From Ashes To Honor (First Responders)

From Ashes to Honor is the story of Austin, a New York cop who lost his twin brother on 9/11, and Mercy, the police psychologist who declared him unfit for police work. They accidentally meet in Baltimore a few years later, having both changed careers, and find that despite their history, there is a mutual attraction. But Austin is a committed Christian, and Mercy is an unbeliever.This is where the book lost me - I saw why Mercy was interested in Austin, but I never really understood why Austin was attracted to Mercy, nor why he was developing a romantic relationship with her knowing that she did not share his faith and knowing how important that should be. It irritates me when a novel gives us a 'conversion of convenience' a few short pages before the end, with no real progression from non-belief to faith. In real life, very few people become Christians as adults without a period of thought and reflection, so it annoys me when fictional characters have the literary equivalent of a death-bed conversion. However, this novel gave me something I like even less - no conversion at all.Loree Lough is an excellent writer with engaging plots and (mostly) likeable characters, and From Ashes to Honor was looking to be a solid four star plus read, until the end. It just finished. No happy ever after, no resolution of the main conflict, nothing. The essence of a romance novel is that a couple meet, a relationship develops, and there is a happy ending as the couple fall in love while they work together to overcome obstacles. A romance novel, according to the Romance Writers of America, must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending" (more commonly referred to as the `happy ever after' or HEA). From Ashes To Honor is therefore not a romance novel. It is Christian fiction and clearly follows the development of a relationship, but it is not a romance novel.I've also read an advance copy of the sequel - Honor Redeemed - and that had the same non-ending, as well as a host of 'how exactly did that happen?' moments when comparing the two books. If you want spoilers, post a comment.Thanks to Abingdon Press and NetGalley for providing free ebooks for review.

I live on a fixed income and have a budget each month I can spend on books, so towards the end of the month, I'm looking at the free books, which I might enjoy. This book caught my eye for a couple of reasons.First and foremost it was about a first responder to 9/11, which these folks hold a special place in my heart. I've served my country in Desert Storm and would gladly give my life to protect my country as did so many first responders did on that day.The way Loree Lough characterized PTSD was very well written, and made us readers understand and feel for those that suffer from it.At times, the story moved along so slowly that you're willing put the book aside and did something else, but there was also something about the book, which brought you back to it.The book came to an abrupt end leaving you thinking there would be more, and that it would continue into the next book, which from what is posted for the start of the next book has nothing to do with the first.As a Christian, I felt many things were left un-resolved. We needed to know more about why Mercy has turned her back on God, which wasn't fully explained. Also, none of the Christians I know would have walked away from a person they were so drawn to.I for one am one of them. I knew what the bible says about being unequal yoked, I also felt the Lord brought me and the man I married together, for some reason. It took eight years, but through me and seeing my faith in the Lord brought my husband back to the Lord.Mercy deserved a better ending. She may have turned her back on faith, but the Lord never turns his back on his children and always has a plan to bring them back into his fold.If you like slow moving stories that are dry at times it's a good read, If you enjoy books that show faith in the Lord, then this is a book for you as it really show how faith works for those, which have a strong faith.