Published By: William Collins
Pages: 272
Released On: 13/01/2026
In a world where loneliness, burnout, and disconnection have reached crisis levels, Jennifer Breheny Wallace offers a transformative solution: mattering. Through vivid storytelling and groundbreaking research, Mattering: The Secret to Building a Life of Deep Purpose and Connection reveals how feeling seen, needed, and valued isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for our wellbeing and society’s future.
Filled with stories of individuals who have discovered the power of mattering, from the story of a fire chief who re-energized his emotionally exhausted team by helping them see their long-term impact, to a woman who transformed her grief into a movement helping thousands rebuild their lives, Wallace shows how mattering can be cultivated in every sphere of life. She demonstrates that when people feel they truly matter—that their presence and contributions are noticed, needed, and missed when they aren’t there—everything changes. Productivity soars, relationships deepen, and communities strengthen.
Drawing on compelling research and intimate portraits of people who’ve discovered the power of mattering, Wallace provides a practical blueprint for creating lives of deeper meaning and connection.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and William Collins for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I couldn’t move for reviews of this book so I was definitely intrigued.
Before reading it, I did question as to whether it was needed. There are a lot of self-help books out there and I have read a lot. But some of them I feel weren’t really necessary, that it was all common sense. And to a point, I did think this might be the same. But I was completely wrong.
I’ve never given much thought to the idea of ‘mattering’. But Jennifer references in her introduction about people with chronic illness, that they might feel they don’t matter because they’re not relied on or they can’t keep up with the pace of the world. And as someone with a chronic illness, I had never thought of it like that but I completely agree with it. That’s when I knew this book might be something a bit special.
I’m not necessarily going to say this book will change your life because that sounds a bit corny. But it’s true. I think it is a very important conversation to have, and it could, in truth, transform the way people see themselves.
She provides little tips and to-dos, nothing strenuous and nothing compulsory. But things like making a gratitude journal, or writing down when you achieve something, what effect you’ve had on a situation or another person.
It’s powerful but not preachy; interesting and engaging; informative but not too heavy. Some self-help books can be heavy and dry and a bit of a slog to go through, and some, whilst informative, are just not enjoyable. But this one was a delight to read.
I read it cover to cover like I do a novel. It’s not necessarily the way to read it. You may choose to read one chapter and put it down, dip in and out, and that’s fine. However you choose to read it, just make sure you do. And you’ll probably find yourself passing it on to others.
She has also provided a collection of further reading if you wish to pursue the topic any more.
It is quite short which means it’s quick to read, so I read it in less than a day. But it never feels flat or slow or trivial. It’s got some heavy stuff, but it’s written in an accessible and user-friendly way.
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