In The Protected by Shiloh Walker, Vaughnne is a psychic FBI agent, part of a little known specialized group of FBI agents. She has been off on medical leave, recovering from her last case which was very traumatic for her. Now Vaughnne is back and her boss Jones has her heading back to the last place she wants to go – back to Orlando, Florida, to ‘babysit’ a boy who may or may not have people after him and who may or may not have 
special gifts. Her task is to make sure he’s safe and keep him safe. Vaughnne doesn’t have a lot of information or who and why’s about the case…but once she’s there she’s drawn in further and further to what is turning out to be a complicated and very dangerous situation.
Working undercover, Vaughnne does not expect to feel the attraction she does to the boy Alex’s guardian Gus. They are obviously very careful, used to running, and Gus seems like he’s a lot more than meets the eye. Gus is determined to keep Alex safe at all costs, from whoever is hunting him, no matter what. He trusts no one, and is not afraid to kill to protect.
When the hunt draws closer and danger is on their doorstep, Gus might have no choice but to trust Vaughnn to help keep Alex safe. Because Alex is way more gifted than either of them expected, inadvertently a magnet to the people hunting him. To do what needs to be done though, Vaughnn has to open herself up to Gus, trust in him as she wants him to trust in her. If they make it out alive and can keep Alex safe, do they have any kind of future together…or will Gus continue to run?
Shiloh Walker gives us a thrilling, intense read with The Protected. It was a book I couldn’t wait to get back to, but also one I needed to totally focus on! Gus and Vaughnne are both very strong, independent, and stubborn people. Gus will do whatever he needs to do no matter what, to protect Alex…and he’s not afraid to use the intense chemistry between him and Vaughnne to try to get his own way! He is very focussed, even though after years of running and constantly being on a high state of alert, he’s so tired. Vaughnne can see this in both Gus and Alex. She wants to keep them both safe, and at the same time help Alex with his gift. It’s hard for her to get Gus to trust and accept, but she’s not giving up! They’ve both had major hurts in the past that push them to do what they are doing today.
I loved all of the other characters in The Protected as well. There were a lot of them, and all that psychic energy like I said was very intense, sucking you right into the story. Shiloh has a unique way of drawing you in, making you feel like you are right there with the characters. I really enjoy how she can write a such a vivid, suspenseful romance, add in a healthy dose of paranormal, and make it all very believable. It took a while for the whole story of Alex and Gus to come out, but that was part of the suspense and build up of the plot.
I highly recommend The Protected by Shiloh Walker to any romance reader who likes a lot of suspense and paranormal! While I believe The Protected can be read alone, reading the rest of the FBI series makes The Protected even more meaningful.
Book Info:
Expected publication: September 3rd 2013 by Berkley
A new tale of danger and desire from national bestselling author Shiloh Walker featuring psychic FBI Agent Vaughnne MacMeans…
An Assignment She Can’t Refuse
Agent Vaughnne MacMeans would do anything to avoid setting foot in Orlando again. But her new assignment, keeping tabs on a psychic kid who may or may not be in danger, is forcing her right back to the city where her sister was murdered. And she didn’t count on a startling attraction to the boy’s guardian…
An Attraction He Can’t Deny
Protecting Alex is a priority for Gus. Gus may not understand the young man’s “gift” but he knows that some people would kill for it. When a beautiful stranger moves in next door, his impulse is to take the kid and bolt. But Gus has learned never to flee without a plan, and besides…she doesn’t exactly look like an assassin.
A Game They’ll Play For Keeps
But when some dangerous people from Gus’s past do catch up to him and Alex, it’s too late to run. His new neighbor is the last person he thought he could turn to, but Vaughnne isn’t just beautiful. She’s fearless. And she’s the only chance Gus and Alex have left.