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Michelle Reagan #1

Confessions of Eden

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Michelle Reagan--code name Eden--is the CIA Special Activities Division's newest covert action operator, an assassin, who struggles between wanting to succeed in her new profession for herself and her charismatic boss, and the moral quandaries of what she must do to innocent people who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although she faces seemingly intractable decisions as she executes her missions across the globe, the adversary most difficult to overcome may very well be her own conscience.

Through it all, only one man has ever called her an 'assassin' to her face. Someday, if she has her way, she'll marry him--if she lives that long.

304 pages, Paperback

Published May 6, 2019

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About the author

Scott Shinberg

6 books11 followers
Amazon International #1 Best-Selling Author

Scott Shinberg has served in leadership positions across the US Government and industry for over twenty-five years. He has worked in and with the US Air Force, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and most "Three-Letter Agencies."

While in government service, he served as an Air Force Intelligence Operations Officer and a Special Agent with the FBI. He lives in Virginia with his wife and sons.

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5 stars
16 (53%)
4 stars
9 (30%)
3 stars
0 (0%)
2 stars
4 (13%)
1 star
1 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
97 reviews2 followers
December 27, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only.

This is the first book I’ve read by Scott Shinberg. I love Michelle’s character and am interested to see how she develops in future books. The storyline is interesting and well paced. By the end I felt I knew the characters and had empathy for things that happened. Would definitely like to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Eva Newman.
28 reviews3 followers
December 28, 2019
This was an intense book. The main character is great. I can't wait to read the next one.
Profile Image for tyoung2058.
589 reviews13 followers
November 27, 2021
CIA operative. Michelle takes on missions that eventually affects her mentally being inducted into the espionage world at a young age. A interesting debut.
Profile Image for Billy Buttons.
Author 19 books127 followers
June 15, 2020
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Confessions of Eden
Author: Scott Shinberg

Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 7/10
Writing Style: 7/10
Content: 7/10
Cover: 5/10
Of the 16 readers:
12 would read another book by this author.
7 thought the cover was good or excellent.
16 felt it was easy to follow.
12 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 11 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
11 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
12 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘Such a clever premise: a sort of ‘memoir’ of a female assassin as she attempts to come to terms with who she is and what she must do – often to innocent people. Enjoyed it.’ Male reader. aged 43
‘Although a little over-the-top for me, I liked how the author attempted to show the emotional damage caused to a person whose job it is to kill. James Bond never seems to worry; but, of course, in reality, I suspect a lot of operatives who see action end up pretty messed up in the head. I think the author worked hard to understand his female character. The ending lacked punch.’ Male reader, aged 52
‘Different to the typical assassin thriller and, for that reason, I applaud the author. However, I don’t think he got the female voice right. It read like a male writer trying to put across a woman’s emotions. It just didn’t quite work.’ Female reader, aged 36
‘The author works confidently with his central character. Her soul searching is thought-provoking – for her and the reader. Also, this is an excellent insight into the world of ‘death’. Is it realistic? I have no idea. But it was entertaining.’ Male reader, aged 61

To Sum It Up:
‘A clever premise along with strong characterisation.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Profile Image for Tasha Cockburn.
51 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2020
Michelle is a CIA officer, an assassin. The book as she explains at the beginning is her memoirs to help her deal with everything she’s done. The first few chapters are captivating, the first kill, and you begin to understand the ins and outs of her missions and how they work. Although the book is fiction, it’s written in such a way you believe it’s true. The whole book comes alive before your eyes.
Throughout the book you learn about her personal life, her work life, her partner and her team mates and grow to love them just as much as Michelle. As a female, in a heavily dominated mans world, she faces a lot of adversity initially from her team mates and other men in the CIA and rises above it all.
The author, a male, has captured Michelle in such a beautiful way. She comes alive in the story and unlike other books the female is actually relatable!
I would give this book 6* if I could.
I hope to see more in the confessions of Eden series.
I was sent this book, by Voracious Readers Only, for free in return for an honest review
Profile Image for Scott.
Author 6 books11 followers
July 29, 2021
"For fans of crime and espionage, 'Confessions of Eden' comes across as a tour de force in entertainment." Romuald Dzemo, Readers' Favorite Book Reviews (5 STARS)

"'Confessions of Eden' is told in a powerful voice, featuring streams of consciousness that plunge readers into the protagonist's turmoil. Fast-paced and filled with action, it is one of those books you feel compelled to read nonstop." Christian Sia, Readers' Favorite Book Reviews (5 STARS)
Profile Image for Keyla Damaer.
Author 11 books20 followers
April 25, 2019
Reviewed for Readers' Favorite

The fast pace beginning highlighted by the first person narrative voice of A Michelle Reagan Novel - Confession of Eden by Scott Shinberg throws the reader right into the action, the first mission of this secret undercover CIA agent. As the youngest and only female member of a little team, she struggles from the start to be accepted by the other members. And when, after years, she finally does, boom! Well, you’ll have to get to that point to find out what this means. Michelle, aka Eden, has a successful file: she loves her job, although she often questions herself about the rights and wrongs of killing innocents to get to her target, she kickass beautiful woman, and she’s lucky with the other gender.

Despite dedicating too many pages to the first mission of the woman to explain in details the struggle of the first kill (a fascinating description that made me wonder if the author, Scott Shinberg, as an Air Force Intelligence Operations Officer and a former FBI operative ever killed someone and if he felt that way… yes, I’m dying to know), and my personal struggles with the first person narrative voice, I enjoyed A Michelle Reagan Novel - Confession of Eden from the first page to the last. The approach to the story from a woman's point of view, although not always correct in my opinion, is interesting and the author gets to the point about how most women feel in every working field except for their home kitchen. Definitely an interesting reading.
Profile Image for David.
245 reviews20 followers
September 28, 2020
The female protagonist we've been waiting for. Michelle Reagan is a breath of fresh air.

The book was engaging. It took on the format of a memoir, which will never see the light of day, as a way to process a decade of black ops work for the CIA. This was an interesting format to tell the story in. Even with time gaps in the story, it was easy to watch the progression from HS graduate to finely tuned instrument of death.

This is an explosive book to kick off a new series. Characters that I was interested in as well as well paced writing have me excited to reach for the second book and see what is next in store for Michelle.
57 reviews2 followers
March 30, 2020
I received a copy of this book from VR in exchange for a honest review.
Excellent book, well written and fast paced.
Michelle trained at CIA and involved in work all over the world.
She struggles to balance work and personal life, living a secret is not easy!
Characters are very believable, you laugh with them and cry with their loss.
Excellent. Have not read Scott Shinberg before but would love to read more; excellent writer.
Profile Image for Becky Stephens.
267 reviews11 followers
January 16, 2020
This book, as CIA covert operator Michelle explains, is her memoirs to cope with the very messy business of covert action. While most civilians would consider her an assassin, her team prefers to use the term operator. Her memoirs are her way of making sense of her feelings about her specialized profession, gaining recognition in her male-dominated field, balancing her career with her personal life, and living with taking out what her team member, Arnaud, calls WPWTs—Wrong Place, Wrong Time.

I enjoyed getting to know Michelle, from her first assignment and her first WPWT simultaneously, to watching her character develop as she gains experience and skills and becomes more confident. Shinberg does a great job developing not only Michelle, but crafting the secondary characters as well.

I’m looking forward to reading this entire series!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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