A Question of Courage // Review + Spotlight

*bounces in with squeals and grins* HELLOOOOO, BEAUTIFUL READERS!!! :D 

Y'all, the time has finally come. The book I have silently loved and adored and squealed over for months is finally being released to the world. (Okay, okay, so I was far from silent about it. I just haven't fangirled on here about it. *nods and grins*) 

My beautiful, amazing, talented, darling of a friend (not to mention critique partner <33) Miss Jesseca Wheaton, authoress extraordinaire, is releasing her seventh fictional work. I'll refrain from saying too much here, so I can squeal even more in the forthcoming review. But y'alllllll.... *heart eyes* It's so good. 

~ About the Book ~ 

A man. A decision. A destiny. 

Rafe Sullivan never imagined the war would come to his doorstep. But when Pearl Harbor is attacked and America's focus suddenly shifts to the pacific, he finds he can't ignore the problem anymore. 

Leaving the life he loves behind, he joins up to do what he does best. Fly. 

Yet, nothing could have prepared him for the horrors of war, and the struggle that is going on in his own heart. As an outstanding navy pilot, he is stationed on one of the few Pacific carriers. But could God be calling him to step out in faith, and go beyond the call of duty? 

Lily Wilson gives her all to help the hurting community around her. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the war is brought home to many American families. And as a nurse, she longs to be able to relive some of the suffering. Yet, her own grief is still fresh in her heart, and though she's made the decision to get on with her life, she can't seem to leave the past behind. When healing at last comes, the guard she placed around her heart slowly begins to crumble. 

But when she receives the news she hoped she would never again hear, can she trust that God’s plan is always right?

Arthur Warrington saw the Navy as an escape from the life he left behind. And it seems good for him. He is able to forge new friendships and distance himself from his past. But when his best friend makes a decision that rocks his world, he is left grappling with the question: what is true courage? 

Three lives. One War. And a search for the Courage to go on.

// Add on Goodreads // Preorder on Amazon // 

~ Review ~ 

(First, can we pause to admire that gorgeous cover? Utterly stunning and one-hundred-and-ten-percent fitting. Second, can we pause to admire that epic synopsis? This girl is skilled.)

To my knowledge, there has not been a thing Miss Wheaton has published that I have not read – whether that be available-for-purchase kind of published or posted-to-her-blog kind of published. I haven't read a story of hers yet that I did not enjoy, nor that did not touch me in some way. But...all that to say...  

A Question of Courage is my favorite of them all. Hands down. No other way to look at it. It's the top.

I honestly love so much about this book that I don't know where to start. But I must start somewhere, so let's start with the characters. Specifically, the POV characters. There's three of them, they're all connected, and it just flows, y'all. 

We have Rafe, the main character. He's charming and funny and handsome (trust me – he is) and AMAZING. If you've read A Question of Honor (book 1) or As in Olden Days (prequel to the series), you've met Rafe. To be honest, I wasn't too sure how I was going to like reading his story. I was totally a David fan – and I still am – but...Rafe, y'all. <33 

The second POV is Lily Wilson. *looks at A Question of Honor fans who are tearing up already* Yes, we get Lily's POV, and I loved it SO MUCH. Her story was beautiful, and it made my heart hurt, and... *hugs her* 

Lastly, we have the POV of Art, a new addition to the Questions of War cast of characters – and a very good addition, I would say. ;) Art and Rafe had me in torrents of laughter from there first meeting. The brotherlyness, the nicknames, the pranks. <33 Their farewell seriously left me in tears. 

The theme of courage is amazing as well. I hadn't really considered this, but I saw another reviewer point it out, and I totally agree. Courage is there in the book, it effects and touches and is at the base of every decision, every choice. But...it's not like "he had courage, so he could do this" or "she must be courageous". No, the theme was there, without being said. Implied without being in-the-reader's-face. And I believe that takes much skill and artful story-weaving, and Miss Wheaton pulled it off splendidly. <3 

(That whole paragraph didn't make a lick of sense. Basically the writer can't put what she's trying to say into words.)

So yes. This story is absolutely beautiful. It's simple and heartfelt, yet deep and powerful and I just... *collapses* I love it so, so, so much. The historical details are rich and vibrant, the characters are real and deep, the prose is totally gorgeous, and don't EVEN get me started on that ending. Needless to say, I spent a few minutes trying not to full-blown-sob and pulling myself together, and then promptly ordered Jess to stop trampling all over my heart. (She made no promises.)

5 stars, my friends. Only because that's the highest the rating system will let me do. If there were a 6, it would be 6. If there were a 7, it would... *ahem* Nevermind... 

P.S. Rafe is mine. End of story. 

~ About the Author ~ 

Jesseca is a daughter, sister, and a child of God. Her days are spent reading, cooking, spending time with siblings, or playing piano. And writing, of course! At an early age words fascinated her, and her love for the printed page has only grown. She lives with her parents and seven siblings in the sunny state of Kansas, and she’s convinced there’s no place like home.

~ Giveaway ~