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Redleg Security #1

Heartbreak Hero

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My name is Sue O’Malley, and I’ve been keeping it awkward since 1996.
Another thing about me? I think I’m in love with my bodyguard.
Leo Mason is all I’ve been able to think about since he broke my heart and left me standing alone on my front porch six months ago.

But now he’s back. He says someone is after us and insists we hide in his remote cabin until the threat is neutralized.
It’ll be just the two of us with one bed, along with all his muscles, tats, and those fecking smoldering glances that burn up my skin.

I trust him to keep me safe from danger, but can I trust him to protect my heart too?

***

My name is Leo Mason. As a bodyguard with Redleg Security and a former Army Ranger, I’ve got lots of secrets and even more enemies.
Six months ago, I did the unthinkable when I fell for a woman I was protecting.

She’s too young for me — too innocent — and being with me comes at a cost. One I didn’t want her to be forced to pay.
So I did the best thing I could do to save her — I left.

But now there’s a new danger threatening her, and I’ll stop at nothing to protect Sue… my angel.
I broke her heart before, but this time things will be different. This time, I’ll be her hero.


*****
Heartbreak Hero is a stand-alone, slow burn, romantic suspense novel with some romcom vibes, plot twists, steamy times, foul language, and page-turning action. This novel features a plus-sized, neurodivergent heroine and a protective hero who helps her see her quirks as strengths. There is a happily ever after and no cheating.Tropes: Second chance, age-gap, and forced proximity.


Author's Note: Since this is a action-packed, suspenseful, bodyguard novel, it features some content that sensitive readers may like to know about before reading. More detail about these topics are available on my author website to keep this description spoiler-free.

342 pages, Paperback

Published March 18, 2022

1885 people are currently reading
5397 people want to read

About the author

Jackie Walker

17 books447 followers
Be sure to follow me on BookBub so you don't miss out on news about my sales or releases: https://tinyurl.com/JackieWalkerBookBub

You can also sign-up for my newsletter or follow me on my socials by viewing my link tree: https://linktr.ee/authorjackiewalker

***
Jackie brings you stories featuring her signature blend of comedy, spice, suspense, multi-faceted characters, and romantic, heartwarming moments. A voracious romance reader herself, Jackie writes stories featuring the four
Ss: Suspense, Swoons, Steam, and Sarcasm.

Her heroines are badass, and her heroes are easy on the eyes and heavy on the charm. She loves writing characters with real emotions, flaws, and mental health issues and is known to send them to therapy where they belong. Let’s normalize that shit.

When she is not writing stories about swoony heroes and the women who get to play with them, she is avoiding life with an audiobook in her ears or taking care of her army of cats and peacocks or hanging with her teenage son (who also speaks fluent sarcasm).

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5 stars
1,030 (34%)
4 stars
925 (31%)
3 stars
707 (23%)
2 stars
202 (6%)
1 star
90 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 280 reviews
Profile Image for Rellim.
1,676 reviews44 followers
November 19, 2023
DNF @ 50% (then skimmed some parts)

The pacing is bogged down by flashbacks and unnecessary “vaguebooking”. It was a slog to get through what I did. It could have been tightened up considerably.

I would have given it 2 stars as just being “not for me” in terms of the author’s style. However the biggest issue I had was with the autistic rep. While the author is correct that every autistic individual is unique - this reads very much like an allistic framing of autism.

Spoilers to give examples:


Additionally, I think it's important to boost the review of someone who is #ActuallyAutistic :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Profile Image for Emma.
13 reviews3 followers
July 15, 2023
TLDR: 0.5⭐️, ableist language, autism mom behaviour, bad vibes.

Listen this was gonna be rated as a mid book until I finished it.

My credentials? I’m actually autistic.

I could excuse the person first language instances on account of maybe that’s what the FMC prefers, but when the MMC used it without knowing her preferences, or anytime someone said “on the spectrum” or “condition” to avoid saying autistic I didn’t love it.

Despite the line where Sue says “I don’t have to mask with him” she quite literally does. He comments on how he loves when she makes eye contact. She counts the seconds, says she hates it, and has to make herself do it. I could pass that off as maybe an intentional character thing about socialization as an allistic person and desire to mask and understand and follow social rules. How very meta!

And then I read the disclaimer on the FMC and realized no, it’s not intentional storytelling, it’s the authors lack of education - and citing Autism speaks - an autistic hate group with the goal of eradicating us - and saw that she’s an autism mom. Love that you’re trying to do right by your son, Jackie, but autism speaks and applied behavioural analysis is not the way to go.

Why was there not a sensitivity reader who was autistic? Nothing about us without us. This character arc reads straight out of disability inspiration porn of “but it makes me SPECIAL and BETTER at a niche skill!” Bro we’re not superheroes we’re literally just autistic.

Author also tried to be woke while explaining autistics don’t use functioning labels anymore, while using functioning labels. People who were “high functioning” weren’t labelled as high functioning. People who internalized their pain, meltdowns, and triggers, while masking so that they weren’t perceived as a burden to others were labelled “high functioning”, regardless of their actual functioning, and only based on their ability to conform.

0.5⭐️, could’ve been half the length with double the plot and zero of the ableism.
Profile Image for Stephanie K.
102 reviews9 followers
March 17, 2022
Rom-Com meets thriller. I love that our main character is neurodivergent, plus sized, and adorably awkward. I also loved to see food allergies incorporated - its not something I see included very often. The snark, sarcasm, and pop culture references had me chuckling and the spicy scenes were 🥵! I had a great time trying to figure out who the villain was, and even gasped with the reveal at the end!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Amanda Blanche.
360 reviews39 followers
April 1, 2025
2.5/5⭐️ - this was a booktok find for me, and it’s been on my TBR for a little bit. It’s an age gap bodyguard romance thriller-ish storyline. The FMC has ADHD/autism and is an awkward mess of relatableness. The MMC is a massive teddy bear.

Sue met Leo in a less than flattering moment for her. Little did she know, she would spend a life altering couple of weeks with him, as he guarded her from a potential threat in her brother’s life. They never crossed the line from friends to lovers, but the chemistry was there. Until one day, the job was over and Leo dropped Sue and cut all ties. 6 months go by, and neither can forget the other. Sue still doesn’t understand what happened, not that it’s new for her, she’s always been different and struggled to understand people. But when a new threat comes in against Sue to Leo - he will stop at nothing to protect her and hopefully keep her in his life despite all the dangers his job pose.

So why 2.5 - honestly, it all felt kinda stereotypical insta love, over the top. I found the writing lacking some depth. And as much as the author kept pointing out that the her neurodivergence didn’t define her - it honestly did. It’s not a side note of her character, it’s most of it. I just didn’t really connect to the characters and story.
Profile Image for Alicia.
17 reviews
August 24, 2023
DNF

I literally only made it 3% into the book. I was already over it. The weird time jump, the character seeming to ditzy, and the male lead calling her Kid. I just couldn't get into it.
Profile Image for Amy.
2,642 reviews2,022 followers
October 14, 2023
I’m always on the hunt for a new romantic suspense series because it combines my two favorite genres and this was such a good start to a series. It was sexy, cute, funny and swoony and it brought some serious tense vibes too. I loved Sue so much, she was vulnerable and relatable and I need more neurodivergent heroines in my life. Leo was the ultimate protective hero and had the kindest soul and the way he took care of Sue was the sweetest. It’s narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Troy Duran and they’re both just such amazing narrators and they really brought Sue and Leo to life. Definitely recommended if you’re an audio fan this was really great!
Profile Image for Booklover Judy Lynn.
1,642 reviews30 followers
March 16, 2022
This is the first book in a new series by this author encompassing the security agents who protected everyone in Love & Other Accidents. It is a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV. The author has marketed this as romantic suspense with rom-com vibes, and I would 100% agree with that assessment.
I fell hard for Leo and Sue in Love & Other Accidents. In that book, Sue’s brother Nick finds love with Millie Amos. Sue and Leo were minor characters, but their spark jumped off the pages. I also loved how quirky Sue was. In this book, we learn that Sue is neuro-diverse and has been dealing with a lot in her 26 years. She has always recognized that she felt different from everyone around her. I absolutely adore Sue. She may well go down as one of my favorite female characters. I felt she was completely relatable. I loved getting into her thought process. I felt like Sue and her differences were handled respectfully by the author in her story.
Leo is one of my favorite kind of heroes. I love the big, wall of a man who wants to protect the heroine no matter what: while having a gooey heart in his center. I love his patience and acceptance of everything about Sue. I love that he understands when she needs time to process events and feelings. I especially adore that he always did that, even before he knew more about her. The heat between them is fun and hot. The emotional link they share is beautiful to read. I love the way Sue trusts Leo implicitly and that she can relate to him in ways that she never has with anyone else.
There are laughs as well as a mystery in this book. We know that someone has threatened Sue to get back at Leo, yet we are not sure who is issuing the threats until near the end of the book. Trying to guess was a big part of the fun. They face danger along the way, and I love that Sue has an opportunity to be her own hero in the process. There are also some surprises in this book. As a reader, I enjoyed getting to know the other agents, and I am really looking forward to their books. I hated to put this down for even a moment. I was lost in the world the author created. I have no doubt this will be an even bigger hit than the Love and Laughs series, which I adored.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving an advance reader copy of the book.
Profile Image for Geeky Girl Review Cafe.
1,230 reviews98 followers
November 5, 2025
A Geeky Girl Favorite of 2023

I'm already claiming this as a favorite of the year.

I know I loved and adored Sue and Leo largely in part because I am the mother of a child on the autism spectrum. I LOVED seeing Sue get her HEA...it gives me hope for my kiddo.

I also LOVED Sue's quirks and mannerisms...Jackie did a fantastic job in her representation of ASD, anxiety, etc. While being broad enough to not typecast or sterotype (and reading her notes after the story explains why...thank you for putting your RL experience into your characters, Jackie)

Let's not forget to mention that Leo was dream MMC material...he was just so darn swoon. Big beefy bodyguard with his own issues and his big gooey heart. Couldn't resist if I wanted to.

I really enjoyed the world building and the side characters that were introduced,. I can already sense several of the stories/pairings that are going to be coming in the series.

There were plenty of steamy bits....Plenty of suspense and who done its to keep this reader happy...but in the end it was the glimpses at a neurodivergent adult lifestyle, the heart to hearts, the confessions and professions that really did me in...it's been awhile since a book touched my heart so much. 💜🩵

Edited to add audiobook review: I LOVED getting the chance to hear one of my favorite books of the year in audio! The story was just as I remembered and perhaps even better having actual voices to go with the characters. I thought the narrators really matched the characters well, a great listen!
Profile Image for Joey Bowden.
45 reviews7 followers
March 24, 2022
Another Smashing Read.

I just flove Sue. She has became one of my favorite heroines. I have a nephew with some of the same characteristics Sue manifest and I was pleased with how Jackie wrote her and handled that side of her.Leo is the ultimate hero,tough,resourceful, has a sweet and tender side,large take charge protector who when decides to give into the attraction falls hard as hell. There's some drama due to the past ,and a nice change up at the end that will shock you. 7 steps from the sun smeggy scenes. Great family dynamics and when danger comes calling they all pull together along with Redleg team.
I hope you'll give this a try and enjoy it as much as I did. 10 out of 10 stars.
Profile Image for Nerdy.Scientist.Reads || NERDY.
493 reviews109 followers
December 28, 2023
4/5⭐️ 2.5🌶️ 5/5🎧
I really liked this one. At times it felt a bit fluffy, but overall was a good story. I was laughing my butt on in some parts. Sue was hilarious and especially with her Irish accent. The spice was pretty good, but narrated was even better.

The voice actors Troy Duran and Savannah Peachwood did an amazing job at portraying the characters.
Profile Image for April   ♥"LOS" ♥.
3,090 reviews60 followers
February 9, 2024
We’ve all read or listened to the body guard trope before but this one has some interesting twists to it. The heroine is dealing with some unique issues that make her a one of a kind character with some interesting quirks. But really she all the more lovable because of them.
Profile Image for Lori Collins.
146 reviews13 followers
September 17, 2023
Ok, where to start… to be fair the author warned me about the spice. I’m not generally a spice reader and can find some scenes pretty cringey, and this book was no exception. I’m not a fan of hearing about a twitching c0ck. However, putting that aside, let’s talk about the meat and potatoes.

This book is really long, and a tad long winded in places. Had the first 50% been a little more buttoned up I would have enjoyed it better, because the last 50% got more interesting. I enjoyed the suspense/thriller aspect and there was a little surprising twist thrown in.

Personal preference: I would have also liked the back story of when Leo and “Angel” first met. I think that would have been a fun take to see. More of a build up to why they fell for one another.

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Erin Lacox.
10 reviews4 followers
March 23, 2022
Jackie Walker has done it again with a highly relatable heroine and a swoonworthy hero, lots of laugh, and of course tons of steamy scenes that will melt your panties. If you've read Walker's previous Amos siblings series, while this is a related spin off with cameos from some of our favorite Amos-holes, this is a departure in that it's marketed as a romantic suspense rather than the romantic comedy of the previous series. There's still plenty of Walker's trademark wit and humor packed throughout the book to keep her regular readers happy and lighten some of the tension from the suspense.

Sue, our lovely, young (mid-20s) heroine breaks the mold as a plus-size neurodivergent (ND) character who is achingly self-aware of what she views as her flaws but not so much of how lovely or loved she is or just how much she has to offer everyone around her. Leo (mid-30s) is our hero, is a protector to his core, even when it means breaking his own heart to protect those he loves.

It didn't take Leo long to fall for Sue when he was guarding her during Millie and Nick's book (Amos Siblings: Love and Other Accidents), and Sue fell similarly hard. But Leo walked away, to protect her breaking both their hearts. When his past comes back to haunt them both, they're forced into close proximity and into confronting the feelings they never got over along with some other painful truths to get the HEA they both deserve. I can't wait to see what's in store for all my favorite Redleg guards and O'Malley siblings it looks like it's going to be a fun ride for sure.

This book was packed with a snarky (ND) plus-sized heroine, a swoony alpha former military hero, enough steam to melt your panties right off, enough suspense to make your heart pound, some scenes that will make you cry, and tons more that will make you laugh. Tropes included: Age gap, Forced Proximity, Body Guard.

Full Disclosure: I received an ARC in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Margaux Porter.
Author 3 books73 followers
March 23, 2022
I'm not neurodivergent (as least that I know of), but reading Sue was like reading a story about my own awkward self. If you know me, then you know.... the sh*t that comes out of my mouth at times.. even my husband goes - WTF <-- and he loves me dearly.

Any who, you don't care about that. What you care about is whether this story is amazing.

Um, yeah. You bet your booty it is. Okay, I love Jackie Walker's stories. They are freaking witty as all he11, her characters are life like and so relatable. But, more than that, she lets me into the thoughts of the people she's writing about. I feel them, and love them at the end of the stories. I want what they want. Shit, I want to be their funny as f*ck selves.

And do I want to eat the man candy on that cover?

Yes, yes I do. And my husband would probably let me if I begged enough.

Sue and Nick are freaking adorable, and hot... seriously, seriously hot. It started as a slow burn, but let me tell you, it definitely made up for lost time.

And the twists and turns... I couldn't put this thing down.

You already know I love Sue... But Nick? I want to lay him out and lick him. And if he called ME Angel, shit, I'd leave my husband. Sigh.... Nick... He's like my Jason Momoa. Yum.

Any way, I hope this tempts you because this book is going to leave you thinking about the characters long after you read it.

Loved it.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Janowitz.
39 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2022
I received an ARC and am doing this review voluntarily!!

This was my first Jackie Walker book, and it did not disappoint!! It was a refreshing romance book in the sense that Sue was not your typical female character. She is neurodivergent and deals with this a lot throughout the book. Leo is one of those characters that was just so easy to fall in love with. These two have such an incredible chemistry that makes the story so much better! I can’t wait to read more of this series! If you like romance and suspense, this book is for you!
752 reviews1 follower
July 12, 2023
DNF 13% - Chapter 5
I'm so annoyed. Jump forward, flash back, whoa is me. Ugh.
"I'm a girl, and I have crippling anxiety so I can't do anything for myself." Awful
Profile Image for Alex Acevedo.
20 reviews
March 13, 2024
naaaaah
“penis popsicle”
“fuck nugget”
“giggle emoji” ??????????????
GIRL PLS
32 reviews
April 2, 2024
The writing style was immature and I got bored towards the middle of the book.
Profile Image for Amy Pritt - Coffeeandbookobsessed.
537 reviews46 followers
October 17, 2023
✨ALC REVIEW✨

📖⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️

Dual narration by Savannah Peachwood & Troy Duran

• Rom Com • Bodyguard • Second Chance • Close Proximity • ASD/ADHD/Anxiety Representation • Curvy FMC • Former Military MMC • Protective/empowering MMC • Slower Burn •

I haven’t literally laughed out loud at a book like I did this one in quite some time. It had some seriously funny moments, mostly driven by Sue’s lack of filter due to her ASD and ADHD.

The psychological representation in this book was top notch! It was so well executed that it could be a case study on people with anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and ASD. It made Sue’s character feel extremely real and relatable. And it’s an excellent representation of how many girls and women go undiagnosed with ASD for so long (e.g. masking) and how it can cause the person with the disability to struggle with interpersonal relationships until they find the one.

Leo is the gentle giant that so many women want. He’s big, but so tender and sweet with Sue. He has manners and is chivalrous while still being a badass ex-special forces and current private security. He is patient and is totally accepting of Sue for who she, and knows exactly how to adapt to her needs so she is comfortable enough to be herself and open up. And he empowers her with self defense lessons.

The plot was entertaining and thrilling with them going into hiding due to a threat on Sue. The side characters were interesting and made me want to continue on with the series. It’s a little slower burn, but there lots of tension before hand and once it ignites, phew! 😮‍💨

The audiobook was well done. Savannah does an excellent male voice and Troy does an excellent female voice, so the dual style is good. And they are both excellent narrators.

I really enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Alex Parr.
519 reviews15 followers
October 23, 2023
3.5 🌟 An interesting read

I loved Suzy Q and her ADHD/Autism representation was well written. I loved her quirkiness and it was a delight to read about a different heroine, both with challenges in thought processes and body shape.

I also loved the family dynamics, and when Suzy Q told her brother about her impending danger and kiss in one breath, I literally burst out laughing.

What also made it special was how Leo responded to her and loved her just the way she was; and how they both complemented each other was adorable. A perfect love story!

My only criticism is that the story was far too long, became repetitive, and after the suspense, the story seemed to drag and move in a completely different direction and lost its way.

The #dualnarration by #troyduran and #savanahpeachwood was as excellent as ever.

I received a copy of this ALC from Home Cooked Books, but all opinions are my own.

#bodyguard
#security
#plussizeFMC
#ADHD
#autism
#Suspence
#jackiewalker
#heartbreakhero
#homecookedbooks
#romanticsuspense
#steamy
Profile Image for Hannah Cornell.
10 reviews
August 2, 2025
DNF. I literally couldn’t stand how many times the main character repeated that she had ADHD, or that the narration would go on 80 million side tangents as if the author was literally forcing the reader to “feel the ADHD” of the mc by stereotyping her to the MAX. Also, the mc often pointed out how her ADHD made her “different from other girls” and many of the other characters coddle her/feel bad for her because of it. I hadn’t hit the autism diagnosis part yet, but yeah apparently that wasn’t done super well either. I am ALL about neurodivergent representation, but not when it’s done in this stereotypical, misinformed way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
63 reviews
November 29, 2024
Quick read. Witty banter which I enjoyed. Strong characters and plot. Kept me guessing until the end. Highly recommend.
238 reviews2 followers
February 7, 2024
Sue and Leo's story is definitely heartbreaking, but it is one I definitely recommend reading. Everything about this book was amazing. I can't wait to read the next!
Profile Image for Katrina.
77 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2024
Fun rom-com thriller. Throughly enjoyed the banter and suspense. Sets up well for the whole interconnected series thing
Profile Image for Imari McClure.
456 reviews
March 22, 2022
I was sent an arc copy of this book, and I am voluntarily doing this review.

This is my first book my this author and I loved it.
I feel in love with this book right away. I was so
Happy reading a book with diverting on the spectrum. My son is on the spectrum and it was amazing to see
The character be a bad a**.

This book will take you in twist and turns and leaving you questioning; However, it does end in a HEA.
I can't wait to see how the rest of the series plays out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ariana.
9 reviews
July 6, 2025
war jetzt nicht schlecht ist aber auch nicht so gut dass ich es noch mal lesen würde. ja keine Ahnung das war halt oft random mochte aber lowkey ihre Sicht und ihre gedanken
699 reviews
October 15, 2023
Audiobook Review

Leo and Sue are fantastic as main characters. Sue is an anxious and curvy 26 year old, with a brain that works faster than normal and is also smarter than normal. I loved her! She brought so many perfect imperfections to life, she was an amazingly different FMC to the stereotypical one we read about in mostly all romance books.
Leo was amazing with Sue. He was patient and understanding, sweet and caring, even if he broke her heart in the process.

Troy Duran and Savannah Peachwood as Leo and Sue were brilliant. Their narration of the characters was perfect and their voices suited each other.
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