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Letters to War #1
Dear Taylor
Taylor Phillips was working as a barista in NYC the day the twin towers came crashing down. Seeing her city in shambles, coated in ash, and American lives lost, she enlisted to fight the War on Terror.
Daniella Melo, a Rhode Island American History teacher, challenges her class to write letters to soldiers fighting overseas. With one name left and a student short, Daniella takes it upon herself to write letters to Private Taylor Phillips stationed in Afghanistan.
Over the next two years, the women exchange letters, sharing stories of their daily lives: Daniella trailing after her rambunctious daughter, Jackie, and dealing with overeager seniors planning prom while Taylor trudges through sand and dirt, driving her humvee in cold deserts. Their friendship continues to grow until it becomes something so much more than either woman expect.
Daniella Melo, a Rhode Island American History teacher, challenges her class to write letters to soldiers fighting overseas. With one name left and a student short, Daniella takes it upon herself to write letters to Private Taylor Phillips stationed in Afghanistan.
Over the next two years, the women exchange letters, sharing stories of their daily lives: Daniella trailing after her rambunctious daughter, Jackie, and dealing with overeager seniors planning prom while Taylor trudges through sand and dirt, driving her humvee in cold deserts. Their friendship continues to grow until it becomes something so much more than either woman expect.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2016
81 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Eija Jimenez
6 books84 followersEija Jimenez has been a writer since her elementary days where cardboard rocketships could fly to the moon. Still to this day, Eija avidly writes LGBTQ+ fiction, hoping to add to this ever-growing community and give representation to queer minorities.
She graduated from the University of Toronto in 2014 where she studied English and Psychology. She received her Honours Bachelor of Arts and tries to put four intensive years of schooling to good use through writing.
When she’s not crafting stories in her head, Eija can be found hurling axes (at bulleyes!), out for a hike, or jamming out in a good car-eoke session.
She lives in Toronto, Canada with her wife and their two dogs, Honey and Dijon.
If she could give one piece of advice to anyone, she would quote Max Erhmann's Desiderata: "You are a child of the universe. No less than the trees and the stars." No matter how small or insignificant you feel, the whole universe would be different without you.
She graduated from the University of Toronto in 2014 where she studied English and Psychology. She received her Honours Bachelor of Arts and tries to put four intensive years of schooling to good use through writing.
When she’s not crafting stories in her head, Eija can be found hurling axes (at bulleyes!), out for a hike, or jamming out in a good car-eoke session.
She lives in Toronto, Canada with her wife and their two dogs, Honey and Dijon.
If she could give one piece of advice to anyone, she would quote Max Erhmann's Desiderata: "You are a child of the universe. No less than the trees and the stars." No matter how small or insignificant you feel, the whole universe would be different without you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 18, 2017
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. I do not specifically recall what road I went down to see it the first time, but something about it made me want to read it immediately upon first viewing. Not sure how long ago that was. For reasons I don’t recall I couldn’t immediately read it right then and there.
And the reasons, vague though they were (and are still somewhat), that lead me to believe that I would enjoy this book turned out to be true. This is a great book all the way around, and I kept having to wipe at my eyes while reading.
The story is told through two point of views – and from their point of views and from their letters. Daniella Melo is a teacher at a school in Rhode Island. At the start of a semester, Daniella hands out information about soldiers fighting overseas. She has an assignment for her huge class of 120 students – write to them. That specific part isn’t as important, since it rarely came up again (the students writing part), but it’s important because someone dropped her class that morning (one of the reasons I’m confused as to which level Daniella teaches at, I thought it was a high school, but the mention of people jumping around, joining and dropping classes to find their best ‘fit’ sounds more like the beginning of a college semester) and Daniella has one extra information sheet left over. Either one soldier isn’t going to get anyone to write to them, or Daniella will take on the task. Before she can think about it, another woman appears and squealing is heard (I’m not actually sure if squealing actually occurs, I forget now, it just seemed fitting). That’d be Tasha (friend who is originally from Britain – ‘the Brit’ is used a lot) and Jackie (Daniella’s adopted daughter).
Eventually, though, Daniella takes on the task of writing a letter and sends it off. Whereupon the story shifts and now we, the reader, are with Taylor, the black woman (yes, that is one of the odd slightly off putting aspects of the story, the author felt the need to constantly say things like that – ‘the black woman glanced over . . . . the black woman stretched . . .’). Taylor’s bouncing around driving a military vehicle and doing stuff. Delivering stuff. Dodging bullets. Eventually she gets back to base and while standing near her bunk, her sergeant pops up and thrusts an envelope at her. She’s confused as no one ever writes her (the only one who might is the one who gave her the letter, Rick, a foster brother – hmm, I was going to get to that but – Taylor was ‘in the system’ and then aged out, she was put into the system at a young age). She somewhat fears the letter but eventually opens it up. And finds a short message from Daniella. And, when she turns the letter over, also a drawing from a 2 year old girl – Jackie. Taylor is quite touched by this, unexpectedly to her, and quickly jots off a reply and sends it off. I’d say ‘and then they communicated back and forth …’ but that didn’t happen. Both wanted that to happen but . . . well, let’s just say ‘complications occurred’, and once complications were overcome they did get to that ‘they sent off letters to each other . . . for about two years, before they meet for the first time in the flesh.’
And they do meet in the flesh. Taylor has a month leave and is staying with Rick in Boston (who is living there now because he’s now out of the military (I’m being vague as . . . how much should I say?)), but Rick knows about Taylor’s letter writing and basically kicks her out . . . gently, to go visit Daniella and Jackie in Rhode Island. Somewhat complicated, though, since this . . . crap, I really should have written this differently.
Meet Taylor – she’s 20 and has been in the military for a short while. When she was 18 she aged out of the foster system and moved to New York. She got a job at a coffee shop and was there when she watched the events unfold at the Twin Towers. She was just close enough to see it up close and personal, just far enough away to be out of the danger zone. She wanted to rush in and help, but only professionals were being allowed in. She continued serving coffee – to survivors, and then to rescue personal. Eventually she leaves and joins the army. Gets posted to Afghanistan. Whereupon, somewhat shortly after arrival, Taylor receives a letter from a woman from Rhode Island. Over time, roughly (maybe exactly) two years, Taylor works in Afghanistan and then in Iraq while receiving and sending letters to Daniella.
Since, and we are back to where I left off, since it’s the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century, and since communication between civilians and military personal in a war zone is hard even now, and so . . gah, is this where I was leading up to? Mmphs. Right, so, because of all of that, Taylor doesn’t have any real method of contacting Daniella now that she’s in the USA. She doesn’t have a cell phone, and doesn’t have Daniella’s number even if she did have one. She does have an address but . . . she wants to warn Daniella before just dropping by. And that’s where Rick kicks her out of his place, telling her to just go there.
It was quite a touching scene when Taylor sat in Rick’s car in Daniella’s driveway. Nervous. Then walking up to the house. And having a somewhat messy (from cooking) looking woman answer her knock and wonder who she is – only to learn that it’s the woman she’d been writing letters with. And then Jackie and Taylor were introduced to each other – --..
As noted, it was a month leave that Taylor had. And after that month’s leave was up, Taylor returned to the war. And the letters continued. Both living their lives, now separately, though feeling a connection. Until they meet again, when Taylor received leave. And this continued throughout the rest of the book.
One of the points to stress is that both women learned about the other first through the written word before either meet. They developed a connection before, really, either even know what the other looked like. Though I’ve not actually said anything that isn’t in the book’s description.
Characters: Taylor Phillips, military woman, starts off at the age of 20 when the book opens. Her ‘battle buddy’ is a fella named ‘Christian’, and her foster brother, Rick, just so happened to be her sergeant – neither realizing this would occur when Taylor turned up in Afghanistan.
Daniella Melo – history teacher, mother of Jackie, hints to her age are given, but if it was outright stated I didn’t see it. Her friends include Tasha and . . . well, she’s friendly with co-workers at her school, but she’s closed herself off to a large extent after an event occurred when she was 18.
Setting: Taylor pops around, but is mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq when she’s ‘over there’, then I believe it’s Missouri she’s based at for a brief moment or 8; while Daniella sticks to a small town in Rhode Island.
Time: early to mid-first decade of the 21st century. As in, 2001 to . . . hmms, I don’t actually recall how far we got, but not past 2005 (if we even got up to 2005).
ETA: Oh right. There's something like a cliff-hanger ending (and based on other reviews I've now read, the ending here is different than the ending that was in the fanfiction version (see comment where I noted fanfiction stuff below)). I didn't 'care' because I read this after the second book had already been released. And I already had access to it. And stuff. So . . . yes, there's a cliff-hanger ending.
Rating: 5+
August 17 2017
And the reasons, vague though they were (and are still somewhat), that lead me to believe that I would enjoy this book turned out to be true. This is a great book all the way around, and I kept having to wipe at my eyes while reading.
The story is told through two point of views – and from their point of views and from their letters. Daniella Melo is a teacher at a school in Rhode Island. At the start of a semester, Daniella hands out information about soldiers fighting overseas. She has an assignment for her huge class of 120 students – write to them. That specific part isn’t as important, since it rarely came up again (the students writing part), but it’s important because someone dropped her class that morning (one of the reasons I’m confused as to which level Daniella teaches at, I thought it was a high school, but the mention of people jumping around, joining and dropping classes to find their best ‘fit’ sounds more like the beginning of a college semester) and Daniella has one extra information sheet left over. Either one soldier isn’t going to get anyone to write to them, or Daniella will take on the task. Before she can think about it, another woman appears and squealing is heard (I’m not actually sure if squealing actually occurs, I forget now, it just seemed fitting). That’d be Tasha (friend who is originally from Britain – ‘the Brit’ is used a lot) and Jackie (Daniella’s adopted daughter).
Eventually, though, Daniella takes on the task of writing a letter and sends it off. Whereupon the story shifts and now we, the reader, are with Taylor, the black woman (yes, that is one of the odd slightly off putting aspects of the story, the author felt the need to constantly say things like that – ‘the black woman glanced over . . . . the black woman stretched . . .’). Taylor’s bouncing around driving a military vehicle and doing stuff. Delivering stuff. Dodging bullets. Eventually she gets back to base and while standing near her bunk, her sergeant pops up and thrusts an envelope at her. She’s confused as no one ever writes her (the only one who might is the one who gave her the letter, Rick, a foster brother – hmm, I was going to get to that but – Taylor was ‘in the system’ and then aged out, she was put into the system at a young age). She somewhat fears the letter but eventually opens it up. And finds a short message from Daniella. And, when she turns the letter over, also a drawing from a 2 year old girl – Jackie. Taylor is quite touched by this, unexpectedly to her, and quickly jots off a reply and sends it off. I’d say ‘and then they communicated back and forth …’ but that didn’t happen. Both wanted that to happen but . . . well, let’s just say ‘complications occurred’, and once complications were overcome they did get to that ‘they sent off letters to each other . . . for about two years, before they meet for the first time in the flesh.’
And they do meet in the flesh. Taylor has a month leave and is staying with Rick in Boston (who is living there now because he’s now out of the military (I’m being vague as . . . how much should I say?)), but Rick knows about Taylor’s letter writing and basically kicks her out . . . gently, to go visit Daniella and Jackie in Rhode Island. Somewhat complicated, though, since this . . . crap, I really should have written this differently.
Meet Taylor – she’s 20 and has been in the military for a short while. When she was 18 she aged out of the foster system and moved to New York. She got a job at a coffee shop and was there when she watched the events unfold at the Twin Towers. She was just close enough to see it up close and personal, just far enough away to be out of the danger zone. She wanted to rush in and help, but only professionals were being allowed in. She continued serving coffee – to survivors, and then to rescue personal. Eventually she leaves and joins the army. Gets posted to Afghanistan. Whereupon, somewhat shortly after arrival, Taylor receives a letter from a woman from Rhode Island. Over time, roughly (maybe exactly) two years, Taylor works in Afghanistan and then in Iraq while receiving and sending letters to Daniella.
Since, and we are back to where I left off, since it’s the beginning of the first decade of the 21st century, and since communication between civilians and military personal in a war zone is hard even now, and so . . gah, is this where I was leading up to? Mmphs. Right, so, because of all of that, Taylor doesn’t have any real method of contacting Daniella now that she’s in the USA. She doesn’t have a cell phone, and doesn’t have Daniella’s number even if she did have one. She does have an address but . . . she wants to warn Daniella before just dropping by. And that’s where Rick kicks her out of his place, telling her to just go there.
It was quite a touching scene when Taylor sat in Rick’s car in Daniella’s driveway. Nervous. Then walking up to the house. And having a somewhat messy (from cooking) looking woman answer her knock and wonder who she is – only to learn that it’s the woman she’d been writing letters with. And then Jackie and Taylor were introduced to each other – --..
As noted, it was a month leave that Taylor had. And after that month’s leave was up, Taylor returned to the war. And the letters continued. Both living their lives, now separately, though feeling a connection. Until they meet again, when Taylor received leave. And this continued throughout the rest of the book.
One of the points to stress is that both women learned about the other first through the written word before either meet. They developed a connection before, really, either even know what the other looked like. Though I’ve not actually said anything that isn’t in the book’s description.
Characters: Taylor Phillips, military woman, starts off at the age of 20 when the book opens. Her ‘battle buddy’ is a fella named ‘Christian’, and her foster brother, Rick, just so happened to be her sergeant – neither realizing this would occur when Taylor turned up in Afghanistan.
Daniella Melo – history teacher, mother of Jackie, hints to her age are given, but if it was outright stated I didn’t see it. Her friends include Tasha and . . . well, she’s friendly with co-workers at her school, but she’s closed herself off to a large extent after an event occurred when she was 18.
Setting: Taylor pops around, but is mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq when she’s ‘over there’, then I believe it’s Missouri she’s based at for a brief moment or 8; while Daniella sticks to a small town in Rhode Island.
Time: early to mid-first decade of the 21st century. As in, 2001 to . . . hmms, I don’t actually recall how far we got, but not past 2005 (if we even got up to 2005).
ETA: Oh right. There's something like a cliff-hanger ending (and based on other reviews I've now read, the ending here is different than the ending that was in the fanfiction version (see comment where I noted fanfiction stuff below)). I didn't 'care' because I read this after the second book had already been released. And I already had access to it. And stuff. So . . . yes, there's a cliff-hanger ending.
Rating: 5+
August 17 2017
August 24, 2017
4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of Taylor Phillips, a soldier in Afghanistan with whom High School teacher, Daniella Melo begins a friendship via letters. Daniella gives an assignment to her students to become pen pals with soldiers. There is a name leftover so she decides to write to Pvt. Phillips. And so begins a close friendship between the two women and Daniella's young daughter, Jackie who is 9 mo. old at the start. They exchange letters for the 2 years that Taylor is deployed. When Taylor returns to the states and has a 4 week leave she takes a chance to visit the Melos in Rhode Island.
This is a sloooow burn romance. Two years of writing to each other and they finally meet. Neither even knowing what the other looked like because of fuzzy photographs they exchanged. It such a contrast with the audiobook I'm reading concurrently. There the couple declare their undying love after only a week. Oh, and this takes place during DADT.
There is a good cast of characters, Taylor's former Sargent, Rick and by coincidence is her foster brother; Christian, her army buddy/partner and Tasha, Daniella's BFF.
Daniella is Latina and Taylor is black. Here is a quibble I have that prevents me from giving it a full 5 star rating. It suffers from a fanfic pet peeve of mine. I discovered midway through that this stated out as a fanfic. It was an ah ha moment. I didn't want you to be bugged about it if you never noticed before o I put it under spoiler tags.
The ending is a slight cliffhanger but luckily the sequel, "Sincerely, Daniella" is available now. I hate to wait between books in a series!
I really enjoyed this book. It is the story of Taylor Phillips, a soldier in Afghanistan with whom High School teacher, Daniella Melo begins a friendship via letters. Daniella gives an assignment to her students to become pen pals with soldiers. There is a name leftover so she decides to write to Pvt. Phillips. And so begins a close friendship between the two women and Daniella's young daughter, Jackie who is 9 mo. old at the start. They exchange letters for the 2 years that Taylor is deployed. When Taylor returns to the states and has a 4 week leave she takes a chance to visit the Melos in Rhode Island.
This is a sloooow burn romance. Two years of writing to each other and they finally meet. Neither even knowing what the other looked like because of fuzzy photographs they exchanged. It such a contrast with the audiobook I'm reading concurrently. There the couple declare their undying love after only a week. Oh, and this takes place during DADT.
There is a good cast of characters, Taylor's former Sargent, Rick and by coincidence is her foster brother; Christian, her army buddy/partner and Tasha, Daniella's BFF.
Daniella is Latina and Taylor is black. Here is a quibble I have that prevents me from giving it a full 5 star rating. It suffers from a fanfic pet peeve of mine. I discovered midway through that this stated out as a fanfic. It was an ah ha moment. I didn't want you to be bugged about it if you never noticed before o I put it under spoiler tags.
The ending is a slight cliffhanger but luckily the sequel, "Sincerely, Daniella" is available now. I hate to wait between books in a series!
December 26, 2025
3.5 rounded up. The story follows two POVs, one being Taylor, a soldier stationed halfway across the world. She joined the military at 18 as soon as she aged out of the foster system. Taylor has no family, just a foster brother who was stationed with her.
Daniella is a history teacher who tastes her senior students to write a letter to a soldier. to show the importance of it, she writes a letter to a soldier as well.
Over the next two years Taylor and Daniella exchange letters, getting to know one another without seeing or meeting. Finally, Taylor gets leave for a month and heads back home which just so happens to be two hours away from Daniella.
The story follows their growing friendship as well as struggling through their own losses and pain, helping one another through it all. It gives readers the perspective of someone in the military and their family, as well as just how hard it is to be away from one another. Not only is it hard being away from one another, this story takes place during Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, making the story that much more heart wrenching.
It was a bit slow for me, and felt kind of long at times, but overall I enjoyed the read. I don’t believe I’ll be reading the second in the series, but I would still recommend.
Daniella is a history teacher who tastes her senior students to write a letter to a soldier. to show the importance of it, she writes a letter to a soldier as well.
Over the next two years Taylor and Daniella exchange letters, getting to know one another without seeing or meeting. Finally, Taylor gets leave for a month and heads back home which just so happens to be two hours away from Daniella.
The story follows their growing friendship as well as struggling through their own losses and pain, helping one another through it all. It gives readers the perspective of someone in the military and their family, as well as just how hard it is to be away from one another. Not only is it hard being away from one another, this story takes place during Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, making the story that much more heart wrenching.
It was a bit slow for me, and felt kind of long at times, but overall I enjoyed the read. I don’t believe I’ll be reading the second in the series, but I would still recommend.
August 28, 2017
Beautiful story about a Latina teacher and a black soldier who start a friendship that becomes a real love story. I really enjoyed this book and I couldn't put down. The story between Daniela and Taylor is built at a slow pace, so you can see how their relationship is changing and the feelings become stronger. I started reading the sequel and I hope that it will be the same or maybe better!
July 16, 2019
I enjoyed this book the first time I read it and I enjoyed it again. My rating now would be 4,5 stars, where I gave 5 stars the first time. Maybe because now that I read it again and therefore there was recognition and anticipation of the parts that I enjoyed the first time,I was a little more critical. It’s still a book with a lot of emotion, but now I noticed that the writing was at times not so smooth and the use of references to the main characters as “the teacher” and “the black woman” or “the soldier” instead of their names. Still very much recommend this book and the second one, Sincerely Daniella.
October 24, 2017
This book throws me all over the place! Amazing. Bonus points for so many Characters of Color. Can't wait for the sequel. Read in a day. Make me cry my life.
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October 24, 2023
4 stars. That cliffhanger was rude! This was such a good read. A wonderful cast of characters and a slow burn romance that’s still budding and getting started. I’m a sucker for pen pal romances and the first beginning portion of this is told in letters between Daniella and Taylor while Taylor is deployed. They write to each for two or three years and develop a really strong friendship before they ever meet each other in person. All of that worked for me. They are both such strong characters and are genuinely good people. The chemistry between them was sizzling and I know that book two is where their romance is really going to kick off and I’m excited. Also, Daniella’s daughter, Jackie is the cutest kid. I adored her and I loved her and Taylor’s bond.
I think my one and only issue is that this is very obviously a book that was originally a fanfiction. Meaning that the writing does that thing of describing the characters by a certain trait all the time. Taylor is Black and she’s constantly referred to by her skin color i.e ‘the dark woman’ and other variations. No. Just, no. It’s very amateurish and I really didn’t like it. Other than that this was a really good read and I’m excited to read book two.
I think my one and only issue is that this is very obviously a book that was originally a fanfiction. Meaning that the writing does that thing of describing the characters by a certain trait all the time. Taylor is Black and she’s constantly referred to by her skin color i.e ‘the dark woman’ and other variations. No. Just, no. It’s very amateurish and I really didn’t like it. Other than that this was a really good read and I’m excited to read book two.
June 30, 2017
I enjoyed this book immensely. It's one of these (as I like to call them) military lesbian books and that's typically a big plus for me as it was in this case. It's also a sticky, sweet romance and I like that too. I will give one warning though; this story ends abruptly and leaves the reader hanging. Ok, ok, I'm hooked now. Hurry up and publish the next one!
November 4, 2017
This book completely took me by surprise. The first couple of pages had some typos, and I thought I wouldn't be able to continue with the book, as that kind of thing usually puts me off. However, the story completely drew me in, and I couldn't put the book down.
The relationship between Taylor and Dani is so beautifully explored - so gentle and thoughtful. I think Eija has got Taylor's voice spot-on, and I loved that we get to see both POVs through the letters.
The second part of the book explores what happens when Taylor and Dani finally meet face-to-face. I found the portrayal of their meeting very realistic - they exist in two different realities, and need time to understand and trust each other.
I though the end of the book dragged on a bit - we also lost the letter-format POVs. The last chapter was a bit..meh..too convenient.
For a first book, I think the author has done an amazing job. With a little bit of editorial spit and polish, the writing could be brilliant. I look forward to reading her future work - and I would recommend that you read this, even if you are not a fan of conventional romance.
The relationship between Taylor and Dani is so beautifully explored - so gentle and thoughtful. I think Eija has got Taylor's voice spot-on, and I loved that we get to see both POVs through the letters.
The second part of the book explores what happens when Taylor and Dani finally meet face-to-face. I found the portrayal of their meeting very realistic - they exist in two different realities, and need time to understand and trust each other.
I though the end of the book dragged on a bit - we also lost the letter-format POVs. The last chapter was a bit..meh..too convenient.
For a first book, I think the author has done an amazing job. With a little bit of editorial spit and polish, the writing could be brilliant. I look forward to reading her future work - and I would recommend that you read this, even if you are not a fan of conventional romance.
February 24, 2017
As a Swen this made me so happy. An amazing story as we all knew it would be. Worth a sleepless night!
March 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and I will say my correlation with liking it a lot was that it was free on kindleUnlimited (shameless plug but I swear I don't work for Amazon). Anyways, it's a cute story about a 20 something solider (Taylor) who was aged out of the system that wanted to do something more meaningful with her life, hence becoming a solider. She gets entered into a pen pal program by a friend and starts a meaningful friendship with a history teacher (Daniella) in Rhode Island. It's a really sweet story and though the story is told through the letters, a good portion of it is not. Keep in mind that this story takes place a few years after 9/11 and D.A.D.T was still "enforced." If you've got the time and you're looking for something easy and sweet to read, then this is a good one.
May 27, 2017
As a Swen, this book got me like 'woah'. I have to admit I never got a chance to read the whole fic, but this book was so good that now I no longer regret not reading the fic.
I have to point out that I was so happy to see some more POC! It was a bit different that way and although it was a bit hard to imagine those characters different, it gave the book a special something the original never had.
Thanks for that! Can't wait for the sequal!
I have to point out that I was so happy to see some more POC! It was a bit different that way and although it was a bit hard to imagine those characters different, it gave the book a special something the original never had.
Thanks for that! Can't wait for the sequal!
August 20, 2018
See review under book 2 of the series
February 9, 2024
3,5/5
A very strong 3.5.
Don't get me wrong I loved this book,but if I'll try and explain what was so good about it my mind would just simply turn blank.
A very strong 3.5.
Don't get me wrong I loved this book,but if I'll try and explain what was so good about it my mind would just simply turn blank.
September 24, 2018
Dear Taylor begins with a high school history teacher assigning her students to write to soldiers overseas during Desert Storm. Since Daniella has one extra soldier’s name, she decides to write to the female soldier herself. Taylor and Dani learn intimately about each other’s lives through the correspondence and as the friendship deepens into a romance, both women, heavily burdened with traumatic pasts, see it as a lifeline. They also see it as an opportunity to be a family and to be happy. But the military is not a safe 9-5 job and Taylor, Dani, and her daughter Jackie face the hardship of it. There’s also the heavy burden of DADT looming over their every move.
As someone who also had a partner in the military, I can tell you the goodbye airport scene was harshly spot on and brought back a lot of tough memories.
The writing was sometimes a bit scattered and/or repetitive which occasionally made me lose my place in the narrative and the physical descriptions of the women were a little odd. There were also some missteps as far as military rank and policy. But the heart and soul were definitely present and I still highly recommend the book, especially if you have a loved one in the military. I immediately went on to book 2.
As someone who also had a partner in the military, I can tell you the goodbye airport scene was harshly spot on and brought back a lot of tough memories.
The writing was sometimes a bit scattered and/or repetitive which occasionally made me lose my place in the narrative and the physical descriptions of the women were a little odd. There were also some missteps as far as military rank and policy. But the heart and soul were definitely present and I still highly recommend the book, especially if you have a loved one in the military. I immediately went on to book 2.
September 28, 2017
DNF at %15.
I'm just not feeling it.
The writing style seems... deliberate. Not naturally flowing, I guess. The pacing also feels both too fast and too slow, somehow. Like, I'm bored reading this, but I also think the narrative could slow down a bit and elaborate on why I should care about these characters. Because they feel a bit two-dimensional, despite the adversity they've endured. And I hate epithets—"the Brit" and "the brunette" feel reminiscent of particularly bad fan fiction.
I may try this book again for a hate-read, but probably not.
I'm just not feeling it.
The writing style seems... deliberate. Not naturally flowing, I guess. The pacing also feels both too fast and too slow, somehow. Like, I'm bored reading this, but I also think the narrative could slow down a bit and elaborate on why I should care about these characters. Because they feel a bit two-dimensional, despite the adversity they've endured. And I hate epithets—"the Brit" and "the brunette" feel reminiscent of particularly bad fan fiction.
I may try this book again for a hate-read, but probably not.
July 7, 2017
For the most part I enjoyed reading this book. I wish there were more novels showcasing interracial relationships between women because they actually do exist. The one detractor for me was the broken english of the black character. I mean come on man! Not all black people speak or write in ebonics. I understand the background of the character, what she had been through as a child but again.....come on man! I still plan on reading book 2 though.
September 27, 2018
Wow!
Loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! A must read!
Loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book! A must read!
February 26, 2017
I finally got to read this! I freaking loved it! Every moment!
Since there is a sequel, the ending made me sad because the fanfic ended happy but this one is leading into another book so it had to end differently. I don't know if I prefer the fic ending or the book ending more. I like this one because we get a sequel and I like the fic because it ended happily so I'm torn between both.
I just want to point out that I pictured Poussey from Orange is The New Black as Taylor when you mentioned her skin colour but then other times I pictured Emma from OUAT... Haha yeah, it's weird. Lol xD
I loved Jackie! She's so cute! I think she would be a good sister to Henry if he was in this. She had so many adorable lines and I love how she loves Regina - I mean Daniella so much.
I loved everything about this story. It was amazing and I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait to read the sequel. I loved Daniella, Taylor and Emma!
Btw, wondering if you got the names Nichols and Morello from OITNB? Haha xD
I loved Tasha, Chelsea, ooh and August...forgot his name in this and Granny..I forgot her name in this too.
Also you have me wondering if Tasha is supposed to be Zelena since she has red hair? Or is it a different version of Kathryn? I couldn't remember who these were in the show but I definitely knew Ruby and Granny.
I loved the letters, the sweetness, the love, the fact they act like a married couple and how sweet Taylor is with Jack-Jack.
It was all so perfect! Thank you for turning the fic into a book! I miss the fanfic so much but this is amazing. Just have to keep picturing Emma and Regina as Taylor and Daniella so I can have them back.
Since there is a sequel, the ending made me sad because the fanfic ended happy but this one is leading into another book so it had to end differently. I don't know if I prefer the fic ending or the book ending more. I like this one because we get a sequel and I like the fic because it ended happily so I'm torn between both.
I just want to point out that I pictured Poussey from Orange is The New Black as Taylor when you mentioned her skin colour but then other times I pictured Emma from OUAT... Haha yeah, it's weird. Lol xD
I loved Jackie! She's so cute! I think she would be a good sister to Henry if he was in this. She had so many adorable lines and I love how she loves Regina - I mean Daniella so much.
I loved everything about this story. It was amazing and I enjoyed it so much. I can't wait to read the sequel. I loved Daniella, Taylor and Emma!
Btw, wondering if you got the names Nichols and Morello from OITNB? Haha xD
I loved Tasha, Chelsea, ooh and August...forgot his name in this and Granny..I forgot her name in this too.
Also you have me wondering if Tasha is supposed to be Zelena since she has red hair? Or is it a different version of Kathryn? I couldn't remember who these were in the show but I definitely knew Ruby and Granny.
I loved the letters, the sweetness, the love, the fact they act like a married couple and how sweet Taylor is with Jack-Jack.
It was all so perfect! Thank you for turning the fic into a book! I miss the fanfic so much but this is amazing. Just have to keep picturing Emma and Regina as Taylor and Daniella so I can have them back.
September 3, 2020
One of the best books I've ever read
“Time is going to pass you whether you want it to or not. Make it the right time.”
“Because really, no matter how hard Taylor tried to deny the feelings she was having toward Daniella, a letter a month sounded pretty damn good if it meant that this makeshift family they had created for the past three weeks was hers to call her own.”
+ • + • + • +
About the discovery, uncertainty & passion of a relationship between two women— both bearing the scars from being shaped & scarred by life's unfairness & mercilessness, as pen pals find a friendship that offers the promise of more face to face.
Can they survive & slay the fear & frustration of combat deployment, traumatic abandonments, & human mistrust, just to attempt to find love & family in each other that can give meaning to the word home.
A love story that didn't even need a sex scene to feel the passion & intensity. Instead, the story relied on words & emotions not physical acts to drive the imagery of their love for each other & their longing & hoping to fill the holes in their lives & hearts.
Can't wait for part 2!!!!
“Time is going to pass you whether you want it to or not. Make it the right time.”
“Because really, no matter how hard Taylor tried to deny the feelings she was having toward Daniella, a letter a month sounded pretty damn good if it meant that this makeshift family they had created for the past three weeks was hers to call her own.”
+ • + • + • +
About the discovery, uncertainty & passion of a relationship between two women— both bearing the scars from being shaped & scarred by life's unfairness & mercilessness, as pen pals find a friendship that offers the promise of more face to face.
Can they survive & slay the fear & frustration of combat deployment, traumatic abandonments, & human mistrust, just to attempt to find love & family in each other that can give meaning to the word home.
A love story that didn't even need a sex scene to feel the passion & intensity. Instead, the story relied on words & emotions not physical acts to drive the imagery of their love for each other & their longing & hoping to fill the holes in their lives & hearts.
Can't wait for part 2!!!!
June 5, 2017
Excellent
This is an awesome story, not the classic pinky spice one, but don't be mistaken, is an excellent, well written and compelling one. The characters are charming and captivating. Taylor is in the army and her story is so sad it touched your heart, I'm proud of her achievements and the woman she has become. Daniella is a history teacher, reserve, private, she lost her parents in an accident and although her soul has been shattered by those events, she is a kind and beautiful human being. Jackie, her adopted daughter is so sweet, you'll love her immediately. They met through pen pal program and became very good friends. When they finally see each other the friendship grew stronger, the attraction and love came easily and naturally, and I enjoyed every episode. I'm a fan of Eija already, waiting anxiously for the second book. I definitely recommend this book.... bravo Eija!!!
This is an awesome story, not the classic pinky spice one, but don't be mistaken, is an excellent, well written and compelling one. The characters are charming and captivating. Taylor is in the army and her story is so sad it touched your heart, I'm proud of her achievements and the woman she has become. Daniella is a history teacher, reserve, private, she lost her parents in an accident and although her soul has been shattered by those events, she is a kind and beautiful human being. Jackie, her adopted daughter is so sweet, you'll love her immediately. They met through pen pal program and became very good friends. When they finally see each other the friendship grew stronger, the attraction and love came easily and naturally, and I enjoyed every episode. I'm a fan of Eija already, waiting anxiously for the second book. I definitely recommend this book.... bravo Eija!!!
September 16, 2018
Miss Jimenez is telling a story and she's done a decent job. I am an Air Force veteran and therefore know the importance of rank within the military. Miss Jimenez' foray into rank description of two of the enlisted persons was not well researched. It was a paragraph that could have been deleted through editing. Enough of that.
The story of the love between Taylor and Daniella is a good one; especially read through their letters to each other. The descriptions of how they lived their lives away from each other got too wordy at times but who am I?
I enjoyed the book and have started the sequel.
I recommend it to be read as it gives a healthy insight into those of us who've served in the military and the difficulty of loving us.
The story of the love between Taylor and Daniella is a good one; especially read through their letters to each other. The descriptions of how they lived their lives away from each other got too wordy at times but who am I?
I enjoyed the book and have started the sequel.
I recommend it to be read as it gives a healthy insight into those of us who've served in the military and the difficulty of loving us.
September 19, 2021
I liked the whole book. Especially the point of writing a letter on a paper. It feels like centuries ago and still, there are regions today where is no internet and no stable telephone-line to call. Daniella is a teacher and mother of a young girl. As a project in her history class she enrolled them in the pen-pal program of the military of USA. Because one of her students gets out, she is left with a soldier to write.
Reading the letters and first visit of Taylor at home from Daniella is really nice, loved it, when they learned to know each other better and better and care for each other. It gives insight in the world of soldiers which I do not have in Germany. It's different to read about the pride being in military or for the country comparing to here.
Reading the letters and first visit of Taylor at home from Daniella is really nice, loved it, when they learned to know each other better and better and care for each other. It gives insight in the world of soldiers which I do not have in Germany. It's different to read about the pride being in military or for the country comparing to here.
August 17, 2018
The writing technique is subpar, with too much telling; and constant "the soldier" and "the brunette," etc; and a really badly written child of 2-3. The pace is also weird, forcing us to take the author's word about the evolution of their feelings. Additionally, everything and everyone around the romance are only here to push them together (the daughter, the nightmares, the secondary characters, etc.). Which, the PTSD is just the usual clichés with no finesse whatsoever. And the army is idealized as an institution, with only individual problems with specific asshole soldiers, and really only a couple towards the end. Ending that is too abrupt and not at a good point in the story.
July 21, 2019
This hit home in more ways than one. So when I started reading the letters within the story, I found myself entrenched and so deeply committed that I stayed up all night until I finished it. The author has created such strong characters, allowing them to have their strengths and insecurities, that she totally sucked me into the world she created. I was emotionally exhausted when I finished Book 1. There is so much to this story, and I never give any spoilers. What I will say is that I have found another favorite author, whose words create a movie in my mind so vividly that I can picture the desert, the small town, the school, the characters…even smell the flowers and the ocean. It has drama, humor, definite surprises that will knock your boots off. So, if you have not picked this up…good grief, do it now! But get both, Book 1 and Book 2. Seriously, she is a superb storyteller.
June 6, 2021
Penpals the lovers
Daniela is a teacher in Rhode Island in the Saint her class to be a penpal to those server and then the army. She had one assignment left and she decided to be a penpal her self. Taylor became her penpal and the story continues. The characters are very good and the plan is even better. There are a lot of emotions and drama which makes it a very good story. This is a friends to lovers an age gap romance. The author is done a good job of setting the scene and making it very relevant.
Daniela is a teacher in Rhode Island in the Saint her class to be a penpal to those server and then the army. She had one assignment left and she decided to be a penpal her self. Taylor became her penpal and the story continues. The characters are very good and the plan is even better. There are a lot of emotions and drama which makes it a very good story. This is a friends to lovers an age gap romance. The author is done a good job of setting the scene and making it very relevant.
May 13, 2017
I enjoyed it
I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel to see how it ends. I feel like I was left with a "To be continued..." It was sweet and touching, but it lacked passion. I was a little disappointed that the characters never progress beyond kissing and cuddling. I understand the sentiment of not starting anything more when Taylor is about to leave, but even during their nights together the writer doesn't convey desire between the characters. It comes off as very platonic. Hopefully we will see more in the next book.
I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the sequel to see how it ends. I feel like I was left with a "To be continued..." It was sweet and touching, but it lacked passion. I was a little disappointed that the characters never progress beyond kissing and cuddling. I understand the sentiment of not starting anything more when Taylor is about to leave, but even during their nights together the writer doesn't convey desire between the characters. It comes off as very platonic. Hopefully we will see more in the next book.
September 3, 2017
Good story line
Although I enjoyed the book, the author's description of the main characters as "the older woman" and "the black woman", numerous times throughout the book was a bit annoying. By the 1st chapter we know the one character is black. So there was really no need to repeat it so many times. Calling the other character the older woman had me thinking of a woman in her 50's or older. Other than that, good book.
Although I enjoyed the book, the author's description of the main characters as "the older woman" and "the black woman", numerous times throughout the book was a bit annoying. By the 1st chapter we know the one character is black. So there was really no need to repeat it so many times. Calling the other character the older woman had me thinking of a woman in her 50's or older. Other than that, good book.
January 12, 2020
Thoughtful Love Story
Just loved this thought provoking love story. Told mainly by letters sent between a teacher who sets up an assignment for her students to become pen pal's with soldiers serving in the gulf war,it deals with the horrors of modern warfare as well as Don't Ask Don't Tell and a lit of the other ussues the modern soldiers have to deal with,it does it compassionately and honestly.
Just loved this thought provoking love story. Told mainly by letters sent between a teacher who sets up an assignment for her students to become pen pal's with soldiers serving in the gulf war,it deals with the horrors of modern warfare as well as Don't Ask Don't Tell and a lit of the other ussues the modern soldiers have to deal with,it does it compassionately and honestly.
April 13, 2021
Eija Jimeniz has done a great job capturing the story of the difficulties and challenges facing women in the military. As a combat veteran the book was difficult simply because it spot on too many times. It is a beautiful love story, and since fiction reflects life, I hope that there a lots of Taylor's and Daniella's out there. Thank you for writing about a minority within the LGBT+ community.
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