Great and Precious Things

January 27, 2020
Yarros (The Last Letter) successfully weaves an emotionally fraught story of a veteran’s reluctant homecoming and his reunion with the woman who has always held his heart. Camden Daniels blames himself for the death of his younger brother Sully while both were deployed in Afghanistan. Upon his return home to Alba, Colo., he discovers everyone else blames him for the death, too, and he leaves town after Sully’s funeral. Six years later, Cam ventures back to help his brother Xander care for their father, who has Alzheimer’s. Upon arrival, Cam is reunited with Willow Bradley, the only woman he has ever loved. But Willow was Sully’s girlfriend, and Cam is convinced he will never be worthy of her. But as they work together on a project for the historical society, Cam and Willow confront their shared past and uncover secrets in Cam’s family that drastically change their relationship. The pathos of Cam’s story is heavy-handed, but Willow’s self-confidence and compassion, along with Yarros’s frank confrontation of the realities of war and memory loss, ground this story in emotion and keep the tone from growing maudlin. With sharp characterization and slow-building revelations, Yarros crafts a moving story that’s sure to please romance fans. Agent: Louise Fury, The Bent Agency.