Introduction

"Beautifully written...a great book club pick!" -- Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author

A deeply felt family narrative that examines the fine line between selfishness and what passes for love.

After nearly two hundred years of housing retardants, as they were once known, the Beechwood Institute is closing the doors on its dark history, and the complicated task of reassigning residents has begun. Ella Jules, having arrived at Beechwood at the tender age of eight, must now rely on the state to decide her future. Ella’s aging parents have requested that she be returned to her childhood home, much to the distress of Ella’s siblings, but more so to Lynetta, her beloved caretaker who has been by her side for decades. The five adult Jules children, haunted by their early memories of their sister, and each dealing with the trauma of her banishment in their own flawed way, are converging on the family home, arriving from the far corners of the country?secrets in tow?to talk some sense into their aging parents and get to the root of this inexplicable change of heart.

The Precious Jules examines the thin line between selfishness and what passes for love. This family story asks what is best for one child in light of what is perceived as the greater good, and just what is the collective legacy of buried family secrets, shame, and helplessness. The Precious Jules is a deeply felt family narrative that will make you fall in love with these flawed and imperfect characters standing on the threshold of an awakening they never expected.

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Excerpt

1
Roland Park, Maryland
Winter 1974
The Children

Their mother opens the bank of doors between the mammoth dining room and the sunroom every morning to let the space warm while the children have their breakfast. Afterward, she escorts them in to play. Today a low winter sun streams hard through the long windows. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

The Jules Family are put in a tough situation from the very beginning. What would you have done if this was your family and decision?

Examine the relationships you have with your own siblings or close relatives. Did this story challenge your narrative of what it means to be a sibling?

The Jules Family is very large and full of different personalities. Which character did you relate to the most, and why?

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by Darlindeb57 (see profile) 10/12/23

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by Darlindeb57 (see profile) 10/12/23

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