A Man of Honor - Review and Giveaway

Dusty Parker is a man most would look at twice and wonder who he really is. On the outside, he's a big, muscle bound, tattooed, diamond pierced ear, Harley riding, pony-tailed man. But it's who he is on the inside that really matters and it matters a lot to the foster teenage boys he's raising in The Last Chance home. He is a part-time pastor and part-time Search and Rescue worker with a true heart of gold. Despite the fact he has what some would consider a colored past, Dusty tries to do all he can to give the boys he's helping to raise make lives for themselves where they wouldn't have had any hope.

A chance encounter on a recent Search and Rescue case for a teenage girl missing from prom, leads Dusty to work with a volunteer. She turns out to be the teacher of the missing girl and can identify her before the police can. Turns out that Grace Sinclair is an inner city school teacher with her own colored past. Yet Grace truly lives up to her name, offering the gift of grace to those she meets, from Molly Logan, the grieving parent of the missing teenage girl, to offering up her 30-acre ranch home when gang members threaten the boys staying with Dusty. Does God have a plan for both of them to use their pasts to create a new brighter future?



In the latest novel from Loree Lough, in her First Responder Series, A Man of Honor takes us into a different character than we have known before. Dusty's past comes from a tragic experience during 9/11 that costs him his career. He also has received a discharge from the Marines due to not being able to follow strict orders. Grace is also suffering from tragic circumstances surrounding the loss of someone in 9/11 as well, but it's her ability to care for others that makes her so admirable and attractive to Dusty. In the midst of this compelling story we find that local gang wants to induct the boys, Dusty is trying to save into his gang and if Dusty keeps him waiting much longer, he will make sure that his message is received loud and clear.

I received A Man of Honor compliments of Abingdon Press and Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review. I've read every single novel in Loree's First Responder Series and they are truly addicting because of how well she creates her characters. She doesn't make them perfect, but uniquely flawed so they can become believable and wind their way into our hearts like family. In A Man of Honor, you find yourself rooting for Dusty and Grace as much as the boys and girls they care for despite all the odds against them. There's even an appearance from Honor Mackenzie, the top SARs trainer from book 2. The best part about this series of books, is that Loree brings old and new characters together and blends them perfectly to create a story you'll fall in love with. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to many more in this amazing series!

Thanks to the generous folks at Pump Up Your Book Tours, they are offering a giveaway copy of this book to one lucky reader. Here's all you have to do to enter.

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart.

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you already "Like" me, then leave a comment there letting me know you stopped by.

4. Leave a comment below along with your email address telling me why you'd like to win a copy of this book. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols. Remember if you don't leave an email address, I can't contact you if you're the winner.

The giveaway will end on September 20th and I will notify the winner by email at that time.

For more information on A Man of Honor, Loree Lough, or where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

A Man of Honor by Loree Lough

You can also follow Loree Lough on Facebook, by clicking here.

Looking for my reviews from the Pump Up Your Book Tour, click here.

If you want to read the other books in the series, I have included the links to my past reviews on them below:

Book 1: From Ashes to Honor
Book 2: Honor Redeemed

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (August 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426714629
• ISBN-13: 978-1426714627

Honor Redeemed

Honor Mackenzie has dedicated her life to honoring the sacrifice of her finacee John who died in the search and rescue efforts of 9/11 as a volunteer. Now Honor has taken up a similar task as a SARs trainer. Since she is the best, she is the one that is most likely to be called upon whenever someone goes missing. Today she is at the scene of a jumbo jet accident that has crash landed on a busy highway with subsequent debris falling miles away. Now searching in the national park, she comes across the tail section of the plane along with the wing and survivors still trapped inside. This is where her heart is, finding and rescuing survivors.

Matt Phillips is the roving news reporter that has been called the the scene of the biggest headline, a plane crash and he's there to make sure that he captures all the details and takes the first pictures to make it to the papers before the morning edition. Dressing like a first responder, he hopes to find a rookie member of the rescue team that will allow him to blend in and capture the story, what he didn't hope to find is a face to face meeting with Honor Mackenzie who loathes reporters of all kinds especially one dressed as a search and rescue team member.

Both Honor and Matt are struggling with learning to let go of their pasts and learn to move forward even though the costs might be greater than they had hoped. Both are dealing with the losses of people that they have loved and lost and now just when their are hopes of them falling in love, both of them gain a sense that the risk of losing someone they love again, keeps them at arms lengths apart. When tragedy strikes one of them, will they find a way to put their past behind them and finally admit they are ready to take a second chance at love?



I received Honor Redeemed, book two in the First Responders Series by author Loree Lough compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours and Abingdon Press for my honest review. Being a huge fan of Loree's since reading her first book in the series From Ashes to Honor, I knew that I would read this one the moment it came to print. Loree's writing style will hook you right from the beginning and genuinely make you love her characters. Designed to showcase the lives of First Responders, this one spotlights the actions of SARs or Search and Rescue responders and shows just how difficult and rewarding their lives can be as well as that of their canine companions. You will not be disappointed to read this one as a stand alone, but trust me, once you do, you'll have to go back and read her first book in the series as well where the story of Mercy and Austin first came to life. They are now supporting characters in this novel. I highly recommend this one to animal lovers, first responder fans and those looking for a great suspense romance and easily award this my highest rating a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Honor Redeemed by Loree Lough

You can also find Loree Lough on Facebook by clicking here.