The Heart of a Hero
by Susan May Warren

Susan May Warren is a prolific writer who continually produces first rate novels. The Heart of a Hero is her latest and it's another great example of her talent. Readers were introduced to Jake Silver and Aria Sinclair in book one of the Global Search and Rescue Series. Jake is a former SEAL haunted by his past. He’s a good guy, who can’t see it, but we see it time and time again when he puts his life on the line to rescue the people he cares about, namely Aria. We also see his true character through the trust little Aggie, Ham's daughter, puts in him.
 
Aria has her own inner demon she’s battling, which creates the tension in their romance. There were times in the book, I wanted to give her a good shake. For the love of Pete, Jake couldn’t make it any clearer he would do anything for her, and yet she’s plagued by emotionally crippling survivor’s guilt and can't let herself live or love.
 
The action for this installment takes place during a hurricane in the Florida Keys. So, there’s the action surrounding surviving the hurricane and surviving the aftermath when escaped convicts are wreaking havoc all around.
 
The Heart of a Hero is ultimately about redemption, which can only be found in Jesus. Over and over we see God’s tenderness for us in the actions of our hero and several of the secondary characters.
 
This story is character driven, so it feels like it takes a little while for it to get cranking. The action is there, but there’s a lot of build up to it. My point is don’t give up because it doesn’t jump right in to the main story. There's a pretty harrowing scene at the start involving Jake and Aggie, but the main story for book two doesn't start until about 100 pages in. Once the action starts, though, it keeps on going.
 
One final note, it’s Christian fiction, so if you’re reading it, you shouldn’t be surprised when people pray and when characters talk about Jesus. Warren has a nice balance in presenting the beauty of Jesus without being preachy. This book is tender and entertaining, and I give it five-stars.
 
Have you read The Heart of a Hero? What was your favorite scene?