5 Stars

Nothing But It All is a heartwrenching/heartwarming story that shows love can and will conquer everything that is put in its path. It is beautifully written, full of raw emotion, absolutely wonderful characters, and will make anyone that has ever been through a divorce question whether they really did try all they could to make their own marriage work.

Angela - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

A good read that had me smiling loved Harvey and Snaps. Great looking at the intergenerational relationships too.

Thank you to the publisher @netgalley for a copy of this marriage in crisis romance. I don't read too many stories with older couples especially one that is married for 20 years. I love how real this story is about a couple growing apart with focusing on raising a family. You feel the pain the Lauren goes through as she is unappreciated and feels invisible. Despite being a heavier read, there's a lot of humor in it too. The children, grandpa and the puppy brings a lot of depth to the story. I love the forced proximity of a secluded cabin to make them rediscover each other.

Nothing But It All
Author- Adriana Locke
Series- Standalone
Rating- 4 Stars out of 5
Genres- Contemporary Romance
Tropes- Second Chance, Small Town, Marriage in Trouble, Blue Collar, Lake House, Parent Trap-esque Meddling
Main Characters- Lauren and Jack
Spice Level- 2/5
HEA

When I started reading Nothing But It All earlier this week I thought I'd just start the first few chapters to get an idea of whether I'd like the book or not... I didn't expect to stay up well past when I intended to go to bed, because I couldn't put the book down, NEEDING to know what was going to happen. I won't lie this book didn't have any huge twists and turns, it had it's moments of predictability but it was an enjoyable romance. Two people learning how to fall back in love with one another again is always a sweet romance.

When I started this book, I actually had no idea what it was about. I went into it completely blind and I am so glad I did. Not knowing what I was getting ready to read I think made it more impactful for me. I have not read many "marriage in trouble" trope books, but this one was written so well. Lauren feels like she has the weight the world on her shoulders. Taking care of the house, kids, being a good mom and wife. Feeling utterly alone because her Jack, her husband has lost site of his priorities. When Lauren decide to finally take charge and make her life out of something so she can be independent... jack realizes that maybe he needs to realign his priorities.

I loved that right out the gate we get to see the raw emotions of being a struggling mom. I truly appreciate when I can connect to a female main character struggling with real life issues. Feeling lonely and underappreciated. I love that the kids tricked the parents into spending a weekend away in hope of saving their marriage and forcing them to attempt to figure their things out. The two teenagers were funny and I loved them just as much as our two main characters. This was beautifully written and I absolutely loved it!!

Nothing But It All is a second chance love story by Adriana Locke. It is the story of Jack and Lauren, a married couple who is trying to figure out how to rekindle the spark in their relationship.

Jack and Lauren might be married on paper, but they really are living two separate lives based on how things are going. Jack is focused on business and Lauren is taking care of things at home and with their two teenaged kids. The kids, Michael and Maddie, are awesome and play such a big role in this entire story.

While Jack and Lauren absolutely had their share of problems, the connection and chemistry was definitely there. The way that Locke went about writing this story had me cheering for this couple and wanting the absolute best for them. Throw in the rest of the family and the dynamics they bring as well, the aforementioned kids above, and it just adds to it.

This was a really, really beautifully written story and one I'd recommend picking up!

**I read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Cant go wrong with a book by Adriana Locke. I have enjoyed everyone she has written and this is no exception. This is Lauren & Jack's story. They have been married awhile and have two teenagers and have let things go in their marriage. Lauren is ready to file for divorce, but her kids and father in law coerce her and Jack to their lake cabin for two weeks. Jack has received a wake up call when he finds out of the possible divorce and will do anything to fix what went wrong in their marriage. Absolutely loved this book!

“A man standing at the sink, shirtless, doing dishes.”

Is something I think a lot of us would appreciate, I know I would! 😆

Lauren and Jack have been married for 20 years and it seems time has not been good to them.

“We aren’t even passing ships in the night. We’re more like trains operating on different continents.”

Life has gotten in the way, Jack’s business that he built from the ground up, two teenagers and their busy after school activities and all the other things that needs to be done. Lauren feels like she doesn’t even know her husband anymore, let alone her own self. And the only way she feels she can move forward is by getting a divorce.

Michael and Maddie, Lauren and Jack’s kids are not ready to give up just yet though. With the help of their Grandfather, they scheme up a plan to get the whole family together in their lake house in Story Brook, Ohio. They’re hoping that their parents figure out their issues and fall back in love, if not then atleast they’ll get one last summer together.

OMG! I love this book so much! I read it one sitting! Forget all the things that needs to be done at home, feed yourselves kids! 😆

I think that at one point in our lives, especially if you’ve been with someone for so long and if you have kids as well that you’ve felt some of what both Lauren and Jack felt. I think Adriana did a great job of describing those feelings. That feeling of loving your family and doing that you can for them but also feeling like you’re doing everything and no one seeing you. The feeling that every one gets a choice to do whatever you want but you get stuck doing things because everyone knows you’re gonna do it for them.

I can keep going on and on about all the things I felt about this book and I wouldn’t be able to stop so you’re just gonna have to read it for yourself.

A small town, second chance, marriage in peril romance that will make you cry, laugh and fall in love all over again.

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 is an emotional an authentic marriage in crisis romance by Adriana Locke sure to tug on your heartstrings. After 20 years of marriage, Jack and Lauren are basically roommates living separate lives. As his business pulled him away, she pleaded with him to make time for the family, but Lauren has reached her breaking point. With her own business now, she’s ready to move on. Can one last-minute family vacation organized by two meddling kids and one wily grandfather be enough to remind Jack and Lauren why they fell in love with each other in the first place?

I loved this real look inside a long-term marriage, as a couple gets busy and complacent, and takes each other for granted. Yes, it seems like Jack is the main culprit, but nothing is 100% one-sided in a marriage. I just love the authentic emotions, the compelling characters, the top notch banter, the fun meddling, the gut-punch of a twist I didn’t want to see. Life is complicated, and we hit rough patches sometimes. It’s how you respond to those watershed moments that matters. This book captures in such an entertaining way! I wish it wasn’t over… I want more of these wonderful characters!!

I received an ARC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

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I find something so riveting about love stories that start after the proverbial HEA, with couples well beyond the falling, well into the struggles and challenges of STAYING in love. Nothing But It All gives us the story of a 20-year marriage in trouble. It’s a beautiful and emotional story of falling BACK in love, and learning about growing together and not apart.

I love the depiction of Jack and Lauren’s challenges. A couple who were once MADLY in love, who were living an enviable happily ever after. But like so many couples before them, love brought marriage and children and responsibilities and so much living. And over time, little sacrifices, little identity compromises, and the pressures of growing older and raising a family create little fissures in their connection, fissures that tear and tear a tiny bit over time. This isn’t a couple who has some loud or dramatic betrayal or falling out- it’s a couple who has quietly but painfully been growing apart. Now two people who couldn’t have been more madly in love are practically estranged in their own marriage- strangers who have their own silent frustrations and challenges.

I appreciated how realistic their challenges are, and also how neither is villainized. You empathize with both characters, understand how they both got where they are. I love how their whole family gets in on the action to help them want to recommit to making it work (has a little parent trap vibes). Watching a couple fall back in love, remembering what brought them together, and starting to heal and find a path forward is so rewarding in a love story. There are some emotional moments, but given the stakes it’s actually not too heavy of a story (if only it were that easy for all of us- but that’s why it’s romance!), and it was quite sweet and swoony all in all.

Nothing But It All takes the troubled marriage concept without making someone the evil villain, combined with mischievous teens (and their doting grandpa) to “parent trap” Jack and Lauren into falling back in love. It was well done and an enjoyable, heartfelt read. I’ve loved many of Adriana’s previous books and this one was a deeper read, still funny in the way her books tend to be, but it felt like there were higher stakes involved. Jack and Lauren clearly still loved each other but allowed their own insecurities and other commitments get in the way of spending time together. I recommend this one if you enjoy a small town romance with all the feels.
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

So uhm, yeah.. this book made me cry. Haven’t sobbed unexpectedly like that in a while. I was crying in voice notes to my friends about what happened and how it hit me. They were all so concerned for me, it was bad. I was a mess, straight up. 😅

So thanks, Adriana for hurting me the way you did, I’ll be sending you my therapy bill. 😂😂

Back to the book though, so uhm yeah clearly I liked it, and clearly it hit me in my feels. This is a marriage in trouble trope, which was new to me. I think Adriana did a phenomenal job with the trope (see previous comments about losing my 💩). You could feel how much Jack and Lauren loved each other and really still wanted each other. Sometimes life and goals, and other things get in the way and sometimes it can really impact your relationships if you’re not careful and you’re not communicating effectively. I was just really rooting for Lauren and Jack to find their groove again, throughout the book.

Listened to the audiobook as well, and loved the narrators performances for the characters. They nailed it. It’s probably another big reason why I broke down the way I did. They played their characters so well, that it resonated with me, and I couldn’t hold back the tears.

Highly recommend this if you love marriage in trouble, redemption stories that captivate your heart. 💕

I wish I was the type of person who does those really in-depth, detailed reviews. Alas, I'm more of a vibes girlie and when I say this one has ALL of them, I do not jest. I spent a good portion of this book bawling my eyes out, but I need you to know, it's not SAD. You just FEEL so much for both of them. Will I read it again? Oh god I don't know. I hate crying. But it is SPECTACULAR and one of the best books I've ever read.

Marriage in distress is one of my favorite tropes and I loved this one.

The characters are a little older than what I normally read when it comes to this trope but I loved it all the same.

Lauren and Jack have a long way to make their way back to each other but with the help of their meddling kids and Jack's father they're able to see that their relationship is worth saving.

I devoured this book and couldn't put it down!

What a great story of how life can get in the way of a marriage and how important it is to take time for each other. Jack and Lauren have grown apart and are headed for divorce. Jack doesn't want it, Lauren is tired of feeling like she has no life and doesn't matter. The rest of the family finds the perfect opportunity to open their eyes to their love and all the memories they share. Is it enough or already too late? I received an ARC through Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

First, I have to say that Adriana Locke is one of my go-to authors! Getting into one of her books is pure pleasure, the small-town, family-centric themes are really my jam...having said that, Nothing But It All is VERY different from Ms. Locke's "normal". This one explores a 20 year marriage in trouble, with the main characters, Lauren and Jack, navigating the landscape of their relationship that seems to have become more of a roommate situation than two people who share a life and two teenage children. When those those two kids get together with Jack's father and come up with a plan to get Lauren and Jack together, some of the funniest and heartwarming scenes occur, inducing a lot of laughter and tugging of the heartstrings...

I absolutely loved everything about this second-chance, never-too-late to re-discover love, love story! Filled to the brim with all the things that make (and sometimes break) a marriage, but the journey to recapturing the obvious love between these two was inspiring! Add to all that Ms. Locke's seriously funny sense of humor (the scenes with the kids and Jack's father conspiring together are HILARIOUS!!!), lightening the serious issues Lauren and Jack are addressing, some of which had the tears freely flowing!

And THAT, my friends, is the sheer MAGIC that is Adriana Locke!

All in my feels
This troubled marriage second chance read got me all in the feels.
Lauren & Jack have had a rough go as of late in the marriage department. After 20 years, both have become complacent in their roles within the family. But in this complacency, they’ve slowly grown apart. While both harbored big feelings about the whole situation, neither were willing to show their vulnerability.
This one last hoorah to their summer lake house was a last ditch effort from their kids, Michael & Maddie, to attempt to mend what they saw as broken, and I loved every moment of it. The little moments alone orchestrated were always so perfect. I loved how Lauren & Jack were adults about the situation & did what would make their kids happy.
But this whole situation with their marriage, it just felt so “real life”. It’s always the little things that we don’t think have any significance, when in reality, they can mean the world. Marriage is a constant battle & one that has to be fought for. I loved watching Jackson’s character develop & watch him work so hard to open those doors of communication. And watching Lauren slowly learn to trust in his transformation was beautiful. These two were souls who fell & were destined for the long haul, it just took that well fought battle for them to come out victorious.
Harvey was also one of my favorite parts of this book. He was a spitfire, but also the sweetest soul all at the same time. He reminded me so much of my grandfather, & I just wanted to reach through the pages to hug him while he had me in tears. And that dedication! I told Adriana that it made me “pre-tear”…totally gonna be a thing.

Man. I'm not even sure I can sum up everything this book made me feel. First of all I read the blurb before requesting this ARC and was drawn to it. I wrote it down knowing I wanted to read it regardless of approval or not. When it hit my inbox I was so excited and I complete devoured this book.

A marriage in trouble - Jack and Lauren have grown so distant over the years and are at the make it or break it point. Being together 20 years and having teenage kids who are fully aware of their parents disconnect, even though their parents think they are keeping it under wraps. They devise a plan with the help of their grandad to force them into a situation where they have to spend time together in one of their favorite places.

When I tell you I cried off and on this entire book. Gracious. The emotions and just real vulnerability that was expressed gripped my heart. It was so relatable. Whether you are going through a divorce or thinking about it. Or you have your normal spats as partners. This showed just how much communication is so important and that even the smallest gestures and moments add up and matter.

Harvey - Jack's dad - was such a great addition to this book as well. He is a important dynamic to this family and Jack slowly relating and realizing how his actions are so similar to his dad's was such a turning point for him.

I could literally go on and on. Just know this beautiful story ends in a HEA and is a must read for sure.

Thank you so much to @valentine_pr_ and Adriana Locke for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

I normally love Adriana Locke’s books… but there is always one in any author’s catalogue that’s not going to be a fave - and this is the one for me in hers. It’s a marriage in crisis trope, which is one I never enjoy (I was hoping a fave author could turn my opinion on it), but even with the short page count … it just dragged.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

I hoped that the teen kids and granddad trying to trick the parents by getting them both to the family lake house for a holiday together to remember the good times might be interesting… but all the spots in the book I thought could turn it around, make it exciting and increase the rating I saw coming from early on didn’t - nothing changed it throughout the whole thing. Adriana does write well, but the storyline and trope couldn’t bring me to enjoy it (had it not been an arc I wouldn’t have picked it up, because of being such a disliked trope). Sorry I didn’t love it like I’ve loved all your other books!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Montlake, and this is my honest feedback.

I have read a few marriages in trouble stories and as I was reading this felt like one of the more realistic ones. There is no big drama or anyone else involved, it just seemed like life got in the way and they stopped communicating. It seems strange to say this but there is a cute element to the storyline with their kids and Pops. I loved their plotting and scheming because it came from a good place and provided touching moments and also some humour. This could have been a doom laden story of despair but it never felt like that at all which I believe is because the author wrote about characters that many will identify with. I loved the family dynamics in the storyline, it was nice to read about a close loving family. I liked how Jack and Lauren worked through their issues acknowledging the mistakes they made but I could always feel the love between them so of course I was hoping they would get a HEA.