2/5 stars
I never connected with any of the characters in this story. They spent a lot of time telling me who they were and what they thought rather than letting me see that through their actions. It all felt very clichéd and hackneyed to me (and there were SO MANY italics when these people did actually talk). I was not impressed with this at all and if it weren't for needing to complete it to review it, I wouldn't have finished it.

I liked this much more than I expected too - it was a good, relevant story. I haven't read much by Emily Giffin but I tend to think of her books as lighter fare so this was a pleasant surprise. The characters were interesting, although a little stereotypical. I liked the conclusion and the epilogue that provided a little more insight into what eventually happened to Lyla, Nina, Tom and Finch.

I’ve seen Emily Giffin’s books everywhere but never really had time to read them… Until now. I’m so happy that “All We Ever Wanted” was the first Emily Giffin book I experienced. New favorite author hands down!

This book is an intelligent and captivating story about how one boy’s “error” changes everyone’s lives in different ways. The so-called “incident” brings out the characters’ true colors. It’s fascinating to see just how one little ripple can set everything else in motion. In this book, we get to read the characters’ first-hand perspectives about how this particular event impacts their lives/decisions. A woman learns the true nature of her husband, although she always suspected it. A single father is brought close to someone who captivates him. A girl must decide whether to trust the boy who allegedly ruined her reputation. And a husband must decide what is most important to him and how far he’s willing to go to save his family’s name.

Praise for Emily Giffin and how eloquently and tastefully she navigates through sensitive topics of race and class in this racially charged climate.

A book that I could not put down, I give it five stars out of five both for Ms. Giffin’s style of writing as well as her ability to capture a powerful story so beautifully. She has a talent for placing us right in the forefront of her character’s minds, so much so that at times, it feels like we’re intruding their thoughts. Amazing.

Although this is not a Young Adult novel, I would highly recommend this book to anyone ranging from age 13 and above! Everyone could learn a little something from this captivating story and would have you questioning your own decisions in any of the characters’ shoes…

This book is set to release on June 26, 2018.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. Emily Giffin is one of my absolute favorite authors and this book didn't disappoint. It was told from 3 different people's point of view, which kept it very interesting. This book and the issues it deals with are very appropriate with me too movement going on and dealing with guilt and shame that victims experience.

Emily Griffin is one of my favorite authors. Loved this new book and how the story was told from different points of view. The twist at the ending surprised me; Did not see that coming. Look forward to her next book

I enjoyed this book. Moved along well. interesting story. Nothing too deep or exceptional, but still worth reading. I would recommend. Would give 3.5 stars if an option.

I'm so happy with this book! I was losing faith in the author with her last few books - they felt so preachy and sometimes were just not my cup of tea. All We Ever Wanted has a couple preachy moments, and maybe still puts the onus on the girl in certain situations, but those moments felt brief and were redeemed by the rest of the story.

This book fits very well with the #metoo movement, but I feel like there was still a little bit of victim blaming. The characters felt pretty true and I appreciated the difficulty the teens had being honest with their parents and themselves. This was not the typical chick-lit I have become accustomed to Emily Giffin writing - I was pleasantly surprised!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This title was the first that I have read by Emily Giffin and it did NOT disappoint. She is clearly a talented author and I look forward to reading her other works.

All We Ever Wanted is a story told through multiple viewpoints - high schoolers Lyla & Finch and their parents Tom (Lyla's father) and Nina (Finch's mother). Having these multiple viewpoints of what was happening in the story was an excellent way to allow us into the drama to see what was really happening. I appreciated knowing how more than one person felt about what was going on.

When a compromising picture of Lyla is taken at a party, everyone says that Finch is to blame. But is that really what happened or is there more to the story? Finch has always been a nice boy. He surely wouldn't do that to an innocent girl, would he? Meanwhile, his father tries to use his elitist status to throw money at the problem to make it go away. Is Nina really okay with her husband and son solving things that way? Will Tom actually drop the subject and let Finch get away with it?

The drama unfolds throughout the whole novel as the reader is continually guessing if Finch is the one responsible for the picture or if he's telling the truth about who is.

Honestly, the story did NOT end how I expected it to end, but it was still a good ending overall. I personally could have lived without the epilogue, but I can also see the benefit to how the story was tied up.

This novel touches on some very important, but very mature, content such as teenage drinking and date rape. However, it is done in such a way that it is not overly graphic and it brings light to the issues in a way that makes people think.

I would 100% recommend this book to my fellow readers. It's a little slow at first, but once it picks up, you won't be able to put it down!

This is an engaging read that thoughtfully addresses some very timely issues; enjoyable for summer reading and sure to please the author's existing fan base..

This is a contemporary story of what can happen after teenagers make bad decisions. It starts on a high note when Nina's son Finch gets accepted into Princeton, but goes downhill quickly after he is accused of posting a compromising photo of a drunken and partially naked classmate at a party. The photo's subject, Lyla, is a scholarship student at the prestigious prep school they both attend, and she wishes the whole episode would be downplayed and forgotten. Her single father, though, is incensed and determined that someone will be punished. With this drama going on, Nina realizes that her life has gone awry, that her husband and son seem like strangers who do not share her moral compass and values. The author captures the teens' relationships well, with each other and with the adults in their lives. The headmaster could have been turned into a negative stereotype, but instead was portrayed as reasonable and positive. The ambiguity of who actually took the photo gave an additional dimension and certain suspense to the novel..

This book offers many discussion points for both teens, born into social media, and those adults who have become acclimated to it. It also raises many questions/thoughts about privilege as the story vacillates between those who have it and those who do not. The battle between the good and evil of social media, youth, privilege, and friendship compete with the main character's determination to define her happiness and purpose while remembering the one thing she truly ever wanted.

Overall, I was impressed with Ms. Giffin's newest novel. The story was one of the utmost importance, especially in today's world. I was pleased to see that it aligned well and supported the current "Me Too" movement. All We Ever Wanted is an important story. I would even go as far to recommend it to (older) teenage girls as well as college aged girls. Essentially - all women AND men need to hear this story in some sort of capacity. The character development was exceptional, and the supporting characters were very much so necessary. I do, however, feel that if the epilogue had not been written that I would have been grasping at straws for an ending. For me, it tied the story together - not necessarily in a happy ending, but in one that left me satisfied with this particular story.

As in all of Giffin’s previous novels, she expertly inserts the audience into a morally gray situation. At first what is right and wrong seem clear, but as Giffin brings you deeper and deeper into the Belle Meade world, where the children of the influential are protected at all costs. Written with heart and sincerity, All We Ever Wanted is an eye-opening look into what women are expected to tolerate in our social media steeped world, and what it looks like truly take steps to preserve the value and dignity of those women. My new favorite book.

I received a free copy of the book through NetGalley.

I love Emily Giffin. Per most of her books, this book was easy to read and I got through it in just a few hours. Most of the characters were fleshed out fairly well, although not all of them as there is an overarching mystery throughout.

I wanted to love this book. After thinking about it for a few hours, though, I was left with too many questions and just didn't feel good about where the story ended.

Here's my main issue (spoiler alert): What's revealed to have really happened at the end of the book is a crime. Lyla was sexually assaulted. Yet, everyone just kind of goes on with their lives. The perpetrator, from the information we are given, is a repeat sexual predator. Ultimately, this is what I can't get over. The events that take place in this book are not OK, but in search of a tidy ending, I suppose, it ends quickly and everyone goes on with their lives.

Perhaps the moral of the story is that money trumps everything else, but in light of the #metoo movement, the ending of this story fell flat for me.

Wow.

Emily Giffin has a unique voice and style in the women’s fiction genre. If I had just one word, I would describe her as fearless. If I had three: fearless, heartfelt, and funny. She is unafraid to explore timely topics — in this case, the main thrust of the story revolves around the sexual transgression of a high school student. It could have been pulled from the headlines. It went deeper to explore the parents reaction, how it changed them, how it exposed the fault lines in their marriage and themselves.

It was really just beautifully written. Giffin has a gift for heartbreak, for mistakes, for making sympathetic characters. She is everything: writer, artist, and psychologist.

I loved it, and so will you.

Although written in a similar vein to other Emily Griffin novels, this one was more multi-faceted and addressed matters that were beyond mere fluff. I enjoyed reading the evolution of the main characters, of their internal conflict and the struggle and attempted solutions.

This was an ARC provided ny NetGalley for my honest review.
I can honestly say that I really did enjoy this book. The book involved a situation where there was an inappropriate picture taken and shared with the use of cellphones. More then that the story showed that it's hard to really know someone, whether it's someone you consider a friend or your own child!
The book alternates the narrator chapter by chapter between Nina-the mother of the boy accused of taking the photo, Tom-the father of the girl in the picture, and Lyla-the girl in the nning picture. It's very interesting to see things from each of their points of view. I also have to say it addressed this "hot topic" of social media, cell phones and situations considered to be a form of sexual harassment, pretty well. It showed how each person might feel in these situations. All in all I really did enjoy this book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advance copy of"All We Ever Wanted" in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was one of those books I couldn't put down, and one I'm still thinking about several weeks after finishing. There are so many layers of plot, and the characters are well developed and relatable.

Nina Browning learns something that causes her to reflect on her life and her relationships. In doing so she realizes she's not happy with who she has become. I think we can all look at a relationship we have or had and see how it's changed us - sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so good. I love that she was a strong enough person to take action and alter her course.

All We Ever Wanted was a richly developed, very relavent story. Lyla is biracial high schooler who attends a very affluent school in Nashville, TN. She is raised by her father Tom who is a carpenter by day and drives Uber at night to pay the bills. Lyla ends up at a party where some not so nice photos are taken whilst passed out, by the guy she has a crush on, Finch, but is that the whole story? This book was absolutely fantastic! I flew through it in less than a day and I was in tears by the end. I can’t wait to read more by Emily!

Like with most of Emily's books lately, this one I didn't have high hopes. It talks about the typical poor people, the typical rich person, meanwhile them mocking each other while they are the stereotype. It makes no sense. It was not an enjoyable book.