First Line Fridays: The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren

Happy Friday! 

First Line Fridays is hosted by Hoarding Books and participants share the first line from a nearby book.

Today, I'm sharing the first line from The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren:

"He should have never left Alaska."

Have you read this book? Book blurb below and you can read my review here. Book two in the series, The Heart of a Hero, is coming soon!

What are you reading this weekend? I'd love for you to share your book's first line!

Happy reading!

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About the Book:

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 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.

Book Review: The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren

About the Book:

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 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.


My Thoughts:

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren brims with adventure, romance, and spiritual themes. With all of the action, the story easily held my interest from beginning to end. Sometimes, I struggled with all the technical language because I know zilch about mountain climbing, snowy weather conditions, ice screws, etc. However, I enjoyed Jenny and Orion’s love story and wasn’t surprised to find a second love story brewing (which looks to be the focus of book two).

I liked the characters’ authenticity in The Way of the Brave. Orion and Jenny didn’t change too quickly as they struggled with hard questions about life. A theme about dealing with the past, instead of running from it, plays out through the novel. Bold statements about God, His faithful love, and His healing offered encouragement to the characters and to me.

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren is the first installment her Global Search and Rescue series. Although it is not my favorite novel from her, I think long-time fans of Susan May Warren’s work will want to read The Way of the Brave. 3.5 Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

December Recap & January Reading

My December 2019 Reads: 

With December being a naturally busy month, I'm surprised and pleased that I read as many books as I did.

In December, I finished:

1. Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


2. Praying With Jane by Rachel Dodge - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


3. Christmas at Carnton by Tamera Alexander. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


4. The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Read my review.


5. Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.


6. The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren - ⭐⭐⭐ - Review coming soon.

My favorite book this month was.... Love You, Truly by Susan L. Tuttle. Honestly, I wasn't sure I even wanted to read this book, but I gave it a chance and I'm so glad I did! 

Expected January 2020 Reads:

In January, I expect to read:

1. On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White - I'm already hearing good buzz about this book so I'm looking forward to it!


2. The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis - Still in progress! It's not a review book and has slid to the bottom of my stack.


3. The Spice King by Elizabeth Camden - My local book club's January selection!


4. Isaiah's Legacy by Mesu Andrews - Both my husband and I will read this one. He loves Mesu Andrews' books!


5. Booked by Karen Swallow Prior - I'm currently reading this memoir and it's amazing.


6. Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery - I may or may not read this one. I haven' t read the prior books in the series, but the online book group I joined is reading it.

 What will you read this month?