A Soldier's Devotion

Slam! Before he can even react, Vince Reardon found himself catapulted off his Harley and into the rain-sodden intersection. Inside he is seething with rage at the stupid lady driver who hit him. She was too distracted on her cell phone to notice him in time to stop, and now his precious bike was splattered all over the road. If he wasn't in so much pain, Vince would have probably exploded in anger, but instead the woman saw a vulnerable part of him that he kept hidden. Worse yet, she was one of those praying Christians who insisted on praying over him unti the paramedics came. She pitied him, something he couldn't stand. Even worse still, she turned out to be a lawyer, the lowest form of life in Vince's opinion.

Cheryl Wyatt's latest novel, A Soldier's Devotion, starts off with a van-motorcycle wreck, promising action and tension from the very first sentence. In the sixth story of the Wings of Refuge series published by Love Inspired Books, the most cynical and crusty member of the Pararescue Jumpers is featured. Vince Reardon has already shown himself to be antagonistic to God, church, and Christians. He's a hard-drinking, sarcastic, biker dude who likes easy women and parties hard. Ironically, though, Vince is totally dedicated to his special ops team and their rescue work, belying a tender heart underneath all that grump and gruffness. He bemoans the fact that more and more of his team members are going "over to the enemy" by becoming Christian, yet he has a high level of respect for all these guys. His team members understand him better than he supposes: they know he has some deep hurts that have turned him bitter and hard.

Enter Valerie Russo, the van-wielding attorney who makes a bad--and painful--first impression on Vince. She believes God has brought her across his path for a purpose, in spite of the bad beginning, and she is determined to get through to him. So begins a battle of wills and stubbornness, with occasional misunderstandings alons the way.

Vince is the toughest of the team addressed so far, but as the story unfolds we learn what made him the way he is; the hardships of his life have served to both toughen him  for his job and to insulate him from human contact. He cares for others, as he shows with the teens, but he is afraid to open up with peers.

In a secondary story, a group of at-risk teenagers are introduced. They serve to bring Val and Vince together, but through them a serious social issue is addressed. This time it's abuse. Each one of Cheryl's books has included some issue like this, real issues that teens and adults deal with every day.

Cheryl Wyatt has a strong grasp on scripture and what it means to live as a follower of Jesus, and once again it shines through her writing. Her Christian characters live their faith in their daily lives; this is what makes a difference in each of her stories. Two of the guys have been praying for Vince for five years; patiently being real in front of him and not pouncing. There is an understanding here about  things happening in God's time and in God's way.

While A Soldier's Devotion is a part of a series, it definitely can stand alone. The characters from other books walk in and out of the story, but each novel is independent. It is a romance novel, so certain developments are fairly obvious from the beginning, but it still has nuances, turns, and humor that make it lively. Teens (at least 14 or so, anyway) will enjoy it as well as adults.

The way Love Inspired Books work, this will only be on shelves until the end of January in many stores. I found it at a large Kroger Store; I found Cheryl's other books at Target, Meijer's and Walmart. But since I got this review up so late, you can get it online after January ends at such sites as amazon.com, Barnes  and Noble, and christianbook.com.

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (June 1, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 0373875320
• ISBN-13: 978-0373875320

SOLDIER DADDY is a Heartwarming Tale

Last week I was just tooling through my neighborhood Meijer's store (kind of like a Super Walmart here in the Midwest) when I decided to take a look at their book section. Imagine my surprise and delight to find some familiar Christian books in the romance novel section. Yes, the whole line of Love Inspired novels for October were there, including Soldier Daddy, the latest in Cheryl Wyatt's series about USAF pararescue jumpers and their families. Since I wanted this book, I bought it and set out to read it almost immediately. It did not disappoint.

This story centers on Aaron Petrowski, the fearless and capable commander of the PJ's (pararescue jumpers) stationed in Refuge, Illinois. Since the tragic death of his beloved wife, Donna, Aaron has been struggling to be a good father to his rambunctious twin boys and at the same time lead his team as he should. The only answer seems to be hiring a perfect nanny for the three-year-old dynamic duo. Since Mary Poppins isn't available, Aaron prayerfully searches for just the right person to take on the task.

Enter the eager and vivacious Sarah Graham, a surprisingly young and pretty lady who immediately bonds with the twins. Sarah seems to have everything Aaron is looking for, and after much prayer, he decides that she was God-sent. Even her Christian values are in line with Aaron's, and he knows she intends to help instill those values in Bryce and Braden. Yet, while Aaron believes Sarah is the right one to care for his boys, he has an uncomfortable feeling that she's hiding something. The more he is in contact with her, though, the more he struggles to keep everything at an employer-employee level.

As for Sarah, she is certain that God wants her to help this particular family. She is in constant fear, however, that her past will catch up with her. Whatever secret shame she is hiding, she is always in penance mode, unable to forgive herself or walk in freedom from the punishment she feels she deserves. Hopelessly in love with her two little charges, almost from the beginning, Sarah also finds herself extremely attracted to her boss.

Like all of Cheryl Wyatt's other books in the Wings of Refuge series, this is a very heartwarming and beautiful story. The characters are, for the most part, very endearing and real. At times there are humorous incidents and banter that seem quite realistic. Without being heavy-handed, Cheryl works in many Christian values and spiritual truths that add precious depth to the story. In all of it's Christian morals and values, though, there are serious issues the characters must deal with. It isn't all pie-in-the-sky, but the author makes a point of demonstrating how Jesus deals with hard questions and how Christians should react as well.

In a note at the end of the story, Cheryl writes:

"This story speaks of loss and hope. Loss touches each of us in this life. There's no escaping it. If you have not gone through something hard in your life, eventually you will. But likewise, hope does not disappoint. We have the God of all hope who loves us and is intimate with our pain. He also knows our dreams and hopes. I pray that hope touches your life and heart profoundly, even in the face of any loss or heartache you face. May you always seek Refuge in the haven of His wings."



As I understand it, this book and other Love Inspired titles for October will only be on most shelves until the end if the month, but you will still be able to buy it at Christianbook.com, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.com. Right now you can pick it up at many stores, not just the Christian bookstores. I saw the Love Inspired line at Walmart as well as Meijer's. The suggested retail price is only $5.50 U.S., but I bought it for a dollar less at Meijer's. I think this cozy romance is well worth the price.



Cheryl Wyatt has a website at Cherylwyatt.com

She also keeps a blog at Squirrel's Treehouse. I hope you will visit these sites and come to know more if the heart of this genuinely sweet and talented author. She's the real deal.