4.5 stars!

A beautiful, real and heartwarming story of a marriage on the edge of collapse, and a couple’s fight to get back on track and find their HEA again. This is a beautifully written story with great characters and a gorgeous romance, and I loved this one!

Jack and Lauren have been married for 20 years. They have two smart and funny teenagers, but with Jack completely consumed with running his own business to support the family, and Lauren left to take care of everything else, they’re living separate lives. After years of struggle and loneliness, Lauren is finally ready to take charge of her life and move on without her husband – who has no idea how dire the situation really is. Until their kids conspire with their grandfather to bring their heartbroken parents together for a family vacation in their lakeside cabin for two weeks over the summer.

"As much as the kids shouldn’t have done this, I’m grateful they did. It gives me two weeks to figure this out. Because I have to figure this out.
I’m not losing Lauren."

“We did this for twenty years, babe,” he says softly. “Pretty sure we can do it for fourteen days.”

There is still a lot of love between Jack and Lauren, but life has interfered and they’ve both lost sight of each other. I could absolutely feel for Lauren, her struggles and emotions are real, and I could empathise with her anger, frustration, sadness and loneliness. She has lost herself while taking care of her family, and just wants her husband and partner back. And my heart ached for Jack, a man who knew he and his wife weren’t happy, but who is doing his best to provide for his family and give them a good life, having no idea how bad things actually are.

"It’s pure hell being around a woman you love so fucking much and knowing you’re making her miserable."

I love these two. I could feel how much they love each other, but how completely lost they both were in dealing with their situation. Lost in different ways, but they’re finally together and in a place where they can open up and be honest about their issues and how they’re feeling. And here is where their fight begins.

"Having her beside me and not being able to touch her – being afraid to even speak to her – was an eye-opener. What is it about confined spaces that brings truth to light? Maybe it’s because there’s nowhere to go. There are no distractions available to avoid reality. There’s no running from what’s real."

They’ve both made mistakes, and I felt so much for both of them. I could see where both of them were coming from, could understand how it got to where they were, and I was cheering for them every step of the way. I especially loved seeing Jack come to some pretty huge realisations, and I so admired how he accepted and dealt with it all, fighting hard for the woman he loves so much.

“I’m not walking away from this … I’m fighting for her – for us.”

“What do you need from me, Lo? Ask for it. Let me love you like you want to be loved.”

Their kids, Michael and Maddie, are fantastic characters, and I loved their interactions with their parents. And I loved that while their parents are dealing with their relationship issues, both of them have their own encounters with love over the summer. And Jack’s fabulous father is also along for the ride, bringing his own unique perspectives on love and family.

This is a beautifully written story, full of raw emotion, and I loved watching Jack and Lauren navigate through their challenges and find their way forward.

4.5 stars!

Thanks so much to Adriana Locke and Valentine PR and the publisher, Montlake, for the ebook and audio ARC/ALC of Nothing But it All. This book is one of Adriana Locke’s more emotional reads for sure. It’s marriage in trouble, second chance, forced proximity and so very good. Amy Hall and Ryan Duncan did a good job bringing Lauren and Jack to life, and their two kids and Jack’s father were incredible side characters and their scheming was highly amusing.
 
Lauren and Jacks marriage has been on the rocks for a while. Jack is constantly working and never home, and Lauren is tired of doing everything for everybody else and not having the opportunity to find her own dreams as an individual. Two years after the first marriage ultimatum, Lauren has started a popular scrapbooking business with the help of her daughter’s social media managing and she is ready to give up on her marriage. Her two kids, however, don’t want their parents to split up. They team up with Jack’s father to trick both Lauren and Jack into spending a couple weeks at their family’s cabin on a lake a few hours away. Thus begins shenanigans between the three to force Lauren and Jack together. I loved watching/listening to Lauren and Jack’s communication evolve as they address what went wrong in their marriage and if they’re even able to fix it. This book was very serious, mature, and compelling. I went from being hesitant about Jack to rooting for them to truly get back together.
 
I loved this book so much. It’s a more serious Adriana Locke book and definitely a standout to me. Be prepared to keep some tissues handy but don’t worry- the queen of happy endings won’t let you down.

The second chance romance I didn't know I needed. This was so emotionally raw, I couldn't stop thinking about it when I finished. Everyone in this book is in a different stage of love, Lauren and Jack have a marriage that is more roommates vs spouse. Maddie has her first boyfriend and Michael has fallen for his summer crush.
Jack and Lauren are so relatable.
Absolutely loved everything about this book!!

A marriage in trouble…not my favorite troupe but I love Adriana Locke so I picked it up. As a divorced person I can tell you the feelings of the h were spot on. This book was about as real as it gets but I like a little escape from reality when reading. It’s well written and the characters are likable and there’s a lot of good advice within the pages of this book.

Adriana is one of my favorite authors so I am always so excited anytime I get an arc from her. Her books are always such easy reads for me.

This was the first marriage in trouble books that I have read. I was unsure on how I would like it. While my marriage is not in trouble in anyway, I found this book to be so relatable. It is so easy to go through the motions of life with work and kids that you often forget to put the work in you need to make a happy marriage. It was a great reminder to put in that little extra effort and do not let your love fade.

I loved the parent trap that the kids did to get their parents to work through the issues.

It was such a fun read and absolutely loved how relatable it was. Remember forever isn’t promised, so be present for your important people now.

This is my second marriage in trouble book and I do believe I really love this trope! Jack & Lauren have been married for 20 years. They’ve basically just become roommates. Lauren was finally going to meet with an attorney to get a divorce but her two meddling children & her father in law intervened! They tricked Lauren & Jack into spending 2 weeks at this cabin that they usually vacation at every year.

Jack and Lauren still love each other but life just got in the way. Jack decided to fight for her. He changed his priorities and showed her he still wanted her. There is just something about a marriage in trouble romance that is just so REAL. You could feel the emotion, the pain, and the heartbreak of realizing they might not make it. It’s just so relatable.

This one will definitely pull on your heartstrings.

Thank you for this ARC! This is my honest review.

What an amazing read. I loved this story so much…it’s filled with so many emotions, amazing characters and a tough topic…a marriage in trouble. This is the first time I’ve read this trope and Adriana wrote it so well.

I think there are pieces of this story that many of us mom/wives can relate to. I felt so many emotions while reading this story…brought back lots of nostalgic moments with my grandparents - Strawberry pretzel salad and cucumbers and onions in vinegar.

Lauren and Jack’s marriage is in trouble and they have so many feelings that both have been holding onto….well, their emotions finally tip over and everything comes to light. They both know they have things they can chance, improve on…it’s evident how much they love one another.

Adriana writes a beautiful story about two people realizing they need to make changes in order to bring their family and marriage back together.

Michael and Maddie are two amazing kids that team up with grandpa Henry to help bring the two of them together and forcing time alone. So many funny and sweet moments.

I really really enjoyed this!! It was the perfect Valentines Day read. It was sweet and fun, easy to read, and it pulled me right in. The writing was a little juvenile (too many unnecessary swear words, an abundance of metaphors, and so many mini flashbacks), but it made the story fly by.

But can I just say… there was SO. MUCH. CHARACTER. GROWTH. Both Lauren and Jack fully owned up to their mistakes and learned from them instead of just repeating them for drama’s sake. Their willingness to fix their relationship comes up pretty quickly, so most of the book really was them fixing it and not being whiney and overdramatic.

This really was sweet. I love Jack and Lauren and their kiddos and Harvey. And I am such a sucker for lake house settings. And apparently now I’m super into the marriage-on-the-rocks-but-we’re-fixing-it! trope. It makes me appreciate Nick and our relationship so much.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️4/5 🌶️2/5
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: Dual POV, Marriage in Trouble, Second Chance, Lake House, Parents of Teens, Forced Proximity
The Parent Trap Vibes
𝗧𝗪𝘀: Grief, Marital Issues, Mentions of Divorce

This was my first Adriana Locke book, and I was amazed with how heartfelt her writing is. A story about understanding, living for the special moments, and choosing each other through the good and the bad. I was feeling all the feels while reading this. There was so much rawness and relatability here that would really make you think of what you would do if you were in the couple’s situation. You will get all the charming, heartfelt, and humorous emotions with the Reed family.

All the characters are relatable and good-natured, you would enjoy getting to know them. Our MCs Jack and Lauren, married for 20 years with 2 teenagers Michael and Maggie, have slowly lost touch with each other. We get a glimpse of how their marriage started taking a turn as Jack focuses all his time and energy in building his business while Lauren drowns in resentment, loneliness, and disappointment. Lauren decides to do something for herself, trying to find identity and moves towards getting a divorce. Her children discover this and conspires with their grandfather (Jack’s dad), Harvey, to get them together to work on their relationship. Hence, their annual summer Lake House getaway.

Everything about this story, you can relate to and is very reflective on the realities of maintaining a marriage, creating a beautiful home life while conforming to the demands of today’s society. Jack and Lauren’s journey to finding their way back to each other was amazing to be a part of. Essentially, it was them learning how to communicate and move forward anew, without any hurt or grudges from the past. I like how Locke didn’t make us hate the MMC, rather, have us root for him as he wins his wife’s affection back. I loved the elaborate conversations between our MCs, and their inner monologues reflecting and seeing it from another’s perspective. We also see different levels of love / relationship through the 3 generations and how different they can be, yet it all boils down to the same core values of respect, choosing each other, and communicating. I love how the book ends with so much honesty of how marriage is hard and isn’t perfect, but you choose each other every day.

Listen...I didn't really know this was a trope I needed (marriage in trouble), but if Adriana writes it, I'm reading it. Period.

I think one of the most amazing things about reading romance books is it allows you to live in the world that the writer creates for a little while. Some are relatable, some are fantasy, some are just feel good reads.

Lauren and Jack's story definitely fell in the relatable category for me. My husband and I have been married for going on 27 years and it's so easy to put myself in Lauren's shoes. Seriously...so relatable. But, I love that they too stuck through it and the journey was so worth it!

I don't want to spoil anything in this amazing book...but I promise you it's freaking amazing! Jump in, hold on, and enjoy the ride...it's flawed and beautiful (but aren't we all)!

Favorite (spoiler-free) quotes:
"The think that got us through them was simple-we wanted to get through them. It's amazing how far that one little thing goes."

"If I wasn't already married to you, I'd be figuring out how to be, and since I already am, I'm figuring out how to stay that way."

"Don't get caught up in this performance-based lifestyle the world demands nowadays. The only performance that matters is the one you do with your family."

From the first few pages of Nothing But It All I thought this was a special story by the time I finished I knew this was a very special journey for Lauren and Jack Reed and I was so pleased to be part of their journey.
Lauren and Jack seem to be going in opposite directions and it takes an intervention by their children Michael and Maddie who get their grandfather to hatch a plan to get their parents back together.
A family break at a lakeside cabin in Story Brook, Ohio is just what they needed to have them realising they still have feelings for each other.
Nothing Bit It All ticked all my boxes, it’s emotional and entertaining, it’s witty and sad and it has wonderful characters. I smiled, I cried but more importantly I fell in love with this family.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

“It’s about ensuring that you give nothing but it all to your marriage, that you say “I do” every single day.”

Marriage isn’t easy. But, if two people choose each other every single day, it can grow into something even more beautiful. Author Adriana Locke takes us on an adventure into the lives of the Reed family. This family fights hard and loves even harder. This book is relatable and definitely one to be added to your TBR!!

The journey of parenthood and marriage is never easy and this book captures that so perfectly! My heart went on this ride fully with these characters. I laughed and cried with them. I felt how relatable their actions and feelings were.
This truly maybe one of my favorite books by Adriana Locke!

Some of my favorite quotes

“If you live more than once, I hope I get to live them all with you.”

“The thing that got us through them was simple—we wanted to get through them. It’s amazing how far that one little thing goes.”

This is a very emotional love story between a married couple. It is very true to life. This is so real. I really love this second chance story. I love that it is not about a 20 something looking for love, but about what feels like a real life 40s couple. Adriana did an amazing job. My heart was hooked from the first chapter! 💜💙

I really enjoyed reading a book about a married couple that is struggling after two decades of being married. Not every relationship is perfect, and they all take work. I think this is the first book I have read where the couple is trying to find their way back to each other, but aren't sure it is possible. Following Jack and Lauren (Lo) as they learn to fight for what they want, express their feelings, and delve deep into their relationship to (hopefully) repair what has been broken.

Lauren is a stay-at-home mom who loves her family, but is realizing that her kids are almost ready to be out of the house and she feels alone. She feels like she has expressed her needs and feelings to Jack and he isn't listening. She has started a scrapbooking business, that with the help of her daughter, has become a huge success, but she doesn't believe that Jack even realizes it. Believing there is no hope for the relationship, she cancels an annual trip and decides to file for divorce.

Jack has built his business from the ground up (which he and Lo had agreed was the best option), has become successful and feels like he needs to be there all the time to support his family. He hears Lo and understands her frustrations but doesn't know how he can change it. When she decides to cancel the trip he decides that he will take thier son (their daughter has plans) camping. Little does he know that his children and father have been working behind the scenes to help both Jack and Lo realize that they do still love each other.

Once the family is at the beach house, truths are revealed and choices are made. There were times that I was frustrated with Lauren because she seemed to blame him for everything and never give him a chance to explain or defend himself. I loved Jack and how he owned up to being jealous and not realizing how bad their relationship got. I also appreciated that he really listened to Lauren once she started to express her feelings. I was also glad that he told her the reasons why he stopped coming home and asking for intimacy.

Lauren did redeem herself by the end. I was glad that she acknowledged her part in the breakdown of their relationship. The underlying theme, in my opinion, is forgiveness and communication. In addition, I felt like this was a wonderfully written book about how hard any relationship is, not just marriage. Seeing Jack and Lauren come together to help their daughter was nice, even if the situation was heartbreaking for the daughter. Also, their son realizing that he might not be able to see the girl he was falling for when they went back home was nice. It makes a person ask what he did: is it better to not have met her or to fight for the time they have left/could have?

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Ms. Locke. I received an ARC and this is my honest, voluntary review.

A marriage in trouble trope can be so tricky to pull off...but my gosh Adriana did it justice and then some!

Lauren Reed has devoted her life to raising her children and supporting her husband, Jack. But somewhere along the way she lost herself and started to resent the freedom Jack seems to enjoy on the day. She has made the difficult decision to separate herself from their relationship and is finally doing things that make her truly happy and fulfilled.

Jack has tried to make himself scarce, every time he's in the same room as Lauren an argument takes place. So to keep her happy he stays away...but he never for a second considered she would contemplate a divorce.

Their children have a plan...a few white lies and all of sudden the entire Reed family is at their cabin in Story Brook.

I think that Adriana highlighted the struggles that all people go through as they grow and change throughout the years. As woman, society deems it appropriate to put everyone ahead of yourself -make sure the kids are happy, healthy and well adjusted. The house needs to be spotless, but you can't make it seem like it takes effort on your part...it's "easy." But Lauren is the perfect example of how these expectations can slowly chip away at you.

I also loved how Lauren was able to reflect on her short comings and Jack had this big AH moment. They both acknowledged they weren't innocent in things going wrong and they try to move forward...but that's easier said then done.

Marriage in Trouble/2nd chance...my catnip! I know weird right people don't want to read about real life but I love it.
Lauren and Jack have been married for years, Jack has put his shop first, Lauren has been running the kids and the household. It finally comes to a halt/standstill when Lauren wants a divorce but Jack doesn't know the kids do so the kids conspired with Grandpa to get their parent marriage back to its former glory.

Lauren and Jack Reed are at a crossroads with their marriage. Jack is solely focused on his business and is overlooking his family. Lauren is a stay at home mom and does all things for her family. Her resentment is growing and she’s at her wits end.

When their 2 children Michael & Maddie conspire with their grandfather, to get Lauren & Jack to spend time together at the family cabin, they are hoping the sparks will be rekindled.

5 fantastic stars! What an amazing heart warming story about a second chance at love. I loved everything about these characters. Adriana Locke was very realistic in her depictions. The problems they faced are what every married couples faces at some point in their relationship. Definite must read!

This story was so intense. I laughed and cried, all in the same chapter. I rooted for this couple, and hope my own kids are half this loving. And Pops added so much, too.
I dropped everything to read this book, the moment it was in my hands. As usual, Mrs. Locke created a story that was so much more than just a story. I wanted to jump right in and hug them, laugh with them, cry with them. Drink with them and cook with them, too. I might even be persuaded to hike or boat with them, even though I’m the opposite of outdoor-sey. I feel like they’re my friends now, and I’m not giving them back.

This was such a good read. It’s a beautiful story of two people that are struggling in their marriage and how they find their way back to each other. Told in dual POV the reader gets to truly understand the dynamics of Jack and Lauren’s marriage - how they seemed to have lost their way…yet there is also a solid foundation that they just need to remember. In a vicious cycle of harsh words and frustration they just need a push to get them to actual talk! That’s where the kids and grandpa come in! They have a few tricks up their sleeves.
It made me so happy to see them work through their issues and mend their relationship - no relationship is perfect; it takes effort and communication and Adriana portrayed that so well in this book. It was refreshing to read a book that shows the ups and downs of any relationship rather than a starry-eyed version. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book