Deadly Illusion Audiobook By Kathy Lockheart cover art

Deadly Illusion

A Suspenseful Standalone (Secrets and the City, Book 1)

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Deadly Illusion

By: Kathy Lockheart
Narrated by: Sarah Puckett, Michael Norman Johnson
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About this listen

AN AMAZON TOP 25 BESTSELLER!

I was able to hide the bruises from everyone... until an MMA fighter came along. Now he'll die to protect me. Maybe even kill... He insists I stay with him for protection, but Damian is keeping his own dark secrets and warns me that anyone who gets close to him will be in danger…Worse, my assailant is determined to finish what he started.

And now, my life, along with the lives of everyone I love…… is in peril.

Can Damian and I survive and get our happily ever after?

Or will this fairy tale end in murder?

*STANDALONE, no cliffhanger

©2021 Kathy Lockheart (P)2025 KATHY LOCKHEART

What listeners say about Deadly Illusion

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Listener received this title free

What a great story

OVERALL: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
•Storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
•Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
•Spice Level: 🌶.5/ 5
•Swoon level: 🫠🫠🫠/5
•Emotional:🥺🥺🥺/5
•Re-Listen/Re-Read: Maybe
•Platform: Audiobook and Ebook
•Trope: MMA fighter, Forced Proximity, protective hero, girl escaping relationship.
*Check triggers*


• Thoughts:
This is a new to me author. I was captivated by the blurb and I felt like this was a book I needed to read. My hell, I am glad I did. This does end on a HEA, but getting tonthat point is not easy. This story pulls the truth and what happens in a DV relationship. It is raw, emotional! I can truly appreciate the author and taking this story and telling the story of a full cycle relationship and what happens and the psychological side of the characters! This book was beautifully written!


NARRATOR THOUGHTS: Sarah Pucket and Michael Norman Johnson
•Duet Narration
•Listening at a 1.5 speed.
These narrators are new to me. I felt they hoth did an amazing job expressing the depth of emotions that these characters were experiencing. They did a great job at bringing this story to life and keeping the reader engaged.

•Recommend note:
I will always encourage people to read what makes them happy. If it sounds good, read it! My reviews are just that, my opinion. Happy reading, friends.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful writing

I really enjoyed this author’s writing style—it was engaging and well-crafted—but overall, this book just wasn’t for me. I tend to avoid stories with heavy on-page domestic abuse, and this one leaned into that theme more than I was comfortable with. That being said, I appreciated the way the author handled the main character’s journey and how they ultimately overcame the situation. The resilience and strength woven into the plot were definitely highlights, even though the subject matter was tough to read at times.

What did work for me was the mystery/thriller element that ran through the story. It added an intriguing layer that kept me invested, even when the themes weren’t quite my preference. If you enjoy books that tackle darker, more intense topics while delivering a gripping mystery, this one might be right up your alley. While it wasn’t the perfect fit for me, I can absolutely see it resonating with readers who appreciate these kinds of stories.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Emotional Rollercoaster

I love this book. The duet narration was excellent . I absolutely recommend people listen to this book

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A defiant need to listen, check your trigger warnings though!

OMG my heart is stunned. I did not see this book coming at all. Domestic abuse, fighting for your life, finding your soul mate out of everything happening, becoming a mom and a wife……this book definitely hits you hard! But oh I loved it. The spice isn’t high but it isn’t needed with this book. It hooks you in and holds you there to the last word. Definitely a worth read/listen too! Always check your trigger warnings, your mental health matters. This book could touch some personal situations and could make you spiral.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Overcome

4.50 ⭐️
0.50 🌶
Specs: Single POV | Under 370 pages
This book dragged me in and made me feel like I was a part of it. Half of me agreed with Jenna and felt for her, and the other half of me wanted to shake some sense into her. Love makes us do things that we sometimes shouldn't do. While there were times Jenna was misguided, there were times when she was protective, determined, and courageous. She fought for herself and the ones she loved and did everything in her power to prevail.

Thank you to Kathy for sharing this story with us.

Narration: It was good and I would recommend it. At times, with both the narrators, it was hard to tell who was talking. For example, if Jenna was talking to Zoey, I had to look at the book to determine who said what. When Damian would talk, I got confused and thought it was Colton because he took on the same growling/angry tone.

I'm not a professional, so take it with a grain of salt.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Jenna’s Journey

FMC in danger
Forced proximity
Protective MMC
MMA sport
Who hurt you
Romantic suspense


Audio narrated by: Sarah Puckett and Michael Norman Johnson
They did a great job with the intensity and emotions expressed by the characters!

Triggers; domestic violence, stalking



This is the type of story that will cause you to go through the entire spectrum of emotions. While at times, Jenna’s actions caused frustration, you get to see how people in this situation are manipulated.
A lot of people would say “if it were me….” You never know and hopefully won’t have to.
The story was intense and the characters were very realistic. The ending wasn’t the usual perfect HEA, it added to the overall believability.


I loved the growth and of the characters. The story had so many twists and turns. There were many unpredictable scenes. The story was definitely hard to read but entertaining.
Each character played an important part of the story. Jenna, her best friend(Zoey), her brother (Justin), Damian and even her parents. Each character shaped Jenna’s character and responses.

Jenna thought she had found her other half. Everything was perfect until it wasn’t. It took her a while to get to a place where she could see the truth. While it was hard to be patient with her journey, it was HER journey.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
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Not for the Faint of Heart

I seriously had to take a some time after finishing this one. I had to talk it out with my niece. This book rattled me. I won't give you a synopsis, I'll just give you my opinion ( for whatever it's worth).
I must be an awful person because I did not understand Jenna's actions or motivations. I felt sympathetic for a few seconds but then it would turn to aggravation. Are we, as women, really so arrogant as to think we can actually change a grown man?
She's young and headstrong, proud and naive, presumptive and judgmental all while not realizing it.
DESPITE ALL OF THAT.... I could NOT stop reading this damn book! I needed to know what happened.
If the Kathy Lockheart set out to make me "feel something" then she went above and beyond because I felt it all! This is not a relaxing book...it's informative. It's a textbook on what to look for and how not to react.
I want to hate this book but I can't...it did its job too well. So if you want to feel a range of emotions from hope to heartbreak, read it, because Kathy Lockheart will pull you through all of them!!!
Thank you for sending me this one, despite my grumpy reaction I appreciate the trust you put in me and my opinion.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Incredible Storyline!

Deadly Illusion, book 1 in Secrets and the City by Kathy Lockheart.

OMG, this is the first book I have read/listened to by Kathy Lockheart and it was incredible.

Jenna and Justin had a sad life growing up when their sister died but finally picked up and tried to find happiness and Jenna thought that is what she found in Colton. She dreamed of a man like Colton and here he is. Until he became obsessive.

Damian owns the gym that Jenna went into and that put her in his sights, along with the bruises.

It was nice watching these two find one another but the pain and angst that this book brought, so emotional!!

Sarah Puckett is one of my favorite female narrators and she did an incredible job as Jenna. Jenna has so many emotions throughout this and Sarah let’s you feel each one! Michael Norman Johnson is new to me so it was nice to hear someone that I haven’t heard before.

The only thing I didn’t like is that Damian didn’t have his own voice. We did hear him but the main story was done in first person.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
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IF YOU ONLY KNOW!

A hold your breath kinda audiobook especially towards the end, it will definitely leave you caught up in your thoughts and emotions, it’s a story with an outcome you’d never expected.. but most importantly I think it’s a mix of fiction mingling with a little reality.

Narrator: Sarah Puckett and Michael Norman Johnson
These two narrators who are new to me gave an excellent performance in this book!
They made the story so much more compelling upon till the very end.
They gave this book and its characters so much life with their talented storytelling!

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Fatal attraction with a twist.
2.5🌶️🌶️ this is an high angst story
🎧🎙️9..Great storytelling by these two narrators who kept me interested to the end !


A tale about a woman who thought she was in love with a man who would eventually rip her world apart… and a then meeting another who would die to protect her if even from herself.

This girl seriously thought she could save her psycho boyfriend unbeknownst with her love… but she ended up endangering not only herself but those she loves…this guy is erratic and dangerous and clearly in the “no one else will have her”mode.
Even Damian the big bad MMA fighter is in peril as this monster continues to rage.

Can she truly find any type peace or happiness away from this toxic Ex or will she have to sacrifice everything and everyone she loves including Damian ?.

+++++++++++🩵🖤🤍🩵++++++++++++

Deadly Illusion
It was written in such a way that I never saw what was coming, the author new to me made a fan out of me with this suspenseful story with low spice I might add, but definitely a good read.
Couple with narration done Duet style and how well the narrators executed it made it definitely a good one, although I would have loved it as a multi cast I however still enjoyed this audiobook to the bittersweet end.
Well done author Kathy Locheart and narrators
Sarah Puckett and Michael Norman Johnson
It was Amazingly good.

Definitely recommend listening to this one if you love intrigue and suspense, but be sure to check Trigger Warning ‼️ as there maybe contents that’s not to your liking.

Listen if you love 🎧📖
🔪Suspense Romance
🥊MMA Fighter
🖤Friends To Lovers
🩵Strong FMC
🤍Forbidden Romance
🖤Protective Sibling
🩵Protective MMC
🖤Dark Romance
🩵Duet Narration
🖤Slow Burn
🤍Second Chance
🩵Slow Burn
🖤HEA
🤍Domestic Violence Rep.

Be sure to add this to your TBL and enjoy this ver suspenseful heartbreaking story.

Special thanks to Valentine_pr for this intriguing ALC !
And thank you for reading my views and ratings, hope to catch you on the next one 💋

@Georgious_eleanorpb🦋

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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I really enjoyed this audiobook

Kathy Lockheart delivered a well thought out, complex story of how your perception of true love can quickly turn sour and the difficulty navigating the aftermath. It also touched on growing up in broken homes, childhood illness, death of loved ones and grief.

We all dream of finding the perfect love, having the relationship of your dreams and living happily ever after. We don’t often expect that it will be us who becomes a victim of Domestic Violence. I thought the author did a great job of exploring the complex feelings associated with being a victim. There is a reason why people get trapped in these cycles and this book captured it. The guilt, the love bombing, the gaslighting. It’s such a complex situation and time for victims who are often manipulated by their partners while trying to navigate their own feelings and hiding it from friends and family.

This book had lots of twists and turns which kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I definitely did not expect the turns it took around the end.

Though the story is written from Jenna’s POV only, the audiobook features a duet narration which I think was a really great addition to the story. It really helped bring the story to life having a narrator for both the male and female characters. I’m really hoping the rest of the books in this series come out soon on audio.

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