From an Edgar Award-winning author, this historical noir novel follows the life-changing summer of 16-year-old Joe Garbe as he discovers queer community in 1930s Chicago and gets caught up in the city’s crooked underbelly.

In the summer of 1934, Joe Garbe arrives in Chicago with one goal: Earn enough money to get out of debt and save the family farm. Joe’s cousin sets him up with a hotel job, then proposes a sketchy scheme to make a lot more money fast. While running his con, Joe finds himself splitting time between Eddie, a handsome flirt on a delivery truck, and Raymond, a carefree rich kid who shows Joe the eye-opening queer life around every corner of the big city.

Joe’s exposure to the surface of criminal Chicago pulls him into something darker than he could have imagined. When danger closes in—from gangsters, the police and people he thought were friends—Joe needs to pack up and get lost. But before he can figure out where to go, he has to decide who he wants to be.

The setting of 1930s Chicago is vividly portrayed, with the author taking great care to paint a picture of the city and its inhabitants. The descriptions of the city’s underbelly, with its criminals and corrupt cops, are particularly well done, and helped set the tone for the story.

Despite the few action scenes, the pacing of the novel is fast and will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. The plot twists are unexpected, adding to the overall suspense. The focus is mostly on Joe’s thoughts and feelings as he deals with events around him. Although I was happy with who Joe ended up with, I didn’t like how the author got them there. There were some parts where new information was introduced abruptly without much relevance to the plot. I also feel that the emphasis on Joe’s romantic relationship was a bit excessive. However, the unexpected happy ending adds a satisfying conclusion.

The character development is excellent, and readers get to see Joe’s thoughts and point of view throughout the story. The characterization of the other characters, including Joe’s cousin Bernie, Mary Toomey, Hannigan, Mr. Mertz, Jackson, Eddie/Edmund, Delfina Tarantala/Del, Madam Monk and the French class students/Bernie’s target homes may seem underdeveloped. Still, they provide insight into how life was then for young people, adding depth to the story.

If you’re a young adult reader interested in romance and historical fiction, and curious about the lives of young people in the 1930s, I highly recommend picking up I’ll Take Everything You Have. Although there’s not much action, the fast-paced plot-twists and relatable characters, particularly the protagonist Joe, make it a compelling read. Plus, the happy ending is a pleasant surprise.

– Weldon Ngetich