Book Review: Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
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Looking for a second chance romance that has all the feels? You’ve come to the right place!
I stumbled upon Nothing But It All because I was looking for an audible book to listen to while going on a walk with my baby.
I wasn’t expecting much since previous Adriana Locke books weren’t a hit in the park for me. However, I was intrigued by the back cover and decided to jump in.
I listened to Nothing But It All through Kindle Unlimited’s audiobook readings and this is my honest opinion about it.
From USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a warm and romantic novel about a marriage in trouble, two conspiring kids, and the meaning of long-lasting love.
After twenty years, the cracks in Lauren Reed’s marriage are showing. She and her husband, Jack, feel more like roommates than a loving couple. What they have in common are two wonderful teenagers, Michael and Maddie, and the same wistful When did it all go wrong? Now that Lauren’s decided to get on with her life—alone—divorce is inevitable.
Not to the kids. They aren’t giving up so easily.
Michael and Maddie have conspired with their grandfather to bring everyone together for a vacation in the family’s favorite summer getaway, a rustic lakeside cabin in Story Brook, Ohio. Awkward? Yep. A little deceptive? Sure. But as far as traps go, Lauren and Jack agree—the meddlers couldn’t have set one that was more scenic or filled with so many bittersweet memories.
This trip is going to be life-changing for the whole family. Fourteen days of hope, heartbreak, and unexpected possibilities—like maybe falling in love all over again.
Summary: Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
The story of Lauren and Jack is all about feeling tired and longing for a fresh start in their love journey.
After 20 years of marriage, Jack and Lauren have drifted apart. Jack, always caught up at his auto shop, ended up putting work first over family without even realizing it, leaving a gap that Lauren is struggling and failing to make up for.
Feeling like a single mother in her married relationship, Lauren decides she wants to file for divorce so that she can finally be happy again and focus on her new business that blew up overnight.
Jack, on the other hand, has found success in running his auto mechanic shop and he’s now finding free time to hang out at home. But he senses that he and Lauren are farther apart than ever.
Their two kids decide to plan a summer getaway to reignite the spark. Nestled in the summer cabin that their family always visits every year, Jack and Lauren face their shared and personal struggles.
My Thoughts: Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
I’m not usually big on second chance tropes, but Adriana Locke wrote a book that I’ll add to my re-reads shelf. It might be because this wasn’t the typical story of two strangers randomly meeting and reconnecting years later.
I loved that Lauren and Jack were already married and dealing with the ups and downs of a 20-year relationship. The book is focused more on rediscovering each other in their marriage and working through their problems as adults would.
This resonated so much with me as a new mom who stays at home all day. I was tearing up in chapter 1 of the book!
Lauren is tired of doing it all. I loved it so much that she could communicate her needs to Jack every time they had a confrontation while up at the cabin.
Jack for all he was worth is still deeply in love with Lauren and realizes where he went wrong (and wants to fix it).
Throughout the story, Lauren recognizes that something must have changed because she and Jack have never been able to have such open conversations before. Jack was listening for a change and not making excuses or trying to defend herself.
When Jack is tested for the first time with one of the problems that Lauren brings up, Jack passes and this starts the reassurance that Lauren wants to find in him.
Their kids and Jack’s father also have a hand in scheming to get them back together. I loved how they were stranded or left alone with no escape because they had to face each other and actually speak up.
The book is nothing new under the sun, but I just really resonated with how Adriana Locke weaved this story: an old couple rediscovering love.
And when I say old, I mean the amount of time they have been married. Jack and Lauren met in their 20s, got married, and started a family quickly. In the present timeline, they are both in their early 40s.
Final Thoughts: Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
Nothing But It All isn’t just a dreamy tale of summer romance. It’s a heartfelt reminder that love, much like life, can get messy, with detours and unexpected twists.
Through Locke’s compassionate storytelling, we learn that the journey can be just as meaningful as the destination.
I wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone looking to find comfort in a story that has all the feels and an expected HEA.
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