ALL SHE EVER WANTED begins with conflict between Kathleen and her daughter, who is caught shop lifting. Predictably, the story continues with Kathleen struggling to come to grips with how she could be estranged from her child. Daughter Joelle enters therapy and Kathleen is encouraged by the therapist to attend a session. Kathleen is bitter with the therapist who wants to delve into her past. She resists and it looks as if family tensions are not going to be resolved. Mother and daughter soon find themselves on a long road trip, and begin to fill the idle road time with conversation. (Again, so very predictable.) As old family secrets start to come to light, the duo begins to empathize with one another and bond.
The author divides the book into sections and explores the lives of Kathleen's mother, grandmother, and great grandmother as she traces various drama filled, family traumas that shaped each generation.
The book has received a number of reviews from individuals who gave it a very high rating, so I must be the odd one out. I just could not connect with the author on this one. I tried to like this book but I just couldn't. I found it predictable in many ways and unbelievable in others.
I was only able to give the book two stars. For me, it was just "Ok".
I read the ebook version of this book and borrowed it through LIBBY.