A charming coming-of-age novel set in London, this story follows Anna, a working-class American who arrives with dreams shaped by classic literature but is quickly confronted with reality. Struggling to make ends meet, she’s drawn into the opulent world of the wealthy students she tutors, eventually whisked away to St. Tropez by a privileged family. As she navigates a whirlwind of excess, romance, and poor decisions, Anna grapples with identity, class, and privilege. While the novel touches on weighty themes, it maintains a light, engaging tone. The second half shines as Anna finds her footing, embracing her background gracefully and self-acceptably. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Group for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

All That Life Can Afford is a beautifully crafted novel that deftly navigates themes of ambition, love, and personal growth. The author’s vivid prose pulls you into the characters' worlds, making it hard to put the book down. A wonderful exploration of life’s complexities and choices.

I expected to love this book based on the synopsis but is was so flat and one dimensional that it was a struggle to finish.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ OMG I loooooved this book! All That Life Can Afford was one of my most anticipated April releases, and I’m so happy to report it definitely lived up to the hype I created in my mind.

This was everything I love in a book. Coming of age stories are some of my favorites and this one was incredible. I loved Anna’s character growth throughout the book. Of course the romance storyline was a huge part of why I loved this book so much, but I also really appreciated the subtle nods to Jane Austen’s book and Anna’s journey into the education field. Even though it was completely different than mine, I loved that connection! The themes of class and wealth and the part they play in social standings was just fascinating to read. This book was one of those literary fiction reads that doesn’t read like lit fic… super easy to get into and understand. I absolutely recommend!

An impressive debut, and perhaps perfect for fans of Rooney's writing style and themes and last year's The Rachel Incident, All That Life Can Afford is a well executed coming of age story that explores themes on money and social class, the poor and privileged and what happens when the pull of wealth and the doors money seems to open are too hard to resist.

I enjoyed this book but for me it's less a win then it will be for the perfect audience. I truly recommend it if you like the books/style of writing I noted above (alas I do not) so my struggle is with not being the right reader, not the book itself. I don't vibe with the kind of alienated feeling I get when I read books like this, the disillusioned young person who sees the world through a rather chaotic and bitter lens but who also seems just stuck and unable to figure out how to get unstuck. I am not a pull yourself up by the bootstraps person, that's ugh to me, but I am someone who wants young people to find their drive, to see their value, to stop hiding behind the worry of not being someone else/not being good/rich/popular/savvy enough to deserve more. Perhaps I see this too often with young people I teach and it's a very real perspective and experience I see, perhaps that is why it was less enticing to read (as I read to escape!). Everett does capture the voice of young people well and this is overall a recommended book if you love the current style I see coming from GenZ style writers today.

I really enjoyed this coming-of-age story. The main character is real and relatable, and her backstory lends urgency to her situation. The details of the world she's attempting to inhabit feel right on, and the characters are well developed.

This was a good book. When I think about what it would be like to suddenly have a bunch of rich friends, I think it would be like this - fun for awhile, but eventually the reality sets in that their lives just aren’t reality for the rest of us. Money just sets them apart and they really can’t understand how clueless they are. Some of the thematic comparisons to Austen’s books were a little over the top, but in general this book was just really nice to read - I really wanted Anna to have a good life. I’m glad she got one (sorry, spoiler).

I loved this book! ALL THAT LIFE CAN AFFORD follows Anna, a recent college graduate who moves to London to pursue a master’s in literature and work as an SAT prep tutor. Most of her students are wealthy British teens who dream of getting into American colleges, including Pippa, whose mother invites Anna to the family’s Saint-Tropez home over winter break. Anna soon becomes swept up in the world of Pippa’s older sister Faye and her charming friends, including the intelligent Callum and the charismatic Theo. In France, Anna is treated as “the help,” but when the group returns to London, a lie of omission by Theo offers Anna the chance to reinvent herself. Will Anna’s longing for acceptance come at too high a cost?

ALL THAT LIFE CAN AFFORD was a wonderful debut! I loved the London setting and how readers truly get to see the city, and the glamorous world Anna gets drawn into, through her eyes. We embark with her on her travels to Saint-Tropez and Lisbon, go to lavish dinners and entertaining parties, wonder if she will be able to keep up the facade she creates. I enjoyed how the story felt like a coming-of-age narrative and a romance all at once, while also being reminiscent of classic novels from the likes of Jane Austen. Everett does a masterful job of fleshing out Anna’s character and her fears of not belonging anywhere—not at Smith College, where she was a working-class local among affluent out-of-town students, not in London, where she again feels out of place among her new friends. She’s also coping with the grief caused by the sudden loss of her mom, and a fractured relationship with her dad, who still lives an ocean away in Massachusetts. Even when she’s tangled in a web of secrets and lies, Anna is still an easy character to connect to, and you’ll hope she manages to figure things out. Overall, I’d recommend ALL THAT LIFE CAN AFFORD—Emily Everett is definitely an author to watch! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Anna made it happen: out of an impoverished upbringing, she has pushed her way through to London, the place she and her mother dreamed of. London isn't the J.M. Barrie version, but Anna has vowed that she'll make it her own regardless. As she struggles to make ends meet working as a tutor and part-time bartender to pay student loans and finish her Master's program, she cherishes well-deserved picnics with friends on Parliament Hill, where the view of modern London still brings her joy, and free or low-cost activities like exploring unfamiliar neighborhoods and churches. While Anna is no stranger to poverty, it would really help to have enough money to pay for train fares without worrying about getting kicked off, or making enough to keep her student visa.

When the ultra-rich Wilders need an SAT tutor for their daughter, Pippa, Anna takes the job. One stint of work turns into a winter trip to St. Tropez, where Anna is exposed to another side of life and the people who inhabit the world of privilege. Pippa's sister Faye makes Anna her pet; instead of keeping things professional, Anna is easily pulled into a glamorous life, where money is never a problem. Unfortunately, the lure that attracted Anna hides wicked barbs.

Anna straddles her former life and job and tries to maintain her upscale lifestyle, but the gap is too large. Friendships are strained, whether by neglect or by deceit. What will happen when the bottom falls out?

I really loved this book for its honest depiction of what life for struggling students at or below the poverty line. I also appreciated the balance of characters at both end of the wealth spectrum who manage to be decent human beings. This is a great Bildungsroman, but what makes it great for me is Anna's reflective musings on the lives of great characters in English literature. I imagine that readers who haven't delved into the books Everett mentions will definitely jump in to some classic greats.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for access to the ARC. Opinions herein are my own; I don't get compensation for my reviews.

I had a really hard time connecting to the characters here, which is too bad because I love London. I won't be posting my review as a result.

Anna loves London. She grew up poor and gets the chance to be with the rich. This was a coming of age story where she makes bad choices and learns about herself and grows. It was decent. Nothing groundbreaking but I did enjoy.

I’m a sucker for books about the lives of the ultra wealthy and this did not disappoint! I really loved the main character, Anna and was rooting for her to find her happiness.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

3.5 stars rounded down
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, and all due to the FMC, Anna. I liked her at first and felt great sympathy for her situation, however as the book progressed, I started to really dislike her. You know where it's going to end up as soon as she starts making some stupid choices. And they ARE choices - she could have come clean at any time but chose not to. She could have simply texted a request to Faye but chose not to. I loved the character of Callum, someone she chose to involve in her deception after he's asked her not to. She completely abandoned her real friends and she's lucky they forgave her so easily at the end. I really liked the writing style, though, and even though the second half disappointed me, I would read more by this author.

Set in 2009 London, Anna has moved abroad after her mother's death to pursue her master’s degree. She takes a job tutoring the teenage daughter of a wealthy family, soon becoming entangled in their luxurious lifestyle and elite social scene. As she navigates love, friendship, and personal growth, Anna finds herself changed in unexpected ways. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had been in a significant reading slump so far in 2025 and this book single-handedly resurrected me - I could not believe this was Everett's debut title! Not only was her writing style compelling and compulsive, but I found myself relating to so much of Anna and her story. As an American Anglophile, I romanticize a life living in London much like Anna did. In addition to this, her love of the classics and British literature (who among us didn't have a phase spent obsessed with Jane Austen?) spoke to me and my youth.

Though the book was a touch predictable, I found that Everett provided something that everyone who picks up the book could enjoy - a love triangle, family drama, a coming of age story, transport to countries near and far, a taste of luxury. I appreciated the way Everett used cultural references (i.e. Chelsea Made, Pride & Prejudice, etc.) to mirror the high-low juxtaposition that Anna found herself in.

Heading to London in the spring and this novel put me in the most exciting headspace to visit some of Anna's touchpoints! Can't wait for the release of this one - have already been recommending to anyone who will listen!

A sweet coming of age story set in 2009 London. There is bit of drama, romance, and some beautiful scenes of London and historical context of literature in London.

Anna, is a working class American, who is is studying in London and gets swept away by the lavish lifestyles of the students (and their families) she tutors. She connects with a wealthy tutee whose family invite her to St. Tropez where she meets a cast of 'friends' in the upper class community who she struggles to keep up with. She makes some bad decisions in her efforts to improve her station and fit in with this new group.

The book highlights some important themes - grief, class, and privilege, but still the book has a lightness to it - just touching on these themes in a realistic but not overly heavy way.

The second half of the story picked up quite a bit for me and I loved seeing the arc of her journey - coming to terms with her own identity and embracing her background in a way that was delightful to see.

3 1/2 Stars Rounded Up

Thank you very much to Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

At once entertaining and annoying, All That Life Can Afford features a semi-despicable heroine who had apparently never learned about ethics, trust, love, forgiveness and honesty. When life changes for the better, she still doesn’t seem to appreciate and understand those who brought her to that possibility of happiness so it was difficult for me to celebrate for her. Four stars for the entertainment value of this quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a delightful read! A coming of age story of a young girl from humble beginnings thrust into the life of excess and wealth having to navigate the pitfalls that inevitably come along with that. It was lovely to read of so many far off destinations while saying cozy in my own home.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my EARC.

A beautifully written coming-of-age novel about a young American woman who grew up in poverty. After her mother dies, Anna moves to London to complete her master’s degree. While working as a tutor for a wealthy family’s teenage daughter, Anna gets swept up in the family’s lavish lifestyle and social circle, finding and losing love, friendships and herself in the process. I loved it!

Themes: Love triangle, wealth, privilege, poverty, class, travel, England, literature, friendship, finding yourself

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

All that Life can afford follows Anna, an American who has long dreamed of traveling to London. Attending a Master’s program in London has made her dreams possible, but moving abroad isn’t as glamorous as it seemed, as she constantly struggles with her finances. When a client’s family offers her a tutoring gig in Saint Tropez, she jumps at the opportunity. While there, it’s easy to pretend that she is part of this extravagant and lavish life her client’s family is living, but she struggles to balance her charade of being wealthy with her reality when she returns to London. How long can she pretend before her newfound friends realize her truth?

All That Life Can Afford is bit outside of my usual genre, but I’m so glad that I decided to read it! As an American teaching abroad, I immediately emphasized with Anna. The story had a bit of slow start, but it picks up once she arrives in Saint Tropez. This novel explores the relationship between class and identity quite well. Overall, this is a great coming-of-age story! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.