Skip to main content

Review: Second Chance with the Hero - Heroes of Freedom Ridge #14

Second Chance with the Hero book cover on blue background

I confess that one of the reasons I have been keen to get into the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series is because it contains three books by Liwen Y. Ho. What a delight to finally finish reading all of the books she has published so far! Second Chance with the Hero was a little bittersweet for that reason, as I now have to wait like everyone else for a new title after completing her backlist 😄

Book Synopsis

Two high school sweethearts. One broken marriage. And an unexpected reunion that offers the perfect opportunity for redemption.

Retired midwife Josephine Gilbert is all about her children and grandchildren these days. That’s why she’s moved back to Freedom to be close to her loved ones and to help with her daughter’s upcoming delivery. The last thing she expects is to fall ill and need emergency surgery. What’s worse, the person who offers to help with her recovery is none other than her ex-husband, the man who left her a single mom twenty years ago.

Jack Gilbert spent the last two decades working as a medic on an oil rig, a job that provided him with the financial security he himself never had but so desperately wanted to give his family. The only downfall of that decision was losing the only woman he’s ever loved. When given the chance to care for Josephine, he rushes back without a second thought. It may take a miracle though for him to convince her to accept his help.

With the support of their family, can this estranged couple let go of their past and give their love a second chance?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

Liwen Y. Ho writes such lovely romances for older couples, and Jack and Josephine fit the bill perfectly. Theirs is a second chance romance that brings with it a deeper look at family, work, and, most importantly, faith. It's wonderful that we get to reunite with Jeremiah Gilbert's family from Love Pact with the Hero and learn more about what happened to his parents. I love that this book explores the theme of literal hunger and spiritual hunger and how only God can ensure that we never hunger again. This is especially poignant in Jack and Josephine's relationship and is a lesson that many can relate to in this book.

I continue to be grateful that the characters do everything they can to avoid unnecessary miscommunication with one another. Liwen writes mature dialogue that doesn't hold back from the truth while infusing it with her characteristic gentle nature. Second Chance with the Hero touches on what it means to find fulfillment in Christ with a beautiful love story that points to Him. Watching the “J” family go through their restoration is truly heartwarming.

Book Summary

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

Comments

  1. Liwen Y. HoMarch 28, 2024 at 11:13 AM

    Aww, the "J" family—I love that! :) Thanks so much for this thoughtful and heartwarming review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christian ShelvesMarch 28, 2024 at 11:52 AM

      I love that all their names start with J! It was such a treat to read this book; I can't wait for more 😍

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Wes and Addie Had Their Chance - Adelaide Springs #3

After visiting Colorado, I can see why this series has won a Colorado Book Award in the romance category. It's a celebration of all things small-town and Americana with a charming cast of characters.  Wes and Addie Had Their Chance  by  Bethany Turner  is the third book in the Adelaide Springs series and it's helpful to read the first two books as they culminate in this story. This book releases July 15, 2025, so there's time to catch up on the previous titles if this clean book series is of interest to you. This is a disclaimer that although this book is published by a Christian publisher, this book falls along the lines of clean fiction, so expectations should be set accordingly. I shared the following when I reviewed  Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other  and Cole and Laila are Just Friends , and as this book follows those two, I'll adopt the same refrain again: This is more of a crossover title that fits the genre of what the author terms "pop culture-i...
Post a Comment
Read more

Palate Cleansers

Partially inspired by summer and partially because I like eating, I was thinking about the role of palate cleansers between courses of food, notably sorbet. I really enjoy the reset that the palate cleansers provide, allowing for a richer sense of taste to come with the next dish. In terms of reading, I admit that I have had a lot of ARCs to read this year. I've read close to 30 ARCs so far and have another 20 or so to go. I'm by no means complaining as I really enjoy reading; however, I can attest to a bit of fatigue from trying to get in as much reading as possible to meet release deadlines. It doesn't quite feel like work yet, but I will admit that when the ARCs are back-to-back, it can be a little hard to continually be motivated. As a result, I've been looking forward to setting aside a month to take a break from ARC commitments and to just enjoy whatever titles come my way and to make more of a dent in my TBR pile. While I will continue to try to meet a few upcomi...
2 comments
Read more

2025 Clearly Christian Readathon

Welcome to another year of the  2025 Clearly Christian Readathon ! Updated materials have now been shared with new graphics for this upcoming year. Christian Books and Coffee , Devoted to Hope , and I are so grateful to be able to continue this Readathon so that we can keep featuring Christian authors writing clearly Christian books. There are plenty of resources available in the Clearly Christian Readathon Goodreads Group if you'd like to check it out! Thanks for journeying with us for the second year of the Readathon. We can't wait to see what God has in store with such incredible stories to be told 😀
Post a Comment
Read more