Despite a heart breaking start to young adulthood, Mallory lands the career of her dreams in a big city and thinks she's overcome her past and running away tendencies. Her world comes crashing down when a forced work vacation granted by her boss/bestie leads Mallory back to her home town, facing all the things she left behind.

This was a hard mini summary to write, since Davis takes the book in almost every direction possible genre-wise. There are murder mysteries to solve, police procedural moments to be discussed and an unsettling thriller vibe that parallels with a coming of age story and a second chance romance. All of the components on their own are written very well, making me feel terror or concern or love in just the right spots.

That being said when looking at the work as a whole, all these pieces lead to a very random story. I have to rate it in the middle because although the roller coaster ride was fun for a while, I got sick of it by the end and wondered when I could be let off. If you are a reader looking to shake things up and be constantly surprised, this novel is for you.

Secrets and regrets abound in Barbara Davis’s newest gem.

We meet Mallory, Aiden, Helen, and Estelle - all tied together because of a broken engagement and all with secrets kept from each other.

Mallory is a social worker who had come home because one of her girls was murdered.

Aiden is home because of an accident that ruined his hands and kept him from playing the piano and is so depressed he doesn't even want to compose. His success was over in his mind.

Helen and Estelle are Mallory’s and Aiden’s mothers who never got along.

How will everyone’s life turn out?

EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING will pull you in and pull at your heart strings and have you bonding with the wonderful characters as you rush to the end to see how it all ends.

This book is a heartbreaking, but BEAUTIFUL read that will have you thinking about your life, your decisions, and what you know you should do and should have done long after you turn the last page.

Do not miss Ms. Davis's newest. 5/5

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Overall an intriguing book. Love the story line of Mallory and Helen. The plot twist with them was very interesting. Helen is a very interesting character, in fact most of the characters have a good backstory and present and are well rounded.
I was hoping for more of a love story with Mallory and Aiden. Like a big revelation. But it was expected.

Overall decent story, good characters and an ok plot twist.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy.

Talk about getting you into your feelings! This book sucked me in and didn’t let me go. I was so invested in this story. This was about so many relatable things like secrets, forgiveness, and embracing things as they are. Barbara Davis can do no wrong and this is a must read!

Wow! This is a beautifully written heartbreaking book. A truly captivating novel with so many secrets. Love, loss, mother child relationship, complex family dynamics, personal growth, trust and how the past shapes our choices in life.
A story of being there and supporting loved ones with a terminal illness.
Two flawed mothers and the choices they made and how lives can be destroyed with secrets withheld.
A powerful novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this emotional, hard to put down novel

This book is heartbreaking and heartmending at the same time. It teaches forgiveness, acceptance and holding on to what we feel is precious. It's a emotional mystery embedded with family drama.

I have loved every book by Barbara Davis that I have read. This one was no exception. After reading many thrillers and getting stuck in a book rut, this book drew me out of that, and what a heartwarming story it was. I highly recommend this for any fan of books that you just want to curl up with and bond with the story. 4 stars.

Wow, this book broke and mended my heart. It explores loss, grief and regret, but at its core is about forgiveness and love.

Mallory returns home after a tragedy at work, only to be faced with pains from her past everywhere she goes. Every character is flawed, has made difficult choices and had to live with the fall out. As secrets come to light, they all have to learn what it means to truly forgive someone, to stop letting your past haunt your present, and to love unconditionally. The heartache they all go through is beautifully written, switching between multiples povs and timelines. The final few chapters and the epilogue are particularly moving.

It also examines relationships between mothers and their children. The choices mothers make, right or wrong, to protect their kids. Children growing up and realising their mothers were people before they were parents, imperfect and with histories of their own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The novel explores themes of love, forgiveness, and the enduring power of family ties. It raises thought-provoking questions about the legacies we inherit and the choices we make.

I am going to be pressing this book to all of my friends. This book was one of the best stories I have read this entire year. I would like to welcome you into the lives of Mallory and Aiden. Teenage lovers with a tragic break up. After 10 years, both of their lives lead them back home. I rarely read a book for a second time and I am considering doing that to ingest this story one more time. If you are on the fence about this book, I urge you to put it on your TBR. Thank you to Net Galley and to Lake Union Publishing for bringing this book into my world.

What an absolutely beautiful story with so many layers and so many different relationships to be explored. I loved the twists and turns this story took, while keeping the pulsing beat of its heart at the center. Mallory, Helen, and Estelle all had an important journey to navigate and Barbara’s prose easily swept us into each individual story and made us deeply care when those stories began to intertwine. A story of love in so many facets and the bonds of motherhood. Every Precious and Fragile Thing is one of those stories that stays with you long after it’s over. Every book I’ve read from Barbara Davis has been a five star read! Pick this one up right away, you’ll be glad you did!

This book definitely sucked me in and kept me reading, even though the story was fairly predictable. It's a beautiful look at second chances and what it means to love someone.

Plot: Mallory is going through a tough time at work, and her boss/close friend sends her on a vacation. She goes home, where she hasn't been in years, to recuperate. She doesn't have a good relationship with her mother, Helen, which makes the whole thing strained.
To make matters worse, her former fiance is back as well. What will happen? (wink, wink)

It's told with intermittent pieces from Helen's diary. There's definitely a secret in there, and we know it's going to come spilling out and affect their relationship.

As I said, it's really a lovely read, and although you kind of know what's going to happen, you want to read and see it happen. There is a twist in the middle, although I think you can see it coming from pretty far.

I didn't love Mallory as a character. She was somewhat inconsistent, weak-willed but abrasive. She made a lot of decisions that didn't make too much sense but were needed for the plot, from the beginning when she went back home, even though she knew it wasn't a good idea. Aiden isn't so compelling, either. Neither of them says what they really want to. Somehow, at the end, they seem to find the words, but the progression wasn't gradual enough; it was just a revelation. There is also a little too much "telling" in the dialogue and characters' thoughts.

If you love a good romance with some suspense thrown in, you will adore this.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union, and Barbara Davis for an advanced copy for review.

I really loved this book. Barbara Davis is becoming one of my top 10 authors. No matter how many books of hers I read, I'm always fully immersed and can't put them down. And each book is different enough to not become formulaic. I love the ability she has to make a secret so surprising! I gasped out loud at find out about Poppy's identity. I actually went back and reread all of Helen's journal entries and they were flawless. Shame on me for assuming it was a boy/man!!!

2 quick cons - this took place in 1999, there was no scrolling on your phone, and people didn't really carry them around as handily as we do now. I felt that was a flaw in Mallory's character writing - she was very attached to her phone and it mentioned her scrolling.

Mallory was such a child and had a lot of tantrums, kudos to the author for writing her so realistically that I felt so strongly about her, but it was a bit much for her to be so over the top immature.

A heartbreakingly beautiful masterpiece of grief, love and forgiveness. I could keep going with the nouns pertaining to this story since there were so many plot points, but those three registered with me the most. I finished this book last night but had to wait until today to write this review because... I just couldn't. I couldn't find the words to express how much this book affected me and took hold of my emotions. I choked up multiple times trying not to cry my eyes out. I wanted to hug my mom and tell her how much I love her. Every character in this story touched my heart and I empathized with their pain, especially the mothers. I don't think that this book could have been written any better. Barbara Davis is a genius when it comes to weaving emotional tales. She makes the darkness of death and despair turn into a light-filled experience filled with magic and hope. This book is going to stay with me for a long time. I can't recommend it enough; it was that good! A must read in my opinion.  

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Mallory has returned home after a tragic incident at work. Her relationship with her mother has always been
strianed - she never udersttood why Helen was more interested in being there for her terminally ill patients rather
than her daughter Mallory must also deal with the added stress of her ex-fiance next door.
Aiden has been back home since his accident enede his music career. His relationship with his mother is also
strained, made more so by the secret she is keeping.
Emotional compelling read - have a box of tissues handy.
#EveryPreciousandFragileThing #LakeUnionPiblishing #NetGalley

Okay. I'm not sure where to start with this book. I was teetering on 4 stars until the end, which really knocked it out of the park for me. Mallory is a bit of a mess, and by the 75% point I was basically yelling for her to GET IT TOGETHER. But that ending. ::kisses fingertips:: Perfection.

The story is about mothers and daughters, and mothers and sons. It's about relationships, trauma, and most of all forgiveness and what that truly looks like.

I have loved all of Barbara Davis' books that I've read, and this was no exception. It's raw, and real, and hopeful, and full of love. Highly recommended!!

This is a beautifully written book about death and forgiveness. This book spoke to me in ways I didn't expect. Seeing the view of parent/child relationships and how each are at fault for their misunderstandings and hardships. Having had some difficult interactions with parents in my life recently it made me take a hard look at my own actions and how maybe my own feelings were making it hard to see the good intentions.

Mallory grows so much as the book progresses. She was running as Helen and Jevet pointed out along the way. Estelle was at first a villain but she was just a mother who thought she was doing what is best for her child. I feel like we have all been there and it is so hard to let your child go. It is the hardest lesson in motherhood (or so I think). Helen made peace with her demons too. These three women were so different but all had something to deal with and overcome.

I highly recommend this book

Thank you to Lake Union and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own

After only hearing praise for Barbara Davis, I jumped at the chance to read/review this novel. And what a brilliant experience it was!

This is the story of Mallory who travels back home to stay with her mother after a tragedy linked to her job. There’s tension between the two women. Mallory’s ex boyfriend lives next door and their unresolved issues haunt them both.

Heavy themes are discussed with dignity adding such value to the story. The multiple POVs worked. I looked forward to each character’s POV (which is rare for me). Beautiful plotting and near perfect pacing had me enamored . I was glad I didn’t know anything about this one going in. The narrative shifted in many directions and I was completely hooked. Avoid spoilers for this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Barbara Davis never disappoints and I was so excited to read her newest novel. When a mother and daughter try to reconcile their broken relationship, many secrets are revealed that threaten everything Mallory knows to be true.

As she travels home, she has to confront her lost love, Aiden. This book is about letting go, forgiveness, accepting the truth and accepting the people we love despite their many flaws!

Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is a 5-star read for me. Barbara Davis has such a great writing style - her words flow and before you know it, you’re way into the book.
I didn’t care for Mallory, the main character, in the beginning. She was a mess, and it felt like she didn’t want to change anything. But then she’s forced to take a leave of absence from her job, which up until that point was her whole life. She ends up going to stay with her mom for awhile. Malory and her mom, Helen, have had a lot of issues as Malory was growing up, and it seems like a really terrible idea. And it is, in the beginning. But gradually they come to an understanding.
One of the things I love about the two books I’ve read by Barbara Davis, is there’s always some sort of secret or mystery to be solved. And because of that, the ending is so satisfying. I highly recommend this book!