The Way of the Brave
by Susan May Warren
Book 1 of the Global Search and Rescue series
Rating: 5/5

Words cannot describe how much I loved reading this adrenaline-fueled climb up and down Denali. I wasn't ready. The love story is surrounded by the suspense found in all of Warren's search and rescue books and does NOT disappoint. The tension never let up and forced me to keep reading till the end.

Orion's past continues to haunt him as his friend tries to lure him to join his global search and rescue team. As former SEAL buddies, he enjoys their friendship but doesn't want to go back to his life as a pararescue jumper. When he and his friends are called out to rescue three women stranded on the mountain, he finds himself back in the game whether he likes it or not - only this time one of the women who needs saving is the one that got away before his entire life changed. Back in Afghanistan, he and Jacie had connected but he'd never seen her after that fateful mission where he busted his knee. For some reason, she changed her name to Jenny but he'd recognize her anywhere. Can Orion and his buddies find and rescue the woman of his dreams and her friends before it's too late? Or will Mother Nature or God just allow obstacle after obstacle to get in their way to safety?

My heart can't take this. Haha. I loved everything about this story. If you've ever seen the movie, Vertical Limit, you will understand but this book is better! (The movie was also referenced in the book which made me smile.) The main characters are dealing with their own issues and fears but Warren has a way of weaving in forgiveness and redemption into all her stories that just makes me cry and laugh and stand in awe of the Savior. The technical terms she must have researched makes the story authentic but still a bit confusing since I'm not as familiar with all the mountain climbing terms. You can tell she put her heart and soul into this story. She really starts preaching near the end which I loved; she's not afraid to share her heart and God's heart when it comes to forgiveness and shame.

I highly recommend this book for those that love Christian romantic suspense and I can't wait for the next in the series!

My thanks to Revell and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Former pararescue jumper Orion Starr is haunted by the memory of a rescue gone wrong. He may be living alone in Alaska now, but the pain of his failure--and his injuries--has followed him there from Afghanistan. He has no desire to join Hamilton Jones's elite rescue team, but he also can't shirk his duty when the call comes in to rescue three lost climbers on Denali.

Former CIA profiler and psychiatrist Jenny Calhoun's yearly extreme challenge with her best friends is her only escape from the guilt that has sunk its claws into her. As a consultant during a top-secret mission to root out the Taliban, she green-lighted an operation that ended in ambush and lives lost. When her cathartic climb on Denali turns deadly, she'll be forced to trust her life and the lives of her friends to the most dangerous of heroes--the man she nearly killed.

Her skills and his experience are exactly what's needed to prevent another tragedy--but in order to truly set Orion free from his painful past, Jenny will have to reveal hers. They'll have to put their wounds behind them to survive, but at what cost?

I enjoyed the edge of your seat action at every turn. At every turn Jenny has a mountain to overcome literally. She is trying to forget her past mistake when people were killed because she gave the go ahead for a mission that ended in disaster. Orion wants to find out who is responsible for the mission that cost him his career and the lives of his friends. He has become a hermit in Alaska. That is until Hamilton Jones asks him to lead a mountain climb. He knew Jenny was that time. But as JC. He doesn't know the part she played in the mission.

The only part I didn't particularly care for was the bedroom scene near the end of the book. Nothing happened. But it almost did. I realize temptation is always there, but I didn't think it was necessary to the book.

Overall all, I recommend this book to all who like lots of action.

I was given this book by Revell Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Way of the Brave by Susan May Warren is the start of another amazing series, the Global Search and Rescue series. I have long been a fan of Susan May Warren's books. I was sad to see her last fabulous series end, but this series has completely wiped that series out of my mind. Here, a group of injured vets have become heroic mountain rescuers. Well it might sound too ideal, Ms Warren treats the subject matter with great integrity. The effects of war are depicted with great depth of pain. Yet, there is great hope in this book, hope rooted solely in who God is. I adored this book. I found it absolutely packed with action and suspense. It was also fascinating due to the information about climbing peaks in Alaska. This book was well-researched and includes many climbing techniques throughout. I think readers of romantic suspense will love this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

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.