The Price of Valor (By: Susan May Warren)

The Price of Valor
By: Susan May Warren

Series: Global Search and Rescue (Book #3)

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 4 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

The Price of Valor is book three of the Global Search and Rescue series, and we finally get to read Ham's story. Author Susan May Warren does not disappoint! 

After Ham finds out he is father to a ten year old girl, he knows his wife Signe is still alive. Why has she been in hiding all these years? Why is he just now finding out about their daughter? Determined to find them both, bring them home and keep them safe, he embarks on a much bigger challenge than anticipated. 

Meanwhile, Signe has been on a deep undercover assignment that has gone way too far! In a desperate move to protect her daughter, Signe sends her home to the father she has never known - and the husband who has believed Signe to be dead all this time. Riddled with shame and guilt, Signe has little hope for her life moving forward. She just wants their daughter to be safe and for truth to come to light. She figures there is very little chance Ham would want her after everything. But Ham and his God are both in the business of offering grace and forgiveness. 

This book is very fast paced and will keep you turning the pages long into the night. We love the characters and Susan is one of our favorite authors! The only drawback is that at times this book was a little hard to follow - with so many things coming together at once, the reader must also have a good knowledge of the first two books in the trilogy and the series prior. It made our heads spin a little, but fans of Susan May Warren who have read all of these will be sure to enjoy this one as well.


Note:  We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Heart of a Hero (By: Susan May Warren)

Heart of a Hero
Series: Global Heart and Rescue (Book 2)
By: Susan May Warren

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 4 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Heart of a Hero picks up right where book one leaves us. Back from a frightening trip to Denali, Aria and Jake are now back in Minnesota. Determined to get on with life, they both know they should put all that happened in Alaska behind them, but how can they when so much of their hearts were shared with the other? 

Aria jumps back into her job a little too quickly and her colleagues can see that. To offer help, she is sent to Key West to attend a medical conference and Simultaneously get some much needed rest. Little does she know a storm is headed her way - or rather, two storms: both a hurricane and again, Jake Silver! After seeing Aria briefly at a Fourth of July picnic, Jake knows he is a goner. He fell hard for Aria in Alaska and nothing has changed now that they are home. After seeing the news of a hurricane heading directly for the Keys, Jake's instincts to act first and explain later kick in to high gear. Will Aria be happy to see him or will she push him away? 

This story is full of intense adventure, emotion, great chemistry, and faith. Aria and Jake both have trauma in their past and have areas they need to grow in as they learn to trust in God's plans, not their own. We love these characters and were eager to jump into Aria and Jake's story. Thank you Susan for delivering another gripping story that kept us up too late at night! 


Note:  We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

The Way of the Brave (By: Susan May Warren)

The Way of the Brave (Global Search and Rescue Book #1)
By:Susan May Warren

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 5 Stars
Faith: 5 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Can you keep a secret? We confess Susan May Warren is one of our favorite authors; in fact, we refer to her as the master! We highly anticipate each new release of her books and are rarely disappointed. She captures our attention from the first page, her stories sweep us away, and her writing is flawless. Susan's newest book, The Way of the Brave, was no exception. We thoroughly enjoyed it and eagerly anticipate book 2 already! 

Orion Starr, former pararescue jumper is living - or should we say hiding? - in Alaska after a rescue gone terribly wrong in Afghanistan. As he lives with the pain of the past he can't help but wonder what went wrong, and why it ended with not only losing friends but also a woman he was falling hard for. Will he ever get answers? 

When a former Navy Seal, Hamilton Jones, asks Orion to join his elite global rescue team, Orion claims his rescue days are over. But when a group of mountain climbers - including the girl from his past - becomes stranded on Denali, Orion can't help himself. 

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun lives each day trying to push the past away, and can't seem to escape the guilt of what went wrong in Afghanistan. As she decides to climb Denali with two friends on their annual adventure together, little does she know her past is about to catch up with her. 

Susan does a phenomenal job capturing our hearts with these new characters. The amount of depth and "realness" she adds to her stories always leave us impressed. Get ready for a fast paced, adventure filled, redemptive story on the highest mountain in America. Why not 5 stars? Susan adds in a lot of climbing lingo, leaving us a bit lost at times - but still an excellent story and a joy getting to know the people filling the pages.

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Wait for Me (By: Susan May Warren)

Wait for Me
By: Susan May Warren

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 5 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

This final book in the Montana Rescue Series has been an agonizingly long time in coming, so these two chicks are thrilled that it’s finally here! 

All the way back in book 1, we were introduced to Pete and Jess. Their story has had many twists and turns throughout this series of six books and it finally has its conclusion. 

Right from page one of Wait For Me the reader hits the ground running and never, ever stops. The storyline is filled with action, gripping suspense and heart aching flashbacks to what really has been happening between Pete and Jess for the last few years. 

As we have said before, author Susan is the master of story writing and she didn’t disappoint in this one! The storyline, the depth and the sweet love story all deserved the highest ratings we give as they wound together to bring us a fantastic conclusion to this series! The only thing holding us back from a golden 5 star rating was the faith element. The story lacked the depth of faith we are used to in Susan’s stories, and really didn’t come into play much until the end of the book. Still we were glad to see it near the end. 

Overall, this Montana Rescue Series will be one of our highly recommended reads and we have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Storm Front (By: Susan May Warren)

Storm Front
By: Susan May Warren

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 4 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Susan May Warren's latest book in her Montana Rescue Series, Storm Front, hits the ground running! But this time, not in Montana. Our beloved PEAK team is headed to Minnesota to help in the aftermath of a tornado recently blown through. It not only destroyed a town, but several people have gone missing, including rescue team leader Chet King. PEAK Team member Ty Remington, as we have learned from previous books, looks to Chet as a father figure in his life and will stop at nothing to help find him. As the team heads to Minnesota, an unexpected person awaits them there, Brette Arnold; the one girl who has held a special place in Ty's heart and prayers, yet got away. She has been facing her own personal storms in life but has decided to battle them alone. Ty, being the man he is, is determined to not give up and continues to fight for her. Will she allow both Ty and the Lord to walk through life with her, or will she run again and not look back? 

Susan does a remarkable job (as always!) taking us on this journey with the PEAK Rescue Team. What, and whom, do we cling to when disaster strikes? Susan tackles both personal and physical storms, and the reality of fighting through them. She continues to be one of our most treasured authors, and really, the only drawback to reading one of her books is having to wait until the next one releases!

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Troubled Waters (By: Susan May Warren)

Troubled Waters
By: Susan May Warren

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 3 Stars
Faith: 5 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars

Billionaire Ian Shaw is used to being in charge. In fact, he has been able to control almost everything in his life - up until his niece Esme ran away, and doesn't want to be found. The mystery continues to elude him, but now his fortune has been liquidated, and worst of all - his relationship with the woman he loves is in shambles. 

Sierra Rose desperately loves Ian, but finds it impossible to be around him. Not only is he desperately trying to control the world around him, but Sierra is also harboring a secret: She knows Esme's whereabouts, but has made a promise not to tell Ian. With these two walls between them, it appears their relationship will never be able to get a foothold. But when a freak tragedy occurs, Ian and Sierra are thrown together in desperate circumstances where they must work together to survive - including finally talking through their issues. 

We've been waiting for Ian and Sierra's story since the prequel novella to this entire series came out over a year ago! And it did not disappoint. 

Ian has been trying to control his life, and the lives of those around him, for as long as he can remember. Author Susan always does an amazing job weaving faith into her stories, and Ian's journey to God and surrender is real and raw. It takes a lot of suffering to bring Ian to his knees and realize that God is the only one who can control everything. This book is action packed, and you pretty much cannot put it down right from the first page. Being that this series centers around a rescue team in Montana, snow and mountains have become the usual scenery for us - but we enjoyed a nice break as we journeyed to the warm Caribbean with Ian and Sierra. 

Also in this story, we get a glimpse into the continuing story of Pete Brooks and Jess Tagg, who are going to have a lot to work through in the next couple of books! Overall, this entire series is incredible so far, and this book just deepened our love for the PEAK Rescue Team and Susan May Warren's writing. Now, if she could just publish her books faster so we could have the rest of the series now! :)

Find it on Amazon: Troubled Waters

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.  

Rescue Me (By: Susan May Warren)

Rescue Me

By: Susan May Warren

Rescue Me is the second book in the Montana Rescue series and it hit the mark of a great book. Susan is starting off 2017 with a sure to be best seller! We are unsure how she does it, but we were hooked after only a few pages. Create some time because once you open this book, it will be hard to put down!

Storyline

Deputy Sam Brooks is the liaison between the Mercy Falls Sheriff's department and PEAK Rescue. He is serious, determined and responsible, and is used to being the one who rescues others. He believes Sierra Rose is perfect for him - she fits his criteria of what a girlfriend should be. When he gets stranded with Sierra's little sister, Willow, and a group of teens in Glacier National Park, he finds his heart and head battling with each other on what he truly needs in a significant other.

We love Willow as a character! She is positive, always smiling, sees the good in people and wears her heart on her sleeve - which is a problem, considering she has been in love with her sister's boyfriend for as long as she can remember. However, she loves her sister and longs for her to be happy; and what would Sam Brooks see in her anyway? She tells herself to focus on her role with the youth group and keep herself away from Sam. But that is much easier said than done!

Depth

Sam has a complicated history with his brother Pete after the accidental death of their father. Much anger and bitterness exists between these two. Sam feels he always has to be the "mature" brother. Through the story, we watch these two wrestle with the past and while working to create a  connected future.

Willow has a challenging past of her own - often filled with people leaving her. Because of this she fears needing anything from others. But deep down she longs to be rescued - and fears she never will be.

Ultimately, there is one storyline that really gave the depth category a five star rating. Weaved throughout the book are the lives of a few teenagers and we get a genuine glimpse of what many just like them are experiencing. This was a powerful component. Watching Willow interact with them and getting her perspective, along with Sam's, was intriguing. It impacted us for the lives of our own children, some of whom are currently in this uncertain time of life.

Faith

Sam is holding on to anger, but it starts to consume him. He is living in darkness and ultimately has to learn the light he needs is Jesus. If we are always saving others and think we can save ourselves, is there a need for God? So used to rescuing others, will Sam learn he is actually in need of rescuing? 

Willow has a rich faith and we learn a lot about different perspectives from her. She leans on the Lord as her High Rock and understands that God's thoughts are often not our thoughts.

Love Story

Susan is once again a master at writing a romantic story that has just enough tension, heart pounding, and sigh worthy moments that make you lose sleep! You just cannot put the book down. We were kept guessing until the end how the love story would end, and she still has us waiting for more details in the next two books. We are counting down the days until book three lands in our hands.

Overall

Don't miss this second book in the series. It is filled with action, romance, faith and characters you are sure to love. Susan's ability to weave different plots together is second to none. Now we eagerly await for book three that releases in July!

Find it on Amazon: Rescue Me

Note: We were given this book free in exchange for our honest review.

Wild Montana Skies (By: Susan May Warren)

Wild Montana Skies

By: Susan May Warren

Storyline 

After fighting in Afghanistan as a search and rescue pilot, Kacey Fairing has come home to Mercy Falls. She has been invited to join the PEAK Rescue Team, and arrives just as the town is flooding and in need of her help. Eager to reconnect with her 13 year old daughter, Audrey, Kacey doesn't anticipate that Audrey's father - and her first love who walked out on her of her birth - is also back in town.

Country Superstar Ben King, also back in town for awhile, has a thriving career in Nashville. But he is shocked when his first and only true love, Kacey, shows up and tells him they have a daughter he never knew about. As he settles back into Mercy Falls, he starts to wonder if maybe his earlier dreams of fame don't hold a candle to the possibility of being a family with Kacey and Audrey. But can he really leave Nashville behind to pursue them?

Also in this story, continuing from the prequel, is Mercy Falls resident Ian Shaw and his continued desperate quest to find his missing niece. As a major clue turns up about Esme's disappearance from three years ago, the cold case is reopened and Ian's faithful assistant Sierra helps him dig deeper into the mystery - all the while battling the feelings each has for the other and toeing the line between a personal and professional relationship.

Depth

As Ben and Kacey struggle to resolve what happened between them 13 years ago, and the consequences facing them now, issues of trust, abandonment, parenting and sacrifice surface. But the places this story digs the deepest regard Ian Shaw's depserate search for his niece, and the inner drive that keeps him going. The question of why Esme left him, his need to be in control and save the world haunt him. Author Susan does not give easy answers to any of these things, and leaves us hanging with a few things to be resolved in later books. (Which she is so maddeningly good at!)

Additionally, some of the main characters either have a broken past to deal with or currently have great pain to contend with. Broken families, past mistakes, and unfulfilled dreams are addressed.

Faith

Every main character in this book has to reconcile themselves with God and their choices. Some of them feel God isn't on their side but come to realize He has been there all along. Psalm 23 is a comfort and a guide throughout the book and is used, quoted and applied often.

Love Story

Love is complicated, messy and difficult at times but it can overcome a lot of mistakes and difficult circumstances when strong enough. Additionally, it's demonstrated that love isn't always pleasant and happy, but sometimes it's honest and telling the truth - even when it hurts. In this book, the chemistry between some of our main characters was electrifying! The wide range of emotions are easily felt by the reader too.

Overall

Susan May Warren has given us a lot to look forward to in this new series! In her typical fashion, she weaves a lot of different storylines together, while resolving some in this book and leaving others to be resolved in later reads. Her characters are well developed as usual, and both lovable and realistic at the same time.

Find it on Amazon: Wild Montana Skies

Note: We were given this book free in return for our honest review

Your're The One That I Want (By: Susan May Warren)

You're the One That I Want

By:Susan May Warren

This latest from Susan May Warren has been the 2 Chicks' most highly anticipated book of the year! The conclusion to the Christiansen family stories does not disappoint and was everything we hoped it would be.

Storyline

Owen Christiansen has a lot of apologizing, explaining and reconciling to do - even more so than he is aware of. For the last few years, he has been MIA from his family and hometown of Evergreen Lake, Minnesota, where he left behind broken relationships and hearts. Now working on a crabbing boat in Alaska, he is struggling to find his way back to God and a chance at happiness. Could it happen with Elise "Scotty" McFlynn, a no nonsense girl who has her own learning to do about family? The last time Casper Christiansen saw his brother, a heated argument that led to blows erupted between them . But now, hoping to reconcile and receive Owen's blessing, Casper has trekked all over the country searching for him. Just as he's about to give up and go home, he finally catches a break to learn of Owen's whereabouts. But seeing him again - and bringing him home to face the damage he has left behind - will not be easy, pleasant or quick to resolve. 

This story's action begins on the first page and does not stop until the end. The plot, characters and storyline kept us up for a few late nights!

Depth

As readers, we kept asking ourselves how on earth Owen - the wild, lost prodigal - was ever going to find his way back to the family. With a trail of damage in his wake, would it be too late to repair the burned bridges and broken hearts? Given this and the family drama that's been building up in the last five books, we were afraid this final book would tie it all up in an easy, neat little package - so unlike real life. We knew Owen's story deserved a thorough, difficult, challenging, and in the end, triumphant, conclusion - and that is exactly what author Susan delivers. She masterfully weaves the joy and the pain of the ramifications on the family when a prodigal comes home. It isn't easy, clear or predictable. Everyone wrestles with the right things to do at different times, and the issues are real. In addition, Scotty is welcomed into the Christiansen family as one of their own - and it scares her to death. Will she be brave enough to embrace what it means to finally be a part of a family?

Faith

Scotty thinks that Christianity is only for the weak. Being raised by a single father, she values being tough-as-nails and independent above all else. But she is inspired by Owen's admonition to "have a little faith" and slowly begins to realize her need for a Savior. This story is all about grace and faith, and being accepted into earthly families and into the family of God. One of our favorite lines was, "A life committed to God requires us to live uncomfortably, accountably, bravely, transparently, vulnerably. It requires us to love without rules. Welcome to grace."

Squeal Factor

As is usual in this series, the couples in this book sizzle with their cute chemistry. Owen and Scotty have several very touching scenes and their romance sparkles! This book has powerful emotions the readers can actually feel.

Overall

It took six novels to tell the stories of the Christiansen family and we are sad to see them go! This series is full of faith, depth, squeal factor and is written at a pace that kept us running toward the end. The family has real problems and real love, all tied up together, and gives a great example of what a wonderful family can look like. In fact, these 2 Chicks loved both this book and the entire series so much, we are declaring the series as a whole the newest addition to our Golden List. It's worth it to pay full retail price and give up a little lot of sleep for!

Find it on Amazon: You're the One That I Want

Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review 

The Wonder of You (By: Susan May Warren)

The Wonder of You
By: Susan May Warren

The fifth book in this outstanding series is finally here - and oh boy, is it a good one! Not only did we fall deeper in love with the Christiansen family, this read made our Golden List as well. Only one book left to go and it's expected next Spring.

Storyline

Amelia, the youngest of the Christiansen siblings, has always been protected by her well-meaning sisters and brothers. But what she really longs to do is leave Deep Haven, follow her adventurous spirit all over the world, and prove to her family that she is brave and strong. But when her life in Prague goes sour, she scurries home with her tail between her legs, thinking that maybe she isn't as cut out for an adventurous, exciting life as she thought. Should she ignore her instincts and just settle down in Deep Haven for good? 

Roark St. John, European heir and playboy, has a much deeper past and spirit than anyone realizes - and when he follows Amelia to Deep Haven, he discovers the family and community he has always yearned for. Problem is, Amelia can't seem to decide what she wants - and if she doesn't choose him, he won't be able to stay in Deep Haven to watch her build her life with another man.

Author Susan is a master at giving just the right amount of plot line to keep us hooked all the way through! While this storyline may seem predictable, she gives the journey many twists, turns and personal touches to immerse the reader completely in the book.
Also worth noting that sister Grace (from book three) and her husband Max have an incredible storyline here too!

Depth

Roark has suffered great personal tragedy and has been running ever since. Amelia, too, is much deeper than any of her siblings realize. Both wrestle with whether to stay and settle down, or pursue adventure all over the world - but what if the answer can be both?
 
But the real depth in this story comes from Max and Grace's issues. In book three, we discovered Max had a serious health problem to reconcile before tying the knot. But now married, and facing the deep yearning for a family, Max and Grace must reconcile their reality with their dreams once again.

Faith

Just as in the rest of this series, God's plan for everyone's lives plays a central role here. All the main characters must wrestle to discover how to follow the Lord, and they must rely on His wisdom to guide them each day. A central theme is obedience to the Lord's call on your life - in this case, giving up wealth and family in exchange for the wonder of knowing Christ and all of His riches. One additional thing we love about this series is the patriarch and matriarch, John and Ingrid Christiansen, and their perspective and wisdom they offer to their children. They aren't perfect, but they are excellent examples of Godly parents leading their family.

Squeal Factor

Between Max and Grace, and Roark and Amelia, the reader is treated to many tender moments and sweet whisperings between the lovebirds! The love written about in this book is heartfelt, deep and sincere. We love swoon worthy scenes!

Overall

What a tremendous book! An intriguing storyline, layers to uncover, sweet romance, and a God who guides, helps and loves His people all make for a very real, honest and engaging read. Don't miss this gem!! We now wait with eager anticipation for book six, due next Spring, where we can finally have a conclusion to Owen's story (that's going to be a whopper, isn't it?).

Find it on Amazon: The Wonder of You


Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review