All In’ is a deceptively simple and incredibly easy to read story about life in those middle years where you haven’t really got to where you think you should be. The pages absolutely melted away and I was totally transfixed,

Jo and Dave are muddling through life, they have had several unsuccessful IVF attempts ,but starting to face the truth it might not happen. Dave’s brother Teddy is an incredibly wealthy bachelor in Dubai who has offered to take them and his father on a weekend away. Also joining them is Teddy‘s latest girlfriend.

From the very outset tension is in the air, no one can be truthful with each other, all looking at what the others have got and wondering why it can’t be theirs. There are big fissures in Jo and Dave‘s marriage wants to be the one to bring it up.

The weekend is taut with stress and tension, the only person who is having a good time their dad Alan.

It is a wonderful emotional snapshot of life in these middle years things that tie you together and the issues that push you apart.

Deceptively lovely. An insightful, deeply authentic portrait of a couple trying to hold it together after those agonising years of failed IVF rounds come to an end and they're facing: what next? Set on a disastrous family holiday which adds levity and realism, every moment is drawn in painstaking detail - from awkward, funny encounters with other holidaymakers, to the infuriating inter-family dynamics that many will recognise. All In nicely balances the reflective and sombre side of Dave & Jo's tale with the funny, raw and real. I breezed through it and enjoyed its nuanced but ultimately hopeful conclusion. A fab holiday read - highly recommended. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read.

I loved this book. It’s such a believable portrayal of a long term relationship, family dynamics and friendships. I’ll certainly look for more books by this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“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?”

All In is a wonderfully written exploration of apathy in relationships, and the quiet fractures that fester when love is left unattended.

It’s a sharp, honest, and painfully relatable look at how comparison is the thief of joy, and the uncomfortable truth that if everyone you knew threw their problems into the middle of a room, you’d almost certainly take your own back.

Claire Powell’s writing is stark, frank, and brutally observant. There’s a constant hum of tension beneath the surface. Obfuscations, omissions, and the sense that something is about to spill over before the weekend is through.

This was my first Claire Powell book, and I’ve already bought her debut. I can’t wait for everyone I know to read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

All In by Claire Powell

A family trip to an all-inclusive luxury hotel in the sun. Wealthy Teddy who lives in Dubai brings his beautiful young girlfriend Kayla and pays for his widowed dad Alan, and his brother Dave and wife Jo to come too. But there's trouble in paradise... Jo is reeling from years of failed attempts at IVF and not sure whether her and Dave have a future together, Dave has a big secret and it's getting more difficult to hide it from Jo, and Alan would rather be on a historical tour somewhere...

Oh I loved this book so much! The writing is so SO good - beautiful and poignant and funny - just brilliant. And the story is so relatable - the stress of travelling, group holidays, suitcases going missing, family dynamics... fabulous! Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed Claire Powell's first novel, 'At the Table,' and this was no different - it will be an ideal holiday read for anyone who wants something to get their teeth into on top of the escapism. Jo, Dave, Dave's brother Terry, his girlfriend Kayla and the boys' grumpy widower Dad, Alan, head off on a holiday to an unspecified destination (likely Spanish or Balearic), all paid for by Teddy, who lives in Dubai and, as the characters frequently remark, 'doesn't have to pay tax.' As the brothers and their girlfriends spend time together, the fictions of their lives begin to unravel, with Dave hiding a big secret from Jo and Jo's nerves frayed by their inability to conceive a child after years of IVF, including a second round after the lockdowns which almost did for their relationship. Beautifully written and hard to put down, I felt like I really knew these characters. The only thing that would have made this better was (SPOILER)

I felt like Jo and Dave could have been happy without their biggest problem being resolved, and many couples do - it feels a bit mean of me, but I would have preferred that as it had the ring of truth more than the actual ending.

What a joy this book is. I couldn't stop flipping the pages. And so funny. Jo and Dave, scratchy with each other after ruinously expensive failed IVF treatments are whisked off, all expenses paid, on a mini-break with Dave's rich brother Teddy, his fiancee Kayla and their grumpy dad Alan. When they land Jo and Dave's luggage has gone missing, natch. The hotel is great though and the couple decide to make a fist of it. But tensions and resentments mount, which play out in a series of funny and beautifully observed vignettes. Dave and Jo each privately flirt with the idea of ending their marriage but as time goes on they begin to realise that maybe things aren't that bad between them after all. Espeically when you see what's going down with Teddy and Kayla. Tender, hilarious and wonderfully perceptive, this will be the summer read of the season. I wish I could start it all over again. Bravo!

At the risk of sounding corny… I am ‘all in’ on being Claire Powell’s number one fan! I have been checking NetGalley for more of her work ever since I read (inhaled) At the Table, and I was delighted to get the chance to review All In. Powell writes relationships and the dialogue within and about them so, so well - I guess ‘relatable’ is the word, but that doesn’t do justice to the depth of life experience shared here. I recognised so much of myself in Jo, and so much of my parter in Dave. These aren’t characters - they are living, breathing people. And that’s what keeps me singing Claire’s praises - I can never understand how more people haven’t heard of her! She is my top literary fiction stylist writing today.

I devoured All In in a few days and found it a moving and realistic with themes that I could relate to.

Eldest son Teddy, is flying in from Dubai, with his girlfriend, to take his father, brother Dave and his wife Jo on an all inclusive short break at a pricey hotel, his treat. What follows is an exploration of their relationships, romantic and familial, and a moving look at marriage.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend. Essential summer reading!

This was a fun read, engaging, easy to read and just what you need when you’re after instead of something that requires too much concentration. It’s well written, the characters grab you, they’re very normal and as in life, things get thrown at you that makes events spiral.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchangefor an honest review.

I love this book and it was one of those that you didn’t want to put down and had to finish it.
I soon got to know the main characters, Jo and Dave who were very relatable. Then there’s Dave’s brother Teddy, their dad and his girlfriend Kayla.
Jo and Dave have spent years and lots of money focusing on IVF treatment which wasn’t successful, they sacrificed so much for the dream of having a baby.
The story is really well written and had be interested from the start.
I would have preferred more details of the ending but I do like everything tied up neatly!
The story is all set on one weekend when Teddy treats his family to an all inclusive holiday but it’s not plain sailing and lots goes wrong.
Well worth a read, perfect summer holiday book, and I’ll be looking out for more by this author.

I loved Claire Powells previous novel so was so excited to read this, and it didn’t disappoint. I love a family drama- this one is up there as one of my new favourites, following Dave and Jo struggling to get pregnant, so they go on a holiday of a lifetime to try to regroup. A great read.

Holidays can be stressful and when your suitcase disappears on the way it certainly doesn’t help. Difficult relationships, mistakes made trying to do the right thing and a proposal all in one weekend in the sunshine make this story a real observation of human life. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the author and Net Galley for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. I write this review voluntarily.

I loved this book. There was nothing majorly dramatic within the plot, but there was a perfect undertone of tension throughout the whole story. An expertly written family drama all taking place during a disastrous weekend away in Spain.

I honestly adored all of the characters. They all felt very real, human: flawed yet wonderful in their own ways. Even Teddy managed to redeem himself eventually.

The ending could not have been better (in my opinion!). It was the ending I wanted and hoped for. Everything tied together in a very heartwarming way.

Overall, a very enjoyable read. Definitely going to have a look at what else this author has written. 5 stars!

I loved this book! It’s a warmhearted novel about people doing their best, misunderstanding each other and taking time to reflect. Dave’s wealthy brother Teddy treats him and his wife Jo to a long weekend at a luxury hotel, along with their father Alan and Teddy’s girlfriend Kayla. Nothing quite goes as planned. There are plenty of tensions between the five of them despite the scorching sun and beautiful location. Alan made me laugh with his grumpy comments. Jo and Dave are struggling after years of IVF. There are lump-in-the-throat moments but it’s also very funny in places with amusing dialogue and snippets of daily life. I cared about the characters and hoped for a happy ending. I loved the writing and can’t wait to read more books by Claire Powell.

It's a rare book that I read from cover to cover in one sitting, but with All In I was, well, all in. Powell really grasps both the humour and the drama that is present in the mundane. On one level, not a lot happens: Jo and Dave drive to the airport, their suitcase goes missing, Jo sunbathes. But meanwhile, an enormous amount is happening at the emotional level. A really wonderful book which in some respects reminded me of Anne Tyler (should she ever relocate her novels from Baltimore to a Spanish tourist resort). I think fans of Catherine Newman will also find much to love.

All In is a witty, sun-soaked family drama that simmers with tension beneath the holiday gloss. Set over one explosive weekend, it captures the messy realities of love, grief and family dynamics with warmth and sharp humour. Bittersweet, relatable and hugely entertaining, it’s the perfect summer read.

An unputdownable book which I thoroughly enjoyed I never realised until reading this book that so much emotion and occurrences could occur in one weekend. The story covers Jo, her husband Dave, Dave’s brother Teddy and their father Alan who all go away for a weekend to luxurious beachside resort on the Med paid for by Teddy. I was so impressed with this book as I couldn’t wait to read it to see what the outcome would be and I have to say that I was not disappointed.

I requested to read All In without reading the blurb, I enjoyed At The Table so much that I knew I’d love whatever Claire had written next! Dear reader, I wasn’t wrong. I feel like I too have spent four days in Spain with the McCullers, rooting for them, cringing with them and sunburning with them. I love how real Claire Powell writes her characters, flawed yet loveable. For fans of character driven family sagas, this will be read on beaches and by pools everywhere this summer!

I really loved this easy read based around one family, the dynamic between the widowed father and his two sons. Teddy is the flash older brother living the life of riley, making loads of money and being really successful - according to him. Younger brother Dave and his wife Jo are focused on IVF and trying to get pregnant - but it isn't happening. All the men are missing the glue of the family, Dad is a bit lost without his wife and the boys too. Teddy pays for them all to have a 5 star, all inclusive holiday in Dubai and we go along for the ride. Things are not what they seem though and all are keeping secrets and not really communicating with each other. I loved the inter play between all the characters and events conspire against them in very different ways. It is quite sad in some ways but there is humour and I'm sure we can all recognise the every day annoyances we see here.

Love a book with many threads and storylines that interweave so was really happy with this book. Recommended to my friends and would love to hope that other people read it too!

Jo and Dave have been invited on an all expenses weekend in the sun by Dave’s brother Teddy. Dave’s dad is also joining them as Teddy has something huge to celebrate.

Jo is feeling very unhappy in her marriage and feels that this may be the last trip she takes with her husband.

What could possibly go wrong on their family break?

An enjoyable read, a good insight into the complexities of extended family relationships and proof that just because you are all in a prefect holiday location, life can be far from perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance copy.

Highly recommended!

All In by Claire Powell is the story of an ordinary couple who have been married for years, been through failed IVF, the death of Dave’s mother and doing up the bathroom. So when Dave’s flashy brother Alex offers to take Jo and Dave, along with their father and Alex’s young girlfriend away for the weekend to the Med in a luxury hotel, when they haven’t had a holiday in years they agree.
So while romance may be on the cards for some, Jo and Dave soon find that the tensions don’t disappear in paradise.
A bittersweet novel about the tensions within a relationship and how they don’t always go as expected.
Highly recommended

All In by Claire Powell was a pleasant surprise. I went into it with no real expectations, but quickly found myself drawn in by how authentically Powell captures the slow, often unspoken decline of a marriage. There’s no glitz or glam here, just the quiet, believable struggles of a couple who have been worn down by life.

Jo and Dave’s relationship feels painfully real, failed IVF and the everyday pressures that chip away at intimacy over time. The setting of a luxury, all-inclusive family holiday adds an interesting contrast, sunshine and beaches on the surface, while underneath tensions simmer and relationships are tested. Powell uses this backdrop cleverly, showing how being away doesn’t fix problems, it just magnifies them.

"All In" is an emotional novel about a slightly dysfunctional family. Jo and Dave have been married for a number of years and failed to have children despite IVF. Dave's older brother Terry is a high-flyer who cannot seem to maintain a stable relationship. Their father has been slightly adrift since being widowed, and Dave and Jo spend a fair bit of their free time looking out for him.

At its core this book is about the choices we make, about family, and whether good relationships (however mundane) should be valued more than money - after all, there are some things that money can't buy. By the end of a long weekend at a luxury hotel everyone's lives have changed, and they all have a better idea of what is important to them.

This is a great read, with true-to-life situations and emotions. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.