Lindsey Gray
Written on Jun 19, 2014
Life as a military wife is out of the question for Stephanie James. Even after a scorching New Year's Eve kiss with a man in camo, she stands by her belief. The man on the other side of the kiss had no intention in falling in love, but one taste wasn't enough for Cadet Brandon Walker. When he finds out Stephanie's aversion to soldiers, it's already too late. He sets out to convince her she can love the man and the soldier.
Logan tells the story of Stephanie and Brandon in several layers by alternating the story's point of view between the two characters. I agreed with every other character that Stephanie's dislike of soldiers was irrational, but Logan really made me understand why Stephanie felt that way. When both began to really open up to each other and focus on something other than their aspirations, Logan portrays a development of sincere love, honesty, respect, and trust.
One of my many favorite quotes from the novel was spoken by Stephanie's mother.
“The grays are the parts of your life that mold you into the woman you are meant to be. The little, unexpected surprises that catch you completely off guard. Your experiences, your reactions, your feelings . . . they’re all important because they shape you. For too long, you’ve lived on a very safe and secure course. You had a plan, and you’ve followed it to the letter. Now that something has come along to completely knock you off track, you’re handling it very immaturely."
"Soldier On" shows us that not even the most thought out plan is the right choice for everybody. Things change. Life happens. Love blooms. Sometimes, the unexpected can make life even better than you anticipated.
Thank you so much to Sydney Logan for providing me with a copy of Soldier On in exchange for an honest review.