If you enjoyed Nicole Deese’s previous release “All That Really Matters,” then you will be excited for her new release “All That It Takes.”  This book brings secondary characters from the last book into the spotlight for their own story. 

All the books I’ve read by Nicole Deese have one thing in common.  They are very real.  By this, I mean that they are a realistic picture of everyday life, which can of course be very difficult and messy.  This is made very clear by the fact that a portion of the book centres around a Christian-based crisis pregnancy centre.  The stories that walk through the door of this ministry are sometimes difficult to read, although I do appreciate the author’s care and discretion with the topic.  I will not fault this book for telling the truth of countless women in the world, and the gut-wrenching twists in their paths, but I will say that this book is perhaps not for every audience.  If you asked me whether or not I recommend this novel, I would say it depends on the reader.  

This is not a book to be taken lightly, although there are certainly fun, light-hearted moments that had me really laughing along the way.  But this book is incredibly powerful and exceptionally well-done.  I truly believe that it was divinely inspired by the Master Storyteller of each and every one of our lives.  It is filled with struggle and hardship, yes.  But even more so, it is a story of growth, love, and healing.  Most of all, it is about the extraordinary power of reaching out our hand to a person who is in need, or of taking that hand if we are that person.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”