Lifeline Echoes

Jul 13, 2011 Laura Mcquillen rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 l...more 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.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 10, 2011 Sharon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-general

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

**SPOILERS**
Alexandra (Sandy) Wheaton was an EMT dispatch operator working the day an earthquake hit LA, after receiving an emergency dispatch call from a trapped firefighter she becomes his lifeline and in just under 24 hours; until she was given the news he had passed away falls in love with him. Honoring a promise she made to ‘Mick’ to one day visit his hometown, she travels to Wyoming, purchases the popular town bar and makes a new life for herself, neve...more http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com

**SPOILERS**
Alexandra (Sandy) Wheaton was an EMT dispatch operator working the day an earthquake hit LA, after receiving an emergency dispatch call from a trapped firefighter she becomes his lifeline and in just under 24 hours; until she was given the news he had passed away falls in love with him. Honoring a promise she made to ‘Mick’ to one day visit his hometown, she travels to Wyoming, purchases the popular town bar and makes a new life for herself, never forgetting a man she barely knew.

Ryan McGee has spent 7 years of his life thinking about and searching for his ‘Angel’, the voice who kept him going but never having any luck.

Ryan reluctantly left his hometown of Wyoming as a teen under the midst of controversy but returns after 16 years to help his father and brother out on the family ranch. The small town never seemed to understand why he left or forgive him for what had happened to his cousin Mac McCoy, not knowing he had actually saved him from a life of brutality.

There was an instant attraction between Ryan and Sandy, a pull that neither could explain but he could never seem to fully give himself until he had closure from his past, the person who had given him hope and believed in him.

The mystery behind who was sabotaging Sandy & Ryan’s property had me intrigued but it was also unsettling to think that something that happened when he was a young boy would still follow him as a man, it definitely was the case of small town mentality (no offense ;). I also found myself questioning why it was Ryan’s responsibility to take care of his cousin Mac when he was so young himself, isn’t that what the authorities are for??

I can’t pinpoint what I didn’t love about this book, the relationship & connection between the h/h was great but I think the drama in between put me off; I would have loved to have more of a back-story about both Ryan and more so Sandy rather than the suspense and what was happening on the ranch. Parts of the story were a tad too far fetched.

I am not generally a fan of immediate declarations of love; I like a slow build up to how a h/h feels, to slowly watch a relationship develop, so the ‘I love you’ coming so soon into them meeting didn’t really sit well for me.

I found myself wishing the story along so it would be revealed who they really were to one another but it was sadly drawn out.
It was satisfying little HEA. I wanted to love Lifeline Echoes, it had the potential to be such a great book, I loved the premise for the storyline but sadly it wasn’t such a captivating read for me.

2.5/5(less)

like · see review

Jun 17, 2011 Laura Mcquillen rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 l...more 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.(less)

like · see review

Apr 22, 2011 Charlotte Blackwell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Lifeline Echoes is a must read. Kay Springsteen takes us on a emotional roller coaster, experiencing every emotion throughout this read. I was hooked on the first page and in tears by page 10, there was no putting it down. Sandy and Ryan the main characters have everything you could expect in a hero and heroine and leaves you cheering for them right to the very end. I feel in love with these characters and with their story. I can only hope there is more to their tale, but even if not the story c...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 04, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, western-fiction-romance

From the first time I read the blurb all the way to the clicking onto the last page, I was enchanted by this book. The story is told in the present time with periodic flashbacks to explain what happened seven years before.

This is the story of Ryan McGee and Alexandra 'Sandy' Wheaton who first met across the airwaves of a two way radio during an LA earthquake. He was an emergency responder to a fire and she the emergency dispatcher. When Ryan or'Mick' as Alexandra calls him is trapped under the r...more From the first time I read the blurb all the way to the clicking onto the last page, I was enchanted by this book. The story is told in the present time with periodic flashbacks to explain what happened seven years before.

This is the story of Ryan McGee and Alexandra 'Sandy' Wheaton who first met across the airwaves of a two way radio during an LA earthquake. He was an emergency responder to a fire and she the emergency dispatcher. When Ryan or'Mick' as Alexandra calls him is trapped under the rubble from the building collapse during an aftershock, Alexandra or 'Angel' as he calls her is the one who stayed on the radio with him to the bitter end- or so she thought.

One of Ryan's wishes is for Sandy to visit Wyoming so when she hears that he died she does just that and puts down roots by buying the local bar and keeping her fiesty horse out at the McGee ranch. Its a small town and the people are just starting to accept her when everyone starts talking about the black sheep Ryan McGee returning home.

Ryan is called back by a troubling letter from his younger brother. It doesn't take long for him to learn that mysterious incidents and 'accidents' are slowly destroying the ranch. Many still blame him for an incident that happened years ago that caused him to leave home so there is little sympathy for his circumstances.

The bright side for Ryan is his immediate attraction to the beautiful sexy bar owner, Sandy, and her attraction for him. Neither of them realize that they are Mick and Angel from seven years ago in LA. Ryan had been searching for his angel from the moment that he recovered from his injuries, but though she promised to wait for him, his angel had disappeared.

This story is a blend of sweet contemporary romance and high drama western. It is interesting that as the reader I was in the know all along that Ryan and Sandy were the ones who had connected seven years earlier. You would think that would make this story predictable and take away some of the build up in the plot, but it just made it more interesting. I kept sighing in frustration when they would miss the opportunities to discover the truth. The moment of truth for both of them was so awesome that I forgave Kay Springsteen for toying with my patience.

The plot and pace were well done. There were two plots going on in the story. There was the romance between the hero and heroine and the ranch feud situation with the McKays which made things pretty tense and also drove the plot along to its nail biting climax. I worked through and guessed several things accurately about the 'who's and 'why's of the story and there were still some surprises.

The characters were extremely likeable from Ryan and Sandy to Justin, Sean, and Mel. The McKay family were not as predictable as they might seem on the surface as the obvious bad guys. Then there were all the minor 'Small Town' characters to fill it all in.

Wonderful Contemporary Western Romance!

(less)

like · see review

Jun 30, 2011 Julie Carter rated it 5 of 5 stars

Kay Springsteen truly is a master of the English language and a true artist with the written word. Reading her words transported me to the events transpiring as they happened. This story is powerful and exciting, difficult to turn down a page. It is filled with mystery and adventure, freedom in the wide-open spaces of the beautiful rural areas of Wyoming after heartbreak and disaster in the big city, love and loss—romantic and familial, as well as community. This tale tells about coming home … i...more

like · see review

Aug 11, 2011 Brea Essex rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! It was so sad watching Sandy and Ryan struggling to let go of their past. It was interesting to see how previous events can affect one’s future, even so many years later. I loved the flashbacks to the day Sandy spent on the radio with “Mick” as he waited for rescue. Ms. Springsteen fit them in perfectly and really showed the depth of Sandy’s feelings, even though she spent less than twenty-four hours talking to him. I was surprised to learn of why Ryan had loft Orson’s Folly....more

like · see review

Apr 24, 2012 Katherine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chic-lit, ebook, suspense

I won this ebook on a blog and put off reading it for quite a while. When I did start reading it, I was very concerned about the content and went back to the reviews to see if it was something I really wanted to read. One review in particular made me think I would still like it, so I continued. It is a good story. I liked the characters and the enjoyed the suspense. But while there are no explicit sex scenes in this book, there is a lot of innuendo and references that often made me uncomfortable...more

like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Sarah Ballance rated it 5 of 5 stars

I made the decision to buy LIFELINE ECHOES after reading Kay Springsteen’s blog post The Town Made the Characters. I’d only read about half of it when I not only decided I had to have this book, but actually left in the middle of reading the post to go buy it! Although there she mentions both LIFELINE ECHOES and ELUSIVE ECHOES, I headed right for LIFELINE ECHOES because it’s the first in sequence of the two titles.

And … just, wow.

If you can believe it (and looking back, I cannot), I didn’t even...more I made the decision to buy LIFELINE ECHOES after reading Kay Springsteen’s blog post The Town Made the Characters. I’d only read about half of it when I not only decided I had to have this book, but actually left in the middle of reading the post to go buy it! Although there she mentions both LIFELINE ECHOES and ELUSIVE ECHOES, I headed right for LIFELINE ECHOES because it’s the first in sequence of the two titles.

And … just, wow.

If you can believe it (and looking back, I cannot), I didn’t even read the blurb before I dove in. What followed, then, was the beautiful unfurling of a heartfelt, heart wrenching relationship between Sandy and Mick, a firefighter who whispered promises they both knew he couldn’t keep as his life crept out of reach under the rubble of an earthquake. The 23 hours spent with Mick changed Sandy’s life—changed her soul—and his loss sends her to find solace in the wild, rambling state he once called home. There she settles, in a little Wyoming town at the foot of the Rockies, to start over, but not without Mick. He remains always, always in her heart.

It’s for that reason, then, when prodigal son Ryan McGee comes tearing home my heart did a funny little dip. Moving on? Oh, no. Not after the powerful connection Sandy shared with Mick! But as captivated as Ryan was with Sandy—a fiery bartender and proprietor of her own establishment—he, too, kept his heart locked in the past. The “Angel” he lost from his own life is a permanent part of him—one he’s not willing to share or release. He clutches her memory close, an anchor to his past that keeps him from moving forward.

But that’s only part of the wall Ryan builds between himself and Sandy. Years ago he fled town on the heels of scandal, and however charming the townsfolk of Orson’s Folly, some of their roots run bitter, deep, and thick as thieves. They’ve neither forgotten nor forgiven why or how Ryan left, and in the fallout of his return, his feelings for Sandy land her in the middle of a mess he just can’t bring himself to explain. Those doors remained stubbornly closed—less a few glimpses of what might be—until the breathtaking moment where love, life, and loss converge and threaten to take it all away.

There and then—truly, exquisitely—only the answer remains.

LIFELINE ECHOES is beautifully written. I had the fortune, years ago, of walking the same bit of country where this story is set and I have to say I feel as if I’ve just been back. The imagery is stunning, the characters as real as any ever written. The flashbacks to Sandy’s time with Mick rip at the heart, and without fail they left me in tears. In fact, I did a lot of flat-out sobbing throughout this story, sometimes so thoroughly I thought my breath had left my chest.

As the story grows, so will the reader. LIFELINE ECHOES has an extraordinary ability to capture the heart, quietly filling anything cracked or broken inside with hope and healing. To call it a heartwarming read would be an understatement, but any single attempt to summarize it would be a folly in itself. There are a great many words one could apply to this story, but there’s only one way to give it full justice: read it.

It’s just that good.(less)

like · see review

Sep 05, 2011 Katrina rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. An earthquake rocks LA, causing buildings to collapse trapping firefighters in the ruble. Alexandra ( Sandy) Wheaton was an EMT operator , and received a call from a trapped firefighter – Micky. She becomes his lifeline for 23hrs, talking to him, giving him positive reassurance all will be safe and also falling in love with him. Alexandra gets the heart breaking news that no one survived the collapse, and honoring Mick’s last words, decides to venture onto Wyoming to visit Mick’s home town.

Sett...more

like · see review

Mar 29, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

The true story of love, loss and finding "life" again. Sandy and Ryan both moved to Wyoming on seperate times and not knowing one another, but in the search of something very similar. Ryan has fears of his past causing problems for him and his family, but can't keep staying away. Sandy, never really accepted strives to feel "home". Sandy and Ryan finding one another could bring more trouble or bring a life Ryan and Sandy never expected to find again.

like 1 like · see review

Apr 25, 2011 Kathi Barton added it

An awesome book that both brought tears of laughter and sadness to my eyes. Kay tells a great story that brings you into the people with such love that you hate to have the book end. I look forward to reading more from Kay Springsteen in the future and know that I will be just as happy with it as I was with this one. I recommend this to anyone who wants a great love story.

like 1 like · see review

Apr 30, 2011 Trish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

This was an impulse buy for me from Amazon,and I loved it. The only disappointment was that it ended too soon for me. After all the UST, we don't get to see them together, so if you like smexy times in your book, you will be disappointed.
But it was a beautifully written story with great characters that you rooted for and cried with along the way.

like · see review

Jul 14, 2011 Bri Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sandy and Ryan are characters that are dynamic, fun, flawed, emotional and fallible. A perfect recipe for a tear jerking, knee slapping, western without the West good read. Kay Springsteen is a literary madame, making her word combinations, plot twists and driving emotion work as hard as she does to deliver a read worth more than the price paid.

like · see review

Apr 16, 2011 Englishrose rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think I liked this book even more than the last one I read by her. It was a great story and fabulously written! I loved the way the flashbacks played into the story, as if she was reliving it all the time. The author did an excellent job of keeping you guessing and throwing in twists enough to keep you guessing. Fabulous story. I loved both Ryan and Sandy as characters - well written! The side characters were amazing in that they had enough detail to make them all real people but they got just...more

like · see review

Aug 25, 2012 Felicia Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best stories I’ve read by a new author. Weaving the past events with the present tore at my heart and made me long for more. I couldn’t wait for Sandy and Ryan to realize who they were to each other so they could be together forever.

I didn’t want to put this book down. I longed to know why Ryan left his hometown. I wanted to scream when he wouldn’t answer his buddy’s phone call. My heart thudded against my chest as I read the explanation behind all the strange happenings in th...more

like · see review

Apr 07, 2011 Liz at CBLS rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: kindle-ebook, contemporary, cowboy-western

Kay Springsteen has outdone herself with Lifeline Echos. Once I picked it up, I never laid it down until I'd read the last word. Even re-read the ending.

like · see review

Jun 08, 2012 Lhenry rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-hero, favorite-heroine, favorites

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. This is a romance where the hero and heroine are so well matched and balance each other so well it makes the reader relax and enoy the relationship. The way Sandy and Ryan gradually reveal their characters to each other and to the reader at the same time is a clever counterpoint to the flashback scenes from the earthquake aftermath. The author provided so many twists, turns and surprises in the story. It was almost confusing in fact but all became clear at the end....more

like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting idea for a story line. I liked it but didn't love it.

For those who are concerned about content, while there is no graphic sex in this story, there are quite a bit of innuendos and sexual references.

like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 J.F. Jenkins added it

Made me cry. Like three times!

like · see review

May 18, 2013 Suzan Tisdale marked it as to-read

May 08, 2013 Crystal Austin added it

Apr 02, 2013 Kristin Vayden marked it as to-read

Mar 25, 2013 Alice Gibson marked it as to-read

Shelves: fiction, in-uniform, kindldeliscous, romance, troubled-soul-characters

Mar 17, 2013 Stephanie marked it as to-read

Feb 22, 2013 Marissa marked it as to-read

Jan 28, 2013 Christine marked it as to-read

Jan 13, 2013 Laura marked it as to-read

Dec 15, 2012 Priya (Sweet Picks) marked it as to-read

Dec 14, 2012 Nakristianna marked it as to-read

title link	preview: Lifeline Echoes
avg rating	preview: Lifeline Echoes Goodreads rating: 4.41 (39 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11012023-lifeline-echoes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327941477l/11012023.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11012023-lifeline-echoes?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Lifeline Echoes by Kay Springsteen[/url]

Lifeline Echoes

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (1)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Books by Kay Springsteen

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Lifeline Echoes

Lifeline Echoes

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (1)

Videos About This Book

Genres

Books by Kay Springsteen

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Lifeline Echoes

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (1)