Book Club Questions for All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

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All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin is a page-tuner with three distinct characters, all in the setting of an affluent Nashville community. The following book club questions will have spoilers so if you haven’t read the novel yet, check out my preview and review first.

The story is about two Nashville families struggling with the fallout of a photo taken without consent. It makes them question loyalty, love and staying true to their values.

All We Ever Wanted is an addicting read. I knew going in that the story was a departure from Giffin’s previous work but I’m so impressed with how she took on the serious and, in some cases, horrific topics. It’s an important read.

Let’s get into the book club questions.

This is a multi-perspective narrative with the reader following Nina, Tom and Lyla. Why do you think Giffin decided to tell their stories from their points of views? How did it add context to the events in the book?
There’s quite a bit of focus on wealth and class. Let’s discuss the different ways it impacted the three main characters.
We learn about Tom’s relationship with Lyla’s mother and why she left. How did her departure impact Tom and Lyla?
When Nina finds out Finch took the image of Lyla, she’s equal parts enraged and disappointed. How would you react if your son or daughter did the same thing?
Nina has a tragic past and was raped in college. How did that shape her decision making? In what ways did she find comfort in Kirk and also ignore warning flags?
Did you believe Finch when he tried to say he didn’t take the snap? Or did you think he was guilty the entire time?
Lyla had blind spots when it came to Finch, which shows her inexperience and youth. Do you think your teenaged self would have reacted the same way?
Let’s talk about how race is discussed in this read.
In what ways did Kirk influence Finch more than Nina? Why do you think he had more of an influence?
Lyla experiences plenty of growth and a solid character arc. How did she evolve from the beginning of the novel to right before the epilogue?
Finch ends up getting off with no punishments and still goes to Princeton. What does that say about punishment when it comes to privileged kids and parents?
What did you think about where the characters are in the epilogue, particularly Lyla? Do you think Nina and Tom have a romance? What’s your thoughts about the interaction between Lyla and Finch?
Big themes include race, class, power, social media abuse. What other themes did you pick up on?
Have you read Emily Giffin’s other novels? How is this different from her previous ones?