Denise Holden's life is a fragile mix of luck and hard work. A singlemom of a speech-delayed son, Denise makes ends meet by moving to the small townof Edenton, North Carolina, and working the late shift as a waitress. WhenDenise crashes her car and her son Kyle flees the accident and disappears intothe storm, her only stroke of luck is the quick arrival of Taylor McAden, avolunteer fireman. Taylor's got a knack for fixing people, and he can't helpwanting to be involved with Denise beyond the initial rescue of Kyle.As Taylor helps Denise recover from the accident and get to know the town, theydiscover a sweet bond and a magical chemistry that pulls them closer and closer.Though Taylor fits perfectly into Denise's family, he's unable to open his heartto being loved by her. As Taylor struggles to understand his conflictingdesires, Denise questions the wisdom of gambling with Kyle's and her ownemotions.Author Nicholas Sparks has found a loyal audience for his stories about theinternal battles that accompany the arrival of love. His heroes may betruck-driving manly men and his heroines emotional swamis, but it's easy tooverlook the traditional roles when the complexities of human relationships areso beautifully described. Sparks has found his forte, and this novel is sure tobe as popular as his earlier works. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien