Review: Nice contemporary romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2013
I enjoyed this book. The characters are interesting, intelligent people who struggle with their relationship. The story is well written and has fairly good plot twist. I liked the insight the author wove into the story of the feelings military families have to deal with when a loved one is deployed and the grief soldiers deal with when losing a close comrade. There are some very steamy sexual scenes, so this is rated for the grown ups.Blake is a decorated Lieutenant in the Navy SEALs. He has just come home from back to back to back missions and lost a close friend on the last one. He meets Alexia at the beach, and then again at a bar where he's trying to waste some time on a forced two week leave. Alexia has just moved back to San Diego from New York for a dream job opportunity and to be closer to her brother. The fact that she's also closer to her overbearing Admiral father and socialite mother are not plusses to her. She and her gay dancer brother are used to being disappointments to their parents. Sparks fly between Blake and Alexia, and they spend the entire weekend together, but they don't do much talking.When Alexia has to put in the dutiful daughter appearance at her father's retirement party, she's shocked to see Blake there in his dress uniform. He's equally astonished to see Alexia up on the platform with the retiring Admiral as part of the family. She's furious with him and herself, she has a strict no military dating policy. As hard as he tries, Blake can't break through to her. He also doesn't really believe in long term relationships for active military men because it's too hard on those at home. It takes months and a long, dangerous road before Alexia can reevaluate her policy and she and Blake can really break through the walls around their hearts.Heat factor hot.