Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure–and his injuries–has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones’s elite rescue team, but he also can’t shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.Former CIA profiler and … and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun’s yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she’ll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes–the man she nearly killed.
Her skills and his experience are exactly what’s needed to prevent another tragedy–but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They’ll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?
Leap into action with this high-octane, breakneck new series from bestselling author Susan May Warren.
more
I am so torn about how I feel about this book. First, I’m not really sure I would call this a romantic suspense. To me, it’s more of an adventure romance, as most of the story takes place on Mt. Denali where the main group of characters are either trying to climb the mountain or save those in peril from mishaps on the mountain.
I am sure the research done for this book took a ton of time, but I felt that there were just too many climbing terms, techniques, and equipment names that I am not familiar with and that really took me out of the first 1/3 of the story.
I also had trouble buying into the romance between Orion and Jenny. They had only known each other for a few weeks -3 years previous and hadn’t seen each other since – so it was really hard to believe that their relationship meant so much to each other at the start of the story.
Once I got past the first part of the story and the action picked up, it was pretty incredible. I was on the edge of my seat pretty much for the rest of the story! Many of the situations our characters were placed in was very intense!
I felt like the faith element of the story was well done and fit perfectly with what the characters had been through in the past and what they were going through currently.
All that being said, I feel sort of like I read two different stories. One about how to climb a mountain and all of the equipment that is needed and one really good romantic adventure! 3.5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
*I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Revell at Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts below are my own.
From the amazing cover to the gripping last page, this brand new release from USA Today Bestselling author, Susan May Warren, captivated, thrilled and excited me! I simply couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
Warren introduces a fantastic cast of characters in The Way of the Brave, the first book in her newest series, Global Search and Rescue. Not only do these two sets of friends find common ties, but they’re adventurers at heart, captivating readers with their likable, daring spirits and relatable personal conflicts. Not only do readers get to enjoy a look into the thoughts and feelings of former CIA profiler Jenny Calhoun and pararescue jumper Orion Starr, but they also get a glimpse into other exciting characters lives as a peek into the books to come in this series!
I thoroughly enjoyed the way Warren educated her readers through her characters and their adventures climbing Mount Denali. She made the mountains and views come to life with her vivid descriptions and I found myself Googling some of the gear she mentioned just to see what it looked like! Adventure and excitement kept me turning the pages as quickly as possible. The story never slowed, with fast paced, heart pounding moments and witty or entertaining dialogue between characters. While I enjoyed the romance that blossomed between Jenny and Orion, I have to say the passion happening between Jake and Aria has me terribly excited to read their story! As a female reader, I loved the strong female heroines and the dreamy, capable men as well as how they all compliment each other while working together. Lastly, I was inspired by the faith based elements that Warren worked into this. Seeing the characters overcome the obstacles in their personal lives was uplifting and encouraging, without it overpowering the story.
This exhilarating story had it all – adventure, romance, wit, passionate characters, bravery, teamwork, friendship and faith – leaving readers with a sense of fulfillment in a story that was masterfully created and absolutely entertaining. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy contemporary romance stories, adventure/thrillers and even mild suspense.
This book was so good!
From the very beginning, I was hooked on the story and the characters. I LOVED that the hero was a former AF PJ (go Air Force!). And I love that we’ll get to see the rest of the characters in upcoming books because I definitely want to know what happens with Ham and Jake and Aria. Ms. Warren knocked this series opener out the ballpark.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.
3.5 stars
“We don’t stop living live because bad things can, or will, happen.”
Orion Starr and Jenny Calhoun had stopping living, in a way, since a mission went terribly wrong in Afghanistan. Orion, a pararescue jumper and Jenny, an CIA agent posing as an embedded journalist were on opposite ends of the tragedy; Orion lost teammates and sustained injuries requiring a knee replacement; Jenny, on the other hand, had a nervous breakdown. The remarkable friendship they had molded on the battlefield literally went up in smoke. But Orion had once promised Jenny; “I will find you”, he just had no way of knowing at the time that it would require a different kind of rescue mission, one requiring a dangerous extraction off the side of the most treacherous mountain peak in North America; Denali.
“This trip is about conquering our fears. About going beyond who we think we are.”
Famous last words; but oh, how Jenny Calhoun prayed they would not be her epitaph. When a hideous wind blast literally blows her companions and her off Denali, they struggle to survive before an avenging angel from her past manages to arrive. If only it was that easy, for Orion Starr still doesn’t know the truth.
Honestly, the repetitive references to various climbing implements and the author’s vivid descriptions of the Alaskan terrain, were overwhelming at times. Assuming most readers are not serious expeditionary hikers, the story was difficult to picture or even imagine. Scene after scene rather ran together, nevertheless, it was the strength of the characters that carried this story; their struggles, their honesty, their bravery, their will to live, their faith, their forgiveness. Sweeter words were never spoken than, “I forgive you”, “please, let it be over”.
I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews.
‘You’re just mad because God didn’t answer your prayer the way you wanted him to.’
When you pick up a Susan May Warren book, you can be sure that you will not be disappointed. Ever. As she begins another series, that, by the way, promises to be amazing, I was again reminded of that fact.
‘That thing inside you that you can’t keep dodging, that pull to do something more with your life? God isn’t finished with you yet. He’s calling you to something…..’
Warren begins her new series, Global Search and Rescue, with The Way of the Brave, which is Orion Starr’s story, and Jenny Calhoun’s. Jenny does a yearly challenge with two friends and this year’s feat is to climb Denali, which soon turns extremely deadly. Jenny is a former CIA profiler and psychiatrist who approved an action that ended in an ambush with the Taliban with lives lost. Now, the man who was also injured in that action is the pararescue jumper who comes to her rescue on Denali when things turn seriously sideways. Can these two overcome the wounds that threaten their emotional lives? Will they allow God to mend their hearts?
One of the things I enjoy most about Susan May Warren’s writing is her ability to pull a reader into the story with a powerful spiritual theme. She is so amazingly good at this. And she also deftly weaves in characters from previous books from time to time, which is always a delight to me. And then she ends the book on a note that makes the reader wish it was already time to read the second in the series. She also gives us a glimpse of the story which will involved secondary characters. Anytime I sit down to read a Susan May Warren book, I am guaranteed an absolutely wonderful read! I highly recommend this book.
My thanks to Revell Publishing for a copy of this book through the Revell Reads program. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
In the shadow of Denali Jenny and Orion are forced to face a past that could shatter them or make them stronger. Will they be strong enough to weather whatever comes their way as Denali throws her worst at them? Will the past keep them from finding a future where they can both be happy once again?
The Way of the Brave is a page turner. Be warned, do not start this book at night as you won’t want to put it down. Ride along on the journey as Jenny and Orion reconnect and try to sort out their past. Along the way you’ll meet steadfast Ham who seems to know just what to say at the right time even if no one wants to hear it. Your heart breaks as you learn just a bit about Aria and Jake. Then of course there’s Orion and Jenny. Each story interweaves itself throughout the book and leaves you wanting more. This is one ride you are definitely going to want to take.
“Today, we save lives.”
The Way of the Brave, the first novel in award winning author Susan May Warren’s new Global Search and Rescue series, takes readers on a journey to the state of Alaska, where Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, can be found in all of its treacherous beauty.
Readers were first introduced to former pararescue jumper Orion Starr in Susan May Warren’s Summer of the Burning Sky series. After devastating losses and injuries during his time in Afghanistan, Orion has retreated to his home in Alaska. His rescue skills are put to the test when three climbers are lost on Denali, including one woman with a painful connection to Orion’s past.
The Way of the Brave starts with a slow build-up to the action and intricate details regarding climbing techniques and the climbing tools needed. Once the action starts, get ready for a fast-paced thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat. One part of the novel even brought me to tears. Orion and Jenny’s story was very well written, but I really connected with their friends Jake and Aria the most. Jake and Aria were my favorite characters in this novel, and the banter between them was so fun to read. I am really looking forward to their story in book 2 of the series, The Heart of a Hero.
Susan May Warren is known for her phenomenal family-centered series and incorporating characters from previous series into her newer series. In The Way of the Brave, which focuses on two groups of friends, longtime fans of Susan May Warren will love the return of some familiar characters along with the introduction of some new characters. Since The Way of the Brave is the start of a new series, this is the perfect opportunity for readers who have never read any books by this author. The Way of the Brave is highly recommended for readers of action-filled contemporary romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
“What happens in Alaska stays in Alaska.”
Susan May Warren is a prolific author who weaves various tales that bring the reader into the pages of the story. If you haven’t read her novels yet or even if you are familiar with her, here is the latest new series that takes readers on an adventure.
The players are former service men and women who are trying to live their lives every day, never thinking of themselves as heroes. In the first book of the series, we meet the main characters named Orion Starr and Jennifer Calhoun. Each has memories that haunt them, and they carry them every day. Now, they meet again not overseas but in Alaska, facing a mountain to climb. Can they do it safely, will they and those with them survive or will the past cripple them when they need all their knowledge to stay alive?
In Susan’s unique way, she tells of adventure, daring and healing in the wilderness of Alaska. I enjoyed the vast and at times dangerous scenes in the story. I didn’t understand all the mountain climbing terms, but it was easy to picture the storms or dangers each player faced. Not all the action takes place outdoors; there is much interesting interaction between Orion, Jennifer and a host of others. I am curious to see where the author will take us next and to whose background, she will reveal in the second book which I hope comes out early in 2020!
If you’re looking for a book to curl up with when the nasty winter winds blow, you don’t have to look any further! Choose her newest series or one of her earlier works, either way you can’t go wrong!