Can a wounded soldier find love again in A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle

A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle was a sweet and heartwarming read. Nick is leaving the marine's for the time being and going home for the holidays to surprise his family. The one thing he is looking for is for someone to simply hold him.

When he left for the marines, he had a girlfriend. Not long after she sent him a note breaking up with him, a grenade went off where he was, injuring him and several others. After he recovered in a hospital, the desire to be with family is strong.

This story tells the journey Nick has on his way home. He is able to find love again, and it's with someone who understands everything he has been through. I can't tell much, because this is a novella, and sometimes they are harder to review without giving away too much plot.

The story line was detailed and well thought out. The writing was good. Ms. Ovalle did a wonderful job with marine lingo, and the way events would play out. She was detailed and it made for a heartfelt story.

There was an intimate scene in the story, but it wasn't over the top detailed, so I'd give this a heat level of 3. I think it was perfect though for the story.

*Note: This story is told only in the mail point of view.*

What's the book about:

Corporal Nicholas 'Saint' Santiago needs to go home to reclaim the man he used to be. To be the man he was before Operation Enduring Freedom slowly hardened his heart. He needs to reconnect to the values and the reasons he is doing what he does. Saint also needs to try to forget the courageous woman he knows was meant to be his.

Petty Officer Angelina Jones' life changed the moment Saint saved her life. She survived the blast but now has to deal with the fact that she will never be whole. Knowing Saint received a 'Dear John' letter, Angelina has no intention of being his rebound romance. She needs to be loved for herself. She needs to forget about the one man she knows was meant to be hers.

They each try to find someone to help them forget.

But what does fate have planned for them?

Lacey's Rating:

UNSUNG HEROES: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S FEMALE PATRIOTS

This was a documentary that aired very recently on PBS. It honors women in the American military from the Revolutionary War to present-day female veterans who served in Iraq.

I learned some fascinating stuff from this one...

Margaret Corbin was a woman who followed her husband to war (Revolutionary). She helped him load the cannon and when he was hurt in duty, she took over for him completely and ended up crippled with half her face blown off. She was buried outside the chapel at West Point.

Women were in the Navy as early as WWI. The Waves were created for women to take on-shore jobs, freeing men to go to sea. Meanwhile, Hello Girls were created for the Army. It's an interesting tale here...they were actually created to work the communications because the higher-ups stationed in Europe complained the operators in France were too slow. These women had to be bilingual--speak English and French.

I knew the Army had the WACS and the WASPS. I knew about the WAVES, but I did not know the Coast Guard had its own group of women: the SPARS. Someone needs to write a novel about them. A woman CG member informs us she was on a ship with a call sign that meant "no damn women aboard". Imagine working your way around that. Matter of fact, in part two, they get more into the Coast Guard thing and it wasn't until 1977, when Jimmy Carter made it an issue, that they allowed women at sea. Even in the more modern age, the men said women on ships was bad luck. 

Nurses really paved the way for women in the military and combat situations. As the documentary states, whether a woman is actually in combat or not, she's in danger, so why have the anti-combat law in the first place. Countless women have been killed from just following in the medical corps, having their medical black hawks shot down, being in convoys, etc. And in the early days, this work--nursing--was VOLUNTARY. 

Many woman veterans are not receiving the help they need and are homeless, especially after getting out of the military where they had equal pay. It's a shock to discover they only receive 70 cents to the man's dollar in the Civilian world. Sadly, they bring children into homelessness with them.

Until recently (actually, I imagine this is still a fear), admitting you had a mental health issue could be the end of your career.

Women Marines, 1943

It wasn't until after Vietnam that women demanded and received Veteran's services.

Linda Bray was the first woman to lead troops into battle (Panama).

Part two gets into my favorite thing: the WASP and Nicole Malachowski--the USAF's first female Thunderbird--reveals the 411 on those fine ladies. I really like her. I even have her autograph from an air show. I stood there like a little kid waiting for it. LOL So I was pleased to see her on here. She talks about how she wanted to be a fighter pilot as early as five years old (so did I!) but it was illegal for women to fly combat aircraft at the time. Those restrictions were not lifted until 1991.

Nicole Malachowski

The rest of part two talks a lot about women POWs and especially the Philippine (Bataan) situation during WWII. I've read about this before, but seeing the video footage of these men and women starved...just blew my mind. I became so riveted to the screen during these stories, I failed to take notes. You'll have to watch it for yourself, ladies.

The documentary goes back and forth between modern-day women soldiers sharing their experiences from helicopter crashes to attempted rape on Arab bases to photos and video of women in WWI, II, Vietnam, Korea...it's worth your time. I feel it also serves as a superb reminder to all...that women secured your freedom too. Honor those ladies, always.

Watch for this one on your local PBS station or buy the DVD.

Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week: Elizabeth Thompson

Book: Falling in Love Again
Author: Loretta C. Rogers
Heroine: Elizabeth Thompson

Falling in Love Again is different in the fact that the heroine and hero are married, which is a bit unusual for romance novels.

What makes the heroine, Elizabeth Thompson, strong? Although she is the wife of Marine Captain, Kevin Thompson, Elizabeth isn't the typical heroine. She battles depression, and like most wives, she doesn't give herself enough credit for her own abilities. But, when another Marine wife deliberately bullies a young pregnant woman by mimicking the girl's southern drawl and making fun of her pregnancy weight, belittles another wife who is overweight, and also disses the Marines,  Elizabeth puts on her big girl panties and stands nose-to-nose to the bully. On base, there is an unspoken code--Marine wives don't cry, especially in public. When her husband deploys to Afghanistan, for the second time, Elizabeth squares her shoulders and defies the code. Instead of sinking into the dark bowels of depression, she draws on an inner-strength where she acts rather than being acted upon. She exercises, takes college classes, and earns a teaching degree.

Elizabeth isn't willowy or curvaceous, or even classily beautiful. She is overweight. What makes Elizabeth sexy--she's not afraid to make her dreams come true. She is kind and gentle, but has an inner strength that reveals itself throughout the story. Elizabeth is a heroine that is relatable to women readers.


Blurb:
Marine Captain Kevin Thompson risks his life in Afghanistan. When his best friend is wounded during a terrorists attack, Kevin wonders if there is more to life than war. During his darkest moments, his thoughts of Elizabeth and returning home keep him emotionally strong. Elizabeth copes with the daily fears of facing life without her husband. How will she ever deal with it should he not return? Turning to other military wives brings her some comfort, but only the arms of her husband will calm the terror she deals with on a daily basis. Falling in Love Again gives readers a unique and realistic look of what happens on the front lines of battle, and delves into life on a Marine military base, the relationships wives form with one another, and the heartaches they share.

Are you an author with a strong heroine in your book? Want to see her featured? Find out how here.

Just In Case You've Been Wanting A Print Edition...

It's here early, the print edition of A Healing Love.

It was scheduled for November release, but I got an email saying it was available a few days ago.

So, just in case anyone has been wanting a print copy, here is the data and buy link.

Blurb: Kimberly Rogers vowed to fight a tragic past the only way she knew how: she joined the Army and became strong. No man would hurt her again. But a war wound sends her to her brother's in Cripple Creek, WY, with vision and hearing impairments.

Whereas glasses can help her see and hearing aids can help her hear, nothing can force her to talk again. Is she really unable to speak, or is she hiding behind her disability to protect herself, her pride, and her heart? Regulated to the most menial of jobs, her world in shambles, Kimberly is finally convinced to seek medical assistance.

Carlos Medina is Jackson Hole's best therapist. If anyone can make Kimberly speak again, it's him. But Kimberly has to meet him halfway, and Carlos has his own past tragedy that the young, mute woman threatens to force him to conquer. They both have wounds…and sometimes wounds must be reopened before they can heal. Can they open up to each other? Can Kimberly find her voice again and open her heart? Can love heal them both?

Strong is Sexy Heroine of the Week: Dorian North

Title: Soldier in Chains
Author: Megan D. Martin
Heroine: Dorian North

Dorian North a soldier in the United States Army, doesn't put up with anyone's crap. She's thrilled about finishing her last tour in Afghanistan before heading back to the U.S. and never coming back. Only she takes a serious detour when the helicopter she's a passenger on has to take an emergency landing. She soon finds herself the prisoner of man that she can't help her attraction to. She's never depended on or needed a man before in her life, at least not for anything but sex. When she wants something she gets it, and freedom from this man's clutches is her top priority at least until she finds out that there's something she wants more than freedom…him.

Dorian has never thought of herself as a sexy woman, there wasn't time for that in the midst of her life, but her captor makes her feel sexy in ways she never has. In the end someone will bend their will to the other and Dorian is sure she will get her way.

Blurb:

Dorian North, a soldier in the United States Army, is only hours away from being finished with her final tour in Afghanistan. It's only when she’s ambushed by al Qaeda that Dorian is knocked unconscious and awakens to find herself bound and gagged in a stranger's bed. She desperately tries to escape, but quickly finds herself enamored with her captor's alarming handsomeness.

Rob Hutcherson is a former Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps, who stumbled upon an al Qaeda ambush. He rescues the surviving soldier: the most beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes on. Taking her back to his home he finds his attraction to the fierce young woman to be overwhelming. When she wakes for the first time her goal is clear: escape. In fear for her safety he chains the little hell cat to his bed. He can't bear the thought of losing her, so he plans to show the little spit fire all the reasons she should stay… 

About Megan:
Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks. To learn more about Megan, check her out on these social networking sites. Blog: http://www.MeganDMartin.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authormegandmartin
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Megan_D_Martin
goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6656963.Megan_D_Martin
Google+: https://plus.google.com/115096823539939478098/posts

Are you an author with a strong heroine in your book? Want to see her featured? Find out how here.

Talking Women in the Marines with Heather Long

First and foremost, let me say thank you for having me today. In Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here, I introduced my readers to Jasmine “Jazz” Winters, and in the follow up No Regrets, No Surrender, introduced Jazz’s fellow FET teammates Mary “Stormer” Phillips (Combat Barbie) and Roxanne “Roxy” Cortez—all Marines and Marines who have all seen combat.

On January 25, 2013, the Department of Defense reported that women would no longer be forbidden from front line combat roles, but the truth is women have served in combat since the formation of the first armies in the late 1770s. Where there is war, where women are—women are in combat.

If you do your research, you will find that the Continental Congress awarded a military disability pension to Mary Corbin for the battle of Fort Washington in New York. What did Corbin do? She manned a cannon during the battle and was injured in the line of duty. She only received half the pension that her fellow male soldiers received, but she did get her full ration of rum.

Arguments Against Women in Combat

One of the primary arguments was that women in combat couldn’t perform on the same physical level and that the presence of women in combat would distract the cohesion of the male unit—that men wouldn’t be able to function or not want to protect them at the cost to themselves. Counter arguments point that brothers in combat don’t leave their brothers behind and they go above and beyond to protect their fellow sailors, soldiers, Marines, and airmen.

Women who serve in the military don’t have to be on the front lines to see combat. In October, 2013 Specialist Brittany Gordon was with a team meeting with some local Afghani leaders when a suicide bomber targeted the Afghan and a piece of shrapnel killed her. IEDs do not pay any attention whatsoever to the gender of the target nor does a bullet or a war.

Female Engagement Teams

The roots of the FET teams can be found in Iraq and Afghanistan during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Communicating with the female Muslim populations is extremely important and the culture precludes their contact with foreign males or any male for that matter who is not a member of their immediate families.

Marine Lioness teams in Iraq would search female Iraqis for contraband and concealed weapons and the FET teams developed from there. They provide an invaluable resource not only to their commanders and units, but also to the local communities in a way that had never been managed before.

Female Engagement Teams can interact with women and children in the local populace, report information and provide it. They implement community development programs, and they can gather intelligence without violating cultural standards. The women who serve on these teams are highly skilled and screened and serve their country with distinction.

These are the women that inspired me to create Jazz and Mary in the first place.

Semper fi.

***

Heather Long lives in North Texas with her family and their menagerie of animals. As a child, Heather skipped picture books and enjoyed the Harlequin romance novels by Penny Jordan and Nora Roberts that her grandmother read to her. Heather believes that laughter is as important to life as breathing and that the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are very real. In the meanwhile, she is hard at work on her next novel.

Afterburn Re-Release

I have another release today. Finally, after being off the market for seven months, Afterburn is now available to the public once more.

Afterburn is an IR military romance featuring a woman aircraft mechanic. I put a lot of myself and issues I struggled with on the job in this one.

***

Blurb:

Crystal is an enlisted mechanic with a tragic past. Grant is an officer and a pilot with a broken heart. When faced with a difficult decision, will Crystal choose wisely or lose the best thing that ever happened to her?

The love between them burns hot, but their relationship won't stay fueled if they can't beat the obstacles in their way. Besides breaking the fraternization rules, Grant and Crystal have the difference of race between them…but can they prove to the rest of the world, and to each other, that love is color blind?

Afterburn is about overcoming one's past, not judging others, learning to forgive, and what it's like to be a woman in a "man's world".

***

The book is novella length and has some language and sexual content, but the story far outweighs the sex. This is not erotica.

Below is an excerpt, a brief look into the troubles Crystal is facing and how Grant is helping her through.

"You called about a leak?" Crystal wasn't surprised to find Grant, looking immaculate in his flight uniform, leaning against the fuselage of his Falcon. She peered up at him from under her cap, trying to look coy, but knowing she failed miserably. She was still shaking from her encounter with Swenson. She heard her tools rattling in her tool bag.

The smile on Grant's face that had greeted her faded. "What's wrong?" He reached out a hand and touched her shoulder. His casual stance tensed, his body looking ready to battle any and all of her demons.

Crystal took a deep breath. "I'm okay. Just those problems at work I didn't want to talk about." She turned away from him, not wanting him to see the tears that filled her eyes. "Where's that leak? Which wing?" She dropped her bag onto the tarmac, lowered herself to her knees, and began removing fasteners of different sizes. "What size is it?" She kept her head down, avoiding his probing eyes.

"The only leak is in my heart. It doesn't need a fastener, only for you to smile." Grant's soft voice rolled over her as he crouched down beside her. The smell of his cologne tickled her nostrils, bringing to mind memories of their wonderful weekend together. His kindness was her undoing. Much to her embarrassment, she began to cry. Tears fell into her canvas bag, wetting the tools of her trade.

Grant was on his knees beside her now, and he kept a lookout as he put his arms around her and let her sob, offering her shelter and comfort. He made soothing sounds, held her tight, and waited.

Feeling safer and reeling from all her conflicting emotions, Crystal finally began to talk. In a tearful voice wracked by an occasional sob, she told Grant about that morning, about the declined promotions, about how she dreaded walking into her shop every day. It felt as though a leak was fixed in her own heart, no fastener or sealing required, just the love and strength of a caring man. If only all of her problems could be solved like this...

When she had told him everything, she sat back on her heels and waited, wary at the clouds of anger on Grant's face. He stared at her intently. "You need to go to EEO." He reached out and brushed a tear off of Crystal's face. "No one, no woman or man, is supposed to put up with discrimination or harassment over what they are. The military has a zero-tolerance policy. I've been there, Crystal, and I know you can fight it. We all deserve to be treated equally."

"I'm afraid," Crystal whispered. "Who will believe me?"

"I believe you." Footsteps sounded behind him, and Grant straightened and stood next to the jet wing, blocking Crystal's tear-stained face from view. She heard him quietly conversing with someone. When she saw the military boots walk away, she waited for Grant's face to appear below the jet again. He held out a hand to her.

"I have to do a practice CAP." He pulled her to her feet, grabbing her bag with his other hand.

She nodded, stood on shaky legs, and brushed off her coveralls. "Are you sure there isn't a leak I need to fix before you go? Combat Air Patrol maneuvers are no light thing. Was that really a fake call? Is your jet fueled?" Her words came out in a rush of nervousness. Her fiasco from the morning was forgotten in light of her sudden, new concern. She didn't want to watch him fly. Her feelings for him were growing too strong. A picture of her dad came to her mind. "I think I'll be going now. I can't watch you fly now that I...that I..." Her voice trailed off. She didn't dare say it. Didn't dare say the "L" word or that she cared for him deeply. It was too soon.

Grant placed his hands on her shoulders, preventing her from leaving. His voice was deep and serious. "Fake call. I just wanted to see you. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." He gave her a reassuring squeeze. "With me at the controls and you as its mechanic, this jet will perform wonders in the sky. We make a good team—in more ways than one."

Mark Afterburn TO-READ on Goodreads.

Get your copy on Amazon.

Combat Barbie by Heather Long

I have one complaint. Let's get that out of the way. I want a NOVEL featuring this heroine and her Female Engagement Team. She is awesome and what she does is amazing. Very strong and sexy heroine.


Mary Phillips is a former beauty queen who decided she wanted to use her brain, instead of her beauty and went on to find herself...in the Marines. She's fearless, she's tough, she's witty. When she's home on a deployment, she runs into the nerdy guy from high school, only he's not a nerd anymore.

This was a short story, so I'm going to make this a short review as to not give anything important away.

Love the heroine. She's part of FET. "We work with the women and girls and in the outlying villages and in the cities. We offer them opportunities, listen to their concerns, get them feedback and answer their questions."

I'd love to know more about this. Thus, my whining above.

The hero of this...it's not a jerk aka alpha male that's so popular nowadays. He's a man comfortable in his own skin and situation. Just my type. He is not intimidated by this woman's strength and the flirting between them was great. It built the relationship between them in the right amount of time for a short story. It didn't feel like, "Wham! Hi, there my name is .... Want to have sex?"

The author did a terrific job. She respects the military with this story and yet offers up a side of sensual sex.

Favorite quote:

"All we have are moments. When you make the moments count--that's what matters."

Five stars. I got this through Sizzling PR in exchange for an honest review.

Strong is Sexy Heroines of the Week: Carly, George, Mika, Mrs. Spurlock-Watts

This week is a little different. This week is not only about fictional heroines, but two very real strong and sexy women. The real-life heroines I'd like to honor today are Shyla Colt and her mother, Mrs. Spurlock-Watts. Ms. Colt doesn't like to talk about herself, so I'm going to do it for her. This is an author who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. She not only writes to touch and reach others, but in her everyday life, she's a mother, a marine wife, an editor, an office manager, and she has also been granted a very special award called the Molly Pitcher award for the hard work she's done with military families. And this woman is once again giving something of herself to help Veterans. Please welcome real-life strong and sexy Shyla Colt as she talks about the strong woman in her life and those in her latest book.


Book: No Man Left Behind
Heroines: Carly, George, Mika
Author: Shyla Colt

To be a woman is to be strong.  This is what my mother taught me in words and in actions. A woman, if she chooses to have a family will be the heartbeat, the glue, the driving force that steers the bus. That's no small task. She must be strong, capable, poised and ready to do what's right even when it's not easy. Because most of the time, it won't be. She told me I could be whatever I wanted to be and I believed her. Independence was a given. I would go to college or trade school, know how to cook, clean, budget a checkbook, handle my own finances, and fix what was broken.

My mother is one of the strongest women I know. She had me at fourteen, went on to co-own a business, and later work for the government. I watched her remain strong when my father's diabetes took its toll, and he went on to have surgery ,after surgery, ending in an amputation of his leg. He was a proud man and this sudden helplessness ( in his eyes) was a hard pill to swallow. Rehabilitation and readjustment was no walk in the park. But looking at my mother, you never would’ve known it. She handled his new needs, and later his death, with a grace, dignity, and a core of steel I hoped to one day have.

My mom, Suzette, can cook a meal that would make you think she went to culinary school and then turn around and change a broken doorknob. She was the fix-it person in my house, thank you very much. In my opinion, it's that kind of open-mindedness and instilled life skills that breeds strong women who can handle themselves and put a man in his place if need be. I say this because I see a new generation that thinks disrespect is the norm.  As a woman this appalls and angers me, but as a mother, it goes to a whole other level. I will be forever grateful for the woman my mom helped me become.

It's this attitude of a woman being strength that I try to instill in each of my characters in some way. My latest book, No Man Left Behind, in particular. Our men and women in the military face a lot of challenges and aftereffects from the wars they fight to keep us safe. This anthology gives us an up closer and personal view of some of those issues and feature women strong enough to stand by their side.

George, Carly and Mika are three very different women, but each is strong in her own way.  When Carly's longtime friend and secret crush, Trevor comes back home for a visit the romance she's only wished for begins. Things are perfect until she starts to notice things aren't quite right. Trained to see signs of distress in her job as a social worker, she knows Trevor needs help. It's a risk bringing this to his attention, but it's one she's willing to take. Because when you really care for someone, you want what's best for them. I admire her honesty and positivity in the face of losing what you want most.

George is a strong-willed woman who knows what she wants and refuses to settle. It's that attitude and ability to ignore society's demands that makes her strong. When Alex Denning catches her eye, she sees past the damage done to his face in an IED explosion as well as that done to his heart by his ex fiancée. She turns the tables, pursuing him with her understanding of military life and God-given charisma. Her sassy spunk and self-confidence are qualities I think most of us wish we had more of some days. :Winks:

Last but not least, we come to Mika. When her husband receives a life-altering injury that changes his personality and memory drastically, she digs deep to find the strength of character necessary to be there for him as he heals. Her selflessness coupled with her ability to be honest and frank while continuing to stand her own ground sets her apart and shows how powerful true love could really be.

I hope you will join me on the journey of these strong women and the men who risk everything to keep others safe. Fifty percent of each purchase will go to the Wounded Warrior project. My husband is a Marine and we put our heads together to come up with a way to give back to those who are too often forgotten. We hope to bring awareness back to them and the families who serve in their own way alongside them.

Blurb:

Even after our brave men and women leave the battlefield, the scars can linger physically and sometimes mentally. Here are three tales of courage, strength, perseverance, and love that deal with both.

After a long sting in Afghanistan, Cpl. Trevor Martin finds himself home for leave and contemplating reenlistment or civilian life. Weary and tired of the grim sights he's witnessed, he turns to his old friend Carly for comfort. When Trevor shows signs of PTSD, Carly urges him to get help, hoping that Repairing His Soul won't cost them their rapidly forming romance.

After a near death experience with an IED in the Middle East, Staff Sgt Alexander Denning is grateful to be alive but scarred inside and out after his fiancée's bitter rejection of his choice to continue serving. Georgette "George" Harper is attending Jane Wayne day for her sister when she's smitten with the McMap instructor Staff Sgt. Denning. Can she convince him what they have is worth the risk? Wooing Her Sergeant may be harder than she thinks.

When Mika gets a phone call that her husband Kasey's been hurt abroad, it's her worse nightmare. Prayers and the grace of God deliver him through, but the battle isn't over yet. The journey back to happiness and health will be painful, full of setbacks and damaged feelings, but Mika refuses to give up on the man she knows is her one true love. A true Marine's wife is Always Faithful, no matter the cost to herself.

Buy here

Are you an author with a strong heroine in your book? Want to see her featured? Find out how here.

Battle Dress by Amy Efaw

This was a great read for so many reasons. It's an intriguing look into life at West Point, what the cadets go through their first six weeks, the beat down they receive before they are built back up as new, stronger people. It seems just like a lot of yelling and degradation at first, but by the end, it made sense to me.

Andi comes from a very dysfunctional family. At first, she feels like she's stepped from the frying pan into the fire, but soon in the middle of being called a knucklehead and learning how to be a team with her squadron, she sees the light...and most important of all, she goes from being a follower to a leader. It was in her all along, she just didn't have the confidence to assert herself.

The book contained many LOL moments, but the strongest theme of all, at least to me, was becoming a leader and building confidence. In the beginning, Andi felt her family held her back. By the end, Andi realized she was holding herself back.

Lots of educational stuff. MREs, BDUs, obstacles, marching songs.. It's a fountain of information for anyone wanting to know more about basic training.

I have one complaint only...that we never see Andi take on her family again. There was one part where a higher up said that when they went home for the holidays, their own family wouldn't recognize them. I think that should have been a scene. I'd also like to know what the heck was wrong with her mother. LOL

Still, five bikes. The book really impacted me.

I bought it in the store a while back.

Please Welcome D.F. Krieger and To Honor

I had the pleasure of reading this book pre publication and it was one of the saddest and yet funniest pieces I've ever read. That may seem strange to you...how can a story be both?

Well, in To Honor, you have a military wife who has been dealt a really bad hand: the loss of a child combined with a misbehaving spouse. The wife's pain and frustration and anger radiates off the page. She loves her husband, but he hurt her. When she needed him, he wasn't there. How can she get over it and forgive him?

But see, he's got some parts too, so we also get his POV: his grief, guilt, frustration.

I found myself cheering for the couple, wanting them to work things out, hoping their love would be enough. But where does the humor come into this?

The heroine is so spunky underneath her grief, has so much great attitude. I LOVED how she put her doctor in his place and handled her roommate, and that's all I'm gonna say.

Meanwhile, I asked D.F. to come on Book Babe and answer a question. This is an extremely emotional and honest post. I hope you all take the time to read it and remember: not all illnesses are visible.

How did your own experiences tie into writing To Honor?

Most people don't know, but To Honor strikes home for me in many ways. It is the story of my own experience in a parallel fashion. My time in a psych ward from attempting suicide allowed me to effectively write this story as realistically as possible.

Taking my wedding rings off and shuffling around in unlaced shoes were some of the most degrading and painful things I've ever been through. My roommate was highly OCD and constantly rearranged my things...Unfortunately rearranging hers got me put in one on one therapy with the "principal." Being accused of having a drug addiction because I overdosed on over-the-counter pills was demeaning  and I found that I could argue until I was blue in the face, but my word meant nothing because I was considered insane.

Little Known Fact: The psych ward almost didn't accept me. They said my issues were too complicated for them to handle. I still laugh about that to this day.

For two years straight I was hit up one side and down the other with the worst things that could happen to someone. A wreck, cancer, my mother's unexpected death, my husband's constant absence due to the military, a miscarriage that lasted seven months, and finally, discovering my husband wanted a divorce because his girlfriend told him to divorce me. In the end, I broke and took the wrong way out. I suffer from compound Post Traumatic Stress along with anxiety and depression. These things shape every day of my life and some days it is a struggle to get out of bed and face the world around me.

My therapist suggested that I use my passion (which happens to be writing) to express my pain and release it. I don't think she ever expected me to pursue publication with it! LOL. However, so many people suffer from invisible illnesses and our number one myth is that we believe we are alone in it. We're not alone! No matter what you've gone through, I can guarantee you someone else in the world has or is going through it too.

If I'd stopped for a moment and talked to others about my pain, instead of bottling it up thinking no one wanted to hear it, I would have sought help sooner. Suicide is not the way out, if anything it only complicates and makes matters worse for yourself and your family. Now I know that if I speak, I have people who will listen. I want anyone who feels alone or suicidal to read To Honor. It will show them that just because it feels like the end of the world, it doesn't mean it is.

I'm still not healed, and I never will be. People don't understand that with an illness like this, there is no secret cure, no overnight success that will allow you to greet the next day cured. I have to take it one day at a time and do my best. I hope that along the way as I fight my inner darkness, that I inspire others to do the same. ~ D. F. Krieger