A Man of Honor by Lorree Lough

On a steamy spring morning, Dusty Parker part-time pastor, part-time search-and-rescue team member, and full-time administrator of a school for troubled boys joins the search for a missing teenage girl. He partners with volunteer and inner-city school teacher Grace Sinclair, and what they find bonds them in ways neither could have expected. As they begin to build their lives together, a visitor from the past causes Dusty and Grace to further open their hearts and home. But a threat is looming on their seemingly perfect lives and in one terrifying night, everything changes.

My review:
   I don't read many romance novels, but the author is a really nice lady and a great author. Plus, she sent me a copy of the book just for posting a recipe. :-)

  The book isn't really a romance, though there is a lot of romance in it. This series was written to honor First Responders, so there is a lot in the book besides romance.

 I really enjoyed the book. Loree created several great characters, and especially the main character, Dusty, and a terrific plot. There is a lot more to the book than a couple meeting and falling in love. Dusty fosters eleven boys that no one else wanted, and there is even a little bit of suspense as a gang leader causes them trouble trying to get  the boys to add to his gang. I know the book is fictional, but it really struck me how we all need to do more to help others. Yes, it would disrupt your life to foster and try to help kids that had no one and some of who had been in trouble, but we all need to do more than we do. Reading the book made me want to go out and find a bunch of kids to help, which isn't really possible right now, but its great when a fiction book and move you like that and make you want to do something good.

   I won't give any spoilers, but the book doesn't tie up everything in a nice little bow, and I actually didn't like the ending. I sent the author a message that said "Arrrrrgh! How could you....." But it was still worth reading, and I enjoyed all but the ending. :-)  I even read the book in one day, which is what I do when a book is really good. This is a great series, and its nice to see an author undertake a series with the intention of honoring the people who are out there day after day, often risking their lives to save the lives of people they don't know.


About the author:

Yes, it’s true: Once upon a time, best selling author Loree Lough (literally) sang for her supper, performing before packed audiences throughout the Midwest. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two for her grandkids, but mostly, she just writes. Over the years, her stories have earned hundreds of industry and "Readers' Choice" awards and 4- and 5-star reviews.   Loree has more than 4,000,000 (yes, that’s FOUR MILLION) copies of her books in circulation, and in March of 2014, she’ll have 100 books (fiction and non-fiction for kids and adults; four novels optioned for movies; more releases slated for release between now and 2016), 68 short stories, 2,500+ articles in print, and over 30,000 letters from fans (carton of books to be delivered to Melissa P. in Halifax, Nova Scotia for writing the 30,000th letter)!

Loree loves sharing learned-the-hard-way lessons about the craft and the industry, and her comedic approach makes her a favorite (and frequent) guest of writers' organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, college and high school writing programs both here and abroad.   A writer who believes in "giving back," Loree dedicates a portion of her income to Soldiers' Angels, Special Operations Warrior Foundation, and other worthwhile organizations (click the "Giving Back" tab to see a full list).   She splits her time between a tiny home in the Baltimore suburbs and an even tinier cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, and shares both with her real-life hero Larry, who rarely complains, even when she adds yet another item to her vast collection of "wolf stuff." Thanks to Loree for the book, which was not given to me to review, but I posted one anyway. :-)