A special thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for this advance copy in exchange for this honest review. This one is hitting shelves in a few days on Tuesday 8/27/24!

I’m rediscovering my love for contemporary fiction with some family drama - I will preface this by saying I was not in the foster care system, so I’m not sure how accurate this is (there is an author’s note at the end with all of her research), but this plot and story just pulls from your heart and inspires you to think who the “bad guys” are in this book - very though provoking and very strong for a debut.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for this review. Pub date: 8/27/24!

ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING, the debut novel from Hadley Leggett, is a book about motherhood. Most of the reviews you'll likely see will come from the perspective of mothers -- how they related, how they empathized, how they judged. But this isn't a book *only* for mothers. It's a book for anyone who enjoys a complicated, well-written narrative about flawed people.

ATAIE tells the story of how a mistake made by a struggling, grief-stricken mother, Hannah, sends her two young daughters into the foster care system. Alternating the POVs of Hannah, Hannah's mother Elaine, and foster mother Julie, Leggett builds a complex and conflicting narrative that perfectly exemplifies the conflicting narratives we tell ourselves. These are not perfect characters or perfect mothers and each of their journeys confronting their own flaws happens along their own timelines. At times, this makes for a frustrating read -- as a reader, we can see all the ways in which Hannah needs help, in which Elaine prioritized herself over her daughter, in which Julie is blinded by her love of the girls. Some will say that these women are "unlikeable" and at times, they are. But that makes the ways in which each mother grows and changes more rewarding. It's difficult to write believable, deeply flawed characters that you still want the best for and Leggett handles this balance deftly.

This is an engrossing debut from Hadley Leggett and I look forward to what she writes next.

Content Warning: ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING contains descriptions, descriptions, or themes of the following topics: foster care, child abuse, child endangerment, miscarriage, death, grief, depression.

Hadley Leggett, the Author of “All They Ask is Everything” has written a thought-provoking and heart felt novel. The Genres for this book are Women’s Fiction, Fiction, and Adult Fiction. What do you feel the job description for a Mother should be? Is there a difference between the bonding and love of a biological mother, or a woman who can’t have her own biological children? In society today, does social services meet the criteria for advocating and providing the emotional and physical needs of children? These are some of the questions that the author provides food for thought after reading this book.

In this well written novel, Hadley Leggett vividly describes motherhood through three different women, and two small children. Sometimes in life, situations arise that aren’t anticipated, and there are no ready answers. Circumstances, poor choices, bad luck, and mistakes can be made. Hannah is the mother of two young children and now widowed, is struggling to do the best that she can. A confusing and disastrous mistake has Hannah in jail, and her daughter’s in foster care. Hannah is estranged from her mother, a high-powered attorney, now a widow, who had no time for Hannah, when she was growing up. Hannah’s mother Eleanor is looking at a “forced retirement” in her career. Julie is a single woman who has dreams of being a mother, but hasn’t met the right man. Julie does try artificial insemination, that doesn’t work. The lives of these three women and the two young children collide. Each feels they would make the best guardian for the children.

I appreciate how discusses the importance of communication, seeking and asking for help, forgiveness, second chances, the importance of family, friends, community, honest, love and hope. The author also discusses the importance of physical and mental health, individual growth and goals. I highly recommend this memorable novel.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

I would not recommend this book to students, but would absolutely recommend to friends.

Although the book did get slow at times, everything written had a purpose which was nice

I wanted to take Ivy and Wren home myself and give them a love without ulterior motives. Every character was extremely well written and I did feel like I knew them. I may not like them, but knew them.

I don't think I have read anything like this before that I'm very glad I did.

All they ask is everything gives a new look at parenting, mental health, fostering children and so much more. You can tell that this book is written by a female with children who mean the world to her. The author wrote the book so well that you are pulled into the life of the main characters and feel some of what they are feeling. I loved this book and know it will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. My review is entirely my opinion.

As a mom of two, this debut book had my heart hooked from the first pages. I literally tore through the last half in one sitting. Author Hadley Leggett artfully crafts a story about three nuanced female characters with strong motivations that keep you wanting more. You will root for Hannah, Julie, and Elaine all the way through as one common bond threads through all of them: the love for two little girls whose personalities equally shine in this thought-provoking, heart wrenching novel. The author shines in such a smooth and effortless narrative, reminiscent of Jodi Picoult but very much with her own unique voice. If you are looking for your next go-to women's fiction author, one who will have you staying up with tears from emotion and heart bursting with a satisfying ending, add this one to your to-read list!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book told a heartbreaking story of a mother who loses who husband, and then her father, and eventually her two girls. Her grief is overwhelming every aspect of her life, and she doesn't know how to cope.

While the tone of the book is sad, I liked reading from the different perspectives. The whole "it takes a village" isn't something everyone believes in, but man, does it apply in this book.

I'd recommend this story.

All They Ask Is Everything is a well-written and interesting book which focuses on three different women and their separate plights for custody of two young girls.

I thought this book was going to sucker punch me in the feels and while it definitely did have sad moments scattered throughout, I just didn’t feel as invested as I wanted to be. I think this is down to the fact that I found pretty much all of the characters unlikable, right up until the end. While I empathised with the shit hand Hannah had been dealt, she just made some truly awful decisions when it came to the safety of her daughters and I found her quite insufferable. Hannah’s mother, Elaine, didn’t fare much better - her motivations for wanting custody of her granddaughters (that she barely knew) seemed self-centered. Julie was the most tolerable but even she had me questioning at times why she had become a foster carer.

It didn’t feel like enough time was given to each of the women in order for me as a reader to really get into their heads and discover more about them. The author did a good job at shining a spotlight on motherhood in general and how the journey differs from woman to woman.

The ending was a bit too fanciful and unrealistic, considering the harsh world of court cases of this nature, I’m just not convinced the judge would have happily ended matters ordering Hannah to take the girls out for ice cream. While I do love a happy ending, this one didn’t really fit with the rest of the story.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing & Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ms. Leggett had me hooked from the first chapter of this heart-tugging novel. The author skillfully developed each POV character (Hannah, Elaine, and Julie) to help the reader connect with their contrasting perspectives, even to make it difficult to pick one to champion. I was moved, all the way up to the final line. ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING will stick with me for a while. Brava to Hadley Leggett on her debut novel. Can't wait to read more from her.

Thank you NetGalley and lake Union Publishing for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this novel. I also listened to the audiobook version.

All They Ask is Everything is a heartbreaking story of a mom who looses herself in her grief and depression until she finally looses her girls. It's a work of fiction but it's a clear picture of the difficulties single parents may face after loosing a loved one and how they'll react to their surroundings and reality. A grandmother broken after forced into retirement, a foster mom who can hardly wait to have her own child, a mother who will do anything to protect her daughters, and a social work hurting for decisions she took in the past that led to the death of a child. But how will they find a common path to thread and give the girls a better life? Engaging but a sad portrait of our times.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

ALL I CAN SAY IS….WOWWWW THIS BOOK👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I really loved it sooo much and it was sososo much deeper and emotional than I was thinking that it would be!

Hadley has a new fan in me!

I also need to thank the author for sending me this eARC!

Beautiful read! Leggett's writing was significant in making this debut novel a 4-star read in my book. I say that because I veer away from (contemporary) family drama but I found myself on the edge of my seat reading this book. I needed to know what happens next. The ending was a bit underwhelming but it tied the whole story fairly. I don't know enough about the foster system in the US to have an opinion, however when it came to character depiction, Leggett was effective in making a distinction between the adults and the children, and then the characters individually.

It's hard to write a review with tears in your eyes.

Hadley Leggett's debut novel is a gut-wrenching look into what happens when a mother drowning in grief makes a massive mistake and loses custody of her two young daughters. Told from the perspectives of the mother, foster mother and estranged grandmother, I found myself rooting for all three, but they also made very frustrating, selfish decisions, especially Hannah. I don't think there was enough emphasis on how absolutely wreckless she was. Nonetheless, this tragic yet beautiful story left me reflecting on my own strengths and weaknesses as a mother.

It really, truly does take a village.

All They Ask Is Everything is a heart wrenching story about motherhood, the demands it places on moms, and the reality that they will do anything for their children. To get through this story you’ll need to have your tissues ready, but it’ll be worth all the tears.

The writing in this story is fantastic, and the characters jump off the page. You won’t regret this read. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the author, Hadley Leggett, and Lake Union Publishing, for entrusting me with this advanced reader copy.

The book is about 3 very different moms: Hannah, the widowed mom of Wren and Ivy, Hannah's own mother Elaine, and foster mom Julie.
Hadley Leggett did a fabulous job of writing from all 3 perspectives and making you feel for each of them- which is not an easy feat.
At the heart of the book- it's about how all consuming motherhood is- how easy it is to get lost in it, and how important it is to ask for help and have a village.
This debut novel was beautifully written, and excited to see more from the author.
I found the end went a little too quickly, and left a few loose ends (Julie's story) that I would have loved to see tied up a little more.
But a great book that I will recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc. The title releases August 27!

As much a legal drama as a domestic one. Wren and Ivy are taken from their mother Hannah, taken in as fosters by Julie, and seen as a second chance by their grandmother Elaine, an attorney. It's told by all three women over the course of a year that sees Hannah trying to get them back. It's emotional and it's thought provoking. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Very interesting book. Part legal drama, part family drama. The are complicated backstories behind the drama. Three women are battling for custody of 2 little girls. The grandmother, the mother and the foster mother.

All three main characters are flawed. The mother, Hannah, through life circumstances, has lost her 2 little girls to Child Protective Services. She desperately wants to regain custody but keeps making bad decisions. Julie, the foster mother, quickly loves her new charges but she is trying to fill a void in her life. Elaine, the grandmother, missed the mark at motherhood with Hannah and is trying to make amends.

All the above circumstances create a messy but interesting story. Add in strong characters from CPS, an old love interest, a two very cute little girls who want to belong and be loved. I can't help to try to cheer Hannah on, but throughout the book, I don't know if this is the right direction. She loves her daughters but just can't get her priorities straight. Hannah is very adept at making wrong decisions, for herself and her daughters.

There are many facets to the story. The struggle of motherhood, finding balance, acceptance. The book demonstrates how mother/daughter relationship evolve during the course of life. It's all there.

I appreciate that the author gave a lot of herself into the writing of this book. And, I love the fact that one of the best ways to celebrate is with ice cream!

This story follows the lives of three women in alternating chapters as they battle for custody of two sisters after their mother makes a horrific mistake that changes all of their lives and lands the girls in foster care. The book explores the challenges of parenting—whether biological or not—and delves into subjects of marriage, mental health, and grief.

I’m thrilled to have had the chance to read the advanced reader e-copy of Hadley Leggett's debut book, #AllTheyAskIsEverything. Thank you, #NetGalley and #LakeUnionPublishing. I can’t wait to read more from this author and will definitely be recommending this book

Hadley Leggett's debut novel is extraordinary. All They Ask Is Everything is a poignant exploration of motherhood, family, and the complexities of the human heart. Leggett masterfully weaves together the lives of three women, each grappling with their own version of motherhood, and the secrets they keep to protect two little girls.

Hannah, a widowed mother struggling with exhaustion and isolation, Julie, a longing-to-be mother who finds solace in foster care, and Elaine, a driven grandmother who wants a second chance, are characters you can't help but root for. The characters are deeply complex and relatable, and their stories are raw, honest, and hopefully heartbreaking.

Leggett's writing is both delicate and powerful, drawing readers deep into the emotional turmoil of her characters. The author strikes a perfect balance, bringing in enough romantic subplot and unanswered questions to engage readers without overpowering the struggles at the heart of the novel. The novel is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit, and a must-read for anyone who has ever questioned their role as a parent or guardian, or simply loved a child unconditionally.

Hannah is exhausted and grieving but she tries her best for her two daughters until an incident lands them in foster care. Their foster mother Julie has always wanted children and sees herself as protecting the two girls.

While a difficult topic to read about I tbink this was cleverly done. It revolves about three women. I loved how it showed how perceptions can change and the risk of bias. I was frustrated so many times reading this but the author was able to end it in a way that worked best for all and showed true development.

All They Ask is Everything comes out 8/27.