Everything changed the night Daniel Kaufman died. The Kaufmans had the seemingly perfect family but all of that is shattered when a driver hits and kills Daniel. Now, Daniel's parents, Curtis and Kathleen, are separated and barely communicating while his sister, Olivia, experiences panic attacks and hides behind her all-black clothing. Time doesn't always heal the wounds as some wounds just fester... will the Kaufmans pull together or be forever separated?

THE FRAGILE WORLD is narrated by Olivia and Curtis, told through alternating chapters. I love that we get insight through their eyes as they offer a very honest and real insight to the trauma experienced after a death such as Daniel's. I laughed, I cried, and I grieved with the Kaufman family as they had to learn to cope with their loss. I could feel their heartache, their anger, and yes, even their numbness as the reality sets in that life will never be the same and time will always be divided into before and after Daniel's death.

Paula Treick DeBoard crafts an emotional and moving tale that shows just how much the death of a son or brother can change an entire family. I can't praise DeBoard enough for her superb conveyance of the emotional rollercoaster that grieving families experience after an unexpected death of a young person. DeBoard doesn't hesitate to show the darker side of grief and the desire for vengeance. THE FRAGILE WORLD is highly recommended and sure to evoke both tears and laughter as the reader is immersed in the Kaufman family's grieving process.