The Returning Hero

Soldiers' Homecoming #1

by Soraya M. Lane

You can't help who you fall for…

Six months after her husband's death, Jamie knows she has to start living again. And when fellow soldier Brett Palmer turns up, Jamie knows it's fate. Brett is the only other person who can make her feel alive again.

Brett swore he would protect Jamie, but being so close to her is driving him insane. So Brett does everything he can to fight their connection. Until the words slip out—he's always loved her. With a second chance staring them both in the face, there is no going back….

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Romance, Harlequin

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 7, 2013

About the author

Soraya M. Lane is the Amazon Charts & Kindle #1 bestselling author of THE SECRET MIDWIFE and THE ITALIAN DAUGHTER.

Soraya is thrilled to be publishing four new novels in 2025. Soraya has two new historical WWII novels, THE PIANIST'S WIFE and THE SECRET LIBRARIAN, and they're both available now. Soraya has also published two more books in her Lost Daughters series. Book #6, THE SPANISH DAUGHTER, was published in March and book #7, THE HIDDEN DAUGHTER, was published in October.

As a child, Soraya dreamed of becoming an author. Fast forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! Soraya describes being an author as "the best career in the world", and she hopes to be writing romance and women's fiction for many years to come.

Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real life hero and two sons on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.

Add Soraya's latest novel, THE HIDDEN DAUGHTER, to your Goodreads shelf today!

For more information about Soraya, her books and her writing life, visit sorayalane.com or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on Instagram @SorayaLaneAuthor. She would love to hear from you.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six months ago Jamie’s husband, Sam, was killed in an IED explosion. Sam’s best friend and fellow soldier, Brett, survived the explosion and is now back home in Sydney, Australia, to visit Sam’s widow. Brett promised Sam he would look out for Jamie if anything happened to Sam. Brett has always been in love with Jamie but kept those feelings to himself, but now being back with Jamie his feelings are coming to the surface. Jamie asks Brett to stay for awhile since she could use his help with her late husband’s military dog, Bear, of which she is now the owner. Brett agrees to stay on and the two become closer but feel guilty over their feelings for one another.

This was an emotional story about two people who are trying to heal and to move on after loss. Jamie and Brett were both genuinely caring and sympathetic characters and there was definitely chemistry between them. The story centered on Jamie and Brett exploring their feelings for one another and the guilt they were feeling because of it. Brett felt as though he was trying to replace Sam. Jamie felt like she was betraying Sam. Since this was basically the focus of the book, it got a bit repetitive for me after awhile--the going back and forth about what they should or shouldn’t do, or what they should or shouldn’t be feeling. I kind of wished that there was a bit more going on in the story. Still, it was a nice enough read, and I loved the dog, Bear.

[Debbie DiFiore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Widow moving on

This was a good story, not great but good. About a woman who lost her soldier husband and is falling in love with his best friend. It had only been six months so another friend didn't like it at all. She totally pursued the hero. She wanted him. The hero had always loved her too but never betrayed his friend. There is an ex military dog in the story named Bear son of course I had to like it. You could tell they loved each other but I didn't feel any passion between them. I understand Logan's reaction too because it was kind of fast but the heart wants what it wants. Very nice story as I said But it didn't wow me. Just a quiet kind of love. And a dog.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an incredibly emotional book. Jamie's husband Sam was killed in Afghanistan six months earlier. She is slowly recovering from her loss with the help of her husband's military working dog. When her husband's best friend turns up to check on her Jamie is glad to see him. She, Sam, Brett and their other friend Logan have all been friends for a long time. Brett had promised Sam that he would watch out for Jamie but he hadn't realized how hard it would be.

Brett had met Jamie first but he had a girlfriend at the time. By the time he was free and saw her again, Jamie was in love with his best friend Sam. So Brett kept his feelings locked down and stayed in the friendship zone. Now Sam is gone, Jamie is free and Brett's survivor guilt is killing him. He tries really hard to fight the feelings but eventually it all comes out.

Jamie desperately misses Sam but she knows she has to move forward. Brett's arrival is like a ray of light in the darkness surrounding her. His friendship has always been special to her, but now there seems to be a new intensity to it. Without Sam there to provide a buffer the connection she felt to Brett the first time they met is back and stronger than ever. Jamie knows that Sam would want her to be happy, but she doesn't know if she can convince Brett of that.

Soraya Lane does an incredible job of showing the depth of the emotions and trauma that the characters go through. Jamie's happiness at having someone she can talk to about Sam is clear, as is her initial dismay at the attraction she feels for Brett. She feels disloyal to Sam until she realizes that he wouldn't want her to stop living. She is surprised to find out that Brett has loved her for all these years. She is nervous about pursuing her growing feelings because she doesn't want to ruin their friendship. I loved Jamie's sensitivity to Brett's fears, and also her strength in not letting him hide them from her. Her actions in regards to his scars showed just how deep her feelings for him really were.

I loved the realism of Brett's feelings. He doesn't hide his grief over the loss of his best friend and his own working dog from Jamie. His inner turmoil over his long standing feelings for her make his mission even harder. He fights to keep those feelings secret from her until he just can't do it any longer. He also makes sure that she knows he would never have done anything to come between her and Sam. I loved the way that he kept trying to slow things down between them. His sense of honor also kept him from hiding their relationship from their friend Logan even though he knew what Logan's reaction would be. I loved seeing the way that everything worked out for them. The importance of the bond between the dog and its handler was also shown very well. I really enjoyed seeing what an essential part of the story Bear was. I especially loved the river scene at the end. I'm really looking forward to Logan's story.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Setting: Australia
Quick skim. Done.

[Denali · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Cute fluffy read. Good book for if you are craving a happy ending.

[Roz ~ My Written Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my other reviews at My Written Romance.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Returning Hero is a lovely, sweet romance about second chances and not knowing where those chances will come from.

I really enjoyed Jamie and Brett as a couple. Their connection seems so very natural, and I almost instantly had a feeling that they were going to be well-matched and not just in the bedroom. If you are looking for raunch, you won't likely find it here. The Returning Hero is much more to the behind-closed-doors side of the sexytime fence, which is something that I enjoy from the Harlequin Romance line. The way in which Soraya Lane has written the intimate moments in The Returning Hero leaves you in no doubt as to what has happened and doesn't make you feel as if the door was slammed in your face.

There aren't a lot of characters on the periphery of the story, however I think the story and the romance are strong enough to move along without all that. I am very much looking forward to Logan's story (which I believe is out in April), and I just loved Jamie's protector, Bear.

I won't get spoilerish, but I will say this: Soraya, good job on the cooking as grovelling. I don't get cooked for very often, so that would totally work on me. Tall Man, take note...

As much as I love Soraya Lane and her voice, there was a little something about this story that probably stopped it from getting a higher rating from me. I was a little taken aback by the fact that the romance between Jamie and Brett was taking place only six months after her husband's death. This may just be me who feels like this, but it felt a little too early on in the process to be diving into another relationship.

Then again, the heart wants what it wants, so who am I to judge?

[Monica Cardoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A second chance at love but it could also mean a torn relationship…..

This is my first read by Ms Lane and I have to say that I enjoyed her writing. It was just easy to follow and it was a read that I could enjoy and not do too much thinking. This was a very emotional read because like Jamie I also lost my husband and I know how she felt. It is so lonely to be alone but in her situation she had two of his friends that vowed to take care of her but one of those had a past with her. Even though they never went out the moment that he saw her he fell in love but he was already with someone else. Now his best friend is gone and those feelings are hitting hard.

Jamie lost her husband in Afghanistan but she was at least able to have his partner his dog with her, Bear. She hadn’t seen her husband’s two best friends since everything happened but one day Brett showed up at her home and the flirting started. Since the moment that she was with her husband Sam it seemed that her and Brett had this chemistry and they flirted but in a friendly kind of way. There was no way that she or Brett would ever do anything about it but now things are different. There is only one problem Logan had already warned Brett to stay away from Jamie because she was their best friends wife. They were to take care of her and that was it. Jamie misses Sam but she knows that it’s time to move on and she did something that made me cry so much and that was when she wrote her husband a letter knowing that he would never read it. It was time to move with her life now she just needed to make sure that Brett would not walk out on her when and if they moved forward with the feelings they have.

The Returning Hero was an exceptional read that had my emotions everywhere. Ms. Lane’s writing is so vivid the dialogue of the characters was perfect. I am really looking forward to reading Logan’s story.

Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an Honest Review

[Rjsmommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

War results in loss; loss of a husband, a best friend, even a dog’s master. Overcoming these losses is a challenge for those left behind as Jamie, Brett, and Bear must endure. Thankfully, they have each other to lean on, remember with, and eventually find love again.
Sam is gone; killed by an IED in Afghanistan leaving behind his wife Jamie, best friend and teammate, Brett and his working dog, Bear. Brett promised to look after Jamie if anything went wrong and he strives to keep his promise but there’s a complication. Brett and Jamie fall in love; will their grief and survivor’s guilt keep them apart? I loved this relationship; the struggle between their growing attraction versus the” betrayal” of a loved one. Both Brett and Jamie loved Sam and wanted to honor his memory but the heart wants what the heart wants and perhaps Sam wanted them together too. Tension grows even higher when fellow teammate Logan appears on the scene and calls Brett out for making a move on Jamie. In the end, Brett and Jamie realize that life goes on and Sam would want them to be happy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received my ARC from Netgalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this title. I enjoyed both characters in The Returning Hero, but I felt that things moved too quickly between them. Brett and Jamie's husband were best friends and soldiers. Six months after her husband is killed in action, Brett shows up at Jamie's house. He has been recovering mentally and physically from the IED that killed his friend and his military working dog. Jamie has adopted her husband's dog who managed to survive the blast, but she has no idea how to be a dog owner, so Brett agrees to help her. As he helps her, things very quickly heat up between them, but Brett feels guilty about being with her.

As I said, I liked the characters; but, I feel that it should have taken more time for the romance to develop between them. I also thought that it would have taken them at least a little longer to get over the guilt they felt.

[Mandy Saial · Rating 5 out of 5]

I decided to read The Returning Hero by Soraya Lane ,because i had been reading to many Dark romance titles and loved them ,but sort of needed a breath of fresh air.I found that in this beautifully Heartwarming Comtemp romance from Harlequin.
Jamie loses her husband Sam in the war ,Although Their best friends along with her husbands dog come home with injuries.She is apprehensive about the dog and is glad she has Brett to help her learn how to get along with Bear.
That's when old , sparks begin to fly between Jamie and Brett.
Are the feelings they are both having for one another wrong ??
It's a very sweet , emotional romance with action sequiences in flashbacks scene in Bretts mind from the war.
The charactors are warm and enjoyable.
I loved the use of bear, Sam's dog whom ultimatly brought these two back together.
This romance is a quick read at only 251 pages,but the heartwarming , romantic storyline keeps you intrigued and drawn to the pages from the start of hte book.

[Hsiau Wei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about second chance in finding love. Jamie’s husband, Sam, was killed in Afghanistan six months earlier. She finally found the solace in the form of her husband’s military dog. Brett found him at her doorstep to check on her. Sam Brett and their other friend Logan are BFF and Brett have promised Sam that he would watch out for her should anything happened to her. However, things changed from an innocent visit into something that both of them are prepared to accept. I like both the characters in this book. I love Brett for his bravery to show his feeling to the world. He doesn’t hide his grief over Sam. I also like his loyalty to Sam especially when he retracts his feeling for Jamie when he knew that the relationship between Jamie and Sam has started. Overall, it is a sweet and easy read to me.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little story. Hero is one of the best friends of the heroine's late husband, both serving in the Australian military as handlers for bomb sniffing dogs. Obviously, the heroine is the widow. He's finally got out of the hospital for burns suffered when the husband and the hero's dog were killed and come to visit the heroine. She's trying to take care of her late hubby's dog, who was also injured, and the hero helps her. And the attraction between them flares. It's a nice story and pretty well motivated, but in my not-so-humble opinion, there is WAY too much wallowing in guilt. Yes, she was married to the hero's best friend, but do you have to keep beating that horse so long after it's dead? That bit went on way too long, I think. Still, it was a decent story and I liked it mostly.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about second chances. I thought it was sweet and hopeful. It was short and easy to read. It was easy to get myself lost in this book for a moment and forget the real world. If you are looking for a short and sweet escape then look no further. I thought that the characters were interesting and that this book was well written. This book was very predictable but still enjoyable. My only problem with the book was that things were a bit rushed. She was with her husband for six years and was able to fall for Brett six months later. It was a little too quick to be realistic, but then again its a book and it doesnt have to be. Overall I really enjoyed this book. 4 of 5 stars!

[SuperWendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this, and it ended up being an "OK" read for me. Most of my problems stem from the fact that I never felt like the hero and heroine were a couple "on their own." They share the heroine's dead husband in common (he was the hero's BFF) and he casts a long shadow. That's to be expected, but here it almost felt like these two are hooking up because of him - like them being together is somehow keeping the memory of him alive - and it just.....didn't really work for me. I never felt like the new relationship was standing on its own.

[Myra Wardhana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a bit slow at the beginning, but as I continue on, cannot stop and just love it. Cannot wait for the next one.

[Harlequin Books]

"Lane's story of fate and reconnecting souls really tugs at the heartstrings". (RT Book Reviews)

[Kobie · Rating 5 out of 5]

quick read. very well written. loved H and h.