You had me at Nantucket. I didn't want to put this down. For most of the book the budding relationship between photojournalist, Jamie and artist/widow Emma is sweet and endearing. Things get intense when past regrets are shared, and both Emma and Jamie have to work through some serious baggage. I liked how the author gave Emma and Jamie tension in their faith as they sorted through personal pain, and the messiness of it all came across as a slice of real life. Emma's in-laws were inspiring, and Emma's friends/Jamie's sister were the ultimate support. This is a clean, thoughtful, beachy romance.

Thank you, Tyndale House Publishers for a copy of What Matters Most.

Courtney Walsh writes a compelling story of forgiveness that will have readers absorbed through the pages until the end. The deeply flawed characters with separate and connected issues were fascinating to read. Add in the beautiful landscape of Nantucket, and this makes for a captivating story to escape into.

I immensely enjoyed this book. Courtney Walsh kept my attention the whole time, and I had a hard time putting it down. While reading this book I felt a huge range of emotions, from joy all the way to heartbreak. Emma has been through so much, and carries a heavy burden on top of it all. I don’t blame her for walking in a fog for so long, and was excited to see what happened when she decided to live again.

Jameson carries a heavy burden of his own, and he sees no way of putting it down. Doing the only thing he thinks might bring him some closure isn’t easy, but his plan is to give Emma a letter and then go back to his normal life. But often life doesn’t work out exactly as we planned, and Jameson finds himself drawn to Emma.

Their romance took me for a ride. When hidden truths are revealed can love survive the fall out? Emotions are messy things and sometimes we can’t see past them to what is right in front of us. They can also cause us to carry things we are meant to give to God and let go. This is a beautiful story of healing that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers and was in no way forced to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I give this one 4.5 ⭐️. It had all the things: love, tragedy, hope, heartache, mistakes, guilt, forgiveness and so much more. It told a sweet story of Emma and Jamie and their journey towards forgiveness and love. Overall it was such a great story and I’m definitely going to go read the others in this series.

I have followed Courtney Walsh on Instagram for years, and I'm not sure why I had never picked up one of her books until now! It did not disappoint! What Matters Most was a heart warming story that kept me engaged the whole time. I appreciated that the story was more than just a surface level clean romance. It was an emotional read with depth and authentic characters. The two main characters, Emma and Jamie, have things in their past that the reader gets to slowly uncover throughout the story. That aspect kept me intrigued and wanting to find out what happened next. I enjoyed the elements of faith throughout the story. I appreciated that the author showcased Emma and Jamie's faith journeys while going through hard times. Additionally, I hadn't read a book set in Nantucket, and it was such a fun setting. It made me want to visit the island. I also liked the elements of art in the story. As a photographer myself, Jamie's job and passion for photography was very cool to read about. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. While it was my first Courtney Walsh book, it definitely won't be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

What Matters Most, by Courtney Walsh, is a Nantucket love story. It focuses on Emma and Jameson. Emma is trying to move forward with her life after losing husband years earlier and Jameson is trying to move forward after being in the situation that took soldiers’ lives.

This is such a good story. The author has done a wonderful job of writing the story that deals with sensitive subjects of infidelity, death, grieving, and survivors guilt. The characters are very likable and strong. This story is so well written and realistic. I really enjoyed how both of the characters have similar talents and encourage each other. I also enjoyed how supportive Emma’s in-laws were and how encouraging they were for her to move forward. This is definitely a book that many will enjoy.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Excellent book! There are many twists and turns in it. It is about a Emma and Jamie dealing with past events, and how they can help each other through everything. It is well written and I will be looking for more by this author.

This book was a hard one for me to read. The overall theme of forgiveness was good, but I was so put off by Emma. Jamie forgave her so easily for her issue, but when Jamie disclosed his issue, she was very harsh and hard to forgive. It was hard for me to get past that when he was so forgiving of her. I really had a hard time liking Emma and felt so bad for how she treated Jamie.
This book was just so so for me. Definitely not a favorite of mine by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Wow, where to even begin! Such a great book that really had you feeling the emotions right along with the characters. My heart broke for Emma (and Jamie) at many points throughout the book. Such a multilayered story with broken characters. Will they get the closure they both need? I also really enjoyed the artistic elements of the book which now makes me want to visit Nantucket and take up watercolors. A fantastic read!

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a Christian romance that takes place in Nantucket. In the beginning of the story, we learn that both parties have big secrets they are keeping from each other but we don't find out what they are until over halfway through the book. I do wish that the secrets would have been revealed earlier as I felt it made the story drag on for longer than was necessary.

I'd compare this to a Hallmark movie with maybe even a little more cheese. I really appreciated how open and vulnerable the characters were in a few of the scenes and it was very easy to imagine the whole story playing out in real life.

Overall, I'd recommend this if you are into Hallmark movies and don't mind a little bit of cheesiness.

Thanks so much to Tyndale House Publishers for the advanced read copy of this book! It's out now!

What Matters Most by Courtney Walsh

What Matters Most is a well-written modern day novel which I initially viewed as a beach read. However, soon the themes of loss, PTSD and the power of friendships are introduced, taking the story to a deeper level. There are also some secrets that need to be confessed, eventually leading to forgiveness and healing, but it is a long time coming. Although both characters are dragging their feet with different issues, Emma started to exasperate me. The characters are authentic with genuine problems, the setting is enjoyable, and the story is believable. Love both grandparents, each in their own way. What I really appreciate is that the author does not shy away from addressing topics that some christians don’t want to see in christian novels. Well done! This made the novel all the more realistic. 3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Tyndale House for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

What Matters Most is a very well written romance. A great plot, believable characters and a beautiful setting. Courtney Walsh has written another winner. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoy Courtney's novels because she writes fabulous dialog and compelling romances.

What Matters Most is book 3 in the Nantucket Love Story series, but it can easily be read on its own. It was fun to imagine myself on the shore of beautiful Nantucket while reading Emma and Jamie's story. Both have suffered great loss and carry big secrets that have weighed heavily on them for five years. When good intentions and a simple misunderstanding cause them to meet, the sparks of attraction surprise them both. A sweet romance develops quickly, and each nurtures repressed creativity in the other. When their secrets are revealed, can their relationship survive in the light of reality?

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. Jamie is a very swoony hero who's so handsome, talented, and understanding, he's 'almost' too perfect. I appreciated Emma's desire to be independent yet maintain relationships with family while raising her young son CJ. The plot includes some heavy 'real life' topics, especially for a Christian fiction novel, and Ms. Walsh handles them realistically and with great care. I felt the references to faith were woven into the story in very organic ways. I was very eager to discover each character's big secret (and had several theories) so waiting through most of the novel felt prolonged but built a compelling sense of mystery.

I'm grateful to Tyndale House Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a review copy of this novel.

I love a good, angsty romance, and Courtney Walsh never disappoints in that aspect. Emma and Jamie both have secrets that they would rather never speak of, but the truth always finds a way to reveal itself. These two characters are among my favorites in the contemporary romance genre. They're frightened and emotional, and they'd do anything not to hurt the other, except that pesky little fact that the truth might tear them apart. Once I sat down to read What Matters Most, I could hardly make myself stop. The emotional impact is deep and engaging, and the Nantucket setting made me want to visit the island for myself. The secrets did drag on a little long, but that's part of the beauty of the book. Both characters had to work through some heavy subjects, and that takes time. If you like deeply emotional stories with characters that are wounded and realistic, then you'll enjoy this story. Finding forgiveness for acts that feel unforgivable is one of my favorite themes, and this book took that and gave it an extra special treatment that had me equal parts cheering for the characters and wishing I could make everything better.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars!
A beautiful, emotional, tear-inducing contemporary romance book! I was intrigued by the idea of this book and it was even better than I had anticipated.

Set in beautiful Nantucket, it dealt with some heavy topics of guilt and forgiveness and learning to live and not just exist. I instantly likes Jamie’s personality and I felt it complimented Emma’s, while at the same time they were both dealing with misplaced guilt.

Overall, a beautiful book with strong Christian values. Highly recommend!

* Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for sharing an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

What Matters Most is a contemporary Christian romance novel written by Courtney Walsh. It is book three in the Nantucket Love Story series.

Summary: Since the death of her soldier husband five years ago, Emma Woodson has just gone through the motions of life. She knows it’s not a healthy way to live-for her, or her son.

Determined to take action and start over, Emma moves to Nantucket and into the house her husband left her in the will.

Can she get her life back on track-even though she still regrets so much from her past?

She’s not the only one with regrets. Jameson Shaw has so many. All he wants to do is deliver a letter to Emma, and hope for some closure.

But when they meet, he can’t help but be drawn to her. He decides to stick around for a while, and soon finds that he doesn’t want to leave.

Will he find the courage to explain his past and how he was connected to Emma’s husband? And if he does, will he lose her forever?

My Thoughts: I really liked this book. There is an interesting and unique story line, the characters are well-developed and likable, and there is a fun romance as well.

I did think there were too many starts and stops to the relationship, but overall it is a solid romance that I enjoyed.

It would be a great book to add to your shelf if you enjoy clean romance novels.

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

In her unique writing style, author Courtney Walsh once again whisks the reader away to the quaint, seaside island of Nantucket—with its small town charm, seagulls cawing overhead, the sound of laughing children on the beach, and plenty of good fishing!

I had a love/dislike (hate is much too strong a word) relationship with heroine, Emma Woodson. I admired her strength and love for her son and immediately forgave her of a major indiscretion—yet she's so quick to judge and is intensely bitter with unforgiveness! I was SO upset with her, but still rooted for her future happiness anyway. Sigh...book characters can be so frustrating.

My heart went out to handsome, talented, almost perfect Jamie—a man who would do anything for Emma, except tell Emma the truth. Major frustration once again. However, I pitied him for the deep burden of guilt he carried around like a ball and chain on a daily basis. Can two people eaten up with remorse over their pasts, finally find freedom and redemption?

What a realistic, raw, gritty storyline with more than one betrayal and plenty of deceit! With a sigh-worthy romance, colorful secondary characters, and a breathtaking setting, be sure to put 'What Matters Most' high on your wishlist!

"You either believe God is for you or you don’t—and he realized he wanted to believe that He was." (Quote from 'What Matters Most')

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*

This is a beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness and I think it might be her best yet. Nantucket is a place I’d love to visit and Courtney did a great job of bringing me there. Main characters Emma and Jamie were broken people just trying to mend their broken hearts and lives. It was tender and poignant and a most perfect read. Highly recommended.

Courtney Walsh is the queen of heartfelt Christian fiction. The Nantucket setting is absolutely dreamy and had me planning a vacation. This beautiful story has a little bit of everything and a wonderful message of forgiveness and hope.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

Content: infertility, infidelity, miscarriage, and loss of a spouse (all in the past)

I have some pet peeves about fiction, and I’m afraid there’s at least one strong one in this book that made me lose interest in the story. Sure, it can be real life where kids interrupt a pivotal conversation, but when it happens at least three times in a novel in quick sucession, it becomes an irritant.

The writing is not too bad otherwise. But all in all, this was not for me.