Honor's Refuge - Hallee Bridgeman
"Why do you have lunch with me every Sunday and breakfast every Thursday?" . . .
"Because I enjoy your company . . . Because that is all I have . . ."
Melissa Braxton refuses to believe that her hero-in-hiding is incapable of seeing past his limitations in order to realize what a magnificent specimen of God's creation that he truly is. Can Phil Osbourne, former Special Forces A-Team soldier be incredibly gruff and grumpy? Absolutely! Can he ignore the fact that even though he is a incredibly trained army medic and esteemed oral surgeon that he can simply choose to bury those talents underneath a broken perception of himself? Phil seems to be trying awfully hard to do just that. Can Melissa "fix" him? Unfortunately, she cannot. She can love him though . . . and wait?
Phil is convinced that Melissa needs someone without the mental and physical baggage that comes along with war wounds and past mistakes, but there is someone he can give her in the whereabouts of her younger sister. The girls' painful past was the result of domestic violence; separated when they were very young after the death of their mother, Melissa has lost all contact with Lola. With the help of his former teammates, Phil locates the young woman, but extracting her from a highly dangerous situation is going to bring that same degree of danger to the front door of the women's shelter where Melissa works. Is it too risky, can he protect the woman that he holds very dear (without admitting to love)safe?
What a joy to follow Phil's story to completion! A clear reminder of the words, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness". This entire series has been (and will continue to be, for it will be enjoyed again and again) a compelling blend of suspense, romance, and the miracle of divine intervention.
*I received a copy of this book from the Baker Publishing Group through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. 3.5 stars
BackCover Blurb:
When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her
father take her mother's life. Separated from her sister, Lola, at that
time, Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those stuck in
abusive relationships. It's why she became a family therapist and opened
a domestic abuse shelter.
After losing a leg to a gunshot wound
in the line of duty, Phil Osbourne has felt like a man without a
purpose--until he hears Melissa's story and decides to use his Special
Forces contacts to track down her missing sister. He knows what he
discovers will break Melissa's heart. What he doesn't realize is that
helping the women reunite will bring the cartel down on them like the
Category 5 hurricane striking Miami.
Bruised yet not quite
broken, Melissa and Phil battle the storm and the cartel, calling on
strength they didn't know they had to escape death, save the innocent,
and--just maybe--find healing in each other's arms.
Love in Any Language - Hallee Bridgeman
(prequel novella to the series)
"Did the members of the team all sit around and laugh behind their hands at the gullible little Emma Selah . . . ?"
This short form novella is exactly what you might expect it to be . . .brief and sweet. And it certainly lives up to those expectations, but it also seems a bit larger than life, since these characters populate three other novels where their presence has tremendous impact on others. So yes, at its core, this is a love story. ("in any language" is an understatement, Selah speaks five or is it six and she's going for seven?) But it's also a glimpse into the hearts of heroes who work hard, love their country, take risks, survive misunderstandings, and depend on their faith during the best and worst of times.
So, enjoy meeting Selah and Pena as they navigate the troubled waters of dangerous missions while trying to rebuild their trust in each other, trust that was tested by the kind of fire that only made it stronger.
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 3.5 stars
BackCover Blurb:
Afghanistan born U.S. Army consultant Emma Selah works as a fluent and multi-lingual interpreter assigned to a special forces team. Deployed to a base in Djibouti, Emma and First lieutenant Jorge “Pina Colada” Pena start to form a relationship built on friendship, mutual respect, and undeniable attraction.
Then she discovers that he has been married the entire time when news of his wife’s untimely death reaches them. She gives him no room for excuses or more deceptions. Distracted and feeling betrayed, Emma mistakenly enters an unsafe situation and a dangerous prisoner takes her hostage. Pena comes to her rescue but is gravely wounded.
Emma remains by his side while his life hangs in the balance. He doesn’t want to live without her and she can no longer live without him. Can they find a way to bridge the gap between their separate worlds?
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