This book hooked me from the first page and kept me turning page after page until the very end. I love Susan May Warren's recuse series. She has a knack for writing strong independent men and women who compliment and strengthen each other.
I loved the fact that Jenny is a rock climber. I haven't ever read a book about a female rock climber before. Her strength and dedication was amazing.
I loved Orion's dedication to saving people. Even when he really wants to just fade into the background, he can't help himself when someone is in trouble. I admire these amazing people.
I loved the way their relationship developed. The romance and faith aspects were woven so well together with the suspense, it made the perfect story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Susan May Warren is one of my top three favorite authors, so I get excited every time she releases a new book and can never wait long to read them. Way of the Brave was no exception, and I could not wait to dive in. While her books typically grab me right from the start, I must admit that this one took me a little bit longer to really get into. I'll be honest--- I'm not a very adventurous person so the closest I will EVER get to mountain climbing is reading this book. Aw, the beauty of reading, right? Still, there was a LOT of technical terms used within this story that made absolutely zero sense to me. For anyone who does climb, I am certain this will add a level of authenticity that they will appreciate. For me, it was just a bit confusing and kept me from connecting to the story as much in the beginning. Several chapters in, once the action really started going I found that it drew me in more, so I encourage anyone who might feel the same that I did at the start to keep on reading because it will certainly be worth it. Once the action really got going, I could not put it down... I was emotionally invested to see just how these characters I had already come to enjoy were going to make their way off the mountain. I didn't need to understand the technical aspects to really grasp the sense of danger.

One of the things that I have always really appreciated about Susan May Warren's novels is that there is a continuance throughout all. While the series may be different, they are often connected and we see familiar faces and places pop up across the different series. Way of the Brave likewise will give us a glimpse at some familiar names, while introducing us to this brand new group of characters. I enjoyed the romance between the leads in this story- Jenny and Orion. Having met years before while stationed in Afghanistan, their short-lived romance is rekindled amidst the danger. Both characters are holding onto moments in their past, keeping them unable to move forward. I loved this deep connection they shared, imperfect as they were... it really had me as a reader wanting something good to come to them. They are not the only ones though... all of the characters we meet in this story have pasts they are trying to work through, and I cannot wait to get a deeper look into their stories as the series progresses.

When it comes to romance, Susan May Warren does tend to have a way of pushing the lines as to what is expected in Christian fiction. Let me be clear... pushing and not crossing. These are still very clean reads, but there is more of an emphasis on the physical side of romance than what one might expect from the genre. For instance, in this particular book there are jokes between a male and female character about letting him look under her shirt. There was also a moment later on in the story where characters nearly crossed a line. Some more conservative readers may frown upon that, but I think this lends a realness to her stories... as this is something even Christians may struggle with in their relationships. Again, I think it is handled realistically while still remaining clean but it is something to note if this might bother you...

Overall, despite my initial hesitation I ended up absolutely loving this book. It was the perfect beginning to a new larger than life series from Susan May Warren, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

An exciting story of men and women ascending and descending Denali (nee Mt. McKinley), the tallest mountain in North America. Even during the summer months, the mountain is subject to snow squalls, avalanches, and ice falls - and this group of men and women will face all three during their time on the mountain. It is a dangerous place to be.

The three men (Orion, Jake, and Ham) arrive with the intention of climbing Mt. Huntington. They never quite make it, The gals (Jenny, Aria, and Sasha), however, have their sights on something higher, Denali. They reach their goal, but on their way down tragedy strikes. The men are called into action to rescue them; that is when things start to go bad.

This all results in a sit on the seat of your pants thriller as the six try to find ways off the mountain. The reader gets a glimpse of what is needed to climb a mountain as big and treacherous as Denali. The reader was often forced to hit Google to define terms which are probably well known to experienced climbers, but less so to us laypeople who do not know the difference between a hillside and a mountain. Google answered many of my questions, but not all. This reader could be helped by providing a prefix or web page containing both a glossary of climbing terms and tools that might not be familiar to the average reader and a detailed map of Denali and environs showing the relationship of various geographic landmarks used throughout the story. Google was a help but left holes in my understanding. If the author and/or publisher provided access to additional resources, my enjoyment would have been greatly enhanced.

And did I mention the bomber … ?

This faith-based romantic thriller would be a welcome addition to a church or public library. It would be enjoyed by those familiar with the author, mountain climbing, or genre. It would easily receive 5-stars with the addition of supporting material (indexed by chapter to assist those reading either a hard copy or an e-book). Without the supporting materials, it remains a 4-star book.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own

Wow, what an emotional roller coaster ride!
I liked learning about mountain and ice climbing from the book. Lots of information about Denali, which I find fascinating.
The relationships in the book are what make the story, in my opinion.
Jenny/Jacie and Orion is the main romance, but equally important are Jenny's two friends, Sasha and Aria and Orion's friends Ham and Jake. So much detail about what each person has gone through and what this climb means to each of them.
Lots of adventure in this book for sure, but also great characters and great romance.
I think this book has it all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Susan May Warren did not disappoint with this new novel. It was evident that the author did a great amount of researching and knew how to craft her story around the setting. I guess the realistic setting was so good that I was actually a bit lost as I read this book. It was hard for me to follow all that was happening on the mountain, in the snow and all of the rescue terminology.

The Way of the Brave launches a new series by pro writer Susan May Warren. With her trademark breathtaking romance, fearless heroes and endless suspense and action, The Way of the Brave is a thrilling and slightly daunting read.

Jacie is haunted by mistakes she made while working as an undercover CIA profiler - mistakes that led to good service men being injured and killed. Now, with her two best friends, she is attempting to scale Denali, a ruthless mountain, in a bid to remind herself she is strong and not being held back by her mistakes. Orion lost the only remaining family in the attack on his Parajumping team that left him injured and his teammates dead or taken captive. Coming across Jacie, now going by Jenny, Orion thinks might have a chance of rekindling what they once started, but he has no idea she is the one who holds the answers he seeks or the one to whom his anger is unknowingly directed. When Jacie and her friends are blown off the mountain it will take the strength of both her team and Orion’s to get back to safety.

Mountain climbing is definitely not on my to-do list. In fact, it’s something I just cannot see the appeal of. So it was a little hard to connect with the characters and their drive to scale Mount McKinley. It does, however, make for stunning backdrop scenery and a perfect setup for a suspense novel where everything that could go wrong, does go wrong. Whiteouts, avalanches, falls, injuries, altitude sickness - why do people go mountain climbing again? But it tests the characters, pushes them to their limits and force them to reevaluate their lives, faith and pasts. It also gives them the excuse to snuggle close to keep warm.

Alongside the spills and thrills of the mountain climbing and ensuing rescues (yes, that’s plural), is the heartbreaking backstory of all the characters. Jacie and the decisions that haunt her, as well as family trauma from her childhood, Orion and his anger, grief and trauma from losing both his military family and his blood family. Ham, Orion’s friend and fellow climber, is on a mission to save them all, if he can just forget the one person he couldn’t save. Jake, the third member of Orion’s team, is also running from his demons, and Jacie’s two friends have secrets, regrets and burdens they are trying to out climb.

As she does in her stories, as Jacie and Orion rekindle their affections, face their demons and save themselves, Susan May Warren shadows the story to come, offering readers insight into Jacie’s friend Aria and Orion’s friend Jake and their pasts and blooming attraction, setting the scene for book two in the series.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

It seems that each book I read by Susan May Warren is my favorite and THE WAY OF THE BRAVE is no different. It's my current favorite. Orion and Jenny are both hurting characters scarred by some of the same events. Jenny reminds me of a physical therapist I had. Active, brave, and beautiful. Orion is battling anger issues, and trying to avoid trouble but it just seems to find him.

I would never survive as a character in one of Warren's books. and while I would never step on Denali in real life, I do love to read her adventure-filled romances.

Filled with a host of secondary characters that the reader also falls in love with, I am now anxious to read Jake's story, coming Summer of 2020.

If you love romance and adventure check out Susan May Warren. She's my favorite author and a must buy.

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren. This is the first book in the series so there are a lot of characters to introduce. The main story is Jenny and Orian. Jenny was a CIA profiler that made a decision that caused a team to go into an ambush. Orian and his team were impacted by the ambush. Jenny and Orian were starting to develop a relationship.

The main story is Jenny and her two friends clinging a ridiculously hard mountain to prove that they were stronger than they thought they were. I had a hard time believe that Jenny would convince her friends to do something so dangerous after already feeling like she made a bad decision that resulted in people living their lives. I just could not relate to her in this regard. I felt it was reckless.

I also thought this storyline has been overdone recently. Maybe it is the books I am reading or publishers are asking for this storyline, I am not sure.

The author did create some moving scenes where people are faced with their fears and challenges with God. Overcoming or dealing with the fact that bad things happen to good people.

I would recommend reading this one from the library.
Sexual content - kissing, a makeout session that almost ends in physical scene, and the knowledge that there was a previous physical relationship Violence - prior military violence that everyone is dealing with, several characters have lost loved ones in different ways, possibly deaths as they are climbing the mountain Drinking - one of the characters appears to have survived a drinking problem,

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

Susan May Warren is one of my all time favorite authors. She is from my home state of Minnesota and it’s fun to see references to local places and teams. SKOL! I also enjoy how characters in one series will show up again in a different series. The main characters are engaging and have deep connections with each other even though some relationships may be strained at times, as is the case for Orion and Jenny as this book starts out.

Jenny, Sasha, and Aria climb a mountain every year to prove to themselves that they’re stronger than they think. “This trip is about conquering our fears. About going beyond who we think we are. About setting our faces like flint on the summit and reminding ourselves that our past doesn’t need to keep us from flying” (location 648). They may have attempted too much though when Denali starts taking them apart with high winds, avalanches, and more. The details were so vivid. I felt the tension and the fear, the desperation. It did make me wonder why anyone would want to ice climb a mountain. It’s a great survival story.

Because so much time is spent in the storm on the mountain, the little part at the end feels out of balance and almost like a different story. However, there was an emotional bomb dropped that makes for a crazy cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read the next story.

Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

#TheWayOfTheBrave #Netgalley

'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.

Susan May Warren is synonymous with action packed suspense. This was especially true of the latest series of hers that I read and loved, the Montana Marshalls, which are full of mystery, danger, and intrigue.

This book --The Way of the Brave -- is a story of an entire different nature. Action packed, yes. Danger, yes. But definitely not a mystery. This is a story of man against the elements.

The setting – the majestic Denali in Alaska. I loved the description of the mountain. Alaska is a place I hope to visit sometime, and I could almost see the mountain as I was reading.

The characters—the two most important ones were Jenny and Orion. These two had a previous history, stuff from the war over in the middle east. When they meet face to face again, in Alaska, Orion is almost sure he knows Jenny, but when he talks to her, she pretends she doesn’t know him.

Their relationship progresses, evolves, etc., as the book goes on. I liked how the back story is brought in and I got to see what had happened to them earlier. The author also does a great job at showing why their earlier decisions had such an impact on their lives at the time this story is taking place.

Back to the setting. This is the great Denali. And it is a deadly place. Especially when one is climbing it in the middle of a snowstorm. The details were so intense-- I was there!  I was sure I felt that cold wind seeping into my bones. Then I looked up from the page and was quite glad to find myself all warm and cozy at home. This is the joy of a great book!

Ms. Warren also uses this book to powerfully reveal to us truths about ourselves, about God, and about His great love for us.

A few quotes from this book that really spoke to me:

“…God uses our wounds to heal us. Make us stronger. And give us compassion for those who are also wounded.”

And

“God brought you up on this mountain not to betray you, but because you matter very much to him. He does not want you to stay in your anger, does not want you to hide from your calling. And if getting you to face your fears is what it takes—then that’s what He’ll do. Even if you have to suffer.”

And finally

“God never said that healing wouldn’t be painful. But, He is about making you whole.” “The more you fill up your hollow spaces with other things, the less you’ll see God. Sometimes we have to be desperate to finally figure out He is all we have left. But in the end He is all we have, and He’s enough.




A story of danger. Breathtaking risks. Life and death. Majestic mountains, glaciers, rock climbing, and much more. If you like action, you won’t want to miss this one!

 

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

THE WAY OF THE BRAVE. Susan May Warren
The vast aloneness of Alaska gave Orion the space to breathe, to scream. Ham wanted Orion to join his private international company SAR. He didn’t want anything to do with special op’s any more, or anybody’s troubles. The need to find Royal a teammate captured in Afghanistan burned within, , the reasons were enough to get him to board a plane to NY and meet Ham. Enough with other people’s trouble, he needed to be in Alaska. Jenny, still facing the terrible mistakes she made, almost killing a man. Climbing Denali was something she had to do, needing a guide, Orion comes to mind, she won’t ask, sure he wouldn’t even want to talk to her. She tells the men to join her group of 3 women to climb Denali together. The plot is mainly of them climbing, and the rescues that happen. What drives them is guilt, wanting forgiveness, to name a few. Good account of how dangerous it is. Their mantra is, don’t look down, and one step at a time.
Good cast of people have been introduce, so hopefully they will have their own story to tell. Being this was the first in this series, we had more background on Jenny and Orion, of where they were coming from.Overall will look for more in the series.
Given ARC. Y Net Galley and Revell for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

I'm giving this one three and a half out of five, rounded up to four. I struggled a bit to know what to give it, but I think that's a fair rating. What I didn't realise when I started reading it, was that it was a religious romance. I cottoned on fairly quickly when various characters started referring to God as though he were an off-screen character that they all knew well. Perhaps that's how they and the author feel? I don't know, it just wasn't what I had been expecting.
The book itself deals with a mountain climb and rescue. I have to admit that I've not done much climbing and certainly no mountaineering. I can't tell you how accurate it was, but it certainly seemed to contain plenty of detail and made for a fascinating and exciting read. It even had me looking up Denali online and looking at some photos. In many ways, the romance and the connection to the characters came as secondary to this adventure storyline.
The characters themselves all seem to have had terrible things happen to them in the last few years. It's really hardly surprising that any of them seem to need to use religion as an emotional crutch, I think anyone would struggle to cope with that kind of things thrown at them. If I had a criticism about the adventure element of the book, it would be that that side of it was relentless, with a number of things happening one after another that they needed to face and deal with.
The romance worked well, it was in many ways a second chance romance, although Orion and Jenny hadn't actually been lovers before. It did seem to be very much secondary to the other events in the book, but that didn't really matter.
There were a couple of things that I didn't like, which is why it doesn't receive a larger rating. Firstly the constant religious discussions were just a bit much. If I had known that this was a religious book, I'd have probably given it a miss for that reason. The other thing that bothered me a bit was the way some of the characters acted. A doctor with a suspected broken ankle and other injuries won't let someone examine her, she's halfway up a mountain and she's worried it wouldn't be right to let him see her stomach and lower chest. Really? Then there's a scene where one character overreacts (completely) because another woman has invited a man back to her room when she's always said before that she would 'wait'. It's a really really odd scene and just doesn't ring true for characters that are supposed to be adults.
Overall, I enjoyed the book, more as an adventure read than anything else.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

“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.”

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren is a gut-clenching trek through and up Mount Denali in Alaska. I have always wanted to go to Alaska, so Warren does a wonderful job at bringing Alaska to me. I also love snow, winter, and cold weather. While the characters have to endure horrible conditions to survive. I love how Warren introduced us to some very brave characters who would do anything to survive. I had a hard time putting the novel down. I couldn't wait to see who would survive and leave the mountain. As for the romance, it happened between two couples. Nothing too touchy feeling. No Hallmark moments. Thank God for that. But enough sparks to satisfy those who need to have it in a story. Warren does a wonderful job at allowing her readers to experience the falls and climbs through the whiteout conditions and give readers a moment to gasp with the characters. My favorite part is the organic faith of the some of the characters. I enjoy seeing them call out or question God in a realistic fashion. It made the moments a little more realistic for me as the reader. Overall, The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren is a delightful read that captured the true essence of what it means to be a hero. Fans of her previous couple of series would enjoy The Way of the Brave. Ronie Kendig also has a book, Hawk, with a hero and heroine fighting a snowstorm, waiting to be rescued.

I received a complimentary copy of The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

4.5 stars.
“The Way of the Brave”, by Susan May Warren (Revell), is a beautifully written, intense story, where characters haunted by guilt and tragedy seek redemption in the cold, “harsh beauty” of Denali Mountain.
Orion Starr, with his quiet manner and “focused energy”, a man “practically born to ice and snow” and to climb Denali is a fascinating, wounded hero, a rescuer to the core.
Both afflicted with guilt and tragedy in their personal and family stories, Orion and Jenny feel they don’t deserve forgiveness and are reluctant to resume and develop a beautiful romantic relationship initiated three years ago.
With the “cold, unforgiving, brutal” Alaskan mountain as the setting, the odyssey of three intrepid women and a group of brave, yet kind, rescuers is suspenseful and full of challenges and danger.
All these conflicting emotions and feelings, doubts about God and faith and the balance between resilience and vulnerability in the face of hardship is what Susan May Warren writes in such a powerful and admirable way.
Perhaps one wouldn’t expect some type of conversations, whether about God or feelings of love, to take place in the lethal setting of Denali Mountain, but the author somehow makes them ring true in a vibrant narrative where the cold landscape is as much a character as Orion/Jenny, Sasha/Lucas and Aria/Jake.
Men who are so strong and protective, yet aren’t afraid to weep and have deep feelings for their beloved ones are a kryptonite for me and reading this novel was a fantastic journey, not devoid of some anxiety because of all the danger involved.
A great start for a new series, “Global Search and Rescue”, I can’t wait for the next story, “The Heart of a Hero”.

3.5 stars

I had mixed feelings about Warren's Montana series when I started it, but the series and characters grew on me. I ended up liking them enough that I wanted to try another series. I'm hoping the same thing will happen here.

Let's start with the characters. I liked Orion and Jenny well enough, but I never really felt like I was connecting to them. (And once I finally figured out it was O-Ryan, not Ore-ee-an, his name was a bit much :) They dealt with some rough things in their past and are carrying around guilt, which is understandable, if necessary, which they come to learn. I really liked Jake and Ham and Aria and I'm looking forward to seeing them in future books.

The truth that our characters are struggling with and needing to learn is that God is good when the world is falling apart. Our characters, all of them but we are focused on Jenny and Orion, have seen a lot of evil, senseless evil, and it has left them wondering about God's goodness; His love.

Suffering has been a topic that is popping up in my life quite a lot lately and it appears here too. What our characters have to see is that God does not promise a smooth life. Actually, Jesus promises the contrary. But He promises to be with us and, for those who love God, He will work all things for their good. The characters would say things like, "God did such-and-such", as though He orchestrated or caused the suffering and death and pain they experienced. They discuss God using hard things to shape and mold us. That's true, He does. But I always get a little nervous trying to say what He allows and what He causes. I think that is dangerous territory and can lead to greater misunderstanding. The thing happened, now are we going to trust God to work and lead us through?

There are a lot of good parts that deal with these topics well; where the characters share wisdom. I won't share them all but this one really stood out to me because so many people don't do this. Or rather they do it and they shouldn't. You'll see what I mean: "Don't assign truth to experience or your faith to your feelings. You have to base everything on who God is. Good. Loving. Our rescuer."

That's all the stuff I liked. There were a few parts I didn't care for as much. First, the book was heavily technical. A lot of books I read deal with law enforcement or diving or flying or some other specialized world that has technical stuff and I totally get adding in elements from those worlds to add realism, but you have to know that most of your readers aren't in that world. The characters thought and spoke the climbing jargon all the time and the descriptions of the places on Denali were constantly used as thought everyone knows them. I ended up skimming those parts a lot because I just didn't really understand.

The whole Aria/Kia thing was confusing for a while. Again, I understand that writers like to reveal mysteries slowly, but it either took too long or was introduced too quickly in the first place, I don't really know. Then, when we figure out who Kia is and why she's important, it felt a little weird. Maybe that was just me.

Sometimes I think Susan gets a little close to a line with her romances and near the end with two of the characters, I felt like we were getting there again.

I'm hoping that this series isn't as long as the Montana one because I think the storylines with Ham, Royal, and Thorne are going to be wound throughout and not resolved quickly but man! Talk about your cliff-hanger with Ham and I really want to dig into the mystery around Royal and Thorne!!

I'm sufficiently intrigued to want to continue the series. I want to see where she takes these characters.

I enjoyed the story line and the characters but there was a lot of technical terms that I did not understand and that did detract from the enjoyment of the book. Very distracting

The book practically ends where it began. I thought wow was the rest just a dream.
I will never climb a mountain. So for me, reading this story is maybe as close as I will get to experiencing the real thing.