The Way of the Brave is the exciting, adventure-filled opener to Susan May Warren's new Global Search and Rescue series. Loaded with all the goodness I've come to expect in a Warren novel, wonderful characters, a descriptive setting, heart-racing suspense, and a strong spiritual thread, it was hard to put down.

It did get off to a slow start for me, but the pace picked up quickly and it wasn't long before I could hardly catch my breath from all the excitement. It seemed like anything and everything that could go wrong for these climbers, did go wrong which made for a nerve-wracking read.

I don't know much at all, or really anything, about climbing mountains, so there were times when I was a little lost and overwhelmed by all the terminology. But once I got my bearings, I learned a lot about it and found it really interesting.

If you're a fan of romantic adventures, you're sure to enjoy this adrenaline-fueled read. I'm super anxious for Aria and Jake's story coming up next.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

I am still partly recovering from this page-turner of a book. Gripped by the end of page one, I was fascinated at what unfolded. Strong themes of redemption, sacrifice and love were evident throughout, along with a healthy dose of high octane adventure. The part that amazed me the most was the level of research on Denali National Park and ice climbing. I am already excited for the second book in the series.

A very well written romantic adventure. Well crafted plot and characters. Beautiful setting. This book is a real page turner that kept me glued to the book. I can hardly wait until the next book. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

If you have read the recent releases of Ms. Warren’s Marshall Family Series, you will recognize some of the characters in this new release. This is the first book in the Global Search and Rescue Series. This book is definitely a must read! This book focuses on Orion (who has an appearance in an earlier book) who has been injured in battle, but recovers. The other main character is Jenny who has ties to Orion’s past. Jenny and her friends set out to climb Denali, but run into a little bit of trouble. Hamilton Jones leads a group of rescuers to save them. This book examines how the past can hold someone back from actually living the life they were called to live. This series looks to provide additional side stories from the Marshall Family Series (which was also fantastic). This can be read as a stand-alone. I highly recommend this book and all of Ms. Warren’s other books! You will not be disappointed! This book will take you for a wild ride until the end. It is so good you will want to stop whatever you are doing until you finish the book.
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the author for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

I first thought The Way of the Brave would be part of Susan May Warren’s Montana Rescue. I was surprised to find that it is instead the first book in her brand new Alaskan series Global Search and Rescue. Happily surprised because this will be the first series written by Ms. Warren that I will start reading at the beginning. I seemed to have discovered her after several the Montana series had several books already published, meaning I needed to go back to catch up on the backstories and community.

A compelling story taking place in a beautifully rugged landscape of two characters who must both deal with grief and guilt so that they can live life fully. High adrenaline in a man against nature survival story. Wonderful introduction to the Hamilton Jones Rescue Team.

Adrenaline rush

As I read through this, the descriptive language, the easy flow of words, and the smoothness of the text, enticed me to keep reading. As I read about the near misses I could almost feel the adrenaline rush alongside the characters’ experiences. I can see why this author has such a strong reader following. She is a talented writer. The only drawback for me is that I haven’t read all of her previous books and her style of writing is to always include characters from past books and their stories are all interwoven in each book, making it very challenging for those not well versed in her previous novels to keep up. Otherwise, this is a great book.

Romance, clean; Christian faith elements, series, but stand alone first read
This was a gorgeous read! I rarely put up 5 star reviews for non-classic novels. The drama, suspense, attraction, romance, action, all of it so well-crafted and just a whirlwind read! SMW is the master of high adventure romantic suspense. You felt like you were on the mountain with these climbers, and holding your breath at every moment, twist and turn in the novel. She has mastered the romantic suspense novel. The novel tells part of the action from both of the main characters points of view perfectly. Sometimes this is done so awkwardly that you feel a pause in the action, this just flows. The characters have a past, and as the action unfolds, the wrongs in the past slowly come to light. Strong characters with honest hurting hearts, worries, hopes and dreams, and perfect chemistry between Orion and Jenny. The High Adventure climb setting was incredibly detailed and gorgeous.
Perfect tension, intrigue, and masterfully paced. This is the perfect beginning to this series and a wonderful high paced read. Highly recommend to fans of clean romantic suspense and intrigue.

This book was so good!

From the very beginning, I was hooked on the story and the characters. I LOVED that the hero was a former AF PJ (go Air Force!). And I love that we'll get to see the rest of the characters in upcoming books because I definitely want to know what happens with Ham and Jake and Aria. Ms. Warren knocked this series opener out the ballpark.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

I always feel spiritually charged after reading Warren's books. The mention of God and prayer can often make a story preachy but Warren integrates it beautifully. Mountain climbing in Alaska has been a fascination of mine, the knowledge I gained is incredible. I know her research was detailed and intense because I had to Google a ton. It was intense while they climbed up and attempted the return, rescuing friends and handling the ever changing weather. It's an adrenaline rush of emotions and instinct that won't go away for awhile. There were also personal crises being battled that made for heart aching conversations. My book came through Netgalley, review voluntarily provided.

Way of the Brave is an incredible read that takes the reader to the heights of Denali through avalanches, snowstorms and even falling in a crevasse. The amount of research on climbing that Susan May Warren must have done to write so realistically must have been immense.
The suspense and inner turmoil that her characters go through on the climb and the rescue changes them and allows them face their fears and re-imagine their future. The must not only overcome unimaginable odds of survival but deal with their relationships and where their lives were headed.
This quote sums up one of the most important spiritual life lessons that these characters learn. “God uses our wounds to heal us. Make us stronger. And give us compassion for those who are wounded.”
Susan has once again penned a ‘can’t put it down’ novel full of excitement and suspense. I loved it!
I was given a copy to read by NetGalley (thank you) but the opinions are entirely

Where to begin with this book. So you know when you get on a rollercoaster and it starts off slow then starts to pick up and slows down a little then some twist and turns and then slows for a sec before the last climb and the biggest drop and the whole time you are holding on for dear life because you don't know what's coming, yeah well that is this book. If had be guessing what was going to happen next and who was going to live, die and who was going to make the next biggest jump. So so good. I will say this while there was a small part in the book I really wish the author would have followed up it did not break the whole book for me, I just wanted to know what happened lol. I loved that the author held nothing back, the author does take you all over with your emotions and yet kept the book a clean read and suitable for all. I would say give yourself some time because once you start you will not want to stop reading.

The Way of the Brave is the first book in Susan May Warren’s Global Search and Rescue series and my first read by this author. I’m always on the lookout for something new, and Ms Warren definitely delivered with this well-written, intense and emotionally charged story of two wounded souls that resist a second chance at love.

This is a story of tragedy, heartache and self-reflection, but it also outlines the strength of character these exceptional people possess. The storyline and plot development are spot on, and the secondary characters entice the reader to anticipate more to come. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Ms Warren’s upcoming works.

This is such a great start to a new series that kept me glued to the story until the end. It is filled with adventure, danger, relational tension, romance and a strong thread of faith woven throughout.
Orion Starr grew up in Alaska near Denali where his father worked. He is back in Copper Mountain after leaving the Air Force Pararescue Jumpers following a mission gone really bad. He is angry at God, bitter and confused about the bad mission, especially after so much loss in his family life. His friend, Hamilton Jones, former SEAL and owner of an international search and rescue business and gyms, GoSports in Minnesota, and Ham's friend, another former SEAL, Jake, are in Copper Mountain to recruit Orion for the SAR group.
Three friends set out on a girls' trip to climb Alaska's Denali to prove that they are stronger than they think. Former CIA profiler, Jennifer Calhoun organized the trip with her friends, Aria, and Sasha after a year of training in Minnesota at GoSports. Jennifer and Orion met in Afghanistan but haven't seen each other since the tragedy and there is unfinished business between them-and things about Jennifer that Ry doesn't know. When the two groups meet up in Copper Mountain, Jennifer pretends that she doesn't know Orion. While the guys head to a smaller mountain, the girls head to Denali.
This is an intense time of survival where humans are at the mercy of the mountains and the weather generated on them along with injuries and accidents. But it is a much deeper story of overcoming past hurts, forgiveness and acceptance through faith, and the promise of romance. This story does end in somewhat of a cliffhanger for the next story, one I am looking forward to reading. An exciting new series!
I received a complimentary ARC from Revell through NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are mine only.

The Way of the Brave is the first title in an explosive new series by veteran author Susan May Warren. Over the last few years, I've had the privilege of reading many of her amazing books, and I was expecting pretty great things when I went into this one. I knew that when the action starts right in the opening chapter that it was going to be a thrilling ride, and while I was definitely proven right, it ended up not being quite the story I was initially expecting.

The Way of the Brave focuses (primarily) around Jenny, a former CIA profiler, and Orion, a former military pararescue jumper. The two had developed a friendship while serving overseas, but after tragedy struck, they went their separate ways without ever seeing one another again. Three years later, Jenny and her two friends have come to Alaska to climb mount Denali, and end up running into Orion, who's helping two of his friends strengthen their climbing skills. When Jenny and her friends go missing amidst horrific weather conditions, Orion will stop at nothing to see them found safe and sound.

I think this title will end up appealing to a lot of readers. The story is action packed from the get go, and I was kept on the edge of my seat as one disaster after another falls upon Jenny, Orion and their friends. I always appreciate how strong of a part the faith element plays in every Susan May Warren title, and this one was no exception. Orion's best friend Ham has the kind of faith that stays strong no matter the circumstance, and I enjoyed how he never wavers, no matter what he's forced to go through.

Unfortunately, I didn't end up enjoying Orion and Jenny as characters, and that hindered my enjoyment of the overall story. I found their romance seemed really rushed, and gave off a lot of insta-love vibes. They only knew each other for a month, and it didn't seem believable to me that they'd both been obsessively thinking of the other for an entire three years after so few actual interactions. Similarly, I didn't agree with a lot of the decisions they made throughout the story, and I ended up not sympathizing with them because of it.

Probably my favorite part of the story was the amazing conclusion, and the set up and foreshadowing of the next novel. Throughout the story, I preferred the secondary characters of Jake, Ham and Aria to Jenny and Orion, so I'm very much looking forward to continuing on with the series, and I have a feeling I'll end up liking the second installment more than I did the first.

One last thing I'd like to mention is that I found the technical jargon about climbing, and in particular winter climbing, to be a bit too much, and most of the time it went right over my head. I usually enjoy reading books about sports that I have no interest in, but this time it just didn't work for me

I still did enjoy reading this one, but I think I enjoyed it more as the start to a new series, rather than enjoying the actual story in itself. I definitely still recommend reading it though, as I have a feeling that the rest of this series is going to be explosive and amazing!

Final Rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of this title to read and review!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

"The Way of the Brave" is by Susan May Warren. It is the first in the Global Search and Rescue book series. It is very action packed and riveting . The setting in the Denali Mountains in Alaska. The Denali Mountains are dangerous and risky to climb. The terrain of the mountains can change quickly and the climbers are left to quickly decide their next move to safe their lives and the lives of the others with them. The climbers are brave people who attempt to climb this mountain. The setting is well described so the reader and follow what is coming. The climbers each bond with each other from their challenging life experiences in the past and as they climb. The climbing strategies are explained in the book with technical language but the reader can piece the story together. The story is Jenny Calhoun's, , a psychologist and Orion Starr , a pararescue jumper story. It focuses most on their lives and interactions with each other. The author writes about real life struggles so the reader can connect to the story. The author has a great way of addressing questions the characters have about their relationship with God. Ham's relationship with God is an inspiration to the other characters. He believes in God's goodness even when we can't see His goodness and God is still working. This issue is a difficult issue for many Christians and is written in a good way to help the reader resolve it in the book. The author is Susan May Warren. She has received several outstanding awards ;such as, the Rita award, multiple Christy awards and Carol awards. This book is a good escape elements of romance, thriller and the reader will have a hard time moving from their seat with the book. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book. It is excellent and highly recommended. The opinions are the opinions of my own.

Susan May Warren has Masterfully Crafted another Intense, Christian, Romantic Suspense Series in: "The Way of The Brave, Global Search & Rescue Book 1"!
You get 3 ladies, who've prepared to climb Alaska's Mount Denali. Then you have the 3 SAR men, who go to rescue them after disaster strikes. My Denali is also one of the story's main characters! But ultimately, this is Jenny & Orion's Second Chance 💗Story!
The Novel is Soooo Engrossing, I had to keep 📖 reading. Everyone needs, to take to heart, Ham's compelling insights! Like this one (pg 88): "That thing inside you that you can't keep dodging, that pull to do something more with your life? God isn't finished with you yet. He's calling you to something----" See how God Rescues Jenny & Orion's Spiritual lives, as He draws them to their Forever 💞!
If you like an Adrenaline Rush of Action/Adventure/Danger in your Romance, I Highly Recommend You Read This Outstanding Story! SMW has created another Christian Masterpiece, that provides Inspiration as it Entertains! 🏔️❄️🌬️📖❤️

I’m in awe of the research done to write this book. The details of mountaineering and ice climbing to the intricacies of Denali. I’ve never wanted to climb a mountain and now I really don’t. 😅 I’d loooove to go to Denali though, but I’ll stay on hikes in the lower elevation, thank you very much.

This book is so action packed and filled with some truly terrifying moments that for a when I wondered what Warren was doing to her characters!

I absolutely loved this book. Authors are supposed to "show not tell" but Warren takes this book a step further and you actually FEEL like you are in Alaska on Denali. In fact it brought me back to the night I had altitude sickness from a few hours at 14,500 feet in Bolivia and she had her characters stuck MUCH higher. I actually got a headache because I was feeling so much in this book!

I also loved how she uses hard times in characters' lives to bring up hard spiritual conversations and I appreciate that she doesn't do easy conversions. The book isn't preachy at all - but it is full of truths.

I absolutely cannot wait to read book two in this new series!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy. This is my honest review.

This book hooked me from the first page and kept me turning page after page until the very end. I love Susan May Warren's recuse series. She has a knack for writing strong independent men and women who compliment and strengthen each other.
I loved the fact that Jenny is a rock climber. I haven't ever read a book about a female rock climber before. Her strength and dedication was amazing.
I loved Orion's dedication to saving people. Even when he really wants to just fade into the background, he can't help himself when someone is in trouble. I admire these amazing people.
I loved the way their relationship developed. The romance and faith aspects were woven so well together with the suspense, it made the perfect story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Susan May Warren is one of my top three favorite authors, so I get excited every time she releases a new book and can never wait long to read them. Way of the Brave was no exception, and I could not wait to dive in. While her books typically grab me right from the start, I must admit that this one took me a little bit longer to really get into. I'll be honest--- I'm not a very adventurous person so the closest I will EVER get to mountain climbing is reading this book. Aw, the beauty of reading, right? Still, there was a LOT of technical terms used within this story that made absolutely zero sense to me. For anyone who does climb, I am certain this will add a level of authenticity that they will appreciate. For me, it was just a bit confusing and kept me from connecting to the story as much in the beginning. Several chapters in, once the action really started going I found that it drew me in more, so I encourage anyone who might feel the same that I did at the start to keep on reading because it will certainly be worth it. Once the action really got going, I could not put it down... I was emotionally invested to see just how these characters I had already come to enjoy were going to make their way off the mountain. I didn't need to understand the technical aspects to really grasp the sense of danger.

One of the things that I have always really appreciated about Susan May Warren's novels is that there is a continuance throughout all. While the series may be different, they are often connected and we see familiar faces and places pop up across the different series. Way of the Brave likewise will give us a glimpse at some familiar names, while introducing us to this brand new group of characters. I enjoyed the romance between the leads in this story- Jenny and Orion. Having met years before while stationed in Afghanistan, their short-lived romance is rekindled amidst the danger. Both characters are holding onto moments in their past, keeping them unable to move forward. I loved this deep connection they shared, imperfect as they were... it really had me as a reader wanting something good to come to them. They are not the only ones though... all of the characters we meet in this story have pasts they are trying to work through, and I cannot wait to get a deeper look into their stories as the series progresses.

When it comes to romance, Susan May Warren does tend to have a way of pushing the lines as to what is expected in Christian fiction. Let me be clear... pushing and not crossing. These are still very clean reads, but there is more of an emphasis on the physical side of romance than what one might expect from the genre. For instance, in this particular book there are jokes between a male and female character about letting him look under her shirt. There was also a moment later on in the story where characters nearly crossed a line. Some more conservative readers may frown upon that, but I think this lends a realness to her stories... as this is something even Christians may struggle with in their relationships. Again, I think it is handled realistically while still remaining clean but it is something to note if this might bother you...

Overall, despite my initial hesitation I ended up absolutely loving this book. It was the perfect beginning to a new larger than life series from Susan May Warren, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.