All That It Takes Review

About the Book

 When the ever-cautious Val Locklier finally agrees to a cross-country move with her nine-year-old son to take a job with her best friend, Molly, everything she had planned for the future unravels within the first week. After pushing aside her anxieties about renting an apartment from Molly's twin brother, whom she barely knows, she accepts an invitation for an elite filmmaker's mentorship. Caught between her insecurities and new possibilities, she feels completely unprepared for the challenges ahead.

Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from abroad to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's been banished to a ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he pursues a relationship with Val without stopping to consider the timing or asking God to direct his steps.

As Val struggles to stop hiding behind the camera and Miles wrestles with shattered expectations, they'll find that authentic love and sacrifice must go hand in hand. (Goodreads)

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My Thoughts

I have been eagerly waiting to read this book for months now and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love the stories and characters that Nicole Deese creates. She is such a talented author and if you haven't read one of her books you are missing out. 

This story carries through with some of the same characters from her book All That Really Matters.  I love Miles but even more so I just love Val's character. There is so much in this book and I really enjoyed it all. Val's background and history takes this story to another level that I didn't see coming. There is an added story line later in the book that also surprised me. While fun and  romantic, this book tackles some really difficult life experiences. It also shows how much of a difference a person can make in someone else's life.  

This book left me pondering long after I finished reading the last page and that is the sign of an excellent story. I highly recommend! 

Five Stars. 

"I received this book from Bethany House for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."

All That Really Matters-My Thoughts

 

 

 

About the Book

Molly McKenzie's bright personality and on-trend fashion and beauty advice have earned her an impressive social media following, as well as a big paycheck each month. When her manager-turned-boyfriend says she has an audition to appear as a host on a makeover show that nominates underprivileged youth, her dream of further fame seems to be coming true. There's just one catch: she has little experience interacting with people in need.

When her manager-boyfriend convinces her to partner with a local organization, she begins volunteering with a summer youth program. The program's director, Silas Whittaker, challenges her at every turn, but she swiftly grows more attached to the kids--and him--every day.

As Molly experiences an acceptance unlike anything she's known, she wrestles with the lies she's been believing about herself for years. She thought she knew what mattered most in life, but maybe she's had it wrong this whole time, and there's more to being truly seen than what she's built her entire life on. (Goodreads)

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 My Thoughts

Anything that Nicole Deese writes is simply fantastic and if you haven’t read a book by her you really need to start.

This story was completely unexpected and an enjoyable change from the typical story lines in contemporary fiction. I did not relate to the main character Molly at all in any way but I really enjoyed reading her story. Silas was also unique and had a great personality that surprised me most of the time.

There is a lot packed into this book and I think Deese did a great job handling the many emotions and issues that came up. These pages take you on a journey and there is a lot of growth that happens few authors are able to pull off in one story.

I really enjoyed this book and even though it isn’t my all time favorite of hers it is still a fantastic read. Four Stars.

 

I highly recommend any book by Nicole Deese!

 

“I received this book from Bethany House for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. “

 

A Remarkable Novel-Before I Called You Mine

 

 About the Book

Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now--the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.

Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.

With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other. (Goodreads)

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My Thoughts

 

 I love everything that Nicole Deese has written but this might be her best yet. From page one you are sucked into a story line that captures your heart in every way. This book is so well written I really couldn't get enough and I don't understand why it had to end! I laughed (Joshua might have entered into the top hero list), I cried (this is rare for me), and I stayed up way to late to read it from start to finish. This story holds all the emotions so be prepared. I LOVED that this story was not predictable. I LOVED that Nicole wrote the unexpected. I LOVED the beautiful way she portrays what it means to honor God even when it is hard. I LOVED the romance it was perfection. I LOVED the real life family dynamic that is dealt with in Lauren's life. I LOVED the adoption story that made me cry. This is hands down one of the best contemporary novels I have read. If you haven't picked up a Nicole Deese novel please do. You won't be disappointed. 

Five stars. 

"I received this book from the publisher for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."