Families and Other NonReturnable Gifts by Claire LaZebnik

Mary’s Musings  about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day when I think about books and life. 

Claire LaZebnik

Today I am musing about families, birth order, and changing your destiny.  I started all this musing after I read the latest book from Claire LaZebnik FAMILIES AND OTHER NONRETURNABLE GIFTS.  

(Review is below and click the link to give me a helpful vote).

 

I am a die-hard believer in two things about families: your personality is formed by where you are in the birth order and you cannot change your family you can alter the you and the role you play in the family dynamics.  This book touches on family dynamics, family drama, and how each of us thrives and survives.

My family is outright crazy and completely out of control.  I have three siblings and the four of us were raised by a mother who had been a doted on only child.  Her every whim and desire was taken care of while she was growing up which created this narcissistic woman that had no idea what to do with four children, let alone one (me) that was shy and very emotionally needy and yes I fully admit to it.

Middle Sister Wine

What I was though, is not who I am (well a little of the Drama Queen is there) because while I fit the role of the middle sister growing up I also broke away from that role as an adult.  Now I carried the “take care of everyone” into my late 30’s and then while raising my children said enough of this crap I can have my own life and basically distanced myself for over 10 years from them.  I came to terms with my mother’s emotional distance and achieved success on my own and have been the better for all of it.  I have a wide variety of friends who fill every void my family leaves and then some so life is not always great but it can be pretty good.

I am proud to announce that Grand Center “Forever” Publishing is giving away one copy of this book (review below and click the link to cast your helpful vote).  To be eligible to win please leave a comment.  What I am asking today is do you believe?  Come back on Sunday – September 4^th to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back, you will not know if you won, because I am going to need your address. 

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

FAMILIES AND OTHER NONRETURNABLE GIFTS by Claire LaZebnik

09/11- Grand Central Publishing - Paperback, 304 pages

Is our personality determined due to birth order?

We all play a specific role in family dynamics whether we admit to it or not.  Surviving the landscape of competitive family relationships, overcoming disappointment and jealousy is like walking on a minefield.  You are placed by birth order in a position to control, submit, surrender, or dominate and some accept this as destiny while others break out and completely upset the familial apple cart. 

Keats Sedlak has always filled her role as destiny preordained but now she is watching her family meltdown as her parent parents’ divorce, her father’s mortality becomes very apparent, and the family home goes on the selling block.  Keats has always had to live up to unattainably high standards with academic parents and siblings that blow her intellectually out of the water but this is perhaps one shove too many.  Everyone seems to know what Keats should be doing with her life, and what will fulfill her need for growth personally.  They tell her constantly that the man she has been with for 10 years is not good enough for her and their relationship a tad creepy since he is five years older and they started dating when she was 15 stunting her ability to explore other relationships.

Keats has spent her life searching for something to fill the void that distant parents and self-consumed siblings were never able to while at the same time make her own achievements, not an easy task.  She thought her boyfriend had taken over her emotional losses but now everything has the potential to be flushed down the toilet and Keats is deciding what stays and what is gone. 

If you stand still long enough and do not physically remove yourself from the situation you are in everything will remain as much the same as it does change.  You have to be prepared for the ramifications and Keats thinks she is as she prepared to make major life-altering decisions that will affect everyone and not all of them in a positive fashion.  So as Keats learns to accept her mother as a single woman on the prowl, her father’s judgmental assessments, and her siblings’ self-effacing personalities she is also ready to accept the fear and loneliness that comes from decisions and alterations to life’s grand scheme of things.

This is a well-written book with a fine-tuned sense of how complicated your family dynamics are and points out you are stuck with them forever so deal with it.  You cannot rewrite the past, make your parent act less crazy, or walk away from any of their crap regardless of how many times you try.  Everyone else’s life looks normal and so much better than yours when you are on the sidewalk looking in watching them decorate the Christmas tree.  You have to make your presence known and accept your role but also expand your existence and at some point put the baggage on wheels.  It will be much easier to carry around and on occasionally dump off, I know of what I speak.

Aloha to Cathy Maxwell and THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL

When Mary asked me to write the second half of the Blog Tour From Home, I squealed in delight.  There are 101 reasons to love Cathy Maxwell but I'll give you my top 5:


1.  Cathy converted me to romance with her 2001 release, THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT.  I found it in the Army Thrift Shop while living in the Netherlands.  It inspired me to visit Scotland (short term) and taught me to make lemonade from lemons (long term).

2.  Cathy is a RomVet - veterans who writes romance.  She wears the 5 diamond crown of military service - Navy enlisted, Navy officer, Navy spouse, Navy mom, and recently Coast Guard mom.

3.  Cathy is a mentor to other writers.  She is a popular speaker at RWA chapter meetings and regional conferences.  When Cathy talks, writers listen.

4.  Cathy likes to laugh.   Her laugh is contagious.   Her laugh is therapeutic.

5.  You will fall in love with Cathy after reading her bio,


My favorite quote: From Debbie Macomber, “Attitude is the key . . . each one of us is as successful as we make up our minds to be.”


You will never see me: With my mouth closed.

And you will fall in love with Cathy's characters.  She also wrote in her bio,


What is the most important element to a romance novel: The characters. Strong characters can carry a weak plot, but weak characters can never carry a strong plot. The latter is like biting into a juicy apple and finding out it’s nothing but mush inside.


THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL will be in stores August 30th. It’s the last book of my “Scandals and Seductions” series. You met the heroine Lady Corinne in HIS CHRISTMAS PLEASURE. She was the one who didn’t want to marry Freddie. And she still doesn’t. And she won’t. I love a stubborn heroine.

Mary shared why you should read THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL at this link.


Cathy Maxwell always delivers on an original storyline, fresh characters, incredible twists, and fascinating turns reader do not expect.  This book hits on every one of those ideas and adds in a few feisty women, some heart wrenching moments of sadness, startling revelations and in the end you know there is some higher source at work here to great such a work of romantic literature.


Mary is giving away two print copies of THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL plus teal bands from the KISS AND TEAL campaign to promote awareness of ovarian cancer.   I would like to add a special Aloha gift for each book winner.  Because Cathy is an Aloha Ambassador - she pays it forward and then some.   

What is the special Aloha gift?   Consider Cathy's 1999 release, MARRIED IN HASTE.  It is another story of making lemonade from lemons - tea spoons play a vital role in the HEA. The winners of the books will also receive a hand crafted tea spoon with a Pineapple handle - it will remind you of the Aloha spirit that Cathy lives and writes.

To enter the giveaway,  leave a comment about laughter, attitude, and/or lemonade.  


Mahalo,


Kim in Hawaii 

Mary’s Musings about Cathy Maxwell and The Seduction of Scandal

Mary’s Musings about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life. 

Cathy Maxwell is someone I have so much to say about - it is difficult to know where to start.  Her books always blow me away and the latest book The Seduction of Scandal (review below) is so fresh because it touches on a profession not written about much in historical romance – the clergy.  This is not in a controversial manner, but a weighing of passion and faith intertwined by a man of the cloth who of course has a secret!

But I decided to talk about how I met Cathy and how she inspired my new mantra, “What Would Cathy Do”?

We met through Kim Lowe of SOS Aloha (of course) at RWA this year in New York.  Kim and Cathy have been friends for years and I was delighted to be introduced to her.   I had a few minutes here and there to talk about her interesting life, books, and general thoughts.

While I am not an outgoing person, I am a talker when I get to know you and have found that I can hit on a subject with everyone that we have in common.   In the case of Cathy and me, it was our children, our expectations for them, and the difficulty as mothers to say no, regardless of what age they are.  But after a few of these conversations, the one thing that inspired me about Cathy is her ability to just not sweat the details.  She mentioned that you just have to let life move at its own pace and work through issues one at a time.  But really she got it into my head that you have to look inside to find your strength to see your own strengths and not have someone else fill in the blanks for you.

After I came home I started writing WWCD on everything and even on a piece of paper at work.   At times, work is a challenge to see my worth but Cathy has reminded me that I am, indeed, special.

So today I am proud to announce that Avon Books Harper Collins Publishing is giving away one copy of this book (review below) along with a surprise gift from Kim that she won't tell me anything about besides to say "it's awesome, do you trust me" - of course.   

To be eligible to win please leave a comment on “who inspires you?” Come back on Sunday – September 4^th to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back, you will not know if you won because I am going to need your address. 

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL by Cathy Maxwell

08/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Are we all divided personalities – the one we show and the one we really are?

You might convince Lady Corinne to do any number of things she might not like but no one was going to make her marry that horrid man regardless of his title or incredible lineage, the man was a nightmare.  Both fathers have big plans for this merger, I mean marriage and Corinne pleading to beg off is soundly rejected.  So Corinne decides to step out of the comfort zone she lives in and moves to a place no one could find her, at least until after the wedding date passes.  What she never expected on this journey was to be shot, saved and figures out whom the notorious highway the Black Thorn was.  When you go past safe and straight into reckless behavior, you never know what is going to happen.

Corinne is having trouble digesting all this information because the Black Thorn may be a noble thief that steals to provide for the poor but he is also the Reverend Mr. William Norwich who just happens to be the foster son of her potential future father-in-law and the man that owns the property the Black Thorn is stealing.  Never one to let any situation not be used to her advantage, Corinne decides to hide out at Will’s parsonage.  Now this is only until the wedding date passes and in exchange for she will keep Will’s secret, this is a win-win right?  Will is not so sure her pretending to be his cousin is going to work out and while she believes God brought her to Will, he is sure the deity came from hell, the direction he is now setting a course for. 

Upholding the word of the Lord and finding answers that lead him on a righteous path has been at times a test for Will’s moral compass.  Will knows that at some point, he is going to have to answer for his sins but will the judgment come from a higher power or his foster father a man Will owes his existence to or so the story goes.  But turning Corinne out is not going to happen because her belief that he is his salvation is stronger than his doubts and his ability to resist her is weakening.  The religious life has taught Will strength and control but he is not sure there is enough of it in him to stop him from taking the love and tenderness that Corinne is offering even though the last thing he feels he deserves is her love.

When the dark secrets come out about everyone’s misdeed it is going to take more than faith and good will to get through this sea of deception.  But Will and Corinne are meant to be together, work for the good of his church, and start a life together enjoying the passion of a religious life and some good spiritual awakening after the lights go out!

Cathy Maxwell always delivers on an original storyline, fresh characters, incredible twists, and fascinating turns reader do not expect.  This book hits on every one of those ideas and adds in a few feisty women, some heart wrenching moments of sadness, startling revelations and in the end you know there is some higher source at work here to great such a work of romantic literature.

Mary's Musing on Vigilant by Michele Hart

Mary’s Musings...about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life. 

I received so much positive feedback from this review that I am posting it again.  As you know

Vigilant (review below and positive vote link) came to me from a request from the author herself Michele Hart.  She is another of the many wonderful people in my life that I have never met but have a great relationship with via eMail who also likes my reviews!  Yeah to that, of course.

She writes both futurist and contemporary books with a theme of crossing the line and seeing how things might be in the future.  At times, I struggle with these books because they are not your typical romance or pick up the storyline after one chapter.  There are alternate worlds created, ideas of how the future will be developed and what life will be like which all has to be made so the reader understands and believes.  Enter Michele who writes books so I never have to struggle with figuring out what is going on.  I really like that because it makes the book about reading pleasure not reader frustration.

The author is offering an eBook for your comment today.  But you can also but her book at

Buy Link: http://www.BookStrand.com/vigilantAlso available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, wherever exciting adventures await!

  

Today I need you to comment on “teleporting”  Seriously if you could beam from one place to another would you?

Come back on Sunday - September 4th to see if you have won!

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

VIGILANT by Michele Hart

Sequel to Luminous Nights

06/11 - Siren Publishing - Paperback, 346 pages

Are you my salvation or my damnation?

Even in the future, when you are the top cop the problems that plague us in the 21^st century are still the same.  I-Marshall Weber is trying to bring down a human trafficking ring and finds himself caught in a gun battle right out of the old west that he survives with a bonus.  Weber teleports out of the situation and has the misfortune of bringing back the most stunning woman, ah suspect he has ever seen.  Yadira Maxwell is not an innocent by-stander, but she is also not part of the mess created by her now deceased husband and Weber figures that out quicker than anyone else on the force does but keeping her alive is proving to be a challenge since someone really wants her dead.

Weber may come in to save her but he is the force she fights against how is she going to trust him to help her?  She has been internally tagged so the man that wants her dead is going to be able to find her unless Weber comes up with a solution.  Running at first appeared to be an option and even after some skirmishes with trouble, they keep on moving toward clearing her name and getting some time alone.

Who do you trust, who do you turn to, where do you run when every step you take is being watched by someone?  Yadira wants to believe that what is happening to her is real and not a dream but is Weber an angel sent to save her or the devil sending her to her eternal punishment.  She has to decide, and really quick because this is all going down one way or the other since someone has the means to cause her demise and rule books are thrown out as anything to stay alive becomes an option.  The moneyman has hired the big guns to eliminate her, and has the power to make her non-existent, but what is the motive behind all this that even Weber cannot quite figure out.

Being chased isn’t fun, on the run is worse but Weber provides Yadira with the tenderness that reminds her of what a heat-filled kiss tastes like and how tender the strong arms of protection feel.

This is not my first book by Michele Hart so knowing I was going to like it was not the question – how much was.  I did enjoy it because Ms. Hart knows how to write a futuristic adventure without making the reader struggle to figure out the complexities and not feel lost.  She lays out the plot, explores the nuances of the characters, and rolls out the story without ever leaving the reader wondering what just happened, and how is that person.

Cast a Vote, Contest Winners and

Mary’s Musings...about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life.  Plus it is Sunday so we have contest winners and my weekly challenge.

This week I want to ask you think about how Borders closing will affect you?  I went to get a new pair of running shoes which is located next to one of the Borders stores still left open here in St. Louis.    What I attempted to do was buy books that go with series I am reading or the first two in the series so when the third comes I can give the complete series away.  I am always thinking about my followers and what would be a nice treat and who doesn't want the whole set of books.

But I was so sad to see the books on these shelves just thrown around and disrespected like no one cared about them anymore.  I care and will be very sad to see Borders go because the store I frequented employed helpful people that always seemed to get the book I was looking for.  I don't want any business to go under but losing a book store and having these people unemployed made me very sad.

I bought as many as I could afford and carry but it did not seem like enough and in some ways it was like trying to pick the cutest puppy out of the litter knowing the others were not going home with you!

My other request is a shameless and blantant attempt to solicit your endorsement so I won't pretend otherwise, but still will you do this for me?  Follow the link for each of the books below and at the bottom if you like my view just push the "helpful" button and you are a fabulous help to me and I thank you very much.

Send me an email at reader0409@yahoo.com with your address or for the ebooks your email so I can connect you with the author who will be giving away the electronic version of their book.

Contest Winners for this week are:

eBook from the author goes to @calliopeswritingtable for  Vigilant by Michele Hart

Barbara is going to get an ebook of Lady Scandal by Larissa Lyons

Jean has won an eBook for Learning Curves by  Elyse Mady

Karen C is going to be the first one to take the traveling Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

and will share with anyone else that emails me that they would like to be part of this

DJ in Denver is my winner for the Little Black Dress by Susan McBride which is signed by the author from the book signing I attended

This book was featured last week but is lonely for a vote! Viscount Breckenridge to the Rescue by Stephanie Laurens

Thank you everyone for following my blog, commenting on my crazy thoughts and letting me part of your life I really do appreciate it.

Mary's Musings about Elyse Mady and her new book Learning Curves

Mary’s Musings...about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life.

ELYSE MADY and I have never formally met.  We exchange emails and we converse in the manner that is the 21^st century – eMail.  But while we do not have a per se normal friend relationship, we certainly get along.  She writes great books that have interesting and at times funny people that really draw me into their story.

The new eBook she sent me LEARNING CURVES (review below)was not a surprise that I liked it but that it involved a nerdy student who was brilliant but insecure.  How can that be when you are so smart that you worry about how you look? 

We always think if I had your brains and that model’s beauty life would be perfect, but guess what it would not be.  We are all insecure and have our moments of doubt when no matter what we do it is never enough.  Leanne in this story is about to win the greatest prize of her educational career but it feels empty because it turns out the prize she wanted she thought she could never have – love. 

So I guess we are all just the same inside and regardless of our gray matter or beauty queen appearances without some validation of our emotions something is not lacking or missing but maybe just not found.

My copy of LEARNING CURVES is in a printed format but I am willing to share if you are willing to accept.  But you know the request I make and that is you have to leave a comment to win.  So today, I need you to comment on “what are you stilling looking for in life to complete you?”  Every once in a while I think it is money but that is not going to help when I am old and need someone to care for me.  But I am I think looking for some financial stability in this completely unstable time.

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

LEARNING CURVES by Elyse Mady

06/11 - Carina Press – eBook, File Size: 811 KB

 

Should love be one of your life goals?

Leanne Galloway sees herself as an academic rising star but a feminine failure.  Her mother wanted beauty pageants and all things that are glitz and glitter and Leanne provided post doc work.  Leanne liked her life but was lonely and at the least likely place she could ever imagine she finds a connection to a man she should not want but has to have.

Brandon Myles is working as a male dancer only to get his bills paid and finally obtain his doctorate.  One night in the crowd he sees this beautiful butterfly that he has to meet and for some reason wants to push out of her comfort zone but is he interested in a one-night stand or a long-term relationship?  Brandon has very little knowledge of what healthy relationships are but Leanne is showing him that even though they are mismatched they make a perfect pair.

The more time that Leanne and Brandon spend together, the more they know that destined united them and what happens from here is all on them.  Friends disapprove, family is completely negative, and the higher authorities at the university are shocked at their behavior.  But at some point, you have to realize that life is more than fact, figures and making everything add up, to just go with your heart, and stop being the only reason the relationship not moving forward.

This book really was a great read for me because you have two people that on the surface are complete opposites.  But after your get past the façade they project, you notice they are looking for the same thing we all are – love and companionship.  It is not as much about keeping your eye on the prize as it is figuring out what the prize should really be.  I have read other books by Ms. Mady and had every expectation that she would write this genre as well as she did others.

Other books to order, read and enjoy...

 

Mary's Musings about Lady Seduction by Larissa Lyons

Mary’s Musings about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life.

When you are asked to review a book I think it is the reviewers obligation to tell the author how long this will take to get done.   

Larissa Lyons contacted me after reading one of my reviews and asked if I would review Lady Scandal (review below and link for helpful vote) and I said yes but, I am so back logged with books because my job is working me too much!  Larissa is so sweet and patient she agreed to wait and here we are a few months later, a book read, a review produced and and question to comment on. 

This book involves the historical version of online dating which is something I don’t think much of.  I am sure it works great to match you with someone completely compatible but in reality aren’t you better off with someone who is your opposite and brings other ideas to the table?  I really don’t want to be with another me, I need someone who is offsetting my issues with his issues. 

I do not have a book to give away but I do have a printed copy if you are interested!  To be eligible to win please leave a comment and what I am asking today is “do you think online dating works?” Come back on Sunday – August 28^th to see if you have won.  Please remember if you do not come back you won't know if you won because I am going to need your address. 

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

LADY SCANDAL by Larissa Lyons

04/11 - Literary Madness – eBook, File Size: 529 KB

Can you find the “one” looking in the want ads?

Lady Juliet Ashland wants the new husband to be a man unlike her late husband.  He must be strong, generous in nature, and extremely versatile in the bedchamber.  How would she find such a man, well by interviewing him of course.

After going through 23 applicants, a broken leg and terrible manners Juliet has found her Romeo or in this case her Zeus.  Zeus J. Tanner is proving to be a challenge and a complete fascination all qualities that Juliet needs and has the ability to arose her every desire with a simple verbal exchange.

They both have secrets but once the clothes come off and the truth is told will it really matter if they find they are well suited?

This book is a quick, fun and erotic read about a woman who wants to find her own husband and do so on her own terms.  It has some racy parts but nothing any romance reader has not enjoyed before!

SUPER SATURDAY - Mary's Musings, Reviews and Books to Share

 

WELCOME TO SUPER SATURDAY

I was a reading dynamo this week and whatever genre you

are interested in will be up for grabs but some are books, 

some are books but if you are in the mood for a read all the blogs today!

Mary's Musings about Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

Mary’s Musings...about reading, reviewing, and random passing thoughts that come at me every day while I contemplate books and life.

My friend Kim asked me if I would read a book she had, review it, and participate in a program with bookcrossing.com.  With the program you get a book, register it on their website, and then track where it goes – sounded fun and she always gives me great advice and she felt this book would be inspirational for me.  The book is Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington, which I received and discovered this unbelievably touching story of what happens when a man goes off to war and how that affects his family back home.  Right now as I am writing this I am still in tears over how moving the entire story was and the real tragedy of war and how it affects everyone whether we know it or not.

Soldier's Memorial in St. Louis, MO

This story had me musing about whether we do enough to honor those that serve.  I personally try to assist with donations to the USO and I offer all my books received to military spouses first.  In St. Louis, we have the Soldiers Memorial a very moving tribute to the military and Kim took me on a tour when I was in DC to the war memorials but are these structures enough? 

When my brother went to serve in 1966 at the age of 18 in the Army, he was promptly shipped off to Vietnam.  My family knew nothing about that war as we lived isolated lives in our own part of the world and saw the news about this but until my brother left we never discussed it.  We as a family coped with this by carrying on our lives and sending my brother letters, lots of letters but not much else did we do as a family.

But even after all these years and the 24-hour news cycle are we still doing enough to support our military?  This is not about war, this is not about political agendas or who is right vs. wrong this is about supporting our military and making sure they know we are behind them.

Taking Chance

This  book also reminded me of a movie I watched on HBO In 2009 with Kevin Bacon called Taking Chance.  That movie brought me to tears because it was about the journey home for a fallen soldier told through the thoughts of the soldier that escorted his body.  I to this day talk about how important it was to see how respectfully those killed in battle are treated and how much as Americans, we honor those that have served.  If you are so inclined, you should watch this movie because again you will see how these soldiers touch everyone’s lives on some level.  I bought numerous copies, and have shared them so all can remember that we should never forget.

Today let’s talk and comment about what we can do to support the military regardless of where you live. 

I also want everyone to get a chance to read Alice Bliss and my copy of Alice Bliss is available to any of my followers (including international).  But if you take this book, you have to be willing to send it on and enter the registration number on the book so we can all follow it.  You absolutely can and should read it but please let me know in your comments if you want to be part of this idea.

Right now the book is in St. Louis, MO with me but if you would like

to be part of this please send your address to reader0409@yahoo.com and I will send it to my first responder who can pass it on to the next person interested in receiving the book.  You have to register it to have this work and if you tell me that you have done that I will add it to my Alice Bliss blog tour from the world.  

REVIEW from Mary Gramlich "The Reading Reviewer"

ALICE BLISS by Laura Harrington

06/11 - Publisher: Penguin Group - Hardcover, 320 pages

Ask yourself every day - what can I do to support the military and their family?

When Matt Bliss made good choices to support his country as well as his family he never imagined the impact it would have on any of them.  Joining the Army National Guard provided extra income, which everyone saw as a plus until the reality of war came knocking and Matt was called up to serve because they desperately needed boots on the ground, even those filled by an Engineer.

His wife is unsure how to cope without him and his daughter’s especially seventh grader Alice cannot deal with their father being away.  Alice and her father have always been close and having him not there to discuss the garden layout or work on a project is breaking her heart.  He wants to share his life with her but Matt knows he has to keep in mind he may not be there to do that and Alice try as she might does not want to hear any of this.

Matt ships off and those left at home take on new roles and personalities especially Alice who quickly has to become an adult and take over running the house to help her mother out even though she is still just a child trying to figure out how to deal with middle school.  Alice has great friends who stick with her and she maneuvers the landmine that is her new life but nothing will ever be the same regardless of the outcome.

What Matt wanted most was letters from home “something to carry with him close to his heart” and Matt wanted to leave letters to his family so he filled journals with letters and notes to his daughters so at every critical point in their life they have his wisdom to take with them.

This is not Matt or Alice’s story alone it is the real life of every soldier who leaves their family knowing they may never come back.  It is truly the most difficult book I have ever read and it is a great story that we should all understand.  I had a hard time reviewing it because it breaks my heart writing words that can never give you the complete emotion impact of how real this story is to some family right now.  But you should read this book and you should remind yourself that if you are not doing something to support the men and women who are defending the rights we are so fond of, then maybe it is time you did.