What Matters Most.

What Matters Most.

Luanne Rice.

Publisher:Bantman.

Publication Date:June 24,2008.

Genre:Romance,Family.

Format|Pages:Mass Market Paperback|496.

Source:Owned|Goodreads.

5STARS

What Matters Most is another great work of Luanne Rice . I have read few of Luanne’s books and so far there wasn’t a single book of hers that disappointed me. That was the way I felt with What Matters Most, from the moment I picked up the book, it got hard for me to put it down, I needed how it would turn out in the end. I loved the way Rice portrayed everyone’s emotions, I felt myself being able to feel what they were filling. Top of it, the scenery she set, described, especially of Ireland was beautiful and I felt that I was actually there. Even though most parts of novel were sad, they were also ones that made me smile. Rice brought the story to life to me. I’m looking forward to reading rest of her novels.

What Matters Most is follow up of Sandcastles which I read. This sequel follows story of Bernadette Ignatius and Tom Kelly. Sister Bernadette and Tom Kelly return to Ireland, in search of son they left behind 23 years earlier. It was also the place for a lot of memories for both Tom and Bernadette before her calling, to become Nun. Devastating Tom, he took job as groundskeeper in Star Of Sea so he could be close to her, to the one women that he never stopped loving. Will search of their son, bring them closer together?

Seamus ‘James’ Sullivan also is hoping and dreaming of reuniting with his one true love, Kathleen Murphy who he hasn’t seen over 10 years, not since she was taking by her parents from St Augustine’s Children’s home. Kathleen was the only family that he ever knows. While Kathleen, cook in Newport is dreaming the same thing, dreaming for miracle to bring the one boy she always loved, back to her. All four lives are about to come together.

When I picked up the novel, I haven’t realized that I was reading a sequel to Sandcastles, that I read a year earlier. As I read on, I realized that the names seemed somehow familiar and then it came to me. I was actually happy that she made the sequel, I loved Sandcastles and I was curious about the other characters as well. I found myself loving Bernadette right from beginning, and her dedication to go back to Ireland to find their son. However I found myself frustrated with her at times, I wish she would just be with Tom, she saw how much he loved her. I could feel the tension between two of them, but that’s what I enjoyed about their relationship, the fact that they were obstacles. I didn’t actually read description before picking up the book, I found myself curious what Tom and Bernadette where hiding when they arrived to Ireland, especially how Tom was acting with his cousins.

Now James and Kathleen, I found myself loving them even more. All through the book, I found myself rooting for them to find a way back, to each other. I could tell there was chemistry between two of them from the first page. I found myself being able to easily imagining their relationship; just by the way that Rice described their relationship through the years. Now, that’s a real bond, a bond that is unique. I did wonder what would happened with them two if Kathleen’s parents didn’t come to get her, or if she took James’s offer to run away with him. I found myself feeling sad when they were separated and horrible for Kathleen, for the life she ended up having.

Ending had a twist, as most of Luanne Rice’s books did. I just wish it didn’t have result in death. However I was happy that at least Tom knew how she felt about him, how they both got their feelings out there. Of course, his heart had go out at worse possible way. I though the very ending was beautiful, James finally got he wanted, a family with Kathleen, even if the child wasn’t his, he learned to accept it as I hoped he would. This story is totally worth checking out. If you haven’t read any of Luanne’s books, go pick one out. It’s worth your time.