Global Search and Rescue book # 2

This sequel to “Way of the Brave” continues the story of Jake Silver, a former Navy Seal working for a global search and rescue organisation, and Aria Sinclair, a surgeon who takes care of children with heart conditions. Jake had rescued her on Mount Denali in book #1. In this second edition, Aria heads to Florida to speak at a medical conference when a misdirected text is received by Jake. He immediately assumes Aria is in trouble and needs rescuing…He heads to Florida even if Hurricane Lucy is raging…..and the fun begins….or the nightmare….

In a background of a devastation scenario, this soft romance story is packed with emotions and deep feelings. Jack is a broken hero that carries a lot of baggage but he has a heart of gold. Aria is so prone to natural disaster and again has taken immense risks…. how many problems these two can get into…you wouldn’t believe it. Pages after pages of trouble….and we are deed into a drama filled with twists hard to imagine. One would say this story is a mixture of faith, suspense and action, maybe a buddy romance….

“The Heart of a Hero” does not let the two protagonists take a break, one problem after the other crosses their paths. These two are so well- defined they simply grab your heart and you soon forget they simply characters. Jake and Aria are not the only ones playing a particular role, Jake’s Navy body Ham and wife Signe have an interesting second chapter in their lives recounted, hopefully we will learn more in the future. Too many open questions not to be resolved…..We have other captivating characters that helped propel the story forward and added a human side to this gripping story.

This story is clean, no sex and no bad language and also has religion connotations. If you don’t mind reading a Christian adventure story you will enjoy this book. It left me with mixed feelings…..but curious for book #3

I received a copy from the Publisher Revell via First Reviewer Program for my thoughts

A Heart of a Hero #1, Laura Trentham is wonderful when it comes to small town romance, with this new series it's  more Women's Fiction with a romance. What I loved about this book was the alternating of past and present it was a nice touch you get to see all the best and the worst memories Harper and Bennett had with Noah at the same time you get to see Harper and Bennett fall in love and Harper finally finds what she was meant to do with her life. Told in the third person but switches perspective between Harper and Bennett.

We also meet Allison and Darren. Darren is an officer and Allison is his wife, mother of three, and Harper's best friend. Darren is feeling the effects of PTSD but too ashamed to admit he needs help doesn't feel like he deserves the help. Harper can tell Allison needs someone to really talk to and goes to visit her on that visit she attends one of the group meetings for the wives and hears the same stuff she heard when she was in their shoes so she comes up with a plan to help out military wives who feel like they need to do more than just fill the time. Harper has the start up money she was given a large sum when Noah died. But when Allison tells her one of the guys on the team gave her that money and not the NAVY Harper tracks down Bennett Caldwell to return the money. 

Bennett meet Noah in BUDs and they formed a fast friendship, they became brother's in every way except blood. When Noah found out Harper was pregnant he had Bennett promise him if anything should happen he would take care of Harper and the baby. The entire friendship Bennett avoided meeting Harper, through all the emails and letter that Noah shared Bennett had fallen in love with her. He left the SEALs after Noah died and thought that giving Harper all that money would be enough to take care of the baby and herself. He never expected to see her again after handing over the money but here she is five years later trying to give it back.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was such an emotional journey not just for Harper and Bennett but for Allison and Darren too. This book made me cry and laugh and cry. This was a wonderful second chance romance and a wonderful story of a woman helping other women and finally getting on with her life and moving on. A lot of lessons in this too, like learning how to accept help and learning to let go of guilt. 

Ex-Navy Seal Clayton East had to come home to his family’s ranch after his father’s health declines. Abby Harper has been taking care of her younger brothers since her mother left them. When her brother’s rebellion goes too far, she’s grateful that Clayton believes in second chances. Maybe this bad event is exactly what her family needed.

This was a very sweet book. I loved both of the main characters. They are exactly what the other needs. I loved how he and his parents were able to embrace Abby and her brothers. I highly recommend.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I loved this book! I am not usually someone who reads a lot of Christmas stories. I will read them but I don't really look for them. This book made its way into my hands and something about that cover drew me right in and I wanted to start reading it right away. Once I started, I didn't want to stop and I ended up reading the whole thing from cover to cover in a single day. I really enjoyed every moment I spent reading this wonderful little story.

Clayton is ex-military and has been working overseas until he is called home to the family ranch. The ranch is in trouble and his dad is sick so Clayton must come home to run things and try to save the ranch. Abby has not had it easy. She has been raising her two younger brothers and doing her best to get ahead in life.

Abby and Clayton meet when Abby's brother is caught stealing cattle from the ranch Clayton's family owns. Not the best way to start things. Clayton turns out to be a really nice guy and instead of sending Abby's brother, Brice, to jail he lets him come and work his debt off at the ranch. Clayton also enlists Abby's help with the ranch's books hoping that she can sort out exactly what is going on.

I loved the characters in this book. Abby and Clayton were both amazing. Abby was strong and cared deeply for her two brothers. She was smart and willing to sacrifice her wants for the sake of other people. Clayton was such a good guy. He has had some things to deal with in his personal and military life. I loved this pair together. They had great chemistry from the very beginning and it was really wonderful to watch them fall in love.

The secondary characters were also really well done. Abby's two brothers, Brice and Caleb, played a large role in the story and were really great. Their relationship with their sister really helped illustrate how much she cared for them. Clayton's parents were also key players in the story. I liked how they welcomed Abby and her brothers as if they were family right from the start.

The mystery in the book kept things interesting. I really wanted to see Clayton save the ranch with Abby's help. There were a few scenes where we got to see Clayton, a former SEAL, in action which was pretty exciting. This was really a book more focused on romance than anything else and it did a wonderful job with it. I don't know that there was really anything too surprising in the book but everything was executed perfectly. I couldn't help but get swept away by this romantic tale.

I would highly recommend to fans of contemporary romance. This book had just the right combination of romance, action, and great characters. The story had just the right amount of Christmas adding just a bit to the story. This is the first book by Donna Grant that I have read and I am really looking forward to reading more of her work soon.

I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press.

Initial Thoughts
I loved this book! Clayton and Abby were absolutely perfect together. I thought the secondary characters were amazing and the mystery held my interest. This probably falls somewhere between 4 and 5 stars for me so I am rounding up for now.

I loved this book. This is a fun Christmas story for the holiday's. I didn't feel that it overdid the Christmas theme. 

Back home, on the ranch is the last place Clayton, former Navy Seal wanted to be for the Holiday's. But when his mother calls desperate for his help he's obligated to help. 

Abby and her brothers are all that's left of her family, and as the oldest sibling its up to her to take care of her family. When her younger brother is caught steeling cattle she's thrown into Clayton's family. 

It's nothing out of the ordinary for a romance (especially the ending). But its enjoyable, fun and a quick read. I loved the family aspect of this book, especially the siblings. I always want more books with sibling characters.