Jack & Lauren

💍 marriage in crisis
💍dual POV
💍HEA
💍 family focused
🐶 and a dog :)

A heartfelt and realistic look at marriage, parenting, aging parents and everything in between. This is so relatable and tugs at the heartstrings watching this couple navigate through a rough patch. As they do so we see both of them acknowledge their own shortcomings and make changes even when they are bitter and hurt.

I felt deeply for Jack and his willingness to express his love and fight when Lauren had given up. He was a Hero and fighter!

Their two scheming teenagers and Pops (Jack’s dad) conspire to get Jack & Lauren to the family cabin 3 hours away where they vacation together every year.
They wanted one last summer together as a family even if trickery was involved.

It is a HEA that will have you really pulling for this entire family all throughout. I saw myself in this so much- living in the same state of Ohio, with the same family dynamic and married 24 years. Heck, we even vacation in Hocking Hills cabins.

A beautiful reminder that love, life and family is worth working for. As always, Adriana delivers another easy 5 star story.
🐶 did I mention there’s also a dog :)

Many thanks to publisher, Valentine PR, Netgalley and of course the very talented Adriana Locke for the opportunity to read an advanced copy and voluntarily review.

“When it all boils down, I’m sorry for putting you in a position where you think the only way you can be happy is to be without me.”

Marriage in trouble may be my new favorite trope. 🥹
It's like "second chance" but so much more powerful.

Lauren & Jack have been married for 20 years. They have been through it all together, but somewhere along the way the got a little lost... Okay ... A lot lost. I absolutely loved the dynamic of this story. It was so real, messy and BEAUTIFUL.

This was a first Adriana Locke book for me and it definitely won't be a last.

I love this author’s work, and have given several books five stars. This book is a little heavier than I expected. A little heavier than I prefer, but it’s a beautifully written story. Never fear there is a HEA. If you enjoy the marriage in trouble trope then definitely pick this one up.

I feel like Mrs. Locke took me to school after reading this gem. So many romance stories are about couples in new relationships who find the love of their life. But what happens when you married that love of your life and it’s twenty something years later. Instead of feeling the same happiness and closeness you once shared you feel alone and worn out. What happens then? Can you get back to where you once were?
This story explores a realistic setting with characters I could easily identify with. These characters felt real. There is a dual POV for the husband and wife, so the reader gets both sides of what happened. The husband’s pov really made me stop and think, as well as the dialogue from secondary characters.
The story ends on a high note with a lesson that good things take work. Parts made me teary eyed, some parts made me laugh. The pace is a bit more of a slow burn as the couple has a lot to work through before the intimacy starts up. Overall I’m so glad I read this story.

Who doesn't love a new book from Adriana Locke? This book, however, is not quite like her other books. This one feels more real. She's taken a very real life problem and put it front and center as the topic of this new book.

Yes, they get their HEA, but not without the struggles and communication (and not in some cases) needed to get to that HEA.

I cannot give enough praise for this story.

Never have I ever felt a story the way I felt Nothing But It All. It's as if Adriana Locke peeked inside my life and wrote my story. That's how real Lauren, the FMC, was.

Lauren and Jack have been married for 20 years and have two teenagers. What they don't have is a healthy marriage. While it starts out with everything Jack has done or hasn't done, it becomes what they both have and haven't done. It's a story of forgiveness and love. It's a story of understanding and being seen. It's a story that I felt to my core, which made me laugh and made me cry. It's a story with a perfectly imperfect HEA.

I enjoy a good story about an established couple trying to find their way. Generally, there is some kind of tragedy that splits them apart, and they need to find their way back to each other. This is not that story. What's different here is that it seems every day life seems to trip them up and it may take some divine intervention to bring them back online again. I enjoyed the story and most of the characters. Weirdly, I found myself frustrated with Lauren through much of the story, but that is probably because I saw a lot of myself in her.

What an emotional roller coaster! Marriage is hard enough at the best of times, but the hard times can seem insurmountable. Jack & Lauren have had them both, the good & bad. Bad being the current situation. But some eye opening moments, scheming kids and father/father in law help to open their eyes and open their hearts. And realize what’s truly important. Family

I LOVED this book! This author writes great family oriented stories. This book made me think of my own marriage. Sometimes we get caught up in life instead of living life.

Jack & Lauren stopped talking to one another, and I know exactly how that feels. This book was a perfect “Parent Trap”. Their kids conspiring with their grandfather to get them there. The emotions felt real. The stress & struggle had me in tears. Lauren was trying to do it all. I loved the cabin they run to for a couple of weeks without phones or tablets. It helped them reconnect. That last part almost gave me a heart attack! Be prepared.

I adored this book. Nobody does blue collar second chance quite like Adriana Locke. Nothing But It All is one of my favourite reads, I just could not put it down!

Actual Rating: 4,5☆

❥ 𝗔𝗿𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

⬥︎ What happens after your happily ever after?
Lo and Jack had the life they always dreamed of, a beautiful house in a nice suburb and two wonderful children. But as the time goes by, they find themselves further away from each other.

⬥︎ This is a book that shows us what happens after the honeymoon phase. It's a book that will bring out your emotions and make you hope that they sort everything out and get well once and for all.

⬥︎ I loved Jack and Lo. It's easy to relate to them and their perspectives. On one hand we have Lo who wants to be seen, who wants to feel loved, who wants to feel like herself again. On the other we have Jack who, despite loving his wife, no longer knows how to communicate with her and feels rejected.

⬥︎ I loved the way they worked on their relationship. The way Lo said everything she felt to Jack was raw and real, but once the weight had been lifted, she was able to understand that she had also been "wrong" in certain situations in their relationship. And that it wasn't just Jack's fault, but also hers for not trying harder, for not trying to understand where he was coming from.

⬥︎ I loved that we could see how their kids were dealing with this situation, especially being teenagers who have a better idea of what's going on. I loved that we could see a different stage of love from each family member.
And Pops? Save him at all costs!

⬥︎ I loved the way the author portrayed what many couples go through the years in a long marriage. And at a time when it's easy to say goodbye to a relationship, she showed us the reason why we should fight to stay in it. Of course it won't all be rainbows and unicorns and there will be arguments, but there are also those moments that fill your heart, those little details that make you smile in the middle of the day.

⬥︎ This is a book about love, an emotional one, which leaves you with your heart in your hands and a tear in the corner of your eye, but which is so worth reading. Definitely a favourite ♡

⬥︎ Thank you to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful story. Arc provided by Valentine PR via Netgalley.

Lauren has spent the last two decades dedicated to her husband the family they have created but she feels like she is doing it alone. She loves her children and her husband Jack but feels like she is not a priority, and it has reached a breaking point. She isn’t certain what could possibly change in two weeks of forced proximity when her husband doesn’t seem to understand how she feels.

Jack is blindsided by the new that Lauren wants to separate. Even though their relationship has some challenges he believed that he was doing what a husband was supposed to be doing and that was financially supporting his family. This is a wake-up call of how distant he and Lauren have become, and he is determined to reclaim her heart and his family.

Marriage and life can be challenging, and it is easy to become sidetracked by the little things and lose sight of what is important and that is the people you love. Seeing Lauren and Jack understand where they went wrong and recapture the love they shared is sure to touch your heart.

Lauren hasn’t been happy in her marriage in a long time. With her husband spending more time at work than at home she’s been essentially raising their two kids on her own while trying to find her own happiness. She’s tried to communicate with her but it seems nothing will change and they are headed for the dreaded d word.

Jack has been trying to keep his business going so his wife and kids will have nothing to worry about but he can feel his wife pulling away and he’s not sure what to do about it. After they call off their yearly summer trip he’s more concerned than ever.

Maddie & Michael aren’t letting their parents give up on each other so easily. They band together with their grandpa to hatch a plan for one more summer of nostalgia to see if they can’t force them to work it out.

This is only the second marriage in trouble romance I’ve read because I wasn’t sure if this trope was for me but I loved it so much. This might be my favorite book by Adriana and certainly a top read of the year. It’s so easy to see how things fell apart and yet how hard it was for each of them to empathize with the other despite their years together.

It’s one thing to fall in love but it’s another thing to watch that love almost slip away before coming back together even stronger than before. This book put me all in my feels and even had me checking in on my own marriage.

I highly recommend this one if you’re looking for a fantastic engaging and emotionally mature romance that will have you falling in love with the entire Reed family. This one is not to be missed.

This book is real: a family struggling and losing their way but has a 20-year history. Ms. Locke, who brings us the big noisy families, shows us the other side, the venerability and hope for a rebuild and a second chance. There are many emotions in this one, but there is also some humor. I highly recommend this to any fan of Ms. Locke and second chances.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Great book about a couple who are having marriage issues and how they work through it to get that HEA. I liked that the characters had teenagers and a elderly parent to worry about just like in real life. I always enjoy Locke’s books.

Nothing But It All is a read that really hits home (most reads have a touch we can relate to), with the relationship aspect. Only difference is I didn't get the Nothing But It All HEA. Lauren and Jack are struggling in their marriage and when Lo gets the courage to stand up for herself and move forward with a divorce option, her teen meddlers and father-in-law decide they have other plans. They have two weeks to give it their All or throw in the towel. It wasn't easy between the two, but differences aside, they learned how it fell apart and what they needed to do to fix it. Add in your teens, the father-in-law, business and your BF and you get yourself some laughter, tears and trying to figure it out. I think others will truly be able to relate this to the story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading in general.

Powerfully emotive and wholly consuming, Nothing But It All is a wonderful story about what happens after the happily ever after…
Jack and Lauren’s story is complex and, at times, heartbreaking, while also being inspiring and full of hope. Different to most romances I read, I’m so glad I gave this story a chance!

Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke is the story of Jack and Lauren. Jack and Lauren have been married for about 2o years and have started to grow apart. Jack with having tunnel view on the business a providing for his family. Leaving Lauren feeling like she is doing everything alone. But their kids, Michael and Maddie have conspired with their Grandfather to bring them back closer then ever.

This novel by Adriana Locke brings all the feels! The story chronicles Lauren and Jack's struggle to revive their broken marriage. The "every day" responsibilities of family life have taken a toll on their marriage and they are on the brink of divorce... UNTIL... Their two children and their grandfather intervene. :) I loved following the evolution of their relationship and the rebuilding and rekindling of their relationship. Tropes in this book: forced proximity, second chance romance, and troubled marriage. I never thought I'd be a fan of a "troubled marriage" novel, but this one was so well-written! Love Adriana Locke's work and I'm looking forward to her next novel! This one releases Feb 20, 2024 and I highly recommend! :)

A realistic and emotional dive into the depths of a troubled marriage and the small but important steps needed to rescue it.

Lauren’s despair and feelings of hopelessness started us off. Through her eyes, we experienced all her doubts, pain, and dreams with her. And then through Jack’s eyes, we saw his motivations, the love he has for his wife and his family, and his anguish of ever finding a solution that will see them back together. With understanding for their respective outlooks came plenty of frustration over their inability to just talk to each other. The forced proximity probably wasn’t the greatest idea ever, but it did give them an opportunity to start discussing their grievances without regular life interfering. There were a lot of other events happening at the same time, such as worry over Jack’s father’s health and the pitfalls of teenage relationships.

This book kept my attention quite well and I really wanted to see how these two would resolve their issues. If you like a marriage-in-trouble, second chance, spicy romance, then this is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.