FRAGILE - Shiloh Walker
Berkley Sensation
ISBN: 978-0-425-25095-2
August 2012
Romantic Suspense

Lexington, Kentucky - Present Day

After an injury to his leg, Luke Rafferty left the Rangers, looking for a normal life.  Six years later, Luke is a doctor, and his life is a bit more normal, but he's still searching for something.  Then Devon Manning walks into the Emergency Room.  Even though he barely talks to her, and the only reason she comes to the hospital is because one of her kids has been hurt, seeing Devon brightens Luke's day.

A social worker, Devon gets through life one day at a time, hoping that nothing terrible will happen and is realistic enough to know that it usually will.  She's lonely, but the scars of her past keep her from getting close to people, men especially.  She's always thought that Luke Rafferty, in addition to being one of the sexiest men she's ever met, is also kind and gentle, yet until they run into one another one night, Devon had never imagined he could be interested in her.

Though the ex-Ranger in Luke wants to hunt down everyone who has ever hurt Devon, the man knows just what she needs to help her overcome the traumas of her past.  It may be difficult to hold back, but Luke is willing to do anything to be with the woman he is coming to love.  Then strange things start happening, and it becomes clear that Devon has a stalker, and their fledgling relationship is put to the test.

FRAGILE is the story of a woman learning that she's stronger than she thinks, thanks to the man who loves her.  The horror of her teenage years still affects Devon, and it's hard for her to open up to others.  She also barely dates, and intimacy with a man has never been possible, until Luke. Devon knows he's going to complicate her life, but Luke convinces her that not all complications are bad and that she should give him a chance.

Devon's stalker creates the suspense in this book, and while this part was well-written, it isn't the complete focus of the story.  The budding relationship between Devon and Luke takes center stage for the first half of the book, and the realization that she is being stalked moves things along.  A perfect blend of sweet love story and riveting suspense, FRAGILE is a book I highly recommend.

Jennifer Bishop