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A captivating novel about friendship, family, second chances, and the redemptive power of love.
Book 2 of 5: Love Walked In. In all her life, Eustacia “Taisy” Cleary has given her heart to only three men: her first love, Ben Ransom; her twin brother, Marcus; and Wilson Cleary—professor, inventor, philanderer, self-made millionaire, brilliant man, breathtaking jerk: her father.
Seventeen years ago, Wilson ditched his first family for Caroline, a beautiful young sculptor. In all that time, Taisy’s family has seen Wilson, Caroline, and their daughter, Willow, only once.
Why then, is Wilson calling Taisy now, inviting her for an extended visit, encouraging her to meet her pretty sister—a teenager who views her with jealousy, mistrust, and grudging admiration? Why, now, does Wilson want Taisy to help him write his memoir?
Told in alternating voices—Taisy’s strong, unsparing observations and Willow’s naive, heartbreakingly earnest yearnings—The Precious One is an unforgettable novel of family secrets, lost love, and dangerous obsession, a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works.
“With warmth, humor, and a light, sure touch, Marisa de los Santos tells a big-hearted story.”—Christina Baker Kline, author of the New York Times bestseller Orphan Train
“Emotionally potent, painfully honest, and, at times, delightfully funny, de los Santos’s latest is a must for fans of intelligent, thoughtful women’s fiction.” — Booklist (starred review)
“The slow fracturing of each sister’s perception of the other and the strong three-dimensional characters are exceptionally well crafted . . . de los Santos’s characters’ journeys are perfectly paced.” — Publishers Weekly
“De los Santos offers a comfort-food story in which men are either predators or perfect and women are both beautiful and brilliant.” — Kirkus Reviews
“The author writes engagingly and creates complex and lovable characters who carry the story. Readers of character-based fiction with heartwarming, hopeful endings (e.g., books by authors such as Elizabeth Berg or Ann Hood) will love this one, too.” — Library Journal
“With talent as keen as a new razor and generosity born of a humane heart, de los Santos offers an affecting story, brilliantly conceived characters and arresting prose.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch
“You won’t be able to put this wonderful novel down . . . The Precious One is . . . a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works.” — Fresh Fiction