Handsome widowed sophisticated utterly charming Paul Parker won the heart of a wealthy young Frenchwomanmdashthe daughter of an American financier the granddaughter of a major French art connoisseurmdashas his second wife In two marriages he has fathered a challenging son and three very different daughters But as irresponsible as he was irresistible he ultimately shrugged off the demands of marriage and parenting to pursue life as an international bon vivantRaised by their mother with all the care and resolve their father lacked the three Parker sisters have become vibrant self-reliant young women Timmie the oldest a fiercely dedicated social worker in New York sweet nurturing Juliette proprietor of a fledgling bakery in Brooklyn and their younger sister Joy who is struggling to build an acting career in Los Angeles While they love their mostly absent glamorous father he has left them with a legacy of impermanence and uncertainty in their own relationships with men And with no strong role model to guide him Paulrsquos son has gone from one failure to another even while his stepmother makes excuses for him as he seethes with jealousy of his younger sistersNow after a long illness Paul has slipped away peacefully in his sleep and his family has gathered together to read his will As his final wishes are revealed his son is forced to face reality as an adult And his daughters see a new side to their fathermdashone that shows a caring man trying to redeem himself with a different lasting legacy He has made a very personal bequest to each of his daughters carefully designed to help each achieve her own unique dreams and find true happiness But Paul has saved the biggest surprise for his ex-wife Veacuteronique a secret from the past that shakes her world and sets her free He leaves her a gift that remained a mystery for their entire marriage and she begins a search to discover its history and rightful ownerThe story of a manrsquos last wish to make a differencemdashand of the loved ones he leaves behind fulfilling their destinies at lastmdashPrecious Gifts is bursting with indelible characters and emotional complexity as it takes readers from New York and Los Angeles to the art capitals of Europe and the South of France Inspiring and uplifting it is a deeply moving exploration of the rich territory of loss inheritance and reawakeningmdashDanielle Steel at the height of her literary prowess.
