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Soldier's Wives #2
Soldiers' Daughters
The story of two girls who, on the surface, seem to have a lot in common... Both motherless. Both sent to the same boarding school for 'army brats'. Both, later, commissioned into the army themselves. Both desperate for their fathers' love and approval. Samantha Lewis puts everything into being the soldier her father wants her to be. But her heart will lead her in an unexpected direction and threaten her authority over the men under her command. Michelle Flowers also craves her father's attention, but her impulsiveness will drive her into an obsession with the husband of another woman – with disastrous consequences.
- GenresContemporary
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 29, 2015
I hadn't read the previous Soldiers' Wives and it seems likely that there are common characters. In this book the daughters of two officers go to Sandhurst, only one of them is a little unstable. Sam, short for Samantha, is an only child and motherless girl who wants to win her dad's love. While Michelle has been wild since school days and sees the army as another kind of acting out against the norm.
The story mainly follows officers and their wives, including Maddy who has a baby and is pregnant again, coping with moves between barrack towns and a husband who is absent suspiciously often to coach a rowing team. There's a nice dolly bird who is not an officer and seems to have joined because the army has lots of fit men and needs typists.
Some of the characters are sent to an exercise in Kenya in the latter part of the book but it's seldom we see anything so exciting as a shot getting fired, let alone mention of combat service. The army, including the REME which is the focus, seems just a job and a way of life. People get all excited and curious because one of the other ranks actually passed some junior school exams. Implying that most soldiers are thick, it seems.
Maybe I've read too many SAS memoirs but the contrast couldn't be greater. If you don't know the jargon - what a colour sergeant is, for example - you often won't be told. There's no suggestion of combat. It's just a day job with a lot of fitness training and saluting. Nobody's life depends on anyone doing their job properly, except out on exercise when the soldiers come across as woefully unprepared and uneducated about survival or co-ordination. The women are all far too preoccupied with makeup and men. I'm not saying this isn't accurate; I'm just wondering what they add to a combat unit. There's the barest hint that gay men are accepted now, but at the same time they are not out and proud so they would probably still get a tough time. Read Soldiers' Daughters for what's probably a good look inside the life in a barracks town. You might like to compare it with 'The General' by Patrick Coogan about a female officer whose ambition it is to make general.
The story mainly follows officers and their wives, including Maddy who has a baby and is pregnant again, coping with moves between barrack towns and a husband who is absent suspiciously often to coach a rowing team. There's a nice dolly bird who is not an officer and seems to have joined because the army has lots of fit men and needs typists.
Some of the characters are sent to an exercise in Kenya in the latter part of the book but it's seldom we see anything so exciting as a shot getting fired, let alone mention of combat service. The army, including the REME which is the focus, seems just a job and a way of life. People get all excited and curious because one of the other ranks actually passed some junior school exams. Implying that most soldiers are thick, it seems.
Maybe I've read too many SAS memoirs but the contrast couldn't be greater. If you don't know the jargon - what a colour sergeant is, for example - you often won't be told. There's no suggestion of combat. It's just a day job with a lot of fitness training and saluting. Nobody's life depends on anyone doing their job properly, except out on exercise when the soldiers come across as woefully unprepared and uneducated about survival or co-ordination. The women are all far too preoccupied with makeup and men. I'm not saying this isn't accurate; I'm just wondering what they add to a combat unit. There's the barest hint that gay men are accepted now, but at the same time they are not out and proud so they would probably still get a tough time. Read Soldiers' Daughters for what's probably a good look inside the life in a barracks town. You might like to compare it with 'The General' by Patrick Coogan about a female officer whose ambition it is to make general.
June 5, 2015
http://chicklitpad.blogspot.com
MY SYNOPSIS
Imagine This: You are training to be an officer in the army. It sucks. The training is hard, but of course you are doing this to please your dad. Maybe one day, he’d acknowledge your efforts and give back the love he’d starved you off since you were a child.
But anyway, you’ve gotten yourself into the army. A woman. A woman officer in a station where there are only a handful of women. You wished these men you are lording over would respect you, would not be darting weird glances your way across the room or scowling at you——as one dark, sexy, mysterious guy is always doing.
Besides getting your men to respect you, you are looking out for your friend. Your friend who’s always been trouble since boarding school all through the army. Your friend who’s after a married army officer she’s obsessed with. Your friend who’s after this man’s wife to get her away from him.
Certainly no more drama could unfold in the army? But there’s also the fear of being attacked by terrorists, the fear of being attacked by animals, and the fear of losing your heart to someone who hates you so.
Samantha Lewis’ complicated and dangerous life in the army summarised for your delight.
MY REVIEW
I liked this book. A lot.
First of all, I think I’d keep admiring all the storylines of Fiona Field in her Army series. Because who really knows that much drama goes on in the army? Especially where the wives (or daughters) are concerned. I mean, you know people shoot, you know about guns and bullets and missing limbs. But they kinda don’t show on TV the stuff you get in this book. Because the author has spent time in the army herself, you find yourself wondering if this is fiction or not. Brilliant storyline.── ★
The main characters! Samantha Lewis and Michelle Flowers. I mean, why wouldn’t Samantha be my favourite because her life is more exciting battling dangerous animals, terrorists in the bushes of Kenya, and the teeny-weenie fact that she’s less annoying. I couldn’t stand Michelle! I mean, pursuing someone else’s husband and being totally delusional? But of course, you cannot deny that Fiona Field makes excellent characterization if she makes you actually hate a character you are supposed to hate. A star.── ★★
Other characters were thrilling to read about. There’s Jenna, whose story I was very much interested in after the cheating stunt she pulled in the first instalment of this series. There’s also Maddy Fanshaw, the Army wife battling with raising two kids under two. There’s also Seb, the sex-starved soldier who cannot keep his cock in his khaki. There’s Blake, the dark, scowling, mysterious soldier under Sam. Oh, there’s my super girly fave Immi, who brings some real female energy into this book. There’s Jack Raven, the hunky BBC reporter. Brilliant characters.── ★★★
If you’ve stayed glued to Fiona Field’s army series, you would know there’s a lot of Army drama in the first half, then the second there’s some non-stopping Army action.
Great suspense! And the chuckling moments were a lot.── ★★★★★
My only not so nice critique about this book was its beginning. The first thirty-pages (I noted) when the girls were training in Army school. It felt too YA for me. But after that school part was all over, you get to see Fiona Field in her usual delightfully entertaining element.
I recommend it to anyone who has a relation in the army or not. Anyone who wants something action-and -drama-packed this summer should read this. Anyone who wants a life into what it feels like to be a Soldiers’ Daughter should get this too. And if you just want to put something entertaining on your reading list, well, this a great choice.
MY SYNOPSIS
Imagine This: You are training to be an officer in the army. It sucks. The training is hard, but of course you are doing this to please your dad. Maybe one day, he’d acknowledge your efforts and give back the love he’d starved you off since you were a child.
But anyway, you’ve gotten yourself into the army. A woman. A woman officer in a station where there are only a handful of women. You wished these men you are lording over would respect you, would not be darting weird glances your way across the room or scowling at you——as one dark, sexy, mysterious guy is always doing.
Besides getting your men to respect you, you are looking out for your friend. Your friend who’s always been trouble since boarding school all through the army. Your friend who’s after a married army officer she’s obsessed with. Your friend who’s after this man’s wife to get her away from him.
Certainly no more drama could unfold in the army? But there’s also the fear of being attacked by terrorists, the fear of being attacked by animals, and the fear of losing your heart to someone who hates you so.
Samantha Lewis’ complicated and dangerous life in the army summarised for your delight.
MY REVIEW
I liked this book. A lot.
First of all, I think I’d keep admiring all the storylines of Fiona Field in her Army series. Because who really knows that much drama goes on in the army? Especially where the wives (or daughters) are concerned. I mean, you know people shoot, you know about guns and bullets and missing limbs. But they kinda don’t show on TV the stuff you get in this book. Because the author has spent time in the army herself, you find yourself wondering if this is fiction or not. Brilliant storyline.── ★
The main characters! Samantha Lewis and Michelle Flowers. I mean, why wouldn’t Samantha be my favourite because her life is more exciting battling dangerous animals, terrorists in the bushes of Kenya, and the teeny-weenie fact that she’s less annoying. I couldn’t stand Michelle! I mean, pursuing someone else’s husband and being totally delusional? But of course, you cannot deny that Fiona Field makes excellent characterization if she makes you actually hate a character you are supposed to hate. A star.── ★★
Other characters were thrilling to read about. There’s Jenna, whose story I was very much interested in after the cheating stunt she pulled in the first instalment of this series. There’s also Maddy Fanshaw, the Army wife battling with raising two kids under two. There’s also Seb, the sex-starved soldier who cannot keep his cock in his khaki. There’s Blake, the dark, scowling, mysterious soldier under Sam. Oh, there’s my super girly fave Immi, who brings some real female energy into this book. There’s Jack Raven, the hunky BBC reporter. Brilliant characters.── ★★★
If you’ve stayed glued to Fiona Field’s army series, you would know there’s a lot of Army drama in the first half, then the second there’s some non-stopping Army action.
Great suspense! And the chuckling moments were a lot.── ★★★★★
My only not so nice critique about this book was its beginning. The first thirty-pages (I noted) when the girls were training in Army school. It felt too YA for me. But after that school part was all over, you get to see Fiona Field in her usual delightfully entertaining element.
I recommend it to anyone who has a relation in the army or not. Anyone who wants something action-and -drama-packed this summer should read this. Anyone who wants a life into what it feels like to be a Soldiers’ Daughter should get this too. And if you just want to put something entertaining on your reading list, well, this a great choice.
February 8, 2023
I had this down as chick lit with all its negative connotations but I actually enjoyed it. Parts were ridiculous and predictable but I found myself gunning for a happy ending and there was enough detail to stop it being too shallow.
October 3, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It seemed to be a slower read than soldiers wives but was still good.
September 22, 2021
I haven’t read soldier’s wives yet but this one is pretty amazing read so far! I’m quite surprised at how much i enjoyed reading this. There were many moments where it gets me bored because not familiar with military stuffs, gets me annoyed because of the character, almost hate the character but then I’m glad they finally snapped out of it.
Its a good read. Slow paced, a slight touch of romance between the characters, wish the author could give more of father-daughter moments in here. I realised it only get introduced in the beginning and i get to see them again at the ending.
But anyway so far, i enjoyed reading this! All praise to you, Fiona Field!
Its a good read. Slow paced, a slight touch of romance between the characters, wish the author could give more of father-daughter moments in here. I realised it only get introduced in the beginning and i get to see them again at the ending.
But anyway so far, i enjoyed reading this! All praise to you, Fiona Field!
August 11, 2017
A really good summer read. I enjoyed the story, found the characters relatively believable and the plot worked ok. It was a nice way to while away holiday time. If you enjoy a light, romantic story with a feel good ending, then this is the one to read.
June 19, 2018
Rather disappointing. Best bit was when they were out of the base, which was not a big part of the story!
January 30, 2019
Fantastic captivating read
A great follow on book which I couldn’t put down! I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope there is a third.
A great follow on book which I couldn’t put down! I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope there is a third.
May 9, 2021
It was a good storyline but unfortunately it wasn't what I expected at all. And it took me over a month to finish it because I found the story took a really long time to get to a good part.
June 2, 2015
I'm a fan of women in the military books but I was a little disappointed with this one. Michelle and Samantha were both too worried about their father's opinions and let that worry direct their lives. The book dealt well with their training and military life but it was their personal life that left something to be desired. This is a follow up story to her first book Soldier's Wives and maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it that book first.
May 25, 2015
The sequel to Soldiers' Wives, this book gives us the army from the perspective of female officers. Fiona Field's style always attracts me and I rarely know exactly what's coming in her work. As the daughter of two soldiers myself, I find her environment familiar and interesting.
Some sequels disappoint but, if anything, I enjoyed this more than Soldiers' Wives.
Some sequels disappoint but, if anything, I enjoyed this more than Soldiers' Wives.
June 29, 2016
Really pleasant story easy to read!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews