True Honor

Uncommon Heroes #3

by Dee Henderson

CIA officer Darcy St. James is after a man who knew September 11 would happen―a man who chose to profit from the knowledge. Navy SEAL Sam “Cougar” Houston is The intelligence Darcy is generating has his team deploying around the world. Under the pressure of war, their romance flourishes. But it may be a short for the terrorists have chosen their next targets, and Darcy's name is high on the list.

Uncommon Welcome to a world where friendships go deep, loyalties stand strong, and uncommon heroes perform the toughest jobs in the world. Dee Henderson's military romance series provides a detailed passage into the world of the military and homeland heroes, and those they love.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Military Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Dee Henderson is the author of 27 non-fiction and fiction titles, including Jesus our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus the Truth and the Life, The Good News Project, Taken and the acclaimed O’MALLEY series. Several titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller list; Full Disclosure has also appeared on the New York Times Bestseller list. For details visit: DeeHenderson.com

Reviews

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting 9/11 retelling from a completely different angle.

A CIA operative (Darcy St. James) is hunting a man who knew of the incident before it happened and who devised ways to profit, then systematically having people in the agency on a list to be killed, including Darcy.

Add Navy Seals and a Russian spy in the mix, with a mild romance and you have an intriguing read.

[Kristine Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Dee Henderson books. The first part is a little hard to read as it brings back the memories of 9/11. I love Darcy and Sam. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book .. especially the beginning.
Worth a reread for sure. I stayed up late many nights needing to know how this story would proceed.
Another winner by Dee Henderson.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books like these make me feel so proud to be American... until I remember I'm Australian!

In all seriousness though, this was a gripping read set in the time when 9/11 happened. It was so inspiring to read about the courageous men and women that risked their lives for their country. This novel really made me appreciate the struggles and sacrifices of those that serve their country in military and intelligence forces.

I really enjoyed getting to know the characters of Darcy and Sam. They were such interesting characters to explore, and I loved every one of their shared moments. The way their romance blossomed amidst war was so beautiful to read about, and I loved seeing how they supported each other in every way they could. Their relationship felt so natural and genuine, it was a pleasure to read!

The plot was super interesting, filled with dangerous operations and lots of intense moments. It was great to see how all the various missions came together at the end, and the lead up to the climax was really well done. Overall a great read!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the Uncommon Heroes series. I was very intrigued by Darcy and her work as a spy. I love how good she is with disguises. The story grabs your attention from the beginning & holds it throughout. A very good, fast paced book with intrigue & romance.

[Tiffany Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. However it is not my favorite of Dee’s and I wish that the whole book was like the first few chapters. 🙊 that beginning was ✨amazing✨

[Emily Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

AMAZING. I fell in love with Darcy and Sam’s characters; definitely suspenseful. These books make me realize what all these people do for our country. Dee Henderson did it again. 4.5⭐️

[Chloe Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
4.5-star read.

➡️ Loved it. 🥰
➡️ Romance done right.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dee Henderson doesn’t do a wonderful job of mixing her romance with the thriller part. It felt like the romance was there to have romance, rather than contributing to the story. In the first half of the book, the couple wasn’t dating, and not even sure if they were going to date, but there was a whole lot of hugging and kissing for a noncouple. The thriller side was ok, but hard to follow at times, and somewhat anticlimactic at the end.

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flew through this story. It started out with a bang when Darcy was attacked and the story was intriguing till the end.

I loved the Interaction between Darcy and Sam (Cougar) and loved the fact that Joe and Tom from the previous 2 books also made frequent appearances.

The search for the terrorists were interesting and the events that happened believable. I loved that Darcy was in the CIA, which made for some fun parts, especially the scene in the mall. The CIA scenes made me think of Alias.

The plot was good, the characters lovable. Would have enjoyed a little bit more suspense but the story was action packed.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is a retired CIA agent with a bounty on her head.
He is a sniper for a team of Navy seals.
Both take their jobs serving their country very seriously. Both are working dangerous jobs.
She gets called back out of retirement for what looks like a quick mission.
He is at a wedding for his best friend and seal partner.
A chance meeting beside the hotel pool.
A secret meeting.
A knife pulled.
A rescue
A budding relationship has begun.
And when a terrorist attack sends them both on side by side missions, it tests their relationship through war, reconnaissance, and danger. Will their love for each other be stronger than their enemies plans to kill her?

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one was the toughest one for author Dee Henderson as it was on the heels of 9/11/2001 but the fact that her characters were also emotionally involved despite being there themselves it made me feel the feelings I felt back in those days. Bravo Dee Henderson for fighting through your discomfort and putting words to paper.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm impressed as usual :) I really liked how this was set around September 11th. There were loads of scenes in this book that I like which is why I gave this five stars. I loved how Bear and Wolf and their families are in True Honor...nice to see what they are doing :) A book I definitely will be reading again.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Sam, a SEAL, and Darcy, a CIA analyst and the way they each fight terrorism with their teams. When I read the scene for 9/11, it gave me chills as I remembered it. It is a good, suspenseful, clean book with wonderful characters. It is very enjoyable. However, it was a bit slow moving for me.

[ClaraBelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about Grace and Bruce’s romance! Everything about the book and plot was perfect! My favorite part was Grace’s inspiring friendship with her cousin!

[Moonlight 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I’ve been able to complete in weeks! Yay. I absolutely loved both Darcy and Sam. The first half was so so good. I loved that Darcy and Sam had to wade through a long distance relationship. I think this is a trope I’d like to read more about. It made their reunions and time together even better. It was so lovely when Sam went to Darcy’s town to make that video of home for her :)

The secondary characters were full of life and if there’s one thing DH is good at, it’s creating strong heartwarming bonds between characters. I loved Wolf, Joe, and Gabriel, and even though we barely met their partners the mentions of the women were also heartwarming.

I loved the Bible verses so much and the break down from DH’s pov. The conflict was really good. I’m always intrigued by recounts of the nine eleven. The mystery was also interesting for a while.

After the first 60% though I began to disconnect from the mystery of how to find Luther. There were far too many technical details than I like and I soon stopped following the threads.

I loved Sam and Darcy, but I wouldn’t really call this a romance; their relationship was more exciting in the first half as they got to know each other while grappling with long distance and risky jobs. Afterwards it took on a bit of a casual feel. The reunions lost their spark after about the second separation.

Without Sam and Darcy’s romance, the second half of the book felt a bit like I was reading a math textbook with so many serious details and scenes. I eventually began to skip, as that was the only way I could make any progress. It also felt as if the story was drawn out unnecessarily.

I liked the plot with Sergey, but I also felt he was overrated. He tried to kill Darcy, his motive doesn’t really matter. Darcy let him off far too easily and just seemed to idolize him more than he deserved.

DH’s books’ endings often feel anticlimactic to me in terms of the action. The villains and their crimes would be built up for most of the book, then in the end they’d die before the MCs can get valuable info out of them or full justice. That happened again here with the big plan to catch Luther and his team failing, and him dying in some random helicopter hit.

All that said, the MCs and secondary characters were the stars of this book and I’m so glad I came across it!

[Carol Deegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book, but there was too much detail about the mission they were on than I cared about. I skimmed over a lot of that part of the book. I would have liked more time with Sam and Darcy as their love for each other grew. The situations, as far as I know, were real, and the characters very real. The references to God and the Bible quotes are subtle but the main characters love of God is very apparent. It is refreshing to read a book with no sex scenes.

[Drew Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read of hers. Great military story. I was hooked.

[ANNETTE · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good novel that held my interest . I liked how other characters were involved . I think the story was more about duty and determination plus, a little love story .

[Penelope · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Honor is a moving military suspense romance story which I highly recommend.

True Honor was a reread for me that has held up extremely well over time (originally published 2002, shortly after Sept. 11th, 2001). Dee Henderson includes the tragedy of that day in the plot and story line of True Honor as the background of what serving as a SEAL in our military’s navy during that period meant to the many soldiers who were on the ground. The MMC, Sam Houston is a Chief Petty Officer currently serving his 12th year as a SEAL and just returning from his latest deployment. The FMC is CIA Intelligence Officer Darcy St James, who had just retired with recognition but was called back to assist in trying to make sense of what had just happened.

True Honor is a poignant, touching, inspiration story of men and women serving on the front lines during very difficult times. Sam and Darcy meet, quite by accident, strike up a conversation, at first not realizing that they are both participants in this new battle. An attraction simmers that must be set aside for months as more important matters come first. There is quiet romance, determination, courage, and perseverance present in True Honor. This is a very fine novel with a lovely and gentle romance. I highly recommend True Honor for readers who enjoy a sweet romance, military romances, military suspense romance, or simply Clean romance novels. True a Honor does contain a much deserved HEA.

True Honor is a 100% Clean novel. There is no profanity or sexual situations (on or off scene) at all. Simply a few quickly snatched sweet kisses. Although True Honor is about military personnel and the work such soldiers perform, it is not graphically portrayed (you will definitely hear & see worse on the news). This novel is suitable for young readers to adult.

[Regina]

Have you ever read a book that you liked, but you don't know why you liked it? I'm not sure that this book deserves 3 stars, but I'm giving it 3 because I thought it was better than 2 stars. Ok, this is supposedly a Christian romance novel. I don't normally read romance novels, Christian or otherwise, but someone gave me the book so I thought I'd give it a try. Yes, romance is part of the story, but this book actually has a plot and it is not full of sex which is usually what a romance novel is all about. Also, this book is not over-the-top Christian. It is more like easy going Christian. I have no idea whether the CIA and Navy Seal stuff is realistic or not, but I've read books that were much more cheesy / corny. This book was an easy and quick read, the story held my interest and I was totally surprised that I enjoyed the book because I didn't expect to like it.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

so far I think it is a good story line, but difficult discerning who is speaking when she is writing about them having conversations...
just don't care for the writing style, bummer because she obviously does her homework about the subject (this one was the DIA and the Nave SEALS) but the relationship that is developing just doesn't follow a natural line, it is sporadic and unclear and then suddenly they're very intimate, doesn't make sense for me....

[Shelby Rush · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the first few chapters, which I found refreshing. After that, it went downhill. I was sad when the spy got killed early on - he was the only truly interesting character. I made it halfway, but the romance was so shallow, so fast and so lame, I couldn't continue.

[AlegnaB † · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 -- This was better than the first book and much better than the second book in the series. It was intriguing from the start.

[Kylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes these books can be cheesy but they are entertaining.

[Mindy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was probably my least favorite of the three, but I still liked it! There was more spy/SEAL talk, but it was interesting. The story happens right at Sept 11, so it was interesting that way. Not much about 9/11, but things happening simultaneously. The problem I’ve found with these books is that they’re a little bit abrupt. It’s hard to follow sometimes and I feel like the author could do a little less talking about things that aren’t that pertinent to the story and spend more time on the actual climax. Because sometimes when the climax is going, it’s over before I even realize that it’s the climax. So, that’s my one complaint. It didn’t do that in the first of this series, but definitely did in the second and third. Starting the 4th now-hopefully that changes a bit.

Still a fun read, and obviously I’m reading the next, so it’s a good one! 3.5 stars and I read this one.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of this book has a really funny scene that made me laugh. I was looking for it because I’ve already read Full Disclosure and it didn’t disappoint.

This had all the stuff I like - lots of action, suspense, spy stuff, a sweet romance. The 9/11 chapter was hard to read and I don’t remember it because I was so little. It was an interesting idea if something that could have happened during that time.

I like getting the little cameos of Bear and Wolf and their lives. Joe and Kelly have a little girl, Bethany. Wolf and Jill are married. Nothing on Bruce and Grace, but they aren’t in the SEAL part of the military so I don’t think we’ll hear about them again. But it is fun to read the interactions between Sam and Wolf. They crack me up :)

A great addition to this series.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the sniper "lesson" Sam gave to Darcy. It was educational and informative. The scripture and prayer used throughout were nice. I liked that the author included characters from the previous two books and where their lives had taken them.

The normalcy they had with each other at the beginning of the story bugged me. Within a day Sam had already started calling her Dar (I'm not a fan of nicknames) - so I didn't like that either. Their growing relationship didn't feel natural to me.

I'm going to be honest, I got tired of reading this. It got boring and I didn't care anymore. I made it about halfway and then skimmed to get to the end. I don't see finishing this series.

Rating: PG
Language: clean read
Recommend: yes

[Christy Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was the best one out of the three book series. It had interesting action, great character interactions and was overall a good story. The 9/11 angle took me by surprise, but as a non-American I felt it was handled well for such a tragedy.
The romance was the best part of this, and I wish there was a little more. Darcy and Sam had such a fun dynamic. The other intelligence gathering, when it was action related it was great. When it was sitting around thinking or planning it was a little boring.
It was a pretty solid book, this kind of story isn’t usually one I gravitate towards but I did enjoy myself reading it.