Harper and Bennett may have had an irregular path to romance, but they were clearly made for each other. I loved her entrepreneurial spirit and feistiness. Bennett needed healing, and he found what he needed. Great story.

Harper Lee Wilcox does not feel her life has any meaning since her husband, Noah, was killed. Her son who was born after his father’s death is the love of her life. Still, something is missing.

As she gives friends support, she comes up against the full force of Bennett Caldwell. Conflicting emotions war between the two as they perform a dance with the ghost of Noah leading.

Laura Trentham has written a book for both romance readers and military fans. She manages to convey some of the effects of war on our military without being preachy or dry. She shows the effect of atrocities in a caring and supportive manner. Kudos to her honoring of veterans.

The story itself catches you in the first chapter and draws you into a love story that will make you cry, as well as belly laugh. I have always liked Ms. Tretham as an author. This book confirms that she is an one to keep on your to be read list.


I received an ARC from St. Martin Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

What an amazing read. This book I would say is a little different, the author writes both the present and the pass, you don't have to guess the author labels each chapter. I loved how you get the current story and the back story but its broken up. This book was super emotional, super powerful and very healing. I loved how each character was super strong, but also had a brokenness to them that made them feel very read. I loved how each character was very much connectable. I loved the role the kids played they added a huge fun element to a very serious book. I loved everything about this book. I will say there is some strong language and some very much adult topics in this book. I can't wait to read more from this series and see what other plans to author has for these character.
This book was hard to put down and I seemed to fly through it, because it was just that good. You can't go wrong with this amazing read.

The Military Wife is one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read! And if you have ever read a Laura Trentham book you would have experienced the beautifully crafted work that she produces and the emotional roller-coaster you would be embarking on, and The Military Wife is no different. It is truly one of those books that gets into your soul and you can never forget it.

This heartwarming story is about Harper Lee Wilcox and her young son Ben, and their life in Harper's hometown of Kitty Hawk N.C. after her husband's death while serving in the Army. Harper struggles with the fact that time has moved on, and so have they, especially as Ben will never know his father, as Harper was pregnant with Ben when Noah died. And after a call from her best friend Allison, whose own family is struggling with her husband's PTSD, that took Harper to the base she last lived with her husband. It provoked a memory of an award that Noah had won, and how things Harper was told about Noah's death didn’t quite seem right. So she reached out to the one man that has all the secrets...also the one man she had never met, Bennett Caldwell.

Bennett Caldwell retired from the Army, with more guilt he could ever face! He lost his best friend, and the man that was about to become a father, and he felt responsible, that he should have been taken instead, but Bennett also had a long term secret that he could never face, so he did the best thing he could, and went and shut himself off from the world, until the one person in the world he would ever expect turns up on his doorstep!

And with that, we set off on a journey of self-discovery, of releasing guilt and tackling the big issues of PTSD, suicide, survivors guilt and so much more! And this book seems to tackle the big issues, while also keeping the story down to earth and so beautifully written.

I absolutely loved this book. It was so perfectly written. Every one of my emotions got satisfied reading this book and the characters are so real. Thank you so much for writing such a great book!

As a Military Wife myself (my husband served in the US Air Force for 25 years before retiring), I felt a strong connection with this book. I identified right away with Harper, with her adorable little boy, friendship with Allison, childbirth experience, and frustration with the lack of job opportunities for military spouses no matter how qualified we are.
This doesn’t mean that you have to be a military wife to be able to relate with this novel. Far from it. Laura Trentham expertly interspersed the present and the past in this heartwarming second-chance-at-love story. Romance readers will love Harper’s sass, determination, compassion, strengths, and vulnerabilities. They will swoon at Bennett’s sexily gruff exterior matched by a generous and soft heart. They will definitely adore Ben and Jack London and smile whenever Gail Frazier enters the scene. Harper’s love stories with both Noah and Bennett are equally special. All these are the happy parts.
The angsty part is provided by Allison and her husband Darren who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a difficult subject to tackle and I think Laura handled it incredibly well. I am so glad this is a romance with a guaranteed happily-ever-after because for a few scenes there I had wondered if there’s going to be a tragedy or two. I was relieved and satisfied with the resolution.
Splendid writing, relatable characters, relevant story lines, balance of humor and drama. These are the reasons why I’m highly recommending The Military Wife.

When I read the author’s write up about this book, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I didn’t just like it, I loved it. This is two beautiful love stories in one book. I am not military, so it was very interesting getting a wife’s point of view being left alone and the fear they go through. I loved hearing about how Noah and Harper met. The two had such a sweetness and innocence in their love. Reading about PTSD and how much some of the men are affected when they come back was sad. I really felt bad what wives and children went through. It was hard hearing what Bennett went through when he was young, and how he hadn’t felt like he was loved. Harper’s influence on Bennett was so positive and heart warming. I loved seeing Bennett come out of his loneliness and see what it feels like to have love and people to depend on. There are so many layers in this book that I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. The paths of so many people crossing was interesting. I strongly encourage you to read the book. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.

The Military Wife by Laura Trentham

Touching, heartbreaking Military romance that will leave you sighing in happiness that these two were able to find love and help heal each other.
I wish that PTSD wasn’t so common or individualized. Books like this help bring awareness.

Alternating chapters to the past. Those chapters aren’t in sequence but rather based on the current storyline being told.

The whole story is poignant. Often touching or sad but ultimately love prevails and happiness (at least for this couple) is achieved.
First in a series. I definitely want to read more by the author and series.

Excerpt for the writer imagery:
Bennett stared her down. The anger roiling through the silence generated its own energy. All directed at her. Seth glanced between them, then shuffled to the nearest window and pressed his nose to the glass like a kid trying to spot Bigfoot.
Excerpt from The Military Wife by Laura Trentham

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.

The Military Wife (A Heart of a Hero, #1) by Laura Trentham ***** This book was a total experience.. I fell into it and couldn't leave.. Harper(a young widow of a SEAL..now a single mom) Bennett(a loner also a SEAL and Noah(Harper's husband's best friend) They are drawn together five years after Noah was killed in action. Wonderful characters.. Ben her son, her mom, her friend and her SEAL husband's PTSD. So many ups and downs, twists and turns, tears and laughter... all taking through their journey to happiness and a HEA.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Page-turner Funny Great world building Realistic Easy-to-read Happily Ever After Tear-jerker Wonderful characters Romantic

Fantastic! This is the first book I've read in a long time that I would have liked to have stayed up all night and finished. I'm a Laura Trentham fan, but she took things to a whole new level with this book. It's a new genre for her and I'm pretty sure she will be successful with it.
In The Military Wife, Trentham explores multiple facets of military life and the hardships endured by the members of the military as well as their families. She does it by telling the stories of different characters: a woman who has lost her husband to war, the man who was with him when he died who is no longer active duty and another soldier of the same group who has remained active duty, returned stateside and brought his PTSD home with him to his family.
As a military wife, it was refreshing to see the anger of the wives in print. Being proud of what your spouse is doing isn't near enough to make up for the hardships, the neglect you feel and the worries when you spend half your marriage alone, or when the spouse returns home no longer the man you sent off. Kudos, Ms. Trentham!
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.

An amazing story of how the military affects the spouse, the family and the enlisted member. This story is told in a dual POV in past and present. I had a hard time putting this book down. Loved how Noah and Harper began their relationship and how it continues throughout his enlistment until he dies. The story also focuses on the life of Harper being a young widow and her best friend Allison, who's husband is suffering from PTSD. Then you have Bennett, who was Noah's, Seal brother whom Harper reconnects with.

This story is full of emotions, loss, friendships, grief and learning to love again. The writing was amazing and drew me in from the first page. I highly recommend this book.

This is the first book in a new series and it's a wonderful addition to anyone's library. I think it truly depicts what a military wife goes thru when married to a serviceman.

Harper Lee Wilcox lives in North Carolina with her mother and son after the death of her husband Noah, who had been in the military. Her best friend Allison Teague is also a military wife, and her husband is suffering with PTSD. Trying to help her makes her discover that the monetary reward given to her was actually money given to her by one of her husband's friends on his SEAL team, and also begins to network with other military wives that had felt stifled on the base.

I usually don't read novels with a military undertone, but this is not about the actual military work. Instead, this is about the connections between people, both on the team and those that are left behind. The story is told with chapters in the current timeline, as Harper meets with Allison and her family, then the other women in her support group. There is also meeting Noah's friend Bennett, and the growing relationship between the two of them. These chapters alternate with the past, with Noah entering boot camp and meeting the rest of his team. We see the friendship with Bennett, the training, and then the final heartbreaking mission where Noah died, which Bennett hadn't wanted to remember.

My heart went out to the entire cast of characters, because they were all hurting in different ways, even the Teague children. The effect of PTSD on the family is clearly seen, as well as the horrors of war that aren't often talked about. There is no easy solution presented in the novel, just as in real life, but there is still hope for everyone there. It's in the strengthening of current relationships and forming new ones, which is this book's greatest strength. We can see the ties between everyone and feel their emotions and needs as strongly as our own.

I loved this book. Grab the tissues while reading this book. It’s an emotional roller coaster of a book. You will cry sad and happy tears. I thought this book did a good job showing Military Wives as strong but needing help at times. I also think that it’s a string disconnect that the wives can’t find jobs or something on their own because they are married to a military man.



*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I loved this book! Military wives do lead a different life and I think this pretty much told it like it is. I wish I would have had an Allison or Harper to help me along. I felt many different emotions as I was reading this story. I felt like I was right there with them. It’s sad what some people have to deal with after serving our country. I think this author hit it correctly. I loved all of these characters and can’t wait to be with them again to find out where life is taking them. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I picked up The Military Wife by Laura Trentham after reading Dark Harmony. I needed an HEA, a light hearted read to break my book hangover. Y’all this ain’t it! The Military Wife wrecked me. Like utterly destroyed me. I sobbed and woke my husband up needing a hug. Don’t get me wrong. This is a fantastic read, but it is heartbreaking all the same.

The Military Wife follows the story of Harper Lee Wilcox five years after the death of her Navy SEALS husband. She’s walking through life like a ghost of her former self. She’s convinced herself she’s happy, but it’s clear to the reader she isn’t. She’s living her life without taking any risks, she’s not dating, she’s wholly focused on her son and protecting what is left of her heart. When she discovers that an award her husband was given posthumously is a fake, she decides to hunt out the man who gave it to her and seek answers surrounding her husband’s death.

Bennett Caldwell was Noah Wilcox’s best friend and witnessed his death. He kept up his promise to take care of Noah’s wife and unborn child by giving the widow a bunch of money. He never expected to see her again, much less fall for her. Bennett is a deeply broken man who in the last five years discovered how to live thanks to Noah’s sacrifice. Now Harper is in his life and may derail his progress.

In addition to being a romance, the plot of the story centers around helping military wives while their husbands are deployed. It touches on the wives’ need to contribute to the household and their inability to find jobs. The guilt of forgetting to be worried when they are deployed to the sleepless nights of worry and then the adjustment when the husbands return home. I found myself aching for these families. The author writes with real-world experience and it shows in the details.

I loved the alternating time line as well. While most of the book is set in the present, some chapters are in the past. This allows the reader to fall in love with Noah as Harper did, which again utterly broke me.

Overall I really enjoyed The Military Wife. This is the first book by Laura Trentham I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last! And y’all I’m really hoping that Darren and Allison get their own book. Their story was a side story to the main plot and ugh!!! I need more of them 😀 If you enjoy contemporary romance, I highly recommend you grab a copy with a box of tissues.

As the daughter of a veteran I really appreciated the different viewpoints of a soldiers return, and also to the family members when they don’t return.

Harper has had to figure out life without her husband. Being a single mom wasn’t what she wanted, but her son is her world. She is trying to figure out how to make her life more meaningful while also wanting answers to help her move on.

Bennett has the answers but he won’t tell her about her husbands final days. He doesn’t want her to take on that burden. They strike up an unlikely friendship which grows into more.

You also see other military wives dealing with issues relating to work, and their husbands PTSD. A rollercoaster of emotions, making each character come to life!

The Military Wife by Laura Trentham
A Heart of a Hero #1

What an emotionally deep and thought provoking book this book proved to be! I have enjoyed every book I have read by this author and found this one perhaps the best so far. With so many men deployed right now and wars throughout the world this book reminds the reader of the effort soldiers put in to become warriors and also speaks of the impact their chosen profession may have on them and their families.

Sitting here I began to write that “this is the story of two families” but in fact it is much more than that as there is a ripple effect that one life has in and on the lives of the many around them. There are parents, siblings, significant others, progeny, friends stateside and in the military and perhaps more that I am not listing. This is, in my mind, a tribute to the soldier and to his family and I look forward to reading more in this series as soon as the books are written.

This story flips moves between the present and the past with almost every chapter and though I don’t usually like that way of telling a story it really worked in this one. I felt I got to know Laura, Noah and Bennett in ways I might not have if he story had been more linear. It eventually tells the story of how Laura and Noah met and how their relationship progressed. It tells of the friendships both of them forged and how those friendships impacted them as those around them. It made me feel for both of them and wish that things could have been easier. So much is given up sometimes to be with the person one loves...and this book managed to convey this while also conveying so much more.

What I liked:
* Laura’s strength
* Laura’s mother for supporting her daughter as well as her honesty
* Noah’s sunny disposition, openness and ability to love
* Bennett – what a wonderful person he proved to be
* The depth to the story
* The way PTSD was dealt with in Allison’s family situation
* The military wives being there for one another
* What I assumed to be “honesty” in looking at issues I had not thought of before
* The story and how it flowed
* The idea that it is okay to lean on someone else
* So much more

There was nothing that I disliked in this book. Sure, there were things I wished could have been different in the lives of some of the characters but isn’t that true of real life, too!

NOTE: This story was so good that I stayed up till 3am to finish it ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press – Griffin for the ARC ~ This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Although I have read a couple of books by this author, I don’t remember her books being quite this deep. This was a very good portrayal of the ups and downs of being a military wife these days. Centered around Harper Lee, a military widow with a small son, we see an in depth view of “living” after your spouse has been killed in battle. We also see her best friend, Allison, who’s husband has PTSD and how that affects the whole family! This, however, is a romance at heart, and Harper and Bennett have an interesting history, which makes this romance even sweeter. A book I am glad I read!

This was my very first Laura Trentham read and it consumed me from beginning to end. Portraying the every day struggles for those in and after military duty, as well as how it effects their loved ones throughout. I've never read a book quite like this, all the emotions and descriptions depicted... it was incredibly absorbing. Both very moving, soul shattering, whilst an uplifting tale of love, determination and hope. Beautifully written, I REALLY LOVED IT as I'm left eagerly awaiting Book #2.
4.5 Stars