One Last Shot by Susan May Warren
Author: Susan May Warren
Published: 2024
Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Book 1 in a planned 4 book series (2nd book to be released 6/4/24)
Synopsis:
When country music star Oaken Fox joins survivalist Mike Grizz’s new adventure show in the Alaskan wilderness, he just wants to boost his fan base. But when tragedy strikes and Air One Rescue must save them, Oaken wants to quit. Too bad his producer has other plans – signing him on with Air One Rescue as a recruit and making a reality show.
EMT Boo Kingston did not join Air One Rescue to train a celebrity. But she’s a rookie to the team, so yes, she’ll train Oaken and keep him alive and not for a minute pay attention to his charm.
And then five women go missing from a resort during a bachelorette weekend gone wrong. Now, Air One and the rescue team will have to use all their skills and manpower – including Oaken – to find them before a blizzard settles in. But can they work together before tragedy strikes?
My Take:
I expected this book to be enjoyable, but it exceeded my expectations. Being classified as Christian Romantic Suspense, I thought I had a good idea of what the book was going to be like, but I was wrong. It was real, without being graphic or gritty. The characters had depth and backstory without it coming across as fluffy or bogging down the pace of the story. The author either has personal knowledge of search and rescue operations or she has done extensive research as the training and rescue scenes have detailed descriptions of the equipment and the methods used for each step of the rescue without it becoming pedantic. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed book that also has themes of forgiveness and trust woven throughout. A couple of the quotes that struck me are: “There’s the story that we create and the story we’re created for. Maybe that’s what this adventure is all about.” And “guilt is real and it makes us run to forgiveness. But shame is what the devil uses to get us to hide from God.”
This was one of those books that you don’t want to end. It’s a clean, fun adventure that sucks you in, but also has a realistic view of the destruction that can be caused by anger, lies, and social media. The book makes you feel like you’re part of the air rescue family and you don’t want to leave. Good thing the second book is coming out in June 2024!
Language:
None.
Sexual Content:
There is a mention of a couple spending the night together in the past. There are also a couple of kisses.
Drug/Alcohol Use:
There is the mention of drinking, leading to uncontrolled behavior.
Violence:
There are various accidents and dangerous situations throughout the book, but they are not graphic. There is also a kidnapping and a murder, both off-scene.
Plot/Storytelling:
This is a character driven story with a dual POV. It is fast-paced, but still manages to have times of contemplation and self-reflection without bogging down the pace of the book.