A dream shattered – a love jilted – a heart broken. People change. Is there a second chance for love above the clouds? It’s the swinging sixties. An ex-fiancé flies back into a stewardess’s life. He dumped her once. But this war veteran knows what he wants now. Torn between attraction and fear, will she head for the runway or the hangar? She’s left behind her past, with its small-town values and … values and jilted love to see the world and become independent. He’s returned from war and death with a single goal—to redeem the worst mistake of his life. She wants nothing to do with him. He wants her as his wife. Will their flight end with an emergency landing—a total crash—or a perfect glide into the right airport, the right gate, and the right destination?
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Her Reluctant Hero by Anne Greene takes us back to 1968 in Texas. Laura Richard had her heart broken by Josh Langford. She is now enjoying her job as a stewardess and Josh takes to the skies to win her back. I enjoyed reading this Christian romance. I thought it was well-written with developed characters. It is a sweet and engaging Christian romance. I thought the author captured the time period with the jobs, lingo, clothing and attitudes. I like that Laura was a stewardess (now called flight attendants). It was a new and unique position for women at that time who normally worked as nurses, teachers, store clerks or secretaries. Unfortunately, airlines used the pretty stewardesses to their advantage as we get to see in Her Reluctant Hero. I found the story to be realistic and I felt it was just the right length. I was delighted with the ending. Her Reluctant Hero is a groovy story that will not disappoint you!
Her Reluctant Hero by Anne Greene
Have read other works by the author and enjoyed them. This one starts out with Laura Richards and she’s being rescued from a burning house.
Josh Landford is the part time fireman who had rescued her and she ran into him many times at college in TX since he transferred to the college she’d be attending after the fire.
He doesn’t believe he was a hero and was awarded a medal but she thanks him for saving her life and she bought him dinner. Years later they are dating but taking things slow.
Book then advances a few years and we find Josh had broken the engagement as she is on a plane as a stewardess with Josh.
She loses her trust with the magazine article that came out. Love how the gift he gave her kept them in touch with one another.
After his war assignments he has found God. Swinging 60’s and mixed messages draw them further from one another.
Love the direction this book goes from then as they realize God is with each of them. So realistic and a fun story to read. Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
Received this review copy from the author via The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) and this is my honest opinion.
Her Reluctant Hero by Anne Greene is an enjoyable novella set in the 1960s, a time of the Viet Nam war and women’s lib. Laura and Josh were in love and she thought they were headed to the altar. But when Josh went off to pilot search and rescue planes in Viet Nam he broke off with Laura, breaking her heart. When he returns, he relentlessly pursues her but she won’t give him the time of day. Will she even listen to his side of the story? How can he reach her heart? Will he be a bachelor the rest of his life since Laura is the only one for him? The characters are likable and realistic, altho I thought Laura might be just a tad hard on Josh at times! But what’s a girl to do when her heart has been broken? Throughout the story is a thread of faith in a personal God, a God who answers prayers and loves to give second chances. This novella is a fast, fun read that will entertain you. Don’t miss it. I received a complimentary copy of this book and a favorable review was not required. The opinions are my own.
Set in the Viet Nam era, Her Reluctant Hero features Josh who has returned from two tours in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot. Josh is a strong, silent hero who is willing to wait for the girl he loves. I did not like Laura as well as Josh but she has reasons for not falling into his arms! You will enjoy this novella as life changes in the United States. I received a complimentary copy of Her Reluctant Hero from the author. This is my honest opinion.
Her Reluctant Hero is a story taking place in Texas.
It was a flashback to the 1961 to 1970. A time where
mini skirts with go-go boots were all in style. Those
were fun years except for the Vietnam War taking place.
This story deals with Laura Richards and Josh Langford.
They had once been an item but went their separate ways
when Josh broke their engagement when he left to be a
pilot in Vietnam.
Laura has been crushed especially after she saw a photo
of Josh leaving and kissing a model goodbye.
Laura had been a very religious person who dressed
conservative. Then she decided to change her life style
by becoming an airline stewardess. This required her to
wear mini skirts & go-go boots to fly the friendly airlines
as it was advertised.
Now Josh is back and a reporter for her airlines. He flies
on her flights whenever possible. He is trying to win Laura
back but still isn’t sure what he did that she ignores him
except to be polite as is expected of her position.
Laura has and is trying hard to get over the hurt Josh
caused her when he broke their engagement. But her
biggest obstacle was seeing a picture in the newspaper
of him with the model.
The characters were well developed, relatable and realistic.
They had human flaws and emotions. Their lives were
shaped by their perceptions and experiences.
This story showed how important communications between
people is. Emotional plus spiritual healing does not arrive
overnight but with determination and faith the message of
forgiveness will occur in God’s time.
A good read!!
Her Reluctant Hero is the latest stirring novella from Anne Greene, set in the turbulent 1960’s, when the sexual revolution was in full swing and courageous men and women who served in Viet Nam are criticized, even shunned. Passenger airfare is government regulated, so airlines promote their beautiful, young stewardesses. It is also a time when most working women were clerks, teachers or secretaries, and it was known that if one wants to catch a rich guy, being a stewardess was the way to go.
Laura Richardson is a young Christian woman who saw the bitter end of her dreams when her real-life hero, Josh Langford, broke off their engagement when he was on his way to serve in Viet Nam. Unknown to her, he heard that most S&R pilots never made it back home. He refused to make his beloved a widow. Then she saw it. The photo of Josh kissing a slender young model when on his way to training. It was seen around the country, breaking what was left of her heart.
Laura is now a stewardess, and Josh is on his way home from the battlefront. He doesn’t know what happened, but he does know he desperately wants her back in his life. Laura had not responded to any of his letters, even returning them unopened. When seeing him on her flight, Laura makes it clear that she doesn’t want to see Josh. What he learns how attractive stewardesses are sometimes treated sickens him, and he notices what is missing about Laura is her sweet glow from walking with the Lord.
Josh takes a job for the airline’s in-flight magazine and sees Laura regularly on the business run. On her birthday, he brings a surprise that begins to soften her heart. When Laura’s roommate tries to get Josh to take her out, he sets her up his best friend, Steve, a Christian.
I like both Josh and Laura very much, who have each taken to the skies in different ways. They are honorable, caring young adults whose miscommunication changed the course of their lives. Despite the godless era they live in, they maintain their morals. I also enjoyed their best friends, Melanie and Steve, and seeing their lives.
This is a historical Christian story that is exciting even as one feels the heartache of both Laura and Josh. There are plot twists that tenderize even the most cynical heart. One can simply relax and enjoy this novella, or one can enjoy it and recognize spiritual lessons that might be helpful to consider. It is well-written and shows the difference the Lord makes in a woman’s heart. I highly recommend this novella, especially to those who appreciate historical Christian women’s fiction written with excellence.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this novella from the author; review was not required.
This new book by Anne Greene will offer some readers a mini history lesson on the “swinging sixties” while being a reminder to others of a period that they once lived through. Her Reluctant Hero is set in Texas during the period from 1961-1970 and there are many mentions of mini skirts, white go-go boots and the stewardesses who flew the friendly skies. I must admit that I didn’t know that these young women were so often subjected to the unwanted attention of male passengers but I was a naive ten year old from rural Kentucky at the beginning of this decade. The Vietnam War is also woven into the plotline and I was reminded of some of my classmates who were sent there immediately after graduation, never to return home alive.
In this novella Laura is the stewardess who lost the love of her life and doesn’t want to engage in a meaningless relationship or the casual sex that the free love movement is promoting. Josh is the man who hurt her deeply and he is back after serving as a pilot during the war. He thought that walking away before his first tour of duty was a way of sparing her from the grief of his possible death but now he is home and he wants her back. Josh wants to rekindle their romance but Laura refuses to listen to his explanation of why he left because she saw a picture of him kissing a model right before he left. How can he possibly hope to make things right? Laura certainly doesn’t want to hear his repeated proclamations of love!
There two main characters are both appealing and realistic. Josh certainly fits the description of a reluctant hero and I admired both his moral code and his strong belief in God. I found myself being a little impatient with Laura but I realize that her deep hurt made her afraid to trust again.
Author Anne Greene has written a sweet story of two people trying to recapture a love they both thought would last forever. Her Reluctant Hero is filled with young love, disappointment, hope, perseverance, and an unfailing belief in God. It is inspiring and realistic and I certainly recommend this novella to anyone who enjoys Christian romance.
I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own.