All They Ask is Everything was a gut punch to my emotions.

My child may be an adult, almost 30, and living her best life, but she will always be my baby and the thought of losing her, even now takes my breath away. Hadley Leggett’s book has this reality for Hannah and we feel her emotions in every word. Each of the three women vying for custody does so with what we hope is the best of intentions, but still, Hannah just broke my heart.

Ms. Leggett has written a beautiful story that I cannot wait to buy when it comes out so I have a physical copy to have on my keeper shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this in lieu of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I love novels that tackle real-life issues and turn them on their head. In this brilliant debut, Hadley Leggett reflects on the impossible challenge of not just being a mother, but being the perfect mother.

ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING follows three women as they fight for the same two little girls, who are put in foster care after their mom, Hannah, makes a big but realistic mistake. Then there is the girls' foster mom, Julie, who desperately wants to be a mother herself, and their grandma, Elaine, a high-powered lawyer who wasn't ever what you'd call maternal.

The brilliance of this novel lies in its ability to make you see all three points of view and understand why each of these women believe they are who the little girls need. It's a deep exploration of motherhood, love, grief, family—and asking for help when life overwhelms you completely. The book is incredibly hopeful and satisfying and will make readers reconsider the impossible standards expected of mothers everywhere.

I loved this book. The story follows three potential caregivers for two little girls- and will have you questioning who you are rooting for all along the way, while you end up rooting for them all. Written with such care and nuance, I love the way Hadley Leggett shows motherhood from multiple perspectives, with all its messiness and gray areas. There is even an unexpected romantic thread- which I adored- and it added some lightness to the story without taking away from the serious subject matter. In fact, for such a heavy subject matter, the book never felt heavy, quite the opposite, it was full of hope and heart. Propulsive and tender-hearted, I can't recommend this novel enough.

I dare you to read the first chapter of this incredibly well written debut and not find yourself fully invested in the outcome, flipping the pages to find out what could possibly happen next. I had all the feelings running through me as I read: fear, frustration, compassion, and hope. Every mom I know has worried whether or not she’s doing right by her children, wondered if the choices she’s making are the right ones. ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING faces these fears head on, shining a light on the dark crevices of motherhood, where mothers sometimes make catastrophic mistakes, “maternal instincts” don’t come naturally, and becoming a mother doesn’t come easily.

Hadley Leggett does a masterful job creating characters that are richly alive and painfully relatable. Each of three POV characters will grip you, forcing you to question what you believe of the others. It’s one of those captivating reads where you somehow find yourself rooting for conflicting things, wanting for the characters what they hope for themselves even as you can see them barreling toward a painful reality check. Bittersweet at times, ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING is ultimately a hope-fueled story about what it means to love like a mother.