All They Ask Is Everything: A Novel

by Hadley Leggett

Overview

In this hopeful debut about the silent struggles of motherhood, three very different women want custody of the same two little girls—and learn they have more in common than the children they’re fighting for.

Determined to be a better mother than her own, Hannah has devoted her life to her daughters. She ignores her increasing exhaustion and isolation as a widowed mom—until a disastrous mistake lands the girls in foster care.

Julie is single and lonely and dreams of being a mother. After infertility issues lead her to foster parenting, she falls head over heels for Hannah’s daughters. The more she bonds with these sweet, precocious girls, the more she worries about their previous home life and becomes intent on finding a way to keep them.

Recently forced into retirement, Elaine is devastated by the way her daughter, Hannah, has shut her out. When she discovers her granddaughters are in foster care, she resolves to rescue them from the system: her one chance at a parenting do-over.

Each woman thinks she’s the best possible mother, but none understands the full truth. Old hurts, long-held secrets, and budding new relationships collide as they fight for the girls who could make them a family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662519017
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Pages:	331
Sales rank:	468,511
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Hadley Leggett is a novelist and science writer whose winding career path has included degrees in medicine, biochemistry, Spanish, and journalism. After moving all over the United States during her childhood, she now lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and three children, as well as her parents, three cats, and an ever-rotating troop of foster kittens. All They Ask Is Everything is her first novel. Visit Hadley online at https://hadley.ink.

Editorial Reviews

Hopeful, wise, and ultimately uplifting, All They Ask Is Everything surprised me in the best possible way. Hadley Leggett is such a gifted storyteller that her debut reads like the work of an author at the height of her career. I loved every page of this engrossing and empathetic story about motherhood and the risks—and rewards—of being a woman in this world.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Good for You

“All They Ask Is Everything is a relevant and absorbing exploration into parenting, foster care, and love. Leggett skillfully captures what it takes to be a mother—especially with no help—and how much better off everyone can be if offered the hand of compassion in all of its complicated forms.” —Ann Garvin, USA Today bestselling author of There’s No Coming Back from This

“All They Ask Is Everythinghas everything—a compelling plotline and a cast of perfectly crafted, flawed characters, each certain they’re the best mother for two bewildered little girls. It’s a roller-coaster ride through the intense emotions motherhood brings—complete love and joy one moment, frustration and overwhelm the next. I was hooked from the very first page.” —Kitty Johnson, bestselling author of Five Winters

“All They Ask Is Everything is a riveting, heartfelt debut that examines all the nuances of motherhood with sensitivity and grace. Hadley Leggett has created three complex, flawed, fully formed protagonists—Hannah, Julie, and Elaine—who show how mothering is both the most rewarding and most difficult endeavor in the world. This book spoke to me on so many different levels—I didn’t want it to end.” —Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics and Community Board

“A wise, thought-provoking novel about motherhood and whether having it all is even the right aspiration. Hadley Leggett delivers a poignant tale about what it means to be a mother in all its messiness and complexity. All They Ask Is Everything will make you appreciate your own village.” —Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie

“Equal parts tenderhearted and whip-smart, All They Ask Is Everything paints an unflinchingly honest portrait of modern motherhood. Leggett’s deeply empathetic storytelling hooked me from the start and left me aching for her characters and the painful choices each faces. This stellar and moving debut is a must-read for anyone who’s ever questioned what it means to be a ‘good’ mother.” —Lauren Parvizi, author of La Vie, According to Rose

“Honest and compassionate, Hadley Leggett's story gives voice to the complex struggles of motherhood, in all its raw and flawed beauty.” —Robin Yeatman, author of Bookworm

“With nuance and empathy, Hadley Leggett untangles what appears to be an impossible knot of a custody battle between three possible caregivers. I read with my heart in my throat, unsure who to root for at any given moment, and somehow rooting for them all. All They Ask Is Everything has everything you could ask for: fully drawn characters, a twisty plot that will force you to leave your judgment at the door, an exploration of the demands and sacrifices intrinsic to motherhood, even a romantic thread and, above all, the highest stakes—the well-being of two lovable little girls at the center of it all. A life-affirming and expertly crafted tale of motherhood, loss, and impossible choices that, despite the heavy themes, is full of hope and heart.” —Amy Neff, author of The Days I Loved You Most

“An honest and tender exploration of the demands of motherhood and the devastation that can ensue without proper support. Leggett writes with compassion as she takes the reader through multiple perspectives of a complex situation. Perfect for fans of Kate Hewitt!” —Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl

From the Publisher