When Val moves cross-country, it’s because she wants to herself and her son some independence and because the numbers made sense. She did not expect to be given the opportunity of a lifetime…nor did she expect to feel anything for her friendly landlord.
All That It Takes is a look at what it takes to remain committed to a ministry that no longer looks like how you expected it to. It’s also a reminder that love comes in its own timing and will ask the hard questions while bringing out your best traits.
Readers will be reminded that though we may make our plans with the best intentions, it’s the Lord’s will that will prevail.
All That It Takes picks up threads of a storyline of Val and Miles that was introduced in All That Really Matters but can be read as a stand-alone.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
All That It Takes picks up the story of Val and Miles who were introduced in All That Really Matters. Val moved cross-country to help Molly with her new venture but nothing is going as planned. In some ways that was a good thing because it meant being exposed to new opportunities and experiences but it also meant everything was outside of her comfort zone.
Miles was also going through a period of change that he grudgingly accepted while seeking a way out.
When these two characters collide, the result is a story of pushing past the borders of your comfort level to achieve the gold that lays just beyond.
Readers will be reminded that God has given us unique gifts that should be used for His glory.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.

About All That It Takes
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.
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About Nicole Deese
Nicole Deese is a Carol Award winner and a RITA and INSPY Award finalist. When she’s not working on her next contemporary Christian romance novel, she can usually be found reading one by a window overlooking the inspiring beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
She lives in small-town Idaho with her happily-ever-after hubby, two rambunctious sons, and princess daughter with the heart of a warrior. Find her online at www.nicoledeese.com.