I’m fairly picky what books (or authors) I give five stars to. To me, five stars means I won’t blink–if that author has a new book out, it’s an auto-buy. About the only romance author that has hit five-star status for me is Cheryl Wyatt. She’s written a series called Wings of Refuge for Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Romance line. I’ve downloaded a couple onto my iPhone, bought a few, and had a couple given to me. (I purchased this one, for the record.) The basic idea of this series is that the guys are all members of an elite parajumping team for the US Air Force. They’re based out of a town called Refuge where they teach and train for their top-secret missions wherever they’re needed. And where, of course, they fall in love. The series is unique in that each book doesn’t really depend on the one before. Yes, there is an order to them, but skipping around the series won’t be a problem as each stands totally alone.
Just a few days ago I finished reading Book Seven, Steadfast Soldier. This is the story of a young man named Chance, who has just relocated his father to Refuge after a stroke. His dad has lost interest in life since his wife died, and Chance is nearly at his wit’s end trying to rekindle that spark. Enter Chloe, an occupational therapist who brings her partner, black Lab Midnight, with her to the house.
Chance falls for Chloe hard and fast, but Chloe isn’t so sure. She doesn’t want anyone to get in the way of her dream of opening an animal-assisted therapy program. Not only that, but her dad was a pastor who completely ignored his family for the needs of his church, and Chance is taking courses to become a youth pastor. That’s two strikes against him, but he’s persistent. Can Chloe take a Chance on love?
Why do I enjoy Cheryl Wyatt’s writing? It’s crisp and snappy. She doesn’t waste a lot of words describing things but has a way of picking the few details that make a difference. Her stories feel self-propelled, as though she sets them in motion and then they take off on their own. I get the feeling the stories could be a lot longer, that she edits what to include to keep the momentum high. I’m looking forward to more novels from Cheryl Wyatt.
