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Above and Beyond
Give up while you’re ahead, ol’ boy. She doesn’t want you. Then he remembered the passion of her kiss, the taste of her mouth, the scent of her hair, the feel of her skin beneath his hands, and he knew he wasn’t about to give up.
While serving his country, Trevor Rule experienced the wrenching heartache of losing his best friend in a brutal attack. His grief is coupled with guilt when he falls in love with that friend’s wife by reading letters she’d written to her husband.
Kyla gave birth the same day she learned that her husband had been killed in a terrorist assault on Marine barracks. That was almost two years ago. Now, Kyla is struggling to rear her son alone…and wrestling with the longing generated by the handsome stranger who fortuitously enters their lives.
Except Trevor’s entrance into Kyla’s life isn’t accidental. He has sought her out not only because he feels he owes her and her child a debt he can never repay, but also because he remembers the impassioned words she wrote to her husband. Which Trevor took to heart.
Will her growing love be strong enough to forgive his deception?
While serving his country, Trevor Rule experienced the wrenching heartache of losing his best friend in a brutal attack. His grief is coupled with guilt when he falls in love with that friend’s wife by reading letters she’d written to her husband.
Kyla gave birth the same day she learned that her husband had been killed in a terrorist assault on Marine barracks. That was almost two years ago. Now, Kyla is struggling to rear her son alone…and wrestling with the longing generated by the handsome stranger who fortuitously enters their lives.
Except Trevor’s entrance into Kyla’s life isn’t accidental. He has sought her out not only because he feels he owes her and her child a debt he can never repay, but also because he remembers the impassioned words she wrote to her husband. Which Trevor took to heart.
Will her growing love be strong enough to forgive his deception?
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1986
1179 people are currently reading
1630 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Brown
327 books19.4k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Sandra Brown is the author of more than sixty New York Times bestsellers, including STING (2016), FRICTION (2015), MEAN STREAK (2014), DEADLINE(2013), & LOW PRESSURE (2012), LETHAL (2011).
Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published over seventy novels, bringing the number of copies of her books in print worldwide to upwards of eighty million. Her work has been translated into over thirty languages.
In 2009 Brown detoured from romantic suspense to write, Rainwater, a much acclaimed, powerfully moving historical fiction story about honor and sacrifice during the Great Depression.
Brown was given an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University. She was named Thriller Master for 2008, the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association. Other awards and commendations include the 2007 Texas Medal of Arts Award for Literature and the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
August 21, 2023
Preface…
It’s a toss up who was more irritating, the sanctimonious h who’s wedded to the idea of being a professional widow or the friends & family who want to pimp her out to a new man before she’s ready.
Annnd, sanctimonious h wins by a landslide. Widowed because she encouraged her husband to take a Marine guard position in Cairo because it was prestigious despite being pregnant. The h pregnant not the H…ha ha ha. Sorry, not funny. Anyhoo, he gets blown apart and his woman-pleasing bud Smooch is spared because he passed out in the husband’s bunk. Smooch loses an eye but gains an eye patch as well as letters from his friend’s wife, the h. He falls in love with the heroine over the letters a la a twisted Cyrano de Bergarac scenario. I don’t know why as the h thinks he’s a terrible womanizer and lays it all out in the letters.
Months later he shows up and begins tostalk woo the reluctant h. She’s a cringy 80s heroine with all the charisma of day old jello in a high school cafeteria that vows to never love another. And she lives with her domino playing parents. As much as I roll my eyes over sexual tropes today, I was dying for her to take a shot of tequila, watch porn…anything. She finally agrees to marry him thinking she’ll keep the love of her life safe in her heart as she lies back and thinks of Cairo. He’s not buying it.
The shoe finally drops and she receives a photo of her husband with Smooch and throws her own pity party over his deception and his supposed guilt for marrying her. She storms off to her BF who tells her what an idiot she is.
Okay, the H’s stalking action was creepy and his judgement for falling for her in the first place was faulty, but he’s a besotted idiot that was fashioned straight from an 80s Magnum PI/Tom Selleck playbook so guess who I sympathize with?
Sandra Brown is an excellent suspense/thriller writer. As an early romance one, not so much. The exception being Led Astray which is wonderful except for the huge elephant in the room where the H has sex with the h when sh’s drugged and thinks he’s his brother, her fiancé. Other than that small flaw…awesome. 😬
It’s a toss up who was more irritating, the sanctimonious h who’s wedded to the idea of being a professional widow or the friends & family who want to pimp her out to a new man before she’s ready.
Annnd, sanctimonious h wins by a landslide. Widowed because she encouraged her husband to take a Marine guard position in Cairo because it was prestigious despite being pregnant. The h pregnant not the H…ha ha ha. Sorry, not funny. Anyhoo, he gets blown apart and his woman-pleasing bud Smooch is spared because he passed out in the husband’s bunk. Smooch loses an eye but gains an eye patch as well as letters from his friend’s wife, the h. He falls in love with the heroine over the letters a la a twisted Cyrano de Bergarac scenario. I don’t know why as the h thinks he’s a terrible womanizer and lays it all out in the letters.
Months later he shows up and begins to
The shoe finally drops and she receives a photo of her husband with Smooch and throws her own pity party over his deception and his supposed guilt for marrying her. She storms off to her BF who tells her what an idiot she is.
Okay, the H’s stalking action was creepy and his judgement for falling for her in the first place was faulty, but he’s a besotted idiot that was fashioned straight from an 80s Magnum PI/Tom Selleck playbook so guess who I sympathize with?
Sandra Brown is an excellent suspense/thriller writer. As an early romance one, not so much. The exception being Led Astray which is wonderful except for the huge elephant in the room where the H has sex with the h when sh’s drugged and thinks he’s his brother, her fiancé. Other than that small flaw…awesome. 😬
December 8, 2017
Una gran decepción, solo había leído un libro de esta autora y me había gustado mucho. A esta historia le ha faltado profundidad, paginas e intensidad. Y el final ha sido tan precipitado que me he quedado What???. Me hubiese gustado que la protagonista hubiese hecho sufrir más a Trevor por su falta de sinceridad pero en dos paginas todos felices.
November 8, 2017
Es una historia muy cortita y sencillita, pero muy dulce y bonita.
Me ha encantado.
Me ha encantado.
November 8, 2014
This is my favorite Sandra Brown novel. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! I've read it several times and it's the only one I can remember with detail, all my favorite parts, even though I haven't read it in years. I loved both the main characters and I loved that it felt so real...the characters aren't perfect...they have real emotions and realistic reactions to situations. If you aren't a romance novel lover, this book is not for you. But if you are like me and you love romance, but not the typical "damsel in distress, enter big strong man to do everything for the helpless little lady", then read on.
Plot:
Kyla's husband is killed in an attack while he's in the military stationed abroad. Left to raise their young son alone, she's learned to depend on herself.
Trevor was Kyla's husband's best friend. He'd heard all about her from Richard, and she'd heard all about him, but only by the nickname he had been given for being a ladies man and somewhat of a cad. When he is injured in the same attack that killed Kyla's husband, it's her letters to Richard that lead Trevor to want to get to know her. He's fallen in love with the woman behind the letters, but she would never accept his advances if she knew who he really was. He somehow has to gain her trust without revealing that he has orchestrated everything, including meeting her.
Kyla wants her son to have a father, but she's not sure she's ready to move on, and she feels like doing so would be a betrayal of the man she loved.
Plot:
Kyla's husband is killed in an attack while he's in the military stationed abroad. Left to raise their young son alone, she's learned to depend on herself.
Trevor was Kyla's husband's best friend. He'd heard all about her from Richard, and she'd heard all about him, but only by the nickname he had been given for being a ladies man and somewhat of a cad. When he is injured in the same attack that killed Kyla's husband, it's her letters to Richard that lead Trevor to want to get to know her. He's fallen in love with the woman behind the letters, but she would never accept his advances if she knew who he really was. He somehow has to gain her trust without revealing that he has orchestrated everything, including meeting her.
Kyla wants her son to have a father, but she's not sure she's ready to move on, and she feels like doing so would be a betrayal of the man she loved.
March 4, 2022
Venga, vamos a hablar de otra de esas novelitas que Sandra Brown publicó en los años ochenta. Para mí, es una de las que pasa el corte. Fue el Silhouette Intimate Moments n.º 133, y salió en marzo de 1986, con el pseudónimo de Erin St. Claire.
Tópico harlequinero: segundas oportunidades. Kyla Stroud pierde a su marido, un marine, en un atentado terrorista. Queda sola con su bebé. Pasado el tiempo, conocerá a Trevor Rule, un tipo guapetón, y bien majo. Pero tú sabes algo que ella desconoce. Trevor era amigo de su difunto marido, sufrió también en aquel atentado, se enamoró de ella leyendo las cartas que Kyla envió a su marido. Y no se lo dice. Lo va dejando, lo va dejando y al final, cuando la cosa se descubra, ella se pilla un mosqueo monumental.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
Tópico harlequinero: segundas oportunidades. Kyla Stroud pierde a su marido, un marine, en un atentado terrorista. Queda sola con su bebé. Pasado el tiempo, conocerá a Trevor Rule, un tipo guapetón, y bien majo. Pero tú sabes algo que ella desconoce. Trevor era amigo de su difunto marido, sufrió también en aquel atentado, se enamoró de ella leyendo las cartas que Kyla envió a su marido. Y no se lo dice. Lo va dejando, lo va dejando y al final, cuando la cosa se descubra, ella se pilla un mosqueo monumental.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
June 24, 2014
This book awful. I was really surprised because I really like Sandra Brown's work, however, I found the plot to be very creepy and the characters unlikeable. This book will leave you frustrated and annoyed. Skip over it.
August 6, 2017
Cheese!! Glorious cheese!!!! Love it.
September 14, 2015
Why is there not a No Stars category? I read this book thinking, Is this for real? How can people have given it 5 Stars? A man stalks the widow of a Marine who dies in a terrorist attack, a man whose bed the stalker slept in thereby saving the stalker's lfe. The stalker is accidentally given the widow's love letters to her husband and, instead of returning them to the widow without reading them, learns them off by heart and falls in love with this unknown woman. He then pursues her and basically forces her to fall in love with him. When she finds out the truth, instead of heading for the hills, she is persuaded by her (totaly clichéd) friend - any man is better than no man - to accept that stalking is fine and to stay with him.
I listened to this thinking, "Can this be real? Why doesn't she show some gumption?" The stalker, Trevor, dominates at every turn and the widow, Kyla, seems unable to assert herself. She is the helpless female who needs a strong man wearing cowboy boots to sort out her life. Over and over again, Kyla says No but Trevor overrides her wishes and she never fights back. I can see Book 2 of this series charting the life of poor Kyla and Aaron (her baby with the dead Marine), trapped in a house from which they have no escape, desperately trying to get away and ruing the day she ever said I do! Absolute nonsense.
I listened to this thinking, "Can this be real? Why doesn't she show some gumption?" The stalker, Trevor, dominates at every turn and the widow, Kyla, seems unable to assert herself. She is the helpless female who needs a strong man wearing cowboy boots to sort out her life. Over and over again, Kyla says No but Trevor overrides her wishes and she never fights back. I can see Book 2 of this series charting the life of poor Kyla and Aaron (her baby with the dead Marine), trapped in a house from which they have no escape, desperately trying to get away and ruing the day she ever said I do! Absolute nonsense.
September 19, 2011
Above and Beyond opens with Kyla giving birth to her son Aaron and then getting the news that her Marine husband may have died in a blast.
In another place Trevor finds himself in a hospital, injured, his eyes bandaged and finding out that he survived the blast, while Kyla's husband who gave him his bunk didn't.
Trevor reads the letters Kyla wrote to Richard, her likes, her love for him, the way she despised him "Smooch" and his smooth-talking ways with women and falls for her and also feels an obligation. Months later when he is done with therapy he makes his way to her town.
Kyla adored her husband and for most part of the book clings to that. She refuses to date Trevor when he keeps showing up in her life, even refuses his marriage proposal but agrees for her son.
On her wedding night she presents herself like a sacrifice but Trevor doesn't accept. He loves her and wants her to come to him fully and not as some wifely duty. He feels guilty for not telling her the truth at the start but doesn't want to lose her but does plan to let her know.
I enjoyed the book, though I didn't love it.
In another place Trevor finds himself in a hospital, injured, his eyes bandaged and finding out that he survived the blast, while Kyla's husband who gave him his bunk didn't.
Trevor reads the letters Kyla wrote to Richard, her likes, her love for him, the way she despised him "Smooch" and his smooth-talking ways with women and falls for her and also feels an obligation. Months later when he is done with therapy he makes his way to her town.
Kyla adored her husband and for most part of the book clings to that. She refuses to date Trevor when he keeps showing up in her life, even refuses his marriage proposal but agrees for her son.
On her wedding night she presents herself like a sacrifice but Trevor doesn't accept. He loves her and wants her to come to him fully and not as some wifely duty. He feels guilty for not telling her the truth at the start but doesn't want to lose her but does plan to let her know.
I enjoyed the book, though I didn't love it.
January 17, 2013
Being a huge supporter of military families and the life of sacrifice that they live, I was hooked by this story from the first line. I always fear for my guys when they get deployed and leave behind their families, especially those with pregnant wives. I pray for a safe return and for them to be blessed with the chance to hold their unborn babies upon their return.
In Above and Beyond, Sandra Brown writes about the reality of life when that loved one does not return from deployment because the worst has happened, he’s lost his life.
Kyla Stroud is the pregnant wife of Army Sergeant Richard Stroud. While she is in the hospital giving birth to their son, Richard is involved in an explosion at the US Embassy in the Middle East that takes his life and mortally injures his best friend, Trevor Rule aka “smooch”. When Trevor comes to, he is given all of Richard’s letters from Kyla by mistake. So what does he do? He reads them, and finds himself falling in love with the woman who wrote them.
Every line in this book sucked me in more and more. At times I wanted to jump through the story and tell Kyla to stop being such a butt and let Trevor in. At other times I wanted to sit down with Trevor and tell him get his head out of butt and be honest with Kyla if really wants a life with her.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only issue was that after all of the build up with the relationship and Trevor’s fear of Kyla finding out the secret of his connection to her dead husband, when it finally hits the fan, the outcome just seemed a bit rushed.
Narration:
Jack Garrett narrates this story and it was kind of funny because sometimes he sounded like Casey Kasem from America Top 40 and then he would get all manly and seductive and I just wanted to take him home. Being a man narrating a romance novel I was a little worried that he would not be able to carry the female voices well, but he nailed it.
In Above and Beyond, Sandra Brown writes about the reality of life when that loved one does not return from deployment because the worst has happened, he’s lost his life.
Kyla Stroud is the pregnant wife of Army Sergeant Richard Stroud. While she is in the hospital giving birth to their son, Richard is involved in an explosion at the US Embassy in the Middle East that takes his life and mortally injures his best friend, Trevor Rule aka “smooch”. When Trevor comes to, he is given all of Richard’s letters from Kyla by mistake. So what does he do? He reads them, and finds himself falling in love with the woman who wrote them.
Every line in this book sucked me in more and more. At times I wanted to jump through the story and tell Kyla to stop being such a butt and let Trevor in. At other times I wanted to sit down with Trevor and tell him get his head out of butt and be honest with Kyla if really wants a life with her.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My only issue was that after all of the build up with the relationship and Trevor’s fear of Kyla finding out the secret of his connection to her dead husband, when it finally hits the fan, the outcome just seemed a bit rushed.
Narration:
Jack Garrett narrates this story and it was kind of funny because sometimes he sounded like Casey Kasem from America Top 40 and then he would get all manly and seductive and I just wanted to take him home. Being a man narrating a romance novel I was a little worried that he would not be able to carry the female voices well, but he nailed it.
July 6, 2016
The letters Kyla sent to her husband, Sergeant Richard Stroud, stationed a world away, spoke of a love that stretched across the ocean and held the young couple together. But when tragedy ended their marriage too soon, Kyla was left a widow with a newborn son. And Richard left behind only a metal box filled with his wife's declarations of love.
Trevor Rule had been Richard's best friend. Returning home from military duty, he carried with him the letters Kyla had sent. And with each one he read, he fell more in love with the gentle, passionate woman who had penned them. Now, he needs to convince Kyla of his feelings, and that they both have the right to be happy, to move past the tragedy of Richard's death.
But Trevor is harboring a secret, one with the power to destroy the love he is trying so hard to protect.
Guy falls in love with girl through letters to her husband, who is guy's best friend. Of course he feels like it's his fault his best friend died. The letters get him through two years of recovery then he goes to meet her. However he is keeping secrets and what will it do to Kyla once she discovers them?
October 28, 2013
I bought it at a book sale and fell in love with it.
Trevor 'Smootch' Rule is a lady's man. While doing a tour of duty at the Egyptian embassy as a marine, he made friends with Richard, who was married and expecting his first child. They were friends: Smootch kept Richard's letters safe in a steel box in his locker, and when Smootch got plastered, Richard hauled him into his own bunk, and took Smootch's top bunk. Then the embassy was bombed. Richard (on top) was killed. Smootch (in Richard's bunk) lived.
He had the letters in his personal things, and used them as motivation to heal in the hospital, to change his ways. He read them, and fell in love with Richard's wife. And when he was well enough, he set out to win her heart. But he couldn't tell her who he was, because in her letters, she disliked Smootch. So he omitted the whole thing. Used her likes/dislikes and secret confessions to her husband via the letters to woo her.
Of course, you know that eventually she would find out...
It was BEAUTIFULLY written, and the storyline was fantastic. I didn't much care for Kyla *OR* Trevor, but that doesn't change the fact that the story was brilliant. Definitely check this one out!
Trevor 'Smootch' Rule is a lady's man. While doing a tour of duty at the Egyptian embassy as a marine, he made friends with Richard, who was married and expecting his first child. They were friends: Smootch kept Richard's letters safe in a steel box in his locker, and when Smootch got plastered, Richard hauled him into his own bunk, and took Smootch's top bunk. Then the embassy was bombed. Richard (on top) was killed. Smootch (in Richard's bunk) lived.
He had the letters in his personal things, and used them as motivation to heal in the hospital, to change his ways. He read them, and fell in love with Richard's wife. And when he was well enough, he set out to win her heart. But he couldn't tell her who he was, because in her letters, she disliked Smootch. So he omitted the whole thing. Used her likes/dislikes and secret confessions to her husband via the letters to woo her.
Of course, you know that eventually she would find out...
It was BEAUTIFULLY written, and the storyline was fantastic. I didn't much care for Kyla *OR* Trevor, but that doesn't change the fact that the story was brilliant. Definitely check this one out!
December 26, 2015
At first when the book opens you see a young woman named Kyla who has just given birth to a baby boy. Her husband, Richard, is currently overseas in the Marines and has just been pronounced missing or harmed due to a terrorist attack in his location. She learns that her husband has been pronounced dead and then realizes that she has to make it alone with a new baby. After this is introduced we meet Trevor, who also was in the terrorist attack with Richard but survived, barely. He is in a hospital recovering when some of his stuff from his base was sent to him and along with that stuff was Richards letters that he kept from Kyla. Trevor basically obsessed over the letters for months and then decided he was going to win her love by moving to Texas and becoming a successful contractor... And the plot thickens.... He-He....
This story is suspenseful, erotic, emotional, and of course, has a happy ending (which towards the end I was afraid there wouldn't be a happy ending). I enjoyed the story and read it in a day's time.
This story is suspenseful, erotic, emotional, and of course, has a happy ending (which towards the end I was afraid there wouldn't be a happy ending). I enjoyed the story and read it in a day's time.
January 21, 2012
Although a fairly good romance novel in the way it's written, I found a lot of how Trevor courted Kyla to be creepy. Sure, it's romantic to get to know someone through letters, but to bring so many things to life from them, rather than making gestures of his own, was creepy.
I think that the topic of a widow entering into a new relationship was handled reasonably well. The turmoil, feelings of betrayal, etc, but in real life Kyla would have been far more wounded by Trevor's deceit.
I think that the topic of a widow entering into a new relationship was handled reasonably well. The turmoil, feelings of betrayal, etc, but in real life Kyla would have been far more wounded by Trevor's deceit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2025
2.5 rounded up.
This author walked so Rebecca Yarros contemporaries could run. They share a lot of the same tropes and tortured men, with RY providing a better emotional and plot arc.
So, in this book pregnant Kyla writes letters to her husband while he is deployed in Cairo. A bombing happens and her husband dies, but womanizer Trevor makes it (at the expense of her husband kind of). Trevor is in super rough shape because half his body was covered in rubble, so he reads Kyla’s letters and finds the will to go on. About a year later he’s read her letters so many times he’s in love with her and decides to move his whole life to Texas to be with her. Trevor finds her and they date (and very quickly get married, even though Kyla is ridiculously uncomfortable around him (because she likes him and doesn’t want to)). Trevor never told her that he knew her husband or how he got injured and lost his eye (argh 🏴☠️ anyone?). Kyla finds out and is very upset for about 30 minutes before being convinced by her best friend (who I have decided I hate) that Trevor is a good guy and did nothing wrong by manipulating her into marriage and lying to her.
Trevor truly was a good guy who had adorable moments with Aaron the toddler. However, he should never have lied to Kyla about knowing her husband and the reasons he moved to Texas. That was extremely manipulative, toxic, and horrible of him. I get that he thought he was in too deep for her to forgive him and that Kyla would hate him - but how can you think you’ll ever be happy in a literal marriage keeping this serious of a secret?
Kyla, Kyla, Kyla. You were fairly insufferable for most of this book. I understand that your husband died and you want to keep his memory alive for your son, but come on. Did you really think you’d never want to be with anyone else? And once you were dating Trevor, the constant guilt trips over your feelings and wanting to be intimate with him were too much. From what little I could tell about your husband, I think he’d want you to move on and be happy. I do believe that Kyla’s parents and bestie were rushing her, as it had only been about a year and a half since her husband died when she met Trevor. No one’s grief is on a timeline, but taking several years to get over your husband’s tragic death seems reasonable to me.
Something that did bother me to no end was that the child apparently didn’t age. In the beginning of the book, Aaron was 15 months old. About two month after Trevor and Kyla had been together, he was still 15 months old. It was mentioned several weeks after this that he was still, you guessed it, 15 months old.
I’ll also say that the way this author writes smut is really interesting. It might just be the time it was written (originally published in 1986), but I found that I kind of liked it. It’s written with just dialogue flipping between multiple scenes. No descriptions after the first introduction that they’re kissing and such. It was slightly hard to follow at times, but also kind of adorable?
Why I detest the best friend (also, some spoilers):
If my husband had lied to me our entire relationship, manipulated me into marriage, manipulated my parents into selling their home (albeit for a good price, which then allowed them to follow their dreams and RV around the country), and kind of caused my husbands death, I would be beside myself with grief, anger, and sadness. If I then subsequently fled my home, went to my best friend’s, and explained all of this to her, only for her to TAKE HIS SIDE??? I- I- I- You’re actually kidding me. I could understand the friend being like, oh but he’s been so nice too and loves your son and shit, but SAYING THAT IM OVERREACTING BY BEING MAD AND LEAVING??? Oh hell no. We’d no longer be friends. I’d never speak to this woman again.
Not only did Babs (horrible name that was never explained what it was a nickname for) take Trevor’s side and tell Kyla she was wrong to be mad at him, she said that Kyla was being SELFISH. Because this man had changed his entire life to make her happy and she was just mad that he lied. I’m sorry, WHAT THE FUCK? Kyla then believes her friend, goes back to Trevor after about 10 minutes of contemplation, forgives him for everything, and APOLOGIZES FOR OVERREACTING. I truly have no words.
This author walked so Rebecca Yarros contemporaries could run. They share a lot of the same tropes and tortured men, with RY providing a better emotional and plot arc.
So, in this book pregnant Kyla writes letters to her husband while he is deployed in Cairo. A bombing happens and her husband dies, but womanizer Trevor makes it (at the expense of her husband kind of). Trevor is in super rough shape because half his body was covered in rubble, so he reads Kyla’s letters and finds the will to go on. About a year later he’s read her letters so many times he’s in love with her and decides to move his whole life to Texas to be with her. Trevor finds her and they date (and very quickly get married, even though Kyla is ridiculously uncomfortable around him (because she likes him and doesn’t want to)). Trevor never told her that he knew her husband or how he got injured and lost his eye (argh 🏴☠️ anyone?). Kyla finds out and is very upset for about 30 minutes before being convinced by her best friend (who I have decided I hate) that Trevor is a good guy and did nothing wrong by manipulating her into marriage and lying to her.
Trevor truly was a good guy who had adorable moments with Aaron the toddler. However, he should never have lied to Kyla about knowing her husband and the reasons he moved to Texas. That was extremely manipulative, toxic, and horrible of him. I get that he thought he was in too deep for her to forgive him and that Kyla would hate him - but how can you think you’ll ever be happy in a literal marriage keeping this serious of a secret?
Kyla, Kyla, Kyla. You were fairly insufferable for most of this book. I understand that your husband died and you want to keep his memory alive for your son, but come on. Did you really think you’d never want to be with anyone else? And once you were dating Trevor, the constant guilt trips over your feelings and wanting to be intimate with him were too much. From what little I could tell about your husband, I think he’d want you to move on and be happy. I do believe that Kyla’s parents and bestie were rushing her, as it had only been about a year and a half since her husband died when she met Trevor. No one’s grief is on a timeline, but taking several years to get over your husband’s tragic death seems reasonable to me.
Something that did bother me to no end was that the child apparently didn’t age. In the beginning of the book, Aaron was 15 months old. About two month after Trevor and Kyla had been together, he was still 15 months old. It was mentioned several weeks after this that he was still, you guessed it, 15 months old.
I’ll also say that the way this author writes smut is really interesting. It might just be the time it was written (originally published in 1986), but I found that I kind of liked it. It’s written with just dialogue flipping between multiple scenes. No descriptions after the first introduction that they’re kissing and such. It was slightly hard to follow at times, but also kind of adorable?
Why I detest the best friend (also, some spoilers):
If my husband had lied to me our entire relationship, manipulated me into marriage, manipulated my parents into selling their home (albeit for a good price, which then allowed them to follow their dreams and RV around the country), and kind of caused my husbands death, I would be beside myself with grief, anger, and sadness. If I then subsequently fled my home, went to my best friend’s, and explained all of this to her, only for her to TAKE HIS SIDE??? I- I- I- You’re actually kidding me. I could understand the friend being like, oh but he’s been so nice too and loves your son and shit, but SAYING THAT IM OVERREACTING BY BEING MAD AND LEAVING??? Oh hell no. We’d no longer be friends. I’d never speak to this woman again.
Not only did Babs (horrible name that was never explained what it was a nickname for) take Trevor’s side and tell Kyla she was wrong to be mad at him, she said that Kyla was being SELFISH. Because this man had changed his entire life to make her happy and she was just mad that he lied. I’m sorry, WHAT THE FUCK? Kyla then believes her friend, goes back to Trevor after about 10 minutes of contemplation, forgives him for everything, and APOLOGIZES FOR OVERREACTING. I truly have no words.
October 18, 2022
5 stars
It's sooo good!
If you're a fan of a good ol' vintage harlequin, then this is a read for you.
Plus, it's Sandra Brown so the writing style is fantastic, that's a given.
This is a story of Trevor, a military man who after being badly injured and losing his best friend in an attack, falls in love with a woman.
But the thing is, he's never seen her before.
He knows of her as she is the wife of his late friend.
And while in recovery he comes across Kyla's letters to Charles, the said friend.
And those letters keep him alive and give him strength to fight for his life.
And with a new set of values, all he wants is to meet her in person and claim her and her son as his and start a new chapter.
The deception was never his intentions and yet it happens.
Because Kyla also knew of Trevor, aka Smooch, a womanizer who doesn't treat anything seriously. She knew of him as he was her husband's best friend in the army.
They never met but she wasn't a big fan of his.
And Trevor knew that.
And that was so deliciously well done!
They meet and he is completely smitten with her but she keeps him at arm's length as she is still in mourning over Richard.
But he is persistent.
And charming.
And handsome.
And protective of her and Aaron.
And will do anything to have them in his life.
And slowly she starts falling for him.
And the chemistry they had?
Exquisite!
But his true identity is yet to be revealed.
So if that sounds like something you wanna read, go for it.
You won't be disappointed.
I happily inhaled it in one go.
Highly recommend!
It's sooo good!
If you're a fan of a good ol' vintage harlequin, then this is a read for you.
Plus, it's Sandra Brown so the writing style is fantastic, that's a given.
This is a story of Trevor, a military man who after being badly injured and losing his best friend in an attack, falls in love with a woman.
But the thing is, he's never seen her before.
He knows of her as she is the wife of his late friend.
And while in recovery he comes across Kyla's letters to Charles, the said friend.
And those letters keep him alive and give him strength to fight for his life.
And with a new set of values, all he wants is to meet her in person and claim her and her son as his and start a new chapter.
The deception was never his intentions and yet it happens.
Because Kyla also knew of Trevor, aka Smooch, a womanizer who doesn't treat anything seriously. She knew of him as he was her husband's best friend in the army.
They never met but she wasn't a big fan of his.
And Trevor knew that.
And that was so deliciously well done!
They meet and he is completely smitten with her but she keeps him at arm's length as she is still in mourning over Richard.
But he is persistent.
And charming.
And handsome.
And protective of her and Aaron.
And will do anything to have them in his life.
And slowly she starts falling for him.
And the chemistry they had?
Exquisite!
But his true identity is yet to be revealed.
So if that sounds like something you wanna read, go for it.
You won't be disappointed.
I happily inhaled it in one go.
Highly recommend!
March 18, 2022
Actual rate: 3.5
What I can say? Hmm, dari awal baca blurb udah tertarik banget kepengin baca karena hei, seseorang bisa jatuh cinta hanya karena baca surat cinta istri ke suaminya? Surat-surat itu bahkan bukan punya dia. Yah, well, eksekusinya nggak mengecewakan. Pada dasarnya Trevor menjadikan surat-surat cinta Kyla ke Richard itu sebagai guide mengenal Kyla Stroud.
Isinya kebanyakan ketertarikan seksual sih, ya, tapi fokusku ke interaksi Trevor sama Aaron. Hiks, lemah banget kalau cowok fiksi SB yang selalu digambarkan maskulin ini interaksi sama bocah, aduh :(
Bintangnya bisa gas pol, tapi agak kesel sama sifat mendramatisir Kyla. I know, dia merasa belum bisa lepas dari suaminya, cuma kebanyakan terbelenggu sama pemikirannya sendiri. Like, duh, Neng, Richard juga nggak akan gentayangin kalau kamu suka sama Trevor. Terus penyelesaian konflik menuju endingnya enggak banget menurutku, terlalu cepat. Yah, bukannya mengharap bakal banyak drama, sih, tapi aku sempat berpikir masalahnya bakal membesar setelah menerima kiriman dari Alabama, tapi ternyata boom! Kayaknya jeda antara masalah dan penyelesaian cuma di apartemen Babs itu aja wkwkw. Selain itu ya udah, clear. Aku butuh sekuel :(
What I can say? Hmm, dari awal baca blurb udah tertarik banget kepengin baca karena hei, seseorang bisa jatuh cinta hanya karena baca surat cinta istri ke suaminya? Surat-surat itu bahkan bukan punya dia. Yah, well, eksekusinya nggak mengecewakan. Pada dasarnya Trevor menjadikan surat-surat cinta Kyla ke Richard itu sebagai guide mengenal Kyla Stroud.
Isinya kebanyakan ketertarikan seksual sih, ya, tapi fokusku ke interaksi Trevor sama Aaron. Hiks, lemah banget kalau cowok fiksi SB yang selalu digambarkan maskulin ini interaksi sama bocah, aduh :(
Bintangnya bisa gas pol, tapi agak kesel sama sifat mendramatisir Kyla. I know, dia merasa belum bisa lepas dari suaminya, cuma kebanyakan terbelenggu sama pemikirannya sendiri. Like, duh, Neng, Richard juga nggak akan gentayangin kalau kamu suka sama Trevor. Terus penyelesaian konflik menuju endingnya enggak banget menurutku, terlalu cepat. Yah, bukannya mengharap bakal banyak drama, sih, tapi aku sempat berpikir masalahnya bakal membesar setelah menerima kiriman dari Alabama, tapi ternyata boom! Kayaknya jeda antara masalah dan penyelesaian cuma di apartemen Babs itu aja wkwkw. Selain itu ya udah, clear. Aku butuh sekuel :(
Read
January 5, 2025MMC was a marine injured in an embassy bombing. His fellow marines called him “Smooch” because he was a “ladies man” who claimed “all cats are gray in the dark”.
FMC is a new mother & widow. Her husband died in the embassy bombing. She moved back in with her parents and owns a flower shop with her best friend.
While in the hospital, recovering from the bombing, he is given the letters she wrote to her husband and he reads them, falls in love with her, moves to TX to meet her, gets her parents neighborhood rezoned as commercial so they have to sell and move, and marries her all without telling her who he is in relation to her husband.
So much gaslighting. So many weird body related phrases. Weird POV, tense shifts.
FMC is a new mother & widow. Her husband died in the embassy bombing. She moved back in with her parents and owns a flower shop with her best friend.
While in the hospital, recovering from the bombing, he is given the letters she wrote to her husband and he reads them, falls in love with her, moves to TX to meet her, gets her parents neighborhood rezoned as commercial so they have to sell and move, and marries her all without telling her who he is in relation to her husband.
So much gaslighting. So many weird body related phrases. Weird POV, tense shifts.
April 27, 2017
This book was a little more grown up than I'm used to, but other than that, it was pretty good. Trevor was very nice to Kyla and her family and, well, pretty much everyone after the accident. The book itself was very romantic and interesting to read. One of the problems I had with it, though, was I couldn't make myself like the characters. They're human and have issues, but I honestly didn't find much to like in them. But I'm glad it ended like it did. I like happy endings to any book. :P
March 3, 2018
A beautiful story of second love. To have loved and lost that love to a terrorist attack during wartime doesn’t mean there is no more life. Kyra and her baby son Aaron find life again with a generous, loving Marine who suffered his own wounds and losses in the military conflict.
April 3, 2020
Lengvas, šiltas , protarpiais jaudinantis romanas. Šaltam vakarui, prie arbatos puodelio - pats tas. Knygos esmė - nebegyventi praeityje, išmokti nemeluoti sau.
November 17, 2020
Why?
'Cos i needed something easy in between the hours of baby feeding, something that let me sleep peacefully after without keeping me hooked.
But this was.. not that good at all... oh well
'Cos i needed something easy in between the hours of baby feeding, something that let me sleep peacefully after without keeping me hooked.
But this was.. not that good at all... oh well
March 30, 2024
This book had me saying aw hellllll no, way too many times lol
March 28, 2022
A marine has his life spared. He reads his friends ' letters from his wife. He falls for her and then it gets interesting.
December 17, 2010
Review Date: 10/28/2008
"LOVE...YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY..OOOH WHAT A POWERFUL FORCE!!!,
FROM BEGINNING TO END...."Above And Beyond"*AUDIO book
* PROVES ..LULY'S ,SOOTHES "you".FOR LOVE &HAPPY EVER AFTERS CAN certainly WIN!
THIS READ IS TO BE SAVOR!!!
THROUGHOUT THIS LOVE STORY'S PAGES THE POWER OF LOVE WAS SHOWN LIKE A SLOW LOVING CARESS,TENDER TEDIOUSLY BUT WELL PLEASINGLY!! OOOOH HOW FASCINATING THIS READ IS!
L@@K WITHIN THIS READ FOR YOU CAN VISUALIZE,IMAGE,FEEL A SOFT TOUCH& THE BEAUTY OF A SWEET LOVE SHARED.
KAYLA(Heroine)PROJECTED ON PAPER(abundant of love)THE GIFT OF SHARING & CHERISHING A LOVE THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL,SO SPECIAL&TRUE WITH HER HUSBAND WHO DIED.
I'M TOTALLY AWED HOW "Ms. Brown" demonstrates THAT LOVE IS MEANT TO BE SHARED & NOT BOTTLED UP EVEN AFTER A SPOUSE DIES.
THIS IS WHAT I LOVE READING ABOUT...LOVE.
THE UNIMAGINABLE WAYS IT'S POWERS WORK AND THROUGH THAT LOVE TELLS & WRITES IT'S OWN STORY!
WOW...THIS POWERFUL FORCE CALLED "Love" POWER CAN CHANGE LIVES, PENETRATE HEARTS,GIVES HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER LIFE,HOPE TO..LIVE HAPPILY& LOVE AGAIN!
LOVE IS THE SURE..HEALING CURE FOR WHAT ALE'S YA!!!"
"Love is Natures Aphrodisiac remotely understated vaguely overly underestimated, Nevertheless it could never really be over rated...”...OOOH yes that definitely **sigh* LOVE!"
rubyswan; D
"LOVE...YOU TAKE MY BREATH AWAY..OOOH WHAT A POWERFUL FORCE!!!,
FROM BEGINNING TO END...."Above And Beyond"*AUDIO book
* PROVES ..LULY'S ,SOOTHES "you".FOR LOVE &HAPPY EVER AFTERS CAN certainly WIN!
THIS READ IS TO BE SAVOR!!!
THROUGHOUT THIS LOVE STORY'S PAGES THE POWER OF LOVE WAS SHOWN LIKE A SLOW LOVING CARESS,TENDER TEDIOUSLY BUT WELL PLEASINGLY!! OOOOH HOW FASCINATING THIS READ IS!
L@@K WITHIN THIS READ FOR YOU CAN VISUALIZE,IMAGE,FEEL A SOFT TOUCH& THE BEAUTY OF A SWEET LOVE SHARED.
KAYLA(Heroine)PROJECTED ON PAPER(abundant of love)THE GIFT OF SHARING & CHERISHING A LOVE THAT WAS SO WONDERFUL,SO SPECIAL&TRUE WITH HER HUSBAND WHO DIED.
I'M TOTALLY AWED HOW "Ms. Brown" demonstrates THAT LOVE IS MEANT TO BE SHARED & NOT BOTTLED UP EVEN AFTER A SPOUSE DIES.
THIS IS WHAT I LOVE READING ABOUT...LOVE.
THE UNIMAGINABLE WAYS IT'S POWERS WORK AND THROUGH THAT LOVE TELLS & WRITES IT'S OWN STORY!
WOW...THIS POWERFUL FORCE CALLED "Love" POWER CAN CHANGE LIVES, PENETRATE HEARTS,GIVES HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER LIFE,HOPE TO..LIVE HAPPILY& LOVE AGAIN!
LOVE IS THE SURE..HEALING CURE FOR WHAT ALE'S YA!!!"
"Love is Natures Aphrodisiac remotely understated vaguely overly underestimated, Nevertheless it could never really be over rated...”...OOOH yes that definitely **sigh* LOVE!"
rubyswan; D
May 29, 2014
This was the first book I’ve read from Sandra Brown. From the goodreads reviews I got the sense this would be a good romance. Oh boy, was I wrong!
Let’s start with the cover. It is written there that this is a “Classic love story”. This book is not a classic! Maybe I can consider it a classic Harlequin Romance.
The love letters promoted in the intro were corny, drowsy and lacking. The love story was really creepy. I had hard time imagining a romance with a man who became obsessed with a woman he doesn't know, repeatedly watched her from a distance, then lied to her about knowing who she was when circumstance causes them to meet, and finally asked her to marry him. This is the definition of a stalker. No high class romance here. But the worst is: who falls in love and marries a man that is secretly obsessed with her? Are you an idiot? This is the guy who’s going to beat you up, control you and rape you during the next years. And, than in a rage kill you. This was just sooo creepy and wrong!
I had to force myself to continue reading the novel. What’s wrong with you, Sandra Brown?
Let’s start with the cover. It is written there that this is a “Classic love story”. This book is not a classic! Maybe I can consider it a classic Harlequin Romance.
The love letters promoted in the intro were corny, drowsy and lacking. The love story was really creepy. I had hard time imagining a romance with a man who became obsessed with a woman he doesn't know, repeatedly watched her from a distance, then lied to her about knowing who she was when circumstance causes them to meet, and finally asked her to marry him. This is the definition of a stalker. No high class romance here. But the worst is: who falls in love and marries a man that is secretly obsessed with her? Are you an idiot? This is the guy who’s going to beat you up, control you and rape you during the next years. And, than in a rage kill you. This was just sooo creepy and wrong!
I had to force myself to continue reading the novel. What’s wrong with you, Sandra Brown?
June 23, 2014
I have to admit, I didn't actually finish this book - I usually love her books, but had a prob with this one. Knowing the love letters belonged to his former dead team mate and wife, he should have left them alone and returned them to her (the wife) when he got out of the hospital/rehab and moved to the same state where she was, instead of reading them and falling in love with her. Upon arriving in her area, he should have introduced himself, and given her with her dec'd husband's letters - instead he stalked her. So ANY relationship he had with her from then on was one based in deception. I only got 1/3 of the way through it and couldn't go on....sorry
February 1, 2015
I like very much this book because is fascinating and keeps you in suspense, all the time you read it. It contains a beautiful love story, with troubles and adventures, delighting, inflaming your imagination, forcing you to really live the book and to not abandon it! The final is happy, what makes this book more desired! I recommend it to everybody!
I must say that Sandra Brown has a real talent in writing romance books and is my favorite author. I respect her and I encourage her to write further, because her writings are downright extraordinary!
I must say that Sandra Brown has a real talent in writing romance books and is my favorite author. I respect her and I encourage her to write further, because her writings are downright extraordinary!
August 20, 2007
Done. selesai baca novel ini tgl 3 August.
Kalau mau baca buku romantis & cara bercinta yang menghanyutkan, baca buku ini! benar2 membawa kita ikut merasakannya.
I know it's sound melow but it's really good book.
Kalau mau baca buku romantis & cara bercinta yang menghanyutkan, baca buku ini! benar2 membawa kita ikut merasakannya.
I know it's sound melow but it's really good book.
April 20, 2008
This is a beautiful story about Kyla being a young widow with a baby when her husband's killed in the war and falling in love with his best friend, who has one eye. Truly touching with some secrets and some surprises.
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