This book, wow. I made the mistake of reading it while I was waiting for my appointment at my dentist's. People looked a bit amused when I snickered and giggled or full-out laughed but they looked positively alarmed when I started to sniffle and to wipe my eyes...and I thought that I was so sneaky and inconspicuous. Well, that's what I thought till I looked up and found,...well. Okay, just note - don't read this book in public. Never.

I loved this story so much. Harper Lee's stubbornness, her way of looking at those around her, the way she cares for each and every one, her passion, her love for her son and...this love that sneaks up on her unexpectedly. And Bennett, whose life was definitely not made of unicorns and rainbows but of a lot of shitty stuff. Bennett who opens up to her, Bennett, who was Noah's best friend and who still can't get over his death and the circumstances.
I laughed so hard when I read about Harper's mum, om my.., she is amazing and unique and totally weird - in a very good way. And of course, there are also the other characters like Darren and Allison, for example, who are very likable and whose troubles and whose pain really got to me.
Of course, losing Noah wasn't a ride in the park either, neither for Harper nor for Bennett. I loved to see those two become closer and to see them share their worries and to see them heal. To see Bennett move forward, to trust in others, to open up and to reach out to others to help them...wow.

So, just - don't read in public and don't forget to bring a bunch of handkerchiefs, you'll need them. And right afterward you giggle and snort and, well, you'll fall in love with this book as much as I did.

Awesome well written romance that dips it's pen in dealing with grief, support, and moving on. Really enjoyed it.

Stunning. I believe that this book touched all aspects of military life. The characters were well defined and realistic. The romance was good and also dealt with grief over the loss of Noah. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Harper lives in kitty hawk NC her with her 5 year old son.Her husband noah has been gone 5 years. Harper's mom and her friend Allison have been a rock since her husband died.Her mother encourages her to find a man or hobby.I loved Harper and felt for her

Having read and enjoyed many of Laura Trentham's Cottonbloom series, I was excited to see a new book from her. However, this book was very much a departure from her previous books. While this book did have a romantic element there was so much more to the story. From the beginning we meet Harper, a young widow raising a son that never knew his father. Harper gave up having a career to marry Noah and then she became a single mother but she recognizes that she has spent the past five years grieving for a lost husband and lost chances. So when she sees an opportunity to help other women in the same situation she takes it. Along the way she reclaims her life and finds love along the way.
This was an endearing novel that focused on many of the issues that military families are facing including PTSD and the struggle to maintain an identity apart from their spouses. It was also told in such a way that even though Noah died before the book started, he was still a part of the novel as the author told the story from multiple POV's and multiple time periods. Overall, a well crafted story that I would highly recommend.

This is a new to me author. I am so glad I got the opportunity to read and review this story.

I was a military wife for 18 years.  My husband, a combat veteran, retired after 22 years.

This story resonated with me on so many levels.

It's a story of sisterhood, military wives banding together.

This is a story of love lost and love found. This is the story of Harper, Noah and Bennett.

Harper Lee has been through the worst thing to ever happen to a military wife.  Becoming a widow. She finds strength to continue from her son and mom.  She is a good friend and a fantastic mom.  She had a healthy, normal, not easy marriage to Noah and it's described honestly and truthfully.

Bennett was a soldier. He has experienced the worst that could happen to a soldier. It has left scars and demons and promises that were made but never fully fulfilled.

The flow of the story is fantastic. The fluctuations between present and past were smooth and easy to follow.

The relationship between Harper and Bennett was moving and real.

This story made me laugh, made me cry and made me reminisce about my time as military wife.

Even if you have no experience in the military, read this story. It will give you a view of the world of military families and service members.

Well done, I cannot wait to see what you write next!

Harper Lee Wilcox struggles with the loss of her Navy SEAL husband, Noah. Left widowed and raising their young son Ben, Harper wonders how Noah died. What were the circumstances of his death? Did he suffer? What were his final words? The answers to her many questions play out endlessly in her mind, without the blessed comfort of knowing the truth.
Caldwell Bennett, a fellow SEAL and close friend of Noah’s, was with him when he died. Bennett knows the answers to Harper’s questions, but he just can’t bring himself to tell her. It isn’t until Harper locates Bennett on the internet and encounters him face to face that the truth begins to unfold. Now, as the two of them grow closer, his revelations will either mark a new beginning for them, or a bitter ending.
Trentham’s portrayal of PTSD and the psychological effects of war, on both soldiers and their families, is done with care and respect. And Harper’s personal mission to ease their pain is a worthy tribute to their service. The story alternates between the past and the present, which intertwine seamlessly as the story unfolds. Trentham has crafted an important, poignant, tale of military life and a legacy of love.

I've enjoyed all of the books I've read by Laura Trentham. The Military Wife, I totally love! Ms. Trentham has given readers a phenomenal book loaded with a stellar cast of characters. Harper is a young mother and widow, living with her mother. Her husband was killed in the war. Bennett was injured at the same time and left the military after losing his best friend, Harper's husband Noah. Harper and Bennett's story is loaded with drama, humor, sexy bits and the horrors of PTSD. The Military Wife is book 1 of the A Heart of a Hero Series but can be read as a standalone. I can't wait to read the next book! This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

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

I absolutely loved this book.
The heartache, sorrow and pain in this book, coupled with friendship, love and redemption makes it a can't put down until finished story.

With Laura Trentham's trademark style, the story seeps into your soul.

A must read

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was not just a book but an emotional journey that delved into some heavy subjects such as PTSD, suicide, being a widow, and loneliness. If the reader enjoys a second chance romance this is the book for them.
I did feel like it was a bit slow at times and the pace of the plot didn’t move quickly for me. But I would still recommend this book and author.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

The Military Wife by Laura Trentham is an amazing look at military life in real time. There is so much going on in this story. The book bounces back and forth between life in the past with the main character, Harper and her husband, Noah, before he is killed in action (Noah is a Navy SEAL) and the present with Harper, her son 5 year old Ben, Allison, Harper's best friend, Allison's husband, Darren and Ben, a former SEAL, Noah's best friend. The story runs the gambit of Noah and Allison's romance and marriage, Noah, Ben and Darren going through SEAL training, Noah's death, Darren's problems and what Ben is doing after leaving the military. There is also great insight into what a military wife goes through on a daily basis. There is a lot of action and a romance. I loved reading this story and will recommend it to friends as a good book to read.

This is a POWERFUL story!!! Keep the kleenex close!
This is a story about Harper Lee, who with her 5 year old son Ben, has been living with her mom and, becoming increasingly frustrated with her life. Her husband Noah, a Navy Seal, died 5 years ago, before Ben was born and, she has never found out the true story of his death. She decides to go back down to the Navy compound where her friend Alison has been worrying her whenever she calls. She sees that her friend is gaunt, has lost weight and, for the first time ever, seems at a loss as to how to deal with her husband returning home. Alison's husband was Noah's commander and, also looks like a shadow of his former self. The kids are very confused why their parents are acting so differently and, arguing so much.
Harper also decides she has to meet and speak with Bennett, her husband's best friend. Maybe he can tell her what really happened when Noah died.
Bennett is a man who grew up in foster care and believes that emotion makes you weak, until he meets Harper, the woman he was secretly fascinated by, while listening to parts of the letters Harper wrote to Noah. He now realizes that becoming part of other people's lives is, not only important but, necessary..
This story pushes you into the world of the military, military wives, their boyfriends and husbands and, how horribly difficult it is to deal with this type of life EVERY DAY!!!!!

Harper Wilcox met her husband Noah when he was leaving for BUDs training. They had one date before he left, and she’s surprised when he keeps in contact. It’s the start of a rapid romance, and they get married. Noah is killed in action, not long after Harper gets pregnant.

This story flips between the present and the past, and we get to see Harper with Noah, Noah’s training and his friendship with Bennett. The reader also gets a taste of the life of a military wife and how PTSD affects a soldier. We see the loneliness and stress of a military life and the growing friendship between Harper and Bennett.

This story is engrossing, and I had trouble putting it down. I loved the characters and the way the author portrayed the different relationships. Mother, daughter, son, friends. Military wives. SEAL buddies. It’s a poignant read, both happy and sad and full of emotion. It’s about getting a second chance at love, and the difficulty of moving on when a partner dies. Definitely all the feels in The Military Wife. This is a great story, an emotional read, and I highly recommend it.

I loved this book, even though the pace was a bit slow sometimes. I thought it had a great message and it dealt with important issues. A military widow is living a blah existence, just working at a blah job, living her life for her little boy. She lives with her mother, who seems to be having a more exciting and fulfilling life than she is. She goes to visit her friend Allison, another military wife, who was her support when she lost her husband, and finds that other military wives are also living unfulfilled lives, just like hers. Discussing options for a business that could improve the lot of military wives, she realizes that she received a huge amount of money from Bennett Grant and learns from Allison that there is no such award as he stated.

When she goes to confront the guy, she finds the one man who can jump-start her life, make her existence the fun and exciting life that she should be enjoying. Problem was, there are guilt feelings, loyalty to a wonderful husband who died serving his country, the needs of a little boy who never met his dad and needs a father figure, and just plain distance. He lives hours away from her town, and she needs to establish her business near the base in order for it to work.

The book touches on two issues that I thought were important. One is the emotional state that soldiers are left in when they return from battle. Wives try to help their husbands but these soldiers are proud, trained to withhold information and feelings, and just plain stubborn. It’s not an easy job, on top of keeping their children emotionally stable facing a father who is losing it.

The other issue that was new to me and no less important is the limbo that professional women get into when they marry military men. As a necessity, they have to relocate where their husbands are assigned. Then sometimes they won’t find a job that caters to their qualifications. Oftentimes, they’re not given the job they want because the employer don’t want to waste time and resources on an employee that may relocate soon. There is a lot of discontent because the wives can’t fulfill their career ambitions, and many times are relegated to housewives because they are overqualified for the jobs available.

In this story, we see Harper setting up a business with other three wives, and plans to broaden the scope to other bases so other wives will have an outlet for their talent. She also helps her friend Allison face her marriage problems due to a troubled husband. And all the while, falling in love with this taciturn, quiet man with a poker face that seldom smiles but makes her skin tingle every time she touches him. I loved that he found love, after years of having no one. Harper brought him to laughter and happiness and Bennett brought Harper to the lively and decisive woman she used to be.

It was an entertaining and informative story, with important issues and a lovely love story.

A sweet story that made me cry of both sadness and happiness. Un-put-down-able! Emotionally charged, this story puts you on a wave of emotions!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of The Military Wife (from NetGalley). All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! What an emotional rollercoaster! I read this novel in about two days' time. Once I was invested, it was near impossible to put down. Not at all the narrative I was expecting, this weave of tragedy, determination, and hopefulness had my full attention. The desire to fully know the turn of events for all characters involved kept me up late, yet falling asleep with this one in my hands several times. From what I can tell, this was a fairly realistic sampling of many military wives'/families' experiences. Though it had me in (or near) tears on several occasions, I thoroughly enjoyed this heartwarming novel. I will actively be searching for other books by Laura Trentham--whose work I will gladly read again anytime!!
A big thank you to NetGalley and Laura Trentham for the ARC!

This book was a heartwrenching tearjerker. As a child of a military man I knew what it was like to tell him goodbye not knowing if he would come back alive. He was not in special services.
The story is very well developed. I felt all the emotions of Harper, Allison, Darren and Bennett. There were times I held my breath, times when I cried and times when I smiled. I couldn't put it down.

Laura is an amazing writer. She makes you feel like you're part of the story.
Harper and Bennett was strong, resilient, real characters. They would be people I'd hang out with in real life.

Wow - what a gripping book. At first I didn't love the past and present jumping back and forth, but then I started to want it. What happened with Noah, etc. Harper was a widow of a Navy Seal who finally tracked down one of her husband's team mates who had given her $100000 to help with life in general. She had Noah's baby after he was killed, so it was welcome but she hadn't used it yet. The story very much brought all the issues that service men and their wives. It was wonderful how they wives got together and helped each other. I loved how Harper and Bennet worked their way through learning to love again. This book was very very good.