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Lifeline
Top 100 Bestseller in Women's Crime Fiction.
Top 100 Bestseller in Romantic Suspense.
From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a new standalone, full-length romance suspense novel.
I was her partner.
Her ride or die.
She was my lifeline.
My sanity.
Until I did the unspeakable.
The unforgivable.
I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong.
I became the monster I was sent to take down.
Losing my lifeline… there's no surviving without her.
This is a complete standalone.
18+ only. Please read responsibly. THIS NOVEL CONTAINS TRIGGERING CONTENT.
Top 100 Bestseller in Romantic Suspense.
From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a new standalone, full-length romance suspense novel.
I was her partner.
Her ride or die.
She was my lifeline.
My sanity.
Until I did the unspeakable.
The unforgivable.
I thought I was strong enough, but I was wrong.
I became the monster I was sent to take down.
Losing my lifeline… there's no surviving without her.
This is a complete standalone.
18+ only. Please read responsibly. THIS NOVEL CONTAINS TRIGGERING CONTENT.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 24, 2022
359 people are currently reading
2003 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Heard
90 books11.9k followersMichelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
January 24, 2022
📚LIFELINE 📚 Is a full length, dark FBI romance book by Michelle Heard, spoken in 'Dual perspectives.'
MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
WARNING: THIS NOVEL CONTAINS TRIGGERING CONTENT.
ME: 🏃♀️RUNS TOWARDS THE TRIGGERING CONTENT!!
Here's what I love with this author. You never know what she's going to throw at you book by book..And that there is what keeps me coming back to her as a reader time after time.
She's also well known for her brutal curveballs. So going into this I was on tenterhooks waiting to see what bomb she was going to drop on me, and boy what a bomb it was!! 💣 💣 💣
Some may find this a wee bit too dark for their delicate souls, because it's not sugar coated, it's a wee bit in your face, but me yeah I needed more, I wanted to be shrouded in darkness, after getting over the initial shock of it, I was expecting a wee bit more like maybe the sister would find herself in a similar situation as there was a lot of focus on her in this, but all in all I enjoyed how this story played out.
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These two were attracted to each other from the moment they met, for obvious reasons they didn't act on it, but being under cover lines became blurred, feeling grew and they each became the others lifeline.
These two were perfectly matched in every way, I loved how after the incident life wasn't all roses, they as individuals had to deal with the aftereffects of their trauma it felt believable and truly fitting for this story which I thought was handled beautifully and sensitively.
* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page. *
January 27, 2022
I have been anticipating this book like you wouldn't believe! Two undercover FBI agents falling for each other while in the face of danger? I was practically salivating at all the pent up drama and explosive chemistry that was about to take place. Instead what took place was a lukewarm dark romance that had the making to be so much more.
Special Agent JJ has always wanted to have the kind of career that would have made her dad proud. Following slightly in his footsteps, she is now a part of the behavioral analyst team. Being thrown immediately into danger on her first day, JJ comes face to face with the most talked about agent on her team making an unforgettable impression.
Agent O’Brian has always had his head in the game when it came to his work. He’s focused on the task and he has no time for distractions or having to worry about anyone else other than himself. That all changes when the newest member of the team completely turns his world upside down and now he has no idea what life felt like before her. But what happens when crossing the line turns into something more dangerous?
I have to say that I really enjoyed the majority of the first half of the book. I liked JJ and O’Brian’s interactions with each other and you felt the sexual tension between them on almost every page. They had an amazing partnership and because of that, their friendship was solidified and I loved that.
Now the issue that I had with this story was the fact that there was no character development whatsoever. JJ remained the same and she didn't recognize her power in her line of work. She came across as soft sometimes and I just wanted her to be this fierce strong woman that I know she was capable of being. I was also under the impression that this was going to be a very dark romance story and sadly that was not the case so I was disappointed with that part.
Aside from those things, I think that if you’re a fan of this author and you love forbidden romance with a little bit of a dark theme, then you might want to give this one a try.
January 30, 2022
2.5🌟
JJ is the new agent on the fbi team fresh out of Quantico and O'brien is the expert undercover agent.
They start as partners with o brien acting also like her mentor when they're tasked to bring down the breggu brothers, part of the Albanian mafia who deal with all kinds of fucked up and illegal stuff.
they both go undercover while o'brien tries to infiltrate their inner circle but slowly he starts to enjoy his role too much. Which imo was a little unbelievable. 🙄 it was said in the beginning that he is this super succesfull, legend undercover agent but tbh he acted like this was his first time. Going out, getting drunk, not controling what he says in front of the ppl he should arrest was unlike the hotshot undercover agent he supposed to be.🙄 idk if i watched too many criminal minds or read too many thrillers but the portrayal of the fbi agents was very weak. They made such stupid mistakes.
About the romance part😪
uh,it was very insta love/lust.
There wasn't any build up or tension. They are both attracted to each other since they first meet and also this is an age gap where the h is 23 and the H is 35 so she acted very naive and awestruck and he was the protective/alpha type who thought she is some damsel in distress and not a capable fbi agent who was at the top of her class in quantico.🙄 there's this weird sub plot of hinting JJ being submisive and him fucking her in front of everyone(as she was kidnapped as a gift to him as a point to prove his loyalty to the mafia.)
and i'll say it again you're supposed to be an fbi agent, they are trained for every situation but she couldn't stop crying and whining all the time. she was way too emotional for my liking it was exhausting.😪
Then she gets raped again in front of him moments before the fbi comes and saves them.
That kinda sucked but i guess MH did this for the sake of the plot and the aftermath of them dealing with the trauma, O'brien blaming himself and pushing her away.
The fbi investigation wrapped so quickly with no action, nothing. i was surprised there wasn't any plot twist, it was pretty straightforward and i was so bored. the relationship drama afterwards dragged way too much. I was promised a dark FBI romance not this.
the blurb did not deliver. totally not what i've expected.
The epilogue was cute tho.
"You’re my ride or die.”
JJ is the new agent on the fbi team fresh out of Quantico and O'brien is the expert undercover agent.
They start as partners with o brien acting also like her mentor when they're tasked to bring down the breggu brothers, part of the Albanian mafia who deal with all kinds of fucked up and illegal stuff.
they both go undercover while o'brien tries to infiltrate their inner circle but slowly he starts to enjoy his role too much. Which imo was a little unbelievable. 🙄 it was said in the beginning that he is this super succesfull, legend undercover agent but tbh he acted like this was his first time. Going out, getting drunk, not controling what he says in front of the ppl he should arrest was unlike the hotshot undercover agent he supposed to be.🙄 idk if i watched too many criminal minds or read too many thrillers but the portrayal of the fbi agents was very weak. They made such stupid mistakes.
About the romance part😪
"I don’t even bother lying to myself anymore. I love her more than life itself. But I keep my feelings for her buried deep, not wanting to fuck with what we have."(ch 9.)
uh,it was very insta love/lust.
There wasn't any build up or tension. They are both attracted to each other since they first meet and also this is an age gap where the h is 23 and the H is 35 so she acted very naive and awestruck and he was the protective/alpha type who thought she is some damsel in distress and not a capable fbi agent who was at the top of her class in quantico.🙄 there's this weird sub plot of hinting JJ being submisive and him fucking her in front of everyone(as she was kidnapped as a gift to him as a point to prove his loyalty to the mafia.)
"I swear I have whiplash, my emotions nothing more than a turbulent mess in my chest. "
and i'll say it again you're supposed to be an fbi agent, they are trained for every situation but she couldn't stop crying and whining all the time. she was way too emotional for my liking it was exhausting.😪
Then she gets raped again in front of him moments before the fbi comes and saves them.
That kinda sucked but i guess MH did this for the sake of the plot and the aftermath of them dealing with the trauma, O'brien blaming himself and pushing her away.
The fbi investigation wrapped so quickly with no action, nothing. i was surprised there wasn't any plot twist, it was pretty straightforward and i was so bored. the relationship drama afterwards dragged way too much. I was promised a dark FBI romance not this.
the blurb did not deliver. totally not what i've expected.
The epilogue was cute tho.
“You’ve always been and always will be my lifeline, JJ.”
March 23, 2022
Okay so I finally, finally finished this book! Somebody give me a medal lol not. So first things first, I love Michelle Heard and her writing. I really do and her books have been an auto-buy for me ever since the Heirs series along with her mafia romances, and this one was no different. I was highly anticipating this and maybe that’s where I went wrong? Lol I think it’s always a risk whenever you hype a book up in your head too much because then the expectations skyrocket along with it, and there’s a higher chance of a letdown. But honestly, sometimes the excitement can’t be helped and the anticipation leads way to the mind hype (it’s a thing for me haha). Anyway, this leads me to confess that this one (sadly) didn’t hit the mark for me. I mean don’t get me wrong, I liked it I enjoyed it and I’m still glad I read it. But it didn’t blow my mind enough to hit my all-time faves list like I was expecting it to. Let me just give you a rundown of my pros and cons when it comes to this book:
**contains spoilers from here on out**
Pros:
-the premise. It was super promising
-how Daniel was so expressive and sweet and a complete simp for JJ (in last part of the book that is, after he’s overcome his guilt and all). The whole Part 4 really (this book was divided into 4 parts) ugh ya’ll know I live for all the fluff, cuddles, smut, and sweet nothings and this part was filled with them that’s why I love it
-the epilogues (I’m a sucker for kickass epilogues)
Cons:
-the time jumps, which resulted to:
-the telling instead of showing of how Daniel and JJ fall in love
-Daniel being pretty much shitty at his job (getting super drunk on duty when he was supposed to be on high alert, being caught off guard, etc) like for real though, he’s supposedly been doing this undercover gig for a long ass time and I’m sure it’s not the first time he’s come across a brothel and heard shit like that? So why did he allow the “weight of his guilt” to catch him off guard enough to screw with his job (like he got so drunk with his supposed enemies and let his guard down in their company like super wasted to the point where he told his “boss” he wants to fuck his neighbor who happens to be JJ (also kinda undercover) and actually came over her apartment, mauled her touched her and almost fucked her and didn’t remember anything the next day — does that sound like a badass undercover agent to ya’ll? Cause that’s such a rookie move to me. I’m surprised he didn’t blow his cover then and there and also, kudos on putting JJ on their radar then… 🙄). That does NOT sound like a someone who’s supposedly a LEGEND at his job… I mean if you’re this badass undercover genius, you do not let your emotions get the best of you while you’re doing your job. That’s like a super rookie move. And because of that, my respect for him and his supposed badass reputation dwindled quite a bit.
-the fact that it had to be JJ who had to seek Daniel out (over and over and over again) and practically begged him to stay with her like ??? why did the one who actually suffered so much also be the one to “woo”. Nah man. The least he could’ve done was be there for her and fight for/with her. That was some weak cowardly crap he pulled if you ask me. I mean he did eventually got his head out of his over the top depressed tushie, but still. I would’ve appreciated it tons more if he was the one who eventually seeked JJ out and really fought for her. I mean if he just had the balls to talk to her, just once, he could’ve cleared things up with her and not assumed the worst of the situation and in turn save months of heartbreak and torture for the both of them.
-and the grovel? the grovel that I was super looking forward to seeing and because of his stupid pushing away I was expecting it to be epic… was more of a tell and not show situation AGAIN. Like literally, the next chapter after they finally cleared the air was 6 months later and all we get is, and I quote, ”The poor man has groveled enough, and I feel we’re solid as a couple to move to the next stage of our relationship.” Lol and as we’ve already established earlier, I’m more of a show not tell kinda gal so that’s one more thing that did not work for me.
So yeah as you can see, the cons really outweighed the pros which significantly means it didn’t work for me more than it did. And it’s a huge bummer because I really wanted to love this. Oh well, here’s to hoping her next release will be loads better and I don’t want to jinx it by saying I think it will be (cause aaah it’s another dark mafia romance LIKE GIMME) so I’ll just have to slaughter my expectations before going in. I still love you though Michelle Heard and will continue to auto-buy your books!
**MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW**
***Like it will ruin the story if you go any further so you should stop now if you’re planning on reading the book and don’t want the story ruined***
**contains spoilers from here on out**
Pros:
-the premise. It was super promising
-how Daniel was so expressive and sweet and a complete simp for JJ (in last part of the book that is, after he’s overcome his guilt and all). The whole Part 4 really (this book was divided into 4 parts) ugh ya’ll know I live for all the fluff, cuddles, smut, and sweet nothings and this part was filled with them that’s why I love it
-the epilogues (I’m a sucker for kickass epilogues)
Cons:
-the time jumps, which resulted to:
-the telling instead of showing of how Daniel and JJ fall in love
-Daniel being pretty much shitty at his job (getting super drunk on duty when he was supposed to be on high alert, being caught off guard, etc) like for real though, he’s supposedly been doing this undercover gig for a long ass time and I’m sure it’s not the first time he’s come across a brothel and heard shit like that? So why did he allow the “weight of his guilt” to catch him off guard enough to screw with his job (like he got so drunk with his supposed enemies and let his guard down in their company like super wasted to the point where he told his “boss” he wants to fuck his neighbor who happens to be JJ (also kinda undercover) and actually came over her apartment, mauled her touched her and almost fucked her and didn’t remember anything the next day — does that sound like a badass undercover agent to ya’ll? Cause that’s such a rookie move to me. I’m surprised he didn’t blow his cover then and there and also, kudos on putting JJ on their radar then… 🙄). That does NOT sound like a someone who’s supposedly a LEGEND at his job… I mean if you’re this badass undercover genius, you do not let your emotions get the best of you while you’re doing your job. That’s like a super rookie move. And because of that, my respect for him and his supposed badass reputation dwindled quite a bit.
-the fact that it had to be JJ who had to seek Daniel out (over and over and over again) and practically begged him to stay with her like ??? why did the one who actually suffered so much also be the one to “woo”. Nah man. The least he could’ve done was be there for her and fight for/with her. That was some weak cowardly crap he pulled if you ask me. I mean he did eventually got his head out of his over the top depressed tushie, but still. I would’ve appreciated it tons more if he was the one who eventually seeked JJ out and really fought for her. I mean if he just had the balls to talk to her, just once, he could’ve cleared things up with her and not assumed the worst of the situation and in turn save months of heartbreak and torture for the both of them.
-and the grovel? the grovel that I was super looking forward to seeing and because of his stupid pushing away I was expecting it to be epic… was more of a tell and not show situation AGAIN. Like literally, the next chapter after they finally cleared the air was 6 months later and all we get is, and I quote, ”The poor man has groveled enough, and I feel we’re solid as a couple to move to the next stage of our relationship.” Lol and as we’ve already established earlier, I’m more of a show not tell kinda gal so that’s one more thing that did not work for me.
So yeah as you can see, the cons really outweighed the pros which significantly means it didn’t work for me more than it did. And it’s a huge bummer because I really wanted to love this. Oh well, here’s to hoping her next release will be loads better and I don’t want to jinx it by saying I think it will be (cause aaah it’s another dark mafia romance LIKE GIMME) so I’ll just have to slaughter my expectations before going in. I still love you though Michelle Heard and will continue to auto-buy your books!
**MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW**
***Like it will ruin the story if you go any further so you should stop now if you’re planning on reading the book and don’t want the story ruined***
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2022
3,5. My thoughts: I like the stories these author, but this in special is quick, and I don’t see the really connection between the male character, don’t get me wrong, he is perfect, but lacks something. The female character is so boring …
It was a good pastime!!!
It was a good pastime!!!
January 24, 2022
Emotional, dark love story…
The blurb of this stand-alone read reveals few details but it hints at the emotional powder keg it was. I can’t reveal much but I can share how I felt about it. Each heart-breaking, punch to the gut emotion…
They struggled through each step of their courtship and it was an emotional powerhouse of a read. Told from dual point of views, how they felt was measured at every point, each step forward, many steps back, all the moments that defined their relationship. And then the devastating. How did they come back from something so heinous, so unforgivable? The telling was full of many of ‘those’ moments. From the depths came moments of clarity, discovery, forgiveness, of bonding connection.
Heed the warnings for this unforgettable read. ~Diane, 4.5 stars
The blurb of this stand-alone read reveals few details but it hints at the emotional powder keg it was. I can’t reveal much but I can share how I felt about it. Each heart-breaking, punch to the gut emotion…
They struggled through each step of their courtship and it was an emotional powerhouse of a read. Told from dual point of views, how they felt was measured at every point, each step forward, many steps back, all the moments that defined their relationship. And then the devastating. How did they come back from something so heinous, so unforgivable? The telling was full of many of ‘those’ moments. From the depths came moments of clarity, discovery, forgiveness, of bonding connection.
Heed the warnings for this unforgettable read. ~Diane, 4.5 stars
January 24, 2022
Blown away!
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Protector, friends to lovers, workplace romance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: on page rape and graphic violence
JJ has landed her dream job at the FBI working as a psychologist with her idol Daniel O’brien. Despite a rough start, JJ and O’brien have a magnetic pull toward each other. Both of them resist, not knowing both the other’s feelings as well as being afraid of messing up their working relationship. When O’brien goes deep undercover, JJ stays his lifeline, but tragedy strikes crumbling them both and their budding relationship to dust. JJ and O’brien must both learn how to communicate and trust themselves in order to rise up, together, from the ashes.
Oh. My. Word. I could not put this down, guys. Literally, I started the book, thinking I would just read for an hour and finish it the next day and I didn’t end up stopping until it was done. Heart racing, action-packed, intense rollercoaster ride that had my gut all twisted, but ended up leaving me with ALL the feels! JJ is a super petite, fresh faced agent and the minute O’brien sees her, he is uber protective and possessive of her. Doing things like covering her up around other guys and getting all growly when someone shows her too much attention, lol, super yummy ❤️. JJ and her sister are all alone and O’brien just steps right to help watch over them. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but their chemistry together is so electric, it more than makes up for it and by the time they’re together. Their journey to rebirth is beautiful and shows both of them getting stronger than they realized. Michelle Heard as truly stepped up her game with this book and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Protector, friends to lovers, workplace romance
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: on page rape and graphic violence
JJ has landed her dream job at the FBI working as a psychologist with her idol Daniel O’brien. Despite a rough start, JJ and O’brien have a magnetic pull toward each other. Both of them resist, not knowing both the other’s feelings as well as being afraid of messing up their working relationship. When O’brien goes deep undercover, JJ stays his lifeline, but tragedy strikes crumbling them both and their budding relationship to dust. JJ and O’brien must both learn how to communicate and trust themselves in order to rise up, together, from the ashes.
Oh. My. Word. I could not put this down, guys. Literally, I started the book, thinking I would just read for an hour and finish it the next day and I didn’t end up stopping until it was done. Heart racing, action-packed, intense rollercoaster ride that had my gut all twisted, but ended up leaving me with ALL the feels! JJ is a super petite, fresh faced agent and the minute O’brien sees her, he is uber protective and possessive of her. Doing things like covering her up around other guys and getting all growly when someone shows her too much attention, lol, super yummy ❤️. JJ and her sister are all alone and O’brien just steps right to help watch over them. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but their chemistry together is so electric, it more than makes up for it and by the time they’re together. Their journey to rebirth is beautiful and shows both of them getting stronger than they realized. Michelle Heard as truly stepped up her game with this book and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
April 10, 2022
Whoops, I Read This Author Again:(
Amazon really needs a widget that allows users to categorize authors on- site. I don’t always check GR before I open a book, and Amazon habitually recs the same authors over and over after you mark a book as read, even IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE PREVIOUS BOOK. SAF. So, when I saw this cover and blurb, I jumped on it without even looking at the author’s name. I mean two FBI agents falling for each other… unspeakable betrayal… darkness - sounds like the right stuff, right?
Uhm, no.
He’s 35 undercover superstar… or so you’re told. What actually occurs is worse than Inspector Jacques Clouseau on crack and blindfolded. She’s fresh outta training 23 yo joining his team, and weak AF doesn’t even begin to describe her.
The voices sound like two kids playing with badges and toy guns in granny’s backyard.
Him: She’s so feminine and cute and innocent and pretty - I must both protect her and stiff arm her all as my cock twitches 🙄
Her: Geez, he’s so manly, hot, and cool. I bet he’s hung like a horse, not that it’s any of my business.
Him: You mean to tell me you (aka a grown ass woman in the FBI) live alone with your 18yo sister? Fuck, that’s too dangerous for a sweet thing like you.
Her: Oh, no, did I say the wrong thing? Excuse me while I slide down the wall like a fragile, wilting flower.
Him: I get tingles when we touch. I clinch my teeth a lot about it.
Her: Let me ask some SAF, childish ass questions like I’m a fascinated 12 yo instead of a trained FBI agent….
“Is this your car?”
^ Wouldn’t that be your first question while heading to your first stakeout?
“Do you think the Bregu brothers will come to the club?”
^ Nah, you’re staking that shit out for shits and giggles.
“Won’t they notice us just sitting here?”
^ In this book, yeah… prob so cause y’all SAF.
“Crap, I can’t think of anything to start a heated argument.”
^ Well, shucks, maybe she should’ve become an interior decorator, not an FBI agent.
“What if he caught on I’m attracted to him?”
^ Omg… is this really a grown woman?
“Boy, was there tongue. He tasted like mints.”
^ I just can’t.
“You think I’ll snitch on you?”
^ I should hope not since this isn’t first grade.
You Don’t Say~
The kiss is heated, filled with bad decisions and tension. God, so much tension.
Where? Just because you say there’s tension… that doesn’t create “tension” for the reader.
^ It’s the same with everything else. Don’t tell me the characters are angry, buzzing, lustful, annoyed, etc when the scene isn’t reflecting shit.
The only thing reflected here is that this is a hot mess.
Uh, I Don’t Think That’s In The Job Description
“You don’t need to walk me to the door.” Not-negotiable is written all over my face as I head by her and up the path. “I might not like being responsible for you, but it’s not going to stop me from doing my job.”
^ It’s just OTT, hyperbole, nonsense, misogynistic BS. What FBI mentor thinks that walking his newbie to the door is part of his job? Would he do that shit if she was a dude? He walks her house and schools her little sis about wearing earbuds at night alone. Wtf?
Her: Yes, sir. More, sir. Isn’t that so sweet how he treats me like an incapable dud.
DEVELOPMENT?
What development?
We’ve done stake-outs every night this week.
I’ve been with the team for six weeks, and I’m still trying to get used to O’Brien.
Three weeks later… Sitting in the conference room, the whole team’s quiet.
It takes three weeks of driving Joseph Dobroshi around like a glorified fucking chauffer before I’m allowed in on some action.
I haven’t seen O’Brien for three days,
^ That’s how every plot point goes.
Simply telling me that there’s been weeks and weeks of time doesn’t equate to character development!!!!!!
The CLIMAX… Trying To Go Dark
This shit has been told at the reader so emotionlessly, lazily and with zero development that I DGAF when that “dark” part comes along at 55%. It felt pure shock value, and even the scene itself felt flat and emotionless.
BOTTOM LINE:
Lazy writing.
Told everything. Shown nothing.
Immature voices.
Zero plot development.
Zero character development.
Tries to go dark at 55%, but it’s a fail because no work has been put in prior to invest the reader toward the MCs nor plot.
DNF at 55% to stop the slaughter of my brain cells.
-100 stars
July 28, 2022
first the cover made me go WOW, and then the blurb solidified the deal.
I still can't wrap up my mind around how much I loved this journey, and how JJ and O'Brien ( I call him Delan O'Brian 😂 in my head).
I loved everything about it the sometimes protagonists fragility and strength all woven at once. And how they eventually found their way to each other.
I'm so happy I had the chance to receive this ARC and I even happier that I had a front seat to witness this unfold.
I loved the writing style (, IMMACULATE)😌.
the plotting, the trigger warnings that enriched the book more and gave the book a darker edge that was beautifully written and executed.
Can't wait read more by this author because seriously this was GOOD. like I can't get enough GOOD. ❤️
Quotes
❝fell for you in a heartbeat.” ❞
❝ “You are every breath I take.”❞
❝“You’re my strength. My reason for living. My entire life. My love for you is unconditional, all-consuming, and everlasting.” ❞
❝ “I’ll love you with everything I am for as long as I live.”❞
I still can't wrap up my mind around how much I loved this journey, and how JJ and O'Brien ( I call him Delan O'Brian 😂 in my head).
I loved everything about it the sometimes protagonists fragility and strength all woven at once. And how they eventually found their way to each other.
I'm so happy I had the chance to receive this ARC and I even happier that I had a front seat to witness this unfold.
I loved the writing style (, IMMACULATE)😌.
the plotting, the trigger warnings that enriched the book more and gave the book a darker edge that was beautifully written and executed.
Can't wait read more by this author because seriously this was GOOD. like I can't get enough GOOD. ❤️
Quotes
❝fell for you in a heartbeat.” ❞
❝ “You are every breath I take.”❞
❝“You’re my strength. My reason for living. My entire life. My love for you is unconditional, all-consuming, and everlasting.” ❞
❝ “I’ll love you with everything I am for as long as I live.”❞
January 21, 2022
Edge of the Seat Action packed with all the swoony feels, emotional ride ahead 😍🔥
🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅾 🅻🅾🅾🅺 🅵🅾🆁🆆🅰🆁🅳 🆃🅾: 😍😍
✔️𝐹𝐵𝐼 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
✔️𝐴𝑔𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
✔️𝐻 & ℎ 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑠
✔️𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑡 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑒
✔️𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑, 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑦, 𝑆𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙
🆆🅰🆁🅽🅸🅽🅶:
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
🅼🆈 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 :
This one was a complete delicious package. It was like a roller-coaster ride filled with all these twists that kept me surprised, not knowing what would happen next and what I would feel next.
Starting with all the swoony feels, when Julie Jefferson aka JJ joins the Organized Crime dept in the FBI, she's nervous but proud to be here and after the Brutal way her father suffered on the job, this is where she feels she belongs.
Though, there's one person who she admires and is famous for going undercover and has done many a stellar jobs of nabbing high scale criminals. When she comes face to face with this person, she's nervous but also what she didn't expect was to feel attracted to Daniel O' Brien.
Daniel O'brien is used to maintaining distance and doing his job. There's a reason he keeps people away as it not only helps him do his job but also saves him from the hurt of people leaving.
Daniel and JJ become a team as they start investigating and scoping out their next assignment, The Bregu brothers and their crime syndicate.
Amidst preparing for a dangerous assignment and doing their work, Daniel meets Lindsay, JJ's sister and he is protective of them but also at the same time sparks fly and both think the other unbeknownst about their attraction to each other, try to do their job and fight their connection.
Now, comes the thrilling part as Daniel goes undercover being assisted by JJ, as a team. It was so scary and exciting to see how he has to separate from his identity and become the criminal he has to catch, while also not crossing moral limits as much as he can.
I really felt for the people who work in this line, I felt how dangerous and life risking it all is and yet to save all those innocent lives they do it.
Daniel has to struggle with all that he has to witness and can't take action right now as opposed to saving one if he does his job right, he would be saving so many innocent girls from the horrific lives. He keeps this in mind but when lines start blurring for his identity, JJ keeps him grounded and helps him maintain his sanity.
Then comes the emotional part of this story and I felt oh so deeply for both Daniel and JJ. When something drastic happens, it shatters both of them.
The writing is so good as it made me feel what Daniel and JJ were feeling and I was hurting right along with them. Scared and worried as to how they would come out of this.
Wow.. This one was truly a beautiful and delightful cocktail of feelings and with each turn, kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Also, the swoony and ht chemistry between Daniel and JJ had me fanning myself. They were beyond amazing and freaking hot together.
Freaking Loved loved this one. ♨️🔥❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
🅵🅰🆅🅾🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴 🅵🆁🅾🅼 🆃🅷🅴 🅱🅾🅾🅺:
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗲.” 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹. “𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.”
🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅾 🅻🅾🅾🅺 🅵🅾🆁🆆🅰🆁🅳 🆃🅾: 😍😍
✔️𝐹𝐵𝐼 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
✔️𝐴𝑔𝑒 𝐺𝑎𝑝 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
✔️𝐻 & ℎ 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑠
✔️𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑡 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑒
✔️𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑑, 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑦, 𝑆𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙
🆆🅰🆁🅽🅸🅽🅶:
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮.
🅼🆈 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 :
This one was a complete delicious package. It was like a roller-coaster ride filled with all these twists that kept me surprised, not knowing what would happen next and what I would feel next.
Starting with all the swoony feels, when Julie Jefferson aka JJ joins the Organized Crime dept in the FBI, she's nervous but proud to be here and after the Brutal way her father suffered on the job, this is where she feels she belongs.
Though, there's one person who she admires and is famous for going undercover and has done many a stellar jobs of nabbing high scale criminals. When she comes face to face with this person, she's nervous but also what she didn't expect was to feel attracted to Daniel O' Brien.
Daniel O'brien is used to maintaining distance and doing his job. There's a reason he keeps people away as it not only helps him do his job but also saves him from the hurt of people leaving.
Daniel and JJ become a team as they start investigating and scoping out their next assignment, The Bregu brothers and their crime syndicate.
Amidst preparing for a dangerous assignment and doing their work, Daniel meets Lindsay, JJ's sister and he is protective of them but also at the same time sparks fly and both think the other unbeknownst about their attraction to each other, try to do their job and fight their connection.
Now, comes the thrilling part as Daniel goes undercover being assisted by JJ, as a team. It was so scary and exciting to see how he has to separate from his identity and become the criminal he has to catch, while also not crossing moral limits as much as he can.
I really felt for the people who work in this line, I felt how dangerous and life risking it all is and yet to save all those innocent lives they do it.
Daniel has to struggle with all that he has to witness and can't take action right now as opposed to saving one if he does his job right, he would be saving so many innocent girls from the horrific lives. He keeps this in mind but when lines start blurring for his identity, JJ keeps him grounded and helps him maintain his sanity.
Then comes the emotional part of this story and I felt oh so deeply for both Daniel and JJ. When something drastic happens, it shatters both of them.
The writing is so good as it made me feel what Daniel and JJ were feeling and I was hurting right along with them. Scared and worried as to how they would come out of this.
Wow.. This one was truly a beautiful and delightful cocktail of feelings and with each turn, kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Also, the swoony and ht chemistry between Daniel and JJ had me fanning myself. They were beyond amazing and freaking hot together.
Freaking Loved loved this one. ♨️🔥❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
🅵🅰🆅🅾🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴 🅵🆁🅾🅼 🆃🅷🅴 🅱🅾🅾🅺:
“𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱. 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗲.” 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹. “𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.”
February 28, 2022
I'm super on the fence about this book. I mostly liked the storyline and the characters were okay but the pace of the story felt very off. There were a lot of time jumps, a few weeks or a few months at a time, and it made it hard to actually feel connected to the story. Especially the romance between Daniel and JJ which moved very fast. It was an insta-lust type of connection that fell flat when the timeline didn't allow there to be room for that lust to grow into more. So in the end it still seemed as if they were in the very early days of their relationship and I didn't see the chemistry at all.
Add on to that the FBI/undercover storyline that all seemed over and done with just as quickly and the book just didn't keep my attention. That was the big story in this book and yet wasn't focused on very much aside from one part. And the aftermath was Daniel and JJ mostly apart only to have them quickly back together with little more than one conversation. So again, left out the actual connection for me.
Overall, I can see why this book has a lot of love and I do think it was an interesting read. If it wasn't for the fast paced scenes and time jumps I think I would have loved it.
Add on to that the FBI/undercover storyline that all seemed over and done with just as quickly and the book just didn't keep my attention. That was the big story in this book and yet wasn't focused on very much aside from one part. And the aftermath was Daniel and JJ mostly apart only to have them quickly back together with little more than one conversation. So again, left out the actual connection for me.
Overall, I can see why this book has a lot of love and I do think it was an interesting read. If it wasn't for the fast paced scenes and time jumps I think I would have loved it.
January 28, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Star Rating : 4.5/5 Stars
POV : Dual
Cliffhanger : None
Hero : Daniel
Heroine : JJ
Pace of the story : Moderate
Angst Rating : 6/10
Heat Rating : 4/10
Triggers Involved : Descriptive Non con scene (not by the H)
Plot Summary :
All JJ ever wanted was to become someone her father would be proud of. He was an agent himself and after his murder she wanted to fulfill her dreams even more and make him prud. And so her journey started. That is until she met the most famous undercover agent on the first day of =work. Her clumsiness ended up with him saving her life but what she didn’t expect was for him to be so.. Gorgeous.
Daniel never had an easy life. After losing both of his parents and living with their friend , he was practically alone. He was fully into his job and had no time for distractions.That is until he stumbled upon the most pretty woman ever. A woman who clearly needed him because of stubbornness . Soon they became more than acquaintances and things progressed , but what they say is that nothing good ever comes without a price , Is true.
One incident , one mission went wrong and their whole life changed forever. Daniel was plagued with his demons and JJ had her own , everything they had crumbled to dust and they could do nothing but stare at the burning ashes.
Overall Opinion :
Dear god , why are this author’s heroes so swoony!!! I swear Daniel is the perfect hero . If you want an anti hero then nahh you won’t find that here because Daniel is the perfect gentleman who knows when to be filthy and his protectiveness had me wanting to grab him from the book and keep him for myself lmao.
This one was a standalone by this author and I loved it! It was a rather thrilling tale about two agents and what they were willing to do to get back to each other . There are triggering scenes that have been told in detail so please check the triggers before picking this one up.
The author has done an amazing job of wrapping the storyline up and LIFELINE was an enjoyable one time read for me. I would ahgin like to mention that Daniel is the most protective and swoon worthy hero ever so you all should definitely give this one a go!
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January 26, 2022
***5 "My ride or die!!!" stars***
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
...I was her partner, her ride or die...
For a reason, I am not a big fan of people with badges, I'm more a girl of the outlaws on my books, but I know Michelle's writing and honestly, I can agree to anything she will throw my way!!!! I trust her blindly!!! And I have a good reason for that!!!
This story, even though with people in law forces, got under my skin and the author made me fall in love with these characters so deeply!!!
Inevitable, her usual twist wrecked me along our heroes!!! Still, I wouldn't change anything in here!!!!
...She was my lifeline, my sanity...
Where do I start with O'Brien and JJ????
Well... There was a big age gap between them (12 years exactly).
They were both FBI agents and Daniel was kind of a legend!!!
He became her mentor. She became his lifeline in order to not be pulled under when his moral compass was playing tricks on him...
Still tragedy had hit them both hard...
Will their feelings toward each other help them survive their trauma, or will they broke them once and for all???
...And then I did the fucking unspeakable. The unforgivable...
JJ had stars in her eyes for Daniel since the moment she met him...
Daniel was attracted to her from the moment he tackled her on the ground...
Their line of work was demanding and then they got undercover, and somewhere along the way the lines became blurred...
And then the evil of this world touched them both and broke their spirits...
...I became the monster I was sent to take down...
I loved so much both JJ and O'Brien...
They were amazing creatures and very loveable...
Michelle took us a wild ride which was constantly balancing between light and dark.
In here happened atrocities, things that had the ability to bring tears into your eyes...
Still our heroes were strong enough to face their fears... But even the strongest at some point are breaking down...
...Losing my lifetime, there's no surviving without her...
I won't tell you more about this story...
If you will decide to take a chance on it, I will leave the storyline and the characters speak to you!!!
In my opinion, this was an amazing story full of angst, very suspensful, and so harsh, but it had also beautiful moments...
I loved JJ and O'Brien so much!!!! And I loved JJ's sister and her connection with Daniel...
Honestly, I can not wait for Michelle Heard's next book... She always amazes me with her lovely stories and with their sneaky twists!!!
"It feels like I was destined to love him. Only him."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
NOW AVAILABLE!!!
...I was her partner, her ride or die...
For a reason, I am not a big fan of people with badges, I'm more a girl of the outlaws on my books, but I know Michelle's writing and honestly, I can agree to anything she will throw my way!!!! I trust her blindly!!! And I have a good reason for that!!!
This story, even though with people in law forces, got under my skin and the author made me fall in love with these characters so deeply!!!
Inevitable, her usual twist wrecked me along our heroes!!! Still, I wouldn't change anything in here!!!!
...She was my lifeline, my sanity...
Where do I start with O'Brien and JJ????
Well... There was a big age gap between them (12 years exactly).
They were both FBI agents and Daniel was kind of a legend!!!
He became her mentor. She became his lifeline in order to not be pulled under when his moral compass was playing tricks on him...
Still tragedy had hit them both hard...
Will their feelings toward each other help them survive their trauma, or will they broke them once and for all???
...And then I did the fucking unspeakable. The unforgivable...
JJ had stars in her eyes for Daniel since the moment she met him...
Daniel was attracted to her from the moment he tackled her on the ground...
Their line of work was demanding and then they got undercover, and somewhere along the way the lines became blurred...
And then the evil of this world touched them both and broke their spirits...
...I became the monster I was sent to take down...
I loved so much both JJ and O'Brien...
They were amazing creatures and very loveable...
Michelle took us a wild ride which was constantly balancing between light and dark.
In here happened atrocities, things that had the ability to bring tears into your eyes...
Still our heroes were strong enough to face their fears... But even the strongest at some point are breaking down...
...Losing my lifetime, there's no surviving without her...
I won't tell you more about this story...
If you will decide to take a chance on it, I will leave the storyline and the characters speak to you!!!
In my opinion, this was an amazing story full of angst, very suspensful, and so harsh, but it had also beautiful moments...
I loved JJ and O'Brien so much!!!! And I loved JJ's sister and her connection with Daniel...
Honestly, I can not wait for Michelle Heard's next book... She always amazes me with her lovely stories and with their sneaky twists!!!
"It feels like I was destined to love him. Only him."
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
May 11, 2022
4.5 ⭐
January 24, 2022
Michelle Heard broke me so many times in Lifeline that I have lost count. But like JJ and O'Brien, she put my pieces together and left a permanent mark in my heart with her mindblowing writing. This dark edgy romantic suspense kept me on the edge and I have lost all sense of time and place while reading. Gripping. Heart pounding. Sensational. I feel emotionally drained yet I cannot push you enough to read this book.
JJ got a shocking experience on the first day of her work at FBI. Agent Daniel O'Brien saved her life. She becomes his partner and becomes fascinated with this amazing man. O'Brien starts caring for her deeply but he hides it because his missions are risky and JJ is too young and innocent. Then comes the twist. O'Brien needs to go deep undercover to apprehend Belgian drug cartel heads and JJ has to go with him. He vowed to protect her. But a time comes when he has to make a difficult decision. And it will break both of them.
.
This story is very intense and please read the content warning seriously. It was action packed and twisted with jaw dropping suspense. JJ and O'Brien are both complex characters. O'Brien is older and brooding and has seen a lot of darkness in his line of work that has seeped into his soul. JJ is the bright side in his life. She is sweet and soft and innocent but then she amazed me with her strength under gruesome circumstances. She went through hell and it shattered her heart but she is a fighter. The trauma had a deep effect on O'Brien and he shut down completely. It was devastating and heartbreaking to read how the pain and guilt swallowed them. The author showed the ugliness of their experience in a touching way and then showed us the beauty of love. Their love saved them. Their love was their lifeline. They suffered and broke but finally they found something unbreakable.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
JJ got a shocking experience on the first day of her work at FBI. Agent Daniel O'Brien saved her life. She becomes his partner and becomes fascinated with this amazing man. O'Brien starts caring for her deeply but he hides it because his missions are risky and JJ is too young and innocent. Then comes the twist. O'Brien needs to go deep undercover to apprehend Belgian drug cartel heads and JJ has to go with him. He vowed to protect her. But a time comes when he has to make a difficult decision. And it will break both of them.
.
This story is very intense and please read the content warning seriously. It was action packed and twisted with jaw dropping suspense. JJ and O'Brien are both complex characters. O'Brien is older and brooding and has seen a lot of darkness in his line of work that has seeped into his soul. JJ is the bright side in his life. She is sweet and soft and innocent but then she amazed me with her strength under gruesome circumstances. She went through hell and it shattered her heart but she is a fighter. The trauma had a deep effect on O'Brien and he shut down completely. It was devastating and heartbreaking to read how the pain and guilt swallowed them. The author showed the ugliness of their experience in a touching way and then showed us the beauty of love. Their love saved them. Their love was their lifeline. They suffered and broke but finally they found something unbreakable.
I reviewed an early copy voluntarily
February 19, 2022
Not writing a full review, but this book really didn't work for me for so many reasons.
January 21, 2022
Be warned this book is not for the faint of heart! But if you stick it out, I promise it will be one of the best books you have ever read. This book will drag you through all the emotions and with tears still streaming down your face, you will ask for more.
That’s what this story is… a book that will destroy you, rebuild you, and still leave you begging for more. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars- it is a must read!
That’s what this story is… a book that will destroy you, rebuild you, and still leave you begging for more. I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars- it is a must read!
February 16, 2022
4.5 stars. Daniel O’Brien is one of the best FBI agents in his field and Julie Jefferson (JJ), rookie psychoanalyst, is eager to be paired up with him and to learn as much as she can. Add in the elements of dark, suspense and age gap, and I was hooked. O’Brien doesn’t let anyone get close to him and protects his privacy at all costs. JJ is bright eyed and bushy-tailed in a way that is both sweet and charming, but also disarming and addictive for O’Brien. I loved their chemistry and how they had this overwhelming tension that they both managed to keep under wraps and stay professional, with either one none the wiser. As partners, they have each other’s back and the job definitely has some very grim moments that draw them closer to each other. Things taker a darker turn when O’Brien goes undercover and JJ is his main contact. I really enjoyed the dual POV for this one, knowing what they were thinking and feeling, but also experiencing with work. Some parts are not for the faint of heart so heed the warnings (although I wouldn't classify this book as dark, but there are dark parts), but how these two emerge from those circumstances and battle their way back to each other is incredible. O’Brien always came off as the seemingly strong one, looking to protect JJ, but she proves her weight in gold as a pillar of strength right from the very beginning to the end. I was immersed in their intensity and commitment to stand by each other as a lifeline, which translates to a lot of heat and combustion later. Definitely a page turner and worthwhile read for me.
January 24, 2022
Lifeline
Written by: Michelle Heard
This is my first Michelle Heard book and I am blown away with the mastery of her writing, the characters, the story line and unseen twists and turns that take readers along on this undercover operation.
Julie Jameson has graduated from Quantico and has joined the Organized Crime Unit; one of her goals was to work with Daniel O’Brien, a 13-year veteran with this unit, especially when it came to undercover work. On her first day she meets O’Brien when he makes sure she isn’t caught in the gunfire when the unit is hoping to arrest members of the Albanian Syndicate. It’s this meeting that sets the course for Julie and O’Brien’s characters through the rest of the story.
Heard has written a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. From JJ and O’Brien’s becoming partners and their undercover surveillances to BBQ’s and weddings and we get to see how there is a connection growing between them but work is going to push their limits and move up time frames and possibly put them in danger.
Pages were flipped quickly and the parts where keeping low profiles had me on the edge, when danger was at it’s highest point for JJ and O’Brien; the author gives her characters a challenge that may break them.
Throughout the story it is clear that a dominant O’Brien needs to control situations both on the job and in his relationship with JJ. Author Michelle Heard gives these characters some very steamy bedroom scenes that raise the heat charts quite high!
If you love reading dark romantic suspense stories then Lifeline is for you.
Author’s Note: This is a DARK FBI ROMANCE. Complete standalone.
WARNING: 18+ only. Please read responsibly. THIS NOVEL CONTAINS TRIGGERING CONTENT.
Written by: Michelle Heard
This is my first Michelle Heard book and I am blown away with the mastery of her writing, the characters, the story line and unseen twists and turns that take readers along on this undercover operation.
Julie Jameson has graduated from Quantico and has joined the Organized Crime Unit; one of her goals was to work with Daniel O’Brien, a 13-year veteran with this unit, especially when it came to undercover work. On her first day she meets O’Brien when he makes sure she isn’t caught in the gunfire when the unit is hoping to arrest members of the Albanian Syndicate. It’s this meeting that sets the course for Julie and O’Brien’s characters through the rest of the story.
Heard has written a story that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. From JJ and O’Brien’s becoming partners and their undercover surveillances to BBQ’s and weddings and we get to see how there is a connection growing between them but work is going to push their limits and move up time frames and possibly put them in danger.
Pages were flipped quickly and the parts where keeping low profiles had me on the edge, when danger was at it’s highest point for JJ and O’Brien; the author gives her characters a challenge that may break them.
Throughout the story it is clear that a dominant O’Brien needs to control situations both on the job and in his relationship with JJ. Author Michelle Heard gives these characters some very steamy bedroom scenes that raise the heat charts quite high!
If you love reading dark romantic suspense stories then Lifeline is for you.
Author’s Note: This is a DARK FBI ROMANCE. Complete standalone.
WARNING: 18+ only. Please read responsibly. THIS NOVEL CONTAINS TRIGGERING CONTENT.
January 26, 2022
I am a total sucker for romance stories with FBI agents. I've always been a fan of MH's work, and this standalone was something new and different than what she has been writing. JJ, a fresh faced FBI agent have a chaotic meet with veteran Agent O'Brien. These two develop a partnership but also disguising their growing feelings for each other because of their job. They're in sync but also heading toward dangerous situations. Going undercover won't be easy. They see ugly ugly things, but have to keep their head in the game. Putting themselves in deep, awful situations.
I enjoyed JJ and O'Brien. They are easy to like, important supporting characters were good, loveable. While this had action and suspense, it also was heartbreaking, vulnerable and a bit of a rollercoaster. There is an uphill battle to face, JJ and Daniel will have to be honest with themselves/each other. I did feel like some parts of the story was rushed a bit, I would've loved to see more growth with JJ. MH definitely always pulls me into her stories, looking forward to more from her! Lifeline is raw, rough and tough to read, but does have a happy ever after!
I enjoyed JJ and O'Brien. They are easy to like, important supporting characters were good, loveable. While this had action and suspense, it also was heartbreaking, vulnerable and a bit of a rollercoaster. There is an uphill battle to face, JJ and Daniel will have to be honest with themselves/each other. I did feel like some parts of the story was rushed a bit, I would've loved to see more growth with JJ. MH definitely always pulls me into her stories, looking forward to more from her! Lifeline is raw, rough and tough to read, but does have a happy ever after!
April 13, 2022
3.5/4 stars
The blurb for this book intrigued the heck out of me. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this one up. I went in blind for the most part and am glad I did.
This was a dark (not super dark, but there are for sure triggers in it for some) and emotional read. It's a gritty and raw look into law enforcement officers blurring lines and becoming engrossed beyond just normal workday things. When partner takes on a new meaning.
Fresh and new, Special Agent JJ wants nothing more than to make a way for herself, follow her father's footsteps and be someone that would make him proud. She kinda is thrown into the deep end and ends up on a team with the legendary Daniel O'brien. She needs to impress him and not let him see fear in her. She annoyed me at times and truly acted like her age. What she endured and her coping helped change that a bit.
Daniel is not for the faint of heart. This man is broody, closed off... but sexy as all heck. He goes undercover quite often and is one of the best at it. When another undercover assignment crosses his desk, he knows he has to do it. Some of his actions along they would make the above statement of being "the best" a lie in my opinion. I felt like some of his choices were picked solely in benefit to himself.
What these two went through - together and separately are what some nightmares are made of.
This book was intense at times, heartbreaking and so very real.
The blurb for this book intrigued the heck out of me. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this one up. I went in blind for the most part and am glad I did.
This was a dark (not super dark, but there are for sure triggers in it for some) and emotional read. It's a gritty and raw look into law enforcement officers blurring lines and becoming engrossed beyond just normal workday things. When partner takes on a new meaning.
Fresh and new, Special Agent JJ wants nothing more than to make a way for herself, follow her father's footsteps and be someone that would make him proud. She kinda is thrown into the deep end and ends up on a team with the legendary Daniel O'brien. She needs to impress him and not let him see fear in her. She annoyed me at times and truly acted like her age. What she endured and her coping helped change that a bit.
Daniel is not for the faint of heart. This man is broody, closed off... but sexy as all heck. He goes undercover quite often and is one of the best at it. When another undercover assignment crosses his desk, he knows he has to do it. Some of his actions along they would make the above statement of being "the best" a lie in my opinion. I felt like some of his choices were picked solely in benefit to himself.
What these two went through - together and separately are what some nightmares are made of.
This book was intense at times, heartbreaking and so very real.
February 10, 2022
Review coming soon-ish.....
January 24, 2022
LIFELINE
Michelle Heard
Releases 24th Jan
#arc #arcreader #amreading #currentlyreading #reader #reviewer #darkromance #standalone #AllTheSuspense #agegap #triggeringcontent
POV:Dual Crossing the blurted lines
O'Brien & JJ
(Daniel) O'Brien, an expert in organised crime and excellent at undercover for the FBI. He's a private person. When focused on an assignment he gives it his all.
(Julie Jefferson) JJ is fresh out of Quantaco and taking over as the teams behavioral analyst.
It's not the best first impression of these two meeting. But she wants to learn from the best, and the best is O'Brien. She has stars in her eyes when it comes to O'Brien, but he's not really the mentoring type.
There's an attraction between them, but they both hide it, cause they work they work together. He keeps her at arms length.
JJ's sure he only thinks of her as a sister. The way he's protective of her and her younger sister, Lindsay.
His feelings are far from brotherly for her. Sure he's protective big brother over Lindsey.
When O'Brien goes undercover into the Albanian Syndicate, JJ's his handler. She's to keep him grounded, he's to check in with her and he's not to lose himself in the process.
Then when things take an unexpected turn, O'Brien has to do the worst thing, that could break them both.
They're both hurting.
Will they get they bring down the Albanians?
Will they sort things out between them?
Fast paced read, keeping you glued to the pages.
*Arc provided for an honest review*
Michelle Heard
Releases 24th Jan
#arc #arcreader #amreading #currentlyreading #reader #reviewer #darkromance #standalone #AllTheSuspense #agegap #triggeringcontent
POV:Dual Crossing the blurted lines
O'Brien & JJ
(Daniel) O'Brien, an expert in organised crime and excellent at undercover for the FBI. He's a private person. When focused on an assignment he gives it his all.
(Julie Jefferson) JJ is fresh out of Quantaco and taking over as the teams behavioral analyst.
It's not the best first impression of these two meeting. But she wants to learn from the best, and the best is O'Brien. She has stars in her eyes when it comes to O'Brien, but he's not really the mentoring type.
There's an attraction between them, but they both hide it, cause they work they work together. He keeps her at arms length.
JJ's sure he only thinks of her as a sister. The way he's protective of her and her younger sister, Lindsay.
His feelings are far from brotherly for her. Sure he's protective big brother over Lindsey.
When O'Brien goes undercover into the Albanian Syndicate, JJ's his handler. She's to keep him grounded, he's to check in with her and he's not to lose himself in the process.
Then when things take an unexpected turn, O'Brien has to do the worst thing, that could break them both.
They're both hurting.
Will they get they bring down the Albanians?
Will they sort things out between them?
Fast paced read, keeping you glued to the pages.
*Arc provided for an honest review*
January 24, 2022
Wow....I felt like I was watching a movie. Michelle Heard just stepped up her writing again and I am hear for it. Lifeline started off action-packed, giving us great chemistry between our two main characters and I was hooked from beginning to end.
JJ and Daniel were both worked for the FBI and I loved getting to know them and seeing the progression of their relationship which at first got off to rocky start. Told in dual POV, we were able to get inside their head and I really loved knowing what they were both thinking in certain situations. The undeniable attraction was there from the start but at first neither wanted the other to know and they both kept a tight lid on their feelings.
The story was dark with some trigger scenes included. It was emotional, intense and engrossing and will have you at the edge of your seat with the unexpected twists and turns, and with the suspense which played a major part in the story.
For me, this is the author's best book to date and I can't wait to see what she had in store for us next. I would highly recommend this novel to lovers of romantic suspense.
JJ and Daniel were both worked for the FBI and I loved getting to know them and seeing the progression of their relationship which at first got off to rocky start. Told in dual POV, we were able to get inside their head and I really loved knowing what they were both thinking in certain situations. The undeniable attraction was there from the start but at first neither wanted the other to know and they both kept a tight lid on their feelings.
The story was dark with some trigger scenes included. It was emotional, intense and engrossing and will have you at the edge of your seat with the unexpected twists and turns, and with the suspense which played a major part in the story.
For me, this is the author's best book to date and I can't wait to see what she had in store for us next. I would highly recommend this novel to lovers of romantic suspense.
January 21, 2022
Lifeline is one of those books that once you start reading you literally can’t put down, it completely absorbs you and you contentedly get lost in the world of JJ and O’Brien. This is one book that has everything; from a beautiful but troubled romance to action-packed and drama-filled suspense. It has a strong sense of family and loyalty as well as justice.
JJ is a young, brand new FBI agent who is ready to make a difference in her world by closing down criminal groups. O’Brien is a well-known, experienced and successful FBI agent who JJ looks up to. He’s not the soft hearted type nor is he the mentoring type but they make it work. Their biggest obstacle becomes their attraction to each other, knowing they need to stop anything before it goes anywhere.
To say emotions run deep in this story is an understatement, both lead characters learned at a reasonably early age that life could be cruel. As the story progresses you feel every emotion for the characters; your heart falters in fear at times, it is crushed at others but then it rejoices at other wonderful moments.
Lifeline is a story that will stay with me, one I will continue to reflect on, I am sure, as I continue to unpack my feelings and thoughts.
JJ is a young, brand new FBI agent who is ready to make a difference in her world by closing down criminal groups. O’Brien is a well-known, experienced and successful FBI agent who JJ looks up to. He’s not the soft hearted type nor is he the mentoring type but they make it work. Their biggest obstacle becomes their attraction to each other, knowing they need to stop anything before it goes anywhere.
To say emotions run deep in this story is an understatement, both lead characters learned at a reasonably early age that life could be cruel. As the story progresses you feel every emotion for the characters; your heart falters in fear at times, it is crushed at others but then it rejoices at other wonderful moments.
Lifeline is a story that will stay with me, one I will continue to reflect on, I am sure, as I continue to unpack my feelings and thoughts.
January 3, 2023
5/5⭐
- age gap (él tiene 35 y ella 23)
- grumpy and sunshine
- friends to lovers
- compañeros de trabajo en una unidad del FBI
- tiene TW
Me ha encantado absolutamente todo de este libro.
Conecté con los protagonistas, hay crecimiento personal por parte de ambos, he estado tan metida en la historia que me olvidé que estaba leyéndolo.
A pesar que al principio hay varios nombres que aprenderse, la escritura de la autora hace que uno se familiarice fácil con la historia y el lío de los traficantes.
La manera en que se conocieron JJ y O'Brien es de infarto, ella casi mata a él, en una misión para la captura de unos traficantes de drogas.
Me tenían con el corazón en la boca con la forma tan intensa que ambos se amaban en silencio, no se declaraban.
Él siempre la cuidaba y protegía a ella y a su hermana, pero ella realmente fue su salvavidas, literalmente le salvó la vida en innumerables de ocasiones.
Ufff las cosas horribles que pasaron ambos...
Estuve demasiado contenta con el epílogo, porque después de todas las cosas que pasaron JJ y O'Brien, ambos merecían tener su final feliz.
- age gap (él tiene 35 y ella 23)
- grumpy and sunshine
- friends to lovers
- compañeros de trabajo en una unidad del FBI
- tiene TW
Me ha encantado absolutamente todo de este libro.
Conecté con los protagonistas, hay crecimiento personal por parte de ambos, he estado tan metida en la historia que me olvidé que estaba leyéndolo.
A pesar que al principio hay varios nombres que aprenderse, la escritura de la autora hace que uno se familiarice fácil con la historia y el lío de los traficantes.
La manera en que se conocieron JJ y O'Brien es de infarto, ella casi mata a él, en una misión para la captura de unos traficantes de drogas.
Me tenían con el corazón en la boca con la forma tan intensa que ambos se amaban en silencio, no se declaraban.
Él siempre la cuidaba y protegía a ella y a su hermana, pero ella realmente fue su salvavidas, literalmente le salvó la vida en innumerables de ocasiones.
Ufff las cosas horribles que pasaron ambos...
Estuve demasiado contenta con el epílogo, porque después de todas las cosas que pasaron JJ y O'Brien, ambos merecían tener su final feliz.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2022
Heart in your mouth, chest pounding stuff…this story is unputdownable!
There’s no gentle lead in to this story, the opening chapter is intense and had me turning pages furiously….I instantly connected with the characters and was drawn into the drama.
We meet JJ on her first day in organised crime with the bureau. She is quite literally thrown in at the deep end, it’s action packed and the reader gets to follow along…!
This story isn’t for the faint hearted, so please head the warnings before reading…if you decide to carry on then you are in for an absolute treat of an edgy romantic suspense.
With hidden identity, undercover drama, revenge, heart-wrenching pain and all the darkness, I was totally immersed in this world along with JJ and O’Brien.
I really appreciated the fact that Ms Heard has taken the time to write something realistic, with a sensible timeline for events and relationships to heal, develop and grow. With gentle humour, strong female characters and a protective alpha I really enjoyed this standalone book and can’t wait to read whatever treat she has for us next!
There’s no gentle lead in to this story, the opening chapter is intense and had me turning pages furiously….I instantly connected with the characters and was drawn into the drama.
We meet JJ on her first day in organised crime with the bureau. She is quite literally thrown in at the deep end, it’s action packed and the reader gets to follow along…!
This story isn’t for the faint hearted, so please head the warnings before reading…if you decide to carry on then you are in for an absolute treat of an edgy romantic suspense.
With hidden identity, undercover drama, revenge, heart-wrenching pain and all the darkness, I was totally immersed in this world along with JJ and O’Brien.
I really appreciated the fact that Ms Heard has taken the time to write something realistic, with a sensible timeline for events and relationships to heal, develop and grow. With gentle humour, strong female characters and a protective alpha I really enjoyed this standalone book and can’t wait to read whatever treat she has for us next!
January 24, 2022
My heart be still! What a story! Definitely deserves more than five stars! The story of Daniel and JJ takes you on a wild ride of which you never want to get off. It’s full of suspense and so many times my heart stopped beating! These two work for the FBI and are partnered together, but can they work together? You are given the impression that they both have feelings for each other which would make it difficult to be partners. But somehow they make it work. When they are put in a difficult position, can Daniel protect JJ from the evils they are facing?
JJ is new to the FBI and a bit younger than Daniel, but she is strong and fierce and values her friendship with Daniel. But can she continue to hide her feelings for him? I really love her character, she just makes you feel good all over. As for Daniel, he is all male, all dominant and definitely a force to be reckoned with. I truly enjoyed this story and loved these characters. This is an intense read and one of which I highly recommend!!!
JJ is new to the FBI and a bit younger than Daniel, but she is strong and fierce and values her friendship with Daniel. But can she continue to hide her feelings for him? I really love her character, she just makes you feel good all over. As for Daniel, he is all male, all dominant and definitely a force to be reckoned with. I truly enjoyed this story and loved these characters. This is an intense read and one of which I highly recommend!!!
January 23, 2022
Got to say, I really enjoy a dark romance, and Michelle Heard most definitely knows her way around this genre. Rookie FBI agent Julie Jefferson is taken under the wing of the infamous, but grumpy Agent Daniel O’Brien, who is the epitome of sexy, big bad undercover cop. After being partnered up together, a close bond forms between them, with both JJ and O’Brien keeping their feelings for each other under wraps. It’s not until they go deep undercover and everything they hold dear is at risk, that things really start to unravel. Lots of emotion and heart in mouth moments as they try to navigate the after effects of that one night that they may never recover from. Entertaining and passionate dark romance.
January 23, 2022
Omg, this book...
I swear I say it every time but I'm so glad this author has decided to stay in the dark. I understand that it can be more draining for authors, but boy does she make this black soul happy with every book she puts out.
This book will punch you in the gut, it definitely wasn't an easy read, but it had me captivated from cover to cover with a heart wrenching plot and beautifully broken warriors.
Hope this wasn't the last we see of these characters.
Highly recommend as usual but please pay attention to the triggers, because like always this talented author doesn't hold back on the descriptions.
I swear I say it every time but I'm so glad this author has decided to stay in the dark. I understand that it can be more draining for authors, but boy does she make this black soul happy with every book she puts out.
This book will punch you in the gut, it definitely wasn't an easy read, but it had me captivated from cover to cover with a heart wrenching plot and beautifully broken warriors.
Hope this wasn't the last we see of these characters.
Highly recommend as usual but please pay attention to the triggers, because like always this talented author doesn't hold back on the descriptions.
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