PreciousGiftsANovel

NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLERHandsome,widowed,sophisticated,utterlycharming,PaulParkerwontheheartofawealthyyoungFrenchwoman—thedaughterofanAmericanfinancier,thegranddaughterofamajorFrenchartdealer—ashissecondwife.Intwomarriages,hefatheredachallengingsonandthreeverydifferentdaughters.Butasirresponsibleashewasirresistible,heultimatelyshruggedoffthedemandsofmarriageandparentingtopursuelifeasaninternationalbonvivant.Raisedbytheirmotherwithallthecareandresolvetheirfatherlacked,thethreeParkersistershavebecomevibrant,self-reliantyoungwomen:Timmie,theoldest,afiercelydedicatedsocialworkerinNewYork;sweet,nurturingJuliette,proprietorofafledglingbakeryinBrooklyn;andtheiryoungersister,Joy,whoisstrugglingtobuildanactingcareerinLosAngeles.Whiletheylovetheirmostlyabsent,glamorousfather,hehasleftthemwithalegacyofimpermanenceanduncertaintyintheirownrelationshipswithmen.Andwithnostrongrolemodeltoguidehim,Paul’ssonhasgonefromonefailuretoanother,evenwhilehisstepmothermakesexcusesforhim,asheseetheswithjealousyofhisyoungersisters.Now,afteralongillness,Paulhasslippedawaypeacefullyinhissleep,andhisfamilyhasgatheredtogethertoreadhiswill.Ashisfinalwishesarerevealed,hissonisforcedtofacerealityasanadult.Andhisdaughtersseeanewsidetotheirfather—onethatshowsacaringmantryingtoredeemhimselfwithadifferent,lastinglegacy.Hehasmadeaverypersonalbequesttoeachofhischildren,carefullydesignedtohelpthemachievetheirownuniquedreamsandfindtruehappiness.ButPaulhassavedthebiggestsurpriseforhisex-wifeVéronique:asecretfromthepastthatshakesherworldandsetsherfree.Heleavesheragiftthatremainedamysteryfortheirentiremarriage,andshebeginsasearchtodiscoveritshistoryandrightfulowner.Thestoryofaman’slastwishtomakeadifference—andofthelovedonesheleavesbehindfulfillingtheirdestiniesatlast—PreciousGiftsisburstingwithindeliblecharactersandemotionalcomplexityasittakesreadersfromNewYorkandLosAngelestotheartcapitalsofEuropeandtheSouthofFrance.Inspiringanduplifting,itisadeeplymovingexplorationoftherichterritoryofloss,inheritance,andreawakening—DanielleSteelattheheightofherliteraryprowess.