Deliverance

Destined Hearts, Book 4

De: Evelyn Montgomery

Narrado por: June DeBorahae, J. F. Harding

One word.
FEAR.

FEAR I won't make it home.
FEAR I’ll never be man enough in anyone’s eyes.
Including my own.
And worst of all, FEAR that I'll never feel again
the way Jolene Stewart makes me crave her next touch.

I’ve tried to forget her.
I’ve pushed her away in order to protect her from what I FEAR most.

Making her a widow.

But no matter how long it’s been since I’ve seen her face,
no matter how many years go by without her touch,
the second our paths cross again I'm an instant fiend needing my next fix.

She's my kryptonite.
My vice.
The one thing that makes me secretly wish for tomorrows and forever after’s when all I've ever done is serve.

Give without even a thought for my fellow man & country after seeing so many soldiers die by my side.

But now, all I want to do is stay with her and her daughter
in this new world and home we've created together.

Although when nightmares from her past come calling,
and my next tour has me leaving with the FEAR I once again won't return…
this time can I be man enough to promise her forever?
Or will finally giving her my heart be worse than any fate that waits for me overseas?

©2019 Evelyn Montgomery (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing

HEA with a Southern Twist

Audiobook Review: Deliverance by Evelyne Montgomery

Narrated by June deBorahae & J.F. Harding

In between dark romances, a feel-good HEA is always a welcomed change—and Deliverance was more than welcomed, it was needed. This is the fourth book in Evelyne Montgomery’s Destined Hearts series, with one more to go before I finish it out.

June deBorahae and J.F. Harding once again deliver standout performances with their delicious Southern accents—something this Southern gal can never get enough of. I’ve heard J.F. in a few other books, but I really loved hearing his accent work as Troy in this one. He had so much more room to voice different characters here, and he made each one sound clear and distinct—it was fun to listen to.

And June? I love the sound of her voice—it's easy to listen to and really fit the story. She was perfect as Jolene, showing both the strength and the softer side of a single momma trying to protect her heart.

The plot in this one is fairly simple, but the heart in it is what truly shines. The twist on the familiar trope isn’t a single dad—but a single momma—and J.F. plays the “will he or won’t he” role when it comes to stepping into their lives for good. There's quite a bit of back and forth between the leads, and then—just when you think you know where it’s going—the plot cranks up a few (okay, fifteen) notches.

I love this series for what it is: warm, feel-good romances with interesting characters who take their time getting to that HEA—but they always do. And when they do, it’s deeply satisfying.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – Five stars.

June and J.F. deliver pure excellence!

June deBorahae and J.F. Harding quickly became my favorite duet narrating team. The way these two compliment each other is exquisite. Each of them are personal favorites for me but getting to hear them together on this audio left me speechless numerous times. I was prepared to be very critical of whoever gave life to Troy and Jolene because I know their story so well. I was sold on these two on chapter 1, as soon as JF said that first “Jolene”! Both understood the assignment for sure from the slight southern twang, June as Jolene’s daughter, Anna May (I have never heard a better child voice in a narrator), to the more emotional heavy parts. Oh how I wish I could go into detail on those moments because each of them made me feel like I was experiencing these moments right along with them. I cried when I read the book and knowing what was coming I still could not have prepared myself for how June and J.F. were going to portray it and they broke me. It was not hard to get completely lost on this story. I already know this will get listened to over and over again!

This book....oh my goodness this book!!! The love story of Troy and Jolene touched my heart so dang much. There is nothing more romantic than how their story evolved. They met ten years ago and fell in love but Troy is enlisted in the military and tells Jolene not to wait for him and she does anyway. As chance would have it five years later they run into each other again and it is like those five years never passed them by and he does tell her to wait for him before he deploys again. Jo has no problem with that until she receives a letter from him telling her to not wait. She manages to pick up the pieces of her heart and start a new life. In the following five years both of these two endure tragedy so intense that they needed to find each other again even if they hadn't realized it yet.

My heart physically hurt for Troy and the burden he carries...especially when I read the horrible events surrounding what pains him. He is a fierce protector and wants to love Jo and Anna May with all of his heart, and he does, but his head won't allow it because he cannot promise he will come back to them after a deployment. Jolene's life the last five years was so horrible having barely escaped being killed and yet she still has a reason to smile thanks to her daughter, and now Troy. She wants so desperately for him to open up to her because she knows his love for her runs as deep as her for him. She searches deep inside herself when faced with Troy leaving again and comes to the best conclusion she can live with. Troy's stubborn streak almost causes him to lose the only woman he has ever loved.

Evelyn Montgomery completely nailed this story. There is suspense, happiness, joy, pain, and heartbreak and after all of that it wraps up by healing you heart at the beautiful HEA.