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This is the Wonder

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Jax and I were oxygen. We were the blue of the sky. The cold of the ocean floor.

I went to Europe to study. To party, to hide, to run away from the endless sea of choices that would mold and shape the rest of my life. I wasn't ready for any of that. Not yet. I wasn't ready to have all the answers.

And I definitely wasn't ready for Jax.

Handsome, sweet, and sporting the biggest blue eyes I'd ever seen, he swooped into my world and changed everything. Suddenly I wasn't scared of making choices. I wasn't afraid of voicing answers. It was easy because where Jax was concerned, my answer was always "Yes".

But I've been quick to find out that loving a military man isn't easy, and while Jax seemed like the answer to everything, he has questions of his own.

Doubts about his future. Fears about his past.

Nook

First published January 1, 2014

124 people are currently reading
992 people want to read

About the author

Tracey Ward

41 books961 followers
I was born in Oregon and studied English Literature at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) My husband and my son are my world.

The best way to keep up on my newest releases, giveaways, and sales is to follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracey...

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5 stars
356 (40%)
4 stars
330 (37%)
3 stars
144 (16%)
2 stars
27 (3%)
1 star
14 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
Profile Image for |Stephanie|.
1,235 reviews42 followers
May 15, 2015
When you start a book and can't help but smile page after page, you know you've found a good one. I adored this book so much. It was sweet, funny & just made me happy. Books like this are so refreshing because they give you a break from reality in the best way possible. Wren & Jax started off as friends but you knew from the first day they met something special was between them. I'm not a fan of insta-love, so seeing their relationship progress slowly was perfect. I really enjoyed reading about all their adventures together. But even when real life came between them, instead of tearing them apart, it made what they had stronger. Wren was such a strong girl who I really admired. She put their relationship first no matter what. And Jax with his sweet smile & kind heart melted mine. I can't say enough about this book but to read it. If you're in the mood for light, heartfelt and real stories, then get this one. I really enjoy this Authors writing style and characters development. I hope a few from this story get their own books as well. I have a feeling they have some great stories to tell. 5 Stars!
Profile Image for Anne OK.
4,103 reviews553 followers
December 11, 2015
This is my first book by Tracey Ward. It was a totally enjoyable read about a swoon-worthy Air Force guy stationed in Germany that meets a sassy girl from the United States studying abroad for a semester and their journey together towards a happily-ever-after. The angst is limited and the sex is there but kept behind closed doors. There are no explicitly wordy descriptions – just the melding of two hearts.

Basically this is a sweet and romantic story that takes readers along for the ride as Jax and Wren get to know each other while visiting various enticing European locales, and then how they maneuver and overcome the obstacles and stresses of being apart during his deployments after she returns home to finish school. There is plenty of witty humor, family interference from both sides, and friends that take up the slack and lend a helping hand.

This easy-to-read and light contemporary romance is devoted to the loving relationship that builds between a rather adventurous duo that was such fun to get to know.
Profile Image for ☆Joycedale☆.
928 reviews38 followers
February 10, 2015
I love this story. It's sweet, funny, realistic and just beautiful.
Wren is doing a semester in Germany when she meets Jax who's an American soldier stationed there. She's only there for a few more months while he's still got a yr.
What follows is one of those true love stories you kind of want to be your own. They deal with family, deployment, and distance but trying their best to be there for the other one.
I just loved it and it's not just the sweetness to it it's flipping hilarious too. The banter between Wren and Jax and sometimes the other characters too is awesome. I don't know if anyone else does this but if I find a part particularly funny I'll call my sister to read it to her, and I found myself doing that many times (especially the museum trip).
Wren and Jax aren't the only awesome people either. There's Mel and Sanchez, each's best friend, I loved them too. I actually like all the characters except for Wren's mom.
If you want a heartwarming and amusing read I really really suggest this.

I was provided an eArc from Tracey.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews132 followers
Want to read
February 3, 2021
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/6/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
I went to Europe to study. To party, to hide, to run away from the endless sea of choices that would mold and shape the rest of my life. I wasn't ready for any of that. I wasn't ready to have all the answers.

I definitely wasn't ready for Jax.

Handsome, sweet, and sporting the biggest blue eyes I'd ever seen, he swooped into my world and changed everything. Suddenly I wasn't scared of making choices. I wasn't afraid of voicing answers. It was easy because where Jax was concerned, my answer was always "Yes".

But loving a military man isn't easy, and while Jax seemed like the answer to everything, he has questions of his own.

Doubts about his future. Fears about his past.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,906 reviews6 followers
June 7, 2016
If you love riding the drama llama, then this book is not for you. This was a quiet story of two young adults falling in love. I think that part of the reason I enjoyed this was because it reminds me a lot of my husband and me. Not the military aspect, but the meeting young and falling in love fast part.

I love that this was low drama. There wasn't really any angst, so I can see why some other reviewers have said that this was boring. I found it to be a refreshing take on real life. Part of me does wish that more happened in this story, but I think that any drama would have felt manufactured after a certain point.

I adored the MCs, even though the h frustrated me at times. A military hero who is a gentleman, good looking, so sweet, and not a manwhore? Refreshing. Overall, a very sweet and quiet read.

What I liked:
1) The MCs, especially the H. He was the perfect boon boyfriend.
2) No drama or unnecessary angst.
3 The writing. It got a little speechy past the 75% mark, but it was very engaging overall.
4) This story was just too sweet without being sappy. Another testament to Ward's writing.
5) The sex scenes were written in a very tasteful way. I found them very poignant and lovely.

What I didn't like:
1) The drama with the family isn't really resolved at all. I would have liked to have some closure about that in the epilogue. And Jax never talked about what happened with Mason.
2) I feel like we got a HFN, but he epilogue doesn't give much insight into their future.
3) What about Ben and Mel?
4) I wish we got to hear from Jax too. We only get the h's pov.
Profile Image for Carolyn Ellis Nedbalek.
6 reviews24 followers
July 8, 2015
I read the excerpt for this book months ago and have been looking forward to reading it so much that I worried I was making impossible standards to meet... not the case. As always, I was instantly absorbed and thoroughly entertained cover to cover. Wren and Jax are great characters, and so easy to root for. It's such a sweet story, but of course packed full of that Tracey Ward humor that I have come to love so much! I read almost the entire thing with a silly grin on my face and laughing at the banter and creative expletives. Great story and I definitely (HIGHLY) recommend the read!
Profile Image for Jo.
121 reviews
February 25, 2015
What a nice and easy read. There was no major drama. No huge plot arch. Nothing was contrived at all, just basic real life stuff in the H and h. Jax is in the air force serving in Germany. Wren is spending a semester abroad in Germany. The two meet and begin a sweet courtship. We are treated to what it is like for these two to be together and apart in deployment. This was a refreshing read with the focus on romance more than raunchy sex (most sex scenes were fade to black).
870 reviews
February 23, 2015
4 stars.

I think I found a new favourite! Tracey Ward writes effortless, witty dialogue and fairly realistic characters. Some parts of the book felt a bit more unrealistic than others, but in a way the book as a whole felt really realistic. I also liked how the time flowed in the book, and how it didn't feel rushed.

I loved the characters, all of them. I could easily relate to Wren in pretty much everything, and she was brilliant. Jax was sweet and funny and absolutely swoonworthy, and so considerate of Wren's fear that it was practically unbelievable. As I happen to share the same fear as Wren, I would love to meet someone who took it seriously enough to actually try and ease my mind every once in a while.

Jax's family was interesting, and while it was described quite shortly, the description was effective. I'm kind of hoping that Cade at least will have his own book. Or I wouldn't be opposed to reading more about Jax and Wren.

All in all, this was funny, sweet and highly enjoyable read, and I will be reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Melanie.
431 reviews17 followers
November 25, 2016
4.5 stars

"There was a girl and there was a boy.
Two heartbeats that fell in sync."


I really enjoyed this story about the growing relationship between Wren and Jax. With Jax being a military man, we saw the emotions the two went through on handling the separation needed with Jax's job and the struggles he faces with being born into a military family. I loved the dialogue between those two. There were a few times it made me LOL.

"When I do the math I realize we've been together less than we've been apart, and it's not what we want but it's what we've chosen because it's what we can have. It's this or nothing, and given the choice, I'll always choose this. I'll always choose him."

If you are looking for a sweet, low angst, romantic story showing the growing love between a couple, I would definitely recommend this book.


Profile Image for Jenne .
699 reviews85 followers
March 29, 2015
4.25
I've read all of Ms. Ward's paranormal and dystopian books and have absolutely fallen in love with them. She has a way of sucking you in to the story where you feel like you're experiencing what the characters are going through. I don't read a lot of CR but I've been wanting to try Ms. Ward's CR so thought I'd give this a go. Well let me tell you I'm very glad I did! I was hooked early on and almost read this book in one sitting. While there were times that the characters almost seemed "too good" it wasn't really an issue. I imagine that this book is an accurate description of life being married to a man in the military. If you're in the mood for a light, feel good, happy romance I'd recommend giving this a go :)
Profile Image for Bozica.
707 reviews22 followers
June 9, 2015
What a simply beautiful book!

I can't fault this book at all. It's beautifully written with great character and a wonderful story line. The author conveyed her message on the meaning of love, family, PTSD and what life is like for servicemen and woman and their families very well and in so few words. It was powerful and touching.

The less you know annoy the story line the more you will enjoy this book.

It a quick and easy read but well worth your time.

Thank you Nicole for the recommendation and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Profile Image for Kerry Richardson.
1,651 reviews14 followers
March 16, 2015
I had not read this author before and I really liked the sound of the storyline. I also read several glowing reviews of this book so was very excited to start it. However, I find myself extremely disappointed and cannot understand why it had so many 5☆ reviews. I thought Jax was a wonderful character and he's the reason I gave 2☆ for this book. I found it painfully slow and nothing happened, it was almost like reading a travel book, Germany, London, Paris, Prague, Dublin, Idaho, New Jersey, Venice and Washington. Based on this book it's doubtful that I'll read this author again.
Profile Image for Denia J Newman.
14 reviews2 followers
May 14, 2015
Spell binding

I loved every word in this book. I took on the fights and the love that healed it all. Great characters,great story. Great job.
Profile Image for Angela.
280 reviews13 followers
February 23, 2017
Could absolutely gush about Jax all day. ALL DAY! Gosh, I loved this book. I enjoyed the plot, pacing, characters, and feeling like I was touring Europe right along with the H/h. Also, I loved a Hero who was such a departure from what I've been reading lately. Not a manwhore, not a scarred/lost bad boy. Just a really good guy. And I love a heroine who has a spine, and doesn't do stupid *&^%.

LOVED this book.
Profile Image for Jeanie V..
723 reviews29 followers
March 8, 2015
New favorite book!

I am in book hangover mode because I just finished This Is Wonder and I declare it as my new favorite book of 2015!!! I loved this book! I loved everything about it!

I loved the characters - Jax is my new book boyfriend (I'm claiming him right here, right now!) and I loved Wren - everything about her, from her quirky name to the thoughts she thought and the feelings she felt. I LOVED that she was real!!! She wasn't written as a perfect character, all fluffed up, etc. She was just real. I could relate and connect with her. All the characters were amazing, Jax's family, Wren's family, Wren's friends, Jax's friends - they were all so memorable and clear.

The story was amazing and this book also let me escape to all these fabulous places I could only ever visit in dreams or in books. (Thank you for taking me there!)

And the romance... this book was such a romantic book to read, but not cheesy. The total opposite, farthest thing from cheesy!
Profile Image for Jessica Austin Gudmundson.
87 reviews1 follower
February 14, 2015
This is a sweet, absolutely lovely story. I loved this book. I am not normally a fan of romance because of instant love, instant attractions, instant bed falling. This isn't a traditional romance novel however. This is a story about real love. Love that develops over time, over a distance, and with stresses that people go through every day. These struggles are well communicated here and Tracey Ward does a thorough job making them clear without dragging the story unnecessarily. We also get a look at some of the heart-breaking effects of life in the military.

I absolutely adored Wren, a young woman with her head on straight but fearing the future and the decisions she needs to make "for the rest of her life", a thing we all go through. Tracey Ward has given us a young lady with some of the most creative cursing I've seen in a while, and she is a completely honest-feeling MC. And Jax, well I'll take that slice of apple pie with a side of ice cream.

Just sayin'.
Profile Image for Krystal Smith.
97 reviews3 followers
February 11, 2015
This was such a sweet love story and utterly amazing. Tracey Ward has the ability to suck me into a story within the first few pages and make me connect with her characters so much I can literally feel what they are feeling. I spent so much of this story either grinning from ear to ear, laughing out loud or tearing up that my husband was about to have my admitted!
When Wren and Jax meet at Oktoberfest, not one but twice, they are both immediately attracted to each other and watching their relationship bloom was absolutely amazing. Wren is sassy and always has a quick comeback and Jax is just some amazing and sweet - I am just in love with them!
I don't want to say too much because this story should be unraveled piece by piece exactly as it was written. But if you are looking for a lighthearted story that will leave you feeling happy and complete then 1 recommend reading this.
It would make an awesome romantic comedy!
Profile Image for Ashley .
316 reviews20 followers
July 2, 2015
Sweet, funny, realistic and just beautiful.

Tracy Ward is one of my favorite authors. She's amazing and I never hesitate when buying something she's written. I highly recommend ALL of her books. Her zombie books, (Quarantined/Survival/Rising series') are my favorites.

'This is the Wonder' was such a refreshing read. I had a stupid grin on my face through most of the book and I had a very hard time putting it down. The characters were well developed and amazing. I cried when they cried, laughed when they laughed and was an all around emotional wreck. The story was so beautiful; filled with humor, travel and sweet realistic romance. You really can't go wrong with this book. You should go buy it immediately. :)

I really hope we get more of Jax and Wren's story because I already miss them. ~fingers crossed~


https://instagram.com/ashley_reads/
https://twitter.com/ashlee_reads/
Profile Image for Peach.
789 reviews2 followers
March 20, 2015
It was a well-paced, light NA, non-angst read. Basically it journeyed the relationship of Wren and Jax. They met in Germany when Wren was an exchange student and Jax was an American Soldier and hit it off. Wren was there only for two months and they made the best of the time as platonic friends travelling to different cities like Paris, Dublin, London. When she returned to the States, they decided to put a label on their relationship but there was another obstacle in their path when Jax was called to go to Afghanistan. They both had very positive attitudes and definitely tried hard to make the relationship work despite the long periods of separation and anxiety when Jax got deployed. One thing sweet about the story was that Wren was not into grandeur romantic gestures but the small romantic moments that were heart-gushing and memorable.
Profile Image for Marie.
7 reviews
April 28, 2015
NA study abroad stories are my favorite and I loved this one. Wren is in Germany having her last taste of freedom before she has to go home and figure out what she is going to do with her life. She meets Jax, an American soldier stationed at a base nearby, and they try to figure out if what they have is real - and enough to last even though they know their future will be a series of separations.

Jax was a fabulous character. I loved how he knew what he wanted and accepted the limits of the life he chose. Perfect for Wren, who struggled with the knowledge that every choice she made about her future signified an ending as well as a beginning.

Exotic locations, a sweet guy to make you swoon, and a realistic heroine who is strong enough to be honest all make this book a winner. Highly recommended :)
Profile Image for Y ortz.
413 reviews
January 25, 2016
Realmente me desespera cuando leo un Libro de una autora que escribió otro libro al que amé (LAWLESS) pero el libro que estoy leyendo en este momento no me hace sentir nada!!!!! It's pretty annoying querer conectar y no poder. I mean este libro, he leído 1\4 (si, es poco...lo sé) y ya han ido hasta Paris. No soportooo a Mel.. Ben es un idiota y con todo y eso ellos me intrigan mas que los mismos protagonistas... dammit. Oh well, la vida es corta asi que bye, leeré otro.


Conclusion: DNF

OH Y QUE QUEDE CLARO QUE YO AMO A LOS MILITARES, MEJOR AUN A LOS AIRMEN...pero ni modo.
Profile Image for Freedom.
22 reviews
February 10, 2015
Tracey Ward has done it again with a very true, honest love story. This story hit home with me on so many levels I met my husband while he was in the Air Force, I have felt many of the same feelings as the main character Wren. Beautifully written believable story that feels authentic. This book it's about new love, true love, romance, and a long-distanced relationship. It's one of my favorite by Tracey Ward. it's a must read!
1 review
February 14, 2015
Love this book! I was hooked right from the first chapter. Tracey makes you feel like your right there. This book makes you feel good, I laughed and cried. This is out of my normal read but as usual Tracey deliver to the max! It gives you an insight to what the military and their loved ones go through. The way love grows between Wren and Jax is amazing! It's not a just mushy love but a real one with so much fun and houmor. Well done!! This is a must read that will not disappoint!
41 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2015
very sweet

This was such a good book! Wren and Jax get to know each other over the 2 months she is in Germany. They have such great witty banter and fall for each other on trips/dates all over Europe. Very sweet how they get through long distance and deployments. Interesting friends and family, and a great epilogue.
Profile Image for Diane.
97 reviews
July 10, 2015
Ahhh... There has to be more, please! I need more to wren and jax's story. Also, Cade, Sanchez, Mel, and the rest of the gang. Will we get their stories??!! Please! And I completely agree with one reviewer, I DID NOT like wrens mother, what she said to her on her wedding day, ugh!
Profile Image for Tracey.
Author 41 books961 followers
February 10, 2015
I am admittedly biased :)
2,427 reviews2 followers
March 9, 2015
This has to be one of the most loving books I have read in a long time. Such a great story that I will definitely recommend to other to read! You will love Wren and Jax.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews

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