Skip to main content

Review: Forgiven by the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #6

Forgiven by the Hero book cover on blue background

One of the things I have really appreciated in reading the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series is the opportunity to discover new authors. Tara Grace Ericson is a name I've seen pop up from time to time, so I'm delighted that I could finally read my first book from her. Forgiven by the Hero is the sixth book in this series, which means that I am a third of the way to being done!

Book Synopsis

They weren’t searching for love, but a snowstorm might help them find it.

Megan Warren is secretly Marcus Warner, best-selling author of adventure thrillers. Hiding away in a remote cabin near Freedom, Colorado is the perfect escape to meet the looming deadline from her publisher. Her peace and quiet keeps getting disrupted by the gruff Search and Rescue Officer using the mountain as training grounds, but she doesn't mind the interruptions.

Derek Held trusts dogs more than people, and his life revolves around training the best Search and Rescue dogs in the country. When he meets a mysterious woman holed up on the mountain, the Christmas season in Freedom suddenly looks a lot cheerier, until her evasive answers send up red flags.

An unexpected snowstorm shuts down the mountain, Megan and Derek are stranded in her tiny cabin, with only her secrets and his suspicions to keep them company. Can he learn to trust and let her rescue his heart?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Not only does this book explore the theme of a secret identity, but the secret identity belongs to an author! What better way to swoon over books than with a character who writes them? In addition to this fun plot, readers have the opportunity to learn more about what goes into training Search and Rescue dogs. This book has an element of adventure from both Megan and Derek's work, making it an engaging read. Beyond the characters' occupations, we catch a glimpse of what drives them in their life based on how they approach work. Derek's cautious nature coupled with Megan's desperate need for privacy clashes, bringing them to question what they know about each other.

Tara carefully balances this conflict with the need for spiritual guidance and prayer, making the characters relatable in their vulnerability. Both Derek and Megan discover the meaning of forgiveness at Christmas and the power of trusting in God. Their story is so well-crafted that it has me wanting to read a Marcus Warner book! With this book being Tara's first in the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series, I definitely look forward to the next two that she has written. If you're looking for a cozy read set in a mountain cabin as a writer's retreat, this book is a real treat!

Book Summary

  • Format of book: 📱
  • Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available to you or you don't qualify for one 😊 List last updated: September 18, 2026 Christian Publishers 10ofThose Availability: U.S., Canadian, and U.K. residents Format: Only books published by 10ofThose qualify for review requests so as to avoid impeding with other Christian book review programs Genre: Christian non-fiction, children's books Email for availabi...

Review: Pride and Practicality

After reading  Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham , I've been absolutely hooked on how she writes a Regency story! Pride and Practicality follows Simon Reeves' sister, Arianna, as she returns home to her family after escaping a scandal. I love her redemption story and am so thrilled that I've also been able to meet my favourite clergyman, Thomas Bridges. Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis In a world ruled by reputation, compassion may be the most scandalous act of all. Arianna Reeves knows how quickly admiration can turn into exile. One poorly placed trust, one disastrously charming rake, and she is no longer society's darling—but its favorite cautionary tale. Now returned home—uninvited and unmistakably whispered about—Arianna is determined to make amends with her estranged family and do something useful with her thoroughly ruined life. Even ...

Didactic Scenes

I love researching and recently looked into Harlequin's Love Inspired line's submission guidelines to find out if there were certain parameters in the stories they accept and publish. One of the lines that stood out to me was: "Mandatory faith element that is integral to story and shows rather than tells, avoiding didactic, preachy tone or doctrinal language." This had me thinking about one of the cinematic attributes I've heard over the years between British and American movies and television, where one tends to show the story and have people reason it out, whereas the other can get into further detail, eliminating the need to piece things out as much when watching a story.  I wish I could find the source for this thought as it's shaped how I view and compare a lot of mysteries and dramas (I confess that I may be a tad too shy for British comedies)—broadly speaking, of course. As a result, I can understand how didactic language isn't always pleasant to s...