55 Books Like Life Flight

I give Dee Henderson credit for starting me on the path to writing inspirational military romance.

Her crisp, professional voice carries throughout the story and reflects the professionalism of the warriors she describes, especially US Navy SEALs. Readers can’t help but be filled with respect for these professionals. 

The first chapter of this book acquaints the reader with a Navy SEAL widow trying to save the life of the surfer and hoping she will survive the ordeal, in order to deepen her relationship with another Navy SEAL. I adore the “second chance romance” theme.

I also appreciate Dee Henderson’s light yet profound touch when it comes to spirituality and how faith influences the actions of her characters. If not for his book, I don’t know if I would have ever turned my pen toward writing military Christian romance. Thank you, Dee!

Two sentences into Vanished, and I was hooked!

I have to admit, I’m a tough sell when it comes to the genre I write. But Ms. Hannon is an excellent writer. She never “tells”; she “shows”. Her characters are motivated by their faith, just like I am. While Irene Hannon does not feature military heroes in her stories, her police detectives display the same level of discipline and willingness to take on danger.

She has done her research and portrays realistic investigations. Her heroine is a mature, complex individual—someone I would like to meet and befriend. And the romance that blossoms between Moira and Cal is natural and touching.

This is also a second-chance romance, which gets me every time. The only way it could be better would be to throw a kid into the story. 

Can you imagine losing your entire family to a plane accident? That’s what the heroine of this first-in-a-series book by Colleen Coble has to deal with.

With so many unanswered questions, Bree Nichols puts her K-9 search-and-rescue skills to work, looking for the bodies of her husband and son in the wilderness of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Having been widowed young, my heart went out to her from the start.

Working with Park Ranger Kade Mathews, Bree stumbles upon a terrible crime that may be linked to the plane crash. I think this book speaks to the importance of never giving up on faith and hope, even when everything looks absolutely bleak.

The best thing about Ms. Coble’s books is her character development. The pacing is less of a thriller than a cozy mystery with a good dose of romance. While lacking a military hero, I do like that there is… show more.

Again, another title that really grabbed me. I absolutely adored this book about former pararescue jumper Orion Star who lives in Alaska and his romance with the CIA profiler he met while on a mission overseas.

Jenny decides she wants to climb Denali! The tallest mountain in North America doesn’t always play nice so Orion must rescue her. I loved every minute of this story, especially all the details the author includes about climbing this mountain as if she’d done it herself. Who knows—maybe she did. 

Dan McKinnon was a navy helicopter pilot who was airborne near an aircraft carrier during flight operations so pilots who had mishaps could be quickly and safely recovered. This is a story about an unusual type of flying, one that provides another layer of safety for naval operations at sea.

In 2012, former Air National Guard pilot and Purple Heart recipient Mary Jennings Hegar joined forces with the ACLU to challenge the ban that kept American women out of ground combat units. In Shoot Like A Girl, Hegar tells the story of the career that led her to that point.

Hegar’s love for flying, her commitment to her job, and her bonds with teammates are vividly portrayed. The incident for which she received the Purple Heart–her helicopter shot down in Afghanistan with wounded men aboard—is gripping. But the heart of the book is the systemic sexism Hegar faced throughout her career. This is a powerful account of one woman's determination to serve in the face of acts of casual prejudice, active hazing, sexual assault—and institutional cover-ups.

Here’s the one to get to introduce your children to Leonardo da Vinci – a pop-up book with gloriously beautiful drawings and 3D models of Leonardo’s inventions, which included airplanes, a submarine, a parachute, helicopter, armoured vehicle, and a crossbow-machine gun.

Aside from the renovation of the sewers and plumbing of a Florentine church, none of Leonardo’s technological designs are ever known to have been built and tested, which leaves us with the question of whether he was more of a dreamer than a doer. I think this would work for 6-12-year-olds.

Bud Willis does a wonderful job with this well-told story and offers the reader an in-depth look at the everyday life of these helicopter flying Marine warriors, which isn’t, by the way, a nine to five job. The book follows “BOO” through training and then during his tour as a chopper pilot in Vietnam; his tour lasting 13 months from March, 1966 through April, 1967. The author also has a fantastic sense of humor and wit that sometimes catches me off-guard, making me laugh out loud. When I thought about the antics and games these officers orchestrated – I had to remind myself that even as officers, many of them were only 19 – 21 years old and still kids themselves. However, war steals that naivety and innocence, leaving in its place deep scars, both physically and mentally.

This addictive page-turner revolves around an extravagant hen party where bride-to-be Jen rents a luxury getaway on a private island.

The fact that the helicopter which brought the guests to the island won't be back for 72 hours ramps up the sense of impending doom and claustrophobia, this further enhanced when the wifi is cut off. I devoured the varied and well-rounded cast of characters, each with their own complex backstories, secrets, and agendas giving them a motive to kill.

When one of the guests disappears, they receive a message telling them that unless someone confesses her terrible secret to the others, their missing friend will be killed. This was such a clever idea and had me itching to know who in the group the message was aimed at.

I loved this book by Jessica R. Patch for its perfect blend of relentless suspense and second-chance romance. The mystery kept me guessing with its clever suspects and red herrings. Asa and Fiona, seasoned FBI agents with a complex history, drew me in with their dynamic and emotional depth.

The tension and anticipation throughout this thriller made it impossible to put down. Patch's ability to weave crime-solving with romance kept me hooked and eager for more. This book was an unforgettable read for me as someone who loves mystery with heart.