Overkill is the latest story from Sandra Brown, a riveting and compelling light suspense/thriller read.

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.

OVERKILL is a consuming and riveting suspense/thriller read that I would highly recommend picking up for anyone who loves an unputdownable story with thought-provoking themes. Please note that I received an ARC from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #Overkill

Overkill – Sandra Brown
It’s a beautiful day in the tropics and Zach Bridger, former NFL star, is sipping a beer by the pool in the morning hours, when the bartender calls him over to the television. There on screen is a picture of his ex-wife Rebecca Pratt, whom he hasn’t seen in the years since their divorce. Then the screen changes and he learns that Rebecca was found unresponsive and is being treated at the hospital. Then, his phone rings.

Twelve hours later, Zach arrives in Atlanta to a mob of reporters. Pushing through them, he heads to the fourth floor where he is shocked to learn that not only has Rebecca been greviously injured, but that she maintained documents naming him as her health care surrogate, much to his dismay and her parent’s disbelief. As Rebecca slips into an irreversible vegetative state, Zach finds himself unwilling to make decisions against her parents’ wishes - and leaves with the understanding that they will file for conservatorship.

Fast forward four years later, and Zach is enjoying a quiet life on his North Carolina property, when he receives a visit from Kate Lennon from the District Attorney’s office. Kate again presents him with the irrefutable proof of his legal healthcare proxy, along with a stunning announcement. Rebecca’s assailant, Eben Clark, is being released from prison. Were Rebecca to die, he could be re-charged – this time for murder. And Eban, very aware that his freedom remains in jeopardy, is willing to do anything to secure it – no matter what it takes…

I’ve been reading Sandra Brown’s work for 40 years or so, and she is at the top of her game! Like all of her work, this was a fabulous read centered around a very intriguing situation! The perfect blend of suspense, mayhem and romance made for a wonderful read indeed. I couldn’t put it down!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

Wow! Non stop action, mystery and suspense with the romance we've come to expect from Ms Brown. This story deals with a sensitive issue with candor and empathy. You're going to find yourself crying along with the characters as they face life altering decisions.

Once again the author proves things are not always as they seem and rash decisions can alter the direction of a person's life. A 5 star read for sure !

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher and I'm voluntarily submitting this review.

Zach is a former famous NFL quarterback that is now trying to live a quiet life in retirement. When his ex wife, Rebecca is placed on life support after a wild night of partying, he is called to make a decision. After being divorced, she had never updated her medical power-of-attorney, so it falls on Zach to make the decision, after being harassed by the public and media, he leaves it in her parents hands.

Now the time has come for Rebecca's attacker to be released from prison. Kate Lennon, a state prosecutor is trying to get Zach to help keep him in jail. Is the only way to keep him there, does Rebecca have to die?

This is another great thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Another hit for Sandra Brown. I really enjoyed it! Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

To the outside world Zach is a washed-up star NFL player, but he’s happy to live out of the spotlight. He was a star quarterback and MVP until he married Rebecca, a glitzy party girl. The marriage was a train wreck and short-lived, but unfortunately her partying ways ended tragically, and Zach was left as medical conservator when she was declared unresponsive and in a vegetative state. Zach felt he was in no position to take her off life support after her parent bitterly contested his rights since he wasn’t her husband at the time.

Four years later Prosecutor Kate Lennon shows up at his door when Rebecca’s convicted attacker, Eban Clarke, has been released early and she needs a way to put him away for good. The only way to do that is with new charges, like murder if Rebecca is taken off life support. Zach wants nothing to do with the whole situation.

Eban Clarke is a rich, spoiled, no-good, sociopath without a speck of remorse for all he’s done. When he hears Kate and Zach may be cooking up a way to send him to prison again, he sets his own plans in motion. This guy was a piece of work and his POV filled me with dread!

Of course, there’s a romance, ill-advised because of the circumstances, but the heat between Zach and Kate was hard to ignore. Stolen moments of passion are interspersed in between looking for a way to put Eban away for good, and trying to stay alive. Never a dull moment!

I’m always sucked right in from the first page, as I was with Overkill, clamoring for more with her cliffhanger-like chapter endings. Overkill was fast-paced, full of action and rounded out with a steamy romance. Zach was Ms. Brown’s kind of standard hero, a man’s man, and a little bit of an asshole at the beginning, and I loved him! Kate was a likable heroine, smart with a passion for justice, which I understood once getting to know her background.

Sandra Brown is one of my all-time favorite mystery/romantic suspense writers! I eagerly look forward to her new releases, but I’ve gone back and read and enjoyed a lot of her back list, too. Highly recommended!

While this genre isn’t my typical go-to, I really enjoyed the characters and fast pace! Once I started, I truly couldn’t put it down until I finished! I may have just become a Sandra Brown fan in just one sitting!

A great, quick read by Sandra Brown.
Zach (an ex NFL quarterback) meets meets Kate (a prosecutor) when she comes to try to convince him to remove life support that is keeping Rebecca (his ex-wife) alive. Eban (the person responsible for her being in this condition) has been granted an early release from prison. If Rebecca is no longer alive, Eban can be charged with second degree murder. When Eban learns of Kate’s plan, he will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening. There are a lot of suspenseful moments and some romance between Zach and Kate.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a “ just one more chapter before bed” kind of book. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A vivid riveting story of love , mystery and revenge ! I loved this book and highly recommend ! Thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book ! Opinions are solely my own !
#Netgalley #GrandCentralPublishing #Overkill

This is another awesome book by this author. I’ve never read one of hers that disappointed. This was a great mystery with drama, suspense and plenty of action. I thought Zack and Kate were a great couple and I enjoyed their story. I found the plot to be very interesting and entertaining. Very good read. *thank you NetGalley for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review*

Sandra Brown gently tackles the delicate topic of end-of-life rights in her latest thriller Overkill, a tale of sex, murder, and justice.

When an attractive woman shows up on his doorstep with a sheath of papers and stilettos that sink into the North Carolina mud, disgraced quarterback Zach Bridger thinks he knows precisely why she has come. A developer has been trying to entice him to sell his gorgeous mountainside property but Zack isn’t budging. He gives the woman a few choice words, attempting to send her on her way with a firm - and impolite - no.

Kate Lennon is a rising star in her field, a state prosecutor known for her meticulous work and strong ethical stances. Zack might have mistaken her for some real estate guru’s lackey, but she has no intention of letting him shake her off with his bad attitude and cold demeanor. When he tears up the paperwork she hands him, she follows it with a business card and a command for him to meet her the next day at the location written on the back. Then she leaves.

Zach, made curious by her confidence that he’ll show up, pieces the ripped letter together and realizes she has a reason for her certainty. Rather than trying to get him to sell his land, Kate is there about his ex-wife. Getting hitched to Rebecca Pratt had been one of Zach’s biggest mistakes - their ten-month marriage had taken only three months to implode into affairs, drunken fights, and drug-fueled public fiascos - Rebecca was a messy party girl who liked being in the news and didn’t care about smearing Zach’s image. Their divorce was meant to free Zach from her and all the nasty publicity she thrived on, but four years after they parted ways, Zach received a shocking call. Rebecca was the victim of a violent assault, choked nearly to death during a ménage à trois that had taken a very bad turn and left her in a vegetative state. It wouldn’t have affected Zach - except for causing him to pity her - but in typical Rebecca fashion, she had failed to remove his name from her medical power-of-attorney, and Zach was tasked with making an impossible choice as to whether or not to keep her on life support. Rebecca’s religious parents were furious at his having this kind of power over Rebecca’s life and caused a media storm to erupt around the situation. Zach ultimately walked away, letting the Pratt family have the final say, but the traumatic event left him a mess, unable to continue his stellar career and besmirched in the eyes of his once adoring fans.

That’s the past. In the present, Rebecca's attacker, Eban, is released from prison on a good behavior proviso. Kate is livid about this miscarriage of justice and determined to see him back behind bars - only double jeopardy means she can’t retry him for the same crime. Her only hope is to have Rebecca disconnected from life support because with Rebecca dead, the wealthy, entitled Eban can be tried for murder. But Rebecca’s father won’t authorize such an act. Kate needs Zach to override him by using his power of attorney.

Eban’s lawyer is no fool. Fully aware that Eban’s shortened sentence has the D.A.’s office in a tizzy, he understands just what could happen if Rebecca dies. Eban face a murder trial, but the friends who perjured themselves for him have also since distanced themselves and it is entirely plausible they might be willing to tell the truth the next time they are forced on the witness stand. Advising his client of these issues is what he is ethically required to do - but the man has serious qualms as to what will happen once he does. He is right to be concerned - Eban has no intention of leaving himself vulnerable to a return prison stay. And he has the money, connections, and lack of scruples to ensure that never happens.

With over thirty novels under her belt, Sandra Brown is an expert at writing mysteries. She has smooth, descriptive prose which makes her books a pleasure to read and the pacing here is perfect for the story she is telling. The plot is expertly done - the question of just what happened to Rebecca and the suspense engendered by Eban’s callous behaviors as he exits prison is pitch perfect.

This is more suspense than romance and Kate and Zach’s relationship is left at the HFN stage. The author does a nice job of showing how they got there and building the relationship, but I’m glad she left it where she does. A HEA would not have felt natural given the short amount of time they have together and how much they have going on during that period.

I liked Zach. He is the typical Alpha hero that Brown writes about - strong, successful, smart, wealthy, loyal to the few people he has in his life, and protective of the heroine once he meets her. He doesn’t break new ground for the author but his familiarity is part of his appeal.

I liked Kate less because of how she handles the situation with Rebecca. Rather than meeting with Zach and Rebecca’s dad and honoring their reluctance to pull Rebecca off life support, Kate badgers them. I hated how she approaches Zach during their second meeting, coyly rehashing the horror that surrounded Rebecca’s assault before finally being honest with him about why she is there. I found her excuse for being interested in Rebecca’s incident flimsy - there are close to three thousand rapes every year in Georgia (where the crime happened.) I expected at some point for the text to show that Kate had inside information on Eban, but it doesn’t. The narrative does share an experience that would have explained why Kate was interested in seeing rapists brought to justice but it doesn’t enlighten us as to why she is drawn to this particular one. I couldn’t help but think her investment here was because this would be a career-making case. She is smart, driven, and ethical - all points in her favor - but she’s a tad too willing to use others to get ahead.

Part of the conflict surrounding Rebecca is the right-to-life issue. Is someone kept alive through feeding tubes and medical interventions but otherwise technically brain dead truly alive? I’ve seen some books do an amazing job of analyzing that question but I struggled with how it is dealt with in Overkill. It is presented as a clash between a religious family and a fact-driven lawyer but the people of faith are depicted as duplicitous, bible-thumping jerks. It’s done in a rather heavy-handed manner and is jarring rather than enlightening. Fortunately, it’s a relatively small part of the story.

Kate’s seemingly self-serving concern over Rebecca’s criminal case and the inept handling of the Pratt family’s faith issues keep Overkill from DIK status but it is still a really good suspense novel. I think fans of the author will enjoy this and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a straightforward, stand-alone mystery.

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I love Sandra Brown’s book and Overkill was no exception. Great plot and character dynamics. There are many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I definitely recommend this book.

Sandra Brown is a new to me author and color me impressed with her latest release, Overkill.

Zach, a former NFL Quarterback, is seemingly enjoying retirement in his mountain villa when a prosecutor shows up ready to dig back into the past that he wishes he could forget. Zach has the power to help the prosecutor (Kate) bring justice to a family and a judgment befitting of his crimes to a criminal recently released from jail, but at what cost?

I thoroughly enjoyed this thought provoking, thrilling yet simultaneously spicy novel. I loved the evolution of chemistry between Zach, the eternal grump, and Kate, a beaming ray of sunshine, and how it deftly wove between the substantial plot. I found myself deep in thought several times throughout this read wondering what I myself would do if found in a similar situation. The addition of the villain’s perspective was a nice touch and I thought that the side characters were well written.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC & Happy Pub Day to Sandra Brown!

Zach Bridger receives a call asking to make an impossible decision - keep his ex-wife Rebecca, who he hasn't seen since their divorce, on life support after an attack or take her off of it. After deferring this choice to her parents, Rebecca's attacker gets out of prison on early release. She has been kept alive, but if she were to die, Eban would be charged with murder. Zach has another impossible choice to make. Should he let Rebecca die or let her abuser walk free?

I kind of went into this one blind and thought it would be more of a thriller. This one was more of a romance and unfortunately fell flat for me. There were some exciting points during the book, but the romance between Zach and Kate took precedent.

This is the first book I have read written by Sandra Brown. I enjoyed the story from the get go. The mix of suspense and romance was done well. I will look into reading more from this author.

This was my first Sandra Brown book and I was intrigued by it based on the description. I thought it would be more of a thriller but found it to be more of a romance with a twist. I think it had potential to be more suspenseful but the ending did leave me surprised. I could have done without the corny football references which I felt like were trying too hard to push the narrative that he was once a big shot.

I enjoyed this thriller and really enjoyed the cast of characters. The moral dilemmas that most of the characters faced were fascinating but particularly Zach's decisions to keep Rebecca on life support or not and how his/her relationship weighed into that but also her relationship with her parents. While enjoyable, I found the pacing to be difficult at times but it doesn't detract from this being a solid thriller. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Party girl Rebecca Pratt lay comatose, barely existing after a night of drugs, booze and partying with Eban Clarke, Cal Parsons and Theo Simpson for which Eban was sent to prison.
Prior to their divorce, Rebecca Pratt and her husband Zach Bridger gave each other a medical power of attorney. Imagine his surprise when he discovered Rebecca had written a proviso keeping it valid after the divorce. Wanting nothing to do with her life or death decision, Zach turns over control to her parents Doug and Mary Pratt who place her into a specialty care facility for which he covers the cost and moves on.
When Eban is released from prison a couple of years later, he resumes his role of a spoiled rich kid. He discovers that if Rebecca dies, he could be charged with murder and sent back to prison. Knowing he is walking a fine line, depending on her life or death, he makes plans to make sure Zach doesn't pull the plug. But first, he also needs to take care of State prosecutor Kate Lennon who wants to send him back to prison where he belongs.
#SandraBrown #Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book. The opinions are my own.

3.5 out of 5 stars

I felt drawn into Overkill right from the start. I liked the little twists along the way as the story built, details emerged, and Zach and Kate connected. Overall, I thought this was a great read with a sweet romance and a light suspense element mixed together making for a captivating story.

I really liked Zach and Kate meeting and getting to know one another while dealing with Eban and the turmoil and conflict Zach had because of his ex-wife. I felt drawn into his predicament, there was a lot of anguish and pain there. I also liked the conflict Zach and Kate faced because of her position but I could feel the chemistry they had in spite of it.

I thought the romance and drama balanced well but they both felt more subdued and low-key to me, I found myself wanting more. I wanted more passion and substance between Kate and Zach. I did love all the different perspectives and voices and how they made the story feel rich and full. It was the build as everything developed, layers unfolded, and truths were learned about all the different character's motivations that had me turning the page. There were some tough subjects touched upon and I thought it was handled well. I enjoyed the conclusion and was happy Zach and Kate got their happily ever after but there were some things I thought that were wrapped up too easily.

Bottom line, this was a quick, easy read that I felt invested in, I found the story exciting.

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.