Steadfast Soldier by Cheryl Wyatt

Synopsis:~

Rescuing people is his job…But the one person pararescue jumper Chance Garrison can't seem to help is his own ailing father, who refuses his much-needed physical rehabilitation. That is, until Chance hires unconventional occupational therapist Chloe Callet. To his surprise, Chloe and her sweet black Lab, Midnight, work wonders. And not only on the elder Garrison. Chance just may have met the woman who can get through his own toughened exterior. Can he persuade the lovely Chloe to take a chance—on him?

My take:~

Cheryl Wyatt brings her writing skills, military brat experience and love of romance to her Wings of Refuge series for Love Inspired. Steadfast Soldier provides her readers with everything they desire including a handsome pararescue jumper, a vibrant and caring woman damaged by her preacher father's betrayal, sparkling attraction and conflicted emotions. Cheryl writes sweet romance yet is not afraid to tackle significant issues as Chloe struggles with Chance's plans to be a youth pastor as a result of her father's past behaviour. Lovers of Love Inspired novels will be thrilled with Cheryl's latest endeavour.

With thanks to the author for my review copy

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of A Soldier's Promise, A Soldier's Family and Ready-Made Family

Character spotlight on Ben Dillinger

Interview with Cheryl

Visit Cheryl's website and blog

Buy Cheryl's books at Amazon or Koorong

Friendship Friday ~ What do you value in your close friendships with women?

This is Friendship Friday on a Tuesday! These posts had totally slipped my mind and they are too good to miss so I am posting one today and will be back on track on Friday.

Enjoy :)

Lisa McKay

Oooohhhh, friendships...

One of my favorite topics and one I grew to appreciate rather later in life than most. After growing up so transient - with seven international moves in my life by the age of 20 - I didn't really figure out that if I wanted to hold onto my friends across oceans I was going to have to work harder than most. When I arrived in Australia to go to uni I stayed six years, and during that time I was blessed with an friendship group that's still going strong today. Two of those friends who did psych with me are still my closest girlfriends even though I haven't lived at home for about seven years now, and they were both in my wedding in Jan. We started something we do every week - sending a "goals" letter on Mondays. So most Monday's (or thereabouts) no matter where I am in the world I receive a letter from the two of them telling me what some of their goals are for the next week, and reporting on how they did on their goals for last week. It helps us stay connected to what we're each focusing on and feel as if we know what's going on in each others lives. So, I think that's one of the things I value most - the continuity and that sense of being tracked and known and valued over time. It's so hard to hang onto that in a world that moves as far and fast as ours can now. And my friendships all over the world, but particularly in Australia, help me feel rooted and grounded. Not so much in place (though one day I'm planning on living back in Oz) but in a relational network that is an intangible home.

~My Hands Came Away Red~



Cheryl Wyatt

I value someone who knows me fully (the good, bad, ugly) but loves me anyway. Someone who, when I confide, holds that confidence as in a vault. Someone who won't just tell me what I want to hear but will tell me the truth in a loving way. Someone who will stick by me through thick and thin and who understands life's busy seasons. Someone who will pray their guts and heart out for me when I'm going through something hard. Someone I can fully know and be fully known to and love through our differences. Someone to be real with and know they're being real with me. Someone to laugh with. Someone who can tolerate my strange sense of humor. Someone who inspires me to grow deeper with God and to run harder after Jesus. Someone I can reciprocate all of the above with, and be that kind of friend for them too. Hugs!

A Soldier’s Promise ~ A Soldier’s Family ~ Ready-Made Family ~ A Soldier's Reunion

Ready-Made Family by Cheryl Wyatt

Amelia North needs refuge, and finds it—in Refuge, Illinois. Stranded there after a car wreck, the single mother expects to be cold-shouldered. After all, she's already been rejected by her parents, her church and her daughter's father. Instead, she finds a town full of people with open hands and open hearts…including pararescue jumper Ben Dillinger.

Ben wants to help Amelia and her daughter find safety and stability. Instead, he finds himself free-falling—right into love with the ready-made family.

My take:~

Cheryl Wyatt knows how to pull a sweet romance together and include a little kick for added substance. In Ready-Made Family the usual ingredients are included ~ a destitute yet devoted mother, a cute as a button little girl and a respected and decorated hero, with requisite good looks, of course! Cheryl develops the romance well and adds in extra conflict with Amelia's father dead set against inter racial relationships and derisive of Ben's Asian heritage. Ready-Made Family is an easy, enjoyable read - perfect for a lazy afternoon!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Character spotlight on Ben Dillinger
Reviews of A Soldier's Promise and A Soldier's Family
Interview with Cheryl
Visit Cheryl's website and blog
Buy Cheryl's books at Amazon or Koorong

Character Spotlight ~ Cheryl Wyatt's Ben Dillinger with giveaway

Today the spotlight shines on.............................................................Ben Dillinger


I don't read many Love Inspired books but I love Cheryl Wyatt's :) Action, romance and great characters all add up to engaging reading. I am looking forward to getting into Ready-Made Family when it arrives, especially after reading the insight Cheryl has provided into Ben!

Over to you, Cheryl:~

Brief physical description:

Extraordinarily tall for an Asian man. Military haircut, black and shaved above his ears. Tallest Asian man the heroine has ever seen. Due to Ben's career as a US Air Force Pararescue Jumper, he is in top physical form and uses all those magnificant muscles to rescue people from dangerous places. Mostly he rescues downed allied pilots, but his team also takes part in rescues during natural disasters.

Resembles actor Ben Affleck...only an Asian version. His mother is Asian, his father Caucasian. Ben resembles an Asian Ben Affleck.

Rel: I morphed Ben Affleck and Lost actor, Daniel Dae Kim for this photo of Ben ~ so what do you think, Cheryl ?!

Strengths:

Generous. Giving. Compassionate. Strong. Man of his word.

Ben is generous and giving of his time and his friendship which is how he met the single-mom heroine and her daughter. Ben has a brother with Mosaic Down Syndrome who he takes in for a period in order to enable his parents to do a stint of world-travel they'd always dreamed of.

Weaknesses:

Sometimes his generosity and compassion causes him to overcommit and he struggles with balancing responsibilities. But he does so with a good heart.

Quirk:

He is Asian who cannot stand to eat Asian cuisine and he's addicted to NASCAR racing.

My inspiration for this character:

With all the NASCAR races I go to, I brought my author friend Camy Tang to one, who pointed out how few Asians there were in the crowds. So, because I love flipping stereotypes on their heads, I thought it would be fun to create an Asian character who loves NASCAR.

Background to the story:

I met a woman at Disney World in Florida who inspired the story. As we sat by the pool, she talked about how she once passed out from an electrolyte imbalance while alone with her children and how terrifying that was. She determined after that to start taking better care of herself health-wise. So that sparked an idea, which I shared with her over the next hours as we chatted, about a single mom who happened to get the flu while traveling from one state to the other (different scenario completely from my poolside pal). Basically the heroine is at a pharmacy and, while pulling away with her young daughter in the car, she passes out at the wheel and crashes her car into a light pole. The woman's daughter rushes out and finds the hero (Ben) who runs over to help. He realizes the young mother and her daughter have fallen on hard times and determines to help them through out the book. In the process, he receives the blessing of romance and a ready-made family.

I also attend a multi-ethnic church that values people of all colors, shapes, sizes and socio-economic status. So that inspired me to write an interracial romance. Heroine is Caucasian and Ben is half-Asian. The book handles delicately the subject of prejudice as well, but it's mostly an action-and-emotion-driven romance.

Fantastic, Cheryl! Loved this insight :) Can't wait to read how the story pans out.

On Monday, I will be spotlighting Sally Stevens from Patti Lacy's What the Bayou Saw, a contemporary tale about a woman struggling with her past secrets.

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of A Soldier's Promise and A Soldier's Family

Interview with Cheryl

Visit Cheryl's website and blog

Buy Cheryl's books at Amazon or Koorong

Open Giveaway

Cheryl will be signing a copy of Ready-Made Family for one of my readers!

To enter, post a comment by Sunday 26th April, 2009 leaving contact details and telling me how many people their are in your immediate family! We stand at five ~ hubby, three girls and me!

Getting to know Cheryl Wyatt

Cheryl Wyatt has hit the ground running with the release of her debut novel, A Soldier's Promise and the sequel, A Soldier's Family. Both books received Top Picks from Romantic Times Magazine and deservedly so.

Cheryl is a lot of fun so after you learn more about her in the interview below do check out her website and blog, Squirrel's Treehouse.

Over to you, Cheryl:~

If you could have chosen your own name, what would it be?

SOMETHING EXOTIC. LOL! I’VE ALWAYS ENVIED WOMEN WHO HAVE BOYS’ NAMES..SUCH AS “SAM” ETC

Your first pet’s name?

A PAIR OF DOBERMANS NAMED JAKE AND JASPER I THINK. I WAS A BABY-TODDLER WHEN WE HAD THEM IN NEW MEXICO. THOSE DOGS LOVED ME. THEY WERE MY GUARDIANS. MY MOM HAS PICTURES OF ME SITTING IN THE ROCK GARDENS WITH THE DOGS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME. BOTH OF THEM LOOK LIKE CHIPMUNKS BECAUSE I HAD CRAMMED BOTH THEIR MOUTHS FULL OF ROCKS AND DIRT AND STICKS…AND THEY LET ME! DIDN’T CHEW MY HAND OFF AND I PROBABLY STUCK MY ARM INTO THEIR MOUTHS UP TO THE ELBOWS. LOL!

Your best friend’s name in primary(elementary) school?

NANNETTE HOLMES FROM NEW MEXICO.

Did you have a special toy that went everywhere with you when you were young? Please describe.

YES, MY SISTER LISA. GUFFAW! I TRIED TO DRAG HER EVERYWHERE. LITERALLY.

If you could be an animal for one day, what would you be and why?

A MUTANT ANIMAL CALLED A CHEAGLE. THAT IS AN EAGLE/CHEETAH MIX. PARTLY BECAUSE I CAN’T CHOOSE JUST ONE AND PARTLY BECAUSE I WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO BOTH FLY AND RUN LIKE THE WIND.

If you could meet a famous person, who would it be?

MEL GIBSON AND HE WOULD BE ASKING ME ABOUT A MOVIE DEAL FOR MY WINGS OF REFUGE SERIES. LOL! OR I’D LIKE TO MEET LAURA BUSH BECAUSE I ADMIRE HER STAND FOR LITERACY. OR BRITNEY SPEARS SO I COULD PRAY FOR HER AND OFFER PARENTING TIPS.

If you were stranded on a desert island what one object would you want with you? (Besides your Bible)

UM, CAN IT BE A PERSON? IF SO, I’D LIKE IT TO BE A MUTANT MALE. HIS NAME WOULD BE GEORGE KEVIN COSTNER EADS. BUT ONLY IF MY HUBBY PERISHED IN THE SHIPWRECK. OTHERWISE, I’D WANT THE OBJECT TO BE HIM. LOL!

If you could only have one favourite food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?

MY MOM’S CHEESY BEEF TACOS WITH TOMATOES OF THE NON-SALMONELLA SORT, OR HEART ATTACK-ON-A-PLATE CHEESEBURGERS FROM THE GRILL.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?

HATE ICE CREAM. BUT I’LL TAKE THE BANANAS, CARAMEL, HOT FUDGE, PECANS AND WHIPPED CREAM FROM A BANANA SPLIT ANY DAY! A

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A DARN FAST RACE CAR DRIVER AND A BOOK WRITER.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

AUSTRALIA TO A CRICKET GAME OR BACK TO INDIA TO LOVE ON THE TSUNAMI ORPHANS AGAIN. HAWAII WITH HUBBY FOR HOT, HOT… VOLCANOES. WELL? WHAT DID YOU THINK I WAS ABOUT TO SAY? HE LOVES FIRE AND SERIOUSLY WANTS TO SEE A VOLCANO UP CLOSE. SO I’D GO WITH HIM. A CRUISE THERE WOULD BE NICE. BACK TO DISNEYLAND WITH MY ENTIRE FAMILY TOO.

Besides God, who has influenced you the most?

TOO MANY TO NAME.

What's your favorite book?

PASSION FOR JESUS BY MIKE BICKLE. THE APPLAUSE OF HEAVEN BY MAX LUCADO FOR NON-FICTION. FOR FICTION: COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS.

What part of your daily routine do you enjoy most?

SLEEP!

What's your favorite movie?

TOO MANY TO NAME. PASSION FOR JESUS. THE GUARDIAN. SCHINDLER’S LIST. THE GREEN MILE. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES. AUGUST RUSH. RAISING HELEN. SERENITY. MORE.

Where's the most interesting place you have been?

AN ICE CAVE IN GRANTS, NEW MEXICO

What's your most fervent prayer?

FOR EVERYONE I KNOW TO GO TO HEAVEN

What's the bravest thing you've ever done?

WENT TO INDIA ON A MONTH LONG MISSION TRIP WITHOUT MY FAMILY. DRAGGED RACED IN HIGH SCHOOL. (AND WON!)

What gift have you received that you will always treasure?

AN OUTFIT FROM INDIA AND GIFTS FROM THE TSUNAMI ORPHANS. LITTLE SHELLS FROM THE BEACHES WHERE THEIR PARENTS DIED. SHELLS TO REMIND ME TO PRAY FOR THEM.

What is your favorite Bible verse (or "one" of your favorites) and what does it mean to you?

Jer 29:11 because it’s filled with hope and reminds me of God’s promises

Zeph 3:17 because I love to know he sings and dances over us with joy and that he is mighty to save

Gal 2:20 because Jesus means everything to me

Psalms 91-1-4 because I have a strong sense of being rescued by God and hidden in the shelter of His wings

What was your most embarrassing moment in High School?

TOO MANY TO NAME BUT PROBABLY WHEN SOME MEAN BOYS THREW A LEAKING BLUE PEN AT ME. IT LANDED IN MY BLONDE HAIR AND WOULDN’T COME OUT FOR WEEKS. AND BLUE HAIR WAS not THE IN THING AT THE TIME. LOL

How did your husband propose to you?

SWEATING, SHAKING AND BITING THE EDGE OF A BLANKET. DON’T ASK. IT’S THE ONLY TIME I’VE SEEN HIM NERVOUS. LOL.

What was the best advice you received on marriage before you were married?

UM..IT’S KIND OF OBSCENE. BUT THERE WERE TWO THINGS. THE OBSCENE THING WAS FROM HIS GRANDFATHER WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT MEN HAD TWO HEADS BUT ONLY ENOUGH OXYGEN TO SUPPLY ONE AT A TIME.

AND SECONDLY, FROM MY PASTOR WHO SAID THAT I NEED TO LOOK TO JESUS TO MEET ALL MY NEEDS AND NOT MY HUSBAND TO DO IT. THAT THINGS WOULD GET OUT OF BALANCE IF I BEGIN TO DEPEND ON MY HUSBAND MORE THAN DEPENDING ON GOD

What is the best gift your hubby (or someone) ever gave you?

MY FRIEND KELLY GAVE ME A REAL ALABASTER JAR FROM FRANCE WITH ISRAELI NARD INSIDE OF IT

MY HUBBY GAVE ME MY ENGAGEMENT RINGS, MARRIAGE AND MY CHILDREN.

MY GRANDPARENTS GAVE ME MY PARENTS

MY PARENTS GAVE ME LIFE AND A SISTER WHO IS ALSO A BEST FRIEND

AND GOD GAVE ME ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Ask each of your children one thing they think is special about you and share it with us, please!

ENO: THAT SHE TEACHES US ABOUT GOD AND THE BIBLE AND HOW TO PRAY AND SHE LAUGHS A LOT, LIKE ALL THE TIME, SHE LAUGHS

RANDA: THAT SHE, WELL I DON’T KNOW BECAUSE SHE CAN’T REALLY COOK MACARONI LIKE SHE SHOULD AND SHE BURNED THE MICROWAVE AND DADDY HAD TO GO GET ANOTHER ONE

MAGNUM: THAT SHE GAVE ME A ZACH EFRON POSTER FOR MY WALL

A Soldier’s Family

Tell us a little of the inspiration behind this story.

A SOLDIER’S FAMILY WAS INSPIRED BY A HARD SEASON IN MY LIFE WHEN I WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF CHRONIC, EXCRUCIATING PAIN THAT WAS UNRELENTING FOR THREE YEARS SOLID. NO BREAK, NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND. IT TAUGHT ME UTTER AND COMPLETE DEPENDENCE ON GOD. THE REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE PAIN REQUIRED A COMPLETE RECONSTRUCTION OF MY HIP BONES AND SOCKET, PART OF MY FEMUR AND PELVIS AND I’M A RECIPIENT OF DONOR BONE. I TOOK ALL MY PAIN AND PHYSICAL THERAPY WOES OUT ON POOR, DEFENSELESS MANNY, THE HERO IN THE BOOK. SO THE BOOK WAS THERAPEUTIC FOR ME. I’M GLAD IT SOLD. BUT IF IT HADN’T, WRITING IT WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN IN VAIN BECAUSE IT ALLOWED ME DISTRACTION FROM THE DISCOMFORT I WAS GOING THROUGH.

Describe Manny, Celia and Javier in one word each

MANNY: JALAPENO

CELIA; FIREBALL

JAVIER; LEADER

So many of Celia’s decisions are driven by fear ~ is that something you relate to?

OH, YES! I BATTLE FAITH OVER FEAR OFTEN. OVER SAFETY, HEALTH, AND UNKNOWNS OF THE FUTURE. ETC. BUT I HAVE A WONDERFUL HUSBAND WHO BALANCES ME OUT AND WHO ALWAYS EXHORTS ME THAT I CAN’T LIVE MY LIFE IN FEAR AND I HAVE A GOD WHO IS DETERMINED NOT TO LET FEAR RULE ME. SO THERE IS HOPE. LOL!

Why military romances?

BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT STEEPLE HILL HAPPENED TO CONTRACT FIRST. I HAVE HAD A FASCINATION WITH THE MILITARY SINCE MY DAD WAS A VIETNAM VETERAN. HE WOULDN’T ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE WAR SO THAT CREATED AN INSATIABLE DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND IT. I GUESS I NEVER GREW OUT OF THAT CURIOSITY. ALSO, THE PJs (PARARESCUE JUMPERS) ARE MEDICAL AND SO AM I. SO THAT MADE ME DRAWN TO STUDY THEM AND MADE THE RESEARCH EASIER BECAUSE I AM ALSO AN RN WHO PRACTICED FOR 15+ YEARS BEFORE WRITING FICTION. I LIKE TO WRITE ANYTHING ACTION AND ADVENTURE DRIVEN. ACTION-DRIVEN ROMANCE. I LIKE WRITING ABOUT CHARACTERS WITH UNIQUE CAREERS. AND I HAVE A

HEART FOR OUR MILITARY, THOSE WHO SERVE AND THEIR FAMILIES AND I HOPED TO HONOR THEM. I WAS RAISED WITH A GREAT RESPECT FOR OUR MILITARY AND COME FROM A VERY PATRIOTIC FAMILY. I LIKE WRITING ABOUT RESCUERS…AND PJs’ MOTTO IS SIMILAR TO THE COAST GUARD: THEY RISK THEIR LIVES SO OTHERS MAY LIVE. THAT APPEALED TO ME AND I WANTED TO FEATURE THEM IN MY BOOKS.

Tell us about upcoming books in your Wings of Refuge series, please.

TWO HAVE RELEASED IN 2008:

( A SOLDIER’S PROMISE-JAN 2008 & A SOLDIER’S FAMILY-MAR 2008)

AND SO FAR, THREE MORE ARE SLOTTED TO RELEASE IN 2009 FROM

STEEPLE HILL LOVE INSPIRED. THEY CAN BE PURCHASED ANYWHERE BOOKS ARE SOLD ONCE THEY RELEASE.

READY-MADE-FAMILY (BEN’S STORY) APRIL-2009

A SOLDIER’S REUNION (NOLAN’S STORY) JUNE-2009

YET-TO-BE-TITLED (AARON’S STORY) OCTOBER-2009 (TENTATIVE DATE)

EACH OF THESE ARE STAND ALONE BOOKS, MEANING PEOPLE NEEDN’T HAVE READ THE FIRST BOOKS IN THE SERIES TO START. EACH BOOK IS ITS OWN STORY. WHAT LINKS THE SERIES TOGETHER IS EACH STORY FEATURES A MAN FROM THE SEVEN MAN PARARESCUE TEAM. EACH GUY HAS HIS OWN STORY. THERE WILL POSSIBLY BE 8 PJ STORIES IF ALL OF THEM GET CONTRACTED SINCE AARON WAS ACTUALLY A COMMANDER OVER THE TEAM.

THE OTHER THING LINKING THE STORIES TOGETHER IS THAT THEY’RE ALL SET IN A FICTIONAL TOWN IN ILLINOIS CALLED REFUGE.

BEN’S STORY IS A ROMANCE ABOUT A SINGLE MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTER WHO BECOME STRANDED IN REFUGE AND BEN FEELS DRAWN TO HELP THEM.

NOLAN’S STORY IS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS REUNITING

AARON’S STORY IS ABOUT A SINGLE FATHER, A WIDOWER OF TWIN BOYS AND THE HEROINE IS THEIR NANNY

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR RELEASES, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL JAUNT OVER TO MY WEB SITE WWW.CHERYLWYATT.COM AND SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER BY ENTERING THEIR E-MAIL ADDRESS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED THAT SAYS “JOIN CHERYL WYATT’S AUTHOR MAILING LIST”. I RESPECT THEIR PRIVACY AND WILL NOT SHARE E-MAIL ADDRESSES WITH ANYONE. I HOLD CONTESTS WITH GREAT PRIZES THAT ARE ONLY AVAILABLE TO MY NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS.

IN ADDITION, I HAVE UPDATES ON FICTIONAL REFUGE EVER SATURDAY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCH THE CAT WHO SKITTERS THROUGH THE STORY. THAT URL IS WWW.SCROLLSQUIRREL.BLOGSPOT.COM

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT MY BOOKS! IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE HONOR DOING THIS INTERVIEW. YOUR QUESTIONS WERE FUN AND UNIQUE!

HUGS,

CHERYL

Thanks Cheryl - back atcha!!

Relz Reviewz Extras

Reviews of A Soldier's Promise and A Soldier's Family

Buy Cheryl's books at Amazon

A Soldier's Family by Cheryl Wyatt

Pararescue Jumper Manny Pena deeply regrets the drunken pass he made at Celia Munoz but she is not about to believe he has changed his ways.

Recuperating from serious injuries after a failed jump, Manny has time on his hands and invest some of that time in Celia's wayward son. Celia starts to see Manny in a new light but her fears of losing another man to a dangerous career prevent her from risking her heart.

A Soldier's Family is another winner from author Cheryl Wyatt. Electrifying attraction between Manny and Celia jump starts this story of love, healing and forgiveness. Cheryl has given both characters multifaceted personalities with engaging qualities. The plot is substantive with Manny limited by his injuries and the fear of losing his career to Celia's desperate struggle to meet her son's and her own, financial, spiritual and emotional needs. There is a lot to love about this story and it ensures I will be reading each and every one of Cheryl's future offerings!

Relz Reviewz Extras:~

Review of A Soldier's Promise

Visit Cheryl's website and blog

Come back soon for my interview with Cheryl