A realistic look at motherhood and our limits as women as we balance societal expectations and our wants and needs versus those of our children. This story took unexpected twists and turns, keeping me glued to the page.

All They Ask is Everything by Hadley Leggett is an entertaining read for everyone. As a childless-by-choice mother of three fur babies, I wasn’t sure if I could relate to a novel about motherhood. But I was hooked from sentence one as Hannah navigates perilous debt while her sleeping little girl curls like a glowworm against her big sister’s chest. This is a novel with a tender heart and Hannah is a mom I can root for, even as I worry for her children’s welfare. My heart prepares for a major ache in Chapter 1, while Mommy, who’s “all better,” prepares breakfast for her two sweet girls. As the chapters alternate between three points of view, the tension builds until I’m turning pages faster than eating chips. This is a compelling, wise, and empathetic look at not just being a mom, but a woman. If you like tender stories about complicated characters in complicated situations, read this novel!

I knew from the description of this book that I would be drawn in, but I did not expect to find so much empathy for all three of the main characters. In All They Ask Is Everything, Hannah, Elaine, and Julie are all striving to show they are the best person to care for two little girls. The idea of these sweet children enduring so much upheaval as they navigate their grief and their mother's grief is absolutely heartbreaking.

It may be easy for many readers to judge Hannah, the mother who finds herself fighting to regain custody of her children, as she certainly makes big mistakes. But as the story unfolds, you may find that you can understand some of her struggles.

The author does an amazing job of showing the reader some of the impossibilities of the foster care system and that there is not always a simple answer for what's best for a child. If you love intricate stories that illustrate the difficulties of mothering, mental illness, and grief, get ready to enjoy this beautifully-written novel.

All They Ask Is Everything is a novel about parenting, love, and difficult relationships. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars. The author’s writing and character building is excellent. She conveys the intricacies of complicated personalities and relationships well in her writing. I enjoyed reading this book but the end was a bit too “fairy tale” for the complicated storyline. Based on how the characters were portrayed in the book, the ending was highly unlikely and, in all honesty, very unlikely if this case had actually gone to court. I do love a happy ending and if you are looking for a heartwarming story, this is a good one. If you prefer stories more true to life, I’d steer away from this one.

“So many times she’d begged the girls to quit bickering, quit singing, quit jabbering nonstop—to give her just one moment of peace so she could focus. Now the silence throbbed like a headache.”

Hadley writes with the effortless skill of a seasoned author. I was sucked into the story of Hannah, Julie, and Elaine—three women who couldn’t be more different other than one important commonality, their love for the two little girls caught in the middle of the fallout from their mother’s trauma-based depression. The struggles are relatable, the characters are layered and interesting, and the story itself was well-paced. Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book! The writing from various perspectives held my interest. As a mother of 2, I can somewhat relate to Hannah. A must read!

I loved this book for many reasons. First, the characters - each of the three main “voices” had faults and virtues in abundance, which was what made the plot so gripping. Three women want custody of two little girls, and I found my allegiances switching back and forth as I began to realize that none of them would be a perfect mother. The descriptions of the pluses and minuses of the foster care system, the sympathy for those working there who are trying to do their best with their excessive workload, brought another element of ambiguity to the story. Who is in the right here? Is anyone in the right here? I found the unspooling of the story compelling and couldn’t put it down until I reached the last page.

WOW! Did not expect to feel this many emotions reading this book you guys. I enjoyed this in ways I didn’t think I would and I didn’t expect to relate to all three of the mains in the ways that I did. I cannot recommend this book more.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest and fair review!!
4.5 stars :)

For a debut book, this is fabulous. I found myself really drawn to all the characters who were well developed. At times I wasn't sure if I was on the side of Hannah or not, sometimes I was and then I felt frustrated by her actions... and this is exactly what the other characters in the story felt so it was very powerful - that tug-of-war between really wanting to support someone but also be constantly frustrated when they then mess up... it does make you think about what you would do and feel.

The story tells of Hannah who leaves her children in the car and then it leads to them being taken off her. We get to see foster mum Julie and her yearning for children but also the tug-of-war between devoting her life to children and balancing a relationship too. Then there's Elaine, the grandmother, who wants to try to do the best for her grandchildren and daughter but doesn't always say or do the right thing. It shows us how challenging parenting is, how no human is perfect, and that is cleverly done.

I didn't know how it would end and I really liked that about the book.

There were some instances that didn't feel very believable and I'd have liked the scenes to have been a bit longer, more detail, more depth so that it would feel more believable. I feel as though for a debut, this is fantastic though, so it gets five stars from me and I'm looking forward to seeing what else Hannah Leggett has up her sleeve.

I'm drawn to books that explore characters and situations that are morally grey. I love where the lines between right and wrong are not clear cut and the reader can understand the ethical dilemmas. ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING is a perfect example of a novel where good people make terrible, split-second decisions that have a long reaching ripple effect. All three main characters, Hannah, Julie, and Elaine have secrets or have made errors in judgment, and yet each one is so incredibly human, you can forgive and empathize with each.

Not only does the story delve into the deep issue of motherhood and all its demands, but there was also a very honest look at our country's foster care system and the challenges of being both a foster parent. While dealing with some heavier topics, ultimately, the story ended with notes of optimism and forgiveness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this incredible debut and look forward to future work by this author.

All They Ask Is Everything
A Novel
by Hadley Leggett
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy of All They Ask is Everything.I thought the book was pretty good. It seemed everyone wanted children as the mother left them in a car to shop. Some of the incidents were very off. CS does not put children in hotels. A 3-year-old was doing things far beyond her years, who would taught this if not her mom? I am just not a huge fan of it, but I finished it.I was quite sad.

god, how i love womanhood. being a woman is so often written so terribly in media- all they ask is everything, however, is here to serve us a beautiful, stubborn, sometimes frustrating, but stunningly authentic portrayal of women and parenthood. being a woman is linked intrinsically, most of the time (for those who choose to) to mother/parenthood. all they ask is everything explores things from foster care to depression to parenting- all rendered with a tender touch.

now, i will admit that i do not have much experience with motherhood myself. i am a daughter. i am not a mother, and the closest thing i have experienced to parenting was babysitting my toddler cousin and nearly having a heart attack over five times whenever he accidentally dropped his ipad. but this book made me think, and it connected with me on an emotional level despite me not personally have gone through these experiences- which is exactly what a book should do. the hardships of parenting, connecting with your children and other things are realistic and nuanced. it's fiction, but it could very well be the story of any mother, anywhere in the world.

in a lot of movies centering around children & parents, a lot of the children are very often underdeveloped. flat and emotionless; a poor facsimile to entice the audience's pity. they exist for no other reason than to bolster the plot. i was pleasantly surprised to say that this did not apply to all they ask is everything at all. the children felt real, they felt actually authentic, and it was a delight to read.

overall, i liked this a lot. i'm usually not one for genfic with family drama, but i do like to pick things up if it interests me, and this delivered. thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Beautifully written and ultimately uplifting, All They Ask is Everything is a tender and gripping story of three women who truly want the best for two little girls. Leggett’s compassionate storytelling leaves you bereft one moment and hopeful the next—much like the journey of motherhood itself.

Hallelujah! Finally, a novel that portrays parenting young children accurately. So often, kids are in novels just seem to exist in the background when, in reality, parenting is all-consuming and full of complicated, conflicting emotions. As a mother to a toddler myself, "All They Ask Is Everything" made me feel seen.

The three women vying for custody of Wren and Ivy (who aren't the generic children you often find in adult novels but, rather, fully fleshed out characters) all wanted the best for them, but they all had different ideas of what that meant. Each of these women was well-meaning, but none of them was perfect: I simultaneously wanted to shake each of them by the shoulders in frustration and pull them in for a hug in sympathy.

Pretty early on in the story, I was confident I knew what the ending would be, but a couple plot twists caught me by surprise (in the best way).

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I continue to think about it often. The story has made me consider what my blind spots are in my own parenting. That's not to say that this novel is only for parents; I think anyone who loves a story with multi-dimensional characters would find "All They Ask Is Everything" a compelling read.

This intimate look into depression, CPS, and the foster care system takes readers along for the ride as three mothers struggle to do what's best for two young sisters.
Hannah is struggling. After the sudden loss of her husband and father and her estrangement from her mother, she is barely keeping it together. Just when she thinks things have turned the corner, the unthinkable happens, sweeping her and her daughters into the world of Child Protective Services and the foster care system.
After one failed relationship too many, Julie is determined to take matters into her own hands by becoming a foster parent. When Wren and Ivy arrive at her doorstep, she can't help but fall for the independent seven-year-old and her toddler sister.
Elaine is looking down the barrel of forced retirement when she discovers her grandchildren are in foster care. Ever the efficient lawyer, she rushes to correct what must surely be a mistake,
All They Ask Is Everything brings a clear and compassionate eye to the world of foster care and CPS. With compelling and well-rounded characters, Leggett asks the reader to look beyond the stereotypes and imagine what can happen when women support each other, and things go right.
All They Ask Is Everything is an excellent recommendation for book clubs, readers of women's literature, and family dramas.

I was super impressed with this debut from Hadley Leggett. She writes beautiful fiction of family and motherhood---all the challenges and expectations. Here we have three women battling over custody of two young sisters. The story takes us on a journey of secrets and forgiveness, culminating in a satisfying conclusion. I particularly like the way Leggett humanized being a mother, and how we all make mistakes and need our own little villages. A poignant, thoughtful read.

A beautiful and well observed book about the myriad ways in which children can be 'mothered'. Hadley Leggett explores our deepest emotions and I loved how she doesn't settle for simplified scenarios or easy answers to complicated family situations. A thoughtful and sensitive book and I highlighted many passages. Especially loved the line: 'fumbling through the grief-dark' - such an apt way of describing the aftermath of losing a loved one. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. And I also loved the cool cover!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC copy of All They Ask is Everything.

This was a very well written book, the story was engaging and flowed smoothly. That being said, I strongly disliked every character except for Julie and the ending was incredibly unsatisfying. Even consider her difficult life circumstances and mental health challenges, Hannah disregarded the health, safety, and well-being of her daughters with every decision she made throughout the story and, in my opinion, the book should have ended with her going to jail.

3 stars.

As every mother knows, expectations to be the best mom are through the roof - not only from your kids, but your family, our society, and your own inner drive to give your kids all they need to thrive. This riveting story captured my heart from page 1! I even missed my bus stop on my morning commute because I got totally lost in the compelling action.

While I was rooting for all three adult women in the story, I especially appreciated the author's oh-so-true depictions of the two little girls. I fell in love with both of them and enjoyed the memories they evoked of my own years as a mom.

This is a wonderful, well detailed, emotional story that reinforces the adage: "It takes a village to raise children",
Motherhood is hard. Super hard.
Every Mom makes mistakes while raising children and so often second guess themselves.
This novel tells of the journey of three women (Mom, Grand-mom and foster mom) who do want the best for two little girls,
Can they put their own emotions and needs aside to help these youngsters and help them grow and become that village that is necessary?

This book is truly a well written debut novel that I enjoyed and am still thinking about.
I look forward to reading more from Hadley Leggett.
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Lake Union Publishing for this amazing ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.