The interesting tale of Zack a former NFL qb and the exwife that he thought he was through with until the night of her fateful accident. Rebecca was at a party where she partied a little too hard with Eban and ended up on life support. Even though they were divorced Zack is her power of attorney. Zack spends the next few weeks trying to find out what really happened that night with Eban. He also struggles whether to take Rebecca off life support so further charges can be filed against Eban.

I have not read A Sandra Brown novel in years. As with past books of Brown's, Overkill offers strong characters, nail-biting suspense, and a decent, provocative storyline. The narration was well-done.

Well I hadn't read a Sandra Brown book in a while but I've always been a fan. And I remembered why when I read Overkill.

Brown's writing flows smoothly and she usually has an interesting premise. This book started quite slow and by 20-30% of it I was getting really frustrated with the pace. Then it picked up nicely. The plot is simple and basic, making Overkill a nice light mystery/thriller to read in the summer.

I enjoyed both main characters, with their development slowly building across the story. Zach was quite a likable character, sometimes a bit too much, which felt unrealistic at times.

I listened to the audiobook format for this one, and the narrator was really good which helped a lot during the slower pace part of the book. I'll definitely seek this narrator's audiobooks in the future.

I received an advanced listener's copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

If Sandra Brown writes a book, you can bet I will read it. Her fast paced romantic suspense keep me coming back for more and this one was no different. I went into this one blind because I just pick up her books no matter what and I was suprised with this one, it had so much depth and emotion built into such a suspenseful story.
Zack's ex wife, Rebecca, loved to party and this time she took it too far. The book opens with Zack learning about an accident where Rebecca is left brain dead and she still had him named to decide her fate in such an event, so he is stricken with what to do.
Fast forward to two years later, and Zack has retired from the NFL (a forced retirement) and lives alone in the mountains of NC. Rebecca's assailant is up for parlole when a lawyer gunning for him to do more time visits him. Kate is no nonsense and wants Zack to know that Eban (the self entitled rich kid who hurt Rebecca) will be out of prison and back on the streets to harm other girls if he doesn't revisit Rebecca's life support. If Rebecca dies, Eban can be charged with a separate crime, murder.
When Eban finds out that Kate is coming after him, he will stop at nothing to make sure he doesn't go back to prison.
I enjoyed the book a lot because it was thought provoking as well as a thriller. While we knew the bad guy this time, we didn't know how it would end and that is what kept me coming back for more till the end.
The romance was true to Sandra's style and I was all for Zack and Kate even if they had to tread lightly because of the situation they were in.
Thank you to Sandra Brown, Hachette Audio and Negalley for an audio early copy.

After a brutal assault Rebecca is reluctantly placed on life support by her ex husband, Zach who still somehow had power of attorney. Four years later Rebecca’s attacker is let out of prison. Zach then is approached by a prosecutor hoping to send the attacker back to jail but needs to Rebecca pass away to do so. This villain then hears about this plan and comes up with his own plan to make sure Zach’s days are numbered.

I’ve heard so many amazing things about this author from my family members who always binge her books. I was excited to get this one approved on NetGalley and dove right into my first book by this author.

I do appreciate romance in my suspense books but I found there wasn’t a ton of suspense in this one. I wanted to find out what happened but was a bit bored on the way. The characters were a bit flat and I didn’t care too much about them. I definitely want to try another book by this author in future.

Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaudio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Zach is on vacation when he receives unexpected news about his ex wife, Rebecca being placed on life support after a assault. Finding out he has medical POA.

The premise and cover drew me to this book. Eban, a rich and wild guy violently assaults Rebecca. While he’s in jail for two years, he’s released on good behavior, and this is where Zach (ex-husband) and Kate, state prosecutor meet up to see what other options Kate has to prosecute Eban.

The story was a bit slow at the beginning but it picked up pace and towards the end the action definitely picked up pace and I was on the edge of my seat listening intently.

The narrator, Kyf Brewer did a decent job of portraying Zach. It took me awhile to distinguish which tones, he was using for multiple men characters.

I would say that this is a mystery romance book. It did pick up pace towards the end. But it wasn’t a full on thriller for me. Several spicy scenes as well.

✨Special thanks to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

Let. E start off by saying this is my first book I have read by Sandra Brown but I can tell you it will for sure not be my last. The mixture of suspense with romance is something I can definitely enjoy and for for that reason (among others) this was an easy read.

I received the physical. Copy through Grand Central Publishing and then the audiobook through Netgalley. This book was one that intrigued me from the jump. The book focuses around Zach Bridger, his ex-wife Rebecca, and a night no one will forget.

Years after their divorce Rebecca ends up in a group sex event that leaves her on life support and her ex-husband has to decide if they need to stop life saving measures. The book starts with you seeing what lead u0 to the even that ultimately cost Rebecca her quality of life. The book then skips to the man Eban Clarke, who was the main culprit in the events, being released early from jail. From there Zack and the prosecutor Kate Lennon try to keep Eban from harming anyone else and try to come up with a plan so that they can get Eban behind bars again.

This book had some twist and turns, there were two steamier scenes but nothing crazy. Zack is a character you want to root for and I found myself wanting him to find a solution to the issues of his life that would bring him peace.

This book was great. I’m not sure I will reread it but I know it will be a book that I will continue to think about. Do yourself a favor and give this book a read.

This book was a little lackluster for me. There as a lot more romance than I was prepared for.. or should I say sexual tension. I guess technically it was considered a thriller, but it was slow paced and just not my favorite. I wonder if I would have read a physical copy if it would have made it any better. The narrator was ok, but didn’t capture my attention and draw me in the way some do. I wouldn’t say this book is bad, just not necessarily for me.

Hi! Overkill by Sandra Brown is a standalone book categorized as a thriller (I read it as an audiobook). I say categorized as a thriller because for me, I found no element of a thriller in it. If there are such elements in the story beyond the two-fifth mark, I wouldn’t know (I DNF’d it).

Frankly, it wasn’t that the writing was bad or that the narrator didn’t do a good job. I just wasn’t enjoying the story. Or more accurately, I was indifferent- I wasn’t even slightly curious to know what happens next.

Book Review-

What I liked- the book was written well and the narrator was easy to follow along to.

What I didn’t enjoy- we start off with chapters that include a lot of objectification of women. And that would make sense, since it’s written partly from the perspective of a daddy’s boy- he’s rich, spoiled and objectifies women. But the parts written from the protagonist’s version were pretty much the same in terms of cataloguing the female protagonist’s butt. While I got that it was done to show that he was attracted to her, it was not done well. The first thing he notices (on multiple occasions) was her physique. So, well, that wasn’t for me.

Another main point- there was NO element of a thriller. Or even a hint of one. The plot was mostly focused on the protagonist’s attraction to the prosecutor and his dilemma (I’m being generous- I only picked up irritation and anger from him) on what to do regarding his ex-wife.

All-in-all, this is not a read/ audiobook I would recommend. It publishes later this month so if you do decide to pick it up then, I hope you have a different (better) experience with it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free audiobook of this read in exchange for my honest review.

My first book by Sandra Brown and it didn't disappoint! The narrator was great and easy to listen to. This was a great story that started out with a cast of characters you'd likely turn on the TV and see on any Hollywood big screen. Zach, a superstar football player with all the money and women he wants at his disposal, led an unhappy and uneventful life up until the news that the man accused of putting his ex-wife into a vegetative state is being released from jail. Zach thought he wiped his hand clean of anything to do with his ex and his past life with her until he finds out he is responsible for deciding her fate. What I loved most about this story is the way Zach grew as a person and began making the choices of a respected man. But, don't be fooled...this story is full of shady characters and shocking plot twists. I will definitely read more by Sandra Brown.

As a Sandra Brown fan for over 20 years, I was super excited for this one but ultimately it was underwhelming. While it is a nice blend of family drama and romance and the writing was good, I found the storyline predictable and not compelling or thrilling at all. I listened to the audiobook and I did not care for the narrator. I’m still a fan of Brown, but this one just wasn’t up to par for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio for this copy in exchange for a review.

This is the first time I have ever listened to Sandra Brown. I have loved her books for years but have not been able to keep up with the new stuff. So, this was a nice return to her story telling.

Zach is an ex pro football player. Kate is a member of the Attorney General’s office, and she is seeking out Zack for one thing: to turn his ex-wife’s life support off. Rebecca has been surviving in a special facility after a traumatic brain injury for four years. Until the incident, Zach had no idea he was still the person who held the power over medical decisions. He and Rebecca had been divorced for 5 years. Rebecca’s condition is no accident. Eban was sentenced to prison for his part in Rebecca’s condition, but has just been released early. Eban comes from an extremely wealthy family. When he was released, he was given back his passports and his rights to move around as he sees fit.

Kate knows Eban should not be out. He will just continue to do what he did to Rebecca to others. But she can not retry him for battery, or anything thing else. Double Jeopardy. However, there are statues of limitations for murder, and since Rebecca’s current condition was caused by Eban and his “friends” when she dies, Eban can be tried for murder.

This book was highly interesting. Was it Sandra’s best? No, but I still enjoyed the ride of the story. The end did drag on a little, and parts of it pissed me off, but overall it was an entertaining listen. I really liked the audiobook narrator. They had the perfect rasp to their voice for really make it feel like Zach was telling this story. But at the same time, that rasp could be grating on the ears if one listened to it too loud, for example in the car with all the windows down. I now have an urge to grab audios of the other Sandra Brown books I have missed over the year.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting or hoping for. I thought I’d be getting something that would keep my attention but unfortunately I was really bored. I didn’t like the narrator, I found his voice to be super cringey. The plot just fell flat for me and I feel like it just was a bit too long. I never connected with the characters and couldn’t wait for it to end.

The narrator was perfect for this book—it’s exactly how I would expect the main character to sound. Story was great—drama, action, romance—it had it all and would make an excellent movie someday.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing for the review copy of Sandra Brown's Overkill. I have not read this author's work before so I was a bit surprised that this was more a suspense romance story filled with steamy scenes as opposed to a mystery thriller/court drama as I somewhat expected that based on the book summary. I am guessing fans of this author will find this a solid reflection of her work and will enjoy it but it wasn't quite for me.

As this is a review of the audiobook I want to note that the audiobook production was strong, I have not quibbles with the performance or style of the audiobook. My review overall though has to comment that I felt that a book written for a general female/women audience shouldn't be so much from a male voice and male perspective, that just did not work for me even though narration was well done. If this had been more a story of the actual complexity of medical and ethical decisions and a somewhat unique legal case and explored more from the attorney's perspective... this might have really worked for me. The plot was just too directed on the "bad guy" and the male MC and their thoughts and actions and it was not that interesting to listen to. The ending scene too was just not effective and didn't really reflect a lot of character growth.

Hot Cha-Cha! 😳😯🤯

As always, Brown does a great job with this suspenseful, mystery novel. While I'm not a major fan of the romance (albeit small in this) it didn't take away anything from the real plot for me. I kept hoping, though, for something a bit bigger and more - waiting for "it" to happen but sadly that didn't happen like she's done with some of her books in the past. She still managed to keep me on the edge of my seat with the tension that ramped up like a tightly woven tightrope all aside!

Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: Zach used to be an MVP Super Bowl quarterback years ago. He had been married to Rebecca for a very short time and then shortly after being divorced, ended up on life support due a violent assault against her. With him holding power-of-attorney for her medical decisions, leaving him with the weight of keeping her on or off life support. He leaves the decision to her parents and walks away. Now, the attacker, Ebon, is set to be released early and Kate, a state prosecutor is determined to put him behind bars once and far all, seeking Zach for help. But what's at stake is more than just Rebecca's life - it's also Ebon's. And desperate men can lead to desperate measures.

Now I will say, I've read quite a few Brown's novels and loved them, but this one didn't rank quite as high for me. While the suspense & mystery were great, I missed the thriller aspect to it and felt it was lacking. But that aside, I enjoyed the great mystery and unraveling of how things were connected and came to be. She's always been such an incredible thriller & suspense writer to me for years & she hasn't lost her touch in the least. While not my top favourite, it still delivered and had her trademarks of a gripping novel I always appreciate.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for this ARC.
Release Date: August 16, 2022

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 3.5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊

Great characters, great conflict

I would like to thank Sandra Brown, Hachette Audio, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read/listen to a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers

Loved this! The hero, Zack, wasn’t a total jackass, as some Brown heroes have been, and the heroine, Kate, was likable and down-to-earth. Both had the integrity to not give in to their baser instincts, which I appreciated and which immediately earned my respect. Bing was also a favorite. I think Zack needed a dog, he seemed like the type to have one, but I understand that might have complicated his ability to leave at a moment’s notice and be away for days. I could have lived without Zack being a football star: I don’t like sports; I don’t have much respect for professional athletes; his football analogies went over my head; and professional athlete romances have their own dedicated genre—but I liked him, and the story, anyway.

The dilemma of whether or not to pull the plug on a human vegetable isn’t new, but I haven’t read one in a quite a while, so it felt fresh to me. Additionally, I never realized there’s a type of vegetative state in which the patient has wake and sleep cycles. Just like in Zack’s mind, that added a whole new layer of uncomfortable to the problem for me. It’s one thing for a person to be kept alive by machines; it feels more natural for them to be dead, and it’s just a matter of flipping a switch and letting the blood stop circulating. With the type of state Rebecca was in (same as a coma? No? Not sure, and I don’t recall the book addressing) she was breathing on her own and her eyes would open, there was just no brain activity. A more or less functional vessel, but no soul. To “pull the plug” on her, at least to my understanding, meant to stop feeding and hydrating her and let her systems shut down. Took three days. Why they couldn’t have euthanized her with Zack and Doug’s legal permission, I’m not sure. I don’t remember the book addressing that, either, but it did make very plain the ethical quagmire of the whole situation. I did not envy Zack his role in it all, not one bit.

There was plenty going on to keep my attention, plenty of suspense, a great balance between exposition and dialogue. I wouldn’t call this Brown’s grittiest book, but her signature bluntness was present. She could perhaps have taken us on a hike with Zack once before the end to foreshadow/better establish how it would end; it felt almost too easy or lazy. There was plenty of fog foreshadowing, though.

Overall, I had a great time reading Overkill and look forward to next year’s book!

Way too many characters to keep up with. I was so confused. The story wasn’t engaging to me. This book wasn’t for me. None of the characters were like able.

Sandra Brown is an author that I used to read regularly but haven't picked up for a while. I have to say that I don't remember them being so steamy! There is alot or romance/sex in this book and I don't usually read these types of books. I would classify this more of a romantic suspense than a mystery/thriller.

That being said, I did enjoy it. I listened to the audiobook thanks to Hachette Audio and Netgalley. It was a family and legal drama of a high profile, former footballer, Zach Bridger. He has been divorced from his ex-wife, Rebecca Pratt for 5 years. But when she ends up on life support in hospital, he find that she still has home named as her medical advisor, and it is up to him when the machine gets turned off. Unable to make the decision, he passed that responsibility onto her parents. 4 years later, her attacker is released on early release from prison. Rebecca is still on life support. Prosecutor, Kate Lennon tracks Zach down to discuss the situation and the fact that the attacker has gotten away with what he did. Will Zach run the life support off and have Eban charged with murder? Sparks fly between Kate and Zach from the very beginning.

Thoughts: Although I had never read a Sandra Brown novel, I had very high hopes for this one going in. Equal parts romance and suspense, with subtle ‘Fracture’ vibes, it seemed like a guarantee that I would love it. A few pages in, I realized this was not the case.

Although I didn’t completely dislike it, and was able to fly right though it, I don’t think this was the book for me. The characters felt very one dimensional and flat. I struggled to connect to any of them and ultimately did not care what the final outcome was. Everything felt very superficial and inauthentic.

I liked the overall premise of the story, but I feel like the author could have done more with it. During most of the book, there seemed to be a lot of plot happening while simultaneously nothing seemed to be happening. I would have loved to have more scenes featuring Rebecca, and the use of flashbacks would have added a depth to this story that was missing. There is so much surrounding the event that occurs that is never flushed out.

This is a story that will appeal to some. While it was not a favorite for me, If you are a fan of this author and her writing style, I would suggest giving this one a try.