Braving the Valley by Rebecca Hartt

Braving the Valley by Rebecca Hartt
Series: Acts of Valor Book Five
Publisher: Rise UP Publications, July 18, 2023

REVIEW BY JOAN HALL

Braving the Valley, book five of the Acts of Valor series, was my first time reading author Rebecca Hartt.

Grace Garrett is determined to remain in Venezuela until she can leave with her adopted child, even if it means putting her own life in danger. When she is rescued by a Navy SEAL Team, forcing her to leave four-year-old Mateo behind, she blames Senior Chief Amos McLeod.

Grace has been struggling with her faith, believing God didn’t care about her, otherwise, why would He have allowed her to suffer through a miscarriage and her husband abandoning her. After her return to the States, she and Amos are thrown together when he needs someone to tutor his son.

Sparks fly, but there is an undeniable attraction between them. But headstrong Grace is determined to return to Venezuela for Mateo, keeping her plans a secret from everyone but her nephew who she swears to secrecy until she’s departed the country.

In the meantime, Amos is called back to Venezuela for another rescue mission, which puts him and Grace on the same path. Will she, Amos, and the child make it out alive?

The book is fast-paced and filled with moments of tension. I liked Amos. His faith is unwavering as evidenced by the following quotes from the book:

“Think with your head. Don’t listen to your fear, Grace. Fear is your enemy.”

and

A rescue op in Venezuela had seemed like the perfect opportunity, but Amos couldn’t see the future, and God could. It was simply a matter of trusting that the Lord of the universe knew a better way.

Rebecca Hartt Acts of Valor

As much as I liked Amos, I had a bit of trouble with Grace. She’s headstrong, putting her desires above her safety and that of others.

There are also multiple storylines in the book – one between Grace’s twin sister Faith and FBI agent Casey Fitzpatrick. Another involving Emma, the woman who raised Amos’s son. I assume these side stories will lead to future publications, but there were times when I felt as if I were reading three books.

For these reasons, I’m knocking off half a fish, giving it a rating of 4.5. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would read this author again.

I purchased the Kindle version of Braving the Valley through Amazon.