Review: The Way Home by Cindy Gerard

Title: The Way Home

Series: One-Eyed Jacks #2

Author: Cindy Gerard

Published: 29th October 2013

I received this ARC copy thanks to Gallery Books and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

A heartwarming Christmas story from the New York Times bestselling “true master of romantic suspense” (Romantic Times). Four years ago Jess Albert got the news that her husband Jeff was killed in action in Afghanistan, and a painful void entered her life. The more time passed, the more acutely she felt that emptiness. But when Tyler Brown, former military hero and all-around alpha male, shows up a year after she’d last seen him, Jess gradually begins to realize there is one thing that can make her feel whole again—love.

As they’re planning their wedding and new life together, Jess receives shocking news: her husband is alive, under the care of a young Afghani woman hiding him from the Taliban. Even as he sees their happily-ever-after slip away, Ty arranges for the One Eyed Jacks and Black Ops, Inc. teams to make a daring and dangerous rescue mission to bring Jeff home. The hardest thing Ty or Jess has ever done is to let the other go.

When Jeff returns to Jess, broken physically and emotionally and with no memory of their history, they try to heal their marriage and each other. But as time brings them together more as friends than lovers, an unexpected development helps them see the true way home, to the people they love. 

This book starts more than a year after the last BOI book finished and spans about 6 months. It’s the story of 2 couples, love and second chances. It’s a bit different from what I’m used to from Ms. Cindy Gerard, but it worked perfectly for the tone and what it portrays, there is still some action but the accent is on the building of a relationship and the hardship of war. The start is a bit slow, but you get so caught up in the characters that you can't put the book down afterwards.

 

1^st we meet are Jess and Ty Brown(the brother of Mike, the hero of Killing Time).  Jess lives in a small town in Northern Minnesota, recovering after losing her husband in the war and taking a break from her job as a trauma nurse. She hasn’t move on yet, so when Ty comes back after more than a year passed when he said he’ll keep in contact(they met on a cold and stormy night when he ran an op with Mike) Jess is skittish and stressed and doesn’t know what to think.

 

Ty moves between visiting her in Minnesota and his company in Florida and they get to know each other. Slowly a relationship evolves and they want to take it to the next level.

 

Everything changes when it becomes apparent that JR is alive…

 

I already gave enough spoilers so to know more you have to read the book yourselves, it’s so worth it.

 

Ty is a great character, honorable and not pushy. He understands Jess’ need for space and taking things slow. He’s also funny and playful.

"I'm almost done."
"You are done. I'm serious. I don't wnat you working like that"
"Afraid I'll be worn out tonight?"

He's willing to sacrifice his happiness for the well-being of others... Jess is a little skittish and fears loving someone again. Besides all that she still grabs onto the new relationship that evolves with Ty.

 

All in all it’s a great new book from Ms. Gerard and I recommend it with all my heart.

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