Broken

by Shiloh Walker

The national bestselling author of Fragile returns with a luscious new blend of sex and suspense. Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter for a private detective agency in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He's drawn to her-but he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else. Sarah McElyea is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She has a plan for her future. And as much as she finds...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425232417
• ISBN13: 9780425232415
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Thrilling and lovely

Broken" by Shiloh Walker is in awesome, sexy and sweet book about learning to trust again. Bounty hunter Quinn Rafferty and waitress Sara Davis have one thing in common, both have broken hearts because of horrible events in their past. When they become neighbours there's no use denying the chemistry between them. But the past made them shy away from love and serious relationships. But you can't control love so soon there's more between them than just being neighbours. However just when their relationship starts to become serious, things change. Sara is forced to leave and Quinn's trust in her is shattered when he learns that she may not be the person he thought her to be. All of a sudden he is the bounty hunter assigned to find her and bring her back to her old life. But nothing is as it seems and Quinn and Sara have to fight against the past to give their love a chance. When I started "Broken" I feared that it could be a bit too dark for my taste. But Shiloh Walker managed to combine Quinn's and Sara's heartbreaking past with hope for a happy future, so it was a joy to read this book. I was captivated by the story from the first page and finished the book in one day because I just needed to now how it ends (happy ending of course!). Quinn and Sara are both great characters and I especially enjoyed the scenes with both of them. Because of their past they decided some time ago to not get into a serious relationship but there's no stopping the chemistry and the budding feelings between them. Quinn and and Sara are both strong persons who would do everything to protect the people close to them. Quinn is a formidable man, hard on the outside but with a soft heart. When you take into account his past it's so sweet to read how he falls in love with Sara. It was also nice to meet Luke and Devon from "Fragile" (another great book!) again and to see how they both care so much for Quinn and only want the best for him. So all in all I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read more by Shiloh Walker in the future.

4.5 Stars

I have heard about the greatness of Shiloh Walker all over twitterverse for a while now.... but my time has been limited and being that urban fantasy is really my favorite genre, I had put her books low on my list. When the opportunity to join the ARC tour sponsored by the Book Vixen, I jumped at the chance! Thus my Shiloh Walker virginity is gone and I was oh so wrong to wait so long! Sara is on the run, tho we don't find out why til the very end. I found myself assuming she was on the run because her husband was abusive, the snippet flashbacks point to that. Yet, everything we see of her personality led me to think there was something else going on. She is a fighter, she didn't seem like the running type. These contradictions had me invested in her character from the start. I love a good strong female lead who can be strong yet maintain her compassion and femininity and Shiloh Walker gives us that in Sara. Quinn. I could say so much about this man, but the easiest thing to say? Wow. Somehow Walker crawled inside my head and created a man I couldn't help but drool over. He is broken, tormented, wounded. He is protective and strong, but still respectful of Sara as a person. He is so emotional within his own head, but expressing it was next to impossible. Somehow Walker makes this fault both endearing and lovable. I loved the plot of Broken, great twists that I didn't see coming! I did wish for a bit more action throughout the story, but I am not sure it would have fit in and that doesn't keep me from loving this book. The development of the relationship between Quinn and Sara was certainly strong enough to carry the story. It was passionate and desperate in all the ways we book sluts love. One of my favorite dialogue scenes from the start of their relationship: >>Sara cocked a brow at him. "Didn't you tell me a few days ago I'd be better off keeping my distance from you?" <br />>>"Yeah, I told you that." <br />>>"Hard to do if you come looking for me." <br />>>Quinn shrugged. "I don't see you walking away." <br />>>"I was here first," she said pointedly. <br /> <br />But what really gets me about this book is the smokin hot sex appeal of Quinn and his mouth. He talks at all the right times, and I love it. For a man who claims to not know how to flirt, he sure picks it up quickly. <br /> <br />>>Raking his teeth over the soft skin of her wrist, he said gruffly, "You really shouldn't look at me like that in a public place, Sara." <br />>>"Look at you how?" she asked, her voice almost as hoarse as his own. She blinked at him, looking a little dazed. <br /> <br />This book is not in a series, per say, but it is related to the previous book Fragile which features Quinn's brother Luke. I will be picking Fragile up without question. Broken is an excellent read for any romance reader and Shiloh Walker is definitely going on my "must buy" list of authors!

Broken

I've heard more than a few times, that Shiloh Walker is a must read author, but until Broken I hadn't given her a try. When she held an ARC contest for Broken on her blog I leapt at the opportunity and I was very lucky to be a winner! I'm just kicking myself for waiting so long to read a Shiloh Walker novel. Quinn is a loner and for good reason. He is dealing with a past that is filled with betrayal and abuse. His romantic history is tragic as well. Preferring to keep to himself he rents a basement apartment and does dangerous work as a bounty hunter. He discourages personal relationships by putting on a gruff facade, that is until he meets Sarah, a new tenant in his building, who stirs emotions in him he had put aside long ago. Sarah is on the run, moving from one town to the next, taking cash only work where she can get it. She trusts no one and is very careful not to leave a paper trail. Although flashbacks suggest that she is an abused wife running from a husband who wants her dead, there is much more to Sarah's story. She has a secret that could put more than just her in danger and she'll do whatever it takes to keep herself and those she loves safe. Although there is no room in her life for romance or dating, she can't deny her sexy new neighbor has piqued her interest. Despite their reasons for not becoming involved, Quinn and Sarah find their chemistry too difficult to deny and begin an affair that Sarah knows can never last. Through a twist of fate, Quinn is asked to hunt down a woman on the run, and soon realizes that woman he must track down is Sarah. He must deal with the pain of her betrayal and make an even more painful decision. To turn her in, or turn the other cheek. Usually, when I read a romance I gravitate toward one of the two main protagonists. I always have a favorite. I have to say, I love both Quinn and Sarah and I cannot choose a favorite in this case. Quinn is broody and tormented by his past. He puts out a dangerous vibe in order to keep distance between him and the rest of the world but his internal dialogue reveals a man that is vulnerable and one who truly wants to be able to trust, love and be loved. Sarah is tough, smart and doesn't seem to scare easily. Although her motives are not revealed until late in the story, you get a sense of her true nature as the story unfolds. You know that whatever she is dealing with is important to her. So important that she is willing to sacrifice her own happiness to protect her secrets. I'd be doing my readers a disservice if I didn't mention the sexual chemistry between Quinn and Sarah. They are one of the sexiest couples I have ever read. Quinn says things that make me shiver and Sarah is his equal in all things sexy. Kiss me, she whispered, sliding her hands up over his arms, along his shoulders until she could lace her fingers behind his neck. "I love the way you kiss me." Quinn rubbed his lips against hers. "How do I kiss you?" "Like

5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies!

BROKEN, Shiloh Walker's hot and steamy follow up to FRAGILE, reintroduces readers to Quinn Rafferty. This sexy bounty hunter keeps his distance from most women he meets - Sara Davis is the exception and he has no idea why. Quinn Rafferty thinks of himself as BROKEN. From his early childhood until his adolescence he had no one to depend on for his survival until suddenly with the death of his mother, Quinn finds out he is a twin and meets the newfound brother and father he had no idea he had. Because of his early years, Quinn is used to depending on no one, and it is very hard for Quinn to give up control. Even his first choice of a career had him more alone than with a team. Now, as a bounty hunter, Quinn can make his own hours, find who he wants to find, and do whatever he wants to do. When he wants a woman, he makes sure they know the score first. He likes it that way. And then he meets Sara Davis. Sara Davis is on the run from a man wanting to kill her. Never able to stay in one place more than a few days at a time, she is so tired of moving constantly and always looking over her shoulder. When she gets the opportunity to rent a small room in a boarding house that is safe, Sara jumps at the chance even knowing that she might wake up one day and have to run. She trusts no one with her secrets and while the other boarder might be sin personified, Sara doesn't let her guard down even for a minute. This is a good thing because suddenly the first man she has been attracted to in a long time might be the man to bring danger to her door. BROKEN by Shiloh Walker is stormy, passionate, and exciting. With an intriguing hint of suspense, BROKEN takes me on a journey between two people who are used to depending on themselves and no one else. What you see is definitely not what you get when you look at Quinn and Sara. In BROKEN, hidden lies, half truths, secrets, and a deadly game of cat and mouse up the ante in this outstanding novel. Add in extreme hotness where Quinn is concerned and an elevated pulse might occur! Sara is protective, loyal, and just what Quinn needs to complete the puzzle that is his life. They are definitely two halves of a whole and the love I envisioned them sharing was minute to the feelings they each had for the other. BROKEN is anything but. It is a thrilling read with connected characters and compelling love scenes. Hang on to your hat because Shiloh Walker's writing ability shines on every page! Natalie S.

Emotional, Sensual, and Suspenseful Story

As the story opens Ms. Walker gives readers a look at what Quinn Rafferty's, life was like as a frightened child who lived with a physically and verbally abusive alcoholic and drug addicted mother. Trapped in the depth of poverty and despair he seeks refuge from time to time at the local youth shelter for an occasional meal and a place to sleep. When his mother dies of an overdose, Quinn's father is finally contacted and he goes to live with him and his twin brother Luke on a ranch. Patrick Rafferty is a good man and does his best with his very angry, at times belligerent, and emotionally damaged son. Fast forward 20 years and Quinn is an Army Ranger on a mission in Columbia dealing with the tragic loss under horrific circumstances of a woman he loved. Quinn blames himself for the circumstances surrounding her death. When he finishes his tour with the military he settles in St. Louis for a time and takes work as a bail bondsman with a private detective agency. Quinn has tremendous emotional baggage, he doesn't trust people easily, has difficulty communicating and after losing the woman he loved in Columbia has not become involved in a relationship. He has however been befriended by Theresa Kingston, a lovely older woman who owns a house in a decent part of town with a basement apartment that Quinn rents. Sara Davis's life is in chaos, on the run for 2 years from James Morgan a wealthy, despicable, violent man who takes pleasure in controlling, beating and threatening the women in his life. Sara has nothing but the clothes on her back and the cash she earns from a job waiting tables. She is constantly on the move, living from day to day waiting for the call from a mystery caller who gives a report and signals it's time to move on again. Theresa befriends Sara too and after some impassioned discussion persuades her to rent the upper flat in her house. This is where Sara meets Quinn and there is an instantaneous sexual attraction that flares and combusts between them. Neither of these people give their trust easily nor are they looking for a relationship. Quinn is a member of humanity's walking wounded, and Sara is constantly wary, ready to take flight from her tormentor at a moment's notice. Quinn finds communication about himself or his feelings a painful exercise, but something about Sara makes talking easier for him. Quinn and Sara cannot resist their mutual attraction and after some awkward first 'chats' and encounters they become intimate. I found both of these characters to be very lonely and in need of the company and warmth of another human being as much as a physical relationship. The sensuality that Ms. Walker pens into the love scenes between Quinn and Sara is intense and lovely. Neither of these people share their secrets but they connect through touch, a look, quiet conversation and making love. Their relationship intensifies and just as Quinn feels ready to admit his strong feelings for Sara her phone rings signaling that she