The story of a former football star, his ex-wife and a sociopath was mesmerizing and at times disturbing. Zach Bridger lost his career when his wife suffered a severe injury after being attacked by sociopath Eban Clarke. Rebecca didn’t die but she just as well might have since her body is being kept alive by machines. When Eban is released from prison, assistant DA Kate Lennon comes to Zach’s hideaway home to request that he help her put Eban away for life. The plot becomes a little convoluted at times, with an underlying theme of euthanasia and parental wishes versus the wishes of the former husband. Even the desires of the justice system come into play. There are many characters who just seemed secondary but by the end of the book, they played a major role, like Theo and Cal, Eban’s partners in crime. Eban’s father is a scion of society and has always managed to get him out of whatever trouble he is in, but Eban’s proclivity towards cruelty and danger may be his undoing. The book is set in several different locations, including North Carolina and New Orleans because Zach has settled in NC while Rebecca is in a hospital in New Orleans. I was saddened by the whole premise of the book because Rebecca is not an innocent victim. She participated in her own destruction and then Zach was left holding the bag for her actions, blamed by the media and her family. The characters were very well-developed, easy to like or to hate just as the author seemed to intend. The plot was so twisted in places that there were scenes that were somewhat unbelievable but very dramatic. This is a suspense book with some thriller mixed in as well as romance. The ending is satisfying, with all of the loose ends tied up together.
Fans of the author and a book that meanders down side paths while telling a good story will enjoy this novel. It does have triggers like assault and sexual abuse, just so readers are aware of what to expect.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I really enjoyed this book! I have been a fan of Sandra Brown’s writing for a very long time. I haven’t come close to reading all of her work but I have enjoyed every book that I have had the chance to read. I read to be entertained and Sandra Brown never fails to deliver on that count. When I picked up this newest book, I was hooked immediately and hated it whenever I was forced to put it down.

Zach Bridger is a former NFL quarterback. His ex-wife, Rebecca, was left in a vegetative state after a run-in with 3 men led by a man named Eban. Kate is a prosecutor who would like to see Eban face charges that match the severity of his crime. Zach and Kate end up working together to try to get to the bottom of things but matters get complicated very quickly. There was plenty of action and quite a few surprises in this story which kept me glued to the pages.

I liked the characters in this story right away. I thought that Zach and Kate made a great pair and I really liked watching them get to know each other over the course of this story. I thought that their relationship felt really authentic and the chemistry between them was very well done. I thought that the secondary characters were also very well done and I even liked getting to see things from the villain’s point of view.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. I found this to be a very entertaining and exciting story that left me wondering what I would do if I were in the character’s situation. I hope to read more of this talented author’s work very soon.

I received a review copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing.

I've been a big fan of Sandra Brown since I was a lonely introverted teenager discovering romance novels for the first time.  And since she made the switch to romantic suspense, her writing has gotten even better.  I was so excited to receive an ARC of her newest book,  Overkill, to review before publication! 

Zach Bridger, former NFL superstar quarterback, first hears of the violent assault on the news,  then he gets a call.  He is still listed as his ex- wife's  medical power of attorney and has to make the decision to take her off life support. Faced with accusations and speculation from the media,  Zach leaves the decision up to her parents.  Now four years later, he's being dragged back in.  Rebecca's attacker has been released early and the only way for Rebecca to get true justice is for her to die so Eban can be charged with murder. Now the media spotlight is on him again,  putting his own life in danger. 

This story left my emotions all wrung out. I can't even imagine facing that kind of decision,  especially with pressure from Rebecca's family and the media.  I was a little disappointed in Kate's character.  Although she originally brought Zach back into the case,  she didn't really feature much in the story,  just seemed more of a side character.  Zach was the true hero of the story.  The romance was just enough and didn't overpower the suspense. Overall I really liked this book and will recommend it to my friends.

 I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

20 years ago I would read all of Sandra Brown's books. This is the first one I am reading after that long hiatus. Her books have not changed. Don't get me wrong, they are fun to read but they have the same formula. There is a story, there is danger, there is sexual tension between the main characters. All this leads to a story that you want to keep reading. It is very entertaining. Zach Bridger is a hunky x-quarterback for an NFL team. He was briefly married to a beauty, Rebecca, who had wondering eyes and cheated which led to divorce. She ended up partying with the wrong crowd, Eban Clarke and his posy, and ended up on life support. Zach was still her health care proxy and could not bring heartbreak to Rebecca's parents so he footed the bill and did not pull the plug. Along comes Kate Lennon a prosecutor who wants to charge Eban Clarke with murder so he can not damage any more females. The problem is that Rebecca still lives on life support. So starts the story. There is a lot that goes on between the characters. I have to say I did really like Zach. I would recommend this thriller for a nice beach read where you can relax and enjoy the read. I give it 3.5 stars
Thanks to #netgalley, #grandcentralpublishing and @sandrabrownauthor for an ARC of this book

Sandra Brown's newest novel, Overkill, is what you expect, a thriller romance with steamy love scenes. This is a quick read and if you are a Sandra Brown fan you won't be disappointed. I received an ARC of Overkill in exchange for an honest review.

Overkill is an intriguing tale of two men. Zach is a former Super Bowl MVP quarterback, playboy all around celebrity type (minus the drugs). Eban is a spoiled rich kid, narcissistic psychopath. One woman brings the two into each others sphere. Rebecca was a party girl when she met and married Zach. Their short lived marriage didn’t change their lifestyles and they had an acrimonious divorce.
Eban met Rebecca at a party filled with sex, drugs and alcohol. He assaulted her and left her brain dead. Despite daddy’s money Eban was sent to prison for the attack but now he’s out after a ludicrously short time and he hasn’t a shred of remorse.
This book tells the tale of justice delayed but not denied. The dichotomy between Zach and Eban and the paths not taken will enthrall and entertain.

Captivatingly intense! The latest from Sandra Brown is emotional, spicy and attention grabbing all rolled into one great read. There was a hint of suspense, but overall it's a spicy women's fiction that dives into the lives of a former pro football player and the prosecutor trying to bring justice to a scandalous situation. There is drama, lies and lust overflowing, but a good bit of warmth and camaraderie between characters as well. I was hooked from beginning to end!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a good drama filled story with steamy romance and hints of intrigue mixed in.

Rebecca Pratt Bridger has very little brain activity and for all practical purposes is a vegetable. Her ex-husband, Zack Bridger, has been designated her legal guardian but theirs had been a very angry and contentious divorce. Why would his ex-father-in-law have made him responsible for “pulling the plug?”

Rebecca found her husband intolerable soon after the marriage and began to sleep around. One of those times she chose a man who liked to choke the woman while having sex but did not wake up this time.

Rebecca’s father loathes Zack but cannot give the order to have his baby girl’s medical equipment disconnected. The two men often meet and tolerate each other but eventually Zack gives up responsibility for the decision.

The man who caused Rebecca to be in the coma is given seven years in prison for his crime but gets out after four years because of good behavior. Eban has been spoiled his whole life. He is a person with no scruples or remorse.

The author has captured the essence of a narcissist with no regard for other individuals. It kept me engaged expecting something to happen to Eban. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Filled with suspense, romance and revenge, Overkill does not offer many surprises. The read is an easy one and a good escape.

This is a quick read that will leave you pondering what you would do if faced with the choice of whether to keep someone on life support or not. At first blush, it would seem that should be an easy decision, however, as the story progresses more details come to light that explain why Zach made the choices he did. The story also includes a romance between Zach and Kate, the mystery of what actually happened on that fateful night when Rebecca was assaulted, and the suspense of what Eban will do. The pace and twists pick up as the ending approaches with some surprises.

Overkill, by Sandra Brown, is a romantic suspense novel featuring former football legend, Zach Bridger, who is living with the burden of a medical power of attorney over his ex-wife, who is in a vegetative state, and has faced public vilification and her family’s strong resentment. The other key player is Kate Lennon, an ambitious state prosecutor who has her sites set on punishing the playboy who reduced Zach’s ex-wife to such a state and is out on early release due to his father’s deep pockets. As Kate brings a new piece of critical information to Zach, these two unlikely cohorts team up to find solutions to both of their dilemmas and bring justice to all. Not only does a relationship brew, but trouble and danger finds them around every turn!

Overkill is a high-intensity thriller that is definitely suspenseful and filled with mounting tension, but also riddled with obscenities and rather graphically steamy scenes and commentary. Most of the characters are reprehensible and quite one-dimensional as well. Some are utterly obnoxious and odious in every possible way. It was an element of the story that was a bit hard to get past. Additionally, the author used the tired old trope of vilifying the man of faith, which I find offensive and overused.

Sandra Brown is an author who isn’t afraid to throw any punches, or kill off her characters, which causes certain elements to be highly unexpected and surprising. She also writes a quintessentially fast-paced story that makes for a quick read and allows you to fly through the story. Overkill is entertaining, but clearly a romantic suspense novel, heavy on the steam, as opposed to belonging in the thriller genre.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been reading Sandra Brown for over 30 years. This is the first time I’ve been approved for an early copy and I’m sure my screams of joy were heard world wide.
Brown usually has my attention after the first chapter, but Overkill grabbed me from the first paragraph. An ex football star, reclusive in the NC mountains, but who is still shackled to his past because of his ex wife’s selfishness. It’s a story about lust, greed, ethics, stupidity, devotion, and pure revenge.
I always enjoy Brown’s villains, but Eban Clark is a special kind of slithery bastard. Kate is determined and knows what she wants. I felt the sorriest for malleable Theo and liked Bing the best.
Overkill has an element for just about every nuance a reader could be looking for.
Now, when’s the next stunner??

Sandra Brown rocks! She writes stories that shows her depth of imagination and ability to plot a great story. The story is wonderfully written with characters that fully developed and easy to love or hate. The two main characters are Zach and Kate. Zach is a former football player and is a focused and intense character. Kate is an Assistant District Attorney who is trying to right a wrong. The plot of the story follows the investigation, a murder, and the burgeoning romance between the two main characters. There are surprises and twist and turns as the story unwinds to its happy ending.

3.5 stars --- this book was a quick read but ultimately was kind of lackluster. I was hoping for a great legal drama with a side of romance but it was more "driving around interviewing witnesses".

Eban Clarke was the perfectly-scripted villain with a whole host of enablers. But it was literally my hatred of him that was driving me forward, not my investment of any of the other characters, including our two protagonists.

Blue waves, a sandy beach, a cooling breeze and a new Sandra Brown book to read. It just doesn't get any better than this for my August staycation. And, a 5-Star book it is. Sandra Brown is a fantastic author. In "Overkill" she weaves compelling narrative about some very timely issues, wonderful characters, suspense and romance into one of the most thought provoking and chilling books she has ever written.

For four years Zach Bridger has been hiding on his mountain in North Carolina after his spectacular fall from the lofty heights as the MVP Superbowl quarterback. It wasn't at all a pretty fall either. It started when his ex-wife, Rebecca, was placed on life support in a persistent vegetative state and he was still named as her Agent for the Medical Power of Attorney. The press had a field day with the animosity of her parents, who wanted to keep her alive. and their hate of Zach for how her daughter had ended up the way she did. Then there were his drunken binges that were on full display to a national TV audience. Zach has finally found a measure of peace until a fisty states attorney turns up on his doorstep with some very unwelcome news.

Kate Lennon knew Zack was a tough case, a hermit almost, but she really needed his cooperation, and she wasn't going to leave without it. The man who put Rebecca in her vegetative state, wealthy, privileged Eban Clarke, has been released from prison early and Kate was on a mission to send him back for a long, long time. At first Kate couldn't understand why Zack wrestled with the decision. Terminating life support would open the way for a murder case to be made against Eban. But Zack just couldn't do that to her father, even though the guy hated him so thoroughly.

A free Eban Clarke would likely not be a good thing for the world and with Zack the only thing standing between him and a return ticket to prison, it was likely not a good thing for Zack and Kate either. Zack had a difficult decision to make and his wish for justice for Rebecca would only happen with her death, but Zach was loath to make that final decision until death was staring him in the face too.

My thanks to Grand Central, Publisher, and Sandra Brown, author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

Wow!
What a unique plot!
The suspense was off the chart!
The romance was perfect!
I do not like to share too much as I hate spoilers in a review. Just know this book by Sandra Brown is a must read. Once you start reading it, you will not be able to stop!
Highly recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions and thoughts expressed are my own.

Smart book - with a lot of unlikeable characters - an ex NFL star, his wife in a coma, the scum that out her there and a persistent DA - well written -

Overkill by Sandra Brown has Zach Bridger, a former MVP quarterback, forced to make a difficult decision. His ex-wife, Rebecca Pratt has been in a coma after a night of overindulgence and abuse with bad boy, Eban Clarke and two of his friends. Rebecca left all medical decisions to Zach. Four years have passed since Rebecca became incapacitated and Eban is out of jail early for good behavior (and some arm twisting from his father’s lawyer). Kate Lennon, a state prosecutor, is determined to put Eban away for a long time. She can only charge Eban with murder after Rebecca has died. Kate visits Zach to see if he is willing to remove life support. Zach acquiesced to Rebecca’s parents four years ago. The Pratt’s put Rebecca in a long-term care facility where she is being kept alive by machines. Zach will need to decide what action to take while Eban works to keep his freedom. The blurb for Overkill made it sound like an exciting book. After reading Overkill, I have to wonder if the person who wrote the blurb read the book. The romance element overrode everything else. There is sexual tension between Zach and Kate. If you like stories that are steamy (this book is one step away from erotica), then you will enjoy Overkill. I found there to be a significant amount of foul language, sexual innuendoes, and intimate relations (consensual and not). I do not like reading about sexual assault. The ending goes with the rest of the book, but I found it a turn off. There is a distinct lack of action (except for what was happening in Zach’s pants). The story rehashed whether or not Zach should take Rebecca off life support. I understood the dilemma, but I did not need it to be repeated ad nauseum. The characters lacked development. I found the characters to be exaggerated. Eban Clarke is the spoiled rich frat boy who has no intention of growing up and behaving properly. Zach is the strong, sporty guy who broods and is rude. Kate is an eager, petite lawyer who wants to get justice (she is the type that men like Zach want to protect). I wanted suspense and action (there is some near the end). I thought Overkill was way too long (416 pages). You can skip chapters and not miss a thing. Overkill wraps up with a tidy yet steamy ending. As you can tell, Overkill was not my type of book. If in doubt, download a sample to judge for yourself. Overkill is a lackluster tale with the evil Eban, a persistent prosecutor, the robust quarterback, the devout dad, and a coma conundrum.

My first Sandra Brown novel was Blind Tiger last year and I was kicking myself for not checking this author out sooner. Her writing is amazing and Overkill is no exception. I do feel like I enjoyed Blind Tiger better and I believe that was because it was all action. Overkill incorporates a legal battle which honestly I am not a huge fan of when reading books. However, i still enjoyed the story and will continue to read Brown’s novels.

A former sports celebrity, Zach has fallen from grace in the public eye and adopted a hermit-like lifestyle when his past comes back to haunt him. He is tasked with making an impossible decision - whether or not to withdraw the life support that is keeping his ex-wife alive (technically anyway). A controversial issue for sure.

Zach is an okay guy who regrets events from his past, while Kate (the state prosecutor) is sharp and determined - but for this reader, not all that memorable. The sparks between them tended to dominate the story. Although the sexual tension enhanced the story, in my opinion, the explicit descriptions of their intimate physical interactions were gratuitous and, at times, a bit vulgar.

The main plot — what happened to Rebecca and how to see that justice would be served — held my interest. It had a fair share of twists — with an unexpected turn as the story neared its end. Not being able to guess how it would all turn out is always a plus in my eyes. Overall, an interesting and enjoyable read.