Stone Walls

New York City narcotics officer Ben Stone doesn't let anyone other than his partner, Rob, get emotionally close to him; he's too focused on trying to bring down the mobster who destroyed his family. Publicist Ella Parker is still putting herself back together after witnessing her mother's murder; she's more focused on the new gym account her best friend Andrea has landed than trying to find a new boyfriend. When Rob and Andrea set the two up on a blind date, neither one of them wants or expects anything to happen%E2%80%94but as their personal and professional lives become intertwined, the emotional walls keeping them safe from each other and the outside world break down. The protagonists' alternating perspectives provide an interesting balance to the plot, though the two voices often sound similar. Powerful plot revelations overshadow emotional development, requiring the reader to believe in a purely physical foundation for Ben and Ella's relationship, but the strong story design gives hope for Madden's future books. (Mar.)