I came across Jaime Beck a couple of years ago on NetGalley. She is a terrific author. The latest addition to Potomac Point series is an e ordinal read. A friendship, marriage, and social standing are threatened because of one night. I think Beck captures the tone and mood of each character very well. All the dialogue, reactions, and emotions were authentic. I was totally immersed in the story and finished the book in just a couple of,hours. Both Mimi and Grace take stock in some hard truths about their lives and shortcomings. Even better, it’s set in 2021 and Covid doesn’t exist in the book.

WOW! Now this was a serious read with situations facing every parent nowadays. There are so many layers to this book that I am afraid my review won't do how brilliantly written For All She Knows Is.

Grace and Mimi- these two best friends are at the total opposite of the parenting spectrum. Mimi is loose, go with the flow, very lenient, even indulgent as a parent. Grace is more ordered, organized and by the book parent. The are a great compliment to one another. When facing off with one another on an issue with funding at the local high school, this friendship is tested. When a tragedy strikes, this friendship is almost destroyed and the rubber band around them is about to snap.

Grace and her family are the typical family: hard working dad, polite, smart daughter, intelligent nice son, all working at the goal to get the kids through high school and college with as much rules, manners, and education as possible. When Carter has a tragic accident this family is turned upside down, aren't' sure how to adapt and about to let all their hard work, love and devotion slip away.

Mimi and Rowan are the happy go lucky mother son duo. Mimi is known to date around, has a bad rep, Rowan is the sports star and known to host parties with drinking, all known to Mimi. When Rowan's father makes an appearance and the tragedy strikes this home, this mother father duo are slipping apart quickly.

Jamie Beck does an amazing job melding this altogether is an amazing book addressing many of the family and social issues we all face in today's time.

Jamie Beck is a truly wonderful storyteller. She is a master at telling stories about tough, complicated subjects. This book was no exception. I am honored to be able to read and review this story. I am a mother of three children and this book made me sit back and really think. Lives can change in an instant and the fallout from tragedy can complicate even the strongest of friendships. These characters were beautifully written with lots of layers. The storyline had great depth. This story was one I thought about long after I'd reached the end. Another wonderful book.

This is story that goes from fun friendship to tragedy and back. So many events lead up to a tragedy that effects a whole town but time and forgiveness finally heal

I loved this story. It is book three of the Potomac Point series. All three books are wonderful and must reads. Bad decisions ,tragic accident and all the consequences that can happen tears apart family , friends and a town .It was so inspiring to see how forgiveness plays out thru out the town and families involved. This is truly a heartwarming story and I highly recommend it.
I was given a ARC from the publisher, Net Galley and the wonderful author Jamie Beck and this is my honest and unbiased review.

A must read for anyone with kids in high school! This was an eye-opening read for me. Although a work of fiction, the events of this book could happen to anyone! A tragic accident at a drunken high school party leaves two families grappling with their new realities...a teenager who may or may not walk again, two dear friends torn apart by revenge, a husband and wife trying to keep it all together, a single Mom who’s just trying to stay afloat and teach her son to accept responsibility. Through all of the fallout, can they repair their broken relationships, erase the bitterness, find healing with one another again and move forward?

For All She Knows is an emotional book about how lives and relationships can change in one moment. The story digs deep into the hearts and souls of its characters as it explores motherhood, marriage, friendship, guilt and blame. Each of the characters have so many layers, haunted by their past as they try not to repeat the mistakes that led to tragedy and hardships; yet needing to find a way to move beyond that in order to secure love and harmony in their families. Grace is an intense, complicated woman, and my heart ached for her even when I wanted to wake her up to all she was on the brink of losing—I was completely and utterly invested on her story. I loved Sam, Grace’s husband, and her best friend Mimi, too, but it was Grace’s voice, her story that resonated with me the most. Jamie Beck is so adept at telling difficult stories with honesty and heart, making her characters work hard at learning what’s important with wisdom and aha moments that allow them to heal.

Grace and Mimi became friends at the playground because of their sons. They've supported each other through difficult times and shared happy moments as best friends. But then one day tragedy knocks at the door and the unthinkable happens. Grace's son accident triggers some extreme personal reactions that can change their lives forever. For the first time since their friendship began, Grace and Mimi are not on the same page. The challenges they will endure are strong enough to damage their relationship forever but, are they ready to allow that? Are they ready to learn from pain; to give and forgive moving forward from disgrace? Are their families strong enough to survive the catastrophe?
What a story! It can happen to anyone and still, everyone believes it will not ever happen to anyone.
I really loved this book! It's full of reality, insight and emotional turning points. The structure is solid and the outcome is magnificent. Beautiful characters are key to the precious journey. I'll give it six stars if I could.
It's not my first book from this author and it will not be the last.
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

For All She Knows is a story about two very different women, who despite the odds became best friends and greatly complemented each other. That is until the tragedy happens and they find themselves on the opposite side, trying to survive and forgive themselves and each other. I loved the topic of the book, female friendships are important and valuable. The story is relatable enough. However, I wish there was more depth and dimension to both characters and story. The problem of parent approved underage drinking really bugged me. While I understand the sentiment, and agree with it to the certain point, the whole ordeal was just brushed off over and over again, even though it is mentioned a lot. Yes, there are repercussions and lessons, but I just don't buy the whole premise. The characters are either perfectly mad or have immediate epiphanies, even though the book mulls over the feelings of everyone involved throughout the book. In this sense, I felt there was a lot of repetitiveness with instant resolution at the end. Overall I did like the book, but I feel there was a lot missing to really knock it out of the park.

Grace and Mimi have been the best of friends since meeting at their sons' toddler play group. They have raised their children together and helped each other through life's ups and downs. When a series of bad decisions ends up putting Grace's son in the hospital, their friendship, as well as all their relationships are put to the test.
When I first started this book I immediately made assumptions and disliked certain characters. However, as I read more, my feelings shifted and eventually I emphasized with all the characters and had a better understanding of them. Real life is like that too, I suppose. We are quick to judge others choices when we know nothing about them. I saw a lot of myself in Grace. As a parent, I felt like this was definitely something to learn from, but also to realize that you can try your best and still have regrets, learning to move on, and forgive yourself first is so important.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

The beginning of this book drew me in immediately and overall, this story was powerful. I think mothers will especially relate to the story- as a mother, I often question whether a move I have made on behalf of my children is correct. There are always regrets and while the situation covered in this book is especially trying, I do think that it is relatable. Grace and Mimi are friends. They disagree on a key issue affecting their community and that community is being torn apart, making their kids also taking sides. Grace’s son gets hurt during a party that Mimi’s son hosted and it tears Grace and Mimi’s relationship apart. It affects many relationships and the question is whether people can move on. It is a well written, though provoking story that did feel a little slow in certain areas but did have strong characters and a very interesting premise. I enjoyed this book overall! Thanks to NetGalley for the wonderful read.

Loved it! Definitely a well told story that hits all the right notes. You may see your own friendship reflecting back to you from the pages.

3.5 stars.
A sometimes poignant tale of parenthood, love and marriage, and friendship, “For All She Knows”, by Jamie Beck (Montlake), shows a family going through heart-wrenching events and how it impacts its elements and their community.
The story is told from two friends’ perspectives and although none of them felt very relatable for me, I thought their feelings and experiences were depicted in a realistic way. I found some of the male characters more compelling: Carter, even perfect Sam; and Rodri could be such a wonderful character but he’s not developed enough).
The author did a god job with the research about Carter’s injury and the legal aspects of the accident, or problems like teen drinking and bullying.
I found the resolution between Grace and her mother (“A lifetime of misunderstandings, of never saying the real things, undone in less than an hour.”) a bit too quick and unrealistic and the first assuming all the blame seemed simplistic.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but there were some parts better than others and some dimensions of the two friends’ characterization and actions annoyed me a bit.

For All She Knows is about the challenges of motherhood and how the actions of family members can have lasting impacts, even across generations. Grace's son Carter is critically injured in a tragic accident at a party held at the home of her best friend, Mimi. Reeling from the severity of Carter's injuries, Grace lashes out - she blames her husband for allowing her son to attend the party, and feels that Mimi's loose style of parenting enabled the accident. As Potomac Point, their close knit town, takes sides in the matter, the ripple effect damages Mimi's business and family. Grace and Mimi must examine their own relationships and family histories, and determine whether their friendship can recover from this blow.

For All She Knows is a unique book in that it focuses primarily on one incident - Carter's accident - and the main characters' feelings and dialogue about it. There were times that the book felt a bit slow, but in order for each character to grow they had to truly confront the "truths" that they had previously believed about motherhood, friendship, and family. The book alternates between Grace and Mimi's point of view, so it provides a balanced view of both sides of the story. There were times when I was really annoyed by the characters - especially Grace! - but ultimately I enjoyed reading about their challenges and it made me think about how I would handle some of these motherhood and friendship challenges.

A few notes for readers: This is listed as the third book in the Potomac Point series - however, I have not read the previous two books and do not feel it is necessary to do so to understand the plot or characters. Also, while I wouldn't consider this to be Christian book, it did have a minor Christian/faith based theme.

Jamie Beck once again captures the nuances in female friendships, marriages and parenting, while at the same time keeping us interested in the plot hook dropped for us in the opening pages. She effortlessly takes us through the ups and downs of parenting and the judgement that groups within a society pass. Incorporating social media, marital challenges, communication and the reality of trying to do everything right, but still facing the fact that sometimes despite all that, the Universe will throw a spanner in the works, this is a thought provoking read,
Beck captures the doubt and insecurity every parent feels as they do what they think is right for their child, be it a reaction against what they experienced themselves or because they feel they are the ONLY one who will do it. The solitary journey of guilt and grief is explored in the dual narrative, often returning to the same fact- how far would you stretch your friendship and sacrifice another for your child’s missed opportunities, or the potential you see for them in their futures? The book leaves us with questions to ponder about the other residents of Potomac Point, but also about our own reactions and deeper insecurities about the boundaries we have set and expectations we have of others.

What a wonderful, heart-wrenching story! A tale of strong families, deep friendships and a tragic accident that could tear it all apart. Believable, rich characters drive this ripped from the headlines drama. This would make a great Lifetime movie!

Great characters and very different challenges will keep you engaged in this latest from Jamie Beck. Grace and Mimi are friends and mothers of two sons who met in a children's play group when they were small. Fast forward to present and the boys are now teenagers. They are not close friends, each has different interests. A series of several decisions puts everyone on different sides due to a tragic accident that rips friendships apart. Jamie Beck's words show why forgiveness is the first step to healing. Thank you to Jamie Beck and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. My review is my thoughts on the book.

A super moving book about being a mom of a teen and the hard truths that follow. Grace and Mimi are both mom's who have very different lives. Somehow, they have become friends and maintained a friendship. Now, their friendship has been put to the ultimate test when Grace's son is in an accident and Mimi's son is involved. This will pull on your heartstrings as a mom. Super real and emotional read.

For All She Knows is the third offering in the Potomac Point series. While the novels share the same geographic location, each one works well as a stand-alone book. I have enjoyed both preceding books (If You Must Know and Truth of the Matter), but I am a bit ambivalent about this one.

Grace and Mimi are about as different personality-wise as you can get and yet they have a friendship that has only deepened in the ensuing years. Grace carries a great deal of baggage from growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, a drug-addicted sister (both of whom are deceased) and a passive, enabling mother. She is determined to protect her children and provide a safe, stable home life at all costs. In contrast, Mimi is a rather flamboyant, divorcee raising her teenage son with a light approach to discipline. When Grace’s son attends an unsupervised party at Mimi’s home, drinking gets out of control with tragic consequences.

On one hand I admire the author’s skill in tackling the complex social and personal issues highlighted in this story; she explores the topics of bullying, teen drinking, parenting styles, the impact of trauma on the bonds of friendship and family, as well as a community divided over funding sports versus academics at the high school level. None of these are easy or clear-cut issues and Beck does an admirable job of presenting a variety of perspectives in a balanced and objective manner.

The raw emotional intensity of the storyline make this a challenging book to read and this is where I have a problem. Grace is a formidable protagonist as a “mama bear” out to get justice for her son while alienating her husband and daughter. I could clearly relate to her pain but I felt the storyline got bogged down with repetitive emotional angst as she experienced self-recrimination and sought to blame anyone and everyone who disagreed with her viewpoint. The chapters alternate between Grace and Mimi’s perspectives and seemed to take forever to reach a breakthrough only to rapidly resolve the issues in the last few chapters. These latter aspects somewhat diminished my enjoyment of the book, but overall it was a good, solid read.

My thanks to the author, Montlake, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Grace and Mimi have been friends since their boys were toddlers. But when an accident occurs, their friendship is shaken to its core.

This is a slow book that really takes the time to flesh out the characters. All of them are on a journey and each of them reach a satisfying conclusion. I completely understood Grace’s point of view and her realisation that her own family’s financial security was jeopardised by the actions of others was moving and realistic. I also liked the way Mimi tried to rein her son back in, realising too late that her current approach wasn’t helping him in the long run.

It’s well written, but I felt it could moved faster in the middle section as it was all very drawn out. A solid 4 stars from me for an interesting story with likeable characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.