A Captivating Book That’s Hard To Put Down
Publisher’s Description
A young widow embraces a second chance at life when she reconnects with those who understand the sacrifices made by American soldiers and their families in award-winning author Laura Trentham’s The Military Wife.
Harper Lee Wilcox has been marking time in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina since her husband, Noah Wilcox’s death, nearly five years earlier. With her son Ben turning five and living at home with her mother, Harper fights a growing restlessness, worried that moving on means leaving the memory of her husband behind.
Her best friend, Allison Teague, is dealing with struggles of her own. Her husband, a former SEAL that served with Noah, was injured while deployed and has come home physically healed but fighting PTSD. With three children underfoot and unable to help her husband, Allison is at her wit’s end.
In an effort to reenergize her own life, Harper sees an opportunity to help not only Allison but a network of other military wives. Women who are eager to support Allison’s idea of starting a string of coffee houses close to military bases around the country.
In her pursuit of her dream, Harper crosses paths with Bennett Caldwell, Noah’s best friend and SEAL brother. A man who has a promise to keep, entangling their lives in ways neither of them can foresee. As her business grows so does an unexpected relationship with Bennett. Can Harper let go of her grief and build a future with Bennett even as the man they both loved haunts their pasts?
- Title: The Military Wife
- Series: Heart Of A Hero (Book 1)
- Author: Laura Trentham
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (February 2019)
- Genre: Romance, War, Domestic Fiction, Women’s Fiction
- Paperback: 352 Pages
My Thoughts
Harper Wilcox is a young woman who ignores her own career to follow her new husband, Noah, a Navy SEAL, to a military base. She finds herself missing not only her husband when he is away but also something to keep her occupied.
When she discovers she is pregnant both Harper and Noah are thrilled. Unfortunately, before she has the baby she finds herself a widow.
Five years later we find Harper and her son, Ben, living near the base with her mother. She is afraid of moving too far away for fear of leaving the memory of her husband behind.
When Harper realizes that her best friend, Allison, is struggling with problems she returns to the base to see if she can help. Allison’s husband, a former SEAL who served with Noah is struggling with PTSD, which of course is affecting the whole family.
As Harper strives to help Allison, she has an idea that might also help other military wives: opening a coffee house. After all, she was awarded quite a bit of money when Noah died. This might be exactly what she needs as well as some of the other wives who are looking for a deeper purpose in life.
But when she discovers that the money given to her was not from an award but in reality from a Navy Seal who served with Noah, she’s determined to give it back. In the process, she wants to also find out more information about Noah’s death.
The book alternates between past and present, but it doesn’t disrupt the story or distract in any way.
What Concerned Me
Nothing at all!
What I Liked Most
This is far more than a romance with no depth. It is a well-written book that deals with concerns of military wives, the camaraderie of those serving as well as their wives, the aftermath of combat, and much more. The characters are developed and very believable.
As I began reading this book, the story caught my interest almost immediately. To me, that’s an important sign of a good book. (I’m not one to keep reading if nothing is causing me to turn pages.)
This is my first book by Laura Trentham, but not the last. I highly recommend it! I will for sure be following this series.
About The Author
LAURA TRENTHAM is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. Then He Kissed Me, a Cottonbloom novel, was named as one of Amazon’s best romances of 2016. She is a member of RWA, and has been a finalist multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.
