This was the first book I have read by this author. It was a clean romance with no gratuitous sex or foul language.

Hank Fleming is a former Special Ops soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan. His foster brother, Edward, was also in the service, along with most of the men he knew. While visiting their parents, Edward's biological sister, Cindy, showed up looking for her biological family. Cindy and Hank are immediately attracted to one another and begin to spend time together. Time they both enjoy very much. However, Cindy is still reeling from her ex-fiance's betrayal. Eric, her former fiance', slept with her sister, Belinda, and got her pregnant. While Cindy loves spending time with Hank very much, she is wary and uncertain about a future with him because of her inability to trust easily anymore. Eric continues to threaten and invade their lives and when her life is in danger, Hank steps up to protect her. Both Hank and Cindy have baggage to resolve before they can fully commit to one another if that is even possible?

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

More Than a Soldier is the second installment of the Veterans Heart series, an inspirational romance with a touch of suspense in the tale. The mix of the character's growth in their faith in God, their struggles and triumphs in life, and the developing romantic relationship are all well mixed together in an intriguing storyline.
Former Special Forces soldier Hank Fleming is easy to like. He is kind, considerate, fun, protective, a good man, who doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, likes to be active and laugh. He is an attentive son, a good brother, and a friend you can count on. The events in the army that caused his disability are hunting his sleep. He is struggling to find his place, and worth, after the military life, and grow in his faith in God.
Cindy Giordano is a sassy daredevil who loves to be challenged physically. But currently, it is her life that is challenging her to the max. She is heartbroken and devastated for the reasons of her broken engagement. She lost her job, she is fighting with her family, and she seems to have a violent stalker after her.
Cindy and Hank have a great connection. They click, they got each other, understand each other, there is a lot of fun and laughter, 'non-dates' where they get to know each other. I liked the chemistry between them, how their friendship was founded first until the deeper feelings took a hold of their hearts.
When the danger Cindy is in escalates, and the fear intensifies, the story starts to move at a rapid pace. With all the stress Cindy is in, it is no wonder that she is a bit of a mess, and acts out of character that causes a conflict between her and Hank.
It was effortless for me to connected with characters, understand their struggles, feel their pain, hope, and joy. All the different aspects of the story, Cindy finding her brother, the developing relationship with Hank, the suspense, and danger from the stalker, the character development, both as a person and in their faith made an alluring story that was easy to get lost in and enjoy immensely. I wish there would have been more to the ending, it seemed abrupt to me and left some questions in my mind.
A poignant, encouraging, and touching story about trust, faith, and love that touches the emotions, entertains and inspires.
~ Four Spoons

Great book! Can't wait to read more by this author!

From the book's description I was expecting to thoroughly enjoy this story but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I found the beginning slow and rather stilted, particularly the references to God which seemed tacked on as an after thought and rather out of place. I thought the middle of the story when Cindy was being stalked was fast paced and well written but found the ending too understated, rather like a damp squib.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Irene Onorato is a newer author for me to read. More than a Soldier is a contemporary Christian romance that deals with real life issues of betrayal, PTSD and life as a foster child is the second book by her that I have read. Both of the main characters were foster children. The impact on their lives comes through in their ability to be self-reliant.

Cindy Giordano also had a more recent betrayal which needed to be worked through. Hank was a wonderful friend and later more as he modeled forgiveness and perseverance after difficult life changing events. I thought Cindy’s anger and early avoidance of facing the betrayers showed her human side. So while it is a Christian book it is not preachy, showing that life is not perfect.

The pacing of the story is smooth but at times I wanted more to happen to speed things up, sort to speak. Then at the end it felt rushed, I wanted more developed before it was over. However, the characters, main and supporting were mostly a delight, especially Hank, his dog, and his family along with Cindy’s neighbor. This writer’s strength is in developing real genuine people that seem just like the people next door. For that reason alone, I would read more written by her.

While different from but having the same realism aspect to the story I can recommend this book to fans of other Christian writers such as T.K. Chapin.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

Beautiful romance! I really enjoyed this book. In depth characters who have struggles and have each suffered loss of one kind or another. This book was more emotional than I was expecting but in a good way. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

These characters grew on me very quickly and I found myself not wanting to put it down until I got the happy ending I wanted, but getting there wasn’t going to be simple. Cindy has been betrayed by those closest to her (her ex-fiancé and foster sister) and now with time on her hands because she has no job, she decides to search for her biological brother. Her search leads her to not only finally meeting her brother, but she meets his foster brother, Hank, and their foster parents. Cindy and Hank hit it off right away and Edward asks Hank to watch out for Cindy while his job takes him away. Due to events in Cindy’s past her she is leery of beginning a new relationship and tries to keep Hank in the friend zone, but the chemistry between these two is obvious. Can Hank show Cindy that he is not like her ex and win her heart?

Cindy’s ex begins to threaten both Cindy and Hank when he sees the two of them together. How far will the ex go to get what he wants and can they catch him before someone gets hurt? There were definitely some tense moments where I wondered how they would get out the situation. Hank has his own demons that he is trying to put behind him, but amazingly after everything he has been through he is still able to keep a positive outlook on life and is able to help Cindy deal with her anger. I really enjoyed the interactions between Hank and Cindy, however I felt for Hank with the way that Cindy treated him at one point. Thankfully this was resolved. The secondary characters were very likeable, entertaining and supportive. I loved Mrs. B she was such a sweet lady. I did think that Cindy’s search for her brother and their acceptance that she was who she said she was seemed to be too easy. I also did not like the way the story ended with the ex, I would have liked more closure. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would read more by Ms. Onorato in the future.

This was the first book that I had read from this author I found it very easy to read and enjoyable.

Sorry, this one just isn't for me. There are too many errors even for being an advance copy and while I could overlook that if the book held my interest, it just does not. The characters seem unbelievable in their circumstances and reactions to those circumstances. I honestly could not finish it and do not want to leave a bad review.

After she discovered her boyfriend was cheating on her, Cindy Giordano has felt a little lost. Of course, she's angry and may never get over the betrayal, so instead, she's determined to pour all her energy into finding and meeting her brother, Edward. Except a simple meeting leads to so much more when she meets Hank Fleming, a scarred former special forces soldier that has survived a lot and still manages to see the best in life. However, with her ex determined to make her life a living hell, how can Cindy even think about giving another man a chance?

What an intriguing and gripping story Ms. Onorato has penned in this story about a heroine finding her family while facing the demons of her past; a hero that has such a positive outlook on life, even after all he's been through; secondary characters that were just as entertaining as the main ones; and a psycho ex that I hoped would get what was coming to him in the end. However, in saying that, I was a tad frustrated with the ending in thinking it was a little anti-climatic by what happened to Cindy's ex and the ending between Hank and Cindy cementing their relationship right at the end felt a little rushed after what happened with her ex. Still, I liked this story so much that the ending didn't bother me enough to want to give it less than four stars.

Both the main characters entertained me due to their strong chemistry, which was there from the moment they met; and their back stories that made me sympathize with the pair. Surviving the attack Hank did should make him angry at the world and the people that killed his comrads, but I liked that it didn't get him down and how he helped the heroine realize that she shouldn't let her ex get to her because things could be a lot worse. Really, Hank is good for the heroine, not only because he's protective, but because he shows her not all guys are like her ex; a man who cheated on her with someone she loves and then turns into a total psycho that will go to any lengths to win her back.

While the heroine, she's a woman down on her luck in having lost her job and with what happened when those she loved betrayed her, but I liked that she found a way to combat the pain by pursuing her chance to find and get to know her brother. Even more, getting to know Hank and seeing him thrive and be able to joke with her the way he does had me completely captivated. How could he still be so positive after all he's been through? Moreover, I liked how the heroine handled everything her ex puts her through, even though at times it's hard for her and I could understand why she acts the way she does towards Hank. Luckily, he doesn't allow her attitude to keep him from helping her.

Overall, Ms. Onorato has penned an engaging read in this book where the main and secondary characters -- especially Dexter and Vargas -- have me wanting to read more of this series. The way this story ended left me a tad disappointed with what happened between the main characters and Cindy's ex, but I'm glad that Cindy managed to win Hank back after what she does to him. Also, I liked the words Cindy and Hank shared at the end. It shows how serious Hank is about their future together. I would recommend More Than a Soldier by Irene Onorato, if you enjoy contemporary romance with a touch of suspense and religious themes, the sexy protector trope, stories containing ex-military heroes or books by authors Susan Stoker, Cora Seton or Cat Johnson.

More Than a Soldier by Irene Onorato is the second book in this series. As a Christian romance the book is nice and not preachy, but a little anti climatic. I really like Hank in the first book and am glad that most of the characters looked past his physical differences.
The thing that bothered me about the book is that neither main character really trusts the other with feeling and thoughts. They deal with situations, but other than the current condition or crisis they seem to hide a lot from each other.
They seem to go from not trusting to the the final step in the relationship quickly.

other than that, entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

"More than a Soldier" (2017, Lyrical Shine), second in the "A Veteran’s Heart" series by Irene Onorato, is a contemporary Christian romance with a good amount of suspense set in New York. The novel is a standalone story, even though characters from "A Soldier Finds His Way" do cross over into this one.

Rating: 4 stars

The heroine: Cindy Giordano has been struggling with the betrayal she experienced at the hands of her fiance and her sister. To top it off, she has now been laid off due to being the most recently hired employee. With time on her hands, she begins investigating the whereabouts of her biological brother, something that she has wanted to do for a while.

The hero: Hank Fleming is a demolitions expert. Formerly a special forces soldier, Hank was in an attack in Afghanistan, leaving him with PTSD, one eye (with the other now a prosthetic), and deafness in one ear. However, his is a rather exuberant personality rather than the brooding one that might be expected from such a hero. He is exactly what Cindy needs!

Christian & moral elements:

*Cindy’s neighbor Mrs. Baker urges her to forgive her sister. “The Lord would want that, you know.”

*This story doesn’t directly preach against premarital sex, but makes it clear that both the hero and heroine believe in abstaining until marriage. This book also provides an excellent example of why both the male and female in a dating relationship need to agree - on a philosophical/moral level - on this topic. It’s asking for trouble if one doesn’t believe in premarital sex and the other merely accepts/respects it. “How easily she’d bought into his ruse of accepting and appreciating the fact that she didn’t believe in premarital sex…” (I feel compelled to add that even if the person accepting the others’ beliefs - and complying with it - is genuine in what he says, circumstances may occur which make such acceptance insufficient.)

*”A white lie wouldn’t send her straight to hell, would it?” Sigh. Not only was this not addressed, but I was disappointed to see this rhetorical question in the book after salvation through Jesus is touched on. No, a lie doesn’t send you to hell. Only rejecting Jesus as savior does that. I feel like this rhetorical question muddies the waters which were previously made clear.

Clean? Yes! However, a former fiance previously cheated on the heroine with the “a man has needs” excuse, and there are a couple of mentions of a pregnancy outside of marriage. Later, there are some things that happen that would cause me to dub this as definitely an adult only book.

What I liked:

*Cindy’s and Edward’s fathers both being unidentified is the reality for many foster children. One of my children does not know the name of his biological father. That can’t feel good, and it’s something he will likely never know. I thought this was a good bit of realism here.

*I really enjoy the rapport between Hank and Cindy. It’s so well done, and it’s what kept me eagerly reading this story! They frequently amused me.

*”You were looking for someone tall and sassy?... She just went that way.”

What I didn’t like:

*I did not enjoy Cindy’s occasional bursts of anger. “You’ve got some nerve calling me, you pig… Why would I want to meet you for coffee? I’d rather drink poison… No, I don’t want to see you… You know what you ought to do? Drop dead.” I don’t know. I don’t expect my heroines to be perfect, but I didn’t like this even though Cindy acknowledges later that it’s an issue.

*Edward, Hank, and Cindy all come from families who raised foster children. Apparently, neither family adopted their foster child(ren), which seems extremely unlikely to me when considering the length of time the children were in their homes. (I’m not saying all foster children are adopted, but when the biological parents are out of the picture, children need permanency.) That whole thing didn’t ring true to me.

*Later, Cindy refers to her foster parents as simply her “parents,” and yet she says that she wasn’t unhappy with them and that they’d “loved her as their own.” But “finding Edward would mean family - a real family like she’d always dreamed of.” As a former foster parent with multiple adopted children, I can say that I take issue with that word “real.” Cindy’s foster family continues to be her “real” family. There are other words to use when referring to blood relations… biological… birth family… blood brother…

*The ending was extremely abrupt. An epilogue may not have worked as there is a book three coming, but more than the very brief ending was surely needed.

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I’ve put "A Soldier Finds His Way" on my to-read list. Even though there were some things that bothered me, they didn’t take up much real estate in the book, and I did find the story highly entertaining and engrossing. I stayed up late last night in a (failed) attempt to finish it, and I rarely do that these days.

I recommend this book to fans of contemporary Christian romance. Also recommended to fans of soldier heroes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story was different form the ones that I’ve been reading and I enjoyed it. The characters are average people, there’s a suspense plotline with a quite typical villain and a good cast of side characters. The romance is a slow-burn courtship, and I liked the book until the final part, when I felt the narrative dragged a little. I also enjoyed the way friendship and familial bonds were incorporated into the story.
Throughout most of the book I particularly enjoyed the hero, a wounded ex-veteran suffering from PTSD that, nonetheless, has a friendly disposition. I liked the way PTSD is depicted but I would have liked to have seen it more developed. Hank dreads the thought of going to sleep or frightening others with his nightmares and there’s a lot of anguish and anxiety affecting him. Still, I have my doubts about his healing mostly through guidance and prayer from a friend minister who was his unit’s medic.
Hank’s non-judgmental attitude towards faith was also appealing, but by the hand I thought he was somewhat inflexible with Cindy, the heroine. His easy-going and good-humored persona contrasted with that obstinacy and kind of lost some of his charm after that.

Graphic.

She handled that very well. Her boss seemed nice.

At least Eric was good for something.

That witch! Poor baby Edward!

How unfair the law can be sometimes.

What was Dexter's girlfriend thinking? Both jobs are dangerous.

Not very Christian of you, Hank.

Mrs. B is so nice.

I wonder if Edward would have been a nicer kid if he had had his sister with him.

Poor man's got survivors' guilt.

Isn't it a bit incestuous? If Edward's his brother, doesn't it follow that his sister would be Hank's sister as well?

Oh my God! Stupid turkey.

This is so weird and disturbing.

"Hanky Pank"? Haha!

That was mean, Cindy. The baby is innocent. What if Belinda is so upset she has a car accident?

That was nice of him, dancing with Charlotte. She should just join in next time. That's why I would do.

Prentiss is a snake. Hank should really beat him up.

His tires are slashed, a broken music box mysteriously starts working again, and no one is worried?

Thank God he left the dog with her!

Damn. I feel bad for Vargas.

Aw, no fair telling her you love her when she's asleep.

That's telling her some home-truths, baby.

It was funny! Hank should have understood.

Not enough tissues in the world for this. Poor Belinda!

Son of a-!

The ending was kind of anti-climactic. All that trouble, and he's taken down in five minutes?

I adore Hank and Cindy's story! The author resists making them too perfect, as seen sometimes in Christian fiction. Nor does the author trivialize their problems. Hank's backstory is rough, moreso than Cindy's but he deals with it quietly and with the help of a mentor.

The suspense in the story is well-written. The villain, Cindy's ex-fiance', is intimidating. The rift between Cindy and her sister, and the outcome of those events, in sad.

The only thing I would change is for Edward, Cindy's brother, and Cindy to have spent more time together in the book. No spoilers so I won't go into detail.

Best Christian fiction I've read this year.