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Barnes Brothers #5
Crashed
Travis Barnes isn’t looking for a happy ever after
Unlike his brothers, he doesn’t think he deserves one. As a teenager, he broke the heart of the girl he’d fallen in love with and he’s never forgiven himself. He sure as hell doesn’t expect her forgiveness.
Since then, he fell into a dangerous double life, one nobody, not even his twin, could begin to guess at. He accepts the risks, hoping to atone for his sins and save others like he couldn't save his former love.
When an assignment lands him in the hospital with a near fatal injury, his handler gives him a choice, take a break…or he’s out. The last thing Travis expects is for his handler to put him up in a house next to her, the woman he’s never been able to forget…
Bella Franklin was once known as Isabel Steele, daughter of a high-powered, corrupt U.S. District Attorney. Meeting Travis Barnes had been the one good thing in her life—then he’d abandoned her.
Years later, living in witness protection, she takes care of foster kids and pretends she’s forgotten him…until the day she finds herself face to face with an unforgettable gaze the color of the ocean. Travis Barnes, the boy who nearly broke her, is now a man who carries shadows in his eyes and holds far too many secrets.
The fire still burns between them. But can she forgive his betrayal, forgive his abandonment? And can she trust the secretive man he’s become?
Trigger this story involves miscarriage, infertility and off-page references to abuse suffered by the heroine (not caused by the hero). It also involves found family and two battered souls who find their way back to each other.
Unlike his brothers, he doesn’t think he deserves one. As a teenager, he broke the heart of the girl he’d fallen in love with and he’s never forgiven himself. He sure as hell doesn’t expect her forgiveness.
Since then, he fell into a dangerous double life, one nobody, not even his twin, could begin to guess at. He accepts the risks, hoping to atone for his sins and save others like he couldn't save his former love.
When an assignment lands him in the hospital with a near fatal injury, his handler gives him a choice, take a break…or he’s out. The last thing Travis expects is for his handler to put him up in a house next to her, the woman he’s never been able to forget…
Bella Franklin was once known as Isabel Steele, daughter of a high-powered, corrupt U.S. District Attorney. Meeting Travis Barnes had been the one good thing in her life—then he’d abandoned her.
Years later, living in witness protection, she takes care of foster kids and pretends she’s forgotten him…until the day she finds herself face to face with an unforgettable gaze the color of the ocean. Travis Barnes, the boy who nearly broke her, is now a man who carries shadows in his eyes and holds far too many secrets.
The fire still burns between them. But can she forgive his betrayal, forgive his abandonment? And can she trust the secretive man he’s become?
Trigger this story involves miscarriage, infertility and off-page references to abuse suffered by the heroine (not caused by the hero). It also involves found family and two battered souls who find their way back to each other.
355 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2023
14 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Shiloh Walker
202 books2,435 followersHello... thanks for swinging by. I don't log into Goodreads much, so if you have questions, please visit my website to email me through my site.
Thank you!
My other me.... J.C. Daniels
And an experimental me that I put to sleep. J. Dallas
Bio...
Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious vampire stories. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, and nearly every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest.
To contact the author, please visit her website!
Thank you!
My other me.... J.C. Daniels
And an experimental me that I put to sleep. J. Dallas
Bio...
Shiloh Walker has been writing since she was a kid. She fell in love with vampires with the book Bunnicula and has worked her way up to the more...ah...serious vampire stories. She loves reading and writing anything paranormal, anything fantasy, and nearly every kind of romance. Once upon a time she worked as a nurse, but now she writes full time and lives with her family in the Midwest.
To contact the author, please visit her website!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 17, 2023
I really enjoyed this book by a new-to-me author. A second-chance romance with found family and some suspense thrown in, it'll give you the feels for sure. I do believe it's book 5 in a series about five brothers, and all of Travis' brothers and their wives appear at some point. Fans of the series will enjoy it, but as a series newbie, I did find it a little confusing at times.
The book starts off in the past, when Isabelle and Travis were youngsters in love but kept apart in one way or another because of her corrupt father. These early years are at first told through messages sent to each other, and I was immediately drawn in. The POV is third person, mostly alternating between Isabelle and Travis, but a fair number of sections are told from the POV is other characters.
I really felt the pain Isabelle and Travis each felt and the joy they felt rediscovering one another. That said, I didn't really get a sense that they spent a lot of time together as teens, at least not enough for burning devotion that lasts a decade. Some of this story might be told in previous books, I don't know, but I still would have liked to see a more convincing backstory.
I was also a little frustrated by the large number of typos and editing fails. I normally let it slide when the book is an ARC and may not yet be fully edited, but there were so many here, and they increased significantly the closer we got to the end. It made the book feel a little rushed, and that feeling was sort of matched by the not fully convincing (and much too quickly resolved) suspense built in to the story. Names mixed up, words missing, sentences phrased in the positive when it's clear the negative was meant and vice versa.
All this aside, I liked the story and would definitely read more by this author.
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!
Content warnings: abuse in characters past, miscarriage/stillbirth in backstory, infertility, dysmorphia, bullying
The book starts off in the past, when Isabelle and Travis were youngsters in love but kept apart in one way or another because of her corrupt father. These early years are at first told through messages sent to each other, and I was immediately drawn in. The POV is third person, mostly alternating between Isabelle and Travis, but a fair number of sections are told from the POV is other characters.
I really felt the pain Isabelle and Travis each felt and the joy they felt rediscovering one another. That said, I didn't really get a sense that they spent a lot of time together as teens, at least not enough for burning devotion that lasts a decade. Some of this story might be told in previous books, I don't know, but I still would have liked to see a more convincing backstory.
I was also a little frustrated by the large number of typos and editing fails. I normally let it slide when the book is an ARC and may not yet be fully edited, but there were so many here, and they increased significantly the closer we got to the end. It made the book feel a little rushed, and that feeling was sort of matched by the not fully convincing (and much too quickly resolved) suspense built in to the story. Names mixed up, words missing, sentences phrased in the positive when it's clear the negative was meant and vice versa.
All this aside, I liked the story and would definitely read more by this author.
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!
Content warnings: abuse in characters past, miscarriage/stillbirth in backstory, infertility, dysmorphia, bullying
November 6, 2023
I was captivated by the poignant reunion of Isabel and Travis, who rediscovered each other's presence after a decade-long separation. Their shared journey through numerous hardships left visible emotional marks, which served as a testament to their resilience. Travis, in particular, stood out as an exceptional individual, burdened by an unwarranted sense of responsibility for the past. It was heartrending to witness his self-blame despite the lack of fault on his part. Furthermore, his immediate acceptance of the foster children under Isabel's care spoke volumes about his character.
The undeniable chemistry between Isabel and Travis made it evident that they were meant to be together, evoking a profound sense of warmth and tenderness. Despite certain sensitive themes explored in the book, and occasional disagreements with some aspects, the overall narrative proved to be a compelling read.
The undeniable chemistry between Isabel and Travis made it evident that they were meant to be together, evoking a profound sense of warmth and tenderness. Despite certain sensitive themes explored in the book, and occasional disagreements with some aspects, the overall narrative proved to be a compelling read.
November 2, 2023
I have not read the previous books in this series but this was a great read. A second chance romance along with some adorable foster kids and just the right amount of suspense, this book had a lot that I look for in a great read. Travis and Isabel had been a teenage couple, but were pulled apart by Isabel’s father. About twenty years later they connect again after Travis had been taking down men who trafficked other people. The job has worn him down and he is recovering from a wound. Isabel is raising 5 children while she is also in witness protection. To say too much more would spoil the enjoyment of the story. But whether you have read the other books or not, this was a really good story. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 13, 2023
Quick Summary: A second chance at life romance
My Review: Crashed by Shiloh Walker is book 5 in the Barnes Brothers series. It features the relationship between Bella Franklin and Travis Barnes.
About the Book: Bella Franklin is not who she appears to be. There is more to her story. Because of her troubled past, she is now in the Witness Protection Program. She has a new life and a forever family to care for. When her past unexpectedly meets her present, she is startled to discover that the only man she ever loved is now her neighbor. Will they finally be able to heal from the wrongs and wounds that separated them?
My Final Say: This is a story that deals with quite a few serious issues. In fact, I would dare say that it is trigger heavy. It would be fair to say that it is a romance, but in actuality, it is more than that. Readers who are drawn to realistic fiction about surviving trauma, gender identity, etc. will understand this book.
Other: This book gets a red light warning. 🚨 Issues presented in this material: rape/sexual assault, trafficking, bullying and intimidation, LGBTQIA, violence, MDK, fostering/adoption. This book also gets a profanity marker.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Shiloh Walker, Inc., IPG), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting the opportunity to review this title.
My Review: Crashed by Shiloh Walker is book 5 in the Barnes Brothers series. It features the relationship between Bella Franklin and Travis Barnes.
About the Book: Bella Franklin is not who she appears to be. There is more to her story. Because of her troubled past, she is now in the Witness Protection Program. She has a new life and a forever family to care for. When her past unexpectedly meets her present, she is startled to discover that the only man she ever loved is now her neighbor. Will they finally be able to heal from the wrongs and wounds that separated them?
My Final Say: This is a story that deals with quite a few serious issues. In fact, I would dare say that it is trigger heavy. It would be fair to say that it is a romance, but in actuality, it is more than that. Readers who are drawn to realistic fiction about surviving trauma, gender identity, etc. will understand this book.
Other: This book gets a red light warning. 🚨 Issues presented in this material: rape/sexual assault, trafficking, bullying and intimidation, LGBTQIA, violence, MDK, fostering/adoption. This book also gets a profanity marker.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Series: Yes
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Shiloh Walker, Inc., IPG), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting the opportunity to review this title.
November 16, 2023
Travis and Bella met as teenagers and they were going to elope as soon as she turned 18 but her father discovered their plans. It is now years later, and they meet again.
November 6, 2023
*4.5 stars*
A suspenseful, heartwarming second chance…
This author knows how to tug at the heartstrings and Bella and Travis’ story did just that. The tragic circumstances around their second chance at a relationship meant this read was sad and hopeful at the same time...
Together as teenagers, their love was torn apart by the will of Bella’s father and a man who deeply regretted his part in it. Wind ahead years later, reparations were being made in hopes that the past, that still haunted them both, could be overcome. Had their lives survived though, that was the question, and, luckily, we were going to find out…
There was so much anger – SO MUCH – and not just from Bella and Travis. His family, hers, they had all suffered. This, in a way, was a chance for all of them to come together or blow apart once and for good.
With deep emotion, light-hearted humour when desperately needed and a whole of charm – in no small part to Bella’s foster children – this was a suspenseful, love-filled read that was the perfect ending to this wonderful series. Of course, now I want Bella's sisters to have their own story...
*I happily reviewed this story
**Thank you to the author and NetGalley
A suspenseful, heartwarming second chance…
This author knows how to tug at the heartstrings and Bella and Travis’ story did just that. The tragic circumstances around their second chance at a relationship meant this read was sad and hopeful at the same time...
Together as teenagers, their love was torn apart by the will of Bella’s father and a man who deeply regretted his part in it. Wind ahead years later, reparations were being made in hopes that the past, that still haunted them both, could be overcome. Had their lives survived though, that was the question, and, luckily, we were going to find out…
There was so much anger – SO MUCH – and not just from Bella and Travis. His family, hers, they had all suffered. This, in a way, was a chance for all of them to come together or blow apart once and for good.
With deep emotion, light-hearted humour when desperately needed and a whole of charm – in no small part to Bella’s foster children – this was a suspenseful, love-filled read that was the perfect ending to this wonderful series. Of course, now I want Bella's sisters to have their own story...
*I happily reviewed this story
**Thank you to the author and NetGalley
November 14, 2023
2.5 stars
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
She’d let her guard down only once. It had destroyed her, breaking her heart into such tiny pieces that she’d never been able to find them all.
Fifth in the Barnes Brothers series, Crashed brings us the last Barnes brother romance. Travis fell in love hard when he was younger and as the story opens up, we get a look at text messages between him and a girl named Isabel that start when they're fifteen. It's a summer romance that grew to more as Isabel's family spends every year at their vacation home by Travis. Through the text messages, readers see Travis and Isabel stay committed to each other even while some looming cloud seems to come from Isabel as she tries to avoid talking about what is really going on with her family. When Travis is eighteen and Isabel turning soon, they come up with a plan to elope and flee to California for awhile, Isabel fearing her father's reaction. Travis knows her father is a U.S. District Attorney and Isabel fears him and has only stayed around to try and protect her younger twin sisters but Isabel has been keeping some important secrets. When an FBI agent lays some harsh facts on Travis but not the full truths, their young love goes up in flames.
If it was the last thing he did in his life, Miles would fix what he’d done to these two.
I haven't read the previous books in the series and I didn't spend a lot of time confused here, you'd just miss out on knowing Travis' brother's love stories; family dynamics get well laid out here and the brothers don't really come into the picture into the latter second half. A few tragic instances befall Isabel, she does talk about rape, losing a baby at birth, and infertility (there's also bullying to other characters) for content warnings. This is a second chance romance with the FBI agent, Miles, trying to fix his mistake of breaking these two apart. He was working a case against Isabel's father, human-trafficking, and Travis gets a bit caught in the cross-fire. On the day he and Isabel were supposed to runaway together, he sees something that has him thinking she's a liar and wasn't serious with him, he feels betrayed and never answers her text or phone calls. Isabel goes through the ringer for awhile, with dealing with the fallout of her father and going into witness protection as she helped give evidence against her father and a personal tormentor of hers named Stephen. A few years after the initial breakup, Miles tries to get these two together but hurts and pains still keep them cold. It isn't until ten years later they have their second chance.
She still loved him. She’d never stopped.
While Isabel went into witness protection and became a foster mom, Travis tries to ease the guilt for how he thinks he betrayed Isabel by going to work for Miles. He starts off working for the government and later as an independent contractor who goes in undercover and helps breakup human trafficking rings. It's a little bit of go along with it as his famous family and his well known face are discussed and how he had plastic surgery to make himself look less like them. When he gets severely injured and Miles sends him to his house on the coast to recuperate, his neighbor turns out to be Isabel. The rest of the story is them looking at each other with their hearts in their eyes and then deciding to get together fairly soon, they have an open door scene around midpoint of book. While there was some of that wonderful angst from the hurtful situations they went through and how their relationship was broken up, I would have liked if it had been gritted out longer. Their relationship almost seemed to take a backseat to Isabel's foster kids' dramas, I almost felt like I knew their characters better than the two that were supposed to be the main couple. The second half also brought in some suspense with a past danger rearing his ugly head and then Travis making up with his family that he had iced out for the last decade.
There just wasn't enough continuous focus on the romantic relationship development for me but the ending did deliver a happily ever after bow ending. If you've been a reader of the series, you'll probably love seeing this last Barnes get his HEA and a possible tease for the series to spin-off with one of Isabel's sisters and an operator friend of Travis.
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
She’d let her guard down only once. It had destroyed her, breaking her heart into such tiny pieces that she’d never been able to find them all.
Fifth in the Barnes Brothers series, Crashed brings us the last Barnes brother romance. Travis fell in love hard when he was younger and as the story opens up, we get a look at text messages between him and a girl named Isabel that start when they're fifteen. It's a summer romance that grew to more as Isabel's family spends every year at their vacation home by Travis. Through the text messages, readers see Travis and Isabel stay committed to each other even while some looming cloud seems to come from Isabel as she tries to avoid talking about what is really going on with her family. When Travis is eighteen and Isabel turning soon, they come up with a plan to elope and flee to California for awhile, Isabel fearing her father's reaction. Travis knows her father is a U.S. District Attorney and Isabel fears him and has only stayed around to try and protect her younger twin sisters but Isabel has been keeping some important secrets. When an FBI agent lays some harsh facts on Travis but not the full truths, their young love goes up in flames.
If it was the last thing he did in his life, Miles would fix what he’d done to these two.
I haven't read the previous books in the series and I didn't spend a lot of time confused here, you'd just miss out on knowing Travis' brother's love stories; family dynamics get well laid out here and the brothers don't really come into the picture into the latter second half. A few tragic instances befall Isabel, she does talk about rape, losing a baby at birth, and infertility (there's also bullying to other characters) for content warnings. This is a second chance romance with the FBI agent, Miles, trying to fix his mistake of breaking these two apart. He was working a case against Isabel's father, human-trafficking, and Travis gets a bit caught in the cross-fire. On the day he and Isabel were supposed to runaway together, he sees something that has him thinking she's a liar and wasn't serious with him, he feels betrayed and never answers her text or phone calls. Isabel goes through the ringer for awhile, with dealing with the fallout of her father and going into witness protection as she helped give evidence against her father and a personal tormentor of hers named Stephen. A few years after the initial breakup, Miles tries to get these two together but hurts and pains still keep them cold. It isn't until ten years later they have their second chance.
She still loved him. She’d never stopped.
While Isabel went into witness protection and became a foster mom, Travis tries to ease the guilt for how he thinks he betrayed Isabel by going to work for Miles. He starts off working for the government and later as an independent contractor who goes in undercover and helps breakup human trafficking rings. It's a little bit of go along with it as his famous family and his well known face are discussed and how he had plastic surgery to make himself look less like them. When he gets severely injured and Miles sends him to his house on the coast to recuperate, his neighbor turns out to be Isabel. The rest of the story is them looking at each other with their hearts in their eyes and then deciding to get together fairly soon, they have an open door scene around midpoint of book. While there was some of that wonderful angst from the hurtful situations they went through and how their relationship was broken up, I would have liked if it had been gritted out longer. Their relationship almost seemed to take a backseat to Isabel's foster kids' dramas, I almost felt like I knew their characters better than the two that were supposed to be the main couple. The second half also brought in some suspense with a past danger rearing his ugly head and then Travis making up with his family that he had iced out for the last decade.
There just wasn't enough continuous focus on the romantic relationship development for me but the ending did deliver a happily ever after bow ending. If you've been a reader of the series, you'll probably love seeing this last Barnes get his HEA and a possible tease for the series to spin-off with one of Isabel's sisters and an operator friend of Travis.
March 7, 2025
***4 Stars***
The description was the hook and I decided to give it a go and I have to say that I really enjoyed the story and it’s a draw on just what about the book I enjoyed the most.
The beginning of Travis and Bella’s story is all kinds of sweet innocence that turns tragic and all kinds of levels and watching what they both went through was horrifying and heartbreaking. But then they collide again and while horrible things were dredged up, I liked how they worked past it all and got their HEA.
But the other part of my enjoyment of the book were the foster kids. Now, not everything was fun and rosy ~ in fact there were quite a few rough moments, but they all brought such a depth of heart to the story that I can say I loved when they were on the page.
I didn’t know that this was the last book of a series, but while I was intrigued by the characters in the previous books upon meeting them, but their stories didn’t appear to impact Travis and Bella’s, so it could be read as a standalone. And as for triggers, there are triggers. This is a heavy book in a lot of ways, but it is balanced out with some great moments and characters.
The description was the hook and I decided to give it a go and I have to say that I really enjoyed the story and it’s a draw on just what about the book I enjoyed the most.
The beginning of Travis and Bella’s story is all kinds of sweet innocence that turns tragic and all kinds of levels and watching what they both went through was horrifying and heartbreaking. But then they collide again and while horrible things were dredged up, I liked how they worked past it all and got their HEA.
But the other part of my enjoyment of the book were the foster kids. Now, not everything was fun and rosy ~ in fact there were quite a few rough moments, but they all brought such a depth of heart to the story that I can say I loved when they were on the page.
I didn’t know that this was the last book of a series, but while I was intrigued by the characters in the previous books upon meeting them, but their stories didn’t appear to impact Travis and Bella’s, so it could be read as a standalone. And as for triggers, there are triggers. This is a heavy book in a lot of ways, but it is balanced out with some great moments and characters.
November 3, 2023
I loved watching Isabel and Travis find each other again after they were separated for ten years. They both have been through a lot and have the scars to show for it. Travis is a really good guy and I could not get over how much he blames himself for the past even though it was in no way his fault. I love how he was able to accept the foster kids Isabel were taking care of no questions asked. These two belong together and they make your heart melt. There were subjects in the book that can be hard for some people, and things I didn't agree with, but over all it was a good book.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from NetGalley.
Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from NetGalley.
December 30, 2023
This book will pull on your heart strings as you feel all of the pain and heartbreak the main characters go through. Travis was positive he met the girl he was going to marry at a young age. Things were going good and plans were set. Everything crumbled down after one moment in time that forever altered Travis and Isabell’s lives. They are now given a second chance at being together. Will they take it and make up for lost time or will things go drastically wrong? I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2023
Young love, betrayal, heartbreak, angst - this tortured love story has it all. I thought I have read every single Shiloh Walker book. I completely missed this series during my dark years at my evil day job. This book made me feel raw. I love it.
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
*provided by NetGalley
To read the rest of my review, click on the image below to see it on my website.
*provided by NetGalley
October 19, 2023
Crashed is a fast paced book that really throws a lot at you. There were times that my heart actually hurt for Isabel and Travis and all they went through to get to their HEA. This a good book and I thank NetGalley for this advanced copy.
November 9, 2023
What I liked about Travis was that he admitted he made assumptions, mistakes, and then committed to fixing those issues. He stepped up, became the one person who could be depended on. 5 year old Brooklyn's fascination with him just shows that he could be trusted.
December 19, 2025
Shiloh Walker is an incredible author who truly listens to her readers. I love her writing style it’s cool, classic, and incredibly engaging. The quality of her work really shows, and I highly recommend Crashed to anyone looking for a great read.
October 12, 2023
Received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
November 7, 2023
Bella/Isabel is the daughter of a U.S. Senator but is now in Witness Protection and is a foster mom. She pretends like she has forgot about the boy who broke her heart when she was a teenager.
Travis is a twin and lives a secret life. Travis left Isabel after getting disturbing news about her and started contracting work for the government.
Travis gets hurt and his handler tells him to take time off or he's gone. He let's him stay in his home while he's recuperating. He is breaking up an argument and his neighbor comes out. Bella can't believe Travis is her neighbor. After all these years she would recognize those eyes anywhere. Can Bella forgive him for breaking her heart?
Good story. Some of the characters dialogue ran together. Some of the discussions might affect some people. Sex. Action. Angst. Made me a little teary eyed.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed by Netgalley *
Travis is a twin and lives a secret life. Travis left Isabel after getting disturbing news about her and started contracting work for the government.
Travis gets hurt and his handler tells him to take time off or he's gone. He let's him stay in his home while he's recuperating. He is breaking up an argument and his neighbor comes out. Bella can't believe Travis is her neighbor. After all these years she would recognize those eyes anywhere. Can Bella forgive him for breaking her heart?
Good story. Some of the characters dialogue ran together. Some of the discussions might affect some people. Sex. Action. Angst. Made me a little teary eyed.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed by Netgalley *
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews