Sandy M’s review of One Year Home by Marie Force
Contemporary Romance published by HTJB, Inc 6 Aug 19
Every Marie Force fan has been anxiously awaiting John’s story after meeting him in Five Years Gone. He and Ava, after having a wonderful couple of years together, suddenly had fate conspiring against them at every turn, once John returned home after his military stint. This is the follow-up story that gives readers the closure they so needed after finishing FYG.
When we see John again, he’s quite depressed at all he’s lost – his two best friends during their mission that has made John a national hero, his leg, and the love of his life, who just married the new man in her life. Now he just wants to retire from the Navy and be left alone. However, the Navy has other plans, wanting him to do some promotion on the heels of him being outed when his team finally got their terrorist. So he wants to get this all over and done with so he can be on his way.
To assist him in that endeavor, Ava has recommended her sister-in-law, Julianne. She’s an up-and-coming media specialist in New York, and when she arrives for her appointment with John, he’s not at his best and Julianne’s job of preparing him for the coming storm his interviews and appearances will create is not the easiest thing because of his attitude. Little by little, however, they get to know one another. Julianne knows falling for this man will not go over well with her family – his ex is married to her brother, for heaven’s sake – but John is finally opening up and seeing all the issues he’s had to deal with in a different light, all thanks to this incredible woman.
To make their life more complicated, Ava and new husband Eric are on their honeymoon in Spain and cut their trip short when Ava reveals John has once again intruded on their dream. Things go from bad to worse for them, when Eric decides to move to his brother’s for some breathing space. Ava is floored and doesn’t know what to do to keep her marriage together.
In the meantime, John’s promo tour is a raging success, more and more Americans – the world, really – are falling in love with him. As is Julianne. And she finally decides to look out for herself for once – all with a bit of seducing from John, of course. I like how they work together to stay together, instead of letting outside sources pull them apart. Thus, I was a bit irritated with Eric when he leaves Ava, despite the fact I understand all he’s done to stand by her since John’s return. I guess I’m older and more jaded when it comes to walking out. Stick it out and work it out!
But it all comes together quite nicely, and we get several really emotional moments as we learn all John and his team went through to get the man responsible for destroying so many lives. The ending seems a bit rushed, once all is seemingly worked out, but at that point it doesn’t matter much, because John has found his HEA, which is what all romance fans wanted after his complete devastation in the previous book.
Grade: A
Summary:
He came home a hero and lost the only woman he’s ever loved…
John
I have no idea how to survive without my beloved Ava. She had no choice but to move on with her life during my six-year deployment and has now married Eric. I hate him for taking her from me. I’d prefer to wallow in my depression and heartbreak, but the whole damned world wants a piece of the SEAL Team leader who helped capture the world’s most-wanted terrorist. I need help handling the relentless requests, and when Ava sends her new sister-in-law to manage the media circus for me, I’m prepared to hate her on principle. Her brother took my Ava. What else do I need to know about her?Julianne
It takes five seconds to realize Ava’s ex is going to be the most complicated and difficult client I’ve ever had, but the opportunity to represent the most celebrated man in the world could make my career. I’m determined to do the job, even if I dislike John from the moment I meet him. And I like everyone. So much so that my brothers worry about me being exploited by those who would take advantage of my unwavering love for others. But John… He’s in a class by himself, and his bitterness is a festering wound that I begin to wish I could somehow fix for him. The more time we spend together, the more our mutual disdain morphs into something that feels an awful lot like desire. There’s no way I can want this man, or so I tell myself, and when Eric finds out I’ve developed feelings for the man causing trouble in his new marriage, well…That’s going to be a hot mess.
Read an excerpt.
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