From award-winning author Laura Trentham comes an emotionally layered novel about redemption, second chances and discovering that life is worth fighting for. At thirty, Greer Hadley never expected to be forced home to Madison, Tennessee with her life and dreams up in flames. A series of bad decisions and even worse luck lands her community service hours at a nonprofit organization that aids … organization that aids veterans and their families. Greer cannot fathom how she’s supposed to help anyone deal with their trauma and loss when everything that brought her joy has failed her.
Then Greer meets fifteen-year-old Ally Martinez, a gifted girl who lost her father in action and now hides her pain behind a mask of sarcasm. But Greer sees something undeniable that she can’t walk away from. To make matters more complicated, Greer finds herself spending more and more time with Emmett Lawson–a man with both physical and emotional scars of his own. When a situation with Ally becomes dire, the two of them must become a team to save her–and along the way they might just save themselves too.
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I received a free electronic copy of this novel on October 5, 2019, from Netgalley, Laura Trentham, and St. Martin’s Press – Griffin. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read An Everyday Hero of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest personal opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend this work to friends and family.
Laura Trentham brings us a novel with fully rounded protagonists facing relevant, modern problems and handling them with grace and conviction. An Everyday Hero is an interesting, fast-paced feel-good read. Set for the most part in Madison, Tennessee we see daily life in this small town near Nashville and peek into the life of a musician/songwriter, and that of a recently returned military vet trying to recover from his injuries and rebuild his life and help the widow and child of one of his men find a way back into their lives without him.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “An Everyday Hero” by Laura Trentham, St. Martins Griffin, February 4, 2020
Laura Trentham, Author of “An Everyday Hero” has written an emotional, thought-provoking and entertaining novel. The Genres for this story are Fiction and Romance. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes her characters as complicated and complex. The themes that are in this story are second chances, searching for self-worth and forgiving oneself and others.
Greer Hadley, who is 30 finds herself back home in Madison, Tennessee. Greer has lost confidence in her ability to write songs, and play the guitar. After a destructive and drunken night, Greer is sentenced to hours of community service that helps veterans and their families. She is supposed to be using her musical skills to get the participants of the program to open up, talk and feel better about themselves.
The people that are assigned to Greer are very difficult and uncooperative. Greer does have a certain wit and toughness when she encounters unusual situations. Ally is a 15-year-old who has lost her father and is hiding secrets. Emmett Lawson has quite the attitude since he has come home after he was injured. He has No Trespassing Signs, and he doesn’t believe in himself.
I love that the author brings animals into the story, and some of the scenes are so beautifully written. Animals always add a positive dimension to the story.
I appreciate that the author describes the difficulty for the men and women that serve our country, and how it affects their families and outlook on life. The author also mentions the importance of living and making an effort to do your best. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.
Favorite Quotes:
The impulse to punch Wayne in the face simmered below the surface like a volcano no longer at rest… Dressed in his tan uniform, Wayne adjusted his heavy gun belt so often she imagined he got off every night by rubbing his gun. Giving him a badge had only empowered the part of him desperate for respect and approval. His nickname in high school, “the Weasel,” had been well earned.
Her dream of hearing one of her songs on the radio had died. Not in a blaze of glory but from a slow, torturous starvation of hope.
Look up “busybody” and Justine Danvers’s portrait would be printed in all its glory, toothy grin included at no extra charge. She’d been left a widow by her wealthy husband in her early thirties and had never remarried, but not for a lack of trying.
The first pawnshop he hit was seedy, with no sign or memory of Greer’s guitar. By the third shop, he decided all pawnshops had a melancholy air no matter how bright or clean or welcoming. It emanated from the items for sale. Items parted from their owners because of hard times and necessity.
I was a goner when you informed me in no uncertain terms that I needed better manners and a bath.” “If only I’d known that’s how to attract nice guys, I would have turned to insults years ago.”
My Review:
I fell right into this story on the first few pages and was reluctant to reemerge. I adored these fractured yet big-hearted characters, they were common yet atypical, realistically drawn, peculiarly appealing, decidedly flawed, and oddly irresistible. I was drawn to them and intrigued by their tale. The storylines were original, engaging, and well-crafted. The talented Ms. Trentham’s smooth writing was well-paced, unpredictable, cleverly amusing, and hit all the feels and then some. I can’t wait to see what she does next with this all too relevant and heart-squeezing series.
An Everyday Hero is beautifully crafted. It’s a traumatic story, but the lighthearted style makes it a joy to read.
Emmett has returned from deployment with guilt which has turned him into a cynic about any prospective future.
Greer’s dreams of making it into the musical industry is shattered, and as a result she returns home and lands herself into trouble. She no longer by believes in herself. Her penance for being a trouble maker puts her into the path of two people in need of support, and this in turn makes her realise what she really needs in life.
Despite the traumatic experiences that Ally and Emmett have been through, Greer has a way of making them face reality. The sarcastic banters make this story even more real. She doesn’t mince her word, but underneath what appears to be acidic, there is concern. Love and affection shine through the sarcasm, and Greer finds her true calling.
I love how Greer handles Ally and breaks down her barrier. Ally has been through so much at such a young age, but in Greer she sees light at the end of the tunnel. There are some sad moments and some laugh out loud moments. The romance between Emmett and Greer is very well portrayed. It’s a gripping and fun read.
I was kindly issued with an eARC from Netgalley and the views expressed are my personal opinion.
I was very impressed with this small town fiction romance written by Laura Trentham. It was my first book written by this author and I’m so glad I took the chance on this book.
Set in a small town in Tennessee, Laura took three characters and made them grow in a very realistic way. She introduced them in their low points of life and they all ended up crossing paths. I felt like I knew the characters and that they could have been someone in my own town.
The book starts out with Greer moving back home and being court ordered to volunteer at a local foundation for veterans called Music Tree Foundation. This is the last place she wants to serve her time because of past failures. But when her snarky and tough attitude connects with a hard to crack teen (Ally), Greer begins to find a place in her town and in her life. Just when she feels like she may be good at something, the foundation director asks her to visit the home of a veteran and see if her tough attitude can crack the war hero (Emmett) that has returned home a very broken man.
This book takes three characters in Greer, Emmett, and Ally and transforms them from a low point in their lives. We get to witness them change in a very real way while watching their storylines intersect. The story flowed extremely well and made you feel as though you were a part of their world. The plot brought music and military veterans and their families together and I enjoyed reading it. It seemed a little ‘fluffy’ at times, but it was still a story where the characters brought a smile to my face and I wanted to keep entering their world when I wasn’t reading it. Small town feels that hit all the right notes. 4.25 stars
Ms. Trentham has written another book that takes you on a journey. You are not in a rush to get to the next page or the next chapter. You are just enjoying the journey. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. The three main characters are trying to find their new normal. Greer Hadley was born to make music. She set out to make a name for herself in Nashville but came home broken. Emmett Lawson was a Captain in the army. After his last mission, he came home missing a limb. Ally Martinez is a 15 year old army child. She was her father’s pride and joy. Since he died, nothing has been the same. Court ordered music therapy brings Greer and Ally together. Ally is tough but Greer is tougher. Now Emmett has decided to give up on life. He can never be what he used to be and doesn’t want pity. Greer is good at giving him grief. As Ally and Emmett are making progress, Greer is just treading water. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Emmett is about to give Greer a taste of her own medicine. It takes a foal coming into this world, an old guitar returned and reaching out for help for them to find out where they belong. I just loved reading this book!
Moving story of a physically and emotional scarred soldier, Emmett, who meets a down on her luck musician Greer. While Greer is sent to help Emmett to heal, she discovers that he can help her as well. I enjoyed this book. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Wowza! I just adored Greer and her bluntness and stark honesty, caught in a place where she was trying to break out of her shell, but I really connected with Emmett. The two of them were surrounded by a world that “considered them damaged goods” and somehow found their happiness in each other, as they encouraged each other to fly. I really enjoyed the side storylines about Ally & Karen, and how they tied into Emmett’s story, as well as Emmett’s relationship with his parents. I was a little disappointed as I hoped this would be a tie in to The Military Wife, but I find the flawed heroes to be so compelling and relatable. Just Beautiful! I’m going to be honest though, that cover just does my head in. This is NOT a beachy read in the slightest.
An Everyday Hero by Laura Trentham is the second book in the A Heart of a Hero series and was a heartwarming surprise. Greer left home with big dreams, but life did not work as she wanted. When she returns home, she finds herself doing community service and meeting people who will change her life. Aly, a teenager, is hurting after losing her father, and is hiding behind all kinds of bitterness. Then there is Emmett who is haunted, broken and lost. Can Greer reach them and help? An Everyday Hero by Laura Trentham had wonderful characters and was emotional, touching and full of all kinds feels.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
An Everyday Hero deserves more than 5 stars. This beautifully written, emotional story was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I absolutely loved Greer! She is my all-time favorite heroine. It was amusing to watch her go toe to toe with Emmett and Ally. These three characters were well-developed, and I was captivated by their journey from beginning to end.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley.
Greer is a singer but her dreams of a career have vanished in smoke. She ends up with community service where she meets Ally, a fifteen year old dealing with the death of her father in the military. She recognizes the talent that Ally has for music and vows to help her avoid the pitfalls she went through in the business. Greer also meets a veteran she is assigned to help named Emmett. Emmett is bitter and angry. Greer has no idea how to get through to him but her sass and determination won’t let her give up on him. This was a good story about life, love, helping people and second chances.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.
An Everyday Hero
Book 2 Heart of a Hero
Laura Trentham
An amazing sweet story that captured my attention right away. It is a family with heartbreak and heartwarming filled with love, laughter, and sadness.
“Regret and longing entwined. She wanted to spend the night in his bed and wake at dawn to make love to the sound of the world coming alive.”
“What she saw made her heart double Dutch. Tenderness and regret and love.”
Very well written. I really enjoyed and loved the story.
I highly recommend!
Greer Hadley has a failed music career, has gotten herself into some trouble, and is back home, where she does not want to be. Emmett Lawson was the town’s golden boy – popular, athlete, soldier – but he blames himself for what happened to the men under his command and is hiding out. These two are quite the pair. Neither believes they have anything to offer, and are sure they deserve the rejection, bad luck and loneliness they see in their futures. And stubborn doesn’t even begin to describe them. Underneath the hard exteriors, however, are two big hearts and a huge capacity to love.
I love second chance stories, and I love the way author Laura Trentham tells this emotional, wonderful, amazing story of these characters. These heroes. They aren’t teenagers. They’ve experienced some truly hard parts of life, been knocked down and don’t think they can get up. But life has more surprises in store for them.
An Everyday Hero is the second book in the Heart of a Hero series. Already a fan of author Trentham’s when the first book, A Military Wife, released I suspected that although it was a new genre for her I was going to love it, and I was right. I hope this series goes on and on. Laura Trentham is an author you should read. Now. There is something that runs through all of her stories, no matter the time period or setting or how breathlessly sexy it might get. I think it’s the emotions of the characters, characters that always feel real and true. You will feel sad for them, get angry and disappointed with them, cry when they are hurt and laugh at some of the hilarious things they say and do. But you will always, always love them, and you will be completely filled with satisfaction when the story ends.
I received an advance copy of An Everyday Hero from the author and publisher St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I love this book, this series, this author and highly recommend you read An Everyday Hero. You will be glad you did.
This was my first Laura Trentham women’s fiction novel and will not be my last. Intrigued by the blurb I went into this book completely blind and came away from reading it with a lighter heart. The timing of me reading this novel full of despair turned into hope and survival could not have come at a better time for me. There was familiar about the themes of the story that I could totally relate to making it that much more easy to read and love.
The slow burn, fade-to-black romance created an intimate tie to the two protagonists and the circumstances of their unraveling lives. The beautifully fragile connections between the woman protagonist and the girl she meets through volunteering added an extra layer of depth and vulnerability to her character that made her more human, decent, and understandable. The writing was beautiful and engaging that help build the plot of the story and keep it moving forward. Infused with banter and humor and love An Everyday Hero remained low angst and drama making it more of a learning experience with so much development in the characters it was refreshing.
This is a lovely story of reckoning one’s growth as a human through tragedy and heartbreak told in a remember your roots when you gain your wings and full of redemption. It’s becoming attuned to ones whole self and feeling deserved to be the best human you possibly can. It’s a reminder of to wade through shadows to find your light. It’s uplifting and gracefully told by this talented new-to-me author. I’m so happy to have read it and I can’t wait to dive into more of Laura Trentham’s books.
What a compelling story about two very wounded characters, one physically and one emotionally. The story telling was so right – and difficult for a reader to describe. Sometimes you want to put the story down and other times you simply can’t.
Greer returns home after failing at her dream to be a superstar singer and composer. With only criticism from her parents, she really wants to be allowed to move on by herself and not be constantly told what to do by her parents. A night of drunkenness ends up with consequences to face in the light of day. The judge gives her the chance to make a difference in someone else’s life and possibly her own when he assigns her to help at a local music nonprofit designed to help former military and their families.
Emmett has hidden out at the family cabin in the woods since he returned home wounded from his service in the military. His mother keeps him supplied with food and anything else he needs which means he can hide out there. His shotgun generally keeps everyone away that doesn’t belong there. Until Greer.
She’s not going to give up on him or on her other client, Ally. Between the both of them, she begins to see that her path in life does have focus and that giving up is not an option for any of them, including her.
The author does a fantastic job of weaving this story to its conclusion. Wonderful writing!
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received.
An Everyday Hero was my first book by this author, and I was so pleasantly surprised. I mean, I loved the blurb, so I was excited to take the chance. But there’s always a little spark of surprise when beneath that enticing blurb lies a story full of heart.
There is definitely a Hallmark-y vibe to this story. It’s sweet and somewhat predictable. But it’s also smartly written and told in a way that felt relatable and engaging and sometimes downright charming. It moved a little slowly for me sometimes, and other times it caused a grin to plaster itself relentlessly across my face. I laughed, I swooned, and my heart hurt for these fabulous characters. It’s not super heavy on the romance, and the heat level is low, but it was heartwarming and lovely and I’m so glad I took a chance on it.
AN EVERYDAY HERO by Laura Trentham
Greer has returned home to live with her parents and she knows she’s a failure at her music career. one night at the bar and someone upset her,she makes a bad choice and ends up in jail.
Her aunts ex husband is the judge and he won’t let her do litter pickup, he wants her to devote her time at the music tree charity. She is given two cases: Ally, a young girl who’s being bullied, lost her dad in the war and her mom likes alcohol and drugs.
Her other case is Emmett who’s a returning vet that lives alone and she breaks through to him also.
Like how they are all related but don’t find out too soon. Lots of good moments and some bad ones.
Like the music and horses in this book and how they all play a tremendous aide to those in need.
So informative about horses and music and PTSD and how others can help. Handful of characters and easy to keep track of them all and how they progress through the pain and loss.
Love hearing how much they had healed over a years time. This book ends with acknowledgements and other works by the author. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Received this review copy from St. Martins Griffin via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
This is an awesome story. To me it was about being down so low and having to make yourself push yourself, with the help of some unlikely friends. We get to know Emmett, a veteran who is dealing with both grief and guilt. Then we have Greer. Who would want to go back home and admit defeat on a career she wanted so badly? Will she be able to forgive herself? As I was reading, I could feel the emotions and feelings these characters were feeling. I was very much into the story. How would you act and react as parents of these folks? Throw into the mix a young girl who is dealing with the loss of her father and a mother who can’t quite keep it together. How will she play into the lives of Emmett and Greer? I loved this story and the characters. I hope you do too. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this warm-hearted story. It was incredibly moving, dealing with serious issues, but told with humor and love. Greer, Emmett and Ally are each dealing with loss and uncertainty, and when their paths cross they are reluctant to get close to anyone; three outcasts shielding their hearts. I fell in love with them all—Greer with her biting sarcasm, wit, and determination; Emmett who lashed out in pain, anger, and guilt; and Ally, a teenager dealing with grief and loss. I love a story that makes my heart flutter.
Loved, Loved this story. Let me count the ways!
First off, my mouth dropped with the opening words of the first chapter. I liked how we saw how the community service judgement was brought about. If you want details about that, that first chapter should clue you in pretty good. Even in that serious situation, there will be some humor too. In fact, this author did a pretty good job of blending serious issues, humor and sarcasm. I liked the flow of the story a lot. I was pretty much engaged with the story throughout. It’s now on my “Keeper” list.
I like stories with great, interesting main characters and this story had it. Greer had a way of approaching life that not everyone appreciated but she is definitely unique. She would also describe herself as lost at this part of her life. That probably helps her connect with others that people have not been able to connect with. She may have a kind heart but she also is not afraid to kick-butt when needed. And I found her sarcasm off the charts funny! If often disarms people around her. They are surprised and often finds themselves laughing almost against their will. One of the best descriptions of Greer was when she was thinking about how she was probably being taken off Emmett’s case. She thought of just letting sleeping dogs lie. ” Trouble was, she was prone to crossing lines and waking up dogs.”
Emmett had some serious issues and nightmares that were written in a way that was pretty real to understand. He just wants to drink and waste away to forget everything! Oh, he won’t commit suicide but isolation and the self-neglect is definitely there. Isolation and self-neglect that Greer ruthlessly interrupts. Don’t think that Greer is totally fearless though because she does know she is in over her head. She just keeps putting one foot in front of the other and does the best she can. The same thing with Ally, one of the girls in her community service project. Both Ally and Emmett are tough nuts to crack but they do keep things interesting.
Both sets of parents (Greer and Emmett’s) are worried for their children. Even if they are adults, they want to help and add a lot to the story. Not all of it helpful at first, because they just don’t know what to do.
I liked how there was a twist towards the end of the book. Man, I should have seen that coming after all the books I’ve read. But I didn’t and I like that the author surprised me!
The Epilogue is even a better addition to the story with just a few surprises as well. But the H.E.A. is not a surprise but it is very welcome.
I’m not sure if I have read any other books by this author. But after reading this book I will be on the look-out for others.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”