Caught between his sister's plea for help and the ruthless aggression of Emily's in-laws in wanting to take away her newborn baby now their son was murdered, firefighter Max Caldwell reluctantly agrees to take on the task. He has to find a way to spirit his nephew out of the hospital and keep him safe until his sister can recover her strength -- if she can survive her gunshot injuries.

As he races to get his nephew away from Anthony Rialto and his thugs, he gets into an accident car and encounters Laura Dalton, on her way home from her job at a daycare center. As she hears the cry of a baby, she offers to help the father. Laura's concern over the tiny baby gets heightened when things don't see to add up and the man is afraid of the police intervening. With all her training and her heart, she is not going to let the baby go without knowing he is safe! But, will her determination to save him only end in harm and heartbreak?

For his part, with no training or skills to prepare him for this enormous task, the normally fearless Max only has gut instincts and a tender heart on his side. He is adamant he will do anything to protect "Elmer" from the unscrupulous Rialtos or from Laura, if needed.

Beth Cornelison has crafted a heart-wrenching story that will hold you spellbound. As Max and Laura attempt in their own ways to be protective of the baby, they come to terms with their past, their heartbreaks, and their needs. This story has a strong authentic emotional resonance which pulls you right into the situation, and, fortunately, overrides the cliché stereotyping of many of the secondary characters. This is a terrific suspense romance that will hold you totally captive! A really great read!