Meet Joe Bosco. He's the son of an overly accomplished MD who grew up believing he needed to exceed his father's expectations. So, what do you think happens? It's always challenging for me to read a book with a very unlikable main character and that is definitely the case with Joe. He's smart and works hard but is so arrogant in really every facet of his life.
I did find the arc of the story to be a bit predictable. On the positive side, there are fascinating details about the world/life of transplant surgery and the organ donation business - it might be expected due to the author's personal background but it added depth and a realistic feel to the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rare Bird Books for the opportunity to read All That Really Matters in exchange for an honest review.

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ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS: a gritty, pull-no-punches look at the life and excesses of a medical rock star
There are characters in fiction that one loves to dislike, and Joe Bosco, the protagonist of this here novel is definitely one of them. Joe is a very good doctor, one of the top transplant surgeons in the world(much like the author, whose experience shows in the detailed look he provides at what makes this world tick). However, Joe is also a self-centered, self-destructive young man, who ends up making the most uninspired of decisions, thus alienating his father, a Holocaust survivor, and the love of his life. It is in this young man's journey toward redemption that the book shines the most, and I loved how the author made sure that in spite of all the detailed descriptions of transplant procedures, the reader knows and feels within their heart of hearts that ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS is, in its essence, a story of love. Familial love, romantic love, love for one's craft, all in one, this novel is so alive it hums. Ten out of five. Great job.

A well written story of a man that has much to learn. I really enjoyed this and thought it was moving and heartbreaking and frustrating at times.

All That Really Matters by David Weill is the story of Joe Bosco. We meet Joe and his family and gain insight early into the influence his father has on him. Joe makes his way to a top college, then to medical school, and ultimately to become a leading transplant surgeon. The book and story follow Joe through his forks in the road as he tries to find his way. I appreciated that Joe is a flawed lead character and yet I was pulling for him to figure out what really matters to him. The background of medicine is also an interesting one. All in all, it was an engaging and quick read on the beach.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. All That Matters is available now.

Courtesy of Netgalley and PR by the Book, I received the ARC of All That Really Matters by David Weill. This engaging novel covers the education of Dr.Joe Bosco who succeeds in his goal of becoming an elite cardiothoracic transplant surgeon in San Francisco, at the cost of his loving relationship with Kate, who plans to treat clinic patients in Africa. His morals disintegrate during this rise to recognition, along with his sobriety. When he commits a major surgical error and is relieved of his position, he begins to question his ethics and that of the transplant program. His journey to recovery is emotional and suspenseful, compelling, well written, with great dialogue!

I read this book in two sittings. I was moved by the story and the vulnerability of the main character Dr Joe Bosco as he navigates his life as a son, a medical student, a star doctor and then a recovering high-flyer. Going through all the stages of his life, including the death of his parents, makes him very relatable and we get to witness how we are all so similar even though we have different sets of successes and failures.

The book is easy reading, as we watch Dr Bosco take on the very challenging work of organ transplants. He makes the description of this world exciting as the medical team races to get organs and transplant them into sick patients, who, if they survive, gain a new longer life. Joe is so good at what he does that he gets offered a plum job at a hospital in the Bay Area. There are many enticements including money and power and at first, he seems to navigate them beautifully, until he doesn’t. He even uncovers the dark side of the transplant world which coincides with his personal demise.

Dr Bosco is not a quitter, and he takes necessary steps to right his life and even reconnects with his love from medical school days in Africa. The book does end on a high note and it is encouraging to know that people who make changes can right their life if they do the very hard work to do it.

Not a literary masterpiece, but a good read none the less.

3.5 Stars, Rounded up to 4

The author is a renowned transplant surgeon, which lends depth and credibility to this fictionalized account of the rise and fall of Dr. Joe Bosco. Having worked in major medical centers for over twenty years, I can attest to the authenticity of the portrayal of the institutions and the personalities involved. The author’s candor and insight are appreciated, even as some of the events may be overly dramatized for the purposes of good storytelling.

Dr. Joe Bosco is driven. His ambition to be a top transplant surgeon at the expense of relationships and even his own integrity, is rooted in a dysfunctional relationship with his father, a Nobel laureate, and a towering role model for any son. The story unfolds from Joe’s teenage years, through college, medical school, residency and finally as a practicing surgeon. As Joe reaches the pinnacle of success – acclaim, respect, wealth – he begins to lose perspective and a scandal threatens not only his career, but his life as alcohol and drugs become his coping mechanisms. In addition to the primary focus of Joe’s struggle, the underbelly of the transplant system is exposed as the inequities in the process are revealed.

At best, this is an intriguing exploration of a man caught up in the quest for success – one who loses all the trappings of success and chooses to begin anew based on his own heart-felt values. However, I found something lacking in the writing. It had all the hallmarks of good character development, and it kept me engaged, but did not deliver an emotional quality that would have engendered more connection with Dr. Joe’s plight.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

An humbling, frustrating, uplifting story! All That Really Matters is a coming of age story albeit of an adult man who spectacularly derails his seemingly perfect life. The tortuous road to recovery is the frustrating, yet fulfilling, part of this drama. I really enjoyed the pace of the writing and the brilliant character development. I may not have always liked or respected the doctor but pulled for him in the end to find happiness.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rare Bird Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.