What happens when what should have been a simple counseling session gets complicated? How will the therapist respond when she’s the one who needs help? In Expired Hope by Lisa Phillips and Megan Besing these are some of the topics explored.
I wasn’t sure what to expect after never having read one of the Expired series or a Lisa Phillips book (I know, this is something I have plans to remedy soon), but this book was an adrenaline rush.
At the same time, there were enough moments of calm for the characters to bond.
You’ll quickly realize that while she was a great therapist, Natalie had issues of her own–ones that she was not comfortable admitting. Her past and her experience made it difficult for her to ask for or accept help.
Which made Mason the perfect guy for her. His stubbornness and innate drive to do the right thing was just what she needed…if only he could look past her profession.
There were times when I got frustrated with Natalie because I didn’t think she was taking the threats to her life seriously.
I enjoyed Expired Hope and the secondary characters who also had to battle their own pasts to become the team they needed to be.
Both Mason and Natalie had to learn to trust and rely on God in order to survive the challenges life threw at them. Readers of Expired Hope will be reminded that God is trustworthy and walks with us through our struggles.
If you enjoy woman in peril or books with characters recovering from trauma, check out Expired Hope.
First Line of Expired Hope
Peter, you are not at war. – Expired Hope, Lisa Phillips & Megan Besing
Am I the only one curious to learn why this statement was made? This first line thrust me into the middle of the first crisis of the book and drew me into the characters’ lives.
Favorite Quotes from Expired Hope
“Don’t allow your emotions to rule you. Emotions aren’t always wrong; however, they can’t be the truth we rely on.”
“Rock bottom is always a good place to let God be the chief of your life.”
God is trustworthy, Nat. Let Him have your guilt. Let Him have the brokenness that’s in all of us. He’s the only true Healer. No therapist can do what He can.”
Houston had mentioned that God had used the trials of life to point him the right way. He hoped that now might be one of those times.
Jesus loved her despite her wounds and brokenness. She no longer had to hide her own pain but trust the One who had endured everything for her.
Expired Hope is book two in the Last Chance Fire and Rescue series but can be read as a standalone. I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through Just Read Tours; a positive review was not required.
About Expired Hope
She battled every fire she ever faced.
He’s risking everything for the chance to belong.
Veteran and therapist Natalie Atkinson watched her Army career explode in her face. All she ever wanted was to help people carry their burdens. Seeking a new future in Last Chance County doesn’t start so well when she’s the one being rescued from a client’s burning house.
To make matters worse, now she’s stuck evaluating the truck and rescue squads for the fire department. When the chief overhears why she left her last job, she’s determined to prove to him and her boss that she’s still the right therapist to assess his crew.
No matter if success takes everything she’s got.
Fire Chief Macon James is the right man for the job. He doesn’t need a therapist interfering with the running of his crew or putting his position in jeopardy when a counselor is what tore his family apart.
He’s got to get his firefighters to be a team, and he can do it without Natalie’s help. After an explosion destroys her car, it quickly becomes clear she might need him as much as everyone thinks he needs her. If these two stubborn hearts will surrender, they could have everything they want.
Or it could all go down in flames.
Purchase Expired Hope on Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
About the Authors
Lisa Phillips is a USA Today and top ten Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over 60 books that span Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line, independently published series romantic suspense, and thriller novels.
She’s discovered a penchant for high-stakes stories of mayhem and disaster where you can find made-for-each-other love that always ends in happily ever after.
Lisa is a British ex-pat who grew up an hour outside of London and attended Calvary Chapel Bible College, where she met her husband. He’s from California, but nobody’s perfect.
It wasn’t until her Bible College graduation that she figured out she was a writer (someone told her). Lisa is a worship leader, tea aficionado, and dog lover of two crazy Airedales.
Find out more at www.authorlisaphillips.com
Megan Besing
Despite always adoring happily-ever-afters, Megan Besing didn’t unlock a love for reading until her mid-twenties, which quickly expanded into writing.
Her own stories have won many awards, including the Selah for her novella, Perfect for the Preacher, along with the Pre-published Maggie for The Rancher’s Want Ad Mix-up which landed #5 on PW’s Religion Fiction list. And now she’s thrilled to be a Sunrise Publishing author with Expired Hope.
However, her most cherished achievements are being a wife and mother.
She lives in a pocket-size Indiana town, centered around extended family, where she’s always planning a road trip with a view. Yet, her favorite place may just be on her front porch drinking tea. Connect with Megan at www.meganbesing.com.