Member Reviews
Honor’s Refuge is a very well written romantic suspense. A real page turner plot with believable characters. Fans of romantic suspense will not be disappointed. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.
3.5 stars.
A Christian romantic suspense story, “Honor’s Refuge”, by Hallee Bridgeman (Revell), features a stoic, wounded hero tortured by past and recent experiences and explores themes of faith, grief and self-image.
Phil and Melissa have been friends for some time and crushing on each other. Melissa’s openness and honesty about it is unusual and refreshing.
It’s a clean read and there’s a tenderness between them that is endearing; when the story begins they are already attracted to each other, and so the next step is really admitting it.
Melissa is the stable one in this relationship, since Phil is still battling his demons from war and his injury, remoter problems and facing a sudden loss.
Faith is very important in the process of healing and Phil is trying to overcome his issues consistently, with help. He has a close core family and tight friends, too.
There are some setbacks and moments of depression related to feelings of incompleteness and insecurity, aggravated by grief, when we watch Phil turning grouchy and perhaps a bit whinny.
The fact is Phil wants to protect Melissa also from his struggles with issues that go back to medical school.
The problems in the relationship are related to Phil’s issues and self-image and not to problems having to do with their feelings for each other. The conflict is centered more on his individual struggle.
I liked how the hero turned into his warrior persona when things got really dangerous, and how his expertise, training and honed reflexes were shown battling the gang members.
On the other hand, compassion and the respect for life make him control the impulse to be ruthless even in this survival context.
The conflict between the need for punishment, his religious beliefs and his training as a medic is also depicted here.
I liked having the villains’ point of view.
I found the procedures related to Lola and her family security were lax and defied simple common sense. Going out for fraternization seemed odd considering her precarious situation and the shelter’s need for secrecy. It didn’t feel realistic.
I liked the setting, in Florida, and the depiction of the hurricane.
'Please God, this is going to take You.'
I just this moment finished this stunning book by Hallee Bridgeman and wanted to get my review done while it was still super fresh in my mind. Wow! I love this series so much. And by the way, this series is how I discovered Bridgeman's work. I will be on a mission to read all her work now.
I've loved the stories of these men who were on that Special Forces team in the Green Berets. What a powerful lot of guys they were. And they love God, too. That's even better! This is Phil Osbourne's story. I am sitting here at a loss for words as to how to best describe how much I loved this book. At one point near the end, when God is speaking to Phil's character, I felt as if He were speaking just to me. I just sat there and wept. I find it so amazing that God can speak to us, as readers, through the pages of a book.
There is great action here, as in the previous two in the series. You will definitely be taken on an exciting ride when you read one of Bridgeman's books here. No doubt about that. You will also meet great characters that seemingly leap off the page as you find yourself in the middle of the story yourself. I gasped several times as things went not the way I wanted them to. My husband always says, 'Good book?' Good doesn't even begin to describe this book. It made me want to turn around and start it again. I loved every single minute. Even the heart rending ones. I can without reservation highly recommend this series and this author. Well done!!
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion in this review is entirely my own.
I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
Melissa works as a therapist at a shelter for domestic abuse. Growing up in a domestic abuse situation herself she understands the need to keep those people in her shelter protected.
Phil an EMT met Melissa at the soup kitchen and has been secretly in love with her for forever but his prosthetic leg makes him feel less whole.
Phil works with some buddies to find Melissa’s long lost sister and once they do trouble in the form of a cartel start coming for them and hurting their family members.
Can Phil and Melissa stick with each other through thick and thin?
This book did not have the same intense suspense as the other two books in this series.
This storyline was more about the mental, emotional, and physical brokenness that war and abuse causes a person.
Each day is a battle to be strong and heal from abusive situations. Everyone, myself included, who is healing from trauma needs support and understanding, but as this story points out, growth and trusting God are key parts of healing.
This read will tug at your heart strings.
I've been waiting for Phil "Ozzy' story since the first book. It took me 2 days to ready this book. In Honor's Refuge, we meet a "broken" man who really doesn't know how to live and a woman who in her own right refuses to let him die. This is the 3 installment and it did not disappoint.
I read another book by Hallie Bridgeman and I couldn't put it down. It was good. I had to read another book by her she is really goof qnd so is this book I won't give a lot of spoilers away buy if you like q good family suspense storyline this is a book for you.
This book. Is sad,happy,and the story is great. This book was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and.review.
Phil asking himself once again why he put himself in this position. His leg, the drugs, and his career was gone, felt like there was just pieces of him, and she deserved so much more.
Delilah from what she saw as a child, now as an adult the shelter she opened for the abused. The pain of those days still linger, and a sister still missing.
Phil with his former connections could help her find her missing sister.
With it came danger and untold threats. Working together a trust and maybe love would help heal these two broken people. Given ARC by Net Galley and Revell for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.
really enjoyed this book! Was given an ARC from Netgalley & Revell in exchange for an honest review.
We meet Melissa who at just 5 years old watched her father murder her mother. Melissa had grown up separated from her sister Lola and runs a domestic abuse shelter program for abused women, children and men. Phil lost his leg to a gunshot wound in the line of duty. He believes he’s half a man and certainly not enough of a man for Melissa. Phil uses his special forces contacts to find Melissa’s sister. Turns out in finding Lola it also means taking the cartel down in order to rescue Lola! Will the cartel win and will two sisters finally be reunited?
I loved the chemistry between Melissa & Phil! I loved that they both help abused woman and families. I love that Phil’s a dr and uses his training to help in hospitals. I liked the element of suspense when trying to save Lola and take down the cartel!
Be sure to pick this up on November 1,22.
The third in the Love and Honor series brings lots of action and suspense. I oved Melissa and her mission to save the abused. The strong faith she had shone throughout the book. Loved the team getting back together to help Phil find Melissa's sister. Phil's struggle with his addiction and lost of leg is relatable. I wanted to know more about Sharon's background. The events during the hurricane seemed farfetched but added to the story. Enjoyable story! Recommended.