#266 A Soldier's Promise by Cheryl Wyatt (Steeple Hill Love Inspired)

An eight year old boy dying of leukemia makes a wish that the Dream Wishes team makes come true – that he could meet a Special Forces soldier before he dies. Pararescue Jumper Joel is from Bradley's home town so the request is forwarded to him, but he left home years ago and made a vow never to return. Which is more important, a promise to a dying child or a promise to yourself? He decides to organise a jump, a once-only trip home but when he parachutes down he meets Bradley's teacher Amber and Bradley is so full of hope he promises he'll see him again, even if it means coming back once more. Amber and Joel fall in love, but he's also determined not to have kids and she's about to adopt Bradley, how will he react when he finds out? Amber's determined to get Joel reconciled with his uncle, but is that unrealistic of her when they haven't spoken in years?
It's probably obvious that this is the Steeple Hill that triggered my dilemma. Having looked at the prayers in more detail, it's Amber's prayers that bugged me, Amber praying for courage but not taking the risk of telling Joel about Bradley and the adoption and then praying "Please God, work this out. I'm sorry", or Amber convinced that she knew better than Joel what was good for him about Dean and praying that God would show him the way when she was obviously not listening herself, her attitude struck me as hypocritical a lot of the time and I have no patience with hypocrites. I suspect part of my problem is that the phrasing made me feel it was too private and I was "eavesdropping" on something I wasn't really supposed to overhear. I also have a hot button with interference, and so I was (over)reacting on behalf of Joel because I felt he was being pushed in directions he may not have wanted to go. I would have had no problem with Amber praying for Joel in general, but it sounded (to me) more like she was dictating to God how things should happen rather than praying for the best solution for Joel. I loved the bits with Bradley and Joel, they saved the book for me. I didn't really like Celia (too interfering) which might be a problem for reading the sequel, luckily enough I did like Manny. Some of the more eagle-eyed among you may have noticed I've "upgraded" the rating, not because I feel guilty about the discussion or to counteract any negativity (I don't "do" guilt, and I don't feel I've been excessively negative), but because on reflection, it bothered me less than I realised and that the writing really is great in how she stirred me up but then calmed me down again by the end of the book. Also that for all the interfering thoughts she didn't actually kidnap Joel or tie him up or otherwise pressurise him into doing what she wanted. There is a difference between thought and deed, and thought and spoken word. I was just too close to appreciate that a major part of my reaction was to her prayers and thoughts, rather than to her speech and deeds. BTW the ten book lapse is up, I've read Celia and Manny's book, but you'll have to wait a little while for the review

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