pull a Breakfast Club scenario and make it work, especially with the possibility of horrible news hanging over each of the characters. The way Lawson pulled on their memories as part of the processing the teens went through was, quite frankly, genius. It didn't feel cloying, or forced. Connections were being made by the characters as the readers watch them sort through the emotions suddenly at the forefront of their minds.

There was also something refreshing in seeing the many layers of grief and how it influences how each character interacts with people they know and relative strangers. While opening up as much as they did to each other might seem odd, times of great stress make the odd things seem average and the average seem odd.

Lawson's debut novel is a great success and I look forward to see more from him in the future.

At first, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like this book. It was just a little...deep? for what I was in the mood for. But once I got going, I found I couldn't put it down. This easily became one of my favorite books of the year (even though it's the first week of January).

I do think that the egalley left something to be desired in terms of reading the book and understanding the shift and flow in narrative, which also is what caused me to take some time getting into it.

I loved the female characters. They were brave, strong, and filled with...something that I could empathize with. They were so real, and heartbreaking. The male characters? I hated both of them (and then secondary ones, like Skyler's boyfriend Danny). As strong as the females were, the males were, not weak but whiny, maybe. They both built up these ideas of what they were supposed to be, which just made them act like jerks in the end. They weren't authentic in the sense that they were being real, with themselves and with each other.

At first, I wasn't sure about the narrative structure, especially going into The Past and how that connected to The Present, but it did eventually start making sense. (Again, maybe something with the formatting of the egalley?) I love how everything tied together from Morgan's personal tragedy, to the bigger scope of the bridge collapsing.

This is definitely a book I'd recommend and share with friends and patrons. It's going on my personal shelf, for sure!

A story of five teens brought together during a tragedy, waiting, searching, and finding some form of hope for themselves and their lives. Each of their stories unfolds and intersects as they wait to find the outcomes that will catapult them into their 'after'; their futures. Well written and an interesting plot perspective. Definitely a good read.

I love it when I find an unexpectedly good story. One that you haven't heard of, pick up on a whim, are moderately intrigued by the blurb on the back, and then are pleasantly surprised by the way it turns out.
A bridge collapses...hundreds of lives in the balance. But instead of focusing on the victims, this story centers around the family members waiting to find out the fate of their loved ones.
Siblings Alexa and Jason, at odds much of the time lately, find themselves clinging to each other in the hospital waiting room. Not knowing if their parents are alive or dead, they're still finding it difficult to set their bad feelings aside. Scott rushes to the hospital after hearing that his girlfriend, Aimee, was on that bridge when it collapsed. Skyler is devastated when she's notified that her sister Kate is among the missing.
These young people, not even adults, are facing everyone's worst nightmare. We find out, though, that each one of them has something else haunting them. And hearing each story unwind is more intriguing than the accident that brought them all together. A good story with a satisfying, though not necessarily happy, ending.

I really enjoyed reading this story because it left me with an optimistic feeling about the way that people treat each other. In a time of tragedy, four teenagers find themselves waiting in the same hospital waiting room to find out if their loved ones have survived a horrific bridge collapse. Jason and Alexa are waiting to hear on their parents and their fractured relationship is on the edge of breaking into more pieces. Scott is desperate to hear about his girlfriend and Skylar to hear about her sister Kate, her protector and best friend. Told through flashbacks and from four different points of view, this is a well written story about how we cope in times of trouble and the way in which we can come together to be the support we all need.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC! I loved this concept-all these kids coming together, all their stories revealed piece by piece to see the people they are and the people they are waiting for at the hospital. I cared about them and what happened to them. I got annoyed when I went to the next chapter and saw it switched to another person, keeping me hanging. That is a good thing! It sucked me in. There were areas I wanted more development, but overall, the story was great and came together well.

A bridges collapses in Boston, Massachusetts and five teenagers find themselves in the ER waiting room together, desperately waiting to hear news of friends and family who were driving on the bridge when it fell.

Jason and Alexa are siblings but act more like strangers. After a summer in Wellfleet in which Alexa thought they bonded, a new wedge has come between them. Jason spends his time getting kicked out of multiple schools, getting high, and drinking alcohol. He is also harboring a secret that he refuses to tell his parents and sister. Alexa on the other hand tries to be the perfect child to counteract her lost cause of a brother. She is tired of following the rigid plans of her constructed life by her mom and plans to tell her parents that she is forgoing college when the bridge collapses.

Skyler was on the phone with her sister when it happened. Her grandparents are on the other side of the world vacationing and she truly wonders if her sister, her one and only rock, supporter and mother figure, is gone forever.

Scott is waiting to hear information regarding his girlfriend Aimee who was driving to Salem with her theater friends. And lastly, Morgan appears with mystery surrounding her father.

I couldn’t wait to read this story when I saw it on NetGalley. I was stoked to be approved and devoured through it within a few hours. Although the story is filled with heartbreak and happiness, it didn’t meet my expectations. The whole book takes place within ten or so hours. In that time frame these five characters pace around the ER and get sucked back into memories of the past. These memories took up most of the story and I felt a lot of them weren’t relevant to the story line and loved ones who were unaccounted for. Some of these long-winded memories could have been reduced, left out, or replaced with others on Jason and Alexa’s parents, Morgan’s father, and Skyler’s sister. Instead, these missing loved ones are vaguely mentioned here and there like props in these characters’ chaotic lives.

A pet peeve consisted of the language whenever the character’s spoke. The words were shortened to “dunno” and “y’know” amongst others. I’m not a fan of abbreviated language so seeing and hearing those kinds of words irks me. I also was disappointed with some of the characters since they were hypocritical. A character reveals something (a lie they have been fabricating) and everybody attacks this person over it. Eventually another character makes the same reveal and they console this person. Both these characters lied about why they were in the ER and were treated differently by the same group of people.

Once it was revealed on who lived and who didn’t, I wasn’t struck with grief or shock. This bittersweet novel could have been retold differently to have a stronger impact, but it was a decent read nonetheless.

I received an ARC of All We Can Do Is Wait by NetGalley.

What a great read! The tension builds and builds as the book unfolds. The characters are well developed and so real. I felt like I was in the hospital waiting room along with them. I found myself wondering how I would react. I can see using this in a high school classroom. It would spark some interesting discussions.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. The description seemed interesting, and I found myself fully engrossed in what was happening to these characters! Extremely well written, emotional and I couldn't put it down!