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jo_is_reading's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
morgangiesbrecht's review against another edition
5.0
4.5⭐️
Initially, the story was a little hard to get into because fashion, makeup, and big social media influencers aren’t really my thing. BUT… the more I read, the more was I utterly enchanted with this book!
While in personality I am nothing like Molly, and her way of life wasn’t necessary something I related to, I really truly liked her and identified with her struggles. An excellent reminder that no matter our circumstances, we all face trials; sometimes it just comes in different packaging.
The cast was incredible: Molly and Miles’s twin relationship (also Miles is a gem and I can’t wait to read his book next!). Val and little Tucker. Precious Wren and Glo. Broody, sensible Silas.
The foster care/youth program concept was incredibly eye opening and touching. Honestly, so much of this book was filled with deep themes of forgiveness, true love in action, and identity along with heart-wrenching moments, but particularly the last 10% had my eyes watering. So good!
I loved how the setting was Spokane since I’ve been there a few times before, and it’s fun reading about familiar places!
Can’t wait to read more from the author!
Initially, the story was a little hard to get into because fashion, makeup, and big social media influencers aren’t really my thing. BUT… the more I read, the more was I utterly enchanted with this book!
While in personality I am nothing like Molly, and her way of life wasn’t necessary something I related to, I really truly liked her and identified with her struggles. An excellent reminder that no matter our circumstances, we all face trials; sometimes it just comes in different packaging.
The cast was incredible: Molly and Miles’s twin relationship (also Miles is a gem and I can’t wait to read his book next!). Val and little Tucker. Precious Wren and Glo. Broody, sensible Silas.
The foster care/youth program concept was incredibly eye opening and touching. Honestly, so much of this book was filled with deep themes of forgiveness, true love in action, and identity along with heart-wrenching moments, but particularly the last 10% had my eyes watering. So good!
I loved how the setting was Spokane since I’ve been there a few times before, and it’s fun reading about familiar places!
Can’t wait to read more from the author!
inspired's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
inspiretruth's review
5.0
You don’t honor God with your life by changing your personality and tossing out everything that is unique about who you are. You honor Him by offering those very gifts back to Him. ~ Nicole Deese
With over five hundred thousand Instagram followers and a steadily growing career in the beauty industry, Molly McKenzie is reaching heights she never thought possible. Getting everything she's ever wanted — the nice house, handsome boyfriend, expensive car, A-list sponsors, large paychecks, and people's praise — Molly feels like her life couldn't get any better. That is... until she receives the opportunity of a lifetime! A top Hollywood producer is looking to cast HER in an upcoming reality show that will help underprivileged kids; however, according to her manager/boyfriend, to secure the job, she needs to find a cause, gaining experience and doubling her number of followers. What starts as a summer volunteering at a youth center to boost her career soon turns into something greater than Molly had anticipated. Will these new relationships excell her to greater fame, or will the experience lead her onto a new path altogether?
Share your spark with the world, Molly. Stop trying to hide what God created to be seen. ~ Nicole Deese
Silas Whittaker knows what it's like to feel abandoned, hopeless, poor, and alone. Adopted at twelve years old, he has a heart to help teens who have aged out of foster care, equipping them with the right skills to propel them into a brighter future off the streets. Having faced a lot of trauma and heartache, Silas has poured his life into The Bridge and will protect those within the program like a fierce mother bear. The day Molly McKenzie walks into Fir Crest Manor, Silas's back prickles at the threat she could cause; nevertheless, despite his reservations and against his better judgment, he gives her a chance to prove him wrong. Will this be the biggest mistake Silas has ever made, or could Molly be the Black Widow The Bridge needs to get their feet off the ground?
“Somehow, every time I’m with him, he helps me see things more clearly.”
“Turns out, she helps him see things more clearly, too.” ~ Nicole Deese
I'm not going to lie; I totally judged All That Really Matters by its cover and description. Having never read a novel by Nicole Deese, I had no idea what to expect. I knew she was a Christian, but I didn't know how her faith would extend into her work. As I began reading, I was sure this would be some cheesy story that would have all the usual cliches associated with contemporary novels... Boy, was I wrong!
God continued to prove His timing was right on schedule. Even when that schedule wasn’t made by me. ~ Nicole Deese
All That Really Matters is a novel about finding your purpose beyond your selfish desires. It's about seeing God's miracles when all that feels left is despair. It's about receiving love when you thought you were unloveable. It's about being forgiven when you believed all was ruined. And, it's about building a life that glorifies and worships the Creator of the Universe!
She choked on a sob and placed her hand to her mouth. “I’m not sure if I can say what feeling close to God feels like exactly, but I imagine it feels a lot like this.” ~ Nicole Deese
As I read the final words of this beautiful story, closing my Kindle for the final time, I knew that this was a novel that would stay in my heart for days, weeks, months, even years to come! Though I have not gone through half the things the characters in this book experienced, every emotion, act of service, kindness, and grace written within the pages touched my heart, creating a new desire within me. All That Really Matters was God-inspired; there's no other way to describe it! It's rare to find a book that will make you laugh, cry, reflect, swoon, pray, and engage with fictional beings in such a spiritual way; so, when that book does come around, you can be sure that I will be holding onto it for the rest of my life!
Though it is impossible to fully explain my deep love for this book in a short review, I encourage you to read it for yourself and experience what I'm talking about! All That Really Matters is available NOW!
“Love lives in the hard places with us because that’s what sets it apart. That’s what makes it love.” ~ Nicole Deese
P.S. Silas Whittaker is my new Duke of Hastings... Sorry not sorry, Simon (hehe)
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a pre-release copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!*
Positive content: 5⭐️
Language: 1⭐️
Sexual content: 2⭐️
Violence: 2.5⭐️
Age: 16+
allisont7's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
storiedconversation's review
5.0
Can I first say how much I love this cover? It is stunning in its simplicity yet grabs your attention. I am a sucker for a good cover and this is one of the best.
Not to mention this is an amazing story. I was intrigued with Molly McKenzie from the beginning. This is my first read from this author and it was a good one. Molly is an influencer for beauty brands so she has that air about her that many successful young influencers have. Not that I am belittling them in anyway. As a stepping stone to something more Molly applies to mentor girls at The Bridge, a place for aged-out foster kids. While Silas Whittaker, the director of program, has a dream to to accommodate more youth into his program and help them mature into responsible adults.
I enjoyed both Molly and Silas very much. When they finally finally turned control of their lives over to God I knew he was going to make great things happen. Molly begins to see the difference she makes in the lives of the girls and in doing that she finds her purpose in life and it isn't searching for fortune and fame.
As I said this such a wonderful story and I am so glad that I read it. I came away feeling good about the whole thing. It is very clever and well written. In my opinion it is a must read for 2021.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Wickedly Romance
Not to mention this is an amazing story. I was intrigued with Molly McKenzie from the beginning. This is my first read from this author and it was a good one. Molly is an influencer for beauty brands so she has that air about her that many successful young influencers have. Not that I am belittling them in anyway. As a stepping stone to something more Molly applies to mentor girls at The Bridge, a place for aged-out foster kids. While Silas Whittaker, the director of program, has a dream to to accommodate more youth into his program and help them mature into responsible adults.
I enjoyed both Molly and Silas very much. When they finally finally turned control of their lives over to God I knew he was going to make great things happen. Molly begins to see the difference she makes in the lives of the girls and in doing that she finds her purpose in life and it isn't searching for fortune and fame.
As I said this such a wonderful story and I am so glad that I read it. I came away feeling good about the whole thing. It is very clever and well written. In my opinion it is a must read for 2021.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This review was originally posted on Wickedly Romance
randikaye's review
5.0
I'm not 100% sure what I was expecting from All That Really Matters, but I do know that what I got was much more than what I had imagined. The depth of the story took me by surprise... in the best possible way.
When we first meet Molly, she's honestly not the most likeable character. As a beauty and fashion influencer, she seems to be only looking out for herself and her brand. Even when she seeks out a way to do good, it wasn't truly from the goodness of her heart. It was watching her transform throughout the story though that really made it the amazing book that it was. Little by little we see those pieces of perfectionism chipped away until we got to see the real Molly--- someone she'd even forgotten about. As someone who does earn an income via blogging and social media (though on a HUGELY smaller scale than seen in this book), I did find this part of the book rather intriguing... but whether we understand anything about that world at all, I feel like that desire to create the picture perfect image of ourselves can be an issue that we all struggle with, and perhaps can relate to Molly on some level on that.
In addition to being a great story of growth and discovering the person God had made her to be, this was a fantastic romance as well. While Molly might have taken a moment to grow on me, Silas seemed the perfect romance novel hero right from the start. I enjoyed seeing his passion for these foster kids he sought to help... and the chemistry between him and Molly was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't get enough. There was also just a slight hint of romance between a few side characters towards the end, and I found myself hoping that perhaps we'll see them again in a future book! I would love to see that played out!
Either way, this was a fantastic story and one that I would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a fantastic contemporary Christian romance.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own.
When we first meet Molly, she's honestly not the most likeable character. As a beauty and fashion influencer, she seems to be only looking out for herself and her brand. Even when she seeks out a way to do good, it wasn't truly from the goodness of her heart. It was watching her transform throughout the story though that really made it the amazing book that it was. Little by little we see those pieces of perfectionism chipped away until we got to see the real Molly--- someone she'd even forgotten about. As someone who does earn an income via blogging and social media (though on a HUGELY smaller scale than seen in this book), I did find this part of the book rather intriguing... but whether we understand anything about that world at all, I feel like that desire to create the picture perfect image of ourselves can be an issue that we all struggle with, and perhaps can relate to Molly on some level on that.
In addition to being a great story of growth and discovering the person God had made her to be, this was a fantastic romance as well. While Molly might have taken a moment to grow on me, Silas seemed the perfect romance novel hero right from the start. I enjoyed seeing his passion for these foster kids he sought to help... and the chemistry between him and Molly was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't get enough. There was also just a slight hint of romance between a few side characters towards the end, and I found myself hoping that perhaps we'll see them again in a future book! I would love to see that played out!
Either way, this was a fantastic story and one that I would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a fantastic contemporary Christian romance.
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own.
st3fwithanf's review against another edition
5.0
This book. Wow. Nicole Deese is an amazing writer. Her characters are so enjoyable and real. I am a huge fan of character driven stories, this one I’m in awe of. Deese is a fairly new to me Author, I enjoyed The Promise of Rayne earlier this year and recently Before I Called you Mine. They are both amazing books but this one takes the cake so far. I didn’t expect to cry so much!
lisam0183_bookworm's review
4.0
This is the first book I've read by Nicole Deese and from looking at the cover I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm not really into wearing a lot of make up, following fashion or seeing what influencers are upto.
This totally wasn't the message this book brought across though. I like how Molly's work with Silas and the children in the home made her realise how different a life on social media can be to real life. I really liked how well thought out all the characters were with their own back stories.
The writing style made this an easy and quick read - I read it in a day. I definitely recommend this as a must read for this summer.
This totally wasn't the message this book brought across though. I like how Molly's work with Silas and the children in the home made her realise how different a life on social media can be to real life. I really liked how well thought out all the characters were with their own back stories.
The writing style made this an easy and quick read - I read it in a day. I definitely recommend this as a must read for this summer.