I needed to put in order my ideas after finishing this book, what an impactful debut.
I was completely invested in this story since the first chapter and finished it in one sitting.
A story about motherhood, loss, the meaning of love and compassion. This is one of those stories that left a mark and I won’t forget soon.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗜𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 by Hadley Leggett released August 27, 2024.

All they ask is everything - Hadley Leggett

Hannah cannot believe what has happened. Social services have taken her daughters after she left them in the car briefly, while she got ingredients to make pancakes. It was just a moment but she has depression and her mind often drifts. When she is tested for drugs and found positive, her girls end up in foster care with Julie. A woman who has fertility issues. Both women want the girls and both of them don’t expect the turns of events that lead to a dangerous situation.

This book has some triggers. Suspected abuse, death of a spouse, fertility issues and mental health. I was blown away with this book. It comes from the POV of Hannah, Julie and Hannah’s mother Elaine. They all want the girls and the girls work through their complicated emotions of wanting to be with their mother but Julie provides the love and care they need. Hannah often drifts into severe depression and Wren often ends up parenting her little sister. Broke my heart.

I could really feel the anxiety and depression. Being a parent can be so hard and losing your spouse… Can really destroy someone. I think this book might be one of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to.

5 stars. All the stars

Wow! As I was reading/listening to this book, I was taken by the fact that this is the author’s debut novel. Her writing is perceptive, emotional, and compelling - she had me empathetically seeing things from all these women’s perspectives.

At its heart, this is a story of motherhood. Three different women are involved in the lives of little Wren and Ivy. They all believe they can be the best “mother” to these children. Hannah, their biological mother, who is recently widowed and exhausted, makes a grave mistake. Julie, the foster mom, desperately wants children of her own and becomes attached to Wren and Ivy. And Elaine, the grandmother, believes she deserves a do-over since she was never there for Hannah.

I was so absorbed in this story. Every character pulled me in, even the social worker, Julie’s boyfriend, the judge, and either my heart ached for them or I wanted to yell at them. Of course, the children are the ones who are caught in the middle of it all.

As a mother of kids in their twenties, I’ve looked back and asked the what-ifs about my parenting; it’s easy to play the blame game. Honestly, as a parent, I don’t think you can walk away from this book unaffected.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @amazonpublishing and @hadleyleggett for a spot on tour and a gifted book.
Thank you @brilliancepublishing for the gifted audiobook.

Two kids. Three women. Everyone trying to figure out what’s best for the kids but do they always have the kids best interest at heart?

A complicated somewhat family drama that features a little bit of the legal drama of who is best for the kids. I am not a Mom but can still relate to the struggles of the women. All are flawed and trying to best for both themselves and the kids. Are they always able to accomplish this? No, but it makes for a compelling read.

Their lives are messy dealing with grief, loneliness and the desire to be a mom.

The kids are adorable and very kid like in their unpredictability and craziness. I was always rooting for them.

I loved listening to Eva Kaminsky’s narration. She did a great job with all the voices and was able to voice so many different ages. I always knew who was talking and was always engaged.

This would be a great bookclub book as it has plenty of discuss and has options for many opinions.

You all know how much I love a good motherhood story, and oh boy, do I ever have a recommendation for you today. ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING by Hadley Leggett is a heartfelt debut that truly delivers! A parenting misstep ends in heartache for one grieving mother as she fights for custody of her two young daughters with two other women. My heartstrings were pulled, stretched, and yanked in three different directions. Of course my heart broke for the mother, but I also empathized with the other two parties as well. In the end, all three women want the exact same thing—the very best living conditions for the two girls. My heart was split into three.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Mother/daughter relationships
- Family and legal dramas
- Reflections on loss, grief, and healing
- Mental health representation
- Motherhood and marriage
- Foster family stories
- Emotional reads
- Multiple POVs
- Well-developed characters

The plot moved quite quickly, yet the reader still really gets to know and connect with the characters. It was equal parts plot and character driven, which scores Leggett some major writing points. Oh, and the conclusion was intense and shocking! I didn’t see it coming at all. Overall, this is a super solid debut, and I can’t wait to read more from the author.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing for this ALC. Hadley Leggett’s debut novel is a deeply moving story of motherhood that centers 3 very different women. Hannah has lost her husband and made some questionable choices. Julie has gone through a recent break up and longs to be a mother, so she pursues foster parenting. And Elaine is Hannah’s not so emotionally healthy mother and a powerhouse, work focused lawyer.

When events and circumstances drive these women together and apart, almost simultaneously, Leggett creates a deeply relatable story of what motherhood demands from us and what it really takes to be a “good mom.” Love, love, love. This is perfect for fan of Laurie Frankel.

Hannah has recently lost her husband. She has two little girls. And Hannah is spiraling! Due to a unique situation, her children have been taken away from her. She is struggling with this fact, and refuses to accept help in any shape form or fashion.

There are so many emotions that the reader experiences in this tale. I found Hannah’s situation so tragic. But I also found her to be so stubborn. There is a southern saying, “ you are biting your nose off to spite your face.” It basically means, don’t be so stubborn that you hurt yourself in the process. Hannah tended to do that on more than one occasion. She frustrated me. But, who is to say, that I would not have done the same thing. Anything to save my kids!! Hannah‘s heart was definitely in the right place, even if she didn’t go about it in the correct manner.

Then there is Hannah’s mother, Elaine. She is a piece of work. But I absolutely love the way this story turned out. You have to read this to find out! And believe me, you do not want to miss it!

The narrator, Eva Kaminsky, could not have been better!

Need a fantastic book from start to finish…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Talk about reading outside of my comfort zone! I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one but I am so glad I did. I really wish I could find the right words to describe the roller coaster of emotions I felt throughout this book. As I was navigating my way through this I found myself getting very frustrated with the FMC, Hannah. Hannah is beyond devoted to her daughters and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep them. Especially lie. Her lies were driving me mad. After and unfortunate event she finds herself spiraling. I truly believe that the characters in this book all felt like they were doing the right thing. She has a pretty toxic relationship with her mom and for good reason. Honesty and unconditional love could have helped them so much. I know of people that have dealt with child services and we all know the system can be so broken. I know this is a fictional story but so many events could and have been possible in our real world.

I will tell you this though! The end of chapter 35 I lost it. I was a sobbing mess. I really ended up loving this book even though it addresses very serious matters. Totally recommend!

This drama about motherhood is worth your valuable reading time.

It’s told in the points of three mothers.

Hannah is a widow and gets her two daughters taken away from her after leaving them in the car while she is grocery shopping.

Julie becomes the foster mom of these girls. She wants children desperately and tries to make a difference in each child she fosters.

Elaine is Hannah’s mother. She is a high powered attorney from Chicago who has come to Seattle only to find that her grandkids have been removed from Hannah’s care.

Hannah and Elaine have a tumultuous relationship.

This is a story of how well meaning actions can have serious consequences as well as the power of mental illness and its effect of being able to parent.

It’s a look at the child protection system. It shares the importance of community and the harmfulness of isolation.

It’s a riveting story with characters that will stay in my heart for a long time.

An incredible debut novel.

Wow, I really enjoyed this one. A lot of books speak very negatively about foster care and the parents that aren't able to live up to societies expectations. However, this one really shows that sometimes it is just a minor mistake in someone's life during a rough patch that gets them caught. And the children are extremely loved and wanted. Their best interests are in the minds of many individuals. This was a beautiful, impactful story.

Hannah loses her two daughters after a huge mistake, and they end up in foster care. Julie, who has longed to be a mother, takes in the two girls as their foster mom. Elaine, Hannah’s mother, who has not been in the picture in years, reemerges. All three women fight for custody of the two little girls. I loved this book. It showcases the struggles of motherhood and the need for a village. Leggett dives into the relationships between mother and daughter from many different angles. Seeing the foster system from the eyes of a foster parent was great. All the characters were deeply developed, including the two children, which was pleasant to see. The storyline kept me engaged and I wanted to keep listening. I listened to the audiobook and loved the narrator. This book examines the choices you make as a mother and explores grief, love and struggles of everyday life.

I saw this one on NetGalley, and I had to have it. The top of the description mentioned, “The silent struggles of motherhood,” and I was in. As a mom of 2 toddlers, I know the struggles all too well. 😅😴

Synopsis:

“Determined to be a better mother than her own, Hannah has devoted her life to her daughters. She ignores her increasing exhaustion and isolation as a widowed mom—until a disastrous mistake lands the girls in foster care.

Julie is single and lonely and dreams of being a mother. After infertility issues lead her to foster parenting, she falls head over heels for Hannah’s daughters. The more she bonds with these sweet, precocious girls, the more she worries about their previous home life and becomes intent on finding a way to keep them.

Recently forced into retirement, Elaine is devastated by the way her daughter, Hannah, has shut her out. When she discovers her granddaughters are in foster care, she resolves to rescue them from the system: her one chance at a parenting do-over.”

This story was heartbreaking, and beyond relatable in so, so many ways. As someone that suffered with postpartum depression, I heavily related to Hannah. She was the prime example of a woman trying to “do it all” without asking for anything. She was drowning. BUT! The way that Hadley brought all of these characters together was beautiful. There was such growth and acceptance by each character. The saying that it “takes a village” to raise kids is true, and it was amazing to watch this one take form.

I highly recommend this one, and I enjoyed the narration for the most part. Check trigger warnings, just in case.

Thank you @netgalley @hadleylegget and @brilliancepublishing for this advanced copy!

Yet another book that has moved me and made me feel things 😭

I was sucked into this story from page 1.

I may not be a mom in the traditional definition of it because I do have a fur baby (and I am not saying that fur moms have it just as hard as someone who’s given birth) who I love more than anything in the world but not just because of this but I felt a deep connection with some of the POV’s in this book.

No matter what kind of mom you are we all face tough decisions in life.

The feeling of the world crashing down around you when to world is still demanding more from you, all the world ask is everything. It wants everything from us but things still go on like normal no matter what’s happening to you the world keeps moving whether you’re ok or not.

This tugged on my heart strings in all directions.

I feel so much pain and sadness for Hannah.
I feel so much sadness and hopefulness for Julie.
I feel so much frustration and a little misunderstood for Elaine.
I feel so much love for Wren and Ivy.

I was captivated by this story and all its characters
It gives the reader insight on topics I’ve not often seen discussed in a book; Foster Care and Foster Parents, Legal situations where children are taken from possible harmful situations.

This book may have had some dark topics but it was well balanced with light and hope.

This books is beautiful and powerful and perfectly showed the power of human connection. It perfectly shows human flaws and our willingness to overcome them for the better.
This book has heart and soul and love.
So much love.
A village of it.

To quote the dedication:
“ For every mother who worries she’s not enough“
-Hadley Leggett

You ALL are enough 🫶🏻

All They Ask Is Everything is a heart wrenching story about motherhood, the demands it places on moms, and the reality that they will do anything for their children. To get through this story you’ll need to have your tissues ready, but it’ll be worth all the tears.

The writing in this story is fantastic, and the characters jump off the page. You won’t regret this read. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the author, Hadley Leggett, and Lake Union Publishing, for entrusting me with this advanced reader copy.

I also listened to the audiobook for this story, which was very well done by a single narrator. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).

Thank you to author Hadley Leggett, NetGalley, and Brilliance Audio for this advanced audiobook copy.

Wow. Just wow. What an emotional listen. I could NOT stop. The narration was perfect.

The story was painful… In a beautiful way. This story tackles motherhood, mother/daughter relationships, grief, foster care, and much more with grace yet realistically. I anticipated one of the bigger reveals because I have the same disorder! Kinda crazy to hear it mentioned. Just another little way I could personally relate to this story. I was so emotionally invested and I believe many, many others will be too. The pacing was perfect. Stories like these can tend to drag in the middle, but not this one!