Great And Precious Things

Rebecca Yarros

Feb 2020 · Sold by Entangled: Amara

About this ebook

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...

Great and Precious Things is a heart-wrenching forbidden romance about family, betrayal, and ultimately how far we’re willing to go on behalf of those we love and who need us most.

Ratings and reviews

This was a touching, heartfelt story. I adored the characters, the plot and the writing. There were times when my emotions were all over the place. Camden Daniels left Alba, CO a decade ago for the military. He was the middle son. The one who was ALWAYS getting into trouble. He was in love with Willow, the neighbor's daughter, but she was his younger brother's (Sullivan) girlfriend. Camden became a Green Beret. Sullivan though idolize Camden and joined the military also. Four years later, Camden would bring Sully's body back to Alba. Camden is full of grief not only for the death of Sully but because he gave an order unknowingly that took Sully's life. If only he had chosen a different group then Sully would have been safe. Camden's father also blamed him for the younger Daniels' death. Camden leaves Alba determined never to return. Camden is called back to Alba by his father. Returning after six years after Sully's death, is hard and Camden is not looking forward to it. The elder Daniels has early-on-set alzheimer's disease. He wants a DNR but the oldest son has power of attorney and refuses. Upon Camden's return, he sees Willow almost immediately. The rest of the journey for Camden and Willow to their HEA is one that was an exceptional read. I loved having the story written in a dual POV format. Getting into the minds of both Camden and Willow really allowed me to fully understand what they were going through. In this case, Camden was really suffering and seeing his internal conflict was really necessary to understand his decisions. This is a wonderful story. There is a scene that may offend some but the sexy scene was well written and highly glossed over. That being said though, I can only recommend this story for anyone over the age of 18.

I absolutely adore this book. I knew when I read the excerpt that I would love this book, that I actually needed to read this book, and so when my free copy of this book didn’t arrive by the release date, I also paid for the kindle version of this book. No regrets. This story follows Willow and Camden navigate the tense and emotional situation they find themselves when Cam returns to their small town after years away serving the military. Willow was Camden’s brother Sullivan’s fiancée when he died in combat. Camden was the black sheep of his family, Willow’s former best friend, and the one who gave the order that led to Sully’s death. Six years after the funeral, Cam returns after his father, who blames him for Sully, calls him and asks for help getting a DNR order. He has early onset Alzheimer’s and just wants control over his own life. But Cam’s older brother Xander has power of attorney over his father’s medical decisions. This the battle in the small town begins...made more complicated by the feelings Willow and Cam can’t seem to hide. I loved how sweet and tragic and complicated this story was. I was laughing and then crying all the way to the end. The writing is simple and smooth, easy to read and easier to enjoy. The characters are complex and dynamic. The chemistry of off the charts. The romance is sweet and subtle and slow burn, but it is also very clear from the beginning that their history meant more than just friendship to both of them. I feel like this book really grasped how complicated family dynamics can be and really explored that complex nature in multiple ways. I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish, and I will probably add it to my forever reread pile because it was just that good. I could hardly put it down!

Utterly captivating! Great and Precious Things follows the story of Willow Bradley - resident artist of Alba and, according to the town, still too devastated to move on from the death of her beau, Sullivan, who died six years ago - and Camden Daniels, bad boy, decorated soldier, and older brother to Willow's Sullivan. After following his estranged father's wishes to return to Alba to battle for his right to a Do-Not-Resuscitate order, Camden begins the fight of his life, not only to give the father who blames him for Sullivan's death back some of his bodily autonomy, but to also convince the unchanging, small town of Alba that he really isn't the bad guy after all. Throw in his struggle to maintain distance between himself and Willow, whom he has loved from afar what seems like his whole life, and rising tensions between him and his one remaining sibling, Xander (a.k.a. the "perfect" child), and Camden's got his work cut out for him. The characters, although far from perfect, are so stunning in their lack of flawlessness that it makes it easy to connect with them. Camden has spent his life fighting for the approval of his dad and a town that only seems to see that worst in him. Willow has spent her life under her dad's thumb and the last several years moving on from the grief that everyone in Alba thinks she should continue to feel. Together, they just fit. Willow sees the good that Camden tries so hard to hide with his attempts to cover for his brothers. And Camden urges Willow to be her true self. It was beautiful watching how their relationship developed and strengthened. Ultimately, Great and Precious Things is a story of forgiveness, redemption, and love - that between a man and his father, between brothers, and between two people who have finally got a shot at happiness. There is a delightful twist to the end of the story and Rebecca Yarros' writing keeps you captivated until the very end.

About the author

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things coffee and chocolate. She is the author of the award-winning Flight & Glory series, The Renegades, and The Last Letter. She loves military heroes, and has been blissfully married to her Apache pilot for seventeen years.

When she's not writing, she's tying hockey skates for her four sons, sneaking in guitar time, or watching brat-pack movies with her two daughters. She lives in Colorado with her husband, their rambunctious gaggle of kids, and their menagerie of pets. Having adopted their youngest daughter from the foster system, Rebecca is a passionate advocate for children through her non-profit, One October.