Michelle Hill, Ep. 22
Somebody telling you “I love you” shouldn’t come with a hidden invoice, but romance scams and narcissistic relationship dynamics are built to feel like a dream right before they turn into control. I sit down with my friend Michelle Hill, a book and publishing consultant at Winning Proof and the author of The Heart Swindler: Reclaim Your Heart and Stop Falling for Liars, Losers, and Lunatics, to talk about what these situations look like in real life and why good people still get caught in them.
We dig into the mechanics of love bombing, future faking, and the fast intimacy that can hit especially hard after divorce, grief, or a long season without real affirmation. Michelle shares how the script often shifts from over-the-top praise to isolation from your friends, constant “emergencies,” and money asks that seem small until they pile up. We also talk about the emotional aftermath: embarrassment, distrust, and the difficult work of rebuilding self-trust without turning your heart to stone.
Then we zoom out to the bigger pattern of narcissistic abuse cycles, including discounting, discard, and hoovering, plus the practical online dating red flags that matter right now: fake photos, lying about age or location, and refusing simple verification like a video call. If you care about healthy relationships, dating safety, and becoming resilient after heartbreak, this conversation gives you language for what you are seeing and steps for what to do next.
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