An engaging story that was predictable, but still fun to read. Definitely hits current topics, which makes the story relevant. Overall, a solid book.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve liked the other books by Emily Giffin that I’ve read. This one was definitely different. Not so much chic lit, but a more meaty story. I liked the change of pace for her. Kept me guessing on who to believe throughout the book.

ALL WE EVER WANTED by Emily Griffin (Ballantine Books, 2018)

Maybe it’s because I recently finished How Hard Can It Be? by Allison Pearson (see my review, below) but I’m starting to worry that a semi-nude image of someone’s daughter, splashed across the Internet, is going to be the default opening for much of contemporary fiction for the foreseeable future. Yes, it’s chilling, but it also seems a little gimmicky for my taste. That said, there’s nevertheless quite a lot to sink your teeth into in this complex and thought-provoking novel. The book revolves largely around Nina Browning, a wife and mother who thinks she and her family have a good life with good values — until her son is accused of taking the photo in question, posting it, and attaching a racist caption. How do you continue to love a son who may very well have done such a thing? And if he did it — how culpable are you and your spouse, as his parents, for having raised him to behave this way? I was a little disturbed by some of the author’s choices — not to give too much away, but some of the parents’ actions and decisions didn’t feel reasonable to me. Still, I was definitely hooked by the question of whether or not Nina’s son was the perpetrator, and I had true affection for Lyla, the girl in the photo, who finds herself in situations she’s just too young to handle.

Told in the alternating perspectives of the three main characters, All We Ever Wanted tells the story of social media, family drama, and the search for the truth. Nina, a middle-class girl who married into an elite family, Tom, a blue-collar single dad, and Lyla, Tom's daughter, are brought together when a provocative photo of Lyla emerges on social media, shared by Nina's son. While the community is in an uproar, mostly siding with Nina's family against the outsiders Tom and Lyla, Nina herself starts to examine the situation to find out what really happened and how she ended up in where she now is.

While Nina struggles with her own husband and son who believe she is siding against them on the quest for the truth, Tom and Lyla have to deal with the fallout and scrutinization of their family. Lyla is on scholarship at the private school the kids attend and Tom is not part of the core group of families that form the class. Both Tom and Nina confront their own pasts and their beliefs about the truth as they try to set things right for their children.

While All We Ever Wanted is an excellently written adult novel, I feel like I would like my older teen to read it too. Besides the family drama, the idea of what can happen in just a minute in the age of social media is such an important issue. One moment, one wrong decision, one misplaced trust, and the characters' lives change forever; a lesson a lot of young people could benefit from reading about. I've recommended the book to a few other parents of teens too, the message is that strong. All We Ever Wanted was the perfect summer read for me, and one that made me want to check out Giffin's other books.

Dislosure: I received an advanced copy of All We Ever Wanted from NetGalley for review purposes. I was not obligated to post on my blog, all opinions are my own.

All We Ever Wanted is one of the best books I’ve ever read - and I read a lot. I knew it would be good because Emily Griffin always hits homeruns, but this book was exceptional. I was so wrapped up in this book, my family had to turn cartwheels in front of me before I would even know they were talking to me. I hope you like this book as much as I do.

Another timely novel, this one more fiction than women's fiction, dealing with social media and date rape to only name a couple of issues that were attempted to cover in this novel. It just felt like there were too many issues and none of them given a proper focus. 3.5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed All We Ever Wanted. I know Emily Giffin is a very popular author, but this was my first experience with one of her books. I thought she wrote each of the characters’ perspectives very well. No matter who was telling the story I felt connected to them and I thought each of them was fleshed out well. I also really enjoyed getting to see what each of them was thinking and feeling, as well as how they connected to one another. I thought she did a great job of telling the story while switching narrators, something that can often be difficult to do and not carried out well. That was not a problem here though. The story flowed effortlessly from one character to the next. I enjoyed the plot and thought that it was well developed and reasonable. The only real complaint I had with this book was in the ending. The story was detailed and full...until the end...then it was as if the author decided she was tired of writing the story and scratched out a few paragraphs to simply be done and tie the book up in a nice pretty bow. I hope she doesn’t think she was successful with that because she wasn’t. It was such a great, descriptive story that had an important message up to that point when it seemed like the author was just over the whole book and soooo ready to be done. I’m still giving it 4 stars...could have easily been a 5 if the ending had been more solid. I hope all of her books aren’t like this, but I’m not sure I’m brave enough to invest the time in another one.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very touchy book. Touchy in that it had several things going on. Mainly someone taking advantage of another and thinking they can just say they are innocent enough and will be believed. A picture is taken at a party of a young girl, Lyla, by another and it gets sent to several others. It’s not the worse kind of picture but the caption included is awful. Not that the picture itself is ok. But to say something racial about someone is not cool. Living in the world where everyone should be treated equal it’s just wrong on all counts. Of course we don’t live in that world either. Someone took a picture of Lyla while she was asleep at a party then put a very racist caption on it thinking she was Hispanic.

This book is told from several different views and tells us a lot about each ones life. A father who would do anything for his child. His little girl. Though she is sixteen and in a good private school, he still thinks of her as his baby. He will go to any length to protect her. She may not understand that yet but will one day. Tom is a great dad and Lyla is very lucky that he cares so much. They are not rich like most of the other kids’ parents in the school where Lyla goes but he works hard and they have a great life. Sometimes money is not the answer.

Finch is a boy who thinks he can do whatever he wants. Spend money like no ones business without even asking his mother. Get the girls and fancy car. He’s very privileged and spoiled in lots of ways. Finch is not all he’s cracked up to be. But is he a liar, player and someone’s son.

Nina is the mother to Finch. She only wants what is best for him. She does not approve of some of the things he does, like spending money like there’s no tomorrow and buying him a very expensive car. His dad does not have a problem with any of it. Nina wants the truth to come out and for everyone to be able to move forward. Her husband wants to pay people off. Nina has some big decisions to make about her life, her son and her marriage. Will she make the right ones? She was not born into money but married into lots of it and a lifestyle she had never had before.

This book touches on several important topics. Racism, privilege, rape, social media and sharing bad pictures with others and more. Having a conscience is so important and some people it seems just don’t have one.

I enjoyed this book from the very beginning. I loved the ending and thank the author for writing this. It was an easy book to read with characters who you will love and hate. It is not a love story but is a story about love.

I gave it 4 stars.

I was immediately engrossed in this book from the first page--and completed it in just a few days. Told from the different points of view of the various characters involved in a high school scandal, it's also a story about materialism, regret, forgiveness and standing up for what's important in life.

The only criticism I have is that the chapters "written" by Lyla and told in her point of view aren't really written the way a 16-year-old girl would speak. So that was a bit distracting.

Highly recommended!

Though Emily Griffin has been on my to read radar for awhile this is the first book I have read by her. I enjoyed this book immensely and will definitely be checking out other books by her.

All We Ever Wanted is a timely domestic drama portraying the consequences that occur when Finch, the son of a wealthy and important Nashville couple posts a sexually compromising photo of a schoolmate causing an upheaval in their privileged community.

This book touches on social media, racial incidence, date rape, divorce and abandonment; a lot of subjects to tackle in one novel. I am immensely impressed with the way Ms. Griffin handled all these topics. It was not too much and it was not over the top.

Read this book, alone, with a book group or with your teens. but read it. You will not be sorry.

I couldn’t put it down however I’m not sure the end was very realistic or believable. Maybe things just fall into place a little too neatly. But the story line was a page turner for sure.

In today’s world of every kid has a smart phone it’s easy to see something like this happening especially in the privileged area where the story is set.

There are some twists and turns that had me fooled. But again I felt the end was a little bit contrived. Still a good read for sure.

This is a riveting coming of age book.

Three high school teenagers are at an affluent party, without parental supervision,. Problems through the Administration ensue.
The parents are forced to come to terms to
their own accountability and mistakes.







Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

Very timely discussion of sexual assault among students as well the aftermath and consequences for all involved. Well-written and easy to read, great for a Summer read or a lighter reading selection.

I actually really loved this book! I haven’t read one by Giffin in a while because of the similar themes I noticed throughout. I reached a point where her books were more “ok” for me than really great reads. This one, though, was amazing.

Finch is a senior at a prestigious private school, Princeton bound, with a beautiful girlfriend, loads of friends, and a bright future ahead. Until he Snapchats a questionable photo of Lyla and attached a racial caption. Events spiral out of control as the people involved must face the consequences of Finch’s actions.

The story is told from three different points of view: Lyla, her dad Tom, and Finch’s mom Nina. Each character is dealing with the photo in their own way, and they each have to question some of their own actions that led to this point. Nina begins questioning her parenting and the ways in which her marriage and lavish lifestyle have affected Finch. Tom deals with his insecurities in being a single father who is much more poor than the other parents of kids at Lyla’s school. And Lyla deals with the humiliation of the photo, what it does to her father, and the ways in which she must reevaluate what it means to trust.

I felt like this was a very realistic portrayal of what can happen to students, thanks to bad decisions and the ease with which social media can spread news. I loved reading about the characters and seeing how the story developed. I definitely recommend!

All We Ever Wanted is a relevant thought-provoking story! During a teen party, a picture is taken of a half naked drunk girl with a racist title. The picture is then sent all over school. The result unveils the effects of affluence, social media and racism. This is the first book I've read by Emily Giffin and I loved it!

FirstLine ~ It started out as a typical Saturday night.

I am still thinking about this book, as it brought up a lot of emotions for me. I thought that I was over something that happened in college and this book brought it all rushing back. In addition to that, as a mother to two sons, this book has left a lasting impression. I want to talk to everyone who read this book and to discuss it at length. This is one of Giffin's most thought provoking books to date. This is is the kind of book that makes a great book club read because there is so much to discuss. Did the reader agree with how the parents dealt with the situation. Who did the reader believe as the book slowly unfolded and the truths came to light? Where did the readers allegiances lie? How would the reader react when facing the unthinkable that is highlighted in this book? There are so many other ethical dilemmas and emotions in this book. This book may change you and will cause you to take pause! All We Ever Wanted is a hard to put down and super important read for all.

This book was amazing! I loved that it was far grittier than Giffin's previous books. It was one that I instantly wanted to talk to everyone about. There is so much content in this book that will create amazing book club conversations. There is controversy, family drama, relationship dynamics and so much more. I thought I knew how this book would conclude but was way off. There were a few times that I thought I was certain where the story was going and then it took a totally different turn. To me, this is her best book yet. She took risks and tackled topics that need to be in the spotlight. I loved that Giffin was daring and bold with her story, dialogue and setting in All We Ever Wanted. Such a great book and one I still want to talk to everyone about.

The only reason this isn't a one star (or no star) review is because of the slight glimpses of constructive commentary regarding classicism, racism, misogyny, and sexual assault/abuse. The intent was there, but the execution derailed early and never recovered.

I appreciate Giffin's attempt at a slightly deeper, more controversial type of story than her typical stories about straight, wealthy white women in the south. Early on I was intrigued and hopeful, and there are pieces of this story that are good. Important moral dilemmas are introduced and Nina and Lyla's characters face difficult challenges that see them grow and evolve. The lead male character, Tom, however, was so insufferable that I was tempted to skip through every chapter from his perspective. Every male character was terrible, really, but I'm preeeeetty sure we were supposed to empathize with Tom. Nope.

While I understand what Giffin was trying to do here, it all somehow felt lazy and heavy-handed all at once; small moments of poignancy drowned out by half-hearted discussions of heavy issues that deserved way more care and attention than they were given.

Emily Giffin's "All We Ever Wanted" is a book for our times, looking at how status, money, family, and values collide in the wake of a social-media scandal at an elite Nashville prep school. Nashville socialite Nina Browning apparently has all she ever wanted -- a beautiful home, impressive husband, and social status -- but when Finch, her Princeton-bound son, is implicated in some salacious photos of his classmate Lyla, Nina has to reconsider her values. What's more important -- family or the truth (whatever that turns out to be)? What about Lyla, with whom Nina identifies as an outsider? And, how does her husband's reaction to the situation compare to Lyla's father's reaction?

It's an interesting take on our times, and a good beach read. Fans of books like Big Little Lies will enjoy this take on privilege and suburban society.

This book had me from page one! Reminding us how having it all, or nothing at all doesn't matter when life throws you curves! Nice summer read!

I was given the opportunity via NetGalley to read an electronic copy of All We Ever Wanted. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Nina Browning's carefully crafted world comes crashing down, after her son posts an unspeakable image of a fellow student on social media. As Nina tries to right the wrongs of her family, will she learn volumes about herself at the same time? Will her connection with the wronged student ultimately topple Nina's life?

The premise of All We Ever Wanted had promise, but the book fell a little short of expectations. Half of the characters in the novel are detestable and all conform too much to different stereotypes. Nina could have been interesting, but the author spends too much time hammering home how different Nina is from the other elite without actually delving into her background in a meaningful way. I liked the character of Tom Volpe, but I do not think he was given his due. The epilogue was just there and not really all that worthwhile. I do not think it is necessary for an author to wrap up all of the details in a neat package because life is ongoing. Readers do not need to know the future, just that there are possibilities. All We Ever Wanted was a good beach read, but not as good as I was expecting.