Emily Giffin

A Novel

All We Ever Wanted

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 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

Kristi Brockelsby

It was pretty good and engaging. The only part I didn’t like was that it felt like it was trying too hard to be local. As someone who lives in Nashville, it was a little grating at times. But I don’t think that would bother someone that doesn’t know the area.

courtney garrison

Where do I even begin? I have so many feelings over this book. It is such a favorite of mine now and gah the feels. I really didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I saw @katereadsbooks on Instagram raving about it and figured what the hell. From the beginning, I thought it was about a wealthy couple that went into marital woes and honestly I got bored with it, but then it took a dark turn and went into something completely different than what I thought.
First off major trigger warnings for rape and suicide. I wasn’t prepared or it and it caught me off guard, but it wasn’t too graphic but go into it cautiously if it’s a trigger for you.

The second trigger warning is for attempted suicide. One of the girls tries to overdose on pills because of everything that happened. So again be cautious of that is something you don’t want to read about.
All we ever wanted is told from three perspectives. You mainly read from Nina and Tom and occasionally Lila. I listened to this book on audio and each narrator did such a fantastic job and made it that much more interesting for me.

One night at a party Finch (Nina’s Son) does something very stupid. He has a taken a picture of a drunken Lyla laid out on a bed with one of her breast exposed. The picture quickly goes viral and Tom (Lyla’s Father) is quickly getting the school involved to fix this so that Finch is punished.
This book had me in waves of emotion. It is a bit of an emotional roller coaster as you go through chapter after chapter. I know for sure that Kirk can kiss my ass with his entitled and privileged self. He was one character that could have fallen off the face of the earth and I would not have missed him. He made every bloomin excuse in the book why Finch was innocent and the famous boy will be boys speech. He’s an absolute ass.

Nina had the most growth throughout this book for me. She went from being a naive rich housewife to a badass. She was not putting up with anyone’s shit anymore, she didn’t care how much money they had or their status in the community. She quickly realized that every one of her “Rich” friends were using her in their own game of what they could gain and she threw their asses to the curb. She impressed me with how she went against her husband and gave up everything to do what was needed to save Finch.
Lyla though handled everything so mish-mash. She hated Finch then she liked him, she hated Finch then she liked him. I get she’s young and naive, but she was being played like a fool and it sucked so bad to watch her be used and treated like garbage. I was so glad of how she handled things toward the end of the book, so much personal growth and maturity showed.

Tom was a confusing character at first but I quickly grew to love him. He had to been used as a paw throughout his life and just wanted to protect his daughter. He knew with him being a single father and a lower class household how hard it would be to get justice and Finch be punished. He fought like hell to get Finch punished in any way he could. He was always there for Lyla even in the difficult parts and you can’t help but respect him.

As I said above this book was an emotional roller coaster but I couldn’t put it down. Each character brought a unique perspective and thought process to the book, but were all tied together by this event. I genuinely think everybody should read this book, it is that good. I know it is now one of my favorites and will be a reread in the future.

Allie Herrington

Librarian: This book is exactly the sort of book that fits well into current Women's Lit collections. It has three highly sympathetic protagonists, a very readable style, and a timely #metoo plot line. This should slot nicely into the collections of any public library that wants to include it.
Reader: The story is an all too familiar one. Wealthy, privileged, popular teenage boy in some way violates less privileged teenage girl. It's a story that we see all to often, in the news, on tv, and, of course, in our literature. What makes this one different, is that a large portion of this story is told from the perspective of the mother of the boy in question. This makes for an interesting perspective, and one not always seen. Combine this with two other highly sympathetic protagonists (the girl and her father) and you have one very easily readable book. And that's the problem I have with this. Reading about this sort of situation should not be easy. It should be hard and painful. It should make you yell, and weep, and throw the book across the room in frustration. This does none of that. I wish it did, because there are the seeds of something extraordinary here.

______________________________ Could one bad decision tear two families apart? Everyone’s seen the compromising photo of Lyla, a scholarship kid in a prestigious private school. Everyone knows that Nina’s son, expensively prepared for success since childhood, took the photo. And everyone thinks they know who to blame. As events spiral out of control, Nina and Lyla – both outsiders in the elite social circle they inhabit – are drawn together in an unlikely bond of friendship. Because this photograph is forcing them to question who they really are – and who they are becoming. A New York Times bestseller and a mainstay of reading groups across the UK, this is a gripping novel about second chances, dark family secrets and how it’s never too late to be the person you want to be. ______________________________ What Emily's readers are saying: ‘I could not put this book down [...] gorgeously written, and moving’ – real 5-star reader review ‘this truly affected me on so many levels [...] [I] finished this book in one day’ – real 5-star reader review ‘I love Lyla. Everything about her rings true to today's high school girl’ – real 5-star reader review ‘I love Emily Giffin’s books, but this one has to be my favourite [...] I’m sad it’s over’ – real 5-star reader review ‘This latest novel by Emily Giffin is quite the page turner! This was a one day read for me [...] timely and thought provoking’ – real 5-star reader review ‘I absolutely love the characters that Emily creates and her stories are so true-to-life. A must read!’ – real 5-star reader review ‘Finished in two days! Really loved it and it kept me hooked throughout’ – real 5-star reader review ‘I read it in two days because I couldn’t put it down. Thought provoking, timely [...] this book is a gem!’ – real 5-star reader review ‘masterfully addresses the influence of social media and exposure on teens, family, and community, class [...] smooth, believable, and never heavy-handed [...] and a perfect book club read’ – real 5-star reader review ______________________________ 'Irresistible... All We Ever Wanted will sink its teeth into you immediately and refuse to let go until the novel's thrilling conclusion' – PopSugar 'If you’re looking for a book about romance, single parenthood, race, gender injustice, lost love, or high-class privilege, this novel is for you... All We Ever Wanted is an emotional journey that forces readers to think' – Associated Press 'All We Ever Wanted is a summer read with substance that will seriously make you think' – HelloGiggles 'Stellar... Giffin’s plot touches on social class and misogyny while delivering an excellent page-turning story' – Publishers Weekly 'Emily Giffin is the ultimate smart-girl beach read goddess' – Well+Good 'All We Ever Wanted is the book everyone will be talking about this summer.' – PopSugar

Robin M Cabana

While this is an interesting story about a very modern social media scandal, what stood out to me is how this book so realistically dives into what women tell themselves about how they need to be, what they need to be for others, and how they need to act. It’s so sad but also very true.

Caitlin Snyder

(+) I really liked the focus of this book. What is correct the balance between protecting your kid and allowing them to learn the lessons that come from taking responsibility when they do something wrong?

(-) The materialism aspect was a bit stereotypical but it did make sense in the context of the story.

"In the new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Comes Love and Something Borrowed, a woman is forced to choose between her family and her most deeply held values. Nina Browning is living the good life after marrying into Nashville's elite. Her husband's tech business is booming, and her adored son, Finch, is bound for Princeton. Tom Volpe is a single dad working multiple jobs. His adored daughter, Lyla, attends Nashville's most prestigious private school on a scholarship. But amid the wealth and privilege, Lyla doesn't always fit in. Then one devastating photo changes everything. Finch snaps a picture of Lyla passed out at a party, adds a provocative caption, and sends it to a few friends. The photo spreads like wildfire, and before long, an already divided community is buzzing with scandal and assigning blame. In the middle of it all, Nina finds herself relating more to Tom's reaction than her own husband's--and facing an impossible choice"--

a novel

All we ever wanted

Dorian Avers

I liked this book. I almost stopped at the very beginning because of how disgusting both Finch and his father behaved when the Lyla situation happened. But I remembered that just because there are unlikable characters, it does not mean it's a bad book. Although cliched-rich family screws over poor family, and will most likely get away with it, it was a good read. I thought the characters seemed pretty realistic and they each had their own voice. I also liked that you weren't completely sure which of the teenagers were telling the truth, the parents were pretty transparent. I did think that Tom had some contradictory behaviors. Like how he stormed into the school demanding info, but he was fine with letting Lyla hang out with Finch.


Quotes:
*"Justice isn't only about what a person DESERVES, but also about what a person NEEDS" (151)
*" 'You really hate him, don't you?...Since when?'...'Since the night I met him. When he cheated in putt-putt...He was keeping the scorecard' "(227-228)
*** [When Polly attempts suicide] " 'Her MOM's pills and DAD's booze...I wonder now whether the combination was purposeful. Polly's one-two punch to her parents, whom she felt she couldn't talk to in a crisis. Or, maybe, actually, her relationship with them was more like mine with my dad. Maybe Polly loved her parents so much that she would rather die than see shame on their faces.

Abby Hoggatt

This book was interesting to think about, and I was invested the whole time, but it just made so mad.

Elizabeth Raines

Not the best book but not the worst. Chapter lengths not consistent, don’t really know if that’s a thing to complain about. Characters were flat, I didn’t feel any real emotional ties to them, didn’t care what happened. It was an entertaining story though and went by quickly!

Emily C Peterson

Megan Leprich

I have yet to find a Emily Giffin book that I have not enjoyed. I love her writing style and I love the subjects that she writes about.

This book is about Nina, a small town girl that married Kirk, a man from old money who sold his tech business making a fortune. Their son Finch has just been accepted into Princeton and they seem to be the perfect family. 

The other protagonist, Tom, is a single father trying to raise his headstrong daughter Lyla while barely making ends meet as a carpenter and doing odd jobs around town. Lyla doesn’t fit in with the rest of the kids at her upperclass elite school and having an overprotective father doesn’t help.

Then one picture taken at a party changes everything and the two families are thrown together in ways they never would have imagined.

This was a great book and I’m thankful to Random House Publishing Group for sending me a copy for my review.

Amanda Furlan

Tiffany Engler

tw: sexual assualt, attempted suicide


This is my first Emily Giffin book, and I’m shocked! I honestly bought this book because of it’s gorgeous cover. I had no idea what this book was about. This story gripped me in from page one. This is a tough story, one that happens every day. This is a story that everyone needs to read. It’s placed as “women’s fiction” but reads like a young adult novel. The writing was very easy to read. It was quick to get through, it took me about two days.

Please keep in mind the trigger warning for this book as it does deal with rather difficult topics.

Read my full review HERE

Kourtney

Whoa - Emily Giffin has become an author that I really enjoy reading. Her first few books left me wondering what the fuss was about (but let's face it - I'm not into reading about cheating). But all her recent books that I have read have me hooked and wondering what will happen next. I cannot turn the pages fast enough!

This story has me so very scared. In the world of social media being king, a picture taken of a passed out girl gets sent around a private school world - and it's one that I am so very afraid of given that I am raising a daughter. The story is told with 3 narrators: 1) Nina - the mom of the boy who took the picture and sent it around, 2) Tom - the father of the girl who had the picture taken of her and 3) Lyla - the girl in the picture. Giffin did very well with changing the viewpoint with each chapter, and making it distinct enough that you knew who was narrating at that time and could seamlessly jump to the next chapter with the different narrator without a problem. 

I highly recommend this one for all Emily Giffin fans, and parents raising their kids in the social media age. I know for me, this opened my eyes to things I not only need to teach my daughter, but also my newborn son. 

I received this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Joleen

This arc was provided to me for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

3.5 Stars

All We Ever Wanted focuses on Nina, a privileged mother whose son, Finch is involved with photographing and spreading an inappropriate photo of his classmate, Lyla around. When Tom, Lyla's dad hears about it, the 4 are then forced to come together to deal with the aftermath. With lies, betrayal, and fighting for the truth, this story will have you on your toes.

More often than not, I have an appreciation for an author when they take a serious issue and bring it to life. Because they are then shedding new light on a topic that needs to be discussed. So for that, I did enjoy this book.

However, I did only enjoy certain aspects of the book. Maybe it's because I don't necessarily agree with how either of the parents handled certain situations. And I for one would have liked for consequences for a certain individual. But I don't want to give too much away.

But if you like Emily Giffin, I don't think you will be disappointed. She really knows how to tell a good story.

Ana Couto

If there’s one book that definitely lives up to the hype, it’s All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. This book is SO GOOD. Not only is it a great exploration of all kinds of relationships (romantic, parental, friendships), but it also deals with important issues pertaining to race, class, sexism, and sexual assault — all in a super authentic, realistic way. I could not put it down. One of my favorite reads for 2018.

Emily Christensen

I don’t recommend listening to this book as an Audiobook - horrible narrators with bad fake southern accents.

Gabbi Miller

rebecca

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 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

All We Ever Wanted A Novel

Reviews