NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this riveting novel from the #1 bestselling author of Something Borrowed and First Comes Love, three very different people must choose between their families and their most deeply held values. . . . “An unpredictable page-turner that unfolds in the voices of three superbly distinct characters.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution • “A gripping, thought-provoking … Journal-Constitution • “A gripping, thought-provoking journey.”—Jodi Picoult
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THESKIMM
Nina Browning is living the good life after marrying into Nashville’s elite. More recently, her husband made a fortune selling his tech business, and their adored son has been accepted to Princeton.
Yet sometimes the middle-class small-town girl in Nina wonders if she’s strayed from the person she once was.
Tom Volpe is a single dad working multiple jobs while struggling to raise his headstrong daughter, Lyla. His road has been lonely, long, and hard, but he finally starts to relax after Lyla earns a scholarship to Windsor Academy, Nashville’s most prestigious private school.
Amid so much wealth and privilege, Lyla doesn’t always fit in—and her overprotective father doesn’t help—but in most ways, she’s a typical teenaged girl, happy and thriving.
Then, one photograph, snapped in a drunken moment at a party, changes everything. As the image spreads like wildfire, the Windsor community is instantly polarized, buzzing with controversy and assigning blame.
At the heart of the lies and scandal, Tom, Nina, and Lyla are forced together—all questioning their closest relationships, asking themselves who they really are, and searching for the courage to live a life of true meaning.
Praise for All We Ever Wanted
“Page-turning . . . Timely and thought-provoking, it’s Giffin’s best yet.”—People
“Giffin’s novel has style and substance . . . . Truly excellent.”—The Washington Post
“If you’re looking for a book club selection, All We Ever Wanted is bound to spark meaningful and meaty discussions.”—The Augusta Chronicle
“A page-turning exploration of wealth and privilege.”—Entertainment Weekly
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This is a perfect summer read. It’s thought provoking and an easy to relate to novel. I found myself thinking about it long after I finished it.
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. A must-read for every mother, wife, and teenage girl. A mother shows tough love when her son makes a horrible mistake.
Riveting and poignant, Emily Giffin’s latest novel paints an impossible dilemma that will make readers ponder hard questions about loyalty and love. I was captivated by every page.
A timely and absorbing portrait of the complexities of modern life… This is Emily Giffin at her very best.
A gripping, thought-provoking journey.
This book exhausted me emotionally…almost too many issues to tackle in one book. Materialism/social class, teenage sexting/bullying, racism, parent/child relationships and doing the right thing even if it hurts the ones you love.
One thing I did feel was that the initial response of the girl’s father to the central offense (sexting pics) could have been stronger and more proactive (maybe that’s just me speaking from how I feel I would have reacted). And I was not satisfied with the outcome, but felt there could be no perfect resolution there. Was justice served? Plenty of “what-would-I-have-done” moments for me as a mom in connecting with Nina. In the end, no one came out unscathed.
This one made you think, and isn’t that what a good book should do?
Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse/#BallantineBooks for the ARC. The opinions are my own.
Intense read about an all to common story. Well written and very believable story line. Uncomfortable story for parents, but, sadly, all to familiar. Characters are human, situations realistic, actions are deplorable.
Teenagers that go to a pricey private school, attend an unauthorized and unsupervised party. Drinking to excess, and stupid and irresponsible decisions are made. Single Dad, Tom, is holding down 3 jobs will taking care of his daughter, Lyla. Kirk and Nina are living the wealthy life and their only child, Finch, is born with a silver spoon in his mouth with no accountability. This story will take you on a ride that could be taken from today’s newspapers. Not to give any spoilers, but two endings to different story lines. One will disgust you, and one will restore your faith.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.
Another wonderful book by Emily Giffin
Entertaining yet almost painfully relevant, this novel explores the ripple effect of a single bad choice. Class consciousness, privilege, and family dynamics all come into play. A book to read along with your teenager!
Emily Giffin creates a believable and intricate story of haves and have-nots, in this digital age story. Every time you think you know what happened, you don’t. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Even though the story line is nothing new~Rich kid versus poor kid…. she put a lot of layers on her characters and you end up being surprised on who you cheer for-if you enjoy Kristin Hannah books, you’ll enjoy this one.
Nina Browning lives a very comfortable life being married to Kirk, one of Nashville’s elite. Their son, Finch is on his way to Princeton having done exceptionally well at Windsor Academy, the city’s prestigious private school. Tom Volpe is a single father and a skilled carpenter. He lives modestly on the east side of town and his daughter, Lyla has excelled scholastically, earning a scholarship to Windsor. The Browning’s and Volpe’s worlds intersect following an unfortunate night at a party where both their children attended.
This was an extremely troubling but compelling story told through the eyes of Nina, Tom and Lyla. Contemporary issues involving sexting, teenage drinking, social bullying and traditional tensions between those that have and others that have less. Nina is a bridge to both worlds as she comes from more humble beginnings and can empathize with Lyla’s circumstances. It puts her at odds with her husband whose only goal is to help his son evade the consequences of his behavior, furthering instilling his sense of entitlement. Tom struggles with Lyla, who doesn’t think what happened was a big deal, to get her to understand how she’s been harmed and how her view will ultimately imperil her self value.
I loved how this story unfolded, made even more powerful by having Lyla’s point of view. All of the characters were changed by what happened, Nina most profoundly as it forced her to take an unfiltered look at her life. It felt real though some of the people in her world seemed a bit caricature, but it illustrated the salient points effectively. Everyone was trying to do the best for their children but not all actions were in their best interests.
I found all three narrators’ performances outstanding. It felt as though they were inhabiting the skin of their characters. This is an important story I literally couldn’t put down, essentially finishing it in one day. I wavered on whether to listen to this one and I’m so glad my instincts pushed me in the right direction. And that thought provoking ending was truly the best final touch.
How do you move forward after unspeakable tragedy? Maggie has moved to a new town and reinvented herself as a makeup artist when her past catches up with her. This is a story of a heart needing to mend, and the author is great at both teasing and rewarding us. I did think she wrapped it up a bit fast, from the last chapter to the epilogue could have used more winding down. But great characters, great tension, lovely descriptions, and deep emotion. A fine book.
I just devoured Emily Giffin’s All We Ever Wanted. Emily is a new author to me, and I received this book through NetGalley. This will not be my last Emily Griffin book. I was hooked from the beginning. This book explores current problems such as teenagers and sexting, parenting issues, ….There are strong characters who need to decide right from wrong and figure out if there is redemption. The reader develops strong feelings for the characters in this book. I predict this book will be a huge success!
It has been a while since I’ve read an Emily Giffin novel and was glad to be reminded of her lovely, honest, heartfelt story telling in women’s fiction. This particular book was, to me, one of second chances told from three different points of view; two parents and a child. Second chances for three different people who have all made choices for which they are not proud. It was particularly poignant to read as it’s also a coming of age story for the teenage girl who holds a point of view. Having a daughter knocking on the door of teenager’dom some of the aspects Giffin deals with in our world of constantly changing technology and the various ways teenagers use it really hit home for me.
There’s a lot at stake at this time in a teens life, not only for said teenager but for parents too. So much information is publicized during a time that’s already so critical for adolescents it’s confounding as a parent on how to navigate. What Giffin has done with All We Ever Wanted, quite boldly and brilliantly I might add, reminds those of us who are compassionate what’s really important in the grand scheme of things: kindness, recognition of self worth, healthy relationships, and strong morals. Fostering the beauty in our relationships no matter the circumstances. This author reminds us of the cruelty of others while also showing how that gets convoluted with the novelty of flashy things. Giffin’s empathy shining through this story is what made it that much better for me and kept me ensconced. Through the trials of these three characters I was rooted in love (although it was hidden sometimes), forgiveness, kindness, and understanding. I felt like a confused parent; judged and worried. I felt like a triumphant one; confident and compassionate.
In some areas I felt some unneeded detail or action and I also found the conflict rising and resolution overly detailed it didn’t take detract from the overall experience. I do wish a few things would have been tied up a little more specifically but I also think that’s my readers preference. I wouldn’t call this story my favorite story I’ve ever read but I do wholly appreciate how it made me feel and strengthened my own view on raising a teenage girl. It’s a story I won’t soon forget. The joy of reading this book came from those emotions mentioned above Giffin so eloquently elicits. From this unique book and how she chose to tell this story from the multiple points of view, comes a great story that anyone who is a fan of women’s fiction will relate to and appreciate.
Entitled teenagers, booze and absent parents. What can go wrong?! Emily Giffen takes a tawdry story through twists and turns and interesting character development.
Awesome book. Awesome writer
The story makes you think and wish that it could not happen in real life but my guess is in some shape or form it not only can but does and hopefully in real life there is a happy ending as there is in this book. I’m glad I read it.
So well written I could empathize with characters who represent the antithesis of what I believe in.
All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin is a departure from her usual sweet romantic stories. Don’t go into this thinking that is what you will be reading. But, that said, this was a book that I did not want to put down, I needed to know more. There were little twists and turns throughout and right before I would decide to be done for the time being, something would happen and I would have to keep reading! The story revolves around an inappropriate photo taken at a teen party. It is told from the point-of-view of the main girl, Lyla, her father, and the main boy’s mom. There is good character development, I definitely knew enough to intensely dislike a few of them and to be rooting for others.