All That Life Can Afford: Reese's Book Club

by Emily Everett

A “swoon-worthy” Reese’s Book Club Pick “chock-full of Austenian nods” (Sarah McCoy): American Anna has always dreamed of moving to London to escape her paycheck-to-paycheck life — but she finds more of the same struggles across the pond. When a wealthy family takes her under their wing, will she be able to live out her fantasy?

Genres: Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

Emily Everett is an editor and writer from western Massachusetts. Her short fiction appears in Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She is a Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Everett grew up on a very small family dairy farm with her parents and two sisters, studied English and music at Smith College, and studied abroad for a year at University College London. After graduating, she returned to London to do an M.A. in literature at Queen Mary University of London. She lived and worked there from 2009 to 2013. Everett has been managing editor of The Common, a literary magazine based at Amherst College, for eight years. At The Common, she edits fiction, manages print and online production, and hosts the magazine’s podcast. All That Life Can Afford is her debut novel.

Reviews

[KATHLEEN CLIFFORD]

I found this book to be disappointing. The writing wasn't done in an interesting way and the plot was very unrealistic. The main characters personality kept changing to suit the plot and was inconsistent. While the author clearly had some visibility into British culture, the scenario painted in the book was not and is not believeable.

[Eliana Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es una completa maravilla. La forma en la que la autora aborda el dolor por la muerte de una madre llega directamente al alma. Leer sobre la valentía de dejarlo todo e irse a vivir al otro lado del mundo para perseguir un sueño hizo un clic instantáneo, profundo y muy personal en mí. Ver el enfoque inquebrantable de Anna en sus estudios y su superación personal es, sin duda, lo mejor de la historia.

La pluma de Emily Everett es espectacular. Todo está tan bien redactado que mi cerebro proyectaba una película en lugar de leer letras; me pude imaginar los escenarios, los vestidos y cada detalle a la perfección.

En cuanto a los personajes, Pippa me encantó. El caso de Faye es distinto: a ratos la amé, pero hacia el final me pareció una completa loca. Hacer tanto alboroto por una tontería que en el fondo ni le importaba fue demasiado. Y a Theo se le notaba lo maluco desde el principio, odié su personaje.

Sé que no se justifican las mentiras de Anna, y da tristeza ver cómo hace a un lado a sus verdaderos amigos por deslumbrarse, pero al final es un error muy humano; a todos nos ha pasado que damos cosas por sentadas y luego nos arrepentimos. Aún así, daban ganas de meterse al libro y abrirle los ojos; la pobre ya había sufrido bastante en la vida como para dejarla equivocarse así.

Finalmente, sobre el romance, me habría encantado que Anna confiara más en Callum y que él hubiera tenido un poco más de valor al principio para evitar que los malentendidos se hicieran tan grandes.

En resumen: un libro hermoso, muy visual, con personajes que te hacen sentir de todo y una historia de superación increíble. ¡Súper recomendado!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good read!

The story is about a young girl who goes overseas to study in the UK. She spent her life dreaming of a life she's never been able to afford and finds herself in the middle of her dreams.

No spoilers but this books is written so well that there are things you'd expect to happen that do happen and others that don't happen the way you'd expect. And it's unpredictable at which point in the story the story goes a way you wouldn't expect.

The main draw for me is that the story engaged my brain and my imagination with her use of vivid imagery and how she kept the story and all the characters progressing.

Definitely recommended!

[Mary Dent · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Cinderella story about a lit major from Western Massachusetts who heads to London to pursue her dreams, after her mom dies. Get ready for class conflict when she falls in with the Tony Highgate crowd. Nothing too surprising or earth shattering here.

[Kate Spears · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Great for Anglophiles and fans of Jane Austen. Anna is a hired tutor for a wealthy family and they open their life to her, which leads to some interesting situations when things get too familiar. The characters were interesting and I felt like I couldn't put it down!

[Sandra LaGrandeur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book!

[Rachel Hellyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to read on my way home from our UK vacation.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s fine.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is our May book club book. I found it an easy, entertaining read with a small bit of drama.

[Kathy Weir · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy soda pop summer read.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars