About the Book ~
When the ever-cautious Val Locklier moves cross-country with her son for a secure job, everything she'd planned unravels within the first week. After Val reluctantly agrees to rent an apartment from her best friend's brother, an unexpected chance at an elite filmmakers' mentorship ignites fresh hope for a dream career. But as Val's community begins to expand, so do her insecurities, especially those heightened by her growing attraction to a certain friendly landlord.
Pastor Miles McKenzie returns home from a short-term mission trip to discover that not only does he have an intriguing new tenant living upstairs, he's also been reassigned to a local ministry on life support. Disillusioned and restless, he distracts himself by throwing his energy into a host of new projects--not the least of which is pursuing Val--without stopping to consider the future.
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.
For more information about Nicole Deese and her books, check out her website here!
My Thoughts ~
From cover to cover, All That It Takes by Nicole Deese is a gorgeous story!
All That It Takes was the beautiful completion of a story that was merely hinted at in the author’s previous novel — and oh, was Miles and Val’s romance worth every second of the wait! Additionally, I really enjoyed getting to see previous characters in a way that didn’t overshadow Miles and Val’s journey. I loved the documentary angle, but the main setting of All That It Takes gripped my heart from the moment that Miles and Val stepped foot into the dilapidated and depleted facility. The voices, emotion, and realistic portrayal of single motherhood had me crying more than once as I cuddled my own newborn. There was a beautiful simplicity to All That It Takes, and it added a dash of everyday magic that I absolutely adored!
I loved how Val navigated her story within the stories of others via her documentary! I loved the way this showed how our stories are each unique despite any similarities and hold value, while also showing how sometimes all that it takes (wink, wink) to change someone’s story is for someone else to be vulnerable with theirs. I also really loved how the author didn't shy away from portraying someone in leadership who messed up and then had to face the natural consequences for that — including how that affected other people, like Miles. This deftly transitioned to Miles’ own issues, reaching a level of reality that packed a spiritual wallop!
Five Stars ~ All That It Takes by Nicole Deese is a beautiful yet equally powerful romance! All That It Takes can be read as a standalone, but there are some characters from the author's previous book, All That Really Matters, who appear in All That It Takes.
Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.
See you next time, and God bless you guys!!!
V. Joy Palmer loves to write romantic and comedic stories that proclaim God’s deep love for us. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and an avid blogger. In her spare time, Joy loves to sing (especially Disney songs), drink large quantities of coffee, and take flowery photos for Bookstagram. When Joy isn’t fighting with fictional people, she’s hanging out with her husband and their adorable little girl. Connect with Joy via www.vjoypalmer.com!
