Stone Walls

Book excerpt: USA TODAY BESTSELLER • What happens when a supposedly perfect match is so wrong it’s right? In this roller-coaster novel of destiny and desire from A. M. Madden, a red-hot cop and a broken beauty are linked by painful pasts . . . and one tempting future. A real hero can protect and serve, but a true hero knows how to love. As an NYPD officer, Benjamin Stone is married to his job, determined to clean up the drug-infested streets. His partner, Rob, always has his back—except when Rob and his girlfriend, Andrea, play matchmaker at his expense. On Ben’s birthday, they’re at it again. Andrea’s friend is exactly Ben’s type, even if he stubbornly will never admit it. But it’s not the lithe brunette’s looks that intrigues Ben; it’s the hurt in her eyes. Ella Parker is bright, beautiful, kind—and, thanks to one horrific night, severely damaged. She’d rather be training for her black belt or watching TV in her favorite pair of pajamas than be dragged out on a blind date. Sure enough, Ben swaggers into the club, locks onto Ella, and claims he’s not interested—despite the irresistible chemistry between them. So Ella decides two can play at that game. But when her dangerous past comes back to haunt her, Ben will break all the rules of seduction to keep her safe. Praise for Stone Walls “With an untouchable couple wrapped in a sweet package with a comical side, A. M. Madden’s Stone Walls is a must-read—the perfect mix of intrigue, mystery, and sex appeal.”—New York Times bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin “Stone Walls is a roller coaster ride with lots of twists and turns. Ben and Ella are wonderful characters: funny, intelligent, and perfect for each other. But the secrets from their pasts may destroy their chances for a future together.”—New York Times bestselling author Kathy Clark “Madden delivers an intense read with beautiful character development and so much emotion you feel every high and every low. There were times I wanted to reach into the pages and offer comfort to both Ben and Ella.”—USA Today bestselling author Chelsea Camaron “Madden’s storytelling pulls you in from the very beginning. I loved this romance story. With likable and believable characters and a riveting storyline, this book kept me up long into the night. Stone Walls is an excellent start to a new series! I can’t wait see what happens next.”—Stacey Lynn, author of His to Love “OMG! A. M. Madden blew my socks off with this one! I laughed, I cried, I got angry, cried again, and then I sighed with happy contentment. Stone Walls is one of my all-time favorite romantic suspense novels.”—Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews “Readers looking for some suspense with their romance will like this book and the characters. I will definitely look for more from A. M. Madden in the future.”—Ramblings from This Chick “I loved all the characters in this book! . . . The author did an amazing job.”—Summer’s Book Blog (five stars) “I’ll always look forward to more from this author. Fab five-star read!”—Fictional Men’s Page for Book Ho’s “A great book . . . This story is extremely well written (all of A. M. Madden’s stories are) and the characters are very well developed. . . . I was not disappointed.”—Sexy Lady’s Reading Corner Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.