This is a very difficult book to review because how it started doesn't really relate to the story as a whole - the beginning felt like a crime novel but then the rest of the book was an emotional, romance, life-affirming type story and I feel as though the editor should have helped the author to smooth it out.

The main story I didn't understand really at all - how two people could still be so caught up in each other ten years on, to the extent that they haven't been able to live their lives properly and then when they're together again after ten years there's some kind of tension which then quickly just goes away and they can go from that to suddenly talking of marriage so quickly. I just didn't buy it, nor did I feel or SEE any passion. It didn't make sense.

The part of the story I really liked was Estelle's story, her character was fantastic, it was emotional and well written.

I don't like the sense that when someone is dying it's pretty much all is forgiven and everyone moves on - that isn't believable.

Overall, the story was OK but flawed.

This book covers so many emotions: forgiveness, healing, relationships, death. Mallory finds herself returning to her childhood home to deal with her doubts about her ability to continue counseling at-risk children. Returning home means spending time with her mother who she is essentially estranged from. The story is very well told and you can feel all the old and new emotions. As Mallory learns more about her mother’s life she finds out more about herself as well. This book was nearly impossible to put down after about 50 percent. If you like emotionally charged women’s fiction I recommend this book. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ll be looking for more. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a pleasant enough read but a tad dull in places. The characters, aside from Estelle, aren’t particularly memorable and the plot didn’t grab me. I’m sorry to not be able to give this a more positive review, but I just struggled to connect with it.

This story really grew on me as I read. There are so many dynamic plot lines to this story! Truthfully, I didn’t love the beginning of the book. The prologue opens with a very confusing and vague scene between two people. I had no idea what was going on I had to go back and read it over again once I was done reading the rest of the story. However, the vagueness was intended and the author did a great job connecting all the moving pieces in the end.

The story revolves around a woman named Mallory who has (not) been dealing with some major events in her life. For ten years, Mallory has been guarded and pushing everyone in her life away, including her mom and ex-fiancé, Aiden. Eventually, Mallory has to face her past and those who mean the most to her. Mallory and her mom might actually be more similar than they realize. Mallory has changed, but she might not be so different from the young woman who fell in love with the next door neighbour. And that neighbour boy… he might still be feeling the love there too.

I was rooting for Mallory and Aiden’s love story. They were both guarded and angry at the world. They needed each other but couldn’t let their guard down until they were forced to confront their fears and their past because time was running out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the advanced reader copy of this book. I plan to add more books from this author to my TBR list!

“Every Precious and Fragile Thing” by Barbara Davis is an absolutely awesome book! This novel is about the importance of being there and supporting people diagnosed with terminal illness. It is heartfelt, emotional and profound. The characters are so beautifully written I felt like I knew them personally. The story revolves around two mothers and their adult children, and delves deeply into the imperfect choices we all choose on the journey of our lives and how long held secrets can destroy trust.
This novel is a powerful reminder of the importance of forgiveness that comes from reconciliation and understanding. I don’t have enough adjectives to describe how great this book is other to say this is a “must” read for everyone!

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Whew! This novel requires heavy lifting emotionally. While the focus is on the strained relationship of a mother and her adult daughter, the storyline explores many facets of love and its challenges when secrets are kept and miscommunication flourishes. Additionally, there is a backdrop of end-of-life care with the intention of supporting a dignified transition for the terminally ill. This latter theme is made more poignant by reading the author’s note at the conclusion of the book. While she was writing this novel, her husband was diagnosed with cancer and underwent therapy, which thankfully was successful. The shock and stress of living through that process and simultaneously creating this heartfelt story lends deep credence to the compassion and understanding embedded in the writing. I have admired the author’s work for some time and this book solidifies my admiration for her honesty and bravery in approaching a sensitive topic.

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.

This is my first Barbara Davis novel and won't be my last!

Mallory comes home due to a forced leave and has to deal with several issues from her past, including a broken off engagement with Aiden and a strained relationship with her mother, Helen.

This novel alternates between the POVs of Mallory, Helen and Estelle. I loved the alternate POVs, especially Estelle's and would have liked Aiden's to be included. I loved how Davis revealed the narrator's memories of the past and their honest reflections on those memories and how they influenced the people around them for better or worse.

This was a slow burn novel that unwrapped many layers of secrets throughout to the pages to keep the reader engaged. It had a solid surprise ending which I did not see coming.

I particularly appreciated how Davis left the relationship between Mallory and Aiden - maybe a sequel?

Overall, I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading other works by this author.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

In “Every Precious and Fragile Thing,” social worker Mallory Ward faces a life-altering moment when one of her at-risk youth clients is tragically killed. This incident forces her to confront her own unresolved issues, particularly her long-standing resentment towards her distant mother, Helen Ward. Seeking solace, Mallory retreats to her childhood home on the Rhode Island coast, hoping to find clarity about her future.

A poignant tale that delves into the struggles of a mother-daughter relationship against the backdrop of personal tragedy and long-buried secrets. It highlights how deeply ingrained resentments can affect connections while also offering hope for healing and understanding.

Luminous, hopeful, and emotionally powerful, EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING is the kind of novel that will have you taking stock of all the small, priceless moments in your own life with renewed gratitude. Davis has crafted a tender, moving story of living well, dying well, and the legacy of love we leave behind.

I wanted to love this one but I just didn’t. I really loved Helen and Poppy’s story—it was gut wrenching and pulled at my heart strings. Mallory and Aiden’s story was just… meh. I found it so weird there wasn’t any communication from them and their relationship just fell apart after losing their baby. I get that they were young, but it just felt like an easy ending/pause for them.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc

Every Precious and Fragile Thing

By Barbara Davis

A great story of the bonds between mothers and their children. This story, written from the point of view of Mallory, her mother Helen and their neighbour Estelle as they reminisce and learn from their pasts.

Mallory, forced to return to her home town after years away, is faced with not only her mother's secrets but also the ex she ran away from years before. Helen faces a twist of her own when trying to spend time with her daughter provides her with a new opportunity and friend. Estelle facing her own grief must face her mistakes of the past.

I found this story truly gripping and hard to put down. The characters were so easy to relate to that even faced with the many twists of the plot and the mistakes they have made, I found myself never failing to hope for a happy ending for them all.

Thank you Netgalley and Barbara Davis for this ARC read.

Early this year I read this author's previous book (I'll admit: only because it was nominated at the Goodreads Choice Awards 2023) and that one did not really work for me. Yet, I wanted to read something else by this author.
And...now I've come to realise that, most likely, it's Davis' writing style that doesn't clique with me.
I did find both protagonists (mother and daughter) realistic enough, but I never felt truly engaged with them or with the plot as a whole.
I also felt this book was way longer than necessary.
Readers who have read previous books by this author and enjoyed might as well read and enjoy this one, too.
Especially the ones who enjoy multiple timelines and family drama.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, the characters were developed and it didn't leave unanswered questions. I look forward to other books from this author.

I think I had high expectations for the book. I love Barbara's lyrical writing but I just couldn't love the plot. It just felt like a repeated chain of forced drama.
As one reviewer mentioned, Mallory's work dilemma storyline was absolutely redundant, the author could've just said that she took a break from work with a few details to learn through dialogues and inner thoughts.
The book also dragged in many parts, I kept questioning what the purpose was.
Some people might like it, I wouldn't say it's a bad book myself, but it's definitely not for me.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis. A twisty and emotional read - Barbara Davis is one of the best.

As someone who has struggled, mended and has strong feelings, when it comes to my relationships with my own family, this book felt relatable. Felt like healing.

This book is full of emotions, struggles, plot twists, and most importantly full of love. The romance merely a small detail in a much bigger picture.

Barbers Davis made me cry and feel my feelings in the best way.

As you find your cozy reading place and prepare to experience this beautiful story by the illustrious Barbara Davis, be sure to keep a box of tissues nearby. And if you’re of a more mature age as I am, you might want to have two boxes. This emotionally charged narrative is multi layered and explores themes of family relationships and secrets, self reflection, forgiveness and death, not as a frightening or morbid occurrence, but as part of life that we all must cope with.

Mallory Ward is a social worker living in Boston who goes home to coastal Rhode Island for a summer following a tragedy at work. At home she must face the strained relationships she left behind…..first, with her mother Helen, who was often neglectful as she prioritized her work as a caregiver for terminally ill patients and second, with Aiden, the boy next door who was once her fiancée.

While each of our personal stories is different, our universally shared experience of living, loving and coping with loss will allow you to get easily absorbed into this beautifully written story with very relatable characters.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the wonderful Barbara Davis for allowing me to experience the digital copy of this exquisite story in exchange for my honest opinion. Publication date: February 18, 2025

This was a slow burn for me but in the best way. The Author tells the story from both Mallory and Helen’s viewpoints. Mallory is a social worker who helps at risk teens. Helen is a Doula for the dying. Their relationship has been strained and they haven’t spoken in months. A tragedy leads Mallory back home.

This story is not the edge of your seat roller coaster ride. However, it was emotionally charged and tugged at my heart strings. The story was relatable for me on so many levels. Great story!

Have you ever read a book that you felt like you were meant to read? A book that settles in your heart so deeply that you feel every single emotion felt by its characters? I’ve been waiting for months and months, maybe years, for a novel to affect me this way—and Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is that book for me. This extraordinary, beautiful book feels personal, filled with sincerity and heart. Although this novel is about heart-wrenching decisions, regret, loss, and forgiveness, it is truly a love story. It’s about taking care of those we hold dear. And in a book where death is front and center, it’s not maudlin or angst-filled; death is just the passage of time and it is treated with dignity and respect. Can imperfect characters also be flawless? Because all of them were; difficult choices were made, there was pain and grieving, but in the end, all they could do was love. I felt the author’s true heart in ever word, sentence, passage, chapter of this book. As much as I felt this was a book I was meant to read, it’s also the book Barbara Davis was meant to write.

I am disappointed that this novel did not live up to my expectations. it was an interesting premise, but poor executed in my opinion. And so slow!

First of all, Mallory's job and what happened in the very beginning of the book to make her go back home seems SO disjointed and unnecessary to the rest of the story. It just took such a backburner, that it seemed like just a filler there. I did not give a care about what happened since it seemed so out of place.

Secondly, I did not get any chemistry between Aiden and Mallory. It seemed very juvenile and too easy for them to get back together despite many years since they last spoke.

I guessed the "twist" before it was revealed. But that whole convoluted story was SO weird and I felt so bad for Mallory being in the dark about it. Like what the heck?? I found myself skimming the last 20% of the book because I just didn't give a rip anymore.

All in all, I am disappointed and was not satisfied when I finished this book. It was just meh.