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 shiny monthly paycheck. When her manager-turned-boyfriend tells her of an upcoming audition to host a makeover show for America’s underprivileged youth, all her dreams finally seem to be coming true. There’s just one catch: she has little experience interacting with people in need.
 
To gain an edge on her competitors, she applies to volunteer at a transitional program for aged-out foster kids during summer, only the program’s director, Silas Whittaker, doesn’t find her as charming as her followers do. But since forfeiting a goal has never been her style, Molly’s only option is to accept the terms Silas lays out and submit to his rules–even the most ridiculous ones pertaining to social media.  

Soon as the residents of the home become more than a means to pad her career resume, and Silas becomes more than an obstacle on her path to fame, her once-narrow focus expands to include the deep needs of those she’s serving… and perhaps the ones she’s neglected inside herself as well. It took years to build her platform, but only one summer to discover what really matters most.

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In My Opinion

In a day and age when people are defining popularity by the number of followers, likes, or comments on social media posts, All That Really Matters by Nicole Deese challenges that belief.

As a social media influencer, Molly is all about the numbers, but to achieve her next goal, she’s got to increase those numbers even more. And to do that as well as impress some Hollywood types, she decides to volunteer. What she doesn’t expect is the connection she feels to the kids who have aged out of foster care.

Deese blew my expectations for this book out of the water. While I don’t have a lot in common with Molly, I connected with her in her search for acceptance. And her growth throughout this book is tremendous. But it’s not just Molly who grows, it’s Silas and many of the kids at the home.

When Molly steps away from the camera and lives life, it’s sometimes messy and disappointing, it sometimes brings her to despair and tears, but it’s also full of acceptance and love and relationships. Status is fleeting but people are what matter.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.