“The beautifully written The Precious Jules forces readers to consider the burden of secrets, the consequences of actions, and the line between what one person wants but another truly needs."

"The Precious Jules by Shawn Nocher (A Hand to Hold in Deep Water) is an engrossing, character-rich drama…"

“This novel is an incredibly moving, thoughtful work that will appeal to fans of Jodi Picoult and Kelly Rimmer. Told from the third-person points of view of Hillary, all the children minus Ella, and Lynetta, readers will identify with every character.”

"It is hard to believe, in a way, that "A Hand to Hold in Deep Water" is Shawn Nocher's first novel. It is so accomplished, so intricately constructed that it reads like the work of a novelist with years of practice refining and polishing her craft..."

"A devastating family drama driven by engrossing and believable characters."

"There's a wonderful sense of place in A Hand to Hold in Deep Water...[An] impressive debut...The literary world could use more tales of places other than New York City.'' 

"The Precious Jules is a captivating family novel about impossible atonement and learning to accept the natural outcomes of rending decisions."

"The beautifully written The Precious Jules forces readers to consider the burden of secrets, the consequences of actions, and the line between what one person wants but another truly needs."