Lifeline Echoes by Kay Springsteen

My Rating: 5 Stars 

Title: Lifeline Echoes

Author: Kay Springsteen

Publisher: Astraea Press

      Cover Art: Elaina Lee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 287 Pages

Summary: 

Voices form a powerful connection. The day the earth rocked LA, Sandy Wheaton became a voice lifeline over the radio for trapped firefighter, "Mick." Less than twenty four hours later, she had fallen in love with him. Shattered when she learned that rescue came too late, she sought solace Wyoming, the home state he had loved. Now, seven years later, she's made a life there as the owner of a popular local bar. But her wounds are still fresh, and she longs to let go of the past and her lost love so she can begin living again. That opportunity presents itself when the local prodigal son returns home. The attraction between them is instant. It feels like she's known him far longer than just a few days.

Sixteen years ago, Ryan McGee left home in the midst of controversy. After living through a harrowing trauma, he finally returns home when his family needs his help through some troubling times. All he wants to do is make amends with those he hurt most and to get back to the life he'd never wanted to leave in the first place. When he meets the sexy bartender, he starts thinking in terms of forever. But there's still someone out there he wants to find, someone who once believed in him and gave him hope. 

  

Review: 

I'm usually a sucker for a book about the prodigal son/daughter returning home after years of being away and making good on things that went wrong years before. Or at least had been perceived to be wrong. This book is no exception. The author manages to draw you in immediately with the tragic situation that Sandy finds herself in. With little snippets throughout the book of that day that changed Sandy's life forever, you stay invested in the story both past and present.

Ms. Springsteen seems to love writing about strong, dynamic woman and Sandy Wheaton fits the mold perfectly. Recovering from a tragedy that changes her life in ways big and small, she leaves her job and her old life behind, seeking peace in the beautiful state of Wyoming. Even though she is grieving, Sandy doesn't let life get the best of her. She starts over, creating a new life for herself in a new town and state, making new friends and with a new job. There are times she still thinks about the past and though she doesn't seem quite ready to move forward in certain ways, she has certainly overcome a lot of obstacles. Sandy is someone I would want to be friends with.

And let's not forget about Ryan. Ryan is the sexy cowboy that every girl dreamed about when they were younger. (At least most of the girls that grew up in the country!) He is mysterious, protective and he is definitely manly. He stands up for what he believes in and what he knows is right, despite what anybody else thinks or says about it.

One thing that was never really explained that I would have liked to see resolved, more for the sake of curiosity than anything else, was the name confusion. I won't say more than that so I don't give anything away but I would have liked to have seen it addressed at the end. And that, folks, is about the only thing I could possibly find to criticize about this book. I know that some people will think that falling in love with someone in twenty four hours isn't realistic but I knew from the first day that I saw my husband that I would someday marry him – so it is not impossible.

This book draws you in right from the first paragraph and keeps you turning the pages all the way through. With lots of action, suspense, romance and sexual tension going on along the way, I loved these characters from the beginning and wanted to know what happened to them. The author does an excellent job in keeping you guessing on who the bad guy is until the very end and the story is wrapped up very nicely. The secondary characters are also very entertaining and there are a couple that I absolutely adored, including Ryan's dad.

Ms. Springsteen has a new fan. I can't even say enough good things about this author or her books. I hope you take the time to check her out. This is another book that is available in both e-book format as well as paperback.