Today, I’m featuring reviews for the Spiritual Warfare series – Warrior, Roar and Fire – by Linda K. Rodante. They also tag along with her “Dangerous” series so if you’ve read some of those books, you may recognize a character or two in this series as well.
I reviewed Warrior a while back so I’ll just post a snippet of my review here today as a refresher.
WARRIOR
SERIES: Dangerous #7 / Spiritual Warfare #1
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2018
PAGES: 352
For three years, Kati Walsh has hunkered down at a new place of worship to dab at church-inflicted wounds. Her one outreach is to her kickboxing friends at the gym, but she’s been praying for God to stir her heart again. But she’s not sure that the new assistant pastor and his friend Reece Jernigan are what she asked for—because Assistant Pastor Josh Corbin plans to win the hearts of the north-side neighborhood, mostly described as “the hood.”
When Josh plans a prayer walk in the neighborhood, both the congregation and the police are wary, but Josh insists that prayer works. He believes in spiritual warfare—prayer, praise, and the Word of God. Reece, on the other hand, has been on the streets before, and his weapon of choice is a 9mm Glock. Two close friends with differing perspectives and both with an eye on Kati. But they’re not the only ones—the gang leader from the north side has taken an unexpected interest in Kati, too.
Bottom Line: Warrior by Linda Rodante is moving and inspiring. Four people (three main characters and a fourth supporting player) who, at the outset, could not appear more different from each other, yet in the heart are more alike than they realize. The suspense is well-done, with scenes that will have you holding your breath until the danger has passed (for now), and the characters are vividly drawn. While it does contain two elements that I typically avoid in books (a love triangle and more than a few ‘preachy’ moments), in this context both work to deepen the story and leave an impression on your heart.
Read the rest of my review HERE
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / love it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion
amazon affiliate link used
Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
ROAR
SERIES: Spiritual Warfare series #2
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
RELEASE DATE: November 29, 2019
PAGES: 271
Dancer Becca Stapleton lives to magnify the Lord through dance, but when she becomes involved in a gangland murder, her life becomes anything but the dance she imagined.
Tall, handsome Wes Lloyd helped her pull the body from the Gulf of Mexico, but is his interest in her real? And if the police are suspicious of his innocent bystander persona, shouldn’t she be?
Luis Ramirez, the gang leader accused of murder, has hardened himself to the role he’s playing. Drugs, gang wars, and robbery are his life. But Becca and the man they call Reece have something he doesn’t have—peace. He’s not sure he wants it, but he can’t seem to get free of them or their caring. Not only are the police after him, but a larger gang is advocating for war, so he might have nothing to lose by investigating this Jesus. If, that is, he lives long enough.
Roar picks up a little bit after the events of Warrior (but it can still work as a stand alone if absolutely necessary), and right away I remembered why the congregation of New Life Church has stuck with me for so long. This is a church who believes in the power of prayer, who teaches its members to be aware of the ever-present spiritual warfare going on around them. It looks different in each of them, because each of them is different, but the principle is the same. They are a church unafraid to go into the trenches, to bring the gospel to people who look differently, act differently, talk differently – without asking them to change first. They trust God to do the work of transforming souls while they obey Him in meeting the physical & emotional & spiritual needs of those living in neighborhoods most churches overlook.
Since the consequences & aftereffects of what took place in Warrior are still playing out in Roar, local gang activity takes center stage. Luis, in particular. He is such a complex character, and Rodante does a fabulous job of revealing one layer after another and taking him beyond an easy stereotype to an intriguing and well-developed character. Becca is also a layered character – her heart for God motivates even her career path, and she is sincere in her worship of Him, using the gifts He has given her. And of course, I loved spending time with Reece and Kati and Miss Eleanor (the 87-year-old prayer warrior who isn’t afraid to stand up to a gang leader) again. Because just as much as Becca & Luis might be the main focus of this story, it’s still also very much about what God is doing in Reece & Katie’s lives as well – and how Miss Eleanor consistently stands in the gap for the people of New Life Church.
Bottom Line: Roar is unapologetically Christian, with a light & sweet romance and a big dose of heart-in-your-throat suspense. It will not only entertain you with a great story & wonderful characters; it also challenges your life as a believer, as a fellow warrior, in the spiritual battles we know are going on even when we can’t see them. Through the pages of Roar, Rodante takes readers on a journey into the middle of gang territory & rivalries, drug smuggling, murder… and a church who does battle on its knees. A riveting read from beginning to end.
(I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I borrowed via Kindle Unlimited. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion
amazon affiliate link used
Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
FIRE
SERIES: Spiritual Warfare series #3
GENRE: Inspirational Romantic Suspense
RELEASE DATE: August 28, 2020
PAGES: 218
When a violent gang re-organizes, an undercover cop could lose everything…including the woman he loves.
Following a gang war, the undercover cop known as Patriot is forced to flee his hometown and assume a new identity. When the gang re-organizes and threatens a friend, Patriot—now a firefighter—returns to face them.
Chloe Swearingen confines herself to the fast pace of the ER and away from interpersonal relationships—for a reason she keeps to herself. But when she helps save a gangster’s life, she’s thrown into a cauldron of relationships from which she can’t escape.
Then a series of fires target Chloe, her church and her friends, and she and Patriot must risk their lives to bring an end to the forces of darkness arraigned against them.
Oh my heart. I am still recovering from this powerful book (and from sobbing at the end lol). And I know that this series is about so much more than romance but I gotta say that Patriot is one swoony hero & the sparks going off between him and Chloe?? Whew. Keep a fan handy! (My fave romance of the series, hands down!)
In Fire, the last three years have been relatively quiet as far as gang warfare goes. New Life Church has made great progress in their work with former gang members, and everyone seems to be breathing easier. Luis, Reece, Katie, Miss Eleanor, Becca and other familiar faces are moving on with life and ministry without always feeling like they are waiting for the next shoe to drop. And then it does…calling these prayer warriors back to full alert.
One of the characters who intrigued me most in Roar was Patriot, and I was delighted that he factors prominently in Fire. I loved the instant attraction he shares with Chloe, the flirty side of him that she brings out, the warmth in his face & voice when he’s around her. He is just as layered as Luis or Reece, for slightly different reasons, and did I mention how swoony he is? 😉 We also spend a lot more time with Rich & Lynn, and we get some insight into Rich’s past and his family – which makes a lot of things make so much more sense. Once again, Rodante keeps each of these characters (and Chloe too) from becoming a stereotype, and instead reminds us that there is almost always more to the story than what may first appear on the surface.
Bottom Line: Fire is another breathless suspense novel from Linda K. Rodante – with some breathless (and grin-inducing) romance too. (Those kisses!!) But at the heart of this page-turner is an important message for believers – we are in a battle that is not against flesh and blood enemies; we are fighting a spiritual war and it requires spiritual weapons. This book hit me in all the feels. I chuckled, I grinned, I swooned (often), I cried (a lot), and I almost started praying for some of the characters haha! This has been such a captivating series which spoke to my heart as much as it entertained me. It’s almost like In His Steps meets War Room meets a romantic suspense novel. While each book could technically be read as stand alones, I highly recommend starting with Warrior and reading all three!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 4 / keep a fan & fainting couch handy
amazon affiliate link used
Also available to read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
What about you? What interests you most about the Spiritual Warfare series by Linda K Rodante? If you’ve already read these books, which character was your favorite?
Thank you so much for your review, Carrie! It so encourages my heart. As an author, I wonder sometimes if I am letting God through, if He is working in me or if I’m stifling His Spirit. He has blessed me with writing and I am so glad you were touched through the series.
thank you for writing it!