The Heart of a Hero by Susan May Warren Review

Happy Wednesday Everyone :)

I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you all for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.

At the start of the year, I'd reviewed the first book in Susan May Warren's The Way of the Brave, which you can find here, and while I'd enjoyed it alright, it hadn't ended up being my favorite of her books.

However, I really loved many of the secondary characters throughout that story, and I couldn't wait to see each of them get their own story.

Next up was Jake and Aria's story, and I knew I needed to read it as soon as possible. After finishing it, I couldn't wait to hop on here and tell you guys all what I ended up thinking about it.

The Heart of a Hero by Susan May Warren:

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: June 2nd, 2020

Genre: Christian Fiction/Suspense Romance

Series: Global Search and Rescue

Synopsis:

Rescuing Aria Sinclair is just what former SEAL Jake Silver needs in order to redeem his past mistakes. Keeping her distance from Jake is what Aria needs to protect her heart. As a hurricane turns paradise into peril, they must save themselves and others in this story of second chances and survival--and the cost of both.

(synopsis from goodreads)

My Review:

Susan May Warren is truly a master at creating stories that keep the reader glued to the page, and The Heart of a Hero may just be one of her best to date.

I hadn't personally been a huge fan of the first novel in the Global Search and Rescue series (The Way of the Brave), but I'd really enjoyed Jake, Aria and Ham as characters, and I was looking forward to reading on in the series to hear more about them. This particular title gives the reader Aria and Jake's story, and I could barely bring myself to put it down once I started it.

Jake and Aria's relationship had a bit of a troublesome start. They met when he came to rescue you her on a mountain in Alaska, back in the first book, and their dire circumstances led to some feelings beginning to develop. They both acted on those feelings without thinking first, and it's now led to an awkward situation between the two of them. When Aria is forced to take some time off of her job as a pediatric cardiologist, and ends up attending a conference in the Florida Keys, she's expecting to be able to relax and rejuvenate. However, she wasn't prepared for the massive hurricane that's fast approaching the area, or the fact that she's been left in charge of a woman and her grandmother who needs immediate medical attention. When Jake hears about the hurricane heading quickly towards where Aria is, he doesn't even hesitate to head out and find her. Soon the two of them find themselves in a dangerous situation that they never could have been prepared for, and their relationship with God and with each other will be needed more than ever to help them both pull through. 

I always appreciate the fact that the faith element plays a prominent role in every Susan May Warren title, and I honestly think the way it's portrayed in The Heart of a Hero was truly beautiful and masterful. I loved the underlying theme that God is always present, no matter what storm you are currently battling. There is also a big focus on God's forgiveness, and the importance of accepting that forgiveness and offering it others, but also to yourself. In particular, I really enjoyed the conversation that happens where Mimi talks about the fact that God is both good and sovereign, we can't go on with life believing He is one without believing He is the other. Likewise, while Jake is a "hero" in a sense many times throughout the story, the true emphasis is on the fact that no matter what, Jesus is always the ultimate hero. A beautiful passage in the story has Mimi talking about when Jesus healed the man with leprosy, and it was a heartwarming reminder that all things are possible through Him.

Aria and Jake's story was truly everything I was hoping for and more, and I loved how there's a new plot twist or turn around every single corner. It's action packed right from the start, and the action never ends and keeps the reader intrigued through each and every chapter. Aria and Jake's relationship is turbulent, but it also brings about the need to heal and grieve, and accept God's forgiveness, and how moving on requires forgiveness, and not closing yourself off from accepting love. I personally consider myself grateful to have never experienced a hurricane, but I truly felt in this story that I was right there experiencing it with all the characters. Susan May Warren has a way of writing these type of situations in an extremely realistic fashion, and the story truly seems to leap off the pages right in front of the reader.

Lastly, I have to state that I always appreciate the way that Susan is able to seamlessly weave a secondary story line in around the main plot that sets up the next book in the series. I very much enjoyed following Ham on his journey to discover more about his wife's death, and the humongous cliffhanger has me looking forward to the next book even more.

Definitely go ahead and pick this one up if you're a fan of Christian romantic suspense!

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Revell and NetGalley for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Thanks so much for reading guys! Have a great rest of your day :)