A marriage on the rocks. A family in disarray. A weekend in the sun at a luxury, all-inclusive hotel. What could possibly go wrong?
Jo and Dave haven't had a holiday in years. They've had other things on their plate: failed IVF, the death of Dave's mother, doing up the bathroom.
So when Dave’s flashy brother Teddy offers to fly in from Dubai and take them – along with his gorgeous young girlfriend and their curmudgeonly father – to a beachfront resort in the Med, the couple can hardly refuse.
But while romance might be on the cards for some, Jo and Dave soon find that tensions don't disappear in paradise. In fact, they might just get worse...
Set over the course of one scorching weekend, All In is a compulsively entertaining and bittersweet novel that asks: when life gets choppy, how does love stay afloat?
What did I think?
All In is a very addictive book and once I started reading I couldn't put it down. I felt like I was spying on this family holiday as Claire Powell puts each character under the microscope.
The story is told in four parts and I loved the titles of each part that gave some indication of what was to come, although nothing is ever quite what it seems. Part one is Fun Jo and Jo couldn't feel less like having fun. She has it in her head that her marriage is over and Dave doesn't help matters by hiding things from her.
When Dave's brother Teddy invites the couple and their dad to go on holiday, sibling rivalry rears its ugly head and adds further tension to Jo and Dave's already strained marriage. Teddy appears to have it all and Dave feels very inadequate in comparison but once again, appearances can be deceptive.
Claire Powell really knows how people tick and I loved reading each character's thoughts and feelings over the course of the holiday. Humans are complex characters and this is very evident as you read this compelling novel.
Honest, raw and entertaining, All In is a very thought-provoking and powerful novel that makes me glad to be an only child. It is perfectly described as bittersweet in the blurb as it's both witty and poignant. I enjoyed it and think it's well worth a read.
I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the Novel Tours bookstagram tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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