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The Long Way Home
Major Samantha Davies is a warrior. After being abandoned by her father and raised in a foster home, she has made the Marine Corps her life. As a helicopter pilot she has excelled under the demands of her career. Always a fierce competitor, she now faces her toughest challenge...living with a disability that threatens her career and dealing with survivor’s guilt that threatens her emotional stability.
Lieutenant Commander Kristine Matthews is a highly skilled, combat experienced Navy Surgeon well accustomed to handling the worst destruction war can do to a person.
One fateful afternoon their paths cross and their lives change forever.
In a world where independence and strength are as valued as teamwork, and these two women struggle through rehabilitation, will they heal enough to live again and find happiness? Or will their shared experience destroy them?
Lieutenant Commander Kristine Matthews is a highly skilled, combat experienced Navy Surgeon well accustomed to handling the worst destruction war can do to a person.
One fateful afternoon their paths cross and their lives change forever.
In a world where independence and strength are as valued as teamwork, and these two women struggle through rehabilitation, will they heal enough to live again and find happiness? Or will their shared experience destroy them?
ebook
Published July 11, 2017
65 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Roslyn Bane
3 books12 followersRoslyn Bane wrote poetry and short stories in high school which remained largely unseen except by her closest friends. She grew up in Maryland and has lived in the Florida panhandle, coastal Virginia and Wisconsin. She now lives near York, Pennsylvania with her family and two lovable labs.
She spends her free time in the outdoors enjoying photography, swimming, bicycling, hiking, kayaking and downhill skiing. More recently she has been enjoying the countryside by motorcycle. A voracious reader, she enjoys books from many genres. She loves the smell of rain in the woods, and watching the night sky. The inspiration for, her stories comes from daily life, hobbies, her love of the outdoors, and people watching.
She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, Passionate Ink, RomVets and Rainbow Romance Writers.
She spends her free time in the outdoors enjoying photography, swimming, bicycling, hiking, kayaking and downhill skiing. More recently she has been enjoying the countryside by motorcycle. A voracious reader, she enjoys books from many genres. She loves the smell of rain in the woods, and watching the night sky. The inspiration for, her stories comes from daily life, hobbies, her love of the outdoors, and people watching.
She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, Central Pennsylvania Romance Writers, Passionate Ink, RomVets and Rainbow Romance Writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 28, 2017
An exceptional read!
A pilot and the other a surgeon, two survivors of a tragic event. Both seriously injured and both has been to hell. Can they find solace in each other to help pick up the pieces of their lives and move on? Can they learn to live and love again? A story about determination, anger, survivor’s guilt, acceptance, strength, faith, trust, desire and passion. I was moved to tears several times and sometimes it was painful to read. Especially when they were at their lowest moments and it all felt so real. I cannot imagine the horrors that veterans experienced during their deployment but I think that this story is pretty close to the truth. I’m impressed by this book, a real masterpiece. It is detailed, the development of the story is excellent and deeply moving. I fell in love with the main characters and the lovestory pulls it all together. It couldn’t be more perfect.
A pilot and the other a surgeon, two survivors of a tragic event. Both seriously injured and both has been to hell. Can they find solace in each other to help pick up the pieces of their lives and move on? Can they learn to live and love again? A story about determination, anger, survivor’s guilt, acceptance, strength, faith, trust, desire and passion. I was moved to tears several times and sometimes it was painful to read. Especially when they were at their lowest moments and it all felt so real. I cannot imagine the horrors that veterans experienced during their deployment but I think that this story is pretty close to the truth. I’m impressed by this book, a real masterpiece. It is detailed, the development of the story is excellent and deeply moving. I fell in love with the main characters and the lovestory pulls it all together. It couldn’t be more perfect.
April 28, 2019
This is my first read from this author. I have wanted to read it since reading others reviews but was a bit weary being it was about the aftermath of war. Those always get to me because if it done wrong can leave someone feeling...well...wrong. So, I was happy to see it pop up as a read on Scribd and jumped on it as soon as I could. And I will say, this is one of the few post-military stories I have read that was done, in my opinion, right. I couldnt put it down when I started and found myself at 1am cursong the fact that had to stop because I had to adult the next day. Needless to say, I couldnt put it down. The characters were well written, the pain and feelings of both MCs were done beautifully. If you get a chance to read it...I highly recommend it
March 11, 2022
I wanted to like this a lot more than I ended up. It started strong, but unfortunately wove into melodrama and typical black moment bullshit, with some repetition issues.
It's well written, with great detail in the helicopter pilot and surgeon doctor life of these people in the marines, recovering from a traumatic incident that have left them both intermittently disabled with parts missing. You really feel every minute of the emotion of what these women have gone through, waking up discovering their infirm state, struggling to heal both physically and emotionally, and dealing with survivors guilt, and interpersonal relationships. That was all incredibly solid, and had my heart clenching for them both.
Surgical Doctor Kris' struggles back at home with an unfaithful, alcoholic, abusive partner was especially harrowing. And Gut roiling - so trigger warning: It was raw, and confronting. She is also dealing with missing an intimate part of herself, that makes her feel ugly and her partner only increases those feelings.
Major Sam is a marine pilot, and has abandonment issues. Never wants to rely on anyone, let alone a wonderful adoptive foster family that took her in, and ensured she was always one of their own. She was the harder one to like and root for, because she was so damn stubborn, and would get down on herself and others very quickly.
The connection between the two was great at first, but there's a secret underlying that threatens their love.
I totally understand the PTSD of it all, and the author did a good job and showcasing the ups and downs of that, and how the mind lies to you. But I have to admit I got a bit sick of the storyline toward the second half of the book being nothing but sex scenes, bad dreams, self sabotage, forced discussions to 'sort it out' but then rinse and repeat. I felt like no one learned anything. Just kept making the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Sam just made shit so difficult for herself, and her attitude sucked. At the black moment, the vile things she said to Kris made me not even trust or like her character anymore. No one deserved the vitriol she spewed, even if it came from a place of hurt. Her own integrity showed her lack of respect for herself and her partner, and that just pissed me off, and I was essentially "out" at that point, and didn't want them reconciling. I felt like Kris deserved better, and Sam deserved a major ass kicking in the verbal sense.
So ultimately, a fail, for me. Despite the solid writing and promising start.
It's well written, with great detail in the helicopter pilot and surgeon doctor life of these people in the marines, recovering from a traumatic incident that have left them both intermittently disabled with parts missing. You really feel every minute of the emotion of what these women have gone through, waking up discovering their infirm state, struggling to heal both physically and emotionally, and dealing with survivors guilt, and interpersonal relationships. That was all incredibly solid, and had my heart clenching for them both.
Surgical Doctor Kris' struggles back at home with an unfaithful, alcoholic, abusive partner was especially harrowing. And Gut roiling - so trigger warning: It was raw, and confronting. She is also dealing with missing an intimate part of herself, that makes her feel ugly and her partner only increases those feelings.
Major Sam is a marine pilot, and has abandonment issues. Never wants to rely on anyone, let alone a wonderful adoptive foster family that took her in, and ensured she was always one of their own. She was the harder one to like and root for, because she was so damn stubborn, and would get down on herself and others very quickly.
The connection between the two was great at first, but there's a secret underlying that threatens their love.
I totally understand the PTSD of it all, and the author did a good job and showcasing the ups and downs of that, and how the mind lies to you. But I have to admit I got a bit sick of the storyline toward the second half of the book being nothing but sex scenes, bad dreams, self sabotage, forced discussions to 'sort it out' but then rinse and repeat. I felt like no one learned anything. Just kept making the same mistakes over and over and over again.
Sam just made shit so difficult for herself, and her attitude sucked. At the black moment, the vile things she said to Kris made me not even trust or like her character anymore. No one deserved the vitriol she spewed, even if it came from a place of hurt. Her own integrity showed her lack of respect for herself and her partner, and that just pissed me off, and I was essentially "out" at that point, and didn't want them reconciling. I felt like Kris deserved better, and Sam deserved a major ass kicking in the verbal sense.
So ultimately, a fail, for me. Despite the solid writing and promising start.
December 15, 2017
Whow! This is a stor that really moved me. I can't even imagen, what all the people in the military have to endure in a war zone. I live in Switzerland and our military don't take action in any war zone in the world. Switzerland is part of the KFOR, for peace promotion,
I think in this story, you can feel the author (US Navy veteran) knows about what she's writing. It's well written and pulled me in from the beginning.
The story is about Kris and Sam, both seriously injured during their deployement in Afghanistan and their recuperation afterwards. They have a hard and long way to go for their new life. During this journey, they have to fight against flashbacks, survivers guilt, anger, disdain and for acceptance, faith, trust and strenght. The author has a wonderful way to narrate all the feelings, struggles and thougths they have. Alt the ups and downs they have to get through. Can they help each other to heal? And will they ever be able to love again, themselves and another person?
It is a very emotional story, I had tears running down my face more than once, sometimes it was painful. The romance was a bumpy road too but it was also wonderful. The characters are loveable but also realistic. The whole story is very realistic. With 370 pages it is a long story, but it never felt that long. That means something, it's a page turner.
I highly recommend this book for everybody who loves to read about veterans who had served in a war zone in combination with a great romance.
My rating 5 stars
I think in this story, you can feel the author (US Navy veteran) knows about what she's writing. It's well written and pulled me in from the beginning.
The story is about Kris and Sam, both seriously injured during their deployement in Afghanistan and their recuperation afterwards. They have a hard and long way to go for their new life. During this journey, they have to fight against flashbacks, survivers guilt, anger, disdain and for acceptance, faith, trust and strenght. The author has a wonderful way to narrate all the feelings, struggles and thougths they have. Alt the ups and downs they have to get through. Can they help each other to heal? And will they ever be able to love again, themselves and another person?
It is a very emotional story, I had tears running down my face more than once, sometimes it was painful. The romance was a bumpy road too but it was also wonderful. The characters are loveable but also realistic. The whole story is very realistic. With 370 pages it is a long story, but it never felt that long. That means something, it's a page turner.
I highly recommend this book for everybody who loves to read about veterans who had served in a war zone in combination with a great romance.
My rating 5 stars
April 19, 2022
Great read that had me captivated from the very beginning. Both main characters going through their own personal struggles, and helping each other, and falling in love along the way. Beautiful.
March 6, 2019
This was a unique and excellent read. Bane takes on some tough issues squarely and realistically: PTSD, domestic abuse, adjustment to amputation. I really enjoyed this book. There were some pacing issues in the last 20% where the story slowed down, but I'm not complaining. I loved the characters, and I didn't really mind getting to spend more time with them.
February 17, 2019
Two immediate things come to mind after finishing The Long Way Home. The first was how quickly the author jumped us into the story and characters. The second was how much research must have been done to get details so specific from the technical end in the helicopter and later in the hospital from both the care teams’ perspectives as well as the two mains who were both patients. Later, in the author’s page, I learned that the writer is both a medical professional and a veteran so that made perfect sense then.
Major Sam Davies is a Marine helicopter pilot who gets shot down along with her crew in Afghanistan and Lieutenant Commander Kris Matthews is the surgeon who volunteers to give medical attention on site at the crash while bullets are still flying.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they are both severely injured and end up in Maryland at the national military hospital together. There they each deal with survivor’s guilt, the grief and anger of having new physical limitations, and ptsd. But their individual battles are interwoven with the burgeoning connection between Kris and Sam. Then just when you think the book is headed in one direction, another layer is added to veer the narrative to something else which keeps it all interesting.
As many have said, the story includes domestic violence involving one of the main’s ex’s so be aware before reading if this is a problem.
Top notch book but understandably intense and difficult to read at times. The romance is a good one and worth the wait. Sad book though but true to a story about two of our veterans coming home.
Major Sam Davies is a Marine helicopter pilot who gets shot down along with her crew in Afghanistan and Lieutenant Commander Kris Matthews is the surgeon who volunteers to give medical attention on site at the crash while bullets are still flying.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they are both severely injured and end up in Maryland at the national military hospital together. There they each deal with survivor’s guilt, the grief and anger of having new physical limitations, and ptsd. But their individual battles are interwoven with the burgeoning connection between Kris and Sam. Then just when you think the book is headed in one direction, another layer is added to veer the narrative to something else which keeps it all interesting.
As many have said, the story includes domestic violence involving one of the main’s ex’s so be aware before reading if this is a problem.
Top notch book but understandably intense and difficult to read at times. The romance is a good one and worth the wait. Sad book though but true to a story about two of our veterans coming home.
July 21, 2017
Love, love, love these military romances. These two characters are physically damaged and emotionally flawed. Somehow they manage to heal each other and find love. Yes, this review is sappy and so is this story. Did I mention I loved this book? I got about 3 hours of sleep last night because of it and it was totally worth it.
January 25, 2020
🏳️🌈👩❤👩📚⚢🚁👩🔬👩❤💋👩📖👭🏳️🌈
🤯 👍👍 🤯
This novel was on my « must-be-read »-list since a long while but I took my time to read it, not because of the lack of motivation but because I had to.
This very well written book is a very good one, even an excellent one and it’s very touching but it’s also sometimes painful to read. When you’re a higly sensitive person like I am, it’s not the kind of book you can read quickly and appreciate in the same time, you need some break between two readings sessions ‘cause it’s sometimes very emotional and you can be overwhelmed ... It happened to me and I confess that I was moved to tears several times during the reading I also was pissed of a few times mainly when it came about the domestic abuse. It’s something I won’t never understand … A few times I was frustrating when I read the rough scene, I had the desire to plunge for real in the story to defend the characters from the others (the assaults scenes) or from their own struggles and angst on their way to bring their lives back on tracks , to rebuild themselves after those traumatic and disabling events (during the rehab, etc) & the betrayals and to find solace and true Love and , in the end, find the path which lead them where they meant to be : at Home in each other arms …
The story of those two strong characters who also have their weaknesses is the result of an outstanding job by the author who definitely knows very well her subject. The fact that there’s a slow build-up of the relationship between those two ladies with UNperfect bodies is a good point, more realistic for me than most of the « love at the first sight » (so, rushed) stories between two perfectly shaped and awesome women you can find in lesfic …
The scenes are well described & very graphic so reading this book was more than watching a movie, it was like watching a true-story documentary and witnessing the character’s private lives with some rough personnal moments and even some very intimate (not only sexual) ones. The love scenes are not too detailed and I really appreciate that because it makes the imagination work and create some (very) erotic passages … I really appreciated the fact , for once, like in real life, our lovely ladies were surrounded by more straight people than lesbians like we can see in plenty of books (I’m not a huge fan when the story becomes an alternative sequel of the L World ‘cause I prefer realistic situations. When I want some imaginary things, I read some sci-fi or fantastic lesfic, LOL) …
I would definitely recommend the reading of this book and I confess that I’m very impatient to read Roslyn’s next novels …
Happy reading all !! 💜💙💚💛🧡❤️
🤯 👍👍 🤯
This novel was on my « must-be-read »-list since a long while but I took my time to read it, not because of the lack of motivation but because I had to.
This very well written book is a very good one, even an excellent one and it’s very touching but it’s also sometimes painful to read. When you’re a higly sensitive person like I am, it’s not the kind of book you can read quickly and appreciate in the same time, you need some break between two readings sessions ‘cause it’s sometimes very emotional and you can be overwhelmed ... It happened to me and I confess that I was moved to tears several times during the reading I also was pissed of a few times mainly when it came about the domestic abuse. It’s something I won’t never understand … A few times I was frustrating when I read the rough scene, I had the desire to plunge for real in the story to defend the characters from the others (the assaults scenes) or from their own struggles and angst on their way to bring their lives back on tracks , to rebuild themselves after those traumatic and disabling events (during the rehab, etc) & the betrayals and to find solace and true Love and , in the end, find the path which lead them where they meant to be : at Home in each other arms …
The story of those two strong characters who also have their weaknesses is the result of an outstanding job by the author who definitely knows very well her subject. The fact that there’s a slow build-up of the relationship between those two ladies with UNperfect bodies is a good point, more realistic for me than most of the « love at the first sight » (so, rushed) stories between two perfectly shaped and awesome women you can find in lesfic …
The scenes are well described & very graphic so reading this book was more than watching a movie, it was like watching a true-story documentary and witnessing the character’s private lives with some rough personnal moments and even some very intimate (not only sexual) ones. The love scenes are not too detailed and I really appreciate that because it makes the imagination work and create some (very) erotic passages … I really appreciated the fact , for once, like in real life, our lovely ladies were surrounded by more straight people than lesbians like we can see in plenty of books (I’m not a huge fan when the story becomes an alternative sequel of the L World ‘cause I prefer realistic situations. When I want some imaginary things, I read some sci-fi or fantastic lesfic, LOL) …
I would definitely recommend the reading of this book and I confess that I’m very impatient to read Roslyn’s next novels …
Happy reading all !! 💜💙💚💛🧡❤️
July 26, 2017
A book well written.
I was drawn to this storyline since page one. I am a disabled vet, but I was seriously injured in my second week of basic. I went through pain, Anger, and fear for along time. Even though I didn't go through anything like Sam or Kris. But in a way I could feel what they were feeling. This is well written storyline and the characters are so believable. I would recommend this book.
I was drawn to this storyline since page one. I am a disabled vet, but I was seriously injured in my second week of basic. I went through pain, Anger, and fear for along time. Even though I didn't go through anything like Sam or Kris. But in a way I could feel what they were feeling. This is well written storyline and the characters are so believable. I would recommend this book.
March 13, 2019
4.5 stars. All around excellent read - great story, great characters, fresh plot points that are rarely used. It's not a light read but that is exactly what makes it good.
March 24, 2024
4 stars
Heavy topic. Not an easy read. Unsurprisingly. If the blurb didn't make it apparent, I'm not sure what would.
But well written. Believable. The drama wasn't caused by silly miscommunications but by realistic hang-ups and issues that had no "universally good" solutions.
Heavy topic. Not an easy read. Unsurprisingly. If the blurb didn't make it apparent, I'm not sure what would.
But well written. Believable. The drama wasn't caused by silly miscommunications but by realistic hang-ups and issues that had no "universally good" solutions.
July 16, 2025
Contemporary. Sapphic. Disability - Amputee. ...
Now, I have realised that when it comes to female veterans, I have never really focused on the fact that they were in the army. I only enjoyed the story without really thinking about what happened. In some previous books, I read it was more on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and how it affected lesbians in the army. But here it seems that was not the issue, they developed the relationship after the army/injuries.
This book is a real complex because it has the whole process from the injury, surgery, therapy, relationship and all the struggles of the above things. The bullet went through her chest and fragments punctured and destroyed the tissues in her breast. Painful. - I don't think that is a disability but it affected her so and the girlfriend was so horrible about it.
Another major point is the domestic violence in sapphic relationships, which was truly heartbreaking
Now, I have realised that when it comes to female veterans, I have never really focused on the fact that they were in the army. I only enjoyed the story without really thinking about what happened. In some previous books, I read it was more on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and how it affected lesbians in the army. But here it seems that was not the issue, they developed the relationship after the army/injuries.
This book is a real complex because it has the whole process from the injury, surgery, therapy, relationship and all the struggles of the above things. The bullet went through her chest and fragments punctured and destroyed the tissues in her breast. Painful. - I don't think that is a disability but it affected her so and the girlfriend was so horrible about it.
Another major point is the domestic violence in sapphic relationships, which was truly heartbreaking
November 16, 2017
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. Kudos to the author for letting the romance take its time and allowing the readers to actually get to know the characters. Ultimately, though, two things were big problems for me. One, the antagonist is evil in a completely one dimensional way that makes the character lack believability and undermines the apparent judgement of one of the main characters. And two, the prose is really lacking fluidity and nuance, which makes this feel clunky to read.
January 29, 2020
Very good book!
This book gets you hooked from the moment the helicopter crashed to the very end of the story. The story development was very compelling from the stand point of the main characters going through harrowing injuries, their recovery, their flashbacks, and PTSD as well as domestic violence on the part of one of the characters.
One of the things about being a woman in today’s military is the fact that they face combat and all the harrowing experiences that their male counterparts also experience. Trying to cope and get back to a semi normal life is excruciatingly difficult.
I thank the author for explaining in detail what the protagonists in the story were going through giving us the readers an insight into what life in the military is like when going through the ordeals that Sam and Kris were feeling and what it was doing to their relationship.
Well done and Ms. Bane, thank you for your service!
This book gets you hooked from the moment the helicopter crashed to the very end of the story. The story development was very compelling from the stand point of the main characters going through harrowing injuries, their recovery, their flashbacks, and PTSD as well as domestic violence on the part of one of the characters.
One of the things about being a woman in today’s military is the fact that they face combat and all the harrowing experiences that their male counterparts also experience. Trying to cope and get back to a semi normal life is excruciatingly difficult.
I thank the author for explaining in detail what the protagonists in the story were going through giving us the readers an insight into what life in the military is like when going through the ordeals that Sam and Kris were feeling and what it was doing to their relationship.
Well done and Ms. Bane, thank you for your service!
August 3, 2017
Thank You for Your Service!!
From the first sentence in this book you are caught up in the action and excitement. The story grabs you and doesn’t let go. I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish the book because I HAD to know what happened next.
In the first part of the book the chapters alternated between Sam and Kris. We watched how each woman coped with their own injuries, returning to life state side and dealing with their new realities. There was a little confusion in the timeline while the women were in the hospital but in the long run it didn’t really matter.
I LOVED how few lesbians were in the book. In lots of other books, the main characters are surrounded by more lesbians than straight people and EVERYONE has flawless gaydar. This book is closer to real life even having the characters unaware the other was a lesbian. This is so refreshing!
Kris and Sam were so wonderfully written. It was a gift to see their struggles as they dealt with their injuries and how they were rebuilding their lives with such courage. There is so much information about physical therapy, daily problems both physical and mental and the Wounded Warriors. These things are an amazing and large part of the story, making this a VERY realistic drama. Well worth missing out on some sleep!
A word of WARNING: there is a short but intense rape scene between two women as well as abusive behavior toward the injured Kris. Also, a lot of possible PSD triggers focused around combat and hospital issues.
From the first sentence in this book you are caught up in the action and excitement. The story grabs you and doesn’t let go. I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish the book because I HAD to know what happened next.
In the first part of the book the chapters alternated between Sam and Kris. We watched how each woman coped with their own injuries, returning to life state side and dealing with their new realities. There was a little confusion in the timeline while the women were in the hospital but in the long run it didn’t really matter.
I LOVED how few lesbians were in the book. In lots of other books, the main characters are surrounded by more lesbians than straight people and EVERYONE has flawless gaydar. This book is closer to real life even having the characters unaware the other was a lesbian. This is so refreshing!
Kris and Sam were so wonderfully written. It was a gift to see their struggles as they dealt with their injuries and how they were rebuilding their lives with such courage. There is so much information about physical therapy, daily problems both physical and mental and the Wounded Warriors. These things are an amazing and large part of the story, making this a VERY realistic drama. Well worth missing out on some sleep!
A word of WARNING: there is a short but intense rape scene between two women as well as abusive behavior toward the injured Kris. Also, a lot of possible PSD triggers focused around combat and hospital issues.
November 17, 2017
The story of Sam and Kris, how they first met in Afghanistan how they were injured, they then underwent their recuperation and overcame their injuries was a real page turner. The fact that they found within each other a soul mate turned the story in to a lovely romance. Obviously to make a romance a good story there has to be a certain amount of angst and there was certainly quite a bit of that. The only slight negative I would add to this is that us oldies may find that some of the sex scenes were a little OTT, but that didn't really deter from the story. A good romance is not about the sex, but the chemistry and discovery of the relationship between the two main characters. All in all I found The Long Way Home a really good read and would recommend it. Now looking forward to reading other books by Rosly Bane.
December 27, 2017
3.5 stars
August 1, 2018
Very nice book.
I should warn you that this have some triggers so be careful before reading it .
tw: sexual assault, domestic violence, PTSD.
That said, is a very good book, the characters were likable, they are "broken" people that don't feel better instantly. The romance is believable is not insta -love. The author creates a real conection before moving things along.
I love military and doctors books and this has both.
I will recommend this to romance fans, and anyone who enjoys the women in uniforms and doctors trope.
I should warn you that this have some triggers so be careful before reading it .
tw: sexual assault, domestic violence, PTSD.
That said, is a very good book, the characters were likable, they are "broken" people that don't feel better instantly. The romance is believable is not insta -love. The author creates a real conection before moving things along.
I love military and doctors books and this has both.
I will recommend this to romance fans, and anyone who enjoys the women in uniforms and doctors trope.
January 11, 2018
The story and characters were good, but I guess I missed what everyone else saw as a great book. It was almost too formal and the writing itself was stilted, I didn't invest into the MCs because of that.
September 1, 2024
Slow, steady knowing one another story. I actually enjoyed their build to friendship perhaps more than their time as lovers. This is a story that gave an enjoyable insight into women in military service and i enjoyed that side of the story as well.
December 16, 2017
To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this book. The story had a good start that kept me going. I kept thinking how Sam and Kris will be connected in the end, I was also anxious about Kris and Shelly. When the dust finally settled, all the steamy scenes started to flutter which was good addition until it seemed a tad too much.
I had a love-hate thot about Sam. Especially when her emotions were up...but, it only made me realized that the author has successful made me feel connected to the characters!
Sam’s struggles were brilliantly described and Kris’s challenges were clearly felt as well. The conversation between them seems a little “stiff” and sometimes I’m a little lost with the events. Likely to be just my own issue.
Overall, I’m still glad that I picked this title.
I had a love-hate thot about Sam. Especially when her emotions were up...but, it only made me realized that the author has successful made me feel connected to the characters!
Sam’s struggles were brilliantly described and Kris’s challenges were clearly felt as well. The conversation between them seems a little “stiff” and sometimes I’m a little lost with the events. Likely to be just my own issue.
Overall, I’m still glad that I picked this title.
August 23, 2025
Raw, real!
When I first read this book I rated it only a 4. I think that early in my sapphic reading career, I was comparing her to radclyffe and kallmaker.
This book is not as polished as some of theirs.
This book has always stuck with me. My first sapphic military trauma book.
As a rehab doc, I find it reasonably accurate and real. I have not seen another book covering the subject of conversion reaction. The coverage of amputee recovery in the military is also well done. For a patient with an excellent outcome.
I do not have the psych experience to really judge the PTSD coverage. Falls and nightmare. Seems less dramatic than some coverage, but probably more realistic of the experience for so many.
As a BRCA1 carrier, the book covers the subject of losing a breast well. And a good but brief description of the reconstruction process is well done.
This book is the one that I wanted to return to while studying to start a new phase in my career. I am studying to be a VA contractor regarding comp and pension evaluations. Kris and Sam will help me to keep the human perspective as I briefly interact with veterans.
The angst about being in limbo, and waiting to find what is coming next is well captured.
All in all, a very concise journey through the recovery of two soldiers who help heal each other.
When I first read this book I rated it only a 4. I think that early in my sapphic reading career, I was comparing her to radclyffe and kallmaker.
This book is not as polished as some of theirs.
This book has always stuck with me. My first sapphic military trauma book.
As a rehab doc, I find it reasonably accurate and real. I have not seen another book covering the subject of conversion reaction. The coverage of amputee recovery in the military is also well done. For a patient with an excellent outcome.
I do not have the psych experience to really judge the PTSD coverage. Falls and nightmare. Seems less dramatic than some coverage, but probably more realistic of the experience for so many.
As a BRCA1 carrier, the book covers the subject of losing a breast well. And a good but brief description of the reconstruction process is well done.
This book is the one that I wanted to return to while studying to start a new phase in my career. I am studying to be a VA contractor regarding comp and pension evaluations. Kris and Sam will help me to keep the human perspective as I briefly interact with veterans.
The angst about being in limbo, and waiting to find what is coming next is well captured.
All in all, a very concise journey through the recovery of two soldiers who help heal each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2018
So impressed with the level of detail, especially in the opening chapters. Sam and Kris are very well realized characters and I liked that it took a long time for them to go from strangers to friends. But I struggled with some of the content. The traumatic injury scenes were difficult to read, but I understood why they were there. I also understand that in war zones some of the victims will be children and babies. I didn't understand the need to include scenes of rape and assault of Kris by her partner Shelly. I was very uncomfortable that Kris' reaction was to victim-blame herself. And then later in the book Sam begins to act in some of the same ways Shelly acted...and that really got in the way of my believing in Sam and Kris as a couple. There's so much that is good about this book. It's very realistic about mental health and physical disability, doesn't handle those issues lightly, takes you step by step through every triumph and setback of recovery. I really cared about both of the protagonists separately...but together there's just something not quite right. At the beginning before they got together I thought yes they will be perfect and support each other...but by the end they've hurt each other so much? I just didn't believe in the resolution, though I wanted to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2017
Warning this book contains emotional and physical violence.
Before my review into need to express my feelings towards the violence in this book. I felt let down and disrespected domestic abuse is a serous no matter if it's a female or male being the aggressor. Rape, and violence should never be taken lightly. In this book it was , and although the character was dealing with PTSD at the same time should of be more reason to deal with the aggressor more appropriately. Also it may of been good to add resource links in the end credits for anyone dealing with PTSD or have been a victim of domestic abuse and or Rape.
So now that I have expressed my feelings let me tell everyone Roslyn Bane did an amazing job developing Sam and Kris's characters. The story was well written as a whole. It was heartwarming, engaging cute romantic, it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat holding your breath . Like I said, there is violence, heartwrenching headache. This is a tear jerking book. It will also fill your heat with joy keep you smiling as you follow Sam and Kris's journey from hell to heaven.
This is a must read.
Before my review into need to express my feelings towards the violence in this book. I felt let down and disrespected domestic abuse is a serous no matter if it's a female or male being the aggressor. Rape, and violence should never be taken lightly. In this book it was , and although the character was dealing with PTSD at the same time should of be more reason to deal with the aggressor more appropriately. Also it may of been good to add resource links in the end credits for anyone dealing with PTSD or have been a victim of domestic abuse and or Rape.
So now that I have expressed my feelings let me tell everyone Roslyn Bane did an amazing job developing Sam and Kris's characters. The story was well written as a whole. It was heartwarming, engaging cute romantic, it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat holding your breath . Like I said, there is violence, heartwrenching headache. This is a tear jerking book. It will also fill your heat with joy keep you smiling as you follow Sam and Kris's journey from hell to heaven.
This is a must read.
August 2, 2017
I wanted to give this book a good review. I really did, but I can't. The plot is good but that's where the positives end. This book needs an editor, or at the very least a proofreader. The characters have no soul and the dialogue is hollow. The characters and subplots are very familiar. "I make a mean chicken piccata and I gotta tell my girlfriend that I amputated her leg."'Come on. The tender moments between characters were shallow and not fleshed out, pun intended. Some of the technology mentioned didn't add up to this story being contemporary. It didn't make sense that Kris was a doctor and said or did some of the things that she did. When I found this book, it looked intriguing and I was excited that the author had another title. Hard pass on the other title.
January 11, 2018
Loved this wonderful book.
Major Sam Davies a marine helicopter pilot, is injured when her helicopter crashed in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Commander Kris Matthews is a Navy Surgeon who has to amputate Sam Davies’ leg in the helicopter. She is also badly injured when the helicopter came under attack.
Both women begin the long healing process and adjustment to their injuries.
It was a very moving and touching story describing the battles they faced dealing with the physical, mental and emotional scars. I loved the in-depth descriptions of what both of them were going through. Fortunately, I had a packet of Tissues handy. The characters were well written and realistic.
Beautifully written emotional love story. Definitely on the "to read again" list.
Major Sam Davies a marine helicopter pilot, is injured when her helicopter crashed in Afghanistan.
Lieutenant Commander Kris Matthews is a Navy Surgeon who has to amputate Sam Davies’ leg in the helicopter. She is also badly injured when the helicopter came under attack.
Both women begin the long healing process and adjustment to their injuries.
It was a very moving and touching story describing the battles they faced dealing with the physical, mental and emotional scars. I loved the in-depth descriptions of what both of them were going through. Fortunately, I had a packet of Tissues handy. The characters were well written and realistic.
Beautifully written emotional love story. Definitely on the "to read again" list.
July 24, 2017
Wonderful
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I shed a few tears more than once before finishing it. While some books are an entertaining snack, quickly consumed and quick to be moved on from, this one was a very hearty meal. I appreciated its length and the time the author must have devoted to bring to life all the developments in this story. The growth and healing of the main characters, both physically and emotionally, was well portrayed and will be marinating on my mind for some time to come.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I shed a few tears more than once before finishing it. While some books are an entertaining snack, quickly consumed and quick to be moved on from, this one was a very hearty meal. I appreciated its length and the time the author must have devoted to bring to life all the developments in this story. The growth and healing of the main characters, both physically and emotionally, was well portrayed and will be marinating on my mind for some time to come.
April 8, 2021
Roslyn Bane describes the challenges faced by women in the military in general and lesbians in particular. She points out how ignorant the general public is about women in combat... I served from 1970-1982, was wounded in combat several times and finally resigned my commission because I was so tired of "trying to play the game". I think battle fatigue or shell shock describes what we go through better than PTSD but that's only my opinion.
A great story that can also educate those that know little about the ravages of war. Thank you
A great story that can also educate those that know little about the ravages of war. Thank you
September 8, 2017
Excellent reading
This book is about two ladies of different backgrounds who meet in an odd location. The turmoils of not speaking and/ or speaking in anger split these two ladies apart . A visit with a sister, she points out to one of the ladies that not speaking was not the way to continue a relationship with someone you truly love. It was gut wrenching time for both of them. But they do learn to communicate with each other again.
This book is about two ladies of different backgrounds who meet in an odd location. The turmoils of not speaking and/ or speaking in anger split these two ladies apart . A visit with a sister, she points out to one of the ladies that not speaking was not the way to continue a relationship with someone you truly love. It was gut wrenching time for both of them. But they do learn to communicate with each other again.
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