religious

I am an AVID Dee Henderson fan, and I just have to say that this book just wasn't up to par. I LOVE the 1st and 3rd ones in the Uncommon Heroes series, and the O'Malley series kept me enthralled, but this book lacked some of the magic. I didn't feel the chemistry between Bruce and Gracie the way I know Henderson is capable of creating between characters. The letters were a bit slow, too.
Having said that, it's still a good read with some good military action. A fun book, just not an on-the-edge of your seat book like her others. I suggest any other of her books instead.

I enjoy every Dee Henderson book I've read. True Valor was actually my first, and it's probably a good thing I started with this one. At the time I found it exciting and romantic and loved it. I've since read her entire O'Malley Series, and am working on True Honor after reading True Devotion and then True Valor a second time. I do enjoy this book and the characters, but now I feel that they are incomplete. The romance between Grace and Bruce is OK, but my least favorite of her books. Now I know the depth of emotion Ms. Henderson is capable of conveying in her writing. This book falls short of the high bar she has set with previous novels.

That being said, this remains an above par action novel, especially for the military-minded. Her description of Gracie's flights and Bruce's rescues were very lively and exciting. And I found their letters back and forth to be more interesting than their in-person encounters (except maybe for the short descritions of their two post-deployment reunions, I enjoyed those parts. But that could be because I'm a military spouse and understand how emotional they can be.)

My conclusion is that this is an essential read for Henderson fans, if only to make us appreciate the other books even more. For people who have never read a Dee Henderson novel, this is a good book to start with...it's still excellent writing.

I really enjoyed the other two books in this series, but didn't enjoy either one quite as much as the books of the O'Malley series, so I was sure what to expect with this one. I'll say this; True Valor is a fast read and such a good one that when I finished, I immediately started rereading it!

Navy Pilot Grace and Air Force Pararescue Jumper Bruce are friends, they know each other through Bruce's sister Jill. As they both set out for long deployments they began to forge a stronger bond through letters. In their letters, they encourage each other with their words and with quotes from Scripture. The sweet gentleness of their blossoming relationship is starkly contrasted by the stark background of rising tensions in the Middle East.

Simply put, this is an excellent book. It clips along at a nice pace, the characters are engrossing and the days stateside are realistically all too brief. The strongest and most enjoyable part of this book, what really makes it stand out, is the eloquent letters Grace and Bruce exchange. As they share the highs and lows of military life in their letters, the reader gets an often poignent glimpse. As always with Dee Henderson books, True Valor has strong and well written inspirational undertones. A definite must read!