In remberance of those who lost thier lives defending our nations, let us also remember those they left behind. 

 

Here is a list of wonderful Romances featuring Widows and Widowers of our recents wars. 

 

1.  After the War by Jessica Scott

 

Captain Sarah Anders lost her husband to the Iraq war and has nearly lost the career she loves. Sent to Fort Hood, she only wants to do her job and take care of the daughter she’s raising on her own. She never counted on running straight into a memory she’d tried to forget. A love he never forgot... Captain Sean Nichols never got over Sarah. He simply tried to forget her amidst the war and the chaos of combat. But when she’s assigned to investigate his unit, he comes face to face with the woman no war or any amount of time could make him forget. A dark secret… As Sarah gets closer to the truth, Sean must accept that actions he took during the war may end the tentative love building between them. And even if Sarah can forgive him, Sean may never be able to forgive himself.

 

2. Somebody Like You by Beth K. Vogt

 

Haley’s three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he’s killed in Afghanistan. Her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening—and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her Sam was killed? 

Too late to make things right with his estranged twin brother, Stephen discovers Sam never told Haley about him. As Haley and Stephen navigate their fragile relation­ship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. How can they honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together—and whose ghost could drive them apart? 

 

3. Secondhand Heart by Kristen Strassel

 

Daisy Mangold thought she had her life figured out until a roadside bomb in Afghanistan changed everything. Now a twenty-one-year-old military widow, Daisy moves back home to start over. 

Cam Hunter won the reality show The Spotlight, and thought he was on his way to becoming the next big country star. But when whispers of how he won begin to surface, Nashville is less than welcoming. After he loses his record deal, Cam heads back home to open a country bar. 

When Daisy meets Cam, she isn’t sure she’s ready to let go of the ghosts from her past. Cam’s ex-wife isn’t ready to move on either, and the tragedy she causes will expose Cam’s secrets and shatter Daisy’s family. 

Will Daisy be able to follow her heart into a future with Cam, or will her grief keep her trapped in a past that no longer exists?

 

4. A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

 

Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she wants to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him.

 

Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport four years ago, then disappeared once their unit arrived stateside. Since then, Marcie's letters to Ian have gone unanswered.

 

Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. As Marcie pushes her way into his reclusive life, she discovers a sweet soul beneath a rough exterior.

 

Ian doesn't know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into his painful past and the uncertain future. But it is a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it's time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

 

5. A Love to Call Her Own by Marilyn Pappano

 

It's been two years since Jessy Lawrence lost her husband in Afghanistan, and she's never fully recovered. Drowning her sorrows didn't help, and neither did the job she'd hoped would give her a sense of purpose. Now trying to rebuild her life, she finds solace in her best friends, fellow military wives who understand what it's like to love-and lose-a man in uniform . . . and the memory of one stolen night that makes her dream of a second chance at love. 

Dalton Smith has known more than his fair share of grief. Since his wife's death, he revels in the solitude of his cattle ranch. But try as he might, he can't stop thinking about the stunning redhead and the reckless, passionate night they shared. He wasn't ready before, but Dalton sees now that Jessy is the only woman who can mend his broken heart. So how will he convince her to take a chance on him?

 

6. Honorable Rancher by Barbara White Daille

 

The hero of Flagman's Folly has been gone more than a year. But he still stands between Ben Sawyer and what he desires most—Dana Wright, the love of Ben's life.

When soldier Paul Wright left for the last time, he made his best friend promise to look after his wife and kids. Ben—good, steady Ben—is honoring that promise. And it's burning him up inside.

Because Dana is shutting Ben out. She wants him—so much—but she can't afford to give in. If she does, she'll spill her secret, and the betrayal will hurt everyone she cares about—her children, who loved their daddy; her town, which loves its hero; and Ben, who loved his friend. She'll do anything to protect her secret—even give up her second chance at happiness

 

7. I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force

 

Almost seven years after losing her husband in Iraq, Hannah Abbott Guthrie isn’t sure she’s ready—or able—to move on, but the attentions of a lifelong friend are making her think about it for the first time. The memory of the sweet kiss she shared with Nolan Roberts hasn’t strayed far from her thoughts, but she also fears that pursuing something with him would mean betraying her husband’s memory.


Nolan has loved Hannah for years, but he’d been giving her the space she needed to heal from her devastating loss. Now, when an opportunity arises to show her how he feels, Nolan can’t resist, but he knows earning her love will take more than a kiss. Somehow he has to prove to Hannah that finding love twice in a lifetime is possible—and well worth risking her heart.

 

8. The True Love Quilting Club by Lori Wilde

 

Emma Parks is almost ready to give up her search for stardom when she's offered the lead role in a small theater production in Twilight, Texas. Twilight is the place where she had her first kiss -- with Sam Creek. Sam is now a veterinarian and the single father of a 6-year-old boy who has not spoken since his mother was killed in Iraq. 

When Sam and Emma meet again, the attraction they felt as 14-year-olds easily morphs into adult desire. They soon realize that they can't deny their feelings, but Sam can't see ever leaving Twilight and would never allow Emma to give up her dreams for him. 

 

9. Harbor Lights by Sherryl Woods

 

Struggling in his role as a newly single father, former army medic Kevin O'Brien moves home to Chesapeake Shores. He wants a haven for himself and his toddler son, surrounded by the family he knows he can count on, and a future that's nothing like his past. But Kevin is suddenly facing a risk he hadn't anticipated, in the form of Main Street bookseller Shanna Carlyle. 

 

Shanna immediately recognizes Kevin as a wounded soul—she's had way too much experience with the type. Still, this charming O'Brien man and his son are almost impossible to resist.

 

Then, just when the barriers are toppling, someone from Shanna's past appears. Confronted with a threat to their hard-won serenity, Kevin and Shanna face their toughest challenge—learning to trust again.

 

10. Hometown Girl by Mariah Stewart

 

Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.

For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again?

 

 

Do you have a recommendation? I would love to hear!

 

Vote for the best of the best on my Goodreads list: Memorial: Widows and Widowers of War.

Couldn't finish. Did not enjoy.

Book – Somebody Like You

Author – Beth K. Vogt

Publication Date – May 13, 2014

Type – Stand Alone

Genre – Christian Romance

Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars

 

Complimentary Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Synopsis

Haley’s three-year marriage to Sam, an army medic, ends tragically when he’s killed in Afghanistan. Her attempts to create a new life for herself are ambushed when she arrives home one evening and finds her husband waiting for her. Did the military make an unimaginable mistake when they told her Sam was killed? 

Too late to make things right with his estranged twin brother, Stephen discovers Sam never told Haley about him. As Haley and Stephen navigate their fragile relationship, they are inexorably drawn to each other. How can they honor the memory of a man whose death brought them together and whose ghost could drive them apart? 

Somebody Like You is a beautifully rendered, affecting novel, reminding us that while we can’t change the past, we have the choice to change the future and start anew.

 

Review

When I first requested this book from Net Galley, I had no idea it was a Christian Romance until I started reading a few pages and realized that between “God and prayer” being mentioned…I was stuck reading this.  I didn’t give up though…I trudged on and how surprised I was when I got so engrossed in the book that I couldn’t put it down.

 

 

I wanted to know what was going to happen next but yes, I did some eye rolling with the mention of faith and religion.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a believer but I don’t do the preaching and pushing faith in a person’s face.  This book wasn’t like that but maybe 2 instances where I didn’t feel a bit overwhelmed with the mentions of faith.  But as a wise woman once told me ‘Chew the meat and spit out the bone’, I followed her advice and read the story for what it was – a romance with a fantastic storyline.

 

My emotions were drug through the ringer with this little story between the heartbreak of Haley and losing Sam – then Stephen’s guilt and sadness over never making amends with his mirror twin.

 

 

I can’t give too much of the story away – just remember this is about a woman who loses her husband in Afghanistan – and never gets to tell him that she is pregnant with their child.  It’s also about a man who finds out his twin brother is dead but left behind a pregnant wife who knows nothing about him.

 

He just wants to learn about his brother and figure out why they couldn’t forgive each other after 12 years of separation – he wants answers that Haley can’t give him.

 

A bond starts to form and ice melts, smiles appear and hearts mend.

Doctor Kendall Haynes is celebrating her thirty-sixth birthday with friends, and silently lamenting the fact that although she has the career she always dreamed of, she doesn't have the husband and family she expected. Her meal is interrupted by a teenager, Ian Walker, suffering from anaphylactic shock brought on by an avocado allergy.Griffin Walker has been saddled with the guardianship of his much younger brother and has been forced out of career as an Air Force pilot into a desk job because of a nasty case of vertigo. He is convinced that his failed marriage and personal history means that he isn't the best choice to look after Ian, who he barely knows and has trouble relating to. As a result, he knows nothing of Ian’s medical history, which annoys Kendall.It seems that everyone is engaged or married, including her much-younger sister, Beckah. Has God forgotten Kendall? So she is pleased to be invited out by the handsome Dr Heath Parker, who has just returned to Colorado Springs after several years as a medical missionary in Africa. But there is also a spark with the annoying Air Force officer…I liked the fact that the characters were older, in their thirties. And I especially liked the no-apologies about remaining pure outside marriage. Too many Christian romance novels feature girls barely out of their teens, which can be demoralising for older women. I know that some women choose career over family, but so do many men. And some don't have the choice. Many novels gloss over this, perhaps in an attempt to be 'real' or 'relevant'. But God's standards haven't changed, even if the expectations of society have.“Fairy tales . . . all they have is the made-up magic of fairy godmothers and elves. But you have faith in a real, powerful God. And nothing can stop the happily ever after he has planned for you.”Overall this was a really enjoyable light romance, perfect for reading outside in the sun. This is Beth K Vogt's second novel, and while the Evie subplot was a little clunky, overall it was very readable, and I enjoyed it more than Wish You Were Here (which I have also reviewed). Beth Vogt shared at the end that Evie and her story were the hardest part to write, and this showed, particularly when they were introduced out of the blue. However, by the end, the Evie subplot fitted in well to the whole. A welcome addition to my authors-to-read list.Thanks to Beth K Vogt and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

“Wish you were here” è un altro di quei libri che sono finiti per caso nelle cose da leggere, preso in un attimo di delirio quando effettivamente non mi rendevo conto di quello che mi succedeva. Si dovrei essere più accorta ma adoro andare a braccio, avventurarmi tra gli elenchi di libri e decidere di essere spericolata scegliendo a caso, come in questo caso. E incredibilmente non mi ha delusa.Allison sta per sposare Seth, il ragazzo con cui sta fin da quando aveva sedici anni e che non ha mai lasciato. Ma quando il fratello di Seth, David, la bacia a pochi giorni dal matrimonio le sue certezze crollano e non sa più cosa fare. Abbandona Seth sull’altare e scappa dalla zia per aiutarla ad allevare tre lama. Nella speranza di ritrovare se stessa e la persona che è Allison deve capire chi ama e con chi vuole stare e fare i conti con il suo passato. Il libro scritto in terza persona secondo i punti di vista dei tre protagonisti è una storia che procede molto lentamente, che non concede via di fughe, che devi seguire passo passo, perché inevitabilmente tutto ruota intorno ad Allison. I due fratelli Seth e David ne sono profondamente condizionati. Seth è lo sweetheart di Allison fin dal liceo e la ragazza non ha mai avuto altri ragazzi oltre lui. Seth è una di quelle persone che deve rimanere sempre in controllo della situazione, che deve essere al centro dell’attenzione, che deve piegare la volontà della sua ragazza alla sua. E se da ragazzina Allison era fragile, da adulta vuole scoprire da sola cosa fare e in puro stile Julia Roberts scappa dall’altare, dalla sua città per ritrovare se stessa e per scoprire cosa fare di se stessa. Allison in realtà mi è rimasta antipatica perché è una persona fragile, incapace di prendere una vera decisione e persa nei meandri delle possibilità. Per di più è una di quelle persone che scappano davanti ai problemi invece di affrontarli, che resta ancorata al passato anche quando lo interpreta male e che in qualche modo con la sua indecisione fa soffrire tutti. Certo è sempre meglio rendersi conto in tempo dei propri sbagli, ma dannazione, quando è troppo è troppo. Ho preferito molto di più Seth in tutta la sua arroganza e la sua presunzione che Allison, almeno lui sa quello che vuole ed è pronto a lottare per conquistarlo anche quando tutto va contro di lui e la ragazza che ama non esiste davvero. David dei tre è quello più indipendente. È uno spirito libero, che coglie ogni occasione per prendere lo zaino in spalla e partire per esplorare posti nuovi, fare sport estremi o mettersi in situazioni pericolose, per puro spirito di avventura. In ogni momento in cui lui è coinvolto capita un incidente e qualcuno finisce all’ospedale. Ma David è fedele, dolce, appassionato e comprensivo e conosce la vera Allison non una forma stilizzata che si erge tra cumuli di macerie e scelte imposte. David è una ventata di aria fresca che non si arrende e capace di far vedere la retta via alla ragazza.Voglio citare anche i lama, tenerissimi, capaci di strappare sempre un sorriso e fungono da parallelo per quello che succede tra i tre protagonisti, di cui sono in qualche modo le controfigure. Anche loro sono una coppia e poi si introduce un terzo elemento che va a distruggere gli equilibri della situazione e crea degli impicci.Il particolare da non dimenticare? Una collezione di cartoline.In uscita nella prima metà dell’anno, il libro non ha nulla di particolarmente innovativo, un triangolo troncato sul nascere, un protagonista maschile super handsome, una protagonista femminile un po’ ingenua e il classica storia che si dipana con equivoci e sospetti. Interessante ma non particolarmente sconvolgente. Buona lettura guys.Ringrazio Netgalley e Simon & Schuster per avermi concesso di leggere questo libro in anteprima in cambio della mia onesta opinione.Recensione anche sul mio blog:http://pleaseanotherbook.tumblr.com/post/31453922938/wish-you-were-here-by-beth-k-vogt