all we ever wanted by Emily Giffin

Amy      

fiction, women's fiction

In an expensive, private Nashville high school, a compromising photo of one student is posted by another student. As a result, the lives of several families get pulled into difficult situations due to the fallout and likely consequences.

I enjoyed all we ever wanted (which is, apparently, not capitalized). The situation was so believable, relevant, and hit home for me on a few levels.  I was able to step right into the story due to the fact that I spent my college years in Nashville where I experienced the private school entitled mentality coming from a less privileged background.  

The characters were interesting and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened to them. I questioned some of Tom's and Nina's parenting choices in the story but, as I read more of the novel, I mostly let them slide.  Both of them were in difficult situations and had to make decisions they felt were right. Lila also made a couple stupid choices but, as a teenager, it was more understandable.

The topics of sexual assault, boys behaving badly in high school/college, and privileged people thinking they can buy their way out of troubles are all timely and current, as is the posting of inappropriate photos.  This novel made me think deeply about these issues and consider how I might handle similar situations. I really appreciated this novel and will read more by Emily Giffin.

I listened to the audio book and the narrators were all pretty good. I do not feel that the voice of Tom was cast properly because Milton Bagby's voice is more fit for an adventure novel and also for an older person than a down-to-Earth 47-yo father.  But, his voice acting was good. I'll give him a B for this novel mostly for the poor casting which, I recognize, isn't his fault.  I give As to Dorothy Dillingham Blue and Catherine Taber (who I've heard before in Before We Were Yours and I recognized her voice immediately). They didn't have much of a challenge with this novel in the way of different voices and accents but their voice acting was good.