Ms Trentham is a favorite author, so I was excited when she decided to try a new genre of fiction. The Military Wife is a timely story, especially given the demands currently being placed on the men and women of our armed forces and their families.
With quick glimpses of the past to fill in needed details, we meet Harper five years after she became a military widow and is feeling restless with her life.
Well written with engaging characters, The Military Wife paints a well thought picture of people we often take for granted.
I enjoyed getting to know Harper and the group of characters that surround her as she not only broadens her horizons with new endeavors, but also begins to consider letting love back into her life.
This is the first book in a new series and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next. Whatever it is, hopefully we see glimpses of Harper, Bennett, and their friends.

The Military Wife by Laura Trentham is the first book of the contemporary romance A Heart of a Hero series. As once may guess from the title/series this one is centered around our military with the main character having lost her husband as he served.

Harper Lee Wilcox lost her husband, Noah, five years before while he was on active duty in the military. Harper had been a college graduate that struggled with being a military wife with whom employers would pass over knowing that the husband could move on at any time. Unfortunately her fears over losing her husband became real just before their son was to be born and even five years later she struggles to move on.

With Harper’s best friend struggling after her husband had been injured and looking to find her own place Harper keeps tossing around ideas to start a business to help military wives like herself. This path brings Harper into contact with Bennett Caldwell who had been Noah’s best friend and there at the time of his death. As the business idea brings them closer together Harper and Noah both struggle with the past.

The story within The Military wife is one that alternates between what is happening with Harper and Bennett in the present but also looks back into the past when Noah and Harper were just beginning to show both timelines. As one would guess this is an emotional read which was to be expected reading about what Harper and her family and friends go through with spouses who are injured or don’t return from duty. It was also nice to show the different times in one’s life through how Harper was before and how she is now with Bennett. Lovely read I’d definitely recommend.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I was enthralled by this deeply emotional romance.

This is an intense romance, one that goes right to the heart of survivor's guilt, PTSD, and starting over after losing the one you love. Bennett is the strong silent type, a loner who has never had anyone in his corner before, except Noah. He's not interested in reliving the ghosts of the past, nor is he ever going to allow himself the luxury of leaving his loneliness behind.

Five years after losing her husband, Noah's widow, Harper, wants more answers than she got from the official report. She goes to his teammate and best friend, the man Noah named their son after, knowing that Bennett was there when Noah was killed. But Bennett refuses to discuss any of that, despite her best efforts to push the matter.

Harper is also starting up a new business, one that would be run by other military wives, who find that jobs are hard to come by due to the risk of being moved to another base at any time. Bennett helps Harper set this up, and together they help another couple who are dealing with PTSD.

The romance between these two was delicately handled, due to their shared connection in Noah. It was beautifully written with multi-layered characters and a refreshing honesty about the emotional impact of military service. It's a wonderful story, and I loved every bit of it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

This is a relatively new author for me and it was really good, I enjoyed the story and the characters were likeable, can't wait to read more.

I received a copy from Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion

Oh my heartstrings. This one was very raw to me. It was moving as well as uplifting. What I really loved about this story is the raw emotions that were put through in it as it felt powerfully realistic. Harper has been through so much but she is such a fighter and I loved that about her character. She was so beautifully written to me. There is just the right amount of drama and romance. Seeing how things change and grow. I really enjoyed those moments and how the concept was. Overall, I found this to be a stunning story that flowed amazingly. The words were effortless as you honestly devour this book. With how the story interconnects as well the roles of the secondary characters. They add so much depth into it that makes it just that much more special. I rarely read books like this but the blurb drew me and I absolutely enjoyed every word. Very much looking forward to more.

Exceptional! This story was an emotional journey, about life, loss, grief, forgiveness, survival, friendship, community, courage and love. Beautifully written, this story captured my attention from the beginning to the end. Written in present and past times, that was effortless to read, and helped tell such a thorough and captivating story.

Harper Lee Wilcox lost her husband five years ago, but she is still grieving. She has been living with her mother and her son, Ben, who was born shortly after her husband died. When she receives a letter from her friend Allison, whose husband is having difficulty adjusting to his past deployment and exhibiting sign of P.T.S.D., she goes to visit them to see if she can help in any way. She finds her friends are stressed, and barely holding it together for their three young children. While she is there Allison and her attend a meeting on base with other military wives, that help both of them in their struggles. Harper has been trying to think of how she could start a secret memorial of some kind in memory for her husband, and was going to use the money she received from a Bravery Award. Now after meeting with these wives she has an idea, but after finding out that the award wasn’t real she needs to confront his best friend. Harper goes to look for a friend of her husband’s, to see if he can help Allison’s husband deal with his PTSD and also to give her answers that she has about her husband’s death and the award.

Bennett Caldwell left the Seals after Harper’s husband died and is now running a Survival School. He refuses to tell Harper how her husband died, and why he had given her money and a fake Bravery award in her husband’s name. But he will not take the money back, but will help her with her idea to help with a project of a coffee house on the base. He does agree to help Allison’s husband. These two are attracted to one another, and although they had never met before Noah’s death, Bennett had been attracted to her from her letters she wrote to Noah. Now these two will need to work together. What will happen between them? Will Bennett tell her what happened when Noah died? You will definitely want to read this story to find out all the details.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Military Wife is the latest novel by Laura Trentham. This book captured me in a way that not many do. It is the story of Harper Lee Frazier of Nags Head, NC. Harper, a rather reserved young lady, meets young Navy recruit Noah Wilcox the summer before he leaves for SEAL training and she leaves for college. After the perfect few days they spend together in her home town, she doubts she will hear from him again. And she doesn’t until his first email arrives several hours later.

Over the course of her double degree pursuit, their relationship grows and he asks her to marry him right after her graduation. Rather than drawing things out, they elope and begin their life together in Virginia Beach, where his SEAL team is based. They socialize with Noah’s team members and their families and Harper becomes close to Allison Teague, wife of his team commander. The only one that she seems to not meet is Noah’s best friend, Bennett Caldwell.

After a few years, Harper and Noah begin a family. An assignment late in Harper’s pregnancy leaves her a widow and her son, Ben, without his father. Soon after this loss Ben is born and a mysterious man visits Harper with a certificate for heroism for Noah and a certified check for $100,000. When she finally meets Bennett and realizes the story behind his and Noah’s friendship and why Noah chose to name their son after his friend, her healing takes a new turn. And in her act of healing, Harper uses her education to help spouses of military folks, especially her friend Allison.

This story delves into many facets of what the people serving in our armed forces endure, as well as what is endured by those left on the home front. It is eye opening and yet the starkness of the story almost makes readers want to cover their eyes. This book is well written with rich and endearing characters. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it!!

This was an absolutely amazing story of the strength, determination and fortitude it takes to be a spouse of our military personnel. I'm going to keep this short because I want you to experience all the goodness this story has to offer as it unfolds on the pages before you. I don't want to give anything away. Just know this, the writing is exceptional and the characters are strong and well developed with flashes into the past to give us their full story. This one needs to go on the must read list. I highly recommend it.

The Military Wife is a beautiful, moving dive into the joys and hardships of military family life. Laura Trentham draws readers in with the story of a young woman grieving the loss of her husband.

Harper realizes that her life has come to a standstill. Her son is now five years old, and the one thing that has kept her going, but she still finds herself feeling only contentment. While supporting her friend Allison, whose husband is suffering from PTSD, she realizes that military wives need support too. Drawing on her own experience, Harper decides to start a business to give them something to occupy their time and engage their creativity.

To get her plan underway Harper finds Bennett Caldwell, and with him secrets about Noah's final mission. Bennett is an interesting character. His past with Noah is what connects him to Harper and her son. I loved the background stories that lead readers to Bennett and Harper's present. The emotional ride from the moment Harper and Noah meet, to the moment when Harper discovers the next stage of her life is captivating and engaging.

The Military Wife is the kind of story that hits your heart and burrows deep. It's a look into someone else's perspective that will leave readers fully satisfied. I recommend to fans of Emily Colin.
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Oh.my.gosh!!! This book!! It was everything I needed in a romance! It made me cry, it made me laugh, honestly it made me mad....in a good way! Although slightly predictable it left me satisfied and with a full heart and ready to run and buy the book to reread over and over! If you are looking for a romantic quick read then I suggest this one. The only thing I wish, is for a second book!! I need more Harper!

A satisfying read with a wonderful balance of romance and gritty, emotional issues (PTSD, death of a husband who was a navy SEAL, falling in love again after a devastating loss). Harper is a strong, determined heroine who doesn't know she needs Bennett until she meets him. Their character arcs and the way their stories intertwined through their relationships with Noah was well-written and enjoyable to read. I appreciated the author's ability to shine the spotlight on the need for jobs for military wives. The subplot with the coffee shop was a great addition to this wonderful story. The bonds forged between the SEAL team members and their spouses, as well as their commitment to supporting one another was nicely done too. Bravo! Looking forward to more in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions stated here are my own.

The Military Wife is not my usual kind of books. I rarely read contemporary romance books. However, I found the blurb to be intriguing. So, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and read a book about getting a second chance of happiness.

I did find the story to be quite good and I loved the idea of the military wives starting a coffeehouse (who doesn't love coffeehouses?). Since this is the first book in a series have I a feeling that this coffeehouse may serve as a center for the stories. Anyhow this is a book about moving on, about finding closure and purpose in life. That no matter how much you love someone is it OK to find love again. Btw if you love dogs will you love Jack London, a big lovable dog. I liked that the book also dealt with PTSD among soldiers.

The Military Wife is a perfect read for those that love reading contemporary romance books that mix serious issues with lighthearted moments.

This book has no on page sex, but it has cursing including quite a few f-bombs. If harsh cursing bothers you, this might not be the story for you.

Wow. There is literally no other way to start this review. Just...wow. I was absolutely blown away by the depth of the emotions in this book. I expected the story to be emotional, of course, but I didn't expect to find myself so heavily invested or to cry so hard for so many different characters in the same book.

Military families and their sacrifices are a touchy subject, and while this book and the topics that it cover could have been depressing or - even worse – politically charged, Ms. Trentham treats them all with the utmost respect and caring. The Military Wife is a love story between two characters, but it is also a love letter to military members and their families; a 'thank you' for their service and sacrifices. So often the sacrifice of the men and women at home are forgotten, but Ms. Trentham shines a light on that in a respectful and heart-wrenching way.

Harper was a great character from the first moment we met her - she had been through something that is unthinkable, and come out the other side so strong – even if she didn't realize it at times. Through the telling of this book we get to know more about who Harper actually is, and how she got to the place in her life that she was and I really enjoyed those glimpses into who she was. Bennett is a bit of a bear to begin with but as we got to know him, the reasons for his gruffness and his walls become clear, and there's no way not to fall in love with him. Watching them try to figure out their relationship and struggling with their entwined past with Noah was just incredible.

Harper and Bennett are the heart and soul of this book, and they're incredible on their own, but the side characters in this one are all the kind of people I would happily have read standalone books about. Darren & Allison's story was absolutely gut-wrenching. I read a lot of books every year, and I'm not sure I have ever shed so many tears for characters who weren't the main focus of a book.

The only downside to this book is the price. This paragraph has absolutely nothing to do with the author or the book's star rating, but hopefully someone at the publisher will see this and realize that they are pricing regular readers out of their books. While this book is amazing and will probably be my favorite read of 2019, I just cannot recommend this one to my reader friends on social media or my book club because very few people in my many reader groups can justify spending such a large amount on one e-book. Hopefully the publisher will put this on sale sooner rather than later so that the readers who work hard but don't have extra income can also enjoy this beautiful story. If that ever happens, my Amazon review will be verified. I am grateful to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this story because otherwise I would not have been able to read this wonderful book.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Military Wife” by Laura Trentham, St. Martin’s Griffin, February 5, 2019

Laura Trentham, Author of “The Military Wife”, has written an emotional, intense and intriguing novel. The Genre for this novel is fiction. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the events or characters in the story. The author describes her characters as complex, and complicated. Some have personal problems they should seek help for.

Harper Lee Wilcox, is a single mom, living with her five-year old son Ben and her Mom. Her best friend Allison calls Harper for her help. Both Harper and Allison are military wives. Unfortunately Harper’s husband lost his life in the line of duty. Harper goes to help Allison and her family and realizes that many of the problems and stressors that Allison is going through, other military wives are going through as well. Many of the women can’t get jobs, and feel useless. They have children and often husbands that are away, or come back with problems.

Harper has an idea, and the funds to start a business that will help other Military wives, and give her a sense of purpose. With the help of Bennett Caldwell, her husband’s best friend and seal buddy, she starts to work on her plan. Bennett seems to have dark secrets that he doesn’t want to share.

I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of family, friends, emotional help and support, love and hope. I would recommend this novel for those readers who enjoy a thought-provoking story. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is a very readable story about living through painful events that change how you look at life. Each of the characters face different challenges. Harper must move on from the death of her husband. Bennett Caldwell has to accept and share the death of his best friend. Others are dealing with the results of seeing action that is burned on their brains resulting in PTSD. As grim as all of this seems the story shows as way out. I loved how Harper took charge of her life and how some of that change helped other Military Wives find jobs that they loved while also making a big change in her own life. This is the start of a series and if this one is any indication the start of a very interesting series.

“The Military Wife” by Laura Trentham is an awesome and very well written and depicted book about Military life using the POV of the enlisted and also the POV of their spouses. This was a very emotional and heartwarming book that touched on many subjects like loneliness, PTSD, suicide and death. I was hooked from the first page. I found myself not able to put it down. Being a military mother and spouse this book was very real and true. This book will tug at your heartstrings. This book shows exactly what people in the military go through the countless days alone, the spouse you sent on deployment is not the same one that comes home, the worries you deal with. This book is told both in the present and the past. This is definitely needed because you need to be filled in on the past to learn about the present. This book shows that there can be love after death. I loved this book and highly recommend it. I am looking forward to more books in this new series. Just remember to grab your Kleenex.

Harper Lee Wilcox has been marking time in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina since her husband, Noah Wilcox’s death, nearly five years earlier. With her son Ben turning five and living at home with her mother, Her best friend, Allison Teague, is dealing with struggles of her own. Harper sees an opportunity to help not only Allison but a network of other military wives eager to support her idea of starting a string of coffee houses close to military bases around the country.
In her pursuit of her dream, Harper crosses paths with Bennett Caldwell, Noah’s best friend and SEAL brother.
The start of a new series & what a start, strong characters, very well paced story that grabbed me from start to finish. I was taken on a roller coaster of emotions & felt satisfied at the end but drained too. I ‘m now looking forward to more in the series as there were a number of interesting secondary characters
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Wow. Just. Wow.

I have avoided reading Military romance/fiction for the past few years due to my personal experience as the spouse of a former soldier living with PTSD. Something about the blurb and my previous experience reading this author made me set aside my fear and request to read it despite my anxiety about the theme. To say that I’m blown away feels like an understatement. This feels like the most honest and real (fictional) depiction of PTSD (speaking from the spouse POV only) and how it affects families that I’ve ever read.

It wasn’t just the PTSD angle of this story that blew me away though. The whole story and the care that the author took to tackle extremely difficult themes had me glued to my Kindle to finish this book in a matter of hours. I felt every emotion that the characters were feeling throughout. The anger, the sadness, the hope and love.

This story was not an easy one to read. I cried. A lot. I felt too much and the pain, fear and anger felt eerily familiar to me, but so did the hopefulness and love and, essentially it’s that love and hope that got me through it. This is a beautifully written story that I imagine I’ll come back to reread often.

The Military Wife by Laura Trentham worked for me on all levels. Told in two povs, Harper's and Bennett's, the novel moves between the past when Noah pursued and won Harper's heart, when Noah and Bennett became friends during SEAL training and then to the present day as Harper discovers that the sizable amount of money Bennett had given to her after Noah's funeral was not really a courage award.

Have you ever read a romance in which the widow starts a new relationship, but then the author slowly destroys the character of the man she was married to? That is a huge pet peeve of mine so I was so very glad that Trentham allowed Noah to remain a good guy, the guy that Harper fell in love with. And, it's because of this that when I was presented with Noah's death scene and Ben's birth that my tears were falling. I almost thought it might be a mistake to have Noah be such a huge part of this novel, but it wasn't. I think it made the reader miss him as much as Harper and Bennett missed him.

All of the characters were believable, their reactions on target.

The Military Wife had so many emotions on its pages, so many feels, that it was a difficult novel to put down. I am very much looking forward to reading future entries in the series.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Published: Feb 5, 2019 by St. Martin's Griffin
SBN13: 9781250145536 Series: A Heart of a Hero #1 Rating: 5*
Harper Lee Wilcox’s life has been more or less at a standstill since the death five years ago of her beloved husband Noah. Noah was the only person she ever dated, and loved - a true soul mate. He was a Navy SEAL killed in the line of duty and never met, his son Ben born after he passed and named after his best friend and SEAL team mate Bennett Caldwell.

While Harper is feeling a growing restlessness of needing a new direction, a call from her best friend Allison helped to make her act. Allison was dealing with her husband, another Navy SEAL struggling with PTSD, and Harper drove to Fort Bragg to help her out.

Two things occurred during the visit. One, not every widow of a fallen SEAL received a very generous monetary award given to the wife. Two, she discovered most of the other military wives struggled with husbands deployed for months at a time and felt as lonely and discouraged as Harper was feeling now. At last a purpose!

Harper came up with an idea of starting a business for military wives that would finally use her two degrees of business and marketing. And be good for the other military wives to give them back purpose while waiting for their husbands return.

Additionally and central to the read was discovering and finally meeting Bennett Caldwell, her husband’s very best friend and team mate whom Harper had never met. Bennett was a man who held secrets and the truth behind what really happened to Noah on the field of battle. But most of all he was a man whom Harper felt an emotional pull towards that bothered both of them because of the love they both had felt towards Noah. Could they find happiness together and put feelings of guilt to rest behind them….

All I can say is THE MILITARY WIFE packs an emotional punch to heart and soul and brought tears to my eyes (in a good way) and a lump in my throat! Sweet, sensual and a very highly recommended read!

Marilyn Rondeau