First off, I love Emily Griffin since I read her Something Borrowed series. (yes, that movie but please remember the book is always better) Emily Griffin lives up to her reputation of being an amazing writer with this new novel.

In All We Wanted, Emily brings us a new novel that focuses on family and how outward appearances are different than what we see behind closed doors. We get a look at how family is the center of all things and how it can drive each person differently. We get a good inward look at the fact that sometimes teenagers really don't want to disappoint their families and how they can keep secrets to themselves and keep it all bottled up so to speak.

We see marriage and how it can change us through the years, i.e. financial struggles vs not and how when bad things happen in a family such as a crisis it effects each person differently. 

This story shows us how in the real world things do shape and change us. That sometimes even though we don't want to admit it, race, class, and privilege does tend to play a part in peoples lives. It is ugly and wrong but true.

This book gets told in alternating points of view. it really helps us see inside the heads of each person and their differences and what drives them. The writing was fantastic and had me hooked from page one! Now, i'm just an even bigger fan of Emily Griffin!!
5/5 stars

This is classic Emily Griffin. Descriptive background on characters, engaging plot that unfolds without giving away the ending.

Set in Nashville, which as a Nashville Native I loved, Giffin tells the story of the elite families of Belle Meade. A husband who is old money & new money, marries a girl from a small town. The two have a son who is bred to be a snobby prep school kid with everything given to him. Things come to ahead at a party in which said son does something questionable with a girl who happens to be at the prep school on scholarship.

All We Ever Wanted is told from multiple perspectives, but never difficult to follow. The differing perspectives allow for a unique view at the story and keeps the reader on his/her toes trying to unwrap the story along with the characters.

Amazing writing. Emily Giffin does it again!

Emily Griffin’s newest novel All We Ever Wanted was an thought provoking, page turner. Parents dealing with teenagers and social media issues, was an interesting read. I loved it.

I have read all of Emily Giffen's books and All We Ever Wanted is slightly different than the rest, but still a good read. This is a family drama concerning a picture shared on social media and its repercussions. The story is told with three voices, Nina, whose son is alleged to have posted the picture; Lyla, the subject of the posted picture and Tom, Lyla's father. The truth of what really happened is read between the lines of these characters. It is realistic, thought-provoking book with a lot of social relevance in today's world of #metoo.

This book is why I will read anything Emily Giffin writes . Characters so real you swear you know them and stories that feel so true .

This novel just brought to the surface so many feelings of frustration, and they are well-founded. Nina is in an impossible situation, Tom is trying to hard to do the right thing, Lyla is so confused about what she should do because society has created such tunnel vision on her social stance, Finch (Nina's son) has become someone his own mother can't recognize, and Kirk (Nina's husband) is just about as big of a douchebag as one can be.

This novel hit me so hard because I just finished reading What Happened that Night about a young woman sexually assaulted where no blame was ever founded. Even upon report to the police, she is questioned because she was intoxicated. Really - is that a license for sexual assault - drinking? I can accept that as a woman I do bear responsibility for my behavior and choices, but it sure doesn't mean I deserve to be violated. If that's the rule, a lot more men would find themselves victims. Anyway - point being in this novel, the assault happens in college, which is why the high school incident in All We Ever Wanted hit me so hard. If young men aren't held accountable for their actions with regards to young women when parents are still somewhat in control - college rape is WHAT HAPPENS! It's a progression in abuse.

Finch has made horrible choices that Nina never thought her son could make, and when Lyla is the victim of the choices, Lyla is the FIRST (not the only) to be "found out" due to her photograph in a compromising situation being circulated. Her father Tom, doing his best as a single dad, pursues punishment. I loved the way Giffin created all the characters as so real and raw. Nina struggling to handle her son's indiscretion, and her jackass husband's attempt to "cover things up" for his son insisting he's a "good kid," he just made "one mistake." For. The. Love. Tom's frustration with "the system" and attempting to infiltrate and shut-down the massive money gap that buys innocence whether it's there or not. These two parents, Tom and Nina, of very different children, expose the true struggle of parenting not only in a digital age, but an age where the battle-of-the-sexes rages furiously.

Giffin's novel is strikingly provocative covering difficult topics: child pornography (face it - any picture circulated of a person under the age of 18 that is sexually explicit is child pornography), socio-economic status and the way the rich buy the world whether it's right or wrong, divorce, crumbling family structure, and racial bias.


This novel prompted a strong dialogue between my son and me and it was an opportunity to discuss with him why things like aren't okay or funny or just a joke as many of the novel characters attempt to use as defense for their actions. This behavior is wrong, disrespectful, and cruel.

This novel is a must read for me and honestly I would say read this and then read What Happened that Night directly after and see if you find the same correlation I did.

Emily Giffin shares a story that is both relevant and reflective on multiple social and political issues of our time. Complex dynamics of privilege and class are revealed as a controversial image is shared on social media, and the situation unravels from there, taking the reader from the halls of an exclusive high school, to the McMansions of the Nashville elite, and to the basements and realms of teenagers.

If you are looking for a quick, fascinating easy read, this book is for you! From the moment the book begins, the characters entice you and you root for them. It is the gripping story of a teenage girl and boy, about doing what is right and living your best authentic life.

When I first started reading this, my first thought was that it was another story about rich people, and it would be hard to relate to the characters. Luckily, that wasn't the case! Nin also grew on me as a character throughout the book--she wasn't who she seemed to be at the beginning of the book as you read more about her. The book switched perspectives every chapter between Nina, Tom and Lyla (is it me or are most fiction books doing that nowadays?) but in this book it really worked with the story. You would hear the same story from different perspectives.

This book sucked me in right from the beginning, and I loved the characters, especially Lyla and Tom. The book is so relevant right now since it deals with the use of snapchat and social media, and how actions on those sites can have real world consequences. I flew through this book in less than 24 hours, and is definitely one of my recent favorites of Giffin's. I definitely recommend adding this to your summer reading list, but make sure to add more than just this book because you will fly through it!

Emily Giffin has come SUCH a long way since Something Borrowed came out when I was in high school, pale pink and shiny and oh-so girly. All We Ever Wanted felt more like Lisa Scottoline and Jodi Picoult, in the best way possible. Giffin holds nothing back in this spicy take on current events - a single Snapchat gone rogue, and the world is on fire. Who is responsible? Who is at fault? There are so many questions here, and Giffin unpacks it all with finesse despite the length of this novel. Anyone who works with or knows a teenager should definitely take a look at this one (and that's probably everyone, pretty much, by the way) - I can't think of a better cautionary tale and a way to challenge your morals.

Emily Giffin does it again with another smash hit! This is not Giffin's typical Rom-Com book, but she hits it out of the ballpark with her newest book. Giffin takes a simple plot whereby a teenage boy takes a quick click on his phone at a party of a girl who is inebriated, and is somewhat exposed in the picture and the picture is soon posted on snapchat, and then circulated throughout the high school.
The book brings to light soooo many issues. Today's parents must take a step back and process the power of social media before they give their children a cell phone. We are living in a very "connected" world and our children are posting and sharing pictures and events that can truly change lives. The teen in this book , Finch, was very nonchalant, about the picture that he had posted even though it had racial and sexual undertones, and thought it was being shared to a limited audience. The book demonstrated that audiences are often times much broader than one initially thinks, and can be far more damaging. Giffin does an excellent job in developing the various parent characters in the book, and how their own upbringing and past experiences surfaced when they were faced with assisting their children in dealing with the after-effects of a compromising picture that went viral. As they say...it takes all kinds to make the world go round, and Giffin certainly did an excellent job of developing her characters in this book.
There were many twists and turns in this book which kept the reader turning the pages ...and guessing along the way. Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my review.

I really liked this book. Emily Giffin is just such a great writer and this was a quick read. The characters were fantastic. The topic is very relevant today and is a great reminder of the ramifications of a decision.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Emily Griffin through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I read this book in a day. I couldn’t put it down, but not because it was amazing, but rather a story that kept you wanting to know what truly happened. This book keeps your guessing. I enjoy Emily Griffin’s writing and I liked how each chapter is a different person but keeping the story moving forward. She filled this book with some characters you are rooting for and others your hate. Overall I rate this book a 4 Out of 5.

Emily Giffin’s book All We Ever Wanted is a can’t put the book down read. This is the first book from Giffin I have read. The plot is remarkably relevant in the era of the #TimesUp movement. I need to know what happened to Lyla, Nina, and Tom. The end felt rushed, but overall believable and satisfying.

Powerful story about parenting through difficult situations. Reminded me of Defending Jacob in terms of themes. Riveting drama.

Very current and relevant subject matter. I thought the book was really good. The reason it did not get 5 stars from me is because I didn't really care for how it all wrapped up in the end. I do recommend it though. It is definitely a good book for discussion.

I love all of Emily Giffin's books, but this is the first time I have ever rated one of her novels four stars. This is only because of the disappointing and unrealistic ending. I don't want to do spoilers so I can't be more specific, so I will just say that the ending left me disappointed and cold. I think she could have done a far better ending with a minimum of thought,

4.5/5 stars

Although I have read other books by Emily Giffin, this one seemed to have a more serious tone. It touches on very current issues such as sexting and race issues. I was left guessing through much of the book as to who had taken the photo in question and how they would or wouldn't be held responsible. I enjoyed all of the characters, but my two favorites were definitely Nina and Lyla. I could have done without the epilogue, but it did seem to tie the story up with a neat little bow.

In full disclosure, I did receive a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

This is such a powerful and important book and I encourage everyone to read it. With the rise of teenage anxiety, depression, and self-harm and suicide that is happening today as a result of social media shaming and cyber bullying, it is so vital for these topics to be presented, shared, and discussed. Education, awareness, and intervention on these topics are crucial and I think this novel is a creative way to reach out to the readers and share the negative effects that social media has on teens.

Emily Griffin did a phenomenal job at capturing the emotions and turmoil of Lyla, who is a teenage girl experiencing the already confusing teenage years, and is now also struggling with the after effects of a night gone wrong.

The story is told not only from Lyla’s point of view, but also her father’s, and the mother of the boy who allegedly sent the inappropriate photo with a racist comment on it. It was easy to bounce between the characters and I feel that each of their emotions, opinions, and actions played key parts to the story.

This book truly did resonate with me and I highly recommend it. I love books about families, psychological and sociological issues, and also the coming-of-age transition, and this book encompasses each of these topics extensively. Though the topics are intense, it is an easy enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this advance reader copy! Publishing date - June 26, 2018.

A great book that brings attention to a lot of current issues, most involving teens. I think this would be a good book for someone who has teenagers to read, because I think a lot of parents don’t know what’s really going on with their child.