Customer Reviews

Fragile

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Luke Rafferty is searching for something. He's not exactly sure what that 'something' is but he definitely knows that something is missing in his life. Discharged from the Army Rangers after nearly shattering his leg, it was either a desk or teach. Luke chose life instead. Now, six years later, Luke works as ER doctor in Lexington, Kentucky, but he still hasn't found what he's been searching for until one night, while on his shift, he meets a social worker and her young charge that has suffered abuse. It doesn't take but a moment to realize that she's it; that the little red headed social worker is what he's been searching for all this time and now he can't seem to stop his heart from pounding.

Devon Manning knows that Luke is a complication that she doesn't need in her life. Each day is already a fight to continue, to keep her head steady and her heart beating. Her job as a social worker isn't ever easy but in a way it provides cathartic therapy for a past that still haunts her. Molested and raped as a child by her uncle, Devon was thrown out by her infuriated aunt after her husband went to jail for the crimes he committed. A young teen, Devon found herself on the streets, cold, hungry and alone with the only thought of how she was going to get her next fix until a kind social worker helped her. Eden, her guardian angel, secured her a home with two wonderful people who later adopted her and whom now Devon lovingly calls, Mom and Dad. Yet even with all the love she enjoys with her adopted family, Devon still has sexual hang ups when it comes to men and Luke is no exception. But the sexy doctor is mighty persistent and soon she finds herself in the whirlwind of a fledgling romance.

Luke knows that something really bad has happened in Devon's life but he gives her the time and space to know him before pushing her for the relationship he craves. Six weeks with a painful hard-on makes him edgy but he valiantly hangs onto his control. Luke's gentleness and understanding of Devon's past is beyond endearing and his slow and easy seduction of Devon is as sweet as it is thrilling. When Devon does finally reveal the sordid details of her youth, Luke can feel nothing but rage. Rage at the man that stole the innocence of the woman he loves and if that man wasn't already six feet under, he'd make sure that the moment happened none too soon. But it seems that despite the fact that her abuser is dead and gone, someone out there is stalking her and leaving dead animals gutted in her home. Luke's protectiveness toward Devon doubles tenfold leaving her feeling a little smothered. She understands the need to be careful but the thought of one of Luke's friends tailing her every day leaves her cold. Nerves rattled already, Devon doesn't think she could handle having a babysitter.

One couldn't really blame Luke with his frustration over Devon's flat refusal to have someone keeping watch over her while he's working his shifts at the hospital. Luke also has to deal with the fact that Devon has a very strong suspicion of who her stalker is but with her need to protect her kids, she'll not divulge the information to Luke. It was during this portion of the novel that Devon really bordered on being the "Too Stupid To Live" heroine that finds readers bashing their books against their heads. Yet despite Luke's frustration with Devon's stubbornness, he somehow finds the ability to respect her wishes, well to a certain extent anyway.

But all the protection in the world couldn't prevent Devon's stalker from finally having his way. Strangled and beaten within an inch of her death, Devon's attacker dies at the scene of the crime. While the cops assume that Devon must have bashed his head in with a large bookend, Devon can't remember having done that and she in fact has a vague memory of another person striking the fatal blow against her attacker, but her convictions aren't positive. Shaken to the core, Devon begins to once again withdrawal into her safe but lonely cocoon that shielded her before Luke came into her life. Meanwhile, Luke is consumed with guilt. After he swore he would protect Devon from any threat, she still lived once again through another predator's ugly assault. With Devon pulling away from him, Luke can only assume that she also blames him for his inability to protect her.

Devon and Luke manage to work through the awkwardness that's settled between them but their security is once again threatened, this time by the inner workings of Devon's own mind. Terrible dreams haunt her featuring Luke as the man that hurts her. While her dream Luke looks for all appearances to be the Luke she loves in her waking moments, there is just something off about the one in her dreams. The dream Luke radiates cruelty and rage while the real Luke makes her feel so miraculously safe. Devon's paranoia begins to escalate as well for she swears that she's once again being watched. Spooking at every shadow and believing herself to be insane, Devon ends things unofficially with Luke claiming that she needs time to work through her fear. When finally her dreams become a terrifying reality, it's not Luke standing before her with murder in his eyes, but someone she's never even met.

Luke was an amazing hero, sinfully sexy but also a wonderful gentleman with a kind heart. He's so careful with Devon while she laughingly tells him time and again that she won't break. She's true to her word too. Despite her tragic past, that would surely make a weaker person break, she finds solace in helping children that share the same tragedy and she pours every drop of her strength in being a guardian angel to them as Eden was to her.

There were some aspects of 'Fragile' that left me scratching my head. While Luke knows a lot about Devon's life, there seems to never really be a time where Devon inquires upon his own past or his family. There are several instances where Luke can divulge this information to Devon, yet there is always something that happens to distract them at that very moment. I also had my issues with Devon and her ridiculous stubbornness that very well could have gotten her killed. If I had a stalker who was leaving mutilated animals in my house, I surely would want someone guarding my life twenty-four/seven. I didn't understand her blatant refusal to allow Luke that peace of mind.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading 'Fragile' and I'm hoping very much that a certain secondary character will receive his much needed HEA. I don't want to say who for spoiler reasons but any reader will know exactly to whom I'm referring to once they read the novel.

Luke Rafferty left the Army Rangers six years ago in search of a normal life. The geography may have changed but as a doctor in Kentucky he still sees the ugly side of humanity. Devon Manning is a social worker. A former product of "the system" she is an example of when that system works. Her job naturally leads to her crossing paths with the good doctor.

Devon has scars from her past, both literally and figuratively. Because of this she doesn't do complications, and her attraction to Luke is a complication. Luke believes he finally found what he was looking for in Devon and he is determined to break down her emotional barriers. As their relationship progresses into love someone begins stalking Devon. It is Luke's toughest mission yet, he must prove to Devon that he loves her while trying to keep her safe.

FRAGILE is a perfect blend of suspense, romance, strenth, and vulnerability. With some crafty plot twists, Ms. Walker keeps you guessing to the very end. The characters are well developed and easy to relate to, even secondary characters such as Luke's twin brother Quinn. You will see Devon as a strong woman, even though at times Luke wants to treat her as if she is fragile, which becomes apparent that she neither wants nor needs to be treated as such. Luke just wants to hold on to what he has been searching for, even though she doesn't make it easy for him.

Fans of Shiloh Walker will not be disappointed, neither will readers who want a little suspense with their romance. Really hope to see Quinn's story in the future.

Fragile is about the delicate balance of vulnerability and strength that can be brought on by trauma. It's about love in the face of insurmountable odds. And it's about suspense, mystery, and terror.

This definitely isn't a clean-cut procedural where the horrible details of the crimes and victims are held at arm's length. If you read it, you'll feel for the characters and the terrible events they live through. But you won't pity them--instead you'll be right in there pulling for them as they struggle with themselves and each other.

There's plenty of suspense and fear, not to mention plot twists, to keep you occupied, but of course the star of the show is the complex and strained relationship that develops between Luke and Devon. This is definitely an adults-only book due to sexual content and crimes.

The characters are detailed and wonderful, and show off Ms. Walker's talent in particular at creating strong and unusual people that have plenty of surprises in them. The atmosphere is dark and tense, expertly crafted. The pace seemed to lag slightly at one point, but it was a very minor complaint.

All in all, this is an excellently crafted suspense and romance!

Luke Rafferty walked away from a career with the Rangers, searching for some sense of normalcy. He's stayed in touch with his Ranger buddies as well as his twin brother while forging ahead in his own life. Now, Luke has found a woman he wants to cherish forever, social worker Devon Manning. But will love be enough to conquer the obstacles in their way?

Shiloh Walker doesn't pull any punches with FRAGILE. FRAGILE is an emotional, sometimes quite dark and twisted story. Both Luke and Devon have scarred pasts, with demons that still haunt them. Readers should note that there are some very sensitive issues addressed as FRAGILE is not your typical romance at all. Rather, Shiloh Walker has written a tale that shows victims turning their traumas into victory over the horrors they face.

Devon is a character I couldn't help but love! So many times, social workers are portrayed in a negative light in books but Devon is a social worker to be admired. She isn't invincible and through her we feel the pain and triumph of the various choices and events she experiences. It's impossible not to get sucked right into her emotions as Ms. Walker does such an excellent job at making those emotions come vividly alive. Devon never wavers in her convictions to helping the abused and neglected children she works with, a trait that only made me admire and love her character more.

FRAGILE is a complex and intense story that addresses some very dark and disturbing issues. Some readers may find the emotional impact to be a bit overwhelming as Shiloh Walker paints such a realistic picture. However, the journey is more than worth it as FRAGILE is one of the most satisfying reads I've had in awhile. Highly recommended!

COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

I originally bought Broken then realized there was a sort of precursor with Fragile. While the story line was okay, and the plot had possibility, I could not get past the serious editing problems with this novel. Honestly, I do not think it was edited at all. As a writer myself, I can catch mistakes that should never happen in any book. First of all, there was a lot of repetition. Ms. Walker used the phrase "a headache of mammoth proportions" several times. She also had either Devon or Luke "fisting" each other's hair. I cannot tell you how many times they did that in the book. Both Devon and Luke used the same dialogue as in, "Hey there, pretty girl." Also, Luke had to many "molten" looks in his eyes. Then there were the grammatical errors: the word "stupider," "a ugly," when it should have been "an", "have," when it should have been "has." There were probably fifty sentences or more that started with the word, "Hell." Toward the end I was just plain tired. I felt the book dragged on. I was really looking forward to it being over.

While I saw potential in the story, and wanted it to be as good as it was described, I could not get passed all the poor editing; they kept distracting me from the actual story.

This book probably could have been 4 stars. Three stars was a bit generous for me. I am now hesitant about reading Broken, but since I already have it, I might as well, But first I have to recover from Fragile and hope that with Broken, Ms. Walker corrected her previous mistakes.

Would I recommend this book? In a word, NO, unless you don't mind serious editing flaws, then you might enjoy it.

Whew! this was definitely a roller coaster ride of emotions. Devon is the kind of woman that is usually seen only through peripheral vision. She is the shy kid in the cafeteria that always sat alone at the corner table in the back, but if you took the time to look you would find a person with dark layers of emotions and heartache. Devon has survived an horrific childhood and made a success of her life as a Social Worker by saving abandon and abused kids. Luke is an ex Ranger now an emergency room doctor that falls in love with Devon after he observes her bringing in her special kids for treatment. Luke has a big job ahead of him in trying to convince Devon to take a chance on him and love. Devon has emotional scars to deal with and a stalker that is closing in for the kill. Add Luke's brother a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode and ex Ranger buddies with some serious PTSD you have a bumpy ride ahead.

I enjoyed this book, romantic suspense that delivered the goods. It was so refreshing reading about D & L as they fell in love. Luke fell in love first and reading about it from his POV was a welcome change. It took Devon a little longer to realize what a precious gem she had in Luke. Just when I was beginning to get impatient with Devon the author was able to throw a curve ball that kept the plot moving and what you thought was predictable became the unpredictable. There is another story waiting to be told regarding Luke's brother Quin another ex Ranger with a major attitude.

There are a few things that kept this book from being a 5 star read for me. Devon's attitude regarding the stalker. She is a survivor of abuse how could she carelessly throw away the chance to have a personal body guard. I'm sooo tired of the old "I can't have some stranger hovering around me or thinking about it. I'd go crazy". Duh, you do have some stranger hovering around you and you want go crazy because you will be dead if he succeeds in his plan to kill you. And Luke's feeling of guilt almost became a little tiring. If it wasn't for Quin who verbally slapped his brother back on track I would have thrown the book. Another thing why did Luke take so long to reveal he had a twin brother. I know he gave his reason but it just sounded a little lame. I saw it as a convenient plot device the author used to twist the story. Was it successful of course it was, it kept me eagerly turning the pages to the end.

This is the first printed Shiloh Walker book I have read and man am I ever glad that I did.

Luke Rafferty is an Ex-Army Ranger turned doctor, who is looking for "something" that is missing from his life. From a life of protecting his country to saving people one person at a time. He has caught glimpses a red headed social worker who goes by the name of Ms. Devon Manning. She brings in her charges and fights her battles to save one child at a time. He isn't sure but he thinks she might be that "something" that has been illusive from his life.

Devon Manning is a woman who holds herself apart. She takes life one day at a time and one case at a time, and tries her best to never think about her past. She helps one child at a time and is content to make no connections other than those that she already has. By her own words she doesn't need any more complications in her life.

Dr. Rafferty is done just seeing Devon when she comes in with one of her charges at the hospital. He tries to make the connection he feels for Devon one that she feels also. He almost loses her before their first official date when he makes assumptions about the life she leads. He quickly realizes his error when she tells him to take a hike. He then goes above and beyond to prove he wants a relationship to work, and that he is willing to curb his original plan of attack to fit the woman he is in pursuit of. But soon Devon is being tormented by a stalker and Luke vows to protect what is his. But can he protect her from an even more unseen and malevolent predator than the stalker while trying to capture her heart and hold on to a soul that was damaged in childhood.

Being the first actual out in print book that I read by this author I was throughly surprised and elated to love this story; not just for the red-hot steamy scenes, but for the characters. The characters are well developed and the emotional connection to both the female and the male leads is there from the get go. I applaud Ms. Walker for creating a character like Devon and putting in words what a child of a particular type of abuse feels even into adulthood.

Sometimes when I read books I can kind of be like this story reminds me of so and so story, but I really feel like I haven't read a story of this emotional depth for me that is before this one. I wasn't actually going to pick up anymore series at this time but I read the brief synopsis on this book and then I was hooked after work I headed straight to my local bookstore and picked it up. Thank goodness I gave in and added this great book to my collection. Give it a try if you like red-hot romance that has to fight to stay together and twists that you won't see coming.

Oh and on a side note if is ain't too much trouble if you could do me a favor and give me some constructive criticism on what you didn't like or did like about this review cause as much a I like to write this for my enjoyment I would like the opinion of other people who read reviews.

Wishing you many hours of literary vacations. I'm off to my next destination.

Many and Much Thanks,

H

Devon is a survivor. As a child she was abused and abandoned to survive on the streets on her own and if it hadn't been for a compassionate social worker that rescued Devon from the drug-hazed hell she was living in. So feeling that she was rescued by a guardian angel, Devon became a social worker to help rescue other children and help them as she was helped herself. Still, her early experiences have left her scarred to the point that she keeps the world at arm's length - especially men. But the sexy ER doctor that patches up the unfortunate kids that Devon rescues always provokes Devon's blood to heat up every time she lays eyes on him. But will she be willing to risk letting someone close?

Luke left his life as a Ranger behind when he was confronted with the reality that his life was heading in a direction that he didn't want it to. So Luke leaves his team behind, including his twin brother Quinn, to become a doctor and hopefully create for himself the normal life he craves for himself. Still, something is missing and Luke can't figure out what the elusive thing is that he can't find to finally feel settled - until, that is, he meets Devon.

But as these two begin to know each other they begin to discover that they each have hidden scars that bleed into their present lives. But what will they do when their past comes back to haunt them with deadly intent?

Fragile is a romantic suspense that has more twists than you would expect while managing to keep you turning their pages to see how Luke and Devon will triumph in the end - because they are too good together not to. Shiloh Walker created a compelling story that will keep you riveted from start to finish while turning up the heat - don't miss out on this masterfully written romantic suspense. Devon is an amazing character that will fascinate you from the first encounter as she is stronger and braver than you would expect. Luke is a levelheaded, yet wounded hero, who will capture your attention for his Alpha male characteristics and his sensitivity to others, but especially Devon. One of the most compelling aspects of this novel are the changes in pace that serve to highlight the emotional reality and consequences of being the target of a twisted mind that are tightly woven into the plot. Get yourself Fragile for a truly fascinating read that will keep you turning the pages well into the night!

Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

There isn't one aspect of this book I didn't love. The romance, the suspense, all of it came together to make a really great story.

Six years ago, Dr. Luke Rafferty left military combat medicine to become a civilian "combat" doctor working the emergency room working especially with abused children. His vocation introduces him to children's social worker Devon Manning. The pair are attracted to one another and begin a heated affair.

As they fall in love, someone stalks Devon; an individual who seems to know not so public facts about each of them. Whereas Luke believes he finally found what he was looking for when he left the military, his beloved social worker is reminded why she prefers working with troubled childhoods; her belief is that she only relates well with kids due to her awareness that relationships end in a relatively short time. She plans to end hers with Luke who she believes deserves better, but he insists he loves her. As he struggles to break down her reinforced barriers, they uncover the identity of her stalker, which only fortifies Devon's belief she can never have anyone permanently in her life.

This is an exciting character driven romantic suspense thriller as Luke battles on two fronts. He must convince Devon they belong together and uncover who the stalker is and why. The support cast is solid especially Luke's reclusive twin and the other grunts from their military unit. Devon is also a strong character as he knows love is fleeting as people leave. Shiloh Walker provides a tense thriller starring a hero finding what he has been seeking seemingly forever and his FRAGILE beloved who is ready to flee.

Harriet Klausner