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Crossing the Line
The drama of Grey's Anatomy. The fun of Brooklyn 99. The realism of Third Watch.
"...masterful..."
"...a moving love story..."
Award-winning author, Joy Slaughter's, debut novel portraying the drama, the highs, and the lows of life on the ambulance.
Sergeant Nathan Thompson lost his leg in Afghanistan. Megan hides a secret. When they are assigned as a paramedic team, tensions flare—Nathan thinks Megan is a condescending know it all, and Megan resents a partner who might not be able to offer 100%. As they respond to calls their mutual respect grows. Then Nathan notices bruises on Megan’s arms, and her excuses don’t add up. The next life Nathan must save may be that of his own partner—if only she’ll let him.
--A MUST READ for anyone in healthcare!
--"The best EMS book I've ever read."
--"The whole damn book was amazing! I read until 3am, then thought about it all night."
--"This book is a must read! It has it all. Romance, intrigue, all while tackling the tough issues."
--"For once, I've found a book that showed what our EMS world is really about!"
--"As a paramedic and someone who lives with PTSD, it's very relatable."
--"It's refreshing to read a book that destigmatizes mental illness in a really positive way."
--"My partner just finished the book. He threw it and screamed."
"...masterful..."
"...a moving love story..."
Award-winning author, Joy Slaughter's, debut novel portraying the drama, the highs, and the lows of life on the ambulance.
Sergeant Nathan Thompson lost his leg in Afghanistan. Megan hides a secret. When they are assigned as a paramedic team, tensions flare—Nathan thinks Megan is a condescending know it all, and Megan resents a partner who might not be able to offer 100%. As they respond to calls their mutual respect grows. Then Nathan notices bruises on Megan’s arms, and her excuses don’t add up. The next life Nathan must save may be that of his own partner—if only she’ll let him.
--A MUST READ for anyone in healthcare!
--"The best EMS book I've ever read."
--"The whole damn book was amazing! I read until 3am, then thought about it all night."
--"This book is a must read! It has it all. Romance, intrigue, all while tackling the tough issues."
--"For once, I've found a book that showed what our EMS world is really about!"
--"As a paramedic and someone who lives with PTSD, it's very relatable."
--"It's refreshing to read a book that destigmatizes mental illness in a really positive way."
--"My partner just finished the book. He threw it and screamed."
471 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2016
317 people are currently reading
1146 people want to read
About the author
Joy Slaughter
3 books42 followersAward-winning author of contemporary fiction and epic fantasy
Joy spends too much time daydreaming. She has a stack of dusty degrees shoved in a closet somewhere, a strange mixture of medicine, psychology, and philosophy with a minor in fine art photography and a blue belt in taekwondo.
She married Prince Charming, and they have seven phenomenal children. Her home is cleaned by woodland animals which explains the mess.
She rode on ambulances and flew in helicopters and blew whistles telling people to walk, and sometimes she writes about that. She likes to sit at large windows and imagine strange worlds, and sometimes she writes about that, too.
Her third-favorite reptile is a gecko, and she hopes to one day be abducted by friendly pirates and sail to the edge of the world.
Joy spends too much time daydreaming. She has a stack of dusty degrees shoved in a closet somewhere, a strange mixture of medicine, psychology, and philosophy with a minor in fine art photography and a blue belt in taekwondo.
She married Prince Charming, and they have seven phenomenal children. Her home is cleaned by woodland animals which explains the mess.
She rode on ambulances and flew in helicopters and blew whistles telling people to walk, and sometimes she writes about that. She likes to sit at large windows and imagine strange worlds, and sometimes she writes about that, too.
Her third-favorite reptile is a gecko, and she hopes to one day be abducted by friendly pirates and sail to the edge of the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 12, 2023
If you like the TV show,bChicagonFire, you will love this book. Certainly gives you an inside look at the life of a paramedic job.
Have to love Nathan … he’s a Vet and very hot, hot, hot!
I’m just wondering where this book took place at, couldn’t figure it out.
Just wish I would’ve had more time getting to know Charlie.
Got this FREE from Amazon!
Have to love Nathan … he’s a Vet and very hot, hot, hot!
I’m just wondering where this book took place at, couldn’t figure it out.
Just wish I would’ve had more time getting to know Charlie.
Got this FREE from Amazon!
September 28, 2022
This book sucked me in so fast and so completely that I literally stayed awake until 4 in the morning to finish reading it. The characters were so realistic and well developed, flaws and all. It was full of emotion and there was a delicate balance of romance and suspense that kept you on your toes. This is the first book I have read by this author and it will not be the last.
November 18, 2022
Fantastic!
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways for this amazing ebook, and to the authors, Joy Slaughter and Daniel Sundahl.
#WINNER!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS!
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways for this amazing ebook, and to the authors, Joy Slaughter and Daniel Sundahl.
#WINNER!
#GOODREADSGIVEAWAYS!
September 28, 2022
Definitely read!!!
Very, very awesome book. Couldn't put it down!! As an EMT myself it was very well written. Highly recommend! +++
Very, very awesome book. Couldn't put it down!! As an EMT myself it was very well written. Highly recommend! +++
July 22, 2022
Such an ineffably exhilarating and compelling read! I like Mrs. Slaughter's way of depicting things!
Highly recommend it!
Highly recommend it!
September 30, 2022
Psychological Warfare
Patterns can be deadly. Not always in the progression but also in the acceptance. It is easier to see from the outside. Stories like this should be part of every teenage girls health class.
Patterns can be deadly. Not always in the progression but also in the acceptance. It is easier to see from the outside. Stories like this should be part of every teenage girls health class.
November 23, 2022
FREE today (October 2o, 2022) on Amazon.
September 12, 2022
It was a quick read! The characters both have their own personal struggles. It’s heavy topics but not wrote in too much detail. Would probably read again
November 9, 2022
This story had the potential to be really good. Unfortunately, the prose got in the way. Sometimes it was stream-of-consciousness that didn't really make a lot of sense and felt more like a way to 'fade out' without really delving into what the character was experiencing (which is much harder as a writer). Much of the book was a series of paramedic calls that either went into too much detail or not enough. These often read more like a factual relating of events rather than emotional experiences or a way of moving the plot forward, and often contained medical jargon that bogged down the prose or confused the reader. The climactic event was especially problematic, as the heroine (Megan) welded a piece of equipment called a 'rescue eight' and in fact did a very important action with it, and yet there was no description of the item. I'm not a climber (probably most readers aren't) so I needed a visual - and I don't want to google when I'm in the midst of a story (btw it's a repelling descender device). Yet, despite these drawbacks, I found myself pulled in by the characters (Nathan especially). I was probably pre-dispositioned to find him fascinating because of his status as an amputee (a particular interest of mine), but his hard-won equilibrium and determination won me over even before he was so sweet to Megan. I found Megan to be a bit extreme, going from tough-girl to needy in the span of a chapter at times, and yet I could understand it given her situation. Despite the obstacles I encountered in the writing, I still cared about the characters. So, what to rate this story was a bit of a quandary, but in the end Nathan tipped it to a 4.
November 27, 2022
One of the best books I've read in a long time ! I loved the way it switched back and forth between their off duty lives and the runs they made ! It kept me interested and I kind of hated to see it end!
December 25, 2022
I chose to read this book after seeing a preview of it on Facebook & needing a medical story on my Bingo Card for my local library Winter Reading Program. Plus I got 3 months of free Kindle Unlimited so I downloaded it. It has a great story to it but I didn’t feel that the characters were very well developed. The story was kind of flat & unexciting. Lots of great medical references & it was obvious the author was in the medical field. Now my spot on my bingo card is filled.
January 12, 2023
Better understanding of my step-daughter’s job as a paramedic !
Great read! The author puts the reader in the ambulance as they perform their jobs! Amazing! They are truly lifesavers! The love story is so sweet!
Great read! The author puts the reader in the ambulance as they perform their jobs! Amazing! They are truly lifesavers! The love story is so sweet!
August 12, 2022
Slow start but spectacular finish
I like to learn things when I read and I found out some new things about being an EMT and rockclimbing. I could’ve used a few more explanations of what was going on sometimes. The love story hit a really rocky place because of someone’s honorable scruples which is a good thing. If they hadn’t dropped them temporarily, a lot of the emotional problems would never have happened but of course drama necessitates problems.
I like to learn things when I read and I found out some new things about being an EMT and rockclimbing. I could’ve used a few more explanations of what was going on sometimes. The love story hit a really rocky place because of someone’s honorable scruples which is a good thing. If they hadn’t dropped them temporarily, a lot of the emotional problems would never have happened but of course drama necessitates problems.
November 30, 2022
Wow. Didn’t expect that!
Fast-paced. Action. Drama. Suspense. Love. Romance. Hope. Sadness. Depression. Bravery. The two main protagonists are my two favorite characters. I saw the story as a movie in my head. I love when that happens. Megan and Nathan had so much strength, persistence, and determination, and love. I didn’t expect the story to be good for I did judge the book by its cover. The cover is not attractive but I am happy to have read this book. Highly recommend.
Fast-paced. Action. Drama. Suspense. Love. Romance. Hope. Sadness. Depression. Bravery. The two main protagonists are my two favorite characters. I saw the story as a movie in my head. I love when that happens. Megan and Nathan had so much strength, persistence, and determination, and love. I didn’t expect the story to be good for I did judge the book by its cover. The cover is not attractive but I am happy to have read this book. Highly recommend.
October 31, 2022
Justice prevails
This story kept me reading the entire book in a day. There were moments of humor, sweetness, terror and sweaty palms. In the end, there was relief.
This story kept me reading the entire book in a day. There were moments of humor, sweetness, terror and sweaty palms. In the end, there was relief.
October 29, 2022
So realistic!
Having worked in EMS myself, I could really appreciate how realistic Ms. Slaughter’s storytelling is. She also writes very convincing emotional lives for her characters. Hope to read more of her work.
Having worked in EMS myself, I could really appreciate how realistic Ms. Slaughter’s storytelling is. She also writes very convincing emotional lives for her characters. Hope to read more of her work.
October 26, 2022
Absolutely mind boggling!
Could not put down until finished!!Great story plus. truly believable characters. Adored the interaction with Nathan and Megan. Truly inspiring for those persons who were involved in the military and women who survive and overcome abuse in any form.Need more novels with this time written
Could not put down until finished!!Great story plus. truly believable characters. Adored the interaction with Nathan and Megan. Truly inspiring for those persons who were involved in the military and women who survive and overcome abuse in any form.Need more novels with this time written
November 14, 2022
Good Read
This book represents my old life as I am a Survivor of Domestic Violence. This was well written and I couldn't put it down.
This book represents my old life as I am a Survivor of Domestic Violence. This was well written and I couldn't put it down.
September 19, 2022
I was lucky enough to be one of the giveaway winners, and I seriously enjoyed this book. I read it in a day.
The two main characters are so easy to like. I definitely got similar vibes to the TV show "The Rookie" where it's clear that these are professionals in a high stakes job, trying to do their best in the world.
I had some difficulty at times in figuring out I was reading a flashback or knowing which main character's POV I was in, but the plot is phenomenal. There is some triggering content, so I would definitely read the "back of book" plot synopsis before diving in.
The HEA is well-earned and Nathan will become a character to compare against all other men until the end of time. Can't recommend this enough.
EDIT: Updating to 5 stars because even though I have been consuming romance reads at an amazing pace over the last month, this is the plot that keeps coming back to me again and again.
The two main characters are so easy to like. I definitely got similar vibes to the TV show "The Rookie" where it's clear that these are professionals in a high stakes job, trying to do their best in the world.
I had some difficulty at times in figuring out I was reading a flashback or knowing which main character's POV I was in, but the plot is phenomenal. There is some triggering content, so I would definitely read the "back of book" plot synopsis before diving in.
The HEA is well-earned and Nathan will become a character to compare against all other men until the end of time. Can't recommend this enough.
EDIT: Updating to 5 stars because even though I have been consuming romance reads at an amazing pace over the last month, this is the plot that keeps coming back to me again and again.
March 27, 2022
The characters are developed well to where it is easy to get absorbed into the story. I won’t say there are many surprises that happen, but I also have my foot in the first response world. The biggest surprise was I honestly thought this was going to take an All Cops Are Bad (ACAB) route, but I really think it was just the focused one.
How did I find this book? It is a selected read for a discussion on the Facebook group Fine Literature Book Club.
How did I find this book? It is a selected read for a discussion on the Facebook group Fine Literature Book Club.
April 5, 2022
Crossing the Line
A fun, exciting, easy read. I enjoyed the story very much. I hope the author is able to get her remaining books published. I would like to read them.
A fun, exciting, easy read. I enjoyed the story very much. I hope the author is able to get her remaining books published. I would like to read them.
November 3, 2019
Crossing the Line grabbed me and held on. It’s a story about building trust, not only with others but with yourself. With trust, comes love. It’s a romance between a man and a woman, but it’s also about both of them rebuilding themselves to be capable of giving and receiving love after life has broken them down.
The setting for this is the Emergency Medical Services, and it’s compelling. EMS is a completely new world for me, and I loved it. So you won’t need to know anything going in to enjoy it. It’s certainly not just for EMS workers or those who know them. My curiosity compelled me to Google several things, but it wasn’t necessary. It felt like reading science fiction or watching a medical drama, where I trust the characters know what they’re talking about or doing when I don’t. I found several things shocking, like the work hours. I found all of the little details interesting.
Both Megan and Nathan are complex, interesting characters. They have their strong and weak moments. They do good, bad, wise, and stupid things, and I liked them. I hated Todd and wanted to torture him slowly, so he’s a very good bad guy. The supporting characters provided flavor and were memorable, even a radiologist who only appears for a page (See? I remember her!)
The writing is very good, fast paced and entertaining throughout. We are shown instead of told. We don’t get a load of backstory at the start. Many things are slowly revealed with hints, like light slaps to the face, telling us something is not okay.
I liked the occupational slang and that it wasn’t dumbed down or explained to the reader, even if I didn’t understand it. It gave me that fly on the wall feeling of realism.
A staccato rhythm of thoughts and feelings, leaving sentence structure behind, is used to convey indescribable terror and pain in a very credible way. This is how the mind works, or doesn’t work, when we can’t deal.
I also laughed out loud many times. The humor is great at relieving tension, just as it is in life, and keeps this from being a depressing read. It made me sad, angry, hopeful, shocked, proud, amused – It made me feel!
Favorite quotes:
Past tense. 3rd person close to both Megan and Nathan but no head-hopping.
Sections are separated with time and place headings. I find this format difficult to follow at times, needing to flip back to see how much time passed.
Almost clean romance – no graphic sex scenes. What is shown is camera obscura or high-level lens.
No cheating or OW/OM drama.
Triggers: Verbal and physical abuse and rape, not graphically described. Some other violence and medical gore. Suicidal ideation.
Occasional foul language.
Grammar was great for most of this. I was reading an ARC and sent what I did find to the author. Fellow grammar curmudgeon’s need not beware.
Sort of HEA but definitely a satisfying ending. No cliffhanger.
Loved it. Would I want to read it again? Yes! So 5 stars. I highly recommend this!
The setting for this is the Emergency Medical Services, and it’s compelling. EMS is a completely new world for me, and I loved it. So you won’t need to know anything going in to enjoy it. It’s certainly not just for EMS workers or those who know them. My curiosity compelled me to Google several things, but it wasn’t necessary. It felt like reading science fiction or watching a medical drama, where I trust the characters know what they’re talking about or doing when I don’t. I found several things shocking, like the work hours. I found all of the little details interesting.
Both Megan and Nathan are complex, interesting characters. They have their strong and weak moments. They do good, bad, wise, and stupid things, and I liked them. I hated Todd and wanted to torture him slowly, so he’s a very good bad guy. The supporting characters provided flavor and were memorable, even a radiologist who only appears for a page (See? I remember her!)
The writing is very good, fast paced and entertaining throughout. We are shown instead of told. We don’t get a load of backstory at the start. Many things are slowly revealed with hints, like light slaps to the face, telling us something is not okay.
I liked the occupational slang and that it wasn’t dumbed down or explained to the reader, even if I didn’t understand it. It gave me that fly on the wall feeling of realism.
A staccato rhythm of thoughts and feelings, leaving sentence structure behind, is used to convey indescribable terror and pain in a very credible way. This is how the mind works, or doesn’t work, when we can’t deal.
I also laughed out loud many times. The humor is great at relieving tension, just as it is in life, and keeps this from being a depressing read. It made me sad, angry, hopeful, shocked, proud, amused – It made me feel!
Favorite quotes:
Megan: “If you’re worried, just wear shorts. Then people will only see your leg.”
Nathan: “And that’s a shame because I have great hair.”
Nathan: “I’m not going to report him because you need to be the one to get help. No one can rescue you, Megan. You have to rescue yourself.”
Sam trotted down the stairs and jumped into the passenger seat, slamming the door. “Why is there a beautiful girl sleeping on my couch? Is she for me? Can I keep her? I promise I’ll feed her and take her for walks and,” he looked up wistfully at the building, “pet her often.”
Nathan: “You don’t have to take a smoke break if you don’t smoke.”
Megan: “Profound. Shall I ponder?”
Nathan: “Don’t hurt yourself.”
Shouldering the jump kit, she took the clipboard and walked up the driveway toward a house that held her rapist and his cronies. He watched the determination in her step and found her courage more resplendent than her beauty.
Past tense. 3rd person close to both Megan and Nathan but no head-hopping.
Sections are separated with time and place headings. I find this format difficult to follow at times, needing to flip back to see how much time passed.
Almost clean romance – no graphic sex scenes. What is shown is camera obscura or high-level lens.
No cheating or OW/OM drama.
Triggers: Verbal and physical abuse and rape, not graphically described. Some other violence and medical gore. Suicidal ideation.
Occasional foul language.
Grammar was great for most of this. I was reading an ARC and sent what I did find to the author. Fellow grammar curmudgeon’s need not beware.
Sort of HEA but definitely a satisfying ending. No cliffhanger.
Loved it. Would I want to read it again? Yes! So 5 stars. I highly recommend this!
September 8, 2022
An unexpected surprise!
This book was damn near perfect. I couldn't shake my nitpicky complaints, hence the lack of 5th star, but that doesn't at ALL mean I didn't love this book. Because I so did. It was perfect in more ways than it wasn't, and it was a memorable one too. This story could have EASILY been a typical cheap and trashy romance with characters who only care about where, when, and how often they get to have sex, and in how many various positions.
But nope. Not this book. This one had actual substance to it.
This honestly was one of the most touching love stories I've read, right up there with a small handful of my favorites that left me feeling the same. And not even just the romance department. I've read stories about lawyers, FBI Detectives, Navy SEALS, and everything in between, but for some STRANGE reason, I've never read one about EMTs. This is literally a first for me. I was INSTANTLY pulled into this world via characters who were likable from the start. All in the first dang chapter!
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a romance depicting characters making questionable decisions that I very much frown on in general, but Joy Slaughter managed to make it work in a mostly believable way. The story itself was fantastic, though I do wish more time was spent with the characters outside of their hectic jobs. Not to trivialize the life of EMTs, of course, but I adored the small moments in the story when folks weren't working, and I simply wanted more of that. I can't believe how much I loved the characters. Everyone was so very well-written and felt like genuine people.
I literally only had two complaints, but they're significant enough to have forced me to deduct that 5th star. For one thing, the narrative duties between Nathan and Megan were a bit sloppy. It wasn't always easy to determine who was narrating, a problem that could have easily been solved by using their names at the top of the chapter. Furthermore, there was too much time spent on one person's perspective over the other, and for MANY consecutive chapters. This happened so much that it honestly started feeling like it was only one person telling the story, and you're left wondering what's been going on in the other's head.
My other complaint is the biggest, and that's the giant leaps of time between many chapters. It practically gave me whiplash, since I had to frequently recheck the timeline. This hurt more than helped the story, especially if something happened that I would have LOVED to know how it worked out. But instead, I get events in chapters being constantly separated by days or weeks or months, with resolutions being told retroactively, if at all. This is what happens when authors don't really allow readers to spend much time with their characters in other places outside of a main setting. Constant big time jumps force characters into a box. That got old after a while.
Anyways, despite my grumbles, I still so much loved this story. It's beautifully written and the romance is sweet and lovely and jealousy-inducing. Seriously, can Nathan be any more PERFECT?! I honestly should start hating these stories depicting these wonderful men who don't actually exist, but that's a whole 'nother subject for another day.
Click here for my random commentary.
This book was damn near perfect. I couldn't shake my nitpicky complaints, hence the lack of 5th star, but that doesn't at ALL mean I didn't love this book. Because I so did. It was perfect in more ways than it wasn't, and it was a memorable one too. This story could have EASILY been a typical cheap and trashy romance with characters who only care about where, when, and how often they get to have sex, and in how many various positions.
But nope. Not this book. This one had actual substance to it.
This honestly was one of the most touching love stories I've read, right up there with a small handful of my favorites that left me feeling the same. And not even just the romance department. I've read stories about lawyers, FBI Detectives, Navy SEALS, and everything in between, but for some STRANGE reason, I've never read one about EMTs. This is literally a first for me. I was INSTANTLY pulled into this world via characters who were likable from the start. All in the first dang chapter!
I wasn't sure how I'd feel about a romance depicting characters making questionable decisions that I very much frown on in general, but Joy Slaughter managed to make it work in a mostly believable way. The story itself was fantastic, though I do wish more time was spent with the characters outside of their hectic jobs. Not to trivialize the life of EMTs, of course, but I adored the small moments in the story when folks weren't working, and I simply wanted more of that. I can't believe how much I loved the characters. Everyone was so very well-written and felt like genuine people.
I literally only had two complaints, but they're significant enough to have forced me to deduct that 5th star. For one thing, the narrative duties between Nathan and Megan were a bit sloppy. It wasn't always easy to determine who was narrating, a problem that could have easily been solved by using their names at the top of the chapter. Furthermore, there was too much time spent on one person's perspective over the other, and for MANY consecutive chapters. This happened so much that it honestly started feeling like it was only one person telling the story, and you're left wondering what's been going on in the other's head.
My other complaint is the biggest, and that's the giant leaps of time between many chapters. It practically gave me whiplash, since I had to frequently recheck the timeline. This hurt more than helped the story, especially if something happened that I would have LOVED to know how it worked out. But instead, I get events in chapters being constantly separated by days or weeks or months, with resolutions being told retroactively, if at all. This is what happens when authors don't really allow readers to spend much time with their characters in other places outside of a main setting. Constant big time jumps force characters into a box. That got old after a while.
Anyways, despite my grumbles, I still so much loved this story. It's beautifully written and the romance is sweet and lovely and jealousy-inducing. Seriously, can Nathan be any more PERFECT?! I honestly should start hating these stories depicting these wonderful men who don't actually exist, but that's a whole 'nother subject for another day.
Click here for my random commentary.
January 17, 2020
Megan Henderson, an EMS worker in Station 1 of Barrington County, for Sacred Heart Hospital is given a new partner as her normal one was placed on maternity leave. Her new partner, Nathan Thompson is a war veteran who lost a leg in the Afghanistan war and was fitted with a prosthetic. Megan doesn’t trust him to be able to do the hard work that is required of an EMS worker.
We get to know them and they get to know each other from the emergency calls the author has them respond to. Megan learns that Nathan’s disability affects nothing on the job and he can do everything she can. When Nathan becomes suspicious about her marriage and finds out that her husband was beating and had raped her, his rage was impressive and he threatened to report him. She begged him not to because he was also a police officer in the same district as her and she felt ashamed for what was happening.
Her strength is incredible as we watch her respond to various emergencies with calm and capability. The reader gets to see firsthand what it is like to be an EMS worker, nothing was held back even when it was obvious that nothing could be done for the patient. I also enjoyed Nathan’s personality, not letting his disability get the best of him. The author shows through each day what it is like to have lost a limb, the phantom pain, the pity or disgust others show him, and the fact that he needs to get the prosthetic adapted at times.
They both have a wonderful support system which shows how the rescue community is a family. This makes Megan’s secret even more incredible. Nathan started to get suspicious when she wore a turtleneck on a hot day and had to take it off because it got dirty. He didn’t want to confront her yet as their relationship was still new.
What made him lose his temper and threaten to file a report against her husband Todd was when he found out her ribs were broken and she’s been raped. It was sweet watching him take care of her without making it obvious as she feels a great deal of shame for letting Todd do this to her. Their romantic relationship started slowly with each one’s respect growing. They also noticed the beauty of each other and she felt safe with Nathan like nobody else. He was understanding about the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from her husband’s rape.
I highly recommend this novel as it shows how strength of character and physical makes a show to us all. We also get an inside view of how strong the relationship is between all rescue workers. It also reminds us about how battered women can be anyone and the need for support and understanding is highly required.
We get to know them and they get to know each other from the emergency calls the author has them respond to. Megan learns that Nathan’s disability affects nothing on the job and he can do everything she can. When Nathan becomes suspicious about her marriage and finds out that her husband was beating and had raped her, his rage was impressive and he threatened to report him. She begged him not to because he was also a police officer in the same district as her and she felt ashamed for what was happening.
Her strength is incredible as we watch her respond to various emergencies with calm and capability. The reader gets to see firsthand what it is like to be an EMS worker, nothing was held back even when it was obvious that nothing could be done for the patient. I also enjoyed Nathan’s personality, not letting his disability get the best of him. The author shows through each day what it is like to have lost a limb, the phantom pain, the pity or disgust others show him, and the fact that he needs to get the prosthetic adapted at times.
They both have a wonderful support system which shows how the rescue community is a family. This makes Megan’s secret even more incredible. Nathan started to get suspicious when she wore a turtleneck on a hot day and had to take it off because it got dirty. He didn’t want to confront her yet as their relationship was still new.
What made him lose his temper and threaten to file a report against her husband Todd was when he found out her ribs were broken and she’s been raped. It was sweet watching him take care of her without making it obvious as she feels a great deal of shame for letting Todd do this to her. Their romantic relationship started slowly with each one’s respect growing. They also noticed the beauty of each other and she felt safe with Nathan like nobody else. He was understanding about the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from her husband’s rape.
I highly recommend this novel as it shows how strength of character and physical makes a show to us all. We also get an inside view of how strong the relationship is between all rescue workers. It also reminds us about how battered women can be anyone and the need for support and understanding is highly required.
December 7, 2019
Title – Crossing the Line
Author – Joy Slaughter
Genre – Action Adventure-Medical, Romance
Word Count 82,000
Rating Four stars out of five
No. 40 - 2019
Posted 12/7/2019
My Impressions: Well written, girly romance
Main Characters:
Megan Henderson – EMT, married to abusive husband Todd.
Nathan Thompson – EMT, War veteran, amputee, Megan’s good friend/ boyfriend.
Todd Henderson – Policeman, Megan’s abusive husband.
Several other support characters.
Although I strictly avoid reading romance novels, I started this based on it being presented as an action/ adventure story. It is first and foremost a romance story with some action scenes. The story is well written in spite of a number of editing errors. But it is still better than many self-published novels by indie authors.
Megan Henderson is in a dangerous marriage with an abusive police officer. Todd is both physically and mentally abusive. Megan stays in the marriage because of a loyalty pledge she feels a need to fulfill.
Nathan Thompson enters her life as her EMS partner. She and the other emergency response personnel are concerned Nathan won’t be able to carry his end of the load in stressful and physically demanding situations.
Megan and Nathan are much alike in that both are fighting personal demons alone while trying to work a stressful job. Nathan’s military experiences still haunt him through PTSD attacks. Soon they learn to rely on each other, and situations put them in close contact where feelings for each other bloom.
Then they go through numerous up and downs where Megan suffers with guilt for cheating on her husband and Nathan encourages her to leave the marriage relationship and give herself over to him. Back and forth, indecision, guilt, etc.
Many females like this genre, but I find it boring. If a person is in a bad situation, get out of it and start over before the abuser commits murder.
The editing and sentence structure are not terrible but there are issues.
Character Development is good with detailed descriptions of who and what the characters are.
Medical and EMS details exhibit professional knowledge or well organized research.
The plot is standard boy meets girl, girl rejects boy, yada, yada yada.
In spite of my dislike for this genre I judged it truthfully and honestly and gave it a good rating because it is well written.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
Author – Joy Slaughter
Genre – Action Adventure-Medical, Romance
Word Count 82,000
Rating Four stars out of five
No. 40 - 2019
Posted 12/7/2019
My Impressions: Well written, girly romance
Main Characters:
Megan Henderson – EMT, married to abusive husband Todd.
Nathan Thompson – EMT, War veteran, amputee, Megan’s good friend/ boyfriend.
Todd Henderson – Policeman, Megan’s abusive husband.
Several other support characters.
Although I strictly avoid reading romance novels, I started this based on it being presented as an action/ adventure story. It is first and foremost a romance story with some action scenes. The story is well written in spite of a number of editing errors. But it is still better than many self-published novels by indie authors.
Megan Henderson is in a dangerous marriage with an abusive police officer. Todd is both physically and mentally abusive. Megan stays in the marriage because of a loyalty pledge she feels a need to fulfill.
Nathan Thompson enters her life as her EMS partner. She and the other emergency response personnel are concerned Nathan won’t be able to carry his end of the load in stressful and physically demanding situations.
Megan and Nathan are much alike in that both are fighting personal demons alone while trying to work a stressful job. Nathan’s military experiences still haunt him through PTSD attacks. Soon they learn to rely on each other, and situations put them in close contact where feelings for each other bloom.
Then they go through numerous up and downs where Megan suffers with guilt for cheating on her husband and Nathan encourages her to leave the marriage relationship and give herself over to him. Back and forth, indecision, guilt, etc.
Many females like this genre, but I find it boring. If a person is in a bad situation, get out of it and start over before the abuser commits murder.
The editing and sentence structure are not terrible but there are issues.
Character Development is good with detailed descriptions of who and what the characters are.
Medical and EMS details exhibit professional knowledge or well organized research.
The plot is standard boy meets girl, girl rejects boy, yada, yada yada.
In spite of my dislike for this genre I judged it truthfully and honestly and gave it a good rating because it is well written.
This review was provided in exchange for a free book.
Vigilant Reader Book Reviews.
November 2, 2019
Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 3.5/5 Stars
Believability: 3.5/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 4/5 Stars
I really enjoyed all the various medical scenarios in this one. They were a nice balance of being technical without going over my head or falling into instruction manual zone with too much explanation.
There is a romantic thread through this that runs along side Megan's personal struggles. Those two threads combined have about the same amount of page space as the medical threads, making the focus of this story lean a little heavier on the medical side.
While I really enjoyed Nathan's character, I felt like Megan's personality was just a little fuzzy around the edges, making it hard to pin her down as a character. It wasn't major, but enough to make me think certain situations or responses didn't quite fit well or make sense for her.
For readers that need the heads up, there are some big trigger issues in this book. Subjects like domestic abuse, emotional abuse, rape, cheating, and suicide get page time and a couple of scenes may be disturbing.
This falls into the romance genre, but is very light on the steam for those that prefer that side of romance.
*I received a copy of this book from the author. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
Characters: 3.5/5 Stars
Believability: 3.5/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 4/5 Stars
I really enjoyed all the various medical scenarios in this one. They were a nice balance of being technical without going over my head or falling into instruction manual zone with too much explanation.
There is a romantic thread through this that runs along side Megan's personal struggles. Those two threads combined have about the same amount of page space as the medical threads, making the focus of this story lean a little heavier on the medical side.
While I really enjoyed Nathan's character, I felt like Megan's personality was just a little fuzzy around the edges, making it hard to pin her down as a character. It wasn't major, but enough to make me think certain situations or responses didn't quite fit well or make sense for her.
For readers that need the heads up, there are some big trigger issues in this book. Subjects like domestic abuse, emotional abuse, rape, cheating, and suicide get page time and a couple of scenes may be disturbing.
This falls into the romance genre, but is very light on the steam for those that prefer that side of romance.
*I received a copy of this book from the author. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
January 5, 2026
I didn't see a warning so here goes: there is fade to black sexual assault on page domestic abuse.
The story is a bit of a slow burn. It would be better as a medical drama than a romance thriller. There was great detail in the calls they received and even in the DA Megan suffered, but a confusing glance over when there was finally a heated , supposedly OD moment. It was as though the author suddenly became shy.
It didn't make sense that a vet who suffers from PTSD would not advise her to seek therapy when Nathan witnessed her episodes.
The ending was a bit blah. What saved this story for me was the calls.they went on. It reminded me of the old tv show Emergency that I enjoyed.
The story is a bit of a slow burn. It would be better as a medical drama than a romance thriller. There was great detail in the calls they received and even in the DA Megan suffered, but a confusing glance over when there was finally a heated , supposedly OD moment. It was as though the author suddenly became shy.
It didn't make sense that a vet who suffers from PTSD would not advise her to seek therapy when Nathan witnessed her episodes.
The ending was a bit blah. What saved this story for me was the calls.they went on. It reminded me of the old tv show Emergency that I enjoyed.
December 18, 2022
Typically I read sci-fi or fantacy because they allow me to 'step away' from real life and have some adventure to them.
This book had just what I needed - some humor, some 'what?!?' moments and just enough romance to keep a girl interested ;) But not that TMI romance. More of the emotional and 'awww' romance.
Anyways, loved the characters (see other reviews for details) and the storyline. Didn't get bored or lost once!
This book had just what I needed - some humor, some 'what?!?' moments and just enough romance to keep a girl interested ;) But not that TMI romance. More of the emotional and 'awww' romance.
Anyways, loved the characters (see other reviews for details) and the storyline. Didn't get bored or lost once!
October 13, 2022
EMS and Domestic combined
Joy Slaughter is a great author who has done her research so her EMS details are right on track. As far as domestic violence she seems to be able to tell the story as if she is a survivor. A great book and will be waiting for her next book. When I find a good author their books find their way to join my book collection.
Joy Slaughter is a great author who has done her research so her EMS details are right on track. As far as domestic violence she seems to be able to tell the story as if she is a survivor. A great book and will be waiting for her next book. When I find a good author their books find their way to join my book collection.
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