Three sisters, a mother who dies early on in this story, and the grief that follows. Grief for the loss of their mother, but also finding out that their mother had determined that the summer cottage that has fond memories, along with everything else, is to be sold, with each receiving one third of all proceeds. I SIMPLY adored Therese Anne Fowler’s prior book A Good Neighborhood. It was in fact one of my favorite reads of 2019. I, therefore, couldn’t wait to get my hands on her next release..and then I did. However, when he arrives, he finds there are other house guests—Ms. Dierdre Callaghan (Joseph's aunt) and her eight-year-old grandson, Arlo. Not what he planned; however, soon they become friends, and he decides to extend his stay by helping her out. Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Therese Anne Fowler for an ARC of this book! Now available as of 6.7!**

To make things more intriguing, meet the fabulous (LOVE) C.J. REYNOLDS. From South Carolina, originally from a well-to-do southern family with money and lots of control. He was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit due to his controlling father trying to teach him a lesson.Some of us may be foolishly tempted to think that Jesus’ message to go only applies to a few? However, Jesus told His followers to go. The exception is not for those who go, but for those who should not go. Unless God somehow tells you otherwise, you should assume that He’s told you to go in some way. Today is the end of the book. Today, we learn what Jesus left us with before He left the earth to be with the Father in heaven. Church, it all comes down to this. Jesus makes it clear for His eleven disciples at the time, and for those of us who follow Him today, that He has authority to deliver this message to His followers. Topics of change, fear of the unknown, and family support are central and common themes for all three sisters while handled in three completely different ways. I loved how each sister's life played out and I loved this well-written story!

Dr. Tony Evans says this concerning the command to make disciples: “The effectiveness of a church is therefore evaluated—not in the number of its members—but by its disciple-making. It’s the absence of discipleship that keeps a church impotent and ineffective, because by not taking up Christ’s mission of discipleship, its people cannot draw on Christ’s authority.” Well said, Dr. Evans. Church, let us not be impotent and ineffective! Let us develop disciples! Not exactly what I anticipated when I read in a blurb that a mother's death is drawing a family together. But there are mentions of everything from some uh, less mainstream sexual acts, to prostitution, masturbation...and I won't say any more than that because I don't really need to relive it. I suppose in a sense some of this helped to make 'the plot' work, but trust me when I say the plot drags on and on for a book that isn't particularly long to begin with and had such a strange ending, I had no idea what the author was getting at in terms of character arcs. I don't consider myself a prude by any stretch, but this was not a romance novel, yet it kept attempting to be one and I just got tired of it. I resonated with Marti on many levels! Being in the last chapter of your life, single, and facing her terminal cancer, she wants to control things her way and die with dignity. Don't we all? She refused to do the deathbed confession thing. Her girls would find out later. She did not want to die surrounded by the girls and their families. I get it; same here.

Therese Anne Fowler

The mission is here and the mission is there. The mission is every place that has a breathing person. Still, I am left with a niggle. A niggle that wishes I had instead read It All Comes Down to This and not listened to it. My recommendation, therefore, is that if you have any interest in reading it, you do just that. This is yet another book that I felt missed a golden opportunity to explore emotional connections on a deep level. And why was that? These three sisters have very complicated relationships with one another. Each sister has painted a slightly skewed picture of their life to the other two. There are hidden truths, deceptions, and secrets, but each one remains hopeful for change in their future. With her keen eye for human foibles and emotional truth, humor and deep feeling, acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Therese Anne Fowler delivers a stylish, insightful take on the dysfunctional family dramedy.

Sophie has a glamourous lifestyle and a multimillion following for SimplySophie! on social media. She wines and dines artists and prospective art buyers, but has a massive credit card debt and no permanent home. She is hovering on the edge of disaster. The story is skillfully written, and the characters are well developed. The story's point of view alternates between the various characters, so be prepared to keep up. Their lives are filled with complications, difficulties, betrayals, and mistakes. You might even want a glass of wine to accompany this dramatic read.

C.J. was extremely fortunate to have had that money in the first place, especially as he hadn’t earned most of it himself; he’d inherited a pile—no, a mound—of money from his paternal grandmother, who had never judged him for wanting to take a different path. But he didn’t have more millions coming to him the way some of his kind did, because he had not returned to Aiken to make amends and was determined not to do so. Ever. He was also out of a job. And a wife. A daughter, too, damn it all, though he hoped to rectify that, if not the rest. It All Comes Down to This is a really great read. Despite the fact that there's not much plot action happening, I've always enjoyed coming-of-age stories and this one is really well done. God is with us. Jesus is with us. As our lives are changed, and we go out on His mission, His power and authority are with us. This is my first time with this author and I would give her another try because maybe her other work would be more up my alley.