Seasons of Love and War

"This is a wonderful tale set in a time period that was fraught with pain, change and bravery. Beth Ann is a young woman growing into a woman, looking forward to when her fiance, Kaylob comes home from a tour of duty in Vietnam. Unable to save his best friend in an attack, the brave Kaylob feels he can't in good conscience leave his buddies to fight alone and he signs up for another tour. When Kaylob ends up Missing in Action, presumed dead Beth Ann is heartbroken. I don't want to give away any more of the actual story line, you need to enjoy the reveals for yourself.

The scenes are beautifully written so that you feel as if you are going through all of the heartbreak and hardships with Beth Ann and Kaylob. The characters are full and well drawn so you feel as if you know and like them personally. I found myself torn between Beth Ann moving on with her life and finding out Kaylob is still alive, although you are not sure how long. Kaylob can hold on in the prison camp where he finds himself. This time period is an important one to look back on and remember, and Ms. Barry brings it to life beautifully. I can't wait to dive into the next installment, December Road." --Jewel Walkeron (Amazon review)

"Beth Ann and Kaylob are young and in love. What can come between them? The Vietnam War. The story is set in a time of change and upheaval in the U.S. Kaylob has been to war and volunteers to return. He has unfinished business. Beth Ann isn't too pleased but finally sees why Kaylob must go back. The lovers are torn apart and Beth Ann struggles to go on with her life. Although good things happen for her, Kaylob is always in the back of her mind. He is her one true love.

If you love a good romance story, Seasons of Love and War, is for you. The strength of Beth Ann and Kaylob's love is apparent throughout the book. Beth Ann has to continue her life without him and Blake is more than willing to take his place. Blake is rich and handsome, someone who's loved her since high school. Beth Ann struggles with leaving Kaylob in the past and moving on. She sometimes has visions that he is alive, calling out to her, and tries to make sense of the meaning. The book almost becomes a fantasy at this point because of this strong bond and connection. Her dreams and visions are real.

The author uses slang of the late sixties to set the tone of the book. I got a feel for that time period through her descriptions of clothing and settings.

The one criticism I have is the overuse of the word "baby" and "darlin'" in the story. It was said one too many times. Also, Beth Ann's wonderful Broadway career came to an abrupt end and was never mentioned again. It would've been interesting to see how that side of her life evolved. Every man seemed to fall in love with Beth Ann and things came easy to her. I would have liked for her to become a more independent woman in correlation with those times.

Seasons of Love and War is a historical romance set in a turbulent time of U.S. history. It's an easy read. I understand this is a saga and there's more to come. The love triangle of Beth Ann, Kaylob and Blake is hopefully not over yet." --Good Book Alerton (Amazon review)