Greer Hadley has a failed music career, has gotten herself into some trouble, and is back home, where she does not want to be. Emmett Lawson was the town’s golden boy – popular, athlete, soldier - but he blames himself for what happened to the men under his command and is hiding out. These two are quite the pair. Neither believes they have anything to offer, and are sure they deserve the rejection, bad luck and loneliness they see in their futures. And stubborn doesn’t even begin to describe them. Underneath the hard exteriors, however, are two big hearts and a huge capacity to love.

I love second chance stories, and I love the way author Laura Trentham tells this emotional, wonderful, amazing story of these characters. These heroes. They aren’t teenagers. They’ve experienced some truly hard parts of life, been knocked down and don’t think they can get up. But life has more surprises in store for them.

An Everyday Hero is the second book in the Heart of a Hero series. Already a fan of author Trentham’s when the first book, A Military Wife, released I suspected that although it was a new genre for her I was going to love it, and I was right. I hope this series goes on and on. Laura Trentham is an author you should read. Now. There is something that runs through all of her stories, no matter the time period or setting or how breathlessly sexy it might get. I think it's the emotions of the characters, characters that always feel real and true. You will feel sad for them, get angry and disappointed with them, cry when they are hurt and laugh at some of the hilarious things they say and do. But you will always, always love them, and you will be completely filled with satisfaction when the story ends.

I received an advance copy of An Everyday Hero from the author and publisher St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I love this book, this series, this author and highly recommend you read An Everyday Hero. You will be glad you did.

I absolutely loved this story from the beginning until the end. This was not your sappy, hero comes home, hero has issues, hero falls in love story. There was so much more to it. Both Emmet and Greer are damaged, flawed individuals who had known one another in school. They did not seek each other out, but were thrown together due to circumstances (court ordered volunteer work) and a loving, caring mother. They both recognized that the other was damaged, and using sarcasm, sometimes not very nice, they ended up breaking down some of the walls they had put up. Throw in a petulant, hurt, emotional teenager who had also lost her father to the war, and you know your emotions will come into play.

I loved the main characters in this story. Seeing how hurt they all were, yet willing to move forward with their lives and not willing to give up, had me rooting for them. This story deals with mental health, PTSD, flawed and injured families, some bullying, forgiveness, acceptance, following your dreams and never giving up. It does not, in any way, glorify war, which I liked. It doesn't give gory descriptions, but you know that it was a terrible place and Emmett has demons he needs to deal with.

I really enjoyed Laura Trentham's writing style. Her dialogue was real, honest and at times funny. Her characters were not all likable, many were flawed, but they were realistic and I could understand why they acted the way they did (except maybe Beau). Once again, I had all sorts of emotions while reading this story, from heartbreaking to laughing to anger. There were even a few tears at one point. I connected to these characters and wanted everything to work out for them. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy a contemporary fiction story with some romance, I don't think you will regret it.

I am so blessed to be able to read Ms. Trentham’s books and write a review. She has such a gift for writing that her books are not just enjoyable, but they make me think and look more at myself to be a better person. Greer and Emmett are two lost souls who end back in the small suburb of Nashville called Madison. Greer has always loved to write songs, sing and play her guitar. She knew she would go to Nashville and make it big, until one night she froze on stage at the Bluebird Cafe. Now she is home living with her parents with no direction. Emmett was in the Army and is living in a cabin in the woods with a prosthesis on one leg and blaming himself for someone in his unit getting killed.

Greer is forced to community service after making a big mistake in a bar one night. She has to help a young teenage girl named Alley through music who got into trouble. Greer is not one who lets people have their own pity parties. I loved the two’s time together and how Greer tried reaching Alley. She was also assigned to Emmett who has pushed everyone away—especially when they see his shotgun pointed at them! Greer shows no fear even though she is shaking in her boots. The two’s journey is very poignant and touches my heart. Ms. Trentham has a way of bringing the plight of military families who have lost someone or has been hurt mentally and/or physically to the forefront to make you think about them and want to do something to help. This story is so good, touched my heart, and didn’t want to put the book down. I strongly encourage you to read the book. I was given a copy of the book and voluntarily wrote a review.

I loved everything about An Everyday Hero - characters, plot, songwriting, etc. Laura Trentham delivers a great small town romance with flawed characters, wounded and deceased veterans and the characters affected by these veterans. This book is an amazing, emotional, gut wrenching, heart warming, inspirational romance that I could not put down!

This is an emotional tale about heartache, second chances and learning to believe in ourselves and others. Greer, Emmet and Ally are separately flawed characters who learn to become and accept who they are with each other. This emotional tale will pull at your heartstrings.

An Everyday Hero  by Laura Trentham certainly wins my vote as a reader who loves a deeply satisfying story of redemption, second chances and sheer gutsiness.

Greer has returned home after years of just plodding along in the music industry to find her boyfriend cheating on her. After a bout of drunkenness and disorder she is sentenced to helping at a music center for veterans and her families.

One of the people she is assigned is Ally, a really anti, sullen teen, who has lost her father in war. Everyone else has given up on Ally, but Greer with her quick comebacks and understanding born of years of hard graft, begins to make a chink in her armour.

Veteran Emmett Lawson has holed himself up in a cabin, shooting at anyone who visits. His worried parents have appealed to the music center for help. Greer is sent out and in spite of receiving the shooting treatment manages to get a foot on the step, eventually.

For all the characters its not an easy journey. They all have issues and deep seated pain and heart break. But when it comes down to it, they hang in there, and manage to eventually come through the chaos of their lives.

The story highlights the difficulties faced by war veterans and their families. It also says it's important to hang in there with them and not be put off by early rebuffs. Love, family and friendship along with challenge and tough love can win through.

I've become a firm fan of this author and this series.

An Everyday Hero by Laura Trentham is the 2nd book in A Heart of a Hero series, and my first book by this author. I loved this book, and plan on reading more by this author. Greer Hadley has returned home to Madison, Tennessee as a failed song writer, at least in her eyes. After making bad decisions and tearing up a bar, she is sentenced to community service helping veterans and their families with song writing music therapy. Her first client is a 15 year old girls, who's father was killed in action, no one has been able to work with her. The second client is Emmett, who Greer went to high school with, and the most popular boy in school. Unfortunately he returned to town wounded, and giving up on life. What a wonderful roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs for all three of these individuals. I highly recommend this book, I can't praise it enough.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a fascinating story about a “wanna-be” songwriter. Greer Hadley returns home to Madison after a stint as a song writer that never takes off. Greer ends up doing community service work at a local center, after getting into trouble in the town. The center director puts Greer to work with a young girl, who has been devastated by the death of her father in combat and whose mother is coping with her sorrows with drugs, and with a purple heart vet, whose combat loss of one lower leg has left him so devastated that he is living like a hermit in in a cabin on his parents’ ranch. Greer gives the young girl music lessons as a way to cope with and overcome her grief. She also tries to interest the vet in music again. At first that fails, but he soon shows interest, becoming friends with her, though he is bothered being close to a woman with a prosthetic leg. Greer never gives up on her mission, working to help these two hurting souls overcome their deeply seated grief and anger.

This book, like the first in the series, is about people whose lives are affected by the military and its combat mission. This theme came home to me, as I also am a vet, though I never was impacted the way these two have been. Still, I saw and know may like them. The stories point out the sometimes-hidden costs of war that many never think of or experience. I liked the way Greer was able to bring some peacefulness to these troubled souls. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author brought the stories of these two almost lost souls to life, and the way she had Greer manage to change them for the better. Their journeys are filled with emotion, understanding, searching and success, but also with grief, adjustment, understanding and friendship. There is a romance intertwined within the tale, which only added to the story. I am sure you will come to appreciate Greer and all she does, and fall in love with all the characters involved, especially the young girl and the vet. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

This is an awesome story. To me it was about being down so low and having to make yourself push yourself, with the help of some unlikely friends. We get to know Emmett, a veteran who is dealing with both grief and guilt. Then we have Greer. Who would want to go back home and admit defeat on a career she wanted so badly? Will she be able to forgive herself? As I was reading, I could feel the emotions and feelings these characters were feeling. I was very much into the story. How would you act and react as parents of these folks? Throw into the mix a young girl who is dealing with the loss of her father and a mother who can’t quite keep it together. How will she play into the lives of Emmett and Greer? I loved this story and the characters. I hope you do too. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Unable to make it as a musician in Nashville and shocked to discover her boyfriend is cheating on her, Greer is arrested after a night of poor choices. To atone for her sins, the judge orders her to complete community service at Music Tree Foundation, an organization that uses music to relieve anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD. There, she finds not only a new purpose in life while working with Ally, a troubled teen, and Emmett, a troubled veteran (who feels guilty for surviving while others in his unit did not), but maybe also a chance at love.

"An anchor weighs you down. Keeps you in one place. Why would you want to be with someone like that? You should be with someone who encourages you to fly."

I loved (like 5 star loved) The Military Wife, the first book in this series, so I was so looking forward to this one. Even though I enjoyed the characters and story line (and hello, there was a kitten named Bonnie Raitt in a story set outside Nashville) in An Everyday Hero, I just didn't feel the same emotional pull as I did with the first one. I'm not a huge romance reader so that definitely could be why as I seem to be in the minority with my 3 star rating. I did, however, enjoy the flirty banter between Greer and Emmett, and I did tear up a couple times, so my heart is not made entirely of stone hehe.

Lastly, I can't help but wonder why a beach was featured on this cover because the book wasn't set anywhere near a beach. There were so many other great options, including a woman playing a guitar for a hot guy, or a cabin in the woods, or even a horse farm. At the very least, there should have been an American flag since the story focused on an Army veteran. Sigh.

Location: Madison, TN

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is another fantastic story by author Laura Trentham. Engaging the reader from the start, you quickly become engrossed in the story.

In helping others, we often find that they help us as well. I loved the music tie ins throughout and this was an easy book to read, the pages flew as I was immersed in the story.

All of the characters are at a crossroad each looking for their future paths with regrets as an underlying theme. We get to witness all of the characters transformations.

Greer is all sass and Emmett is bitter and feeling sorry for himself. Their interactions are fun to read and you can't help but feel the connection grow. You can feel their epic love story.

Greer and Ally help one another more than either ever thought they would. Ally is the angsty teenager that Greer allowing Greer to reach the heart of Ally. You feel the friendship and respect grow.

The connection between Ally and Emmett was a great tie in and helped heal their regrets.

AN EVERYDAY HERO – Laura Trentham
Heart of a Hero, Book 2
St. Martin’s Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250145550
February 2020
Contemporary Romance

Madison, Tennessee – Present Day

Greer Hadley had her heart set on a country-western music career, but the lack of job offers—and a failed romance—has her scurrying back to her hometown of Madison. She’s living with her parents and getting into trouble, namely getting drunk in a bar and trashing it. She is ordered by the judge to do community service at a local center, where the director has her working with two people: a troubled teenage girl and a purple heart veteran who doesn’t want to be around people. Greer has her work cut out for her. The girl, Ally, lost her father in military combat, while the mother is dealing with the loss by becoming a drug addict. Ally has also gotten into criminal mischief, so she and Greer are on common ground. Greer will be teaching Ally music lessons, but soon discovers the girl might have a gift for songwriting. But their relationship is tenuous. Can Greer get Ally to open up?

Meanwhile, the military vet is Emmett Lawson, a former classmate. Emmett once was the big man in town, but after losing one of his lower legs to injury while on a mission, he doesn’t see himself as a whole man anymore. He’s been keeping to himself, living in a cabin on his parents’ ranch and looking like the hermit he has become. Greer’s job is to interest him in music once again, but of course he rebuffs her. But she is determined because she truly wants to help Emmett. Her persistence soon pays off and they become friends. As they grow closer, a sexual attraction develops. Yet, with him wearing a prosthetic leg, he doesn’t feel comfortable being that close to a woman.

AN EVERYDAY HERO will tug at a reader’s heart as each character, Greer, Ally, and Emmett, are finding life nearly unbearable right now. After being rejected in Nashville, Greer is experiencing doubt that she can make music again. Ally thinks her life is going nowhere and that it’s not fair that her dad isn’t around. Emmett feels guilt that he survived the attack when his commanding officer died just a few feet away from him. Their journey in AN EVERYDAY HERO is one fraught with emotion and filled with learning about themselves as they finally find the path to a future. At first, Greer’s interactions with Ally and Emmett are separate from each other, but late in this tale they finally cross paths. How will this happen and what will be the result?

AN EVERYDAY HERO is part of the Heart of a Hero series, but it is a standalone, as the first tale in the series, THE MILITARY WIFE, is only connected due to the fact of it containing a military vet. This tale is also a women’s fiction novel, but leans more heavily toward it being a romance. There are plenty of sex scenes that will have you fanning yourself a few times.

Fall in love and cry with the characters of AN EVERYDAY HERO. They are experiencing the lows of their life, but soon find happiness. Don’t miss this compelling tale.

Patti Fischer

An immensely enjoyable read, An Everyday Hero elicits both laughter and tears. Ms. Trentham’s development of the story and the characters can only be described as skillful. She achieved a balance between humor and angst that I found utterly delightful.

Despite all of Greer’s setbacks, she remains funny and caring. Once roused from his wallowing, Emmett turns out to be an adorable hero. I love that both started out as messed up but once they rekindled their friendship, they started to heal and support each other in finding their purpose. Their sparkling banter made their dialogues fun to read. Their chemistry is obvious from the beginning and it’s easy to follow how they transitioned from friends to lovers.

“An anchor weighs you down. Keeps you in one place. Why would you want to be with someone like that? You should be with someone who encourages you to fly.”

Ally’s story is heartbreaking and far too real among military kids. I appreciate the way Ms. Trentham incorporated music in getting her to open up to Greer. The most important of the secondary characters, Ally is edgy and sympathetic at the same time.

The author really captured the essence of a Southern small town from the sweet tea to the busybodies to the country music. I also really loved the roles family and friends played in assuring that the story concludes happily.
I found this book highly-entertaining and recommend it to readers of romance and women’s fiction.

Content advisory – battle scenes in a nightmare and retelling.
Heat level – low (kisses only)

While reading the story, I kept wondering who the everyday hero was. I finally decided it was not just one person in the story; it was more than one.
There is Greer, who has been sentenced to community service that is a hero to Ally and Emmett. And there is Emmett, who was a Hero in the war. Then there is Ally, who is helping her mother get over the death of her father.
I loved Greer’s character and how she loved to help Ally and Emmett. Greer had stopped making music but ends helping Ally through music.
I received an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley. This book review is my own opinion.

Two lost souls find their way again by helping each other. This book shows how people can be lost but find a way back through both music and talking to the right person. The emotions that everyone is going through in this book are huge. It takes the right kind of person to push someone in the direction they need to go. It does help to have support from family, friends and outside help. Greer and Emmett find both love and understand in each other. This book also shows you the different sides of what people go through in the Military and coming back home after war or the loved ones who are left behind.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I was totally impressed with the author’s knowledge regarding Emmett issues and feelings regarding his injuries and his feelings about our current wars. It felt very real and I totally felt all those emotions in this story. I was not expecting to like Greer but she totally grew on me, and I appreciated the pace of their romance. The character that surprised me was Ally. I didn’t know if i could relate to her and yet i totally fell in love with her. All in all, a very satisfying realistic romance.

An Everyday Hero was INCREDIBLE. A realistic look at life especially it's struggles and desperation after unforseen tragedies. Deep and raw with emotion I could literally feel the pain these characters where dealing with. Everything about this story was believeable and touched my heart. A book that definitely has to read and experienced.

I can’t even begin to convey the depth, the pain, the beauty of Greer’s – Ally’s – Emmett’s stories. I won’t even try. Individually they are all painful to read and uplifting to complete, combine them together as they affect each other’s lives in meaningful, realistic ways and you’ll discover a book that will speak to your heart for many enjoyable re-readings. An Everyday Hero describes each of these three people in various degrees and levels of pain, at different places in their lives yet brings them together in a way that is realistic, plausible and memorable.

My true wish for you as a reader would be to go into An Everyday Hero blind knowing nothing more than what the Cover Description gives you, which is everything you need to know to begin this journey. Yes, I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press for which I’m very grateful so I should be saying lovely, flowery, insightful things about this novel. And still… I find that I really want you to discover this heartwrenching and heart-healing story for yourself, on your terms, in your time – for both you and this book deserve that.

I was captured by An Everyday Hero from the first chapter and its grip didn’t let go until the final word was read. I loved this book, I cried, cringed, laughed, hurt and healed alongside some of the most memorable characters I can remember reading about. I should apologize for saying little but in this case, less is indeed more… more for you to discover on your own and experience firsthand as three people impact each other’s lives in ways that matter and heal themselves along the way.

I would not hesitate for one second in recommending this story to any reader no matter your preferred genre. This one will touch you, and you’ll be glad for that in the end.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Greer has made a mess of her life. She has tried and failed to make it in Nashville. Her long time boyfriend cheated on her…she CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT! Then she destroyed a bar and ended up in front of her uncle, the judge. Instead of sentencing her to pick up trash, he made her community service about music. The one thing she is trying to forget! She is to volunteer at a non profit organization which helps veterans and their families heal through music.

Greer has been given two of the hardest cases in the organization. A teenage girl, Ally, who lost her father in military action. And then there is Emmett. Emmett is a mess as well. He lost his leg and his will to function in this world. When these two get together sparks fly, in anger and attraction!

Now, I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars on this read. The main reason I went with 5 stars…the music! Many, many times in my life music has been my lifesaver. It is in this book as well. Music can heal if you let it. And that is exactly what the author portrays in this read. This book does slow down a little in the middle but the characters, trauma and the healing really create a great read.

Now…this cover is not at all what the book is about. I guess the design was meant to portray tranquility…sooo not what I got out of the book. Music as the cover would have been much better, in my opinion. But, it is still a very good read! Grab this one today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.