Soldier On

Hearts On Guard #1

by Vanessa Rasanen

He's fighting for his country. She’s praying for his safety. When tragedy strikes, can their marriage and faith survive?

Charlie and Meg Winters are no strangers to the military life and the challenges it brings. But when an IED rips through his convoy killing his friends, the loss proves almost too much to bear.

Meg finds her trust in Christ wavering, and secrets she's been keeping for years drive a wedge between her and her husband.

What if everything Meg believes is a lie?

What if Charlie finds out what she's done?

Can Meg and Charlie save their marriage or will the horrors of war and the ghosts of their past tear them apart and forever shipwreck her faith?

Soldier On is a gripping contemporary women's fiction novel. If you like inspirational stories of faith tested under pressure, then you'll love Vanessa Rasanen's true-to-life novel.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Christian

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2018

About the author

Vanessa Rasanen is a former engineer turned fantasy romance author of emotionally charged stories full of love, adventure, and a bit of spice. When she's not writing swoony tension and broody good guys, she and her pilot husband can be found explaining to their four extroverted children why they have to live out in the middle of nowhere. Vanessa is a morning person who lives on coffee, potatoes, and gin (not at the same time) and could watch The Mummy and New Girl on repeat.

To learn more about Vanessa and her books, go to vanessarasanen.com
Bonus chapters and exclusive content are yours when you sign up for her newsletter.

Reviews

[Katie Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah so I'm real sick right now and this review will probably be a rambly incoherent mess, but I'mma write it anyway, because THIS BOOK IS UTTERLY FANTASTIC AND THE PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THE NEWS.

What makes it so fantastic? Boyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, let me tell you.

In a nutshell: It's gripping, compelling, emotional Christian fiction that doesn't revolve around a conversion story, or even include a conversion story. Not one, little, measly conversion to be found here. HALLELUJAH THANK YOU JESUS. I don't know when I've been so thrilled, fellas.

Look, conversion from unbelief to belief is a wonderful thing in its own right. I get that. But the Christian fiction market is absolutely saturated with conversion stories, particularly romance stories; where one character is all Faithless and Atheistic, the other character is Righteous and Perfect, and the story goal is to convince the faithless character to "level up" just so they can marry the faith-filled one. Then they sail blissfully off into the sunset to lead a contented, trouble-free Christian life together. I tell you I'm sick of it, guys. All this, all this 'conversion saturation' as I've cleverly decided to call it [*bows*]--it only serves to blind folks to the truth of the Christian life. It trains people to associate belief in Christ with an untroubled "happily ever after." And that is simply not true. That is soooooooooooooooooooooo far from true.

This book doesn't do that. This book is the COMPLETE POLAR OPPOSITE of that.

There are four main characters. All of them already married. All of them Christians of many years' standing. All of them sincerely working to follow God as best they can. All of them haunted by their own, deep-seated human weaknesses. All of them. There are no 'model Christians' to be found here. Just a whole mess of sinners trying really really hard, screwing up, taking a deep breath, and trying again. It is compelling and beautiful and sad and SUPER FREAKIN' INSPIRING.

Was that so hard, Christian fiction romance industry???? No. Of course it wasn't. Sit down, be quiet, and take notes from a true master . . . Ms. Vanessa Rasanen.

Add to all this an actual serious discussion of mental illness as it relates to our Christian faith, and the point being driven home--over and over again--that the "peace which surpasseth all understanding" DOESN'T always come in our lifetimes and ISN'T a promise to solve our mental health problems with a snap of Divine fingers; and it's a wonder I haven't fainted dead away from the sheer awesomeness.

I cried. Yes, I cried. I've been struggling with chronic anxiety and Various *ahem* Other Things since I was 11 years old, and I won't pretend it hasn't played hell with my faith at times . . . but we serve a God who UNDERSTANDS; and this book was a glorious, shining reminder of that. Thank you so much, Ms. Rasanen. <3

The military setting added an extra layer of emotional depth and character development, too; although I'll be honest here and say that I would've liked the book just as much even if the characters HADN'T been soldiers and military spouses. Cause for me, the biggest treat was just the realistic depiction of sin and mental health struggles and how Christian marriage must to rely on God to weather both. Idk what I'm trying to say here? (Told ya I was sick and rambly.) Just, maybe that I'm not super familiar with/informed about military life as a Thing, but I still UTTERLY ADORED this story, so you don't need to worry about not liking it if you don't normally read military-themed fiction? Yes. I think that's what I'm trying to say. That it's a story with a universal appeal far beyond that of its specific genre. *nods*

Also, the characters were each so unique and vivid, and so very loveable in their own individual broken-ness. Charlie and Meg, Aaron and Piper. I've decided that Charlie is basically Thor reincarnated, cause he's like, clumsy, and dumb, and overbearing at times, but he cares soooooooooooooooo much if you just give him an opportunity to show it. In fact, why don't I just run with this? Compare all the characters to different Avengers. Meg is probably Scarlet Witch, with the angst and the fragile-but-still-impressive-as-all-get-out superpowers. Piper is Black Widow ("I swear I am fine and I will cut you if you dare to suggest otherwise ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!") But just like Black Widow, it would be a mistake to underestimate her . . . a fatal mistake, indeed. And my dear, darling Aaron is--who else?--THE WINTER SOLDIER. *hugs him because he needs it* *but also backs off slowly because he needs his Space*

Ah, my children. So many messes they find themselves in. We gotcha your depression, your anxiety, your PTSD, lust, jealousy, deceit, guilt, and long-buried secrets. We are HOLDING NOTHING BACK. Throw it all on the fire and watch it burn. Because that's Life, eh?

My only real complaints, in fact, were that a) it starts out a taaaaaaaaaaaaaaad slowly, just a tad; and b) that the narrator kept saying "he cursed," "she swore," "he muttered an expletive" instead of, y'know. Like, I do get it? I get that this is Christian fiction and we're trying to keep it clean? But it irks me a little, because I can't speak for every single reader, but I know exactly what they said, and pretending that I somehow don't know gets sort of . . . old.

But those are VERY MINOR, nitpicky, personal issues with a wonderful, beautiful, inspiring story.

Which you must all read.

Immediately.

I ain't kiddinggggggggggggggggggg.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book is intense. It deals with the struggles faced by a married couple who are separated when the husband is deployed to the Middle East. I love how it gives a clear picture of two Christians with mature faith who still struggle to live out their faith in their daily life.

There are no easy answers provided here -- simply reading the Bible and praying and going to church don't fix every problem, though turning your back on Word and Sacrament certainly exacerbate troubles at times. Depression and doubt are depicted realistically, but shown to be survivable, not the end of life or faith.

I received a complimentary advance copy from the author, and in no way did I agree to provide a positive review in exchange. These are my honest opinions.

[Selina Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Dang. This was REALLY GOOD. I have to be honest, I was nervous, because contemporary fiction is not my go-to, Christian contemporary sometimes annoys me, and I don't think I've read a contemporary military fiction. But I loved this. I laughed out loud within the first chapter, and there were many smiles and snorts throughout--and tears. Many tears. Also STRESS. GAH. This book will stress you out and make you cry, so OBVIOUSLY YOU SHOULD READ IT.

One of the things I loved about this book is it doesn't set out to evangelize you. It's just Christians walking through their difficult, messy, hard lives and trying to keep their faith in the midst of all that life throws at them. Also, it was encouraging, and God's truth hit me a few times.

The other main thing I loved was how raw and real and relatable (what's with the alliteration, Selina?) the characters' struggles are. Vanessa doesn't shy away from honest, hard topics and struggles that real Christians face--doubt, anger, bitterness, anxiety, depression. I connected with Meg even when she annoyed me because I understood her. Because she was messy and life-like.

Overall I thought the characters' faith was well handled. It was a natural part of the characters themselves and didn't feel forced. And I liked that the characters struggled, and prayer wasn't a genie in a bottle.

I sometimes got annoyed with Meg because JUST TALK ALREADY...but honestly, this is the best use of "not talking creates conflict" I have ever seen, because the stakes were so high and the reasons to real, varied, and many.

Why 4.5, then? Pacing got a tiny bit slow for me at a couple points, but this isn't my usual genre. I struggled a few times with staying engaged with some of the longer hymn quotes and theologizing, and I'm not Lutheran. So there were a few parts I kinda sped-read so I get continue to story. There were a couple placed where the timing within the story was confusing or didn't quite make sense, and a couple points of minor continuity issues (which, for whatever reason, I tend to pick up on when no one else cares, haha).

Content: Some infrequent and fairly mild cursing that I barely noticed (including one redacted f--) (and honestly made the book more real and relatable for me), a running your mom joke (which made me chuckle, okay?), and flirting/innuendo between a married couple (which I thought was cute and hilarious).

[Keiley (read_with_starlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was honestly shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. It is not a subject matter or genre I ever read or even wanted to read. Turns out, sometimes you have to try something new before totally shutting it down! This book was written beautifully and was actually very relatable. The characters felt like real people with real problems, which made the whole book far more authentic. I laughed, I sobbed in public..Vanessa knows how to pull at those dang heart strings! I definitely recommend reading this book even if you wouldn't normally do so.

[Aria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was pretty powerful, and wow, the struggles. So real.
However, I didn't really like how much language was in there. Unfortunate.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rasanen's debut novel is a moving, realistic portrait of love, forgiveness, courage, and vocation. As Meg and Charlie deal with deployment, the danger of wars both internal and external increase. Charlie and Meg learn what it means to live life under the Cross, to daily bear each other's burdens, and to serve their neighbors.

A lively cast of supporting characters provides levity and perspective to the unique aspects of military life, both at home and while deployed. Readers will enjoy the juxtaposition of past and present, happy and sad, good and evil. One thing I especially enjoyed was the emphasis on Word and Sacrament and it's vital sustenance for this life. No matter what situation Meg, Charlie, or we face, we can be assured that "there's a psalm for that".

And yes, the rum cakes really are that good.

(This review was based on an advance reader copy that I received in exchange for an honest review.)

[R.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier On is easily the best faith-based Contemporary Romance I’ve ever read, and I do NOT say that lightly…I have lots of favorites.

Wow. That’s really the only word I can say right now. I’ve never read a book that had so much reality of living as a struggling Christian before. Sure, I’ve read some books that have shown this reality before, but this author wasn’t afraid to include the imperfect, normal realities of life that so many faith-based authors like to pretend don’t exist. And what I mean is, the casual curse words that slip from time to time, the enjoyment of an alcoholic beverage (without scrutiny or portrayal of overindulgence), and the jokes or playful remarks that exist among close friends and couples, even Christians. I could relate to oh so much of the friendships and relationships in this book because of how real it is.

The story was phenomenal. It was unpredictable and filled with so many twists that it truly demands your attention. I never hit a spot in which I was bored or wanted to skip ahead either, which is extremely rare for my speed-reading eyes. Every word in this book has a precise purpose and not a single one was wasted, it is truly a flawless novel.

But, be warned. It is intense. Not in a graphic or bloody way, it’s emotionally intense. The arguments, the thoughts, the circumstances, the feelings, the doubt…it hits home and gets real. I am definitely in line for Vanessa Rasanen’s next book and I recommend this book to readers of all types, Christians or not, it really is a story worth remembering.

There is some mile cursing present and mild sexual comments/jokes. The action is intense, however not graphic.

I give Soldier On 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from the author for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.

[Michelle Bruhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about faith in the midst of a dark world and trusting both God and your partner as you make your way through it. I loved the characters—especially Piper—and how their struggles sucked me into a world I know next-to-nothing about (that of the military and army wives). And the epilogue made me very curious to find out what happens in the next installment!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fabulous! This is about a military families and the struggles they go through during deployment. It takes a look at the soldiers and their families as they are separated. It mainly revolves around Meg and Charlie Winters. Charlie is deployed and Meg must face things from her past she wasn’t ready to confront. Charlie must do the same from a far as old emotions start to rise. They both must keep their faith in themselves, each other, and God if they are going to survive the deployment.

This book was not something I would have picked up on my own. It was on my TBR, but again, because I know the author. But if I didn’t and I was walking through the store or the library, I would not have reached for Soldier On. I’m so glad that I read this though. I’m glad I gave it a shot and was able to experience the story that brought out so many emotions.

I have lived through deployments myself, and understood the feelings that those left at home were feeling. It was difficult at times to read, as I had pushed those memories deep down. It wasn’t just the deployments though. The raw, human feelings that were being felt were so relatable. There are a lot of feelings of jealousy, rage, hopelessness and depression. You don’t have to be part of a military family to experience those feelings. The connection you have with the characters is strong because you truly understand the feelings they are having.

The emotions and descriptions were one thing, but the surprises were another. There are many secrets that are revealed as you continue through the story and the way they are set up and placed make you want to keep reading.

I’m looking forward to the second book and would say that even if this doesn’t look like your type of book, give it a chance. Goes for other books, genres, etc. as well. You never know until you try.

[Sheryl Eby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa Rasanen’s book, “Soldier On” is a captivating story of personal struggle and God’s enduring grace. I became personally invested when reading of the preparations, fears, and longings of a military family facing deployment and separation. Having lived through similar military separation myself, Vanessa honestly portrayed the difficulties presented to military spouses, parents, soldiers, and children.

Also embedded within the storyline, Vanessa brings to light our constant struggle with our life of sin which constantly collides with our wish to live as faithful Christians. While those in the military have unique experiences that cause sin and strife in family life, she mirrors problems that civilians also live with, making this story to be relevant and interesting to us all. My emotions ran the gauntlet with the characters. I eagerly await the next installment to this series. The struggle to live a Christian life continues for us, but God who is faithful and just, is eternally present and unfailing. What a blessing.

[Carolynn Markey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will stick with me for years to come. Part of me healed reading it. Real people are messy. Life is messy. Life is hard and real people are broken. It was refreshing and heartbreaking to read.

[Lauren Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier On came along at just the right time for me. It's not often that happens, or that a book has such an impact, but in this case, it's true.

It's a slow burn, and until the midway point, I would have given it 4 stars. I enjoyed it, but there were a few places where I wanted to just get on with the story, and an occasional scene that I felt preached a little too much. That said, the characters were engaging and the plot was interesting. Having no experience with the military, I was intrigued by the impact of tours of duty on the relationships between families. I also enjoyed finding out about aspects of the Lutheran church.

I'm so glad I kept reading, because the characters hit issues that I struggle with myself, and the story began to resonate. I didn't put it down again until I finished reading the entire thing.

The themes in this book are ones that I think many Christians face but few feel able to discuss openly. It is a brave portrayal of doubt and loss that doesn't pull any punches. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys issue- and character-driven Christian fiction with a focus on military families.

[Jennifer Huppert · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a debut novel by Vanessa Rasanen, she captures the life as a military spouse, finding community in both the church and military communities, and finding that forgiveness is powerful in very delicate situations.

[Inspirationalfictionreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soldier On by Vanessa Rasanen is one emotional roller coaster ride! It’s raw and real and had me feeling the gamut of emotions! All the characters were very realistic as were their situations- no plastic characters here! I enjoyed the writing style and the addition of the flashbacks was done well - not too often, not too far apart, just enough to keep you wanting more! And there were a couple of twists I totally did not see coming!
  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Charlie was my favorite character! He was funny, so caring, and you could feel his love for Meg pouring off the pages! For me, Meg was a bit harder to like, but she was written in such a way that you really pulled for her. I so wanted her to succeed. I loved that even when she said or did things that you may not agree with, she didn’t try to justify it to herself. I found myself always pulling for her. And I loved how she grew throughout the story.
  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My only issue with this story is that there is a bit of mild language. It is done realistically - I mean there are some really tense combat situations as well as other situations, but I would’ve been happier with a “he swore” or “she swore” here and there.
  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[H.L. Roethle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soldier On...where do I even begin? It's a beautiful book. It covers a lot of hard topics, will definitely make you cry (if you are that sort of person...even if you aren't, I'd bet you'll get misty eyed,) but will also touch your soul. It's the story of a soldier & his wife, separated by deployment, both struggling to carry on with life, trust God, & deal with the insurmountable, inevitable trials of this life...oh yes, & those lovely demons from the past that always seem to show up when we need them the least. I didn't gush about it as much as I normally do about books because...it just isn't that type of book. I loved it, yes, but...in a hushed awe sort of way. It's a book that tore my soul, but mended it at the same time. It's a book that showed the starkness of pain & heartache, yet also revealed the comforting presence of the One who guards our hearts.💙
.
I do recommend this book, but... (*winces and gets a little nervous* Vanessa don't kill me,) there are a couple disclaimers to keep in mind. It's adult fiction. There are references & stuff to what married people do that are much more stark than if it was in YA lit, & there's a good bit of cussing. So...it's not perfectly clean by my standards, but it's well worth the read. However, I really wouldn't recommend it to any one under 16. Like I said, it's an excellent book, & I'll definitely be re-reading it to soak it all in, but just like you wouldn't read YA lit to a five year old, you don't read adult fiction to a young teen.
.
Vanessa, your book is lovely, & I do hope you write that sequel one day! Thank you for sharing your lovely book. The writing style is snarky, yet elegant, & the message is so needed. It was a pleasure & an honor to read Soldier On. God bless you! 💙

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this by saying I do not often read Christian fiction. It's just not my cup of tea, though I am indeed a believer. I also do not pick up military fiction unless it's of the science fiction variety. However, Vanessa's first novel about Charlie and Meg Winters was utterly riveting. From the first page I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to! Both Meg and Charlie, as well as the rest of the supporting cast, were relatable and I felt like they were my friends. They jumped off the page as real as if they walked into my house for a cup of coffee.

The military scenes were well written and helped me get a glimpse into what that life is like, which I appreciated. Honestly, I probably could write a paper on this novel, but I'll conclude with the following: the absolute best part of this entire story was the central aspect of the characters' Lutheran faith; we Lutherans are different and it's so hard to find Christian fiction that portrayes the faith accurately. Vanessa does that so well, and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Soldier On" is an emotional journey through the struggles faced by a married couple as they face the long road of a husbands deployment. Each character is thoughtfully portrayed and relatable to any reader, as are the struggles they face on a daily basis. The author, Vanessa Ransanen, gracefully touches on sensitive issues, that are often avoided, even though many people are dealing with them on a daily basis. The recurring theme of God's grace and mercy shine through the pages bringing hope to the characters, and the readers as well. The story line is captivating and the personalities portrayed within the novel feel like friends with whom a reader can't wait to visit again. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this series, and will certainly pick up Soldier On again while I wait!

[Anne Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa Rasanen's story rings true as her characters face the joys and hardships of military family life.
I appreciated the vivid and moving picture Rasanen painted of the day to day struggles of life during deployment for those who are sent and those who stay behind. On top of well-crafted main characters, she did an excellent job incorporating realistic side characters who struggled to find the "right" ways to show love and support.

The story was skillfully written and plotted out. Hints of the shadows in Meg and Charlie's past kept me intrigued and waiting for the next reveal. Several of the twists caught me by surprise, and I ended up staying up reading later than I intended to!

I also appreciated her realistic portrayal of faith under fire. Here characters were not just puppets on a stage to impart a spiritual truth. Instead,"Soldier On" walked the narrow line, which acknowledges real grief and suffering while still holding out hope in Christ.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier On is about marriage, life, friends, and deployment. Anybody could write a story with those themes, but what makes this book so special is that Rasanen has put faith in the foreground of the entire book. Now people may not have firsthand experience of a loved one being deployed, but we all experience doubts, and fears within our life as a Christian. That’s where she really connects even deeper with the reader. This book is fiction, but it reflects real life, real marriages, real struggles, real friendships, real faith. I especially appreciated how certain characters carried their faith and can be used as an example of how we in this world can witness to others, and pray for others. Overall, it was a refreshing tale of grace & forgiveness.

Let me state that you cannot tell that this is Rasanen’s debut novel. Where I’m often stuck in awkward & forced storytelling within the first few pages of a book, Rasanen’s descriptive storytelling is effortless & had me feeling the feels of the highly likeable characters from page 1. Throughout the story, I cried, gnawed the tip of my fingernail, and laughed out loud. Even when I thought I could see what was coming, I was surprised. I am so pumped that there will be more books in this series. I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters.

[Rhian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect with this book. I'm so used to the fantasy genre, but I have been wanting to read other genres. I am so glad I picked this up! Vanessa's writing is beautiful and pulled me in right away. I loved the characters and how relatable they are. It was actually hard for me to read at times, because I could relate to some situations and feel for those characters. But, that's what I love, the stories that really pull me in.

[C.N. Jannain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier On by Vanessa Rasanen is far from my typical reading list. When I first started reading I almost put it down, a little to close to home, it touched a place in my life I didn’t want to revisit of separation of family. Eventually I decided to keep reading one chapter at a time. To my surprise I became so involved in the story, the characters and their struggles I couldn’t stop reading. The characters were well described, their environments and interactions in life with one another. Their struggles were real, Meg and Charlie fighting for their marriage having long kept secrets. Would they be revealed? There was action, suspense, struggles with faith and so much more. At the end I was happy to take a breath and a sigh, and then the author immediately sets up for what might come next, a book two? I hope so.

[Niccole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two chapters sucked me right in ~ the author painted a perfect picture of the days leading up to deployment. I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions, humor and raw emotion in this book and although I am not Lutheran, I loved the faith based aspect. Many scenes hit very close to home! Very real, very emotional. Looking forward to book 2 :)

[Nikol · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. Lots of emotions. Very well written.

[Ruth Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the wife of a soldier herself, Vanessa Rasanen has firsthand experience with the struggles couples face during military deployment. Soldier On is a Christian novel that explores these stresses and uncertainties, pointing readers ultimately to God as the only source of healing. Meg and Charlie both have to deal not only with their present circumstances, but also past experiences that haunt them throughout the book. It is a raw, emotional, and sometimes painful look at military life, grappling with issues like the death of fellow soldiers, guilt from past choices, and keeping secrets from one's spouse. Vanessa does a great job bringing her readers into the story so they become invested in the characters. I would have liked to have seen a deeper discussion between the main characters regarding the secret that is finally revealed, since it had been eating away at them through much of the book. I feel like they would have talked it over more to reach a better sense of closure. However, that does not detract from the overall message of hope in the book, and I enjoyed the glimpse into military life and came away with a much greater appreciation for the sacrifices made by the men and women who serve our country, as well as their families who support them.

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't my typical genre, I gave up a lot of contemporary military life themed fiction when it became a part of our real life. But "Soldier On" isn't "Dear John." The story doesn't feel forced or contrived at any moment. I'm a character person. I like a good story but I need round characters. The ups and downs and progressions of the relationships between the characters - Meg and Charlie, Meg and Piper, Charlie and his various battle buddies - are all so organic, honestly at times it's felt a little TOO real. But that's exactly what I loved.

I chuckled, I cried (boy, I cried), and I was encouraged by the authentic presence of the daily working out of Meg and Charlie's (and Piper's) faith. It's hard to believe this is a debut novel. I've read plenty of debuts and indies and, quality-wise, this one is in the top few of my list. I'm very much looking forward to the next installment!

[Bethany Olin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I woke up multiple days thinking about Meg & Charlie and stayed up late to finish this book.

This is a raw, authentic look at deployment life, marriage and wrestling with faith.

This story opened my eyes more fully in how to support and sympathize with loved ones waiting & hoping for their deployed partners to return safely.

The relatable emotional range of loyalty, loneliness and harbored guilt was woven together with the complexity of long distance relationships, combat and grief.

A candid approach to real life struggles, this story will resonate and linger with you.

[Dakotah Gumm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartbreaking story of depression, PTSD, despair, loss, grace, forgiveness, and the peace that comes through the Gospel. I was reading it during a Christmas party and couldn't stop crying. It depicted the military life and deployments more accurately than I could ever explain to civilians, having grown up as an army brat. I've already insisted that my mom, sister, mother-in-law, and numerous friends read it, and I'm going to be anxiously waiting for book two.

[T.M. Ghent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasons why you will say you can't read this book:

- military couple; I know nothing about the military.
- contemporary; I'm just not a fan of that type of genre.
- Christian couple; I am not religious/don't believe in religion.

Reasons why all those just excuses:

- Rasanen did not attempt to fully immerse readers in a the military lingo and policies that you would expect, and do exist, in the military world. She provides but a small bite of this world. There are some common acronyms throughout the book but they are very few and she does provide a glossary for those.

- Contemporary doesn't usually strike as my 'go-to' genre either. But some themes, some stories, just have to be told from this perspective. I did appreciate that although this is in present time, Rasanen doesn't hide behind those tools. Readers aren't swarmed with pages of text message exchanges or chat messages. The genre is used appropriately to enhance the relatability and drive home specific themes.

- Yes, the couple is Christian. And there are parts of prayers and scripture. But if you remove the religious components of this book, the story still stands. A beautifully written, heart wrenching story. Because, we as humans, all have faith in something. Whether your God or another's god, or humanity, or science, or something different entirely, we all have something we turn to when the hard days are just too hard. And sometimes, we feel abandoned by that faith.

I could keep writing about this book, but alas, I am not a blogger. Heck, I am barely even a writer. But this long review to say that although you might find a lot of quick reasons to write this off, I say give it a chance. Will everyone who dives in enjoy the swim? No. But don't you want to say that you at least tried? And who knows... you might be presently surprised.

Isaiah 43:2 When you through deep waters, I will be with you.

[Mary Moerbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book with a deeply applicable title. How do we soldier on, whether we're in the military or not? How do military families cope with deployments and crises? For that matter, how are husbands and wives supposed to support one another when they're different from each other?

In Soldier On, Vanessa Rasanen has written a gripping debut novel that will reshape prayers for military families. It explores anxieties and doubts that Christians can feel, especially after months of lost control and uncertainty. She is, quite simply, a needed voice in contemporary Christian novels, as she combines realism with God's mercy and the gifts of the church, in particular by recognizing pain after prayer and doubt within faith.

The story begins slowly, with an approaching deployment. Then it cranks up with tender sentiments, bits of daily chaos, laugh-out-loud moments, and sudden heartbreaks. Whenever I thought I knew where things were leading, the book shifted so I could better see more fronts we face!

This is an enjoyable, satisfying, and cathartic book with a surprising number of laughs. A gold star! I'm happy to recommend this to just about any adult with the understanding that there is a bit of married physicality and a smidge of "sailor" language present.

I look forward to reading her next novel, which, rumor has it, may come out around Spring 2019. Woo hoo!

Keep up the good writing, Vanessa!

[Nancy Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true to life tale of life, death, tragedy, hope, love, joy, marriage, friendship, military life, regret, family, faith, Word, Sacrament and God's Grace.

Reading Soldier On over Veteran's Day weekend and while attending an Issues, Etc conference couldn't have been better timing for me.

I immediately fell in love with Meg, Charlie and their world. I devoured their story wanting to read every bit as quickly as possible and yet, not wanting to finish as I knew I would miss them.

I love how Rasanen is able to capture the true to life feelings and actions of a soldier and those family members still at home. As the daughter of a career veteran who was deployed several times for long periods of times I know first hand the struggles of being left at home. Vanessa had me in tears, belly laughs and sitting on the edge of my seat.

True to form in real life we all experience up and downs, highs and lows just as Meg and Charlie along with the entire cast of characters. I also loved the realistic bantering of the guys deployed. I truly related to Meg in her struggle with loss and a past that wants to overwhelm and threatens to steal her faith. The truth told in this story that a life of a faith isn't all rosy and that the promised peace of God is in our eternal life with Him not here in a sinful and fallen world.

This is a story of redemption. Redemption won by the blood of Jesus on the cross. Received in Word and Sacrament.