4 Star
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.
Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star
I usually really love Marisa de los Santos' writing so I was a bit taken aback when it was a bit tedious and difficult to get into this book. Perhaps one reason why this was so was due to the fact that the characters themselves are somewhat difficult individuals and were not entirely enjoyable people. Of course it is sometimes easier to read a book when you love the characters because you feel like you are them or wish that you could be!
The story itself grew on me and I found that in the end this was a much more mature novel from the writer. A more complex story line with greater depth and twists in the story that I would not necessarily have expected based on her previous works.
In the end, I was quite happy that I pushed through and gave the book a chance despite my initial misgivings. I did quite enjoy the fact that the book alternated between Taisy and Willow's perspectives as I always find this creates a more complete story with a richer outlook.
Worth the read as long as you don't have any expectations, I would say you should make sure to clear your schedule before picking up this book as you are sure to (eventually) fall in love with it.
Thank you to William Morrow for our review copy. All opinions are our own.
Connect with Marisa de los Santos:
I'll keep in mind that I should clear my schedule before picking this one up. Thanks for being a part of the tour!
ReplyDelete