How far would you go?
- Staci
- Jun 25, 2018
- 2 min read
How far would you go to protect the ones you love?
That's the burning question at the core of Emily Giffin's new novel, All We Ever Wanted, and it's that very question that will keep you turning page over page until the very end.
Nina Browning and her husband have been living life in the fast lane ever since his tech company has taken off. They have all of the trappings of a charmed life, from the nice things to the fancy parties. They, by all accounts, have it all. Things couldn't possibly get much better for the Brownings -- and then they do. Their son, Finch, gets accepted to Princeton. It's another chapter in their charmed lives.
Thomas Talone, by contrast, is a single dad who works several different jobs to make ends meet for him and his daughter, Lyla, who has been accepted the most prestigious private high school in Nashville.
These families couldn't be more different, the paths of their lives likely destined never to intersect. That is, until a scandal shakes their worlds to their core and sends these families on a crash course for one another, forcing a chasm to snake right through the middle of their world.
At a party, Finch snaps a picture of Lyla, passed out and half-naked, types out a very disturbing caption, and sends the "masterpiece" out to a few friends. As is so often the case with social media, the photo quickly spreads far beyond its intended audience, and soon the already-fractured community becomes even more divided as battle lines are drawn.
Where do loyalties lie? How far would they go to to protect their own? What would you do if you were in this situation?
All We Ever Wanted raises some very difficult questions, especially for parents, like me, who are on the brink of having to figure out how to navigate the world of teenagers, social media, and all that that combination can bring with it. It is a thoroughly engrossing read that holds up a mirror to society and forces the reader to think about some challenging topics and answer for themselves what they'd really do if they found themselves in a similar situation. It's a book that will stick with you long after you finish it. This is truly great storytelling, thought-provoking and current, with characters that
I believe this is the first of Emily Giffin's books that I've read, but I can tell you it won't be the last.
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