This book is wonderful. It tells the story of parent/child relationships. It has the longing of lost love. There are some poignant reminders of the cycle of living as one of the characters is a death doula.

The story is told in multiple points of view. There is a mother, Helen; her adult daughter, Mallory, and Helen’s neighbor, Estelle. There are also journal entries that supplement the POVs.

The book reminded me that being fragile doesn’t equate to being weak.

I love Barbara's books so much I just want to give her a big hug. She is a true storyteller and even though I'm pretty sure I know how I want it to end, the journey she takes us on to get there is worth every word.

This book is the same as her others -- warm, comforting and something you will carry you no matter how many books you read.

Thank you Barbara!!

Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be my last. I also own a few others by her and now I need to make work of sliding them into my schedule. This was a book I didn’t expect and was a surprise to me. I am in awe of the beautiful book she wrote.

There are two main characters in this book. It starts out with Mallory who is a social worker who feels this is her calling until she finds herself at a crossroads in her life when a client is brutally murdered. She takes a leave of absence and returns to her mothers home. Her mom is Helen who also has a calling as a death doula. These two ladies make the book worth reading, but there is so much more to their story.

There is a part of this book that made me stop and go back to the beginning to see if I missed something. I always love a book that catches me by surprise. A surprise that adds a little something to the book that I totally didn’t see coming. For me, this makes a book and the story line stand out as something different. I like a book that makes me think and look at something in a different way than I had before.

There are so many themes in this book and one that comes up often is one of forgiveness of the transgressions of others and ourselves. Sometimes we are hardest on ourselves when we think we have made a serious mistake or overlooked something. We need to remember that forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and one another.

Barbara tells us at the end of the book that her own husband received his own diagnosis of cancer during the writing of this book and that she struggled with writing and research during this time. Anyone who follows her on social media knows this and it was heartwarming to hear how the bookworld came together for Barbara and her husband Tom.

If you are like me and have not read a Barbara Davis book yet, then this is the time to jump right on in. I loved this book and the life lessons that I learned along the way. I think you need to put this on the top of your tbr list. Until next time…Happy Reading!

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This was a beautiful story about family and forgiveness. When a tragedy occurs in Mallory's job, she takes leave and goes home. Her and her mother, Helen, have a rocky past filled with secrets and they don't really get along. When she gets there, she runs into an old love that she almost married, Aiden. They are both broken in ways and it's awkward to be around each other.

I loved every part of this. The past we get to see from Helen, her journal and the mystery person she's writing to. The journey of healing Aidan and his mother go through. All is just beautiful.

Queue music from “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven, or ...
Queue music from “Fragile” by Sting

Excuse me while I pick up all the tissues – this book was such a "tragic tale, but so beautiful, too" ! Truth be told, this book has moved me so much, I really need extra time to organize everything I want to say, but it begs trying now, in the hope that someone else has read it or will so we can discuss!

I loved several of Davis’ back list, but I think this is my favorite of her novels. Every Precious and Fragile Thing is the second book I have read this month dealing with dignity death, a topic we tend to shy from, yet I found the novel fluid and easily navigable. The story was beautifully written, with characters, their relationships, and their dialog so real, and so raw, I found myself swept up in their current.

Davis tackled the sensitive topic from several POVs, while also fleshing out both sides of the controversy, the pros/cons, the relationships and the effects of those leaving, and those left behind. I think I had notes and took quotes from almost every page. I will be posting about this novel again – it is so good, it begs further discussion!

Thank you Barbara Davis, NetGalley and @suzyapprovedbooktours for my ePub copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars rounded to 5. I love Barbara Davis novels and this one was no exception. A beautifully crafted story of time and lost loves and how unspoken thoughts can snowball. Definitely one to read this summer

This is a story that will tug at your heart. I love contemporary fiction with a heart and family and this book fits the bill perfectly! It’s told in multiple POV so you hear from Mallory, the daughter, and Helen, the mother. Both women are struggling with their past romantic relationships. I loved the relationships between the characters. Each relationship is special and has its own challenges. Watching the characters overcome those challenges made this book what it is - a perfect read that will hold you to the very last page.

Filled with compassion and insight, this story takes you into the lives of four souls who have made mistakes and are wracked with regrets. As always, Barbara Davis creates a world where you become immersed in its intricacy and depth. Ten years have passed since Aiden and Mallory went their separate ways to the glee of his mother, Estelle. Mallory works as a counselor for imperiled youth when an unforeseen tragedy knocks her off her feet and sends her back home to her mother, Helen. Everyone here has secrets and there is beauty and grief as they are discovered and shared. Another gem from Davis.

Every Precious and Fragile Thing, by Barbara Davis, is a heartwarming story while also managing to be heartbreaking all at the same time. In other words: great "women's fiction". It took me a few chapters to get into the story but once I did, I was positively hooked.
At it's heart this is a story about mothers and children and all the misunderstandings we allow to come between us. There's also plenty of relevant romance for you romance lovers. It's simply a beautiful, memorable story that I really enjoyed.

Growing up with a mother who is a death doula, has given Mallory a complicated relationship with death and relationships. When one of her at-risk youths is found murdered, Mallory is forced home to have some ‘downtime’ and come to terms with what she wants her future to look like. But being back home comes with its own challenges, including coming to terms with events from a decade ago and learning to understand her mother more. As she slowly begins to repair her relationship with her mother, secrets long held will start to emerge and may push Mallory over the edge.

What a lovely & sad story all wrapped into one. Told from Mallory’s, Helen’s, & Estelle’s perspectives - Every Precious & Fragile Thing is a complex story about grief and dying. Covering topics from social work, terminal illness, & death both in the past and present, Davis’s writing is beautiful and makes you feel all the things.

I did struggle a bit with Mallory’s fragile personality. She seems unusually naive for a woman of her age, tends to jump to conclusions, and is defensive. She didn’t strike me as a social worker, but she did end up growing on me.

Other than a few slow spots - this story perfectly balances a deep dive into mother-child relationships while simultaneously giving us a beautiful love story.

Every Precious and Fragile Thing is out now! Huge thank you to Lake Union Publishing for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my:
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Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Barbara Davis has done it again, this was an engaging and emotionally driven book. The story is about family drama and long buried secrets and how we can overcome the past and get a second chance, whether it's a second chance at love, friendship, a career and a family relationship. And although the character of Mallory was annoying to me through a majority of the book, the overall story was interesting enough to keep me reading. Definitely a book worth reading.

Before I get into what this book is about, I just wanted to save I loved this book. This is only the 2nd book I've read by Barbara Davis and I plan on reading many more. I wish I would have found her sooner!

This book follows a few lives with the main one being Mallory Ward. She is a social worker that works in an at risk youth center in Boston. Unexpectedly, one of the youth she works with dies and Mallory becomes withdrawn and very emotional over it. Was it her fault? Could she have prevented this death from happening? How did it happen? What did she not see? Eventually due to emotional stress, her boss forces her to take a leave of absence for a few months. Mallory, who has no social life really and very little family, decides she will just return home to her small town to see her mother, whom she has a strained relationship with. Her mother Helen is a death doula and Mallory has had a hard time her entire life accepting this due to the strain it put on their relationship for various reasons. There are many tensions in the beginning of her stay and the strain becomes even bigger when she runs into her ex-fiancee unexpectedly. The relationship has been over for 10 years but many feelings resurface at the sight of him including heartbreak and loss. As Mallory continues to live with her mother and explore the curiosities of her ex-fiancee, Mallory's life is blown wide open by hidden secrets that begin to slowly unfold and change the trajectory of her thoughts, emotions and life choices. Can Mallory repair these few relationships in her life or will they be damaged forever?

Barbara Davis is amazing at writing with emotions and feelings. She really did her research for this book as it covers some very heavy topics. Somehow she writes about these topics as if she is an expert and is able to show the good, the bad and the ugly. She is able to somehow open your mind to these tough choices/experiences and allows you to evaluate their purpose and place in others or your lives with an open mind and not an impulsive emotion. I read this book so quickly and enjoyed it so much. Thank you for this arc. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Davis in my lifetime.

Barbara Davis has quickly become a favorite of mine. Her stories are full of complex characters in somewhat relatable situations. This story is no different. It is full of wonderful characters facing challenges in relationships: friendship, love, work loss and second chances. It is beautifully told in 3 voices. I enjoyed the development of these characters. While sad in parts, this book is full of secrets, forgiveness and hope. If you are looking for a book with all the feels, this book is for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a beautiful story of second chances. Second chances at love, for careers, and most importantly second chances at mending relationships between parents and children. The writing of this book is absolutely breathtaking. There are passages that I will think about for a long time.

Barbara Davis does a fabulous job weaving together hard and beautiful in her stories. While this story started a bit slower than her others, it is filled with heart.

If you love motherhood stories as much as I do, then EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING by Barbara Davis needs to be on your immediate TBR. This beautifully written novel will definitely tug on your heartstrings. The characters are multi-layered, the plot is eventful, and the pace is steady. There’s truly something for everyone—romance, friendship, family drama, loss, grief, and heartbreak—it’s very well-rounded. The conclusion absolutely knocked my socks off with a jaw-dropping twist that I did not see coming at all! It floored me! My best advice is to go in completely blind with this one.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Reflections on motherhood
- Complex mother/daughter relationships
- Second chance romance
- Epic love stories
- Rhode Island setting
- Multiple POVs
- Family drama and secrets
- Emotional reads
- Hints of mystery and intrigue
- Themes of grief, reconciliation, and healing
- Confronting a difficult past

My favorite thing about this novel is how it navigates the complicated relationships mothers might have with their children into adulthood, and the difficult decisions they grapple with when discussing the past—especially when uncovering hard truths.

QUICK SYNOPSIS:
“𝘈 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴-𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘤𝘩𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴.”

4/5 stars for EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING! It’s available now!

I will read anything that Barbara Davis writes. Her writing is beautiful and as the story builds the more emotion it has. The characters had so much depth and it was easy to connect with them right away. I loved the multiple POV and getting to see how each viewed the events of the past. Helen’s POV captured me the most because of the vibes her journey entries were giving. There were themes of regret, loss, and forgiveness and it had me glued to the pages wanting to see how they would react.

Thank you @bdavisauthor @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

This book is about death and loss, but also about the relationship between mother and daughter.
I did enjoy it, it was a good pace and I felt invested in the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The relationship between Mallory and Helen, the daughter and mother, weaves a story of forgiveness and second chances. Mallory, a social worker, struggles to move past a client's murder, traveling home to a place with too many traumatic memories, to her mother whose love she questioned. This story takes the reader through layered emotional scenes reflecting honesty, family, love, hope, and internal peace. I love this author's books! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this emotional read.

Every Precious Thing by Barbara Davis is a deeply emotional and beautifully written novel that explores themes of trauma, healing, and human connection. Davis' writing is lyrical and poignant, drawing readers into a heartfelt narrative that balances darkness with hope. While the pacing may feel slow at times, the novel’s depth and character development make it a rewarding read for those who enjoy introspective, character-driven stories.