Books & Spoons Review A SOLDIER FINDS HIS WAY by Irene Onorato

Sometimes getting lost is the best way home . . .
 
After a painful youth spent in foster homes, Special Forces soldier Edward Giordano has all but given up on love. Returning to New York from a dangerous mission in Costa Rica with no one to welcome him home, he knows he must find a way through his bitterness and embrace faith, or he’s destined for misery and loneliness. But he never expects that saving someone else’s life might help him save his own…
 
Audra Lorenzo is a first-year school teacher with a bright future. All she’s missing is a man to share her happiness. Her father wants her to rekindle her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, but she can’t stop thinking about the handsome, kind, and courageous soldier who rescued her from a near-deadly car accident…
 
Edward too, has not stopped not thinking of Audra. After making peace with God and with his difficult past, he’s ready to re-connect with her and reveal his feelings. Edward knows that opening his heart will mean risking pain, but he’s prepared for whatever comes—from a perilous deployment to Audra’s meddling father…

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A gracious and affable story that lays heavily on Edward overcoming his hurtful abandonment and abuse as a child, accepting that he is worthy to be loved, and finding his way to God's grace.
The meet-cute for Edward and Audra was unique, filled with danger and harrowing events. From there, their relationship takes a very realistic tone and the timespan of the developing friendship and attraction to something more is well paced and sensible. It had just the right amount of conflict, a matter that came from outside, not something either of them was necessarily responsible for. 
Edward's personality isn't very admirable at the beginning. From the conversations with his friends, a clear picture is drawn of his shortcomings, his abrupt temper, and his agitation with people. I felt like his image was drawn with sharp edges to get the full turnaround of his nature, that is the main focus of the tale. 
I liked Edward and Audra, their personalities was well described, both of them complex and charismatic characters. There were some other characters that I wasn't very fond of, like Audra's father. He wasn't my favorite even before he made some poor choices. 
The military life Edward was living was given ample amount of attention. The camaraderie with his team was admirable, even though not without conflict and clash. 
Edward's struggle with his faith, belief in God, and ableness to accept and believe in love, overcome the past hurt, open up, trust, and have faith, hope for the future was agonizing. Before he finds peace in his mind, he manages to put everything he has worked for and gained in life in danger, by his misgivings and unease. The journey he takes has angst and setbacks like we have in real life, more dread and uneasiness than the budding romance between him and Audra. 
A compelling and engaging story about faith, love, and hope, with deeply felt Christian beliefs and values, military life, and meddling Italian family. A curious start to a new series
~ Four Spoons

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Irene Onorato was born and raised in Bronx, New York. Her father, a first-generation American whose parents were born in Italy, was an Army veteran who had served with the 178th combat engineers during WWII. He told numerous stories of battles, hardships, tragedies and triumphs. The glimpses he gave into the hearts of many American warriors would later become the inspiration for much of Irene’s writings.

In 1972, a few months after graduating high school, Irene met James Onorato, a soldier who had just returned from Vietnam. After dating two weeks, they married, raised three children, and are still happily married today.

Irene and James, both radiation protection technicians, retired from the nuclear power industry in 2014 and now reside in Louisiana.
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