All In

by Claire Powell

'An incredible new talent' Marian Keyes

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 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?


Praise for Claire's first book At the Table
'A summer read to devour with suncream and spilt rosé – and then lend to your mum or your daughter’ The Times, NOVEL OF THE SUMMER

'An assured, exquisitely drawn novel that fans of Sorrow and Bliss will adore’ Red, BOOKS OF THE YEAR

‘Powell is a fantastic writer who exercises perfect control’ Daily Mail , BEST READ OF THE SUMMER

'Really funny. A fantastic read' Simon Mayo, BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Kindle Edition

Expected publication June 4, 2026

About the author

Claire Powell is the author of At The Table, which was named one of the best books of 2022 by The Times and Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Critic, Red Magazine and Good Housekeeping. Her short stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and in 2017 she won the Harper's Bazaar short story contest. She lives in south-east London.

Reviews

[Lauren McMullan · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“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.

[Katie Nicol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woman with ten times more personality than her loser husband. This book is the definition of “having a boyfriend is embarrassing.”

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book within a day as I couldn’t put it down. I’m still shocked this is the author’s debut novel.

I really enjoyed reading “All In” and the title cleverly went beyond the all-inclusive holiday that was the focal point of the book and the themes raised include: marriage, relationships and failing relationships (including partners, parents and siblings), grief and loss, IVF, jobs and careers, debt and the impact of money on relationships, and our sense of identity, and perhaps status, and how it can be affected and impacted by all these things.

“All In” centres around one weekend and it’s an all-inclusive (aka “all-in”) weekend in Tenerife for one family from South East London, comprising of Dad/Alan, first born son Teddy and his latest girlfriend Katya, and youngest son Dave and his wife Jo. Alan (widowed for a few years) is billed as a bit of a moaner but I quite liked him & his idiosyncrasies; Teddy is a flashy investment banker who thinks nothing of generously flashing his cash around in an over the top way and reminding people what he’s done or paid for (ie. for starters, paying for everyone’s all-in holiday), he is accompanied by his younger and very attractive latest girlfriend of six months, Katya, who again I really warmed to & liked her growing relationship with Jo; then we have Dave and Jo, whose marriage is hanging on by a thread, barely surviving multiple, failed IVF attempts and both feeling very stuck, unhappy and unfulfilled. Dave is also massively in debt - this is unknown to Jo (& the rest of his family) - added additional tension to the weekend too. I really liked the character of Jo - I felt she was really kind, relatable and generally lovely.

As I say, I really enjoyed the book but I felt a sense of unease and tension throughout, feeling as if something was bubbling or even as if something massively serious/awful might happen. I can see a lot of the reasoning for this and the way things were written throughout especially as all the characters were facing some sort of internal/external battle or crisis and we saw all this play out over this “All in” weekend.

I’m looking forward to reading future work by Claire Powell now after this strong debut.

[KathVBtn · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘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.

[S A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An all inclusive family holiday paid for by your brother in law. What’s not to love?

This book is completely relatable about a married couple in their forties managing life. All the character were believable with parts of the dialogue making me think that it was a conversation I or one of my friends was having.

The book explores the perceived mundanity of marriage and whether divorce would be a better option. After failed rounds of IVF, Jo and Dave are in a position that they hadn’t planned for. That question of ‘is this it?’ makes this book relatable in so many ways for people in their forties managing forties and older.

Set over the course of a weekend, the story moves along quickly enough to make this a really quick read. I enjoyed this book and would recommend and am now interested to read other books that Powell writes.

[Martin Southard · Rating 4 out of 5]

All In is a sharply observed, quietly gripping portrait of a family holiday where the sunshine does little to warm the tensions beneath the surface. Powell captures the uneasy mix of love, resentment and unspoken worry that comes with long-term relationships and sibling dynamics. The clash between glossy, tax-free Dubai wealth and the financial and emotional strain of years of failed IVF is handled with honesty and wit. What begins as an awkward weekend away becomes a tender exploration of how people hold themselves together when life hasn’t played out as planned. Smart, immersive and surprisingly moving — a standout contemporary read.

Many thanks to Random House UK, Vintage for this advanced copy

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Few people would turn up their noses at a free Mediterranean holiday, even if it does involve hanging out with your grouchy father, your rich and annoying Dubai-based brother, and his younger trophy girlfriend. Jo and Dave, faced with an ailing marriage and years of stress, are certainly not in a position to do so!

Powell recounts the disastrous possibilities of close proximity under these circumstances with humour and sharp observational skills. This is a good read, which gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Professor Weasel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Enjoyed this! Great summer beach read. From 60% onwards it fizzled out a bit for me plot wise, I kind of wanted something more dramatic to happen, but maybe that would have made it too cartoony. I really liked the final ending scene. Very Tessa Hadley-esque. Great dialogue and establishment of character, and great job of balancing staying in the scene with flashbacks/introspection. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

[julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable poignant novel covering relationships, marriage, family and their associated trials and tribulations. Often lighthearted and sad but a wonderful book for those who like ‘people watching’. Once started, hard to put down and would be a brilliant book to take on holiday. Would also make a great tv adaptation. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the review copy.

[Saffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved At the Table, the author’s debut, so had high hopes for All In.
It’s another novel about family relationships, primarily Jo and Dave, who are in their 40s and struggling financially after years of failed IVF attempts. Dave’s brother Teddy offers to pay for a weekend break to an all inclusive hotel on the Med for the family - Dave and Jo, Dave’s dad Alan and Teddy’s girlfriend Layla.
The weekend doesn’t go particularly well but the focus here is on the intricate details in the relationships - between Dave and Jo, between the brothers and with their father who is recently widowed. It’s not a fast paced novel but for me it wasn’t about the plot but the exploration of relationships and is as much about what is unspoken as what is said. I also loved the realistic dialogue and found this to be a thought provoking novel that has stayed with me. I found the character of Jo very relatable. For me this wasn’t quite as good as At the Table but was still an interesting and insightful read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far too formulaic and obvious. It was difficult to care about any of the characters as they were all stereotypes.

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Row · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, tender, very good on life and the way it doesn’t turn out how you’d expect. Set over the course of a few days, on a holiday filled with emotional pitfalls and logistical complications, this is ab excellent story of families and relationships. Thanks to NetGalley for the proof.

[Jackie Murrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo and Dave are about to set off on an inclusive luxury holiday in the Med with Dave’s grumpy Dad, his brother Teddy and Teddy’s glamourous new girlfriend. Teddy, earning big bucks in Dubai, has insisted on footing the bill. Jo and Dave are broke after years of failed IVF which has damaged their relationship and driven them apart, so that as prepare to leave for the airport, Jo is convinced that their marriage is over. The thing about a change of scene, though, is it can bring big changes and force things into the open- perhaps it is not too late for this troubled couple. A perceptive and thoughtful look at the problems that challenge a marriage, the bonds that tie families together and tear them apart and how a new place can put things in a different light. The characters are well depicted and it is sometimes funny as well as sad. A very enjoyable read.

[Sarah Rossi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly touching little tale, perfect for a beach read. I’ve had my own brush with IVF so perhaps felt it more deeply than I would have. Enjoyed the sibling and parental dynamics, and the fact that the ending wasn’t as obvious as it could have been. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.