All We Ever Wanted
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4.2 • 158 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A Penguin Book Club Pick
The thrilling novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Comes Love raises the daunting question: In the midst of a scandal that threatens a perfect life, how far are you willing to go to protect the ones you love?
Nina Browning married a third-generation Nashvillian, enjoys a newly lavish lifestyle thanks to the sudden success of her husband's tech business and has a son, Finch, who just got accepted to Princeton.
Thomas Talone is a single dad, works multiple jobs and has a daughter, Lyla, who was recently accepted to Nashville's most prestigious private high school on a scholarship.
They couldn't be prouder.
Then scandal strikes, and the worlds of these very different families collide. Lyla passes out at a party, drunk and half-naked. Finch snaps a picture, types out a caption and click--sends it out to a few friends. The photo spreads quickly, and soon heated reactions bubble throughout the already-divided community. Before long, the families find themselves in the midst of an ethical war as their community takes sides, throws blame and implodes. The gray area between right and wrong grows thick, and Nina and Tom are forced to question every assumption they've held about love and family loyalty. Emily Giffin tells a riveting story of characters who face impossible choices--but emerge to live a life truer to themselves than they ever had before.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Would you risk everything to protect your family, regardless of the facts? This dilemma faces Nina Browning and Tom Volpe, strangers whose paths cross thanks to the complex lives of their teenage children. Emily Giffin’s flawed-but-captivating characters propel All We Ever Wanted, each heart-wrenching moment and painfully familiar conversation adding to an almost uncomfortable realism. With its multiple viewpoints, mind-bending plot twists, and exploration of scandal, Giffin’s novel is a deeply compelling and emotionally fraught read.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Giffin's stellar latest (following First Comes Love), set in Nashville, concerns the wealthy Brownings and the scandal that ensues when their Princeton-bound son Finch appears to have taken a racy photo of Lyla Volpe, a high school sophomore on scholarship at the prestigious Windsor Academy. Nina's husband Kirk grew up with money, and they're richer than ever now that he's sold his tech company. Though he's confident and charming, Nina's starting to question his character especially when Kirk doesn't want high school senior Finch to face the consequences of the photo of Lyla unconscious and exposed at a party. Though it's not revealed until later in the book who took the photo, it gets widely spread around, and the fallout is substantial. Nina wants Finch to be a good person above all, and she bristles when she learns that Kirk tried to bribe Lyla's father, Tom, to drop the issue with the school. Nina tries to right things with Tom, a carpenter who also drives an Uber to make extra cash. Tom has a huge chip on his shoulder that's exacerbated by the stresses of single parenthood, but he finds himself liking Nina despite her wealth. Meanwhile, Finch starts dating Lyla and tells her that he's covering for the person who really took the photo. Things come to a head as Nina attempts to find out whether her son is honorable or as untrustworthy as his father. Giffin's plot touches on social class and misogyny while delivering an excellent page-turning story. This satisfying novel will appeal to readers looking for a nuanced, thoughtful take on family and social dynamics.
Customer Reviews
Real, relatable, and thought provoking
This book is current to the times. A great book for teenagers and parents alike. Whether you are reading from Nina’s, Tom’s, or Lyla’s perspective, Emily Giffin has the ability to make you sympathize with each character in the moment, and identify with their turmoil. An easy and quick read, it is one you will not want to put down, and not want to end. When my daughter is older, it will be a suggested read.
Emily Giffin at her finest!
I am a huge fan of Emily Giffin - she is my favourite author. I read every single one of her books as soon as they come out, and have enjoyed them all. Some more than others, but she has a real talent. Her ability to create relatable characters is second to none. I wait so long for her new books to come out, and then I plough through them in one day! Then I'm disappointed when it's over. This book is one of the better ones she has written in quite some time.
Meh
I'm generally a big Emily Giffin fan but this book was underwhelming.