Ever since Daniel Kaufman was killed in a freak accident, the Kaufman family hasn't been the same. His parents, Kathleen and Curtis, have separated, with Kathleen making peace with her grief and Curtis burying himself in it. Daniel's younger sister, Olivia, knew before his death that she wasn't the star of the family. Now, she hides behind black clothes and hopes for a better future where the ideas of terrible things don't constantly run through her head. As the family struggles to survive after the death of the one they loved so greatly, they will find unexpected sides of their selves they never saw coming.

Paula Treick DeBoard create a stunning and brilliantly told story with THE FRAGILE WORLD. Opening with a horrific tragedy, this novel takes readers on an emotional journey that will make your heart twist and turn. Alternating between the father, Curtis, and the daughter, Oliva's, voice, readers watch a family learn to deal with a death they never anticipated. DeBoard beautifully joins the exploration of individual grief with the confusing and often frustrating attempts of family bonding post tragedy.

As Curtis and Olivia literally drive to see Kathleen post separation, their emotionally driven journey will pull readers in and never let them go until the very end. Olivia especially shines as she attempts to put on a brave and mature face in a time of the unknown. For Curtis, DeBoard presents a character who succeed in breaking from his negative influence parents but who is straining to be a good parent himself when all he can think of is revenge.

Readers of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah will adore this gem from Paula Treick DeBoard. Her moving prose and emotionally charged characters in THE FRAGILE WORLD will force several tears and smiles from her audience, and without a doubt, make them want more.