GREAT AND PRECIOUS THINGS
By Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: February 25
How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are?
Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him—especially his father. He left, swearing never to return.
But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again.
But home is where the one person he still loves is waiting. Willow. The one woman he can never have. Because there are secrets buried in Alba that are best left in the dark.
If only he could tell his heart to stay locked away when she whispers she’s always loved him, and always will…
Great and Precious Things is a heart-wrenching story about family, betrayal, and ultimately how far we’re willing to go on behalf of those who need us most.
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2HKNm4E
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2lFPbHL
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2lxZDBp
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2kksUPO
Apple: https://apple.co/2m0VTZk
Nook: http://bit.ly/2kwozZD
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lzrfGa
My Review
Heading into Great and Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros, I knew that I needed to mentally and emotionally prepare myself, but even then, I wasn’t wholly prepared because the one component of Yarros’ writing that resonates from each of her books is the ability to pull out readers’ emotions, making them feel EVERYTHING that the characters endure and struggle with as they work to find their much deserved happiness.
There’s a lot to unravel when it comes to the reasons for Camden Daniel’s departure from and return to Alba, and as that information is provided, it becomes a tangled web of strained relationships, well-kept secrets, and a litany of betrayals that have to be sorted through and cleared up before anyone, especially Camden, can move forward and alleviate some of the burden left on his shoulders for so many years.
Camden definitely has an edge to him, almost like a protective exterior, due to how life has treated him and what he has had to endure due to how certain events played out and other people’s quick judgments.
It’s clear he wears the scars of misjudgment, harsh criticism, and blame like an albatross around his neck, but he’s grown into a man who works to redirect his anger in different ways than simply exploding and being forced to deal with the fallout. There is so much more to Camden than certain people believe and the fact that he proves himself to those who matter is essential for his ability to move on from everything that he was forced to face.
Willow Bradley is Camden’s perfect other half, but coming to that realization and making it happen takes time. But Willow’s not afraid to go against the grain, to choose herself over those who judge her for exactly that reason, and that’s what allows her to follow her heart and be true to herself despite how others view those choices.
The small town world that Yarros creates allows readers to get to know, not only the main characters, but the supporting cast as well, and this adds such a depth to the situation that Cam and Willow find themselves in as well as offers insight into how easily misperceptions and assumptions damage someone’s reputation and/or what they believe they’re capable of doing and achieving. The small community of Alba could be any small town in America, and the author showcases that fact by aptly demonstrating how prejudices and narrow minds lead to dramatics that could have been prevented from happy if people were willing to open their eyes and see the truth behind the lies or false perceptions.
Yarros doesn’t rush anything between Cam and Willow because it’s the slow burn of them acting on their feelings that allow readers to see just how well they complement one another and illustrate why bad timing or missed chances wouldn’t prevent them from going for it this time around, even with what they faced at almost every turn.
I so appreciate every aspect of Rebecca Yarros’ writing because she ALWAYS allows readers to understand who her characters are at her core, way beneath the hardened or damaged exterior. Readers see, firsthand, just how complex…how endearing…just how worthy the hero and heroine are, despite other people’s misjudgments…despite their own self-doubt and recriminations.
4.5 Poison Apples
I’m a hopeless romantic and adore all things chocolate, coffee and paleo. No, seriously, I need to have a caffeine IV put in. I’ve adored reading all my life, and writing naturally evolved from my love of late nights and promises of one more page.
I’m also a military wife of sixteen years. During my husband’s deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, I was devouring a book a day, and during his third deployment, I finally wrote my own. With a somewhat ironic timing, I received my book deal for Full Measures during his fourth deployment, and published a month after he returned home. We’re currently preparing for his fifth deployment, so check out the blog for the latest!
On the homefront, we have six kids. Yes, you read that right—six. If I’m not writing or playing guitar, I’m usually tying hockey skates for our four boys, or sneaking in John Hughes marathons with my two daughters. We fostered and adopted our youngest daughter from the foster system and we’re passionate about helping others do the same through our non-profit, One October! We’re always busy navigating the winding road of our daughter’s recent autism diagnosis, getting our boys to hockey, prepping for a deployment, and generally trying to stay sane. We’re die-hard Mets fans, but our hearts call Colorado home.
If you’ve read all of that, haven’t fallen asleep, and still want to know more about me, check out my blog: http://www.rebeccayarros.com/blog!
Website: http://www.rebeccayarros.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaElizabethYarros
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