Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, but not so much with a married couple. It seems like the hurt and bitterness are too fresh, too deep, and too raw to be resolved in a fictional romance. Leave it to Locke to disabuse me of my notion and make me fall in love with this entire family, cheering for them all as I blazed through this one.

Jack and Lauren may be married, but they’re living separate lives, independent of each other. They think they’re hiding it all from their family, but people see a lot more than we think. Their teenage kids, Maddie and Michael, conspire with their Pops to have one last family vacation before the bottom drops out.

Every year, the Reed family spends two weeks each summer at Story Brook lake, but this year Lauren and Jack have each decided they’re too busy and that the family won’t be going. Except Maddie and Michael manage to get their way, and Lauren and Jack find themselves arriving at the lake cabin separately.

There are so many things I love about this one. It made me nostalgic for family vacations from my childhood, and the locals and scenery were so vivid in my mind. In addition to fixing a marriage, we get a glimpse of young love, as well as some of the challenges older adults face, so the entire spectrum is pretty much covered.

This one is incredibly sweet, with pops of humor, moments of frustration, and a great big dose of heart. It will make you believe that anything is possible when desire and determination are backed by love. Charming, funny, heartfelt, and inspiring, you won’t want to miss this phenomenal second-chance romance!

Marriage in trouble isn’t always a trope that will work for me but Adrianne Locke did it well in this relatively short yet complete novel! I loved to see Jack and Lauren put in the work to bring their marriage back together. So many raw emotional moments. I loved how the characters grew and kept you reading.

Wow! If I could give this book more than five stars I would. Jack and Lo have been married twenty years. Both there kids are teens. Jack has spent most of his time focusing on his shop. While Lo has been at home raising the kids, and taking care of everything else . She has finally decided that she needs to put herself first. And her relationship with Jack is a strained one. They barely see each other anymore. Jack sleeps at the shop most of the time. But when Jack realizes that Lo wants a divorce it’s the wake up call he needed. And he’s determined to fix their marriage. This story was so relatable. Even from Jacks point of view. I loved this book, and can’t recommend it enough.

I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. I really didn’t love or hate it. I feel like I was just thrown into a story line that developed in a different book. The writing style was very surface level. I needed more depth. Honestly I think Pops Harvey outshined everyone with his snappy and blunt attitude.

Actual rating: 4,5

Adriana Locke’s book is always a comforting read to me, it always makes me feel like I’m having a glimpse of someone’s true story and Nothing but it all hasn’t failed to achieve that.
The book tells the story of a couple in their mid-40s, together for 20 years that have been through issues in their marriage. For a romance reader like me, I’m always used to reading until they get together, they get married and in theory, live happily ever after. It was surprisingly refreshing to read what happens after the happy ever after and to see characters going through problems that many marriages go through. That love is not enough to make everything happen when life gets in the way.

I can’t remember a single time I read this trope, and I can tell that I love it! I thought it was so relatable to read about the difficulties of co-living with someone for years and how to fall in love again with someone that you love and have been distant. The story brought the marriage in trouble trope, but it was also sexy and romantic and swoon worthy.

I also love how the characters are more mature. Not only they are in their mid-40s, but they also sound mature! Sounds silly, but I’ve read characters that are similar age than me and act and sound like teenagers. I love the interaction between their teenage kids and how they were so sneaky to make the parents have some time for them. They are well aware of the rift in their parent's marriage without being traumatised by fights and screams. For someone who had parents who got divorced without a fight, I know how important it is to see main characters that have individual feelings but also respect each other and think about their children well well-being.

Once again, Adriana Locke got me completely captivated by the story that sounded so real to me and surprised me to see how she would develop a story of two characters that started on the wrong foot

Thanks to Netgalley UK and Montlake for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hands down, this was a 5 star read for me. It had me all up in my feels with the troubled marriage and the way I can relate. This book is emotional and deep, and I really admired how the characters came together and worked things out. Amazing book.

"It's about ensuring that you give nothing but it all to your marriage, that you say 'I do' every single day."

I absolutely loved this beautiful, funny, heartfelt, sweet & steamy romance! Lauren and Jack's moving, 'second chance at love' story was so compelling that I couldn't stop reading, needing more as I devoured every moment! Jack was busy building his business, and stay at home mom, Lauren, felt forgotten and lost. After twenty years together they seemed to be moving in different directions, making a life without the other. They had two very observant teens, who along with their grandfather, conspired to bring them together on a two week family vacation, hoping to remind them of better times, and the deep love they once shared. Jack and Lauren were not happy being manipulated at first, but agreed to stay and make the best of this last time together as a whole family. They found themselves being thrown together in hilarious, and heartfelt situations, forcing them to really communicate for the first time, in a long time. They had never stopped loving each other, but could they be vulnerable enough to try for a second chance, or strong enough to trust that they won't break their heart for good? I loved this exploration into the relationship of a married couple. They love each other so much, but had lost their ability to really see and appreciate each other. Their journey back to each other was so poignant, and heartfelt. I loved Lauren and Jack, who felt real and authentic and their relationship was so moving, and hard fought. They were so perfect together and their passion and chemistry only grows more explosive. I loved seeing the relationships they had with their meddling family and friends who added so much fun, and heart to this story as well. I was totally captivated by this journey through love, laughter, guilt, anger, heartbreak, hope, healing, and joy!

5 Star Review Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke

eBook/Audio:

Nothing But It All was a breath of fresh air from Adriana Locke. From the first chapter I was drawn into the story that she wove as Lauren and Jack Reed struggle to save their marriage after twenty years together.

When their children Michael and Maddie put their heads together with their grandfather to hatch a plan to bring the parents back together, neither Lauren pr Jack are aware.

Pushed into a family holiday at a lakeside cabin in Story Brook, Ohio, truths will be faced by everyone. This book was a realistic story line of a marriage that is tired. It was easy to relate to the characters and the struggles that have brought them to this point in their lives.

The narrators, both who are new to me, Amy Hall and Ryan Duncan did justice to the characters and the story that Ms. Locke wove. Their voices were easy to listen to and they brought all the struggles and passion to life with their performances.

This was a realistic, emotional story that got to me on numerous levels and had me in tears on a couple of occasions.

Love, love, LOVE Nothing But It All!!! This is so realistic it should hit you in the feels with…gasp…is this me? What a beautiful, all of the feels, let’s work together to make it work. It will have you crying, laughing, fearful, but most of all it will fill you with love that they finally figured it out for them! In case you couldn’t tell…I LOVED IT!!!

Thank you to Montlake publishing, netgalley, and Adriana Locke for allowing me to read and review Nothing But It All which comes out in February. It knew nothing about this book, or author and took a chance, it was a good chance . This book was a second chance love story that included a dog named Snaps. I thought I knew where the book was heading but, it took an emotional turn at the end which made the ending good. This book was fast paced with engaging characters.

Nothing But It All was an extremely enjoyable read! Adriana Locke really captured the feelings and emotions of Lauren and Jack as they hit an impasse in their marriage and considered divorce. Their kids (and grandpa!) joined forces in a "Parent Trap" style scheme to get them together again for their annual family trip and that is where the story really kicked off.

The emotions were raw and honest and the characters worked hard to save their family. Both Lauren and Jack had opportunities to share their issues but also took time to reflect and grow and admit that they were in the wrong too. The author could have taken the easy way out and just made them fall in love again like their problems didn't exist, but she didn't. She created moments for the characters to prove that they wanted to be together and showed that hard work paid off.

The side stories of the kids and grandpa just added to the overall feel of a struggling yet loving family and I enjoyed every moment of this book!

I am grateful to Netgalley, Author Adriana Locke and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have been left speechless. Nothing But It All was so realistic. I can't believe how much identified with the story. I can't believe I am the only one. Thank you Adriana Locke for the wake up call. I realize this was a work of fiction, but to me it was so much more.

Lauren and Jack Reed have been married over 20 years. There are issues, big big issues. Cluelessness riddles the pages. Shocking revelations created V-8 moments for the characters and me. Lots of drama makes this a great story. Jack and Lauren are very likable. I wanted them to find their way back. I wanted to be part of the journey.

Meddling family members sucked me into the story more and more. Jack's dad is a total hoot. He has issues of his own. I wanted to reach into the story had give him a big hug or ten. If anyone's heart is in the right place, it is his, as a conspirator with Reed children.

I couldn't wait to see what they would come up with next. The conspirators had just two weeks to complete their plan. There were times I wasn't sure they would succeed. I loved every cringe worthy moment. I danced over the wonderful times. I closed the book with a very big smile.

<b>Nothing But It All from Adriana Locke was an interesting and intriguing take on relationships because here the story starts from a marriage on verge of breaking down. So this is essentially a very realistic and relatable love Story.

Jack and Lauren used to be madly in love But then somehow along along the path they became distanced. It will take a big push for Jack to realise just how messed up his marriage is. He can earn big money ,he can build a big business but everything is useless if hs is not connected with his family and his wife.

I would say Lauren's dilemma is something that we have seen in many of our friends and family and relatives. Whe she and Jack started family, they were so intensely in love but then she became the housewife and Jack became the businessman. It happened over the years . It's not as if Jack did it consciously but he was so focused into the business part and making money for his family that he didn't realise that Lauren is going away from him.There was bitterness. There was frustration. There was anger and blame. Lauren kind of accepted that Jack wont be a part of her life in the way she wants . She knew she has to take some tough decisions if she wants to keep her own identity. So she started to scrape booking business. She has been managing her kids almost single-handedly and she was ready to break off this marriage but the teenager kids had own plans. oh my God I absolutely love Michael and Maddie and their grandfather! They executed a cunning plan so that Lauren and Jack ended up together in the family cabin in Story Brooks along with the whole family!

It forced them to face the ugliness and mess up their relationship And I think the kids made Jack realize that he were making so many mistakes. At the beginning Jake was clueless but you could see that he loves Lauren so much and this is his hurting him that he didn't do everything in his power to nake her happy. He didn't do enough to stop that destruction but he didn't know where to start the repair. Lauren realised when Jack couldn't give the support and appreciation she deserved, she kind of pushed him out slowly from their life. She stopped accepting or expecting things from Jack. They didn't really have a big mature conversation before outside of blame And anger and defenses. But here all the walls come down and they reconnect with each other with some adorable moments, with some heartbreaking moments and of course the spice that was missing from the relationship came back with a bang and they kind of feel in love with each other all over again

Jake and Lauren aren't perfect. Both of them have their flaws, they are very real persons, they have issues that you will see in your everyday life. The author takes us to not so rosey, not so sunshine-y part of a committed relationshi. Marriage isn't all laughter and happiness. But the end of the day if the love is there, the respect is there, the trust is there..everything will be OK.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

I read this in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. I could totally identify with Lauren in here. In fact, I think I have said some of her words before to my husband. Thankfully my husband responded much like Jack did - things slowly started to change and get back to a better place. It was nice to read a book that reminded me that love is worth fighting for.

Lauren and Jack have been married for years and their marriage is in trouble. Lauren does everything at the house and for the family and Jack supports them, but isn’t home often and they do not communicate. When their kids find out that Lauren is considering a divorce, they conspire to get them both away for their annual family vacation. This story was more emotional than many of Adriana Locke’s books (but less so when compared to Sacrifice and Written in the Scars). If I had to describe this book with one word it would be real. This books show the low points of a marriage and how it can spiral out of control even though you still love your spouse. It also shows that rebuilding that bond takes seeing some very hard truths (on both sides) and wanting to do better, but that with work it can become better than ever. This is a fantastic and refreshing story.

Different from Adriana's other books, but I enjoyed this look at a couple who has drifted apart after 20 years of marriage. Jack and Lauren do still love each other, but teen kids, bills, the demands of owning a business, and all the other "adulting" have made a big rift. Their kids and his father conspire to get them to the family cabin to see if they can reconcile.
Everything seemed like it fell back into place and got better on a pretty quick timeline for someone who had been ready to file for divorce. I did like watching their family dynamics and time at the cabin, and I liked Lauren and Jack as a couple. Pops, the kids, and the dog are great side characters.

A great look at how you can be complacent in a marriage. Jack is trying to grow his business, Lauren is doing everything she can for the family and is tired of being not seen. With their parents acting more like roommates Madison and Michael pull a fast one trying to get their family back together.

A marriage in trouble. No big issue just small tears over time. I enjoyed that the kids are trying to get their parents back together. I enjoyed the dad and his importance to both of them.
Honestly, it’s not my favorite but it was a good read.

I was provided both the print and audio ARCs of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

If you have been married for a significant amount of time this will really resonate with you. It isn't easy to make a marriage work, especially if one of you is the default parent like Lauren. When communication between you fails, it makes this really hard to keep going especially when the role of primary care giver falls on the shoulders of one partner. That is the situation between Lauren and Jack. After 20 years of being the primary caregiver for their two kids, while Jack spends all of his time at his auto shop Lauren has had enough. She's given up trying to communicate with him because he gets defensive and shuts down. They aren't making time for each other or themselves, so their teenagers decide it is time to intervene because they know their parents still love each other. The kids concoct a plan to get their parents together for one last family vacation, and Lauren and Jack have to decide if their love is worth fighting for or are they willing to throw 20 years away?

I really loved Lauren and Jack. As someone who has also been married for 20 years I've had similar conversations with my husband about work, kids, and balancing the load around the house. You don't get to your 20 year anniversary without having some hard discussions over the years some really good and some really unpleasant. There were so many situations that I found relatable. I liked that their relationship was already established so we didn't have an insta-love situation, we had a realistic married couple that loves each other but has let life get in their way. They have to make the conscious decision and effort to spend time with each other, have the conversations and listen to one another (which isn't always easy in reality). They have to take interest in each others passions while still finding balance with their family and business commitments and their commitment to each other.

I loved this, it is relatable whether you are married, in a relationship, or not. I love the author's standalones just as much as I love her series. This standalone is perfect if you love second chance romances, family dynamics, and all the emotions. This also has great side characters to support the main characters as they rediscover each other and what is truly important.

I'm a sucker for marriage in trouble books so I was excited to read Adriana Locke's latest. I loved Jack, Harvey and the kids but never warned up to Lauren. I felt she was realistic in many ways but preachy and while she'd say she was wrong too for where their marriage was, it never really felt like she thought that. It felt like her world and everyone was living in it.