This is a lovely manga romance story about finding love after loss and bereavement. Callie's husband was a marine and he died in battle but before he died he asked his close friend Brock to look after Callie.

When Brock visits Callie he finds a woman who is a shadow of her former self, lost in grief and merely existing and so he starts to find ways of bringing joy back into her life and it works.

But not only does Brock bring joy, he also brings love and the challenge for Callie is whether or not she can find it in her heart to love again. The challenge for Brock is whether he can love her or whether he will feel guilty about the loss of his best friend.

This is a lovely manga romance, full of emotion as Callie and Brock take courage to step into new love. As with all the manga romances the artwork is beautiful drawn which enables the emotion of the story to flow from the page. This is a gentle story but overflowing with love and tenderness and it is also fully enjoyable just like all the other manga romances.

Copy provided by Harlequin via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

A promise to a dying man turns into a challenge that he might want to lose... After losing his best friend in action, Brok goes to meet his widow who has shut herself away from the rest of the world, mourning a husband she had known since childhood. Callie is a shell of her former self but Brok patiently manages to make her eat properly and go outside again. Little by little the two become closer, dangerously so if they do not acknowledge that Rob is not between them anymore and they might have a once in a lifetime chance to heal from more than just body wounds...

Excellent sweet romance on a vet and his fellow marine's widow finding new life and love together. Very plausible lines and plot and beautyful art.

This manga is very emotional. Callie and Brock both have suffered through emotional trauma and a promise brings them together. There is budding romance which contrasts with the 'duty' Brock has and the plot, while a cliche, was very refreshing as it was shown.

Between Duty and Desire tells the story of Callie and Brock. Callie lost her husband and Brock lost his best friend, Brock is taking care of Callie and they slowly fall for each other.

I really liked the story, it’s so beautiful and I cannot wait to read the original book by Leanne Barks. I think that this manga is beautifully drawn and I really fell in love with the characters!

I cannot wait to read some more Harlequin manga!

A beautiful drawn interpretation of a much beloved novel, this manga is a must add to any collection. Even if you haven’t read the novel prior to the manga, this books does a good job at staying true to the feel of the original. Not to mention the artwork is beautiful.

Beyond that, it is a lovely emotional story of second chances. While their chemistry doesn’t fly off the page, the leads’ romance is both sweet and makes sense. In the end, it is a heartwarming tale of a woman learning to live, not just love, again and the man selfless enough to want to help her. Even without the beautiful artwork to accompany it, it is a beautiful story.