A gripping story about secrets and grief and the redeeming power of love. Ward and Erin receiving a second chance at any sort of relationship was an absolute boon after the things they had both lived through.

4.5 Stars

When Erin Saunders was a young girl, she was crushing on her brothers best friend, and her world seemed  fairytale perfect. Until the night that her idyllic life was torn apart, and the boy whom she thought was everything, left her family alone when they needed him most. 

Ward Buckley always felt like a part of the Saunders family, until he had to make the decision to choose his future over their tragedy. But, when a horrible accident injuries his former best friend, nothing will keep him away from the people he loves and has lived without for all of these years. 

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Her Lifeline was a beautiful, yet infinitely tragic story that will quite honestly, rip your heart out a shred it over and over again. Ok, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but this book had me crying more than my poor little puffy eyes could take. Erin and Ward have a long road filled with heartache, hidden truths and forgiveness, and this book was an unforgettable journey into the depth of dealing with tragedy and finding strength in then least expected of places.

Erin lost so much when she was just 11 years old. Now, an adult who is taking care of her family and working two jobs, she can barely remember how great life used to be. And then the unthinkable happens, and her rock, the one person she has always relied on, is left fighting for his life. And amidst the tragedy of their current circumstances, the one man she never wanted to see again shows up like he has every right to be comforting her and her family. Ward left them when they needed him most, and then betrayed her brother, and Erin will forever hold that against him. 

Ward has many secrets he is harboring from his former life. As a hotshot CEO and multimillionaire, there isn't a moment that he doesn't think about the people he left behind. And when the news of his friend reaches him, Ward never questions running to be at his bedside. And while he planned on meeting with a lot of resistance from the Saunders family, and Erin, what he didn't realize was just how much the little girl he once felt so protective of has become such a phenomenal... and gorgeous, woman. 

Heart wrenching and stunning, this story was such a hard, yet rewarding read. Erin was a tough, world hardened woman, who never wants to forgive Ward for the past and for the man he has since become. As for Ward, seeing his character in the beginning of the book, with his unhappiness and semi-fraudulent life, there was a lot of necessary change and realization that he works on to be someone worthy of remaining in Erin's life. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

I love LA Carey's books they are always full of emotion and drama, this is no different. Erin had a crush on her brother's best friend when they were young but he left and she hasn't seen him in 11 years breaking her heart. Now he is back and rich ! Thrown back together when an accident almost kills her brother. I won't say more as spoilers obviously, but this is a good quick read as always. I pick these up and finish them quickly as I can't put the, down, you will need tissues. The only criticism I have is I have read better by LA Casey and I didn't quite enjoy this as much, but it was still good.

I was really torn on whether or not I would give this book enough stars to warrant a recommendation to my readers, and the end result was that I would not. That is not due to the writing quality or the plot - it's more to do with the main characters. However, the plot was almost too full of tragedy and not enough happiness to balance it out. Just when things were starting to look up, something else bad would happen, and everything would be depressing again. I like realistic books, and I don't mind reading a book filled with dark subjects, but I don't want the book to be 90% heartbreak and only 10% happiness. That's just not fun for me.

As far as the main characters, my main issue was the whole "cheating" situation. See, for a large portion of the book, the hero has a fiance. Now, she's a fake fiance, due to blackmail, but even so, he is engaged. During this time, he literally pays prostitutes for sex (it's an escort service, but let's face it - when you have sex with someone you've paid for their company, that is high-priced prostitution). When he goes back to Scotland and sees our heroine again, she knows he is engaged but is not aware that it's a sham. They eventually have sex, literally minutes after she brings up the fact that he has a fiance, and then after the sex, a lightbulb goes off in her brain and she realizes she just had sex with an engaged man. Are we really supposed to believe that it just never occurred to her? Come on, now. Yes, the engagement is not real, but she doesn't know that. I would have much preferred the author had left it at a makeout session and not have them have sex until after the hero breaks it off with the heroine.

So ultimately, this book was just not for me. Too much depression and the romance wasn't doing it for me. However, the writing itself was well done, and I would definitely give this author another try with a different book.

I really thought I was going to life this one. The blurb sounded really good. That being said, I could not for the life of me get into his book. I understand that the dialect for the area was used, but I could not follow what was going on!!

Her Lifeline is a beautiful story of love, loss, and love reborn. Erin Saunders is smart, kind, and fiercely loyal to her family and friends. That loyalty is tested when, as a child, a friend she considered family left her on the worst day of her life. When Ward Buckley returns home successful and wealthy, she felt it was at the expense of those he was supposed to hold dear. In her mind, what Ward did was unforgivable, and Erin has to fight through some catastrophic difficulty to make the decision as to whether or not he can be trusted as a part of her family again.

L.A. Casey has penned a haunting and hear trending story. Her emotional connection to the characters comes through, and you find yourself thinking about them long after the story has ended. Erin is strong, loving, and fierce. Despite her stubbornness you find yourself loving her deeply. Ward is a man-whore you absolutely cannot help falling for. Learning his story gives you so much sympathy and understanding for his behavior it all makes sense. To see these tow learn to respect and care for each other after so many years of tragedy and adversity is really rewarding.

Casey has also created a fantastic cast of supporting characters you cannot help but adore. From brother Tommy to Mother to best friend Jesse, you'll find yourself rooting for them all. As expected, this is a lovely story told with the utmost tender care. I am truly grateful to Net Galley for the opportunity to review this book.

I LOVED this book. I typically don't go for books with angst, and this one had all the feels. But it was also SOOO good! The characters were well developed, the emotions were real, and the story line was great. I would highly recommend this and would definitely read it again.

So much heartbreak for one book.. gah! My heart was in my mouth like 70% of this book and i oddly loved it! It was like a train wreck bad things kept happening but you couldn't look away or in this case can't stop reading.
And by now you must think why would i put myself through that? Why would i read a book like that and I'll tell you. Ward and Erin thats why. Rainbows only appear after the storm and they got their rainbow.
Erin was a strong character and i really liked her. I have to admit at first i was quite surprised on how fiesty she was but the more you get to know her you find out family is life for her.
Ward was so so.. i don’t even know the word for him but i loved him, at times i wanted to shake him and tell him to man up and grow a pair but when your facing Erin and her wrath you better believe most men would tuck and roll.

Right I’ve rambled enough..
In a nutshell, buy the book and you won't regret reading this beautifully heartbreak tale of sorrow, forgiveness and new beginnings.

❤

The blurb for this one caught my attention right away and couldn’t wait to jump into this one. I have not read anything up till now by this author so I was also excited to find a new author to read and from the looks of her other books she is a popular one.

I really wanted to love this one, I loved the premise of the storyline and it stared out well but as the story started to progress I had several issues with this book.

First, the writing drove me nuts. The author gives a note at the beginning about this book being written with the dialect for the area it takes place in Scotland. So I was expecting to have parts refer to it the way Scottish people would say it, for example things like “i’m chuffed”. Didn’t know what that means but looked it up and in I went. I didn’t expect things to be written and spelled how they say it not the proper spelling of it. If I had to read one more time things like “I dinnae ken,” I was going to lose my mind. I get this is how it’s pronounced but it’s not how they spell it. I have never seen this before, other than a few small parts when it’s a toddler taking, which is okay in small doses but this was just plain annoying.

Second I get this is fiction but him creating “Friendzone” social media app was just lame . At least come up with a better more creative name. Ward is definitely no Mark Zuckerberg.

Last, when Ward walked out he was 19 and Erin was 11. Now 11 years later his best friend who he hasn’t spoke to since he walked out gets hurt and he gets on a plane and comes back, and has feelings for Erin, who is 8 years younger and was 11 when he lefty. Nope wasn’t feeling it and found it a bit creepy if he had feelings for her before he left.

I tried, I gave it to 50% but I couldn’t keep up with the annoying dialect being written into the story nor could I stay engaged with the story that just kept going down hill. Sadly this one was a DNF for me.

WHERE TO START!?! I have never read from this author so I took a chance on this book and to say I am so very glad I did!! I was pulled in with the first chapter and crying in the next! I am a bit of a softy, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This is a great story and it tugs at your heart strings! Thomas and Ward have a friendship that comes with hardships in their later years. Erin has a whole lot of pent up emotions regarding Ward and to say I felt every one of her emotions is not giving this author justice! The ability to draw you into a story and feel the characters emotions is so hard to come by. The talent and sheer ability is something I love in an author. I have already looked up another of her books and have downloaded it. I loved it! You won't be disappointed!

I received this ARC from the publisher via Net Galley for my honest review at my request. The opinions written are solely my own. Thank.you Net Galley!!

Loved this! The characters were great, not exaggerated or excessively clingy / moody / manwhoreish which is always a bonus. The story line was easy to grasp and at times I was in the edge of my seat waiting for it to unfold. I did feel like the ending was rushed though and that I didn’t get the build up / climax from all that had happened. Love the author and not disappointed with this story.

Man, this one was a wee bit emotional. There were a couple of parts where I thought some sad water was going to come out of my eye holes. I’ve never read anything by this author before so I did not see that coming. I do have a bunch of her other books in my tbr that I desperately need to get to but I’m glad that I started with this one. The writing and storytelling was really good, I finished it all in one sitting.

I actually quite enjoyed this book. Although the events that occurred with Tommy were frustratingly tense, the emotions were clearly evident throughout. Erin and Ward were both sort of stereotypical but I did like the Scottish scene that was incorporated. I thought the story would be somewhat cliche, but it really wasn't (especially in the end!)

Word of advice: have a box of tissues next to you. From the first gasp to the last cry this book delievers so many shocks and cries its an emotional tornado.
From the first tragedy of the overwhelming loss of their dad, to their friend and then their mother. They say disaster comes in 3's and it certainly did for Tommy and Erin but what came next made me hope i could deal with tragedy that well.
Until it all comes to a head and another tragedy befalls..
This is wrote with humor (love erin and her comments), and such realism you feel like its unfolding before your eyes.

Her Lifeline was my first book by L.A. Casey, and I was not expecting to get sucked into it the way I did. Almost from the first page, the writing gripped me and the story held me fascinated, flipping pages while my heart and my mind got a little lost in Erin and Ward's love story.

I mean, this is bigger than a love story. There's a fair amount of family drama and some pretty difficult subject matter packed into this book. It read a little bit like a soap opera - and was equally as addicting as one. But even with all the drama going on around them, I was able to attach to Erin and Ward's story. I felt their chemistry and their connection and all-in-all I thought this was a nearly perfectly executed hybrid of second chance, enemies to lovers, and best friend's little sister romance.

That said, there were a couple of things that didn't really work for me. I felt like some of the drama (perhaps the biggest bombshell) was wrapped up a little too quickly and a little too neatly given the weight of the storyline. There was also a twist near the end that sent the book spiraling into unnecessarily depressing territory. In fact, for me it wound up coloring the entire book with this sort of depressing wash and left me feeling a bit deflated.

Don't get me wrong, the epilogue went a long way toward helping with those feelings. There's a happy ending here, after all, and it's gorgeous. But some of the twists and turns along the way felt like cheap emotional punches, and had me skimming ahead for more of the "good stuff".

In all? I really enjoyed reading this one. It was one of those rare books that I didn't want to put down, and I thoroughly enjoyed the writing. I even enjoyed the Scottish dialect, which - for me - did not detract from the story at all. I will absolutely be back for more from this author! ~ Shelly, 3.5 Stars

4 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog

Second Chance at its best, Her Lifeline by L. A. Casey is one of those stories that will make you cry, swoon, cry some more and then put you back together. Very well written. In the beginning, the author gives us a note with regard to the dialect. The story is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and she has incorporated the best she can the dialect. To me, she did a great job of bringing the story, its characters, and the setting together.

At eleven years old, Erin had it all, until her crush, and brother's best friend, Ward left. Erin's life is turned upside down and she has now grown to hate the man he has become. Erin is a hard worker and is struggling to keep her family together. She is at the end of her rope and doesn't know how much more she can take.

Ward has moved on with his life, launching the app both he and his best friend designed, but not giving credit where it is do.

When Erin's brother is nearly killed in a car crash, Ward is on the first plane home. When old grudges, new feelings being sparked and guilt play into a heartbreaking time, only one thing can happen...sparks fly!

This is not just a story about a second chance romance. It also depicts second chances in different areas of our lives. There are situations that may cause triggers for some. This story is well written, the flow moves at a pace that makes sure you won't get lost and you will feel all the feels.

***ARC received in exchange for an honest review***

I love this book ! This was emotional roller coster and this book deserves more than a 5 stars .I love Scottish accent , I love chemistry between main characters and I am so glad that I have opportunity to read this .Thank you Net Galley and Montlake Romance, I enjoyed .
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Where to start? Ms.Casey writes a book with characters that suffer in silence, feel shame, guilt and fear. While this book is extremely well written you need to prepare yourself for the contents.
There is a love story in Her Lifeline but it’s a small part of an intense and often troubling book.
I have mixed feelings about Her Lifeline. On the one hand the writing was excellent and kept my interest along with the well developed characters. On the other hand it’s hard for me to read a book filled with so much angst and negativity.
The story is also about redemption, acceptance, forgiveness and moving forward.
There are real life problems, real life reactions and real life sadness. But if you can keep reading you’ll eventually get to a HEA In the end.
Fair warning though. This book.is a happy go lucky, easy to read romance.

Her Lifeline is a new series from LA Casey and definitely comes with some heart wrenching moments.

Set in Scotland, this is a story of childhood friends that part ways under tragic circumstances. What starts off as a childhood crush unfortunately turns into a resent and hurt. Once again tragic circumstances bring the two main characters together but the reunion is less then friendly.

The moments between Erin and Ward are tense at times. There are clearly unresolved issues between these two and Ward definitely has some explaining to do. Erin's got it extremely tough, burdened with family responsibilities and now with her brother in serious condition she could use some shoulders to lean on.

This story will definitely give you emotions, so many instances of hurt, betrayal, heartbreak. LA Casey definitely doesn't hold back in terms of throwing the emotional angst out there.

While I enjoyed this book I didn't feel as connected to Erin and Ward's relationship as I had hoped I would be. As well being set in Scotland there is a lot of Scottish dialect used in this book which I will be honest and say threw off the flow for me. I found myself pausing and rereading the Scottish dialect used trying to understand exactly what they were saying and it distracted me a bit from the storyline as it was often.

Overall am I glad that I read it. Yes absolutely and I would definitely read the next one in this series. I enjoyed the book, and I do think that if you like an emotional read you will like this one. Prepare yourself for some heartbreak and if you are a crier I definitely say prepare yourself cause those tears will come. I look forward to the next one.

I absolutely loved this book! I was surprised because I flippen adore her Slater Brothers series and her alien one (still waiting for more of that). It's different than her usual writing style but still amazing in greatness! Can't wait to read more