Fall foliage is beginning to transform into bare branches and blanketed snow, and the colder the weather gets, the more reason readers have for staying indoors with a cozy new read. Whether you're in the mood for a steamy romance, heart-pounding thriller, or riveting historical fiction, there's a book for everyone on this list. Check out our list of the best books winter 2018 has to offer, complete with publishers' descriptions.

Her Lifeline draws you in from the very beginning. Erin is the baby sister of a sweet and loving family that is absolutely rocked by a tragedy. Many lives are changed in that moment and paths once forged are turned into different directions. Ward, the family friend and Tommy's best friend, heads of to London without Tommy and leaves wounds deep with a young Erin.

Years later, Tommy is in a terrible accident and Ward reenters the picture- to Erin's complete dismay. The raw emotion she still feels with her anger with Ward is one the reader gets to wad through as Erin comes to terms with a past she didn't know so much about. There are so many life problems addressed beautifully in this book that I loved reading it. Some are heartbreaking and blindsided me!

Thanks Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the advanced read!

Talk about second chances and facing your past and this book serves it up with a scottish accent, love, anger, fear, rage and seals it with time and unfortunate circumstances.

Erin’s dad goes out to get them pizza on Valentine’s Day and an accident makes sure that he never comes home. She’s only eleven- her brother Tommy and his best friend, Ward, go their seperate ways, because unlike Tommy, he is not willing to stay when he’s got the chance of a lifetime at a University he’s yearned to attend and could pursue his dream.
Eleven years later, Ward gets the one call he never expected- Tommy’s been in an accident, he’s barely alive- and just like that Ward- now a multi-millionaire goes home.

Erin’s not pleased about his presence and she does not hesitate to make it known. Whereas he expected it, it’s the rage that comes with it that hurts him- but even then, as you read, you cannot help but want to know why Ward left and stayed away from his closest friends and family.

I love a challenge and here Ward has to get Erin’s trust back and it’s what made reading this book enjoyable.

The author does not shy away from exploring alcoholism, abuse, violence, manipulation and grief.

Bottom line is- we all love and lose loved ones and it is great not just to read a romance novel but to be able to relate to more than one of the issues affecting the characters. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC.

Ward is back in Scotland after 11 years away - only there because his best friend Tommy is fighting for his life. You start the book not liking Ward, but as his secrets are uncovered you just feel sorry for him and hope that him and Erin get together. An emotional read.

I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Never thought I would read the word -nae so much in my life and that doesn't include other words I have found to be a turn off. I understand it's the way the characters accent but it got a little annoying after a while that I considered dropping this book. Despite that, it was a decent read. Nothing to brag about.

Even though Erin and Ward were the main love interests, I found my self picturing Jesse and Erin together since their relationship seemed more wholesome, and their chemistry was better but I guess you can't win them all.

I almost didn't finish this tonight as couldn't see through the tears!! A very powerful and emotional read with lots of lovely heartfelt moments too. I loved Erin and Ward and all the characters were so real I think that's why I was sobbing so much. Erin was such a strong character and despite having her heart broken she never gave up.

Absolutely amazing read, I love all of LA Casey’s. This reminded so much of until Harry in a way, brilliant read as always—highly recommend reading

I absolutely love L.A Casey and all ber books.
This book is no different.
This book brings all kinds of feelings out in you.
It really is amazing.
Literally cannot wait for more books from her !

This book will make you feel all kinds of emotions. Really good story. I really liked the characters and could feel their pain. I would recommend this book.

What have I just read? A heart wrenching story of family and friendship, a friends to lovers, or is it enemies to lovers? Not quite second chance romance, but definitely a “gotta crush on my big brother’s best friend” kinda story. At age 11 Erin Saunders was crushing big time on Ward Buckley, until that one fateful night when he let her down when she needed him most. For 11 years Erin has resented Ward leaving her and her family and will not speak of him to anyone, but now he’s back in Scotland determined to make things right between them. A story full of love, loss, family and secrets. My heart broke. How much heart ache can one person take? A wonderful story, beautifully written in dual POV. Don’t forget your tissues. A solid 5 star recommendation from me. I was provided with an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

When I saw this was a childhood crush all grown up and her brother's bestie, I was all over this. I love it when they have a shared history. I settled in for a good read.

Sadly, it didn't really work for me.

Erin's brother's bestie - Ward - moved away when she was 11 and he's done well, becoming a gazillionaire complete with faithful manservant and steady yet reassuringly unfanciable female sidekick at the end of his phone. He's got himself a fiancee but all is not what it seems. Meanwhile Erin is still living in Scotland, caring for her mum and working two crappy jobs to support herself.

Did I mention the characters are Scots? I cannot lie, I can't be doing with lots of dialect where it slows down my reading and forces me to try to figure out wtf someone's saying and boy was there a lot in this. I get that it's there to be authentic, but literally every conversation included a 'dinnae' or a 'ken' or an 'aye'. And they were the bits I understood. How about: “Haud yer wheesht.” Or "Please dinnae fash yersel with me.” Or “What’s fur ye’ll not go by ye?”

*scratches head*

The impenetrable dialect grated why nerves and yanked me out of the story, and because it was so frequent, it really ruined my enjoyment of this book. So, if there was good tension between Ward and Erin I missed it because I was too distracted grinding my teeth at the dialect.

Aside from my issues with the dialect, there was a huge amount going on in this, much of it emotional drama, and pretty powerful at that, so it wasn't a total dud. Have some tissues handy though, jeez it's a sad one.

If you're after an emotional read with lots of drama and you like some authentic dialect then you'll love this I'm sure.

After an accident brings Ward back after 11 years, it creates a second chance for Erin and award, but will it all work out? Not normally a fan of second chance romances but this one was an enjoyable story.

Her Lifeline is a story about Erin's life before and after the loss of her father. The characters are very relatable and true to life at the response to loss. Through Erin's life journey she has reached out to find strength in few people. This story has several unexpected surprises which will keep you reading to the very end.

I truly enjoyed this book. I recommend reading it.

A five star read for my first book written by L.A. Casey. This story is an overwhelming and intense read; it’s an opening path towards a second chance in life but along the way there are a series of events that the reader doesn’t expect to encounter. All the characters face life with great difficulties and have a heavy burden on their shoulders but thanks to love they are able to overcome all the hardships. From my point of view I loved how the author developed the entire plot, making all the characters fit in well. It is indeed a romance between two characters that have wasted their time hating and regretting owing to circumstances and misunderstandings but fortunately as the story evolves they will realize that they are meant to be together and thanks to this great strength defined as “Love” they are able to pick up those shattered pieces and restart from the beginning.

Casey's books are books I fall in love with. There hasn't been one book of hers that I didn't connect with.

This book had me in tears, and was so touched by Ward and Erin's story. This wasn't just a romance story. It was a story about the deep love Erin had for her family. How hard it is to let go when you can't follow them. Erin thought she was weak, but to go though losing someone who you love, and surviving it made her stronger.

Ward is trying get redemption to get past the guilt. In the beginning he calls himself a coward. It does take a brave soul to admit his wrongs.

This has been one book that I won't soon forget. It was exceptional!

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 .
https://carobnicaiklubmagicnihknjiga.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/book-review-her-lifeline-by-l-a-casey/

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.

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

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.

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.

This book was full of emotion and drama right from the start. Erin had a crush on her brother's best friend, she was 11, he is 19. (That seemed weird for me) They were both young, but in today's society it didn't sit right with me. Time passes and they haven't seen each other in awhile, but they reunite and being older now, it felt more natural.

Overall a good, quick read. The story line did flow nicely, never feeling like you missed something or was dragging on. Characters development was perfect. Good quick romance, not completely wowed, but a good read.

ARC proved by netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

WTH!!!! This author is great at writing tragedy on top of tragedy. I feel like someone slapped me senseless. This book is very sad and it's been a while since I've cried reading a book. This one broke the dam. But there is no doubt this is a story about second chances. The amount of commitment, loyalty, love, dedication, but at the same time feelings of betrayal, loneliness and despair, is overwhelming.

When it touches the subject about different types of abuse, even with details it's still done in a delicate way. One were you as a reader can learn from it and can still be proud of these characters at the end. They take to much time consumed by fear. Which is another important topic in the story. But that only allows you as a reader to watch them grow. Watch them make changes to better their lives.

Erin and Ward are pulled together by an attraction that goes beyond looks. They simply care for each other deeply and more than anything respect each other. Tragedy pulls them apart. But it also brings them back together. It's very rare to find an author that can have you feeling deeply the words on the pages. The sadness and despair of the characters. So get ready with a box of tissues because you will need it.

Going in, I knew it would be a love, lost, redemption kind of story. That being said, I just found it really depressing. For that reason, it's just not for me.

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. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 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!!

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.

❤

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.

I did enjoy the story. However I'm afraid I had to unfinish the book. I just couldnt carry on with all the Scottish dialect. I felt that there was just way too much. I wish I could know how the story finished, I just couldn't read anymore.

This book didn’t really work for me. I disliked the characters (mainly the hero) and the dialects of the characters bothered me. Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing the Scottish dialect, but reading it felt really strange.
The story wasn’t anything special either.

- I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -

This newest novel by L.A. Casey is a bit of a break from the norm in my opinion.

This is a story of family, grief, abandonment, hate, forgiveness and love, all of which the author writes with a sensitivity that immerses the reader into her sometimes heartbreaking scenes. A fact you know when you can't read for the tears streaming down your face!

As a Scot, I found the author's use of the Scottish vernacular inconsistent and even sometimes wrongly used. However it didn't really affect my overall enjoyment of this well woven tale and wouldn't prevent me from recommending it to others.

This cover and the blurb were the lure and though it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did I was hooked. It was a true emotional rollercoaster with extreme highs and lows and kept me turning the pages until the very end.

I loved Erin. This girl has had the rug pulled out from under her and her world turned upside down (in more ways than one) but she hasn’t crumbled. She keeps moving forward, no matter the obstacles in her path, and while her world view isn’t all rose colored, she still has an upbeat attitude and gives her all to those she calls her own. Ward was an interesting one. I loved him, I did, but he had a lot of things to sort through before that feeling truly solidified. He has a good heart, but some of his choices were definitely suspect ~ though when everything was said and done, I could empathize with all that he went through ~ thankfully he comes clean and I really did like the man beneath the armour.

I have to say that Erin and Ward’s journey to their HEA surprised me, but in a good way. There was a good bit of angst and the push/pull was real, but the connection they had ~ even though it was tenuous at best ~ showed me that there was hope for the two of them if one could come clean and one could forgive. I enjoyed their bantering, how they worked through the obstacles that stood between them and where they ended up when everything was said and done.

This is my first read by the author and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The writing was engaging, the pacing good and I liked the dual 1st person POV’s. This one definitely gets emotional and the triggers are real, but everything was well done and thought out and gave the story depth and realism. As for the characters, they were all well written and it should come as no surprise that my fav’s were Aiden and Jesse and I wouldn’t mind getting more of both in the future.

I have read several books by this author and so far I have enjoyed them all...This one is no exception, though I have to say that there were some things that did bother me. 

Erin has had a crush on her big brother's friend for some time...though she is eleven so I can't really take it too seriously. I had tons of crushes when I was 11 and none of them were to be taken really seriously. 

The hero is 19 at the time and he leaves her and her brother Tommy (his best friend) behind. I don't think any 19 year old should stay because of an 11-year-old girl...but I did want him to not abandon his best friend ... He had his reasons though, but I still think he should have gone about things differently. 

He goes off to make a fortune on an idea that wasn't just his...it was also his friend's...which is where the hero really pissed me off. I am a big fan of loyalty. Screwing your friend over like that...nope...you are in the doghouse my man !!

Fast forward more than a decade when tragedy strikes and they will come face to face again. I could understand that Erin hated Ward...her loyalty lies with her brother, as it should. She isn't able to hold on to her icy demeanor though...

This was a very nice "brother's best friend" / "enemies to lovers" / "second chance" love story. Lots of drama...even for me. Still, I enjoyed reading it. What I had a problem with were the accents. I love me some Scottish men..I really do and I have been to Scotland 2 times already and plan to go many more. But...there were times I had no idea what was being said... I may like Scotland and it's people, but that doesn't mean I understand what the hell they are saying :P

It took me out of the story a bit. It also sounded very funny in my head...I don't think I did the accent justice !!

ARC kindly provided to me via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews are posted on Wendy's Wycked Words

Argghhhh...this guy is no hero. So he may have had his reasons for leaving the Erin high and dry (he was much older than her and there was some stuff going on that no one knew about) but he never looked back. He developed an app along with Erin's brother, but then he was selfish and kept the glory for himself. He never credited her brother for his share of the work. (hated that!)

When Erin's brother is hurt, Wade returns. He's rich and a total manwhore. He's also living a fake life with a fake fiancee. He just seemed to lack a real genuine attitude. I just couldn't trust him. I felt no connection between Erin and Wade. She works like a dog, and he just has had it all.

Nope, this one didnt' work for me...not even a little bit.

*I received this novel from NetGalley for an honest review.*

Alright so this is my first novel that I finished this year. Yippee for that :p Anyway this most probably will be a short review as I have so little time to type out my reviews because I am looking after my very sick and confused grandfather and books are the only thing that is taking everything of my mind. Though I can’t believe that I am saying this about one of my favorite authors but I actually struggled to keep reading the novel especially here at the beginning of the book. I mean I literally had to force my self to keep reading and if it was any other author, I would have given up long ago but as I said before L.A. Casey is one of my favorite authors.  

Yes this book was full of emotion and drama like all the other books from this author but it did not pull me in as much as it should have. Normally I don’t care about age between couples but for me having a crush already at the age of 11 is a bit to young and Ward was 19 and I mean that is a huge age gap and I really don’t see a 19-year-old going for someone that young. The age in the beginning was just plain weird for me. Them meeting again when both are much older was so much more natural for me and just plain better in my eyes. Like I said I don’t care about the age gap {well in my eyes no older than 10 years} but both needs to be off age.  And Ward left when Erin was still 11 so how can he have feelings for her when they haven’t seen each other in such a long time. I mean its just creepy if you liked an 11-year-old romantically because Ward saw her last when Erin was 11.

Another thing that I did not like that much was all that Scottish dialect. I mean I love hearing the dialect but reading it was just so different for me that I did not enjoy it so much. The characters needed more depth for me, and there was so much heartbreak in this story for me. I mean I really wanted to love this story, I really did because this sounded like a good story but it just didn’t do it for me.

I really hate giving reviews less than 3 stars but sadly this novel only reached 2.5 stars in my eyes. I mean overall this would have good for if I did not struggle to figure out all those Scottish dialects and too much sadness. Don’t get me wrong I will read sad stories but now was just not a good time for me. Sadly, this book just was not for me, though I can still say that L.A. Casey is one of my favorite authors because me not liking this book that much will not change me loving her other novels.

Let’s start with the bad:
Trigger warnings galore. Alcoholism and child abuse. Child abuse including pedophilia described in just enough detail to make a weak stomached person vomit, even though it’s an adult facing down their childhood attacker. There’s also a completely inappropriate nickname between the main characters given one of their issues, and I’m not sure how no one mentioned that to the author before she published.

The good: it’s impossible not to feel for the characters, which may very well be part of what makes the bad in this book so bad. Early on, you start to feel like this is all happening to friends of yours and your just a silent bystander watching from the sidelines, unable to stop the events unfolding, and there are definitely points in the story where that left me feeling more than a little raw.

I feel queasy admitting the one sex scene (between two very consenting adults) was definitely great, but only because I had a hard time when the next chapter included a little girl who had been rescued from a sexually abusive parent.

I couldn't get enough of this book, I really enjoyed the story even though it was hard to read in some places and made me feel like crying, To me Lee put a lot into this, it made me feel part of Erin's story and i just wanted to give her a big hug, Ward at the beginning i wanted to punch him so bad lol but as the story went on i found him to be a great guy. The only and only thing i had trouble with in the beginning was understanding the language, some of the words were hard to understand but after reading 4 or 5 chapters i was ok. Please give this book ago it's such a great read i one of my top read for 2019

This book pulls at your emotions. This book has more to the story than a typical feel good romance. The ending is tied together nicely.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book (given by Netgalley)...

If you read Until Harry, then you know what to expect from this book. This book packs a lot emotion right from the beginning and the emotional rollercoaster never stops. It does tackle some serious issues that may be triggers for some, although nothing is explicitly shown, just mentioned.

I really wanted to love this book, but there were some things missing for me which made it hard to see the connection between Ward and Erin. Ward and Erin were very close until a tragedy occurred and Ward had chosen to leave Erin and her family to pursue his dreams. This book had my emotions all messed up and that ending practically destroyed me.







Possible Spoilers:

I really wanted to love this story, but I didn’t feel the connection between Ward and Erin, it all felt rushed and insincere. Ward leaves for 11 years and comes back when his best friend, Tommy, is in a terrible accident; Erin, Tommy’s baby sister, hates Ward for abandoning her family in their time of need; Erin proceeds to hate Ward when she sees him; Ward apologizes to Erin alone and boom their together and in love. Erin was shown as self sacrificing person who would work herself to the bone to help those she cared about; while Ward was presented as an escort banging playboy who was obsessed with his reputation, which explained his issues with Tara. Basically everything went from I hate you to I love you forever; from unapologetic playboy to completely devoted lover, all in a matter of three weeks.

Oh my this story had everything! Grief, trauma, rejection, love, hot scene, hope, forgiveness, redemption and more. I managed to read this in the one day and from the very first chapter I was hooked into the story. The sadness about Erin & Tommy's family and their friend who went away from it all for other reasons. Then 11 years later, their friend Ward comes back when Tommy is injured in a car accident.

There were some very hard hitting storylines especially towards the end, in fact I found myself sobbing whilst reading! Such a good strong story with great characters who you care for very quickly especially Erin, Ward, Jesse and Aidan.

A really good read and I am keen to read more from L A Casey. Thank you to NetGalley & publisher for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

I am still undecided about this book - it was very well written with the author definitely able to tug at the heartstrings and certainly make you feel for the heroine.... the male lead though was a bit less sympathetic despite his childhood.

There were parts of the book that I enjoyed but other parts that I was a lot less happy about...

Ward and Tommy were always best friends and Tommy’s little sister Erin followed them everywhere ... Ward was a part of their family. That all changed the night Tommy and Erin’s dad was killed in a car accident. Ward went off to college, while Tommy stayed and looked after his mother and sister and Erin hated Ward for leaving them when they needed him the most. But 11 years later, Tommy’s life is hanging in the balance after a accident and Ward comes home to help. The electricity between Ward and Erin is so strong, that soon they start a romance.

This is a gut wrenching romance that will break your heart. The book has a great storyline, but it took me so long to read it because of the Scottish dialect. I get that the author was trying to be true to their language, but I just found it so distracting. By the end of the book I was getting used to most of it, but there were some phrases that I never did know what they meant.

I received an ARC courtesy of Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. The hero is a little tough to love at first but the author does a wonderful job of developing his story and laying it out in a way that draws you in and wins you over. The childhood crush thing is a bit hard to imagine given the age difference between Ward and Erin but that's not a huge part of the story so it's not too distracting. There are a ton of emotional ups and downs in the story which keeps you flipping page after page experiencing all the heartbreak, forgiveness, loss, and hope. Bring the tissues and a copy of this one for a relaxing enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

A novel that will turn the reader into an absolute emotional trainwreck, Her Lifeline is a powerful written romance filled with drama and heartbreak. A word of warning to empaths, stay far away from this novel unless you want your day ruined. For those who like pain with their romance, this novel is perfect for you.

On one hand, it is understandable why the leads are at odds. However, the female lead seems to change her opinion pretty quickly even if her grudge is both justifiable yet not all at once. Each conversation left the reader on edge, waiting to see where it would lead. Watching their romance unfold, however was rewarding.

That being said, the ending is crushing. Even if the leads earn their happily ever after, the ending for the story itself definitely was not. Had I known what I was getting into, I would have passed on this novel. I love friends-to-lovers stories, but this novel was too much of an emotional roller coaster. That being said, it was definitely a novel I could not put down and read in one sitting.

4 star Review Her Lifeline by L.A. Casey
Hard to believe, but this is the first book I have read by L.A. Casey. Her Lifeline was an emotional read that tugged at the heart strings and yet frustrated me. It was an emotional, story of love, heartbreak, drama, forgiveness and second chances; be prepared tissues may be needed. The writing was strong and I certainly felt the emotions as I was reading this story.
The book contained may Scottish “isms” and I admit to being lost at times as I struggled to figure out what was happening.
We all make mistakes in life and Ward’s mistakes were not ones that I could easily brush aside. In fact he acted like a jerk, particularly to his best friend Tommy (who also happened to be Erin’s brother) and I struggled to like him at times. It takes Tommy’s near death experience for Ward to wake up to himself.
Can Erin and Ward come to terms with the past in order to create a future together?
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher.

All those highs and lows of the emotional rollercoaster in the book kept me turning the pages till the very end.
I've read other books by this author and I had to read this one too.
I enjoyed the story, the drama, Erin that had so much that is happening in her life and her struggling with all that life served her... Can't wait to read the next book by L.A. Casey

Erin Saunders was only eleven years old when her world came crashing down. On the same day that her father dies, Ward Buckley packs up and leaves town.
He’s the center of her world. And then he was just gone.

As the years pass, everything the Erin works for seems to be for naught. Her only light appears when she’s with her brother, Tommy and his young son. But when a tragic accident has Tommy clinging to life, Ward rushes to her side. He’s still the only man who could either utterly destroy her or be her salvation. She’s not going to give him a chance to decide which one it’s going to be.

“It was foolish to assume she’d have remained that cute kid who used to giggle whenever I was in her presence. She wasn’t a young girl with shoulder-length white-blonde hair and the most adorable smile I’d ever seen. She was a twenty-two-year-old woman with a face so beautiful it was hard not to stare. Her thick, white-as-snow wavy hair hung to her waist, and she was couple of inches taller than five foot, if that. Though her crumpled clothing covered her well, it did nothing to hide the swell of her breasts, the dip of her small waist and the delicious flare of her curved hips.
Erin had grown up, and I found myself taking notice of it.
Dafty.
I shook my head, scowling at myself for thinking such things when Tommy was in a critical condition on an operating table. Not to mention, the woman clearly fucking hated me and I didn’t have a clue how to go about dealing with it. The last time a person had looked at me with that much hate, I was hurt. Physically. Over and over again. I’d run away from that situation, but I couldn’t run away from Erin.
I’d already done that to her before, and I refused to do it again.”

Ward Buckley had been planning the escape from his nightmare for so long. He and Tommy were going to finally be free to seek their fame and fortune in London. But his best friend chooses to stay behind with his family in their time of need.
Ward stayed on the course and worked tirelessly to bring their idea to fruition. Now he has more money and success than he ever dreamed of. And the only thing that he really wants is something that even his vast wealth cannot buy – Erin.

Now that he’s back, he’s going to prove to her that she can trust him with her heart. He will be her pillar of strength and her shelter from the storm. If only she will let him.

“She walked over to her books and plucked one off the shelf. She opened it, and in the centre was a perfectly pressed yellow rose. The pigment of the petals was faded, but its beauty was not lessened.
“You gave me this on Valentine’s Day… the day my dad died.”
I looked at Erin’s face, and blinked.
“I remember.” I cleared my throat. “Why have you kept it?”
I tried my hardest to remain cool and collected, but my heart was beating a mile a minute. She’d kept my rose. All I could think of was that she couldn’t truly hate me if she’d kept something from such a long time ago. Especially from a day that had brought her so much heartache. Hope surged through me.
“I’ve been askin’ myself that for years…”
“And what did you come up with?”
“It was the last thing you ever gave me before you left and everythin’ changed. I guess… I guess I wanted to keep somethin’ from when you were still mine.”"

I have been a huge fan of L.A. Casey’s books since reading the amazing Until Harry. It immediately shot to the top of my “Best of 2016” list and I couldn’t wait to devour more of her work.

Her Lifeline certainly lives up to its promise!

L.A. Casey creates a very special kind of unrequited love that feels like an arrow shot right through your heart. It’s that magic that makes Erin and Ward’s story nothing short of an emotional hurricane.

At times, I wondered how they could ever find their way to the other side – but the ending was as sweet as it was poignant. And it reminded me of how it really feels to smile through tears…