After being injured in the line of duty, Phil Osborne is still struggling to get his feet underneath him. Melissa Braxton just wants to be reunited with her sister and for Phil to realize she's the right girl for him. Because of Phil's Special Forces past, he's able to track Melissa's sister down. Melissa's sister is in a domestic violence situation, and Melissa is uniquely qualified to assist her because she runs a shelter for domestic violence survivors.

Bridgeman writes characters that you want to get to know and that you can really cheer for. I enjoyed reading every story in this series and I'm looking forward to reading what Bridegman writes next!

Honor's Refuge
by Hallee Bridgeman
Pub DateNov 01 2022
Revell
Christian


Revell and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of Honor's Refuge for review:



Melissa Braxton watched her father kill her mother when she was just five years old. Having been separated from her sister, Lola, at that time, Melissa grew up with a strong desire to help those in abusive relationships. That's why she became a therapist and opened a domestic abuse shelter.



Having lost a leg to a gunshot wound in the line of duty, Phil Osbourne has felt purposeless until he hears Melissa's story and uses his Special Forces contacts to find her. Melissa's heart will be broken by what he discovers. He doesn't realize that bringing the women together will bring the cartel down on them like a category 5 hurricane.



Bruised but not broken, Melissa and Phil fight the storm and the cartel, calling on strength they didn't know they had to escape death, save the innocent, and--maybe--find healing together.


I give Honor’s Refuge five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

In the midst of uncertainty, danger, near death and evil, Melissa and Phil face this life as forces of light in the sinister world of Vibora, the Colombian Cartel, putting their lives on the line to rescue and keep safely hidden, the abused wife of the leader, Hector Molina. But would this affect the relationship they both long for or were they strong enough to withstand? This author cleverly depicts each character, each scenario in such a way, your heart beats faster, your emotions are in sync with each state of mind and you feel hope spring up as prayers arise and the Word of God meets the lies of Satan head on. Excellent read you will be hard pressed to put down!

Author Hallee Bridgeman returns with an exciting romantic suspense! I really enjoyed the characters in this story, something Bridgeman does well. She creates lovable, relatable characters with real-life problems, struggles and backgrounds.

I was expecting a bit more excitement in this story in the beginning, but still found it entertaining and easy to read. Melissa’s character was probably my favorite of the two leads and I was amazed at her compassion, drive and career choice after all she had been through in her young childhood. She was a bright, vibrant main character.

Phil is struggling after his discharge from the military but turned out to be a surprising lead and was likable. His protective nature over Melissa was sweet though many times I wanted to throttle him for his insecurities.

The excitement of this story picks up towards the ending and I thoroughly enjoyed the edge of your seat suspense found there.

A rich faith element is interwoven throughout this story as both of the characters, and several secondary characters, are Christians and live their lives accordingly. The characters are mature in their decisions, their conversation and their faith.

Overall, a clean and solid read that I believe readers who enjoy strong military heroes will like.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Bridgeman concludes her series with Honor's Refuge, an action-packed novel filled with interesting characters and romantic suspense. While not her usual genre, Bridgeman has shown in this series that she has the chops to write romantic suspense. All the elements are there - clean romance, faith journey, life-threatening mystery, and more. Well done!

Honor’s Refuge by Hallee Bridgeman is book 3 in the author’s Love and Honor series. This book highlights paramedic work and features cartels as well. I loved the main character and her story and the sub stories added throughout the book. This book was fascinating to read throughout, mostly because I loved the characters and quickly felt invested in their fates. Such a great book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This series keeps getting better and better. I have not read these in order. However, I did read the first one first. The first one explains why the main character is here BUT it is explained Very thoroughly in this book. I REALLY like how the Gospel is explained and the plan of salvation. In my opinion ALL Christian books should have the depth that this book has. Thank you Bridgman.
I recieved a free copy so that I might tell you what I honestly think. Hope you enjoyed my review. Now go enjoy the book.

This is a featured verse in the book that I love, and it fits perfectly..

"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21 KJV

This book was AMAZING!
Honor's Refuge is book #3 in the Love and Honor series by Hallee Bridgeman.
In my opinion, each book has gotten better as the series has continued on!

This story features Special Forces A-Team member Phil Osbourne, who in book #1, Honor Bound, lost his lower leg in shoot-out with a war-lord in the jungles of Katangela. Phil struggles fiercely with the temptation of substance abuse, and feeling less than after losing his leg.

This causes him to distance himself from abuse shelter director Melissa Braxton, who has cared and prayed for him for a long time. Melissa has dealt with her past and spends her days helping those needing sanctuary in her community.

All these things make for a wonderful story of love, perseverance, and God's providence working in all our lives.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this complimentary e-book. A positive review was not required of me, and the thoughts above are my own.

Negative elements and trigger warnings:
a character sports a bikini
Violent death- A villain feeds their henchman to the swamp alligators.
There is a bit of blood here and there, but nothing morbid.
Innocent people are abused and beaten by people they trusted.
Substance addiction, drinking.

I’ve always found it a little nerve wracking reading from an author or series I’m unfamiliar with. But when a reader is presented with a novel that holds the promise of a thrilling read, how could one resist? So with nervous excitement, I settled in to read Hallee Bridgeman’s third novel in the Love and Honor series, Honor’s Refuge.Truth be told, I was completely unprepared for what greeted me!

The heartbreaking background…

The movie-like action…

The diverse characters…

The blood boiling drama…

There’s so much to unpack from this novel! Through her mold breaking characters and head spinning dialogue, Hallee Bridgeman wove a story so intense that I came away wondering how I would gather my thoughts into a review. Perhaps I could begin with Melissa Braxton and Phil Osbourne, the two spirited leads of Honor’s Refuge.They were simply superb! Maybe it was their complicated dynamic. Or maybe it was the way their personalities seemed to leap from off the pages. Either way, I loved how perfectly imperfect they were.

Their imperfections and individual brokenness at first seemed to be the main theme to Honor’s Refuge. But as the story naturally grew into its plot, I was glad to discover that there was so much more to this novel. Shaped by a faith that was nothing short of healing, the slow but sweet romance that developed between the two leading characters was the true highlight of Honor’s Refuge. Honestly, I was hit in the heart more than once! I also appreciated the quirky humor that incredibly balanced the intensity of the story. It’s not easy to take on serious issues such as domestic violence and substance abuse within a fictional world, but Hallee Bridgeman skillfully did just that.

From its chilling beginning to its bittersweet ending, Honor’s Refuge truly lived up to its thrilling promise. I look forward to reading more from this author!

A huge thanks to Revell and the author for providing a free copy for my honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I have had the pleasure of reading the first two books from the Love and Honor series, Honor Bound and Word of Honor. I was excited to find out what Hallee Bridgeman had in store for her characters in the third installment, Honor's Refuge. Oh my goodness, I was not prepared how much more I would love this one. It is not one that I could have easily predicted. There were a lot of twists and turns that made my head spin at times. I was intrigued with Melissa and Phil and admired their bravery and determination. I wanted to keep reading to see how it would end for them and see if they would find the peace and healing that they seek.

I am giving Honor’s Refuge five stars. Lovers of romantic suspense will most definitely want to read this one, as well as, the others from the Love and Honor series.

I received a paperback copy of Honor's Refuge from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Hallee Bridgeman is a USA today best-selling author of inspirational romantic suspense specialising in fast-moving action-packed series often involving returned military men and women or emergency support teams–helicopter pilots and ambulance officers.

Honor's Refuge is the latest book in the Love & H9onor and revolves around Special Forces A team hero Phil Osborne, who returns home from the military missing a leg and feeling like half a man. Phil must overcome wounds both seen and unseen to find a strength long buried—and save the woman he loves.

When she was just five years old, Melissa Braxton watched her father take her mother’s life. Separated from her sister Lola, 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.

Phil Osbourne has felt like a man without a purpose–until he hears Melissa’s story and uses his Special Forces contacts to track down her missing sister. He doesn’t realize is that helping the women reunite will bring the cartel down on them like the Category 5 hurricane striking Miami.

Honor's Refuge is a tenderly told love story about men and women finding strength and courage to carry on in the depths of despair. Highly entertaining, and deeply emotional, it’s easy to understand why Hallee has sold over a million books and has a strong following of readers who lover her addictive story telling. Fast-moving plot, heart-wrenching emotional depths, and an uplifting conclusion. All you can want in inspirational fiction!

Halle Bridgeman talks about her work and career on the Joys of Binge Reading podcast:
https://thejoysofbingereading.com/halle-bridgeman-romantic-suspense/

I really enjoyed this book....the characters and the storyline as well. This was a book filled with action, lots of it! It was pretty intense at parts, but so good!

Honor's Refuge is the last of Love and Honor series and it was fantastic. It was very difficult for me to put down because I loved the characters so much and couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The danger and action portions of the book were perfectly written and had me on the edge of my seat. The growth in the characters was great and the conclusion was very satisfying. I can't wait to read more from Hallee Bridgeman.

Wow- this finale to the trilogy is wonderful. Phil, who readers met earlier, is the hero in this story. He’s swoon-worthy…hopefully that won’t scare readers away. His kindness and bravery is written to perfection. Melissa and Phil are great together, although surely Melissa needs some therapy by the end of the book from everything she experiences in life. Phil, too, for that matter. This is the best book in the series, and that’s is high praise because the other two because are fabulous.

Melissa and Phil are both carrying hurt and pain. The story is well-written and the characters are well-developed. While many readers haven’t had the experiences of either character, they are relatable in the vein of discovering what makes us who we are. Good suspense, good story world.

I really liked the story, but felt the resolution and parts of the story were a bit cliché or even stereotypical at times. Not as unique to enjoyable as I'd hoped, but overall this was a fun romantic suspense read, and I look forward to trying some of the author's other books.

Melissa and Phil are a nice couple especially if you take in account what they have experienced in their past. I liked the suspense level, but Phil's constant doubts about being a whole man were a bit unnerving over time. And the solution to this doubt is too stereotype. He's a whole man because he can fight of 5 or 6 men to safe the women in distress.
Nonetheless I enjoyed reading this novel.

I literally read this book in a day and a half. (Great that I had the time already; if I didn't, I'd have made the time, lol.) It's gripping from page 1, and kept me guessing as to how it'd all play out until the very end.

Naturally, given the topics (domestic abuse; drug cartels), it was not a light and fluffy read--but I do appreciate the light Bridgeman shines on it--a terrible reality for many people, men and women and children alike. I came away from this book very grateful for those involved with safe houses; it truly is a 24/7, very taxing job--but so needed.

This was hands down my favorite book in the series. I loved seeing familiar characters from earlier books, as well as watching the MCs grow over the course of the read. Very, very well done. (And also not one to read before bed, both due to subject matter and the abject need to find out what happens!)

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Melissa Braxton was born into an abusive household. She watched her father murder her pregnant mother when she was only five years old. She and her younger sister were then separated, and Melissa grew up not knowing where her sister was, and missing the baby brother that never got to be born.
Melissa opened up a shelter for abused and battered women and children, although an occasional man came through the doors. The location of the shelter was kept a secret to avoid repercussions from the abusers, as well as for safety reasons.
Phil Osbourne was formerly in the military. He and Melissa are friends who met at church and meet one morning each week for breakfast. Melissa would like the relationship to be more. Phil has a prosthetic leg and doesn't feel he is a 'whole man.'
After Melissa tells Phil about her family and the lost sister, he unknowingly to Melissa, begins to search for her sister. He didn't want to get her hopes up in case he wasn't successful. Phil was able to locate her and she is not in a good situation. She is the wife of a Colombian cartel lieutenant. She has a young son and baby daughter with him. He likes to beat her.
Phil comes up with a plan to rescue her and her children. It will most certainly be deadly should he and his friends fail.
Twists and turns in this Christian fiction story.
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Revell through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

I loved this novel filled with romance , suspense, and healing. I loved Melissa and Phil. I loved that both of these characters find healing and love. I love the action in the story. I could not put this book down. I also really liked Lola. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.