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Every Precious and Fragile Thing
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.
For social worker Mallory Ward, working with at-risk youth is a calling. But when one of her clients is tragically killed, she finds herself at a crossroads. Despite long-held resentments toward her distant mother, Mallory retreats to her childhood home on the Rhode Island coast to contemplate her future. Instead, she’s confronted by her past, not only in the renewed tensions with her mother but in the unexpected appearance of a familiar face―and the wrenching losses that drove her away a decade ago.
Helen Ward’s home is filled with precious keepsakes from her patients, a testament to decades spent caring for the terminally ill. Her work has always come first, though, leaving little time to connect with her daughter. Over the years, the rift between them has become a chasm, so when Mallory appears unannounced, Helen sees it as an opportunity to repair their broken relationship.
But hidden among Helen’s mementos are the keys to her past…and a terrible secret that threatens to destroy the fragile new trust between them forever.
For social worker Mallory Ward, working with at-risk youth is a calling. But when one of her clients is tragically killed, she finds herself at a crossroads. Despite long-held resentments toward her distant mother, Mallory retreats to her childhood home on the Rhode Island coast to contemplate her future. Instead, she’s confronted by her past, not only in the renewed tensions with her mother but in the unexpected appearance of a familiar face―and the wrenching losses that drove her away a decade ago.
Helen Ward’s home is filled with precious keepsakes from her patients, a testament to decades spent caring for the terminally ill. Her work has always come first, though, leaving little time to connect with her daughter. Over the years, the rift between them has become a chasm, so when Mallory appears unannounced, Helen sees it as an opportunity to repair their broken relationship.
But hidden among Helen’s mementos are the keys to her past…and a terrible secret that threatens to destroy the fragile new trust between them forever.
404 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2025
2,783 people are currently reading
19.4k people want to read
About the author
Barbara Davis
10books4,123followersAuthor of The Secrets She Carried, The Wishing Tide, Summer at Hideaway Key, Love, Alice. (Penguin/Berkley) When Never Comes (Lake Union) The Last of the Moon Girls (Lake Union) The Keeper of Happy Endings (Lake Union) The Echo of Old Books (Lake Union) Every Precious and Fragile Thing (Lake Union)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews
March 4, 2025
We follow 3 different points of view, our main female character, Mallory, who is a Social Worker, specializing in at risk teenagers and young adults. Helen, Mallory's mother who's a death doula. And Estelle, their next-door neighbor.
After a tragedy, Mallory heads home to recharge and rethink her life choices. Mallory has been estranged from her mother Helen for some time. They're each doing a bit of soul searching, both alone and together. They're each grieving something/someone in their own way. And yet the thing that inevitably tore them all apart is the thing that will bring them all back together.
Grief, love, family, secrets, betrayals, this book has a little bit of everything. Such a beautiful story! This is an extremely well-written novel which examines the complex relationship between mothers and their children, dying with dignity, repairing broken relationships.
The story is both poignant and heartwarming - highly recommend.
💙Social Work
💙Multiple POV's
💙Small Town
💙Terminally Ill
💙Second Chances
⋆✴︎˚｡� ˗ˏˋ★‿︵� ˚ ₊⊹
Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the complementary advanced audio copy, all thoughts are my own.
After a tragedy, Mallory heads home to recharge and rethink her life choices. Mallory has been estranged from her mother Helen for some time. They're each doing a bit of soul searching, both alone and together. They're each grieving something/someone in their own way. And yet the thing that inevitably tore them all apart is the thing that will bring them all back together.
Grief, love, family, secrets, betrayals, this book has a little bit of everything. Such a beautiful story! This is an extremely well-written novel which examines the complex relationship between mothers and their children, dying with dignity, repairing broken relationships.
The story is both poignant and heartwarming - highly recommend.
💙Social Work
💙Multiple POV's
💙Small Town
💙Terminally Ill
💙Second Chances
⋆✴︎˚｡� ˗ˏˋ★‿︵� ˚ ₊⊹
Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the complementary advanced audio copy, all thoughts are my own.
October 18, 2024
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I really enjoyed my first book by this author, The Echo of Old Books , and it had taken me by surprise that I had never read her before. In my review of that title I had written it wouldn’t be my last. As soon as I saw this on NetGalley I grabbed it and am I ever glad I did.
Even though they are sort of on the outs and have a very strained relationship Mallory goes home to get over a tragedy. Not only does she have to deal with her estranged mother but she also has to deal with the ex-boyfriend next door. As usual, Davis writes characters that I care about and feel invested in. Even though they had their flaws I loved being on their journey of personal growth. The pacing of the book had me flipping pages and saying “Just one more chapter� over and over again.
Even though the book deals with death and loss it's a very heartwarming book at its core. I felt so many emotions while reading it and that's what the author is known for. This one is about motherhood, coming to grips with our mistakes and how keeping secrets isn’t always a good idea. The story and characters captivated me and it was hard to put the book down so the 400 pages just flew by. Barbara Davis does it again and in this thought-provoking story she asks…are we defined by our past? Can we learn from it or does it have to shape our future? It was a very powerful book and once again I'm looking forward to reading another book by Barbara Davis. She has won me over.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
I really enjoyed my first book by this author, The Echo of Old Books , and it had taken me by surprise that I had never read her before. In my review of that title I had written it wouldn’t be my last. As soon as I saw this on NetGalley I grabbed it and am I ever glad I did.
Even though they are sort of on the outs and have a very strained relationship Mallory goes home to get over a tragedy. Not only does she have to deal with her estranged mother but she also has to deal with the ex-boyfriend next door. As usual, Davis writes characters that I care about and feel invested in. Even though they had their flaws I loved being on their journey of personal growth. The pacing of the book had me flipping pages and saying “Just one more chapter� over and over again.
Even though the book deals with death and loss it's a very heartwarming book at its core. I felt so many emotions while reading it and that's what the author is known for. This one is about motherhood, coming to grips with our mistakes and how keeping secrets isn’t always a good idea. The story and characters captivated me and it was hard to put the book down so the 400 pages just flew by. Barbara Davis does it again and in this thought-provoking story she asks…are we defined by our past? Can we learn from it or does it have to shape our future? It was a very powerful book and once again I'm looking forward to reading another book by Barbara Davis. She has won me over.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
September 22, 2024
This was a masterpiece.
Mallory goes back home to her mother due to an incident at work that causes her deep stress. Her relationship with her mother is strained and her next-door neighbor is her ex that she never really got closure with.
There is so much going on in this book. This is a story about coping with death. It’s also about the choices mothers make to protect their children and how those choices can be right or really wrong. It’s about second chances. Losing people you love. Making horrible mistakes and doing what you can to fix those.
This book deals with terminal illness as Mallory’s mother is someone who helps people in their last moments of life that have no one else, so keep in mind that it can be sad.
I literally could not put this book down. This author is absolutely wonderful and I look forward to reading other books by her.
The last chapter and epilogue had me shattered. They were so beautiful.
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mallory goes back home to her mother due to an incident at work that causes her deep stress. Her relationship with her mother is strained and her next-door neighbor is her ex that she never really got closure with.
There is so much going on in this book. This is a story about coping with death. It’s also about the choices mothers make to protect their children and how those choices can be right or really wrong. It’s about second chances. Losing people you love. Making horrible mistakes and doing what you can to fix those.
This book deals with terminal illness as Mallory’s mother is someone who helps people in their last moments of life that have no one else, so keep in mind that it can be sad.
I literally could not put this book down. This author is absolutely wonderful and I look forward to reading other books by her.
The last chapter and epilogue had me shattered. They were so beautiful.
Thank you to netgalley for this free advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 21, 2025
EXCERPT: As much as she hated to admit it, Jevet was right: she was down a rabbit hole and well on her way to obsessing. But what was she supposed to do with herself for the next ten weeks?
You could go home.
She sat with the idea a moment. Maybe some time at the beach, swimming and soaking up the sun, would be a good thing. She could accomplish the same thing at a hotel, someplace quaint and quiet. But how long could she afford to hole up in a seaside hotel? Even a cheap one? Going home would cost her nothing - financially.
But there was a reason she'd been home only a handful of times in the last ten years. And why every one of those visits had ended in terse words and bruised feelings. Old resentments died hard, and there were plenty of resentments waiting for her in Little Harbor. Still, she could feel the pull of it - of home. A place she'd been happy once, if only briefly.
ABOUT 'EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING': A mother and daughter try desperately to reconcile just as a decades-old secret threatens to shatter their relationship forever.
For social worker Mallory Ward, working with at-risk youth is a calling. But when one of her clients is tragically killed, she finds herself at a crossroads. Despite long-held resentments toward her distant mother, Mallory retreats to her childhood home on the Rhode Island coast to contemplate her future. Instead, she’s confronted by her past, not only in the renewed tensions with her mother but in the unexpected appearance of a familiar face―and the wrenching losses that drove her away a decade ago.
Helen Ward’s home is filled with precious keepsakes from her patients, a testament to decades spent caring for the terminally ill. Her work has always come first, though, leaving little time to connect with her daughter. Over the years, the rift between them has become a chasm, so when Mallory appears unannounced, Helen sees it as an opportunity to repair their broken relationship.
But hidden among Helen’s mementos are the keys to her past…and a terrible secret that threatens to destroy the fragile new trust between them forever.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved The Echo of Old Books by this author and couldn't wait to read Every Precious and Fragile Thing. I guess the downside of diving into a highly anticipated read is that there is a higher risk of setting oneself up for disappointment.
The author has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into Every Precious and Fragile Thing. There is a murder, a fragile main character who doesn't deal well with death, a broken relationship, family drama, secrets, lies and the possibility of a second-chance romance.
I didn't see the point of the murder. There could easily have been some other vehicle used to cause Mallory to go home. The murder distracted from the core story and only served to muddy the waters. There was enough drama without adding a police investigation.
Initially, I didn't much like Mallory. She is fragile, inconsistent, defensive and definitely not the sort of person suited to a counselling role. She did grow on me towards the end.
Part of the story - Helen's backstory - is told through journal entries. This definitely didn't work for me. I would have preferred another timeline. The main part of the story is set in 1999 and is told from three POV - Mallory, Helen, and Estelle, Helen's neighbor and mother of Aiden, Mallory's ex-fiancé.
I really enjoyed the plot thread that involved Helen and Estelle and Helen quickly became my favorite character, excluding her journal entries. Aiden was merely 'meh', a wealthy mummy's boy with little backbone.
The plot is very slow moving and it took forever to get anywhere. I was 75% through the book before I began to feel some excitement, an acknowledgement that at last I was reading something that piqued my interest and gave me a reason to read on. Up until this point, I had rated the book as average, 2.5�, but from this point onwards I couldn't put it down.
I love the cover and the significance of the cover to the story.
My final rating is ⭐⭐�.5, the extra star due entirely to the twist and the ending.
A favorite quote: The dying keep their own calendars, their own to-do lists. Wrongs to right. Loose ends to tie up. Emotional books to balance. But once they've got all the boxes checked, they tend to make their exits pretty quickly.
#EveryPreciousandFragileThing #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: I’m a Jersey girl raised in the south, now living and writing in New England. Confused? Constantly. Happy? Deliriously! But then, living your dream will do that! After fifteen years of wearing heels and schlepping a briefcase as an executive in the jewelry industry, I traded in my pinstripes for a little peace of mind, and decided to follow my dream of becoming a women’s fiction author. And what a ride it’s been! Six books later, I’m still pinching myself, and I’m still as much in love with writing as I was the day I began this journey. Maybe it’s because I believe in miracles, in happy endings and new beginnings. Heaven knows I’ve had my share.
I’m blessed to be married to my best friend and soul mate, Tom, who I must say, sets the bar pretty high for my on-the-page heroes. We also have a lovely ginger cat named Simon, who is twenty years old, wretchedly spoiled, and doesn’t give a fig if I’m on deadline or not. When I’m not making up stories, you’re likely to find me reading, cooking, watching college football, (Go Gators!)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
You could go home.
She sat with the idea a moment. Maybe some time at the beach, swimming and soaking up the sun, would be a good thing. She could accomplish the same thing at a hotel, someplace quaint and quiet. But how long could she afford to hole up in a seaside hotel? Even a cheap one? Going home would cost her nothing - financially.
But there was a reason she'd been home only a handful of times in the last ten years. And why every one of those visits had ended in terse words and bruised feelings. Old resentments died hard, and there were plenty of resentments waiting for her in Little Harbor. Still, she could feel the pull of it - of home. A place she'd been happy once, if only briefly.
ABOUT 'EVERY PRECIOUS AND FRAGILE THING': A mother and daughter try desperately to reconcile just as a decades-old secret threatens to shatter their relationship forever.
For social worker Mallory Ward, working with at-risk youth is a calling. But when one of her clients is tragically killed, she finds herself at a crossroads. Despite long-held resentments toward her distant mother, Mallory retreats to her childhood home on the Rhode Island coast to contemplate her future. Instead, she’s confronted by her past, not only in the renewed tensions with her mother but in the unexpected appearance of a familiar face―and the wrenching losses that drove her away a decade ago.
Helen Ward’s home is filled with precious keepsakes from her patients, a testament to decades spent caring for the terminally ill. Her work has always come first, though, leaving little time to connect with her daughter. Over the years, the rift between them has become a chasm, so when Mallory appears unannounced, Helen sees it as an opportunity to repair their broken relationship.
But hidden among Helen’s mementos are the keys to her past…and a terrible secret that threatens to destroy the fragile new trust between them forever.
MY THOUGHTS: I loved The Echo of Old Books by this author and couldn't wait to read Every Precious and Fragile Thing. I guess the downside of diving into a highly anticipated read is that there is a higher risk of setting oneself up for disappointment.
The author has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into Every Precious and Fragile Thing. There is a murder, a fragile main character who doesn't deal well with death, a broken relationship, family drama, secrets, lies and the possibility of a second-chance romance.
I didn't see the point of the murder. There could easily have been some other vehicle used to cause Mallory to go home. The murder distracted from the core story and only served to muddy the waters. There was enough drama without adding a police investigation.
Initially, I didn't much like Mallory. She is fragile, inconsistent, defensive and definitely not the sort of person suited to a counselling role. She did grow on me towards the end.
Part of the story - Helen's backstory - is told through journal entries. This definitely didn't work for me. I would have preferred another timeline. The main part of the story is set in 1999 and is told from three POV - Mallory, Helen, and Estelle, Helen's neighbor and mother of Aiden, Mallory's ex-fiancé.
I really enjoyed the plot thread that involved Helen and Estelle and Helen quickly became my favorite character, excluding her journal entries. Aiden was merely 'meh', a wealthy mummy's boy with little backbone.
The plot is very slow moving and it took forever to get anywhere. I was 75% through the book before I began to feel some excitement, an acknowledgement that at last I was reading something that piqued my interest and gave me a reason to read on. Up until this point, I had rated the book as average, 2.5�, but from this point onwards I couldn't put it down.
I love the cover and the significance of the cover to the story.
My final rating is ⭐⭐�.5, the extra star due entirely to the twist and the ending.
A favorite quote: The dying keep their own calendars, their own to-do lists. Wrongs to right. Loose ends to tie up. Emotional books to balance. But once they've got all the boxes checked, they tend to make their exits pretty quickly.
#EveryPreciousandFragileThing #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: I’m a Jersey girl raised in the south, now living and writing in New England. Confused? Constantly. Happy? Deliriously! But then, living your dream will do that! After fifteen years of wearing heels and schlepping a briefcase as an executive in the jewelry industry, I traded in my pinstripes for a little peace of mind, and decided to follow my dream of becoming a women’s fiction author. And what a ride it’s been! Six books later, I’m still pinching myself, and I’m still as much in love with writing as I was the day I began this journey. Maybe it’s because I believe in miracles, in happy endings and new beginnings. Heaven knows I’ve had my share.
I’m blessed to be married to my best friend and soul mate, Tom, who I must say, sets the bar pretty high for my on-the-page heroes. We also have a lovely ginger cat named Simon, who is twenty years old, wretchedly spoiled, and doesn’t give a fig if I’m on deadline or not. When I’m not making up stories, you’re likely to find me reading, cooking, watching college football, (Go Gators!)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
February 25, 2025
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.
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.
November 30, 2024
Some books stay with you forever. With its richly drawn exploration of love, loss, and the promise of second chances, Every Precious and Fragile Thing is among them. Few stories mine the layers of human experience with such a deft hand, or create a cast of characters so memorable, you’ll recognize their best traits—and worst—in people from your everyday world. This is Barbara Davis at her heartwarming best.
February 22, 2025
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, totally invested in their lives and their stories? 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 macabre; 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 received an advance reader copy of this book.
February 8, 2025
This was my first Barbara Davis book and I'm so happy to say I really enjoyed it. I was really invested in these characters. A story about an estranged mother and daughter who are trying to rekindle their relationship. Mallory heads home to the Rhode Island coast to her mother's house, to try and heal from an upsetting death. Her mother, Helen, had always put her career above her daughter, which has caused the distance in their relationship. So when Mallory shows up, can they reconnect? This deals with mistakes from the past, secrets that are kept, and forgiveness. I always enjoy mother/daughter relationship plots and this one really pulled me in. At 400 pages, I actually flew through it. Such a heartfelt book and I'm happy to have found a new author that has many backlist books that I can add to my list!
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
April 2, 2025
I have no excuse for why I haven’t read a book by before, but now that I have experienced her writing through , I will definitely be reading more! This book had so many layers to it and dealt with numerous topics all the way from controversial to just plain sad. I had so many emotions while I was reading this, and I was glad Davis decided to write this with multiple viewpoints. The way they entwined together at the end was everything and left me with my jaw on the floor and a hopeful feeling in my heart.
I found the audiobook to be quite good with Sara Sheckells, Marni Penning, Petrea Burchard, & Sarah Beth Goer narrating and it came very close to being flawless for me. Whoever narrated Helen did a wonderful job with her, but when it came to her mother’s bits it was very screechy and not pleasant to listen to at all. I understood where she was going with her narration, but I would have liked her to not be *quite* so enthusiastic. This is a heavy hitter with a lot of very heavy themes, so I think you need to be in the right headspace to read. However, the mending of relationships and finding what you are meant to do in life was perfection.
Read this if you are looking for shocking secrets, the theme of forgiveness, and relatable characters.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I found the audiobook to be quite good with Sara Sheckells, Marni Penning, Petrea Burchard, & Sarah Beth Goer narrating and it came very close to being flawless for me. Whoever narrated Helen did a wonderful job with her, but when it came to her mother’s bits it was very screechy and not pleasant to listen to at all. I understood where she was going with her narration, but I would have liked her to not be *quite* so enthusiastic. This is a heavy hitter with a lot of very heavy themes, so I think you need to be in the right headspace to read. However, the mending of relationships and finding what you are meant to do in life was perfection.
Read this if you are looking for shocking secrets, the theme of forgiveness, and relatable characters.
Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
February 22, 2025
4.5 Stars ⭐️
…”loving a thing was all that was necessary to make it precious.�
…”loving a thing was all that was necessary to make it precious.�
March 18, 2025
Ok, I feel sad. I have loved every book I’ve read by Barbara Davis, but this one didn’t do it for me. I think I just really hated the main character and thought she was a level of annoying I couldn’t look past.
October 31, 2024
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 POV 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.
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 POV 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.
November 2, 2024
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!!
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!!
February 22, 2025
The Keeper of Happy Endings by Barbara Davis is one of my ALL TIME favorite books so I was thrilled to be reunited with her writing once again
A beautiful story of forgiveness, friendship, however unlikely, and second chances. So moving and heartfelt.
Told from three perspectives, the character development was superb.
One of the MCs is a death duola, and the prose related to dying took my breath away. Barbara Davis was able to put into words the beauty of death, a beauty I never knew existed.
This is truly a beautiful story that touched my heart in unimaginable ways. I was left crying and heart broken, and at other times in awe of how uplifting it was.
Barbara Davis is a special author, her books are unmatched.
A beautiful story of forgiveness, friendship, however unlikely, and second chances. So moving and heartfelt.
Told from three perspectives, the character development was superb.
One of the MCs is a death duola, and the prose related to dying took my breath away. Barbara Davis was able to put into words the beauty of death, a beauty I never knew existed.
This is truly a beautiful story that touched my heart in unimaginable ways. I was left crying and heart broken, and at other times in awe of how uplifting it was.
Barbara Davis is a special author, her books are unmatched.
February 9, 2025
This book touched every emotion� and was so freaking good! Relationships, traumas, families, different dynamics� it will touch or make you feel something and the ending just � is so good!
Incredible and worth the read- I would recommend to any/all readers!
Incredible and worth the read- I would recommend to any/all readers!
March 13, 2025
Absorbing, optimistic, and tender!
Every Precious and Fragile Thing is a heartfelt, engaging tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Mallory, a compassionate social worker who, after one of her clients is brutally murdered, heads home to regroup, repair the strained relationship she has with her mother, and decide what she really wants to do with her life, and Helen, a death doula who after helping numerous people pass peacefully into the next life, decides to take a break to focus on what’s truly important and finally share all her secrets from the past with her daughter.
The prose is sensitive and reflective. The characters are scarred, insecure, and secretive. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, loss, family, grief, friendship, self-discovery, trust, kindness, support, forgiveness, troubled pasts, taking chances, companionship, second-chance love, and the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships.
Overall, Every Precious and Fragile Thing is a moving, uplifting, nostalgic tale by Davis, complete with strong, endearing characters, a touching storyline, and an insightful look into the power of remorse and the unbreakable ties that bind us to those we love.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing is a heartfelt, engaging tale that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Mallory, a compassionate social worker who, after one of her clients is brutally murdered, heads home to regroup, repair the strained relationship she has with her mother, and decide what she really wants to do with her life, and Helen, a death doula who after helping numerous people pass peacefully into the next life, decides to take a break to focus on what’s truly important and finally share all her secrets from the past with her daughter.
The prose is sensitive and reflective. The characters are scarred, insecure, and secretive. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, loss, family, grief, friendship, self-discovery, trust, kindness, support, forgiveness, troubled pasts, taking chances, companionship, second-chance love, and the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships.
Overall, Every Precious and Fragile Thing is a moving, uplifting, nostalgic tale by Davis, complete with strong, endearing characters, a touching storyline, and an insightful look into the power of remorse and the unbreakable ties that bind us to those we love.
April 12, 2025
I literally just finished this story, and my eyes are wet with tears. Part sad tears and part happy tears. This story has deeply touched my heart. Beautiful and tragic, all wrapped up into one, which made for a wonderfully emotional experience! This story will always be with me now. I've read a few other books by Barbara Davis, and they always leave me in awe. She is an extremely gifted author! Helen, Poppy, Malorie, and Estelle, you are all such beautiful characters. The growth of these women that I watched unfold as the story progressed was so impactful. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I definitely would. HIGHLY Recommend!! ❣️
April 5, 2025
3.75 stars-Mallory works as a social worker, and after another one of the children she worked with was killed, she clearly isn’t doing well, which causes her boss to ask her to take some time off. She goes home to her mother, Helen, who she is not at all close to. Being home is difficult for Mallory, as she does not want to relive everything that she had lost, and didn’t like the gossip from her small town.
There were a lot of moving parts to this book, with central themes relating to regret, love, and death. From the regrets that people have in the end of their life, to coming to terms with death, there was a lot of focus on this. It was very different than I expected, because I thought it was a thriller - I don’t know why lol. But it definitely wasn’t.
This book follows the perspective of three different women., and diary entries from one of them, so it goes back and forth between a few different times. It actually starts off really feeling like a thriller, then transitions to a more contemporary fiction? Overall a good read with a lot of depth.
There were a lot of moving parts to this book, with central themes relating to regret, love, and death. From the regrets that people have in the end of their life, to coming to terms with death, there was a lot of focus on this. It was very different than I expected, because I thought it was a thriller - I don’t know why lol. But it definitely wasn’t.
This book follows the perspective of three different women., and diary entries from one of them, so it goes back and forth between a few different times. It actually starts off really feeling like a thriller, then transitions to a more contemporary fiction? Overall a good read with a lot of depth.
April 1, 2025
I wanted to like this story, and felt like the beginning was interesting with the murder story line, and then somewhere it just felt predictable, and drawn out. The story timeline is confusing, the journal entries are from the 1980s, and the present day is 1999, and in a 1987 journal entry Mallory was 8months old- but somehow in 1999 she’s 30?
I also was annoyed that they talked about the broken hand, and then referred to the broken “metatarsals� which are bones in the foot not the hand. I actually enjoyed Estelle’s story the most, and was the only character with growth worth reading about.
I also loved the idea of a death doula, but was let down that Helen decided to quit after Estelle died. At first it sounded like a calling, but then she made it sound like a punishment and she was finally done “atoning� once Estelle died, which soured her motives in my opinion.
I also was annoyed that they talked about the broken hand, and then referred to the broken “metatarsals� which are bones in the foot not the hand. I actually enjoyed Estelle’s story the most, and was the only character with growth worth reading about.
I also loved the idea of a death doula, but was let down that Helen decided to quit after Estelle died. At first it sounded like a calling, but then she made it sound like a punishment and she was finally done “atoning� once Estelle died, which soured her motives in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2025
*I received this ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley in return for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.*
If you are someone who likes multi-layered, emotionally complex novels, this one is for you!
This is my second book by Barbara Davis and this is what I have come to know...her writing, her words are simply beautiful. If this book doesn’t touch your heart, then you probably don’t have one. This is one of the most moving books I've read in a while. There are so many words of wisdom in these pages.
The book is told from 3 points of view: Mallory, Helen (Mallory's mother), and Estelle (a neighbor who is also her ex-fiance's mother). Mallory is a social worker at a facility for at-risk youth. When a tragedy happens to one of her clients, she returns home for a much needed re-set. She hasn’t been home in 10 years. Things ended badly with her ex-fiance and she and her mother haven’t seen eye-to-eye in years. Her mother is a death doula and Mallory has resented her mother’s work because of the rift it created in their relationship. Her mother spent more time with her “charges� than she did with her daughter. But Helen’s background is rife with trauma and tragedy that she hasn’t shared with her daughter. Can their time together mend what’s been broken? And can Mallory finally get the closure she needs from her breakup with Aiden?
This is a story about relationships…mother-daughter, mother-son, romantic relationships, and friendships. It touches on themes of love, loss, regret, forgiveness, and grief. There are just layers and layers of emotion and human experiences in these pages. The end of this book wrecked me. There were definitely tears with this one...so many tears. I was a blubbering fool and so glad I finished this alone or my family would have been deeply concerned about my well being. I loved these characters. Davis humanizes her characters by exposing their vulnerabilities and making them relatable. It is so hard not to fall in love with them. My one complaint (and it is not enough to steal even a half a star) is that the romance aspect felt a little slow. I didn't feel that anticipation or angst that I like with a good romance. But the exploration of human emotion made up for it.
This was just a great book and I would highly recommend it to fellow readers.
If you are someone who likes multi-layered, emotionally complex novels, this one is for you!
This is my second book by Barbara Davis and this is what I have come to know...her writing, her words are simply beautiful. If this book doesn’t touch your heart, then you probably don’t have one. This is one of the most moving books I've read in a while. There are so many words of wisdom in these pages.
The book is told from 3 points of view: Mallory, Helen (Mallory's mother), and Estelle (a neighbor who is also her ex-fiance's mother). Mallory is a social worker at a facility for at-risk youth. When a tragedy happens to one of her clients, she returns home for a much needed re-set. She hasn’t been home in 10 years. Things ended badly with her ex-fiance and she and her mother haven’t seen eye-to-eye in years. Her mother is a death doula and Mallory has resented her mother’s work because of the rift it created in their relationship. Her mother spent more time with her “charges� than she did with her daughter. But Helen’s background is rife with trauma and tragedy that she hasn’t shared with her daughter. Can their time together mend what’s been broken? And can Mallory finally get the closure she needs from her breakup with Aiden?
This is a story about relationships…mother-daughter, mother-son, romantic relationships, and friendships. It touches on themes of love, loss, regret, forgiveness, and grief. There are just layers and layers of emotion and human experiences in these pages. The end of this book wrecked me. There were definitely tears with this one...so many tears. I was a blubbering fool and so glad I finished this alone or my family would have been deeply concerned about my well being. I loved these characters. Davis humanizes her characters by exposing their vulnerabilities and making them relatable. It is so hard not to fall in love with them. My one complaint (and it is not enough to steal even a half a star) is that the romance aspect felt a little slow. I didn't feel that anticipation or angst that I like with a good romance. But the exploration of human emotion made up for it.
This was just a great book and I would highly recommend it to fellow readers.
February 28, 2025
TITLE: Every Precious And Fragile Thing
AUTHOR: Barbara Davis
PUB DATE: 02.18.2025
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.
I am a huge fan of Barbara Davis' books for her incredible talent in writing relatable and
flawed characters that have the strength and determination to inspire and compel. I always love a good mother daughter story full of emotions, heart- wrenching, heart - breaking, and yet hopeful and inspiring.
Every Precious And Fragile Thing is a gripping and thought provoking story that was hard
to put down.
AUTHOR: Barbara Davis
PUB DATE: 02.18.2025
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.
I am a huge fan of Barbara Davis' books for her incredible talent in writing relatable and
flawed characters that have the strength and determination to inspire and compel. I always love a good mother daughter story full of emotions, heart- wrenching, heart - breaking, and yet hopeful and inspiring.
Every Precious And Fragile Thing is a gripping and thought provoking story that was hard
to put down.
March 6, 2025
Life Always goes On
Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is one of those books that you have to read to understand.
Yes, I cried quite a few times through different scenes. This does not mean you can categorize this book as a Romance, Chick Lit or Women's fiction. For to do so, would be doing the heart of the book a grave injustice.
I think a good alternative title would be Carpe Diem. So much of what each character learns is about living their lives in the present.
That, and other lessons are up to you, the reader, to find out. Visit Little Harbor, Rhode Island for yourself and see what you think. I highly recommend you do.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing by Barbara Davis is one of those books that you have to read to understand.
Yes, I cried quite a few times through different scenes. This does not mean you can categorize this book as a Romance, Chick Lit or Women's fiction. For to do so, would be doing the heart of the book a grave injustice.
I think a good alternative title would be Carpe Diem. So much of what each character learns is about living their lives in the present.
That, and other lessons are up to you, the reader, to find out. Visit Little Harbor, Rhode Island for yourself and see what you think. I highly recommend you do.
February 28, 2025
3.5 not my typical read but perfect for being at home sick. Totally predictable in an enjoyable way. Parent/child relationships; secrets kept far too long. It deals with death and dying and the incredible caring and skills of a doula who specializes in caring for the dying. Takes place in RI along my beloved coast.
February 24, 2025
I was happy to read the arc of this book. This book was an emotional roller coaster with a happy ending. The author has become a new favorite. A daughter returns home after years and reconnects with her hometown boyfriend. This book kept you on the edge of your seat.
March 28, 2025
This was a beautiful yet tragic emotional story that touched on love and grief. I really enjoyed the writing style especially with the mixed media diary entries! It really added to the atmosphere. If you’re looking for a book that talks about the complexity of family relationships and the way we try to move past it, this is for you!!
Thank you to Suzy approved book tours!
Thank you to Suzy approved book tours!
March 17, 2025
If you liked any of Barbara Davis' other books, The Last of the Moon Girls, The Keeper of Happy Endings, and The Echo of Old Books, you will love this book. This book is on Kindle Unlimited with the free audible version. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. The story swaps between 3 different viewpoints. Mallory, her mother Helen, and Estelle, their neighbor. It is a book about grieving, not just the people you have lost but how your plans in life don't work out.
April 23, 2025
4⭐️ review to come�
March 11, 2025
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:
Tiktok @speakingof.books
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:
Tiktok @speakingof.books
February 19, 2025
This heartfelt novel explores the complex relationships between two mothers and their adult children, exploring how imperfect choices and long-held secrets can impact trust and family dynamics. The characters resonate deeply, making for an emotional and profound read.
December 27, 2024
Mallory Ward works with at risk teens in Boston, but when one of her clients is found dead, Mallory is asked to take a step back and reevaluate if this is where she’s meant to be. She returns home, to the small town of Little Harbor, where she faces a strained relationship with her mother and confronts the past of a miscarriage and broken engagement from the boy next door, who she fell in love with at the age of fifteen. Mallory’s mom, Helen, is a death doula who cares for the terminally ill. Mallory has always felt that she came in second to Helen’s work, but Helen has been closely holding a multitude of secrets that come to light, upon Mallory’s return home for the summer.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing is an emotional read that follows the POVs of three women in the story. They are all dealing with past regrets and the consequences of long held secrets. Davis does an amazing job of revealing how each woman is dealing with these secrets directly or indirectly. Mallory’s relationship with her mother and the loss of her young love, Aiden, has left emotional scars that have always sent her running from her problems rather than facing them head on. Her forced leave from work takes her back home where she has to face the hard issues that she has been unwilling to resolve over the past 10 years.
Over the course of the story, Helen’s past is revealed through journal entries, and I found I was most sympathetic towards her character. She endured an abusive relationship with her mother, in which religion was used as a weapon, was separated from the person she loved, and faced criticism and gossip because of her work as a death doula. One of the strongest proponents of that gossip was her next door neighbor, Estelle, who was Aiden’s mother. Estelle worked to sabotage the relationship between Mallory and Aiden, but when faced with a terminal diagnosis, she finds herself leaning on Helen, and finding forgiveness and friendship.
There is a twist revealed later in the story, part of which I had figured out early on, but the other part of it was a surprise. I thought it was done really well, and added another complex layer to the book. Each of the characters had a lot to work through, and even though I was frustrated with their choices, I could see how Davis was using their grief and regrets to lead them into the opportunities for second chances.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing will lead you on a heart-breaking journey through the lives of these characters, but it also offers hope for mending broken relationships and overcoming the regrets of the past, to find happiness in the present and the future.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC copy of Every Precious and Fragile Thing, in return for my honest review.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing is an emotional read that follows the POVs of three women in the story. They are all dealing with past regrets and the consequences of long held secrets. Davis does an amazing job of revealing how each woman is dealing with these secrets directly or indirectly. Mallory’s relationship with her mother and the loss of her young love, Aiden, has left emotional scars that have always sent her running from her problems rather than facing them head on. Her forced leave from work takes her back home where she has to face the hard issues that she has been unwilling to resolve over the past 10 years.
Over the course of the story, Helen’s past is revealed through journal entries, and I found I was most sympathetic towards her character. She endured an abusive relationship with her mother, in which religion was used as a weapon, was separated from the person she loved, and faced criticism and gossip because of her work as a death doula. One of the strongest proponents of that gossip was her next door neighbor, Estelle, who was Aiden’s mother. Estelle worked to sabotage the relationship between Mallory and Aiden, but when faced with a terminal diagnosis, she finds herself leaning on Helen, and finding forgiveness and friendship.
There is a twist revealed later in the story, part of which I had figured out early on, but the other part of it was a surprise. I thought it was done really well, and added another complex layer to the book. Each of the characters had a lot to work through, and even though I was frustrated with their choices, I could see how Davis was using their grief and regrets to lead them into the opportunities for second chances.
Every Precious and Fragile Thing will lead you on a heart-breaking journey through the lives of these characters, but it also offers hope for mending broken relationships and overcoming the regrets of the past, to find happiness in the present and the future.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC copy of Every Precious and Fragile Thing, in return for my honest review.
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