4.5 StarsWhen Erin Saunders was a young girl, she was crushing on her brothers best friend, and her world seemed  fairytale perfect. Until the night that her idyllic life was torn apart, and the boy whom she thought was everything, left her family alone when they needed him most.Ward Buckley always felt like a part of the Saunders family, until he had to make the decision to choose his future over their tragedy. But, when a horrible accident injuries his former best friend, nothing will keep him away from the people he loves and has lived without for all of these years.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Her Lifeline was a beautiful, yet infinitely tragic story that will quite honestly, rip your heart out a shred it over and over again. Ok, maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but this book had me crying more than my poor little puffy eyes could take. Erin and Ward have a long road filled with heartache, hidden truths and forgiveness, and this book was an unforgettable journey into the depth of dealing with tragedy and finding strength in then least expected of places.Erin lost so much when she was just 11 years old. Now, an adult who is taking care of her family and working two jobs, she can barely remember how great life used to be. And then the unthinkable happens, and her rock, the one person she has always relied on, is left fighting for his life. And amidst the tragedy of their current circumstances, the one man she never wanted to see again shows up like he has every right to be comforting her and her family. Ward left them when they needed him most, and then betrayed her brother, and Erin will forever hold that against him.Ward has many secrets he is harboring from his former life. As a hotshot CEO and multimillionaire, there isn't a moment that he doesn't think about the people he left behind. And when the news of his friend reaches him, Ward never questions running to be at his bedside. And while he planned on meeting with a lot of resistance from the Saunders family, and Erin, what he didn't realize was just how much the little girl he once felt so protective of has become such a phenomenal... and gorgeous, woman.Heart wrenching and stunning, this story was such a hard, yet rewarding read. Erin was a tough, world hardened woman, who never wants to forgive Ward for the past and for the man he has since become. As for Ward, seeing his character in the beginning of the book, with his unhappiness and semi-fraudulent life, there was a lot of necessary change and realization that he works on to be someone worthy of remaining in Erin's life.I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.