Book Recommendation - All That Really Matters

 

Nicole Deese is well known for her fun contemporary romances with lovable quirky characters and belly-laugh inducing humor along with the serious issues and spiritual depth. In her upcoming novel, All That Really Matters, Molly is a social influencer who, in the quest of obtaining more followers, volunteers at an organization that houses kids who have aged out of foster care. Through this volunteer work, Molly's whole outlook is turned on its head and she has to come to terms with how to move forward. I really loved Molly's character development throughout the novel and enjoyed her character as well as that of Silas and several of the "kids". There were several twists at the end as well, which kept things interesting!

As a part of the author's launch team, I had access to get some questions answered. Here's how that went!

1. Did you have a favorite character or one you related to best? If so, who and why?

I loved writing Molly’s spunk, tenacity, and confidence. Though her day-to-day drama and antics were super fun to create, her growth and maturity as she began to explore the true power of connection was one of the most satisfying character arcs I’ve written to date. 

2. What was your inspiration for the story?

The inspiration behind this story was birthed from a single dinner conversation in early 2019. I’d been invited to serve with some ladies from my home church at a graduation ceremony for a similar type of faith-based, life-skills program for young adults transitioning into independent living. When it was time to sit down and eat, my name card had been mistakenly moved. And little did I know then, but I’d been placed right next to the director of the entire program. As our conversation progressed through the evening, I asked question after question, listening intently as she shared testimonials of growth and triumph, and also stories of heartbreak and despair. By the time I left that night, I knew this was the type of environment I wanted my characters to grow in. I spent the next several weeks making phone calls to experts in this field, reading books and articles on teen trauma, and researching everything I find online.

3. Did anything surprise you in the plot as you were writing?

Several things surprised me, actually. But probably the most surprising was Silas. I wasn’t sure who he was going to be when I first started writing from his point of view and then BAM! He was there and his presence was easily detectable after that. I’ve never written from a male POV like his before, but I really came to appreciate his character and integrity throughout the novel. And I think he ended up being a perfect hero for Molly :) 

4. Foster care is something that is near and dear to my heart. I volunteer as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) to speak up for those who are in care. What prompted you to write about these most vulnerable ones?

Ever since we adopted our daughter, Lucy, from overseas four years ago, we’ve attended many conferences and classes, as well as read many a book on kids who have come from hard places. The trauma these children have faced has been close to my heart for many years and we have witnessed a few close friends who have taken in teenagers from broken homes. After sitting at that dinner eighteen months ago, the story of these teens came together in my mind pretty easily and I knew I wanted to highlight this vulnerable people group as best as I could inside this story. 

5. What are you hoping readers will glean from this story?

Within the pages of this story, Molly is challenged time and time again to reach out, even when it’s difficult. Even when it requires her to be known and vulnerable outside the online persona and screens she can so easily hide behind. My hope is that as my readers travel through the pages of this story, they will begin to ask themselves similar questions to the ones she asks of herself: Am I truly known by a safe group of people? Who are the in-person relationships God has placed in my life for the purpose of living and growing in the community? Where might God be asking me to give of my time to better serve my local church or community? 

6. Any fun bits of trivia you want to share with my readers about this book?

I actually really enjoy playing with beauty products, so I have watched many a how-to-video on all sorts of makeup-related things. Writing that part of Molly came quite easily for me! I had a lot of fun writing as a girly girl who loves all things sparkly and pink because that is very much who I am! Haha! 

7. What is coming next and when can we expect it?

There is a connected story link from this book to my next book… so prepare to see two side characters in All That Really Matters get their own love story in book 2!

I'm so excited for that next book! All That Really Matters will be releasing on April 6, 2021 and available wherever you like to buy books! For more information, check out the following links:

Nicole Deese's website:https://www.nicoledeese.com/

Nicole Deese's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nicoledeeseauthor

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3419240166?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1