All That Life Can Afford - a young, working-class American woman moves to London and encounters its upper-crust lifestyle.

Anna Byrne, a scholarship student, graduated from Smith College in Massachusetts, and sadly lost her mother shortly after. Having a distant relationship with her father, she chooses to pursue a master's degree in literature in London. To make ends meet, she works as a bartender at night and as an SAT tutor for affluent families hoping to send their children to top U.S. colleges. Tutoring 16-year-old Pippa Wilder becomes a turning point for Anna when the Wilder family invites her on a trip to their home in Saint-Tropez. Accompanying Pippa's older sister, Faye, Anna, from a working-class background, encounters a world she has never known. She meets the moody Callum and the charismatic Theo. Back in London, Theo introduces Anna to his circle of friends, without revealing that she doesn't share their privileged background. Can Anna continue living her dream when it's built on a lie? 

All That Life Can Afford is an impressive debut by author Emily Everett. Set in 2009, this Jane Austen-inspired book is a well-written coming-of-age story featuring literary themes of class, privilege, and grief. I especially enjoyed the nods to numerous beloved classic British novels. This book can also be recommended for high school students and young adults.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

Contemporary Fiction.

Publication Date: April 1, 2025.

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