This Author is new to me, but definitely one whose books I will be reading again.
This is a very emotional read, very poignant and it makes you think about it after you have found reading it.
I like the message about how money doesn't always lead to happiness, and can't buy you everything. I think that this is important in what can be a very materialistic society.
It was also good how Taz and Dan also became friends despite being from different ends of society, one poor, one rich. This book is very thought provoking about society as a whole.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Do you ever read a book that just really speaks to you and leaves you thinking about it a LOT even after you’ve finished it? That is what The Things That Matter did for me. This book really touched me and I felt incredibly emotional while, and after, reading it.

This is a moving and poignant tale of finding yourself in the wake of heartbreak, perfect for fans of Amanda Prowse and Susan Lewis.

I love books that cover family relationships and turmoil, books about sensitive or controversial topics, books about the bonds of love that bring people together. I love books that grip and affect me, that carry me on an emotional rollercoaster journey, leaving me feeling exhilarated and satisfied at the end. That is how I felt with The Things That Matter. Maybe it is because I, too, have experienced miscarriages and the myriad of emotions surrounding them. Or maybe because I, too, have lost perspective and have taken my husband and other family members and friends for granted when things in life are rough and rocky. Or maybe because I, too, have dealt with loved ones inflicted with Alzheimer’s. Or maybe it is all of the above.

Miscarriages are HARD to get over and get past. I didn’t have the background that Taz did but I could still emphasize with her. Everyone needs time to get over it, if you really ever do, and that amount of time is different for everyone. I hated when people said or hinted that it was time to move on. I hated seeing or being with people for a long time, even family members who I love. I only wanted to be with and see my husband. He knew what I needed and wanted and he fully supported me. I could relate to a lot of what she went through.

Like Taz, I was able to clear my head by escaping from my every day life and travel abroad for work. I was able to walk the city of Paris and do a lot of soul-searching, I was able to reflect and dig deep into my mind, my heart, and really think about life and what I wanted out of it next. I also was able to come home feeling a stronger appreciation of myself, my family, and my friends. I came home feeling at peace.

Having spent my wonderful honeymoon in Scotland, I was thrilled to read about this beautiful land and be brought back in memory while reading this. The author captured the scenery, the people, the life just perfectly and accurately. Oh how I wish I could go back!

There is so much more to this book that I loved, there is so much more that it is about, but to summarize, this is a moving and emotional read that I highly recommend.

Andrea Michael is a new author for me and I am a fan! I truly enjoyed reading The Things That Matter and have added her other books to my TBR list.

#thethingsthatmatter #netgalley #omcreads

Taz and Dan are teenagers from opposite sides of society, she from a broken home on a council estate, him from well - off parents. When he is sent to prison she is the one who stands by him all the time, his parents disowned him.
Years later a tragedy sends Taz to Scotland to find out more about her family.
This is not the normal type of book that I will read, these are normally more light hearted, and I did struggle to get into the book. It did take off for me when Taz went to Scotland to find out more about her family, the characters there gave some humour into the story. With revelations about the past gradually being revealed to flesh out Taz's history I started to really get into the story, with unexpected twists and turns.
In summary if you enjoy gritty family dramas this will definitely suit you, if you're looking for something light hearted maybe not so much.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

This is a new author to me and I plan to read more of her books! I loved the writing in this. The emotions and characters felt so real. This one definitely has all the feels --- I laughed and I cried along with Taz on her journey. I also enjoyed the depth in this one. Great book!

“Love and loss and heartbreak and being painfully, beautifully human”

This one quote encapsulates the main themes of this emotional, poignant and powerful page turner from Andrea Michael. The Things that Matter is my favourite kind of read, combining superb characterisation with a beautiful but realistic love story and I want to shout from the rooftops how amazing this novel is! Within these pages you’ll find happiness and pain, thumour and heartbreak but above all you’ll discover a storyline that is immensely easy to engage with. Automatically winging its way onto my list of personal favourites so far this year I hope you gain as much pleasure from reading this novel as I did.

Dan and Taz are childhood sweethearts, an unlikely coupling due to their vastly different backgrounds. Dan comes from a respectable, privileged home whilst Taz lives on the opposite side of the tracks on a council estate, abandoned by her mother and coping alone with an alcoholic father. Yet they have more in common that you’d first think, both keen to escape their home lives, gravitating towards one another in their desire to find a place where they belong. Tragedy unites them, cementing their love further so turning their backs on family life they venture forth into the world where they have only each other to rely on. This novel really begins years after Dan has been released from prison and Taz is approaching her thirtieth birthday, the pair in the throes of struggling with the biggest threat to their marriage to date. Having negotiated so many obstacles in the course of their union will this latest trauma prove insurmountable? Hot on the heels of her surprise birthday party comes an unexpected and unwelcome surprise via the post giving Taz no alternative but to confront the demons from her past if her marriage to Dan is to stand a chance of survival. It’s with a heavy heart you accompany this bruised and battered woman to the Scottish Highlands where hopefully one way or another she’ll finally be able to lay some ghosts to rest.

Some of my best memories are of time spent in the Scottish Highlands so as the narrative moved northwards, this novel just got better and better in my estimation. With a change of scenery, in many ways the fortunes of this admirable, feisty woman slowly but surely vastly improves. More lighthearted in tone, for the most part, some truly memorable characters enter Taz’s life, in particular, her aunt Kit and her menagerie of farm animals including two alpacas and a farting Shetland pony!! These Scottish folk put love, kindness, generosity of spirit, sense of community and a hearty well cooked breakfast on the map! A natural born survivor she may be but this could the ideal place for Taz to heal and find her way back to the loving arms of her husband.

As someone who considers herself a realist I found the raw honesty of some of these characters so refreshing (and at times so funny!) Yet in direct contrast to the straight talkers are those for whom lying is second nature. Part of the fascination of this author’s writing for me was the way in which she blurs the lines between lies, truth and memory, where the loss of memory and the capacity for individuals to edit and rewrite their own memories/history is integral to the plot. That some memories, good or bad remain immutable is testament to their sheer power and their hold over our future selves, shaping and guiding us, destroying us or building us up into better versions of who we want to be. Andrea Michael’s perception of what it is to be human is razor sharp; the way she broaches the toughest of subjects in such a careful, considered and sensitive manner displays a genuine warmth for her fellow human beings and the difficulties they face throughout life.

I’ve undoubtedly met countless wonderful fictional characters over the years but very few have had as profound an effect and lasting impact on me as Mr and Mrs White invariably have. To me they were as alive as you or I, made of real flesh and blood and bones as opposed to mere figments of the imagination. In fact the characterisation throughout this entire novel is superb, from the wonderfully welcoming Scottish folk to the more detestable immediate family members, all of whom play a huge role, at various stages, in the direction Dan and Taz’s future takes.

I found this to be a fabulous piece of storytelling from beginning to end, totally inspired by Dan and Taz’s love story which faces no end of hurdles but with a healthy injection of humour and hope, even the darker aspects show a glimmer of light. The narrative is bursting at the seams with pearls of wisdom regarding the ability of love to conquer all alongside the reality that life won’t always be full of happy endings. That we shouldn’t allow loss, grief or sadness to negate the good memories is sage advice. Andrea Michael has written a corker of a love story, making it an absolute joy and privilege to read.

If I have any tiny criticism it’s that this novel is too short! Easily read in one sitting, I wished I could prolong my time with these special characters, so content was I to remain in a world where I never lost sight of THE THINGS THAT MATTER, knowing full well that in a matter of hours I probably would! Admittedly that valuable life lesson is probably easier to translate into practice if we are lucky enough to find a love as powerful as that which exists between Dan and Taz. Regardless of our relationship status we all need reminding from time to time how important it is to focus on and appreciate the simple things in life, so this is a book for everyone of us. Utterly bewitching, tender, poignant and funny I defy you not find the sentiments voiced in this novel worth clinging onto.

Thank you to One More Chapter for introducing me to such a fantastic author and to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

The Things That Matter was a good book, starting out with two teens who faced difficulty early on, but rose to success. They basically were the glue that held the other together, but the loss of a child sends Taz into questions about what she really wants, and whether the two of them belong together. Some of the dialogue of the peripheral characters was a bit over the top, but that said, Kit, Taz's aunt, was a peripheral character that made the book. Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Uk and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A story that tells you money is not everything and doesn’t always make you happy. Sounds like something that could be good, but I was thoroughly bored until the last 5% of the book. The characters felt bland and didn’t do much for my overall enjoyment. Kit (a side character), was the only one I liked and that doesn’t make for a well rounded story if you ask me.

A really great story with lots to keep you captured in to it. Taz is a great character and offers so much more than you expect.

Taz and Dan come from totally different backgrounds but were drawn together as teens and have stood the test of time. Issues from her past including poverty and abandonment have left Taz with issues. Despite Dan being her rock, the death of a child forces Taz to face her demons from the past. She is such a strong character and this presents itself when she travels to Scotland in search of answers. Great characters and very well written.

The things that matter by Andrea Michael an emotion wringing five-star read. This was my first read by this author, but it won’t be the last, the emotions that pull you into this story are so well done. I don’t want to tell you the story as it unfolds beautifully and I loved that I went into it, without knowing anything about it, it made it such a strong read for me. The characters in this story are thought out and just people you would love to hear more about. Follow Taz on her journey and most likely find something about yourself as well.

The Things That Matter is a beautifully crafted story about a couple, together since the teen years. The glue that has held them together, is a combination of love, need, and a shared history.
Taz and Dan are two people from entirely different backgrounds, yet fate set them on a life journey together.
She comes from the local estate, living with her alcoholic father, and abandoned by her own mother.
He hails from a wealthy family, with the world at his feet.
One event changes both their lives.
This book sends you through all sorts of emotions.
I really felt for Taz. She never shook the trauma of childhood poverty from her life, even though she has everything she needs, materially. Then to experience a loss, as harsh as that of losing a child? Well, my heart went out to her.
The sense of abandonment appears in several forms, from when Taz's mother disappears, to when Dan's parents disown him, and even when Taz feels the need to get away from the life she is living as a thirty-something woman.
Finding herself in the Scottish Highlands, to visit that mother who had left her, Taz discovers so much about herself, from a whole new family to her own inner strength.
The fact that she could even contemplate cutting strings from the one anchor she'd relied upon, for most of her life - Dan - shows her strength.
I have to say I loved Kit, Taz's aunt. She is a character and a half, filled with crooked wisdom, that actually makes total sense.
I truly enjoyed this read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Uk and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

👥Taz & Dan: emotional, life at a crossroads, sublime🌄

I will admit that the thing that first appealed to me about this story was that it was partially set in the Scottish Highlands since I am a big fan of them thar hills😊. But then Taz with her numbing grief and uncertainty about the state of her marriage to teenage sweetheart Dan caught me and I was a goner! Their "opposite side of the tracks" romance seemed challenged from the start and Dan's desire to regain his parents' approbation is a set-up rife with possibilities for dissension and discord.

The supporting characters, particularly Taz's Aunt Kit and the community of friends in Scotland, were just a perfect number: not too numerous and all with brief portraits that added a warmth to Taz's tale but never really hijacked attention away from the core story. The mystery of the mother who left when she was a young girl and then resurfaces added an interesting twist even if Mom is a bewildering figure and hardly the model parent or sister.

I was in no way certain how the couple's story would end but, I must say, the climax was the best part of the book and I almost shed a tear. For me, the most enjoyable novels are ones that get me emotionally committed to the characters' fate. The Things That Matter did that for me and it was a true pleasure to read.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

What an emotional read! This story has all the feels - I laughed and cried along with Taz on her journey. It covers so many traumatic aspects of her life but is ultimately so uplifting. It’s message is so very clear and the characters so engaging. A wonderful read.

A story that tells you money is not everything and doesn`t always make you happy.

Taz comes from a poor family, Dan comes from a wealthy family, they met at school where their friendship starts.
After Dan comes out of prison his family have disowned him, Taz and Dan get married they survive day to day and are very happy.
Dan`s family finally get in touch giving them a home and a job for Dan, as he gets more successful their lives seem to separate with Taz being lonely and yearning for their early life.
Taz gets a letter from her estranged mother whom she decides to visit. Staying at her aunt`s farm who she didn`t know existed, the village takes her into their heart`s and has her wondering where she would like her life to go.

Can they bring back the love they had before success. A lovely story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

I really enjoyed this book - Daniel and Taz are not your typical couple - they met as teenagers and stuck together through thick and thin.

Life should be go but they both feel as though their love is at risk after the loss of their baby. Taz receives a letter from her mother which forced her to confront her past and rethink her relationships. She is forced to work out how to be true to herself and fair to Daniel.

A lovely story - you feel empathy for both main characters and want a positive outcome.

One I will be recommending.

This is a beautifully written story that pulls you through so many emotions. Taz had to grow up quick when her mother walked out and didn’t keep in contact. Dan came from a different background where his parents had his future mapped out. The story of how their love survived tragedy and how Taz found the missing pieces of her childhood is beautifully written This is one of the best books I have read this year and yes I would recommend it

Taz and Daniel fall in love at a young age and forge a future together against a lot of odds: abandonment by parents, such very different backgrounds, and tragedy. When Daniel seems to conform to his parents' wishes and lifestyle, love may not be enough to see them through. In the wake of loss, Taz seeks to put her past to rest and discovers a new future based on very different values. Will she be able to convince Daniel that their life together can survive?

This is a highly original read about thirty year old Taz and her life both as it is now and how it was since her childhood and the intervening years between. Striking up an unlikely friendship in her teens with the boy who became her husband caused both their lives to alter in just one moment, a moment Taz has been mentally paying for ever since. Now she is living a life she neither recognises nor likes, is struggling to recover from a painful loss and no longer trusts in her marriage. An unexpected birthday card makes her face up to her past and her present and reassess everything she thinks she knows.

I really liked Taz, she is so flawed but so strong and really doesn’t expect anything to just be handed to her but she’s loyal and fights for those she cares about. I loved the community she fled to, so much character and warmth and a complete contrast to everything she’s known. This is quite a serious read but with many uplifting moments and the title really does sun it up perfectly.

Thanks to #NetGalley the publisher Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and the author #AndreaMichael for providing me with a digital ARC #thethingsthatmatter in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. This book is so well written and I did not want to put it down. This is the first book by #AndreaMichael that I have read and I look forward to reading more by this author – I never cry when reading books but this book made me cry and also laugh out loud. The story of Taz and Dan has everything love, hate, jealousy, guilt and grief. This book comes highly recommended.

Young love changed by a tragic event, clinging together and growing up together. Another tragic event threatens to split them this time instead of uniting them. Sounds dark and disturbing but it's life affirming and humouress.
Follow the journey of discovery. It made me laugh, it made me cry but I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.