In Kristin Hannah’s powerful romantic drama, a military mom discovers how strong her marriage really is when it’s pushed to the brink of destruction. Strong-willed Jolene Larsen worked hard to rebuild her life after the deaths of her alcoholic parents, proudly enlisting in the army and marrying Michael, the man of her dreams. But 12 years later, Jolene’s called up for active duty in Iraq just as her marriage seems to be falling apart. Jolene’s predicament is heart-wrenching—her husband and daughters need her, but so does her country—but a devastating tragedy helps her discover how to put her splintered life back together. Hannah is sensitive and realistic in her depiction of a military family’s unique struggles, from the difficulties of deployment to the agony of PTSD. We laughed and cried right along with Jolene through all of her battles—both at home and abroad.
