Captain Britt Story has just had her arm amputated after her last tour in Afghanistan. Not only does she want a discharge from the army but the army is trying to keep her within their ranks and also to keep her quiet as her story will bring shame to the army. Lieutenant Teddy Alexander is a physical therapist assigned to rehab Britt at her grandfather's horse breeding ranch. To provide therapy outside of the confines of the army is unusual but Teddy has her orders. As Teddy and Britt get closer they find they are just pawns in a political storm.
I really loved this book. The storyline was interesting and enthralling as it weaved through Army politics and really gave an emotional insight into the discrimination against women in the forces. Britt and Teddy were both great characters and had really strong chemistry. Both women were strong and compassionate but still had demons to overcome. I also enjoyed the sub characters particularly Britt's grandfather who was just solid, no nonsense and you could really feel his love for Britt.
A really enjoyable read and I would definitely read other books from this author.

What I really like in this book is that it brings more than the romance. It brings a life out of the city, the relationship between a granddaughter and a grandfather, difficulties that a soldier who lost an arm during war might face, PTSD, and important problems that women have to endure when inserted in a manly environment such as the US Army.
It's good to see that the plot brings a time when gay couples could get married and the fights that are necessary against politics that don't value women's words when reporting harassments. I just think that it's necessary to state that this book might bring trigers for some people..

Finally back stateside from Afghanistan all Captain Britt Story wanted was to go to the only place she called home. That’s where she’d spent her summers and school breaks. But while in Afghanistan she knew some things were happening that no woman should have to put up with. One of her soldier’s was raped and as usual all the brass at the top wanted it to all go away. Never mind how it would affect the women who were abused. What hurt most was that it was her own father trying to send her back to the military where everyone was hoping to persuade her to keep quiet. But Britt wasn't changing her mind. Surely losing her arm was enough to ensure she'd never have to go back.
First Lieutenant Teddy Alexander job was getting soldiers ready to either go back into the field or how to best live with their injuries. Being an occupational therapist was always interesting but now she had the chance at developing new and better prosthetics. She also had her own battles with the military when her wife lost her life while on a mission. Apparently the army didn’t want her to have the survivors benefits that she was entitled to but after a lawsuit the army had no choice but to do what was right.
When it became clear Britt wouldn’t be coming to them for her therapy some strings were pulled mainly by her father, the therapist would go to her. It also helped that Britt’s home was the one place she loved. Britt and her grandfather had always talked about Britt taking over the ranch because like her grandfather she loved horses, especially the race horses their ranch was famous for. Now both Britt and Teddy were at the ranch where the attraction they felt for each other was more than evident.
I’ve had the pleasure of reading some other books by Ms Leigh and enjoyed most but this book ‘Blades of Bluegrass’ has to be the best one I’ve read so far. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This author, for those of you who don't know, has written quite a few books with horses involved, and this is another of them. And being this an environment that I like a lot, I begin by saying that I really liked this story.

The two main characters are part of the milutary. Captain Britt Story has just returned from Afghanistan where she had an incident that caused her to lose her left arm. Lieutenant Teddy Alexander is the physical therapist who must help Britt to fit her new bionic prosthesis included in an experimental program of the US Army.

Britt will be a bit difficult to deal with, with the physical loss and another psychological burden that is not discovered until the end of the story but that is in the background of the entire book.

Teddy has her own emotional toll too, but she's determined that Britt will regain her physique and self-esteem.

And among all this is the environment that surrounds the two women during this recovery, which takes place on the horse farm owned by the Britt family, mainly with horses, but with some other species as well. This environment will allow Britt to leave her nightmares behind, although not completely, since there is some situation that haunts her and that threatens to spoil her full recovery.

As I said at the beginning, I really liked the story, it has a good rhythm and an interesting development. It is consistent in its outcome and maintains a point of thrill in relation to the situation in which Britt was involved.

D. Jackson Leigh is synonymous with books about horses, and here she combines a horse raising/racing story with a disabled vet and a hefty serving of political intrigue. It's obvious that there's been loads of research done here, and the book is extremely well written. I loved everything about the story and the relationship between Britt and Teddy. My only complaint is that Leigh needs to write more than one book a year (cursed day job). Kudos for the multiple meanings of "blades of bluegrass". A must read.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

I am a big fan of D. Jackson Leigh, I think that she is a superior writer. Her love scenes are some of the best I have read in lesfic. THis is the story of Teddy and Britt. Britt is a soldier who has seen some pretty awful things in her time in Afghanistan, and her father and the US Army want het to keep her mouth shut. She also comes home with a missing limb and P{TSD which leads to some rather explosive anger issues. Teddy is her occupational and physical therapist sent to rehab her. Of course there is a problem and they figure it out, but this book was very enjoyable. I read the while things in a matter of hours.

There isn't a lot about this book I found problematic, but I felt that the tertiary story line with her father and the army was a little overblown, and not really explained super well. I also think if her father was this moral character he would never have taken someone else's word over his daughters, that seemed like a serious character flaw for someone who was supposed to be so moral. I also don't think someone in the US Army is going to take a phone call in a public place and then implicate himself in a crime for everyone to hear that was a really unrealistic situation.

The chemistry between the two characters was there and it was a slow burn which is nice because Ronica does not normally write such slow burn romances. I thought that she did a great job making this story seem realistic, except for when we get to the part about Britt being a millionaire and no one knowing that, seems unrealistic as the Army seemed to know everything else about her. Overall a solid romance that will leave you wanting more. Oh and the part of the story where Teddy's friend comes in and then tells a virtual stranger her entire life story was crazy, that just seemed like the author was looking for a way to wrap up a story line that she dug herself into and couldn't see another way out. It is a lazy way to move the story along and completely confused me.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel by D. Jackson Leigh. It really is a delightful read with well-drawn multi-dimensional characters from different backgrounds, who individually have had traumatic extenuating personal circumstances which have contributed to their whole. The book synopsis gives an accurate picture of its setting.

The slow disclosure of various aspects of the circumstances which define both main characters is skilfully done. There is enough description in the storyline to sustain the readers interest and the pace is well judged. The multidimensional secondary characters add different layers to the main characters and their journeys and are functional and an intrinsic part of the story and subplots.

I confess to having little prior knowledge about the worlds in which this novel is set. But the story is so well told, the descriptive narrative sets each scene so well that it doesn’t matter what a reader’s knowledge base is. The recovery time after a main limb amputation surprised me, but the author appears to have a good knowledge and information base, so I take what she says as accurate.

No matter what the backdrop to this story is, what the author has created is a really excellent, enjoyable read. 5*

An amazing book from so many angles, Blades of Bluegrass will be considered one of the best books of the year. And don’t mistake this for another broken vet story, either. Britt’s return from war after losing an arm in combat is more of a triumph over losing a wing in her road to recovery while uncovering unpatriotic intentions in her unit’s leadership. Britt and Teddy falling for each other works seamlessly between the intrigue and draws a parallel for both of them regarding trust and honor, and ultimately hope. Everything about this book is as lush as the Kentucky countryside amidst the majestic thoroughbreds raised on Britt’s farmstead. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book by this author that I have read and I can say I was delighted by the story and how well written it was. First I love anything military (who doesn't love a woman in uniform), but this one dealt with the aftermath of war, in this case the MC Britt losing an arm as well as having to keep a terrible secret. As she worked with a therapists, the other MC, Teddy, she begins to recoup.

I am a major sucker for dialog so this was one of the reasons I so loved this book/author, there was so much rich dialog with all the characters that I just kept turning the pages, in fact I read the book in one night (well one night into the late hours of early morning). The way the author describes the horse farm, and the surrounding area, could just picture myself being there.

The story does touch on a very sensitive subject of rape in the military (not in graphic detail), and I thought the author covered it in a way we understood without being triggered. I think this was a brave topic to bring into a romance novel, since this is a VERY important topic indeed, and she did it with dignity and giving the reader an understanding without disrespecting the topic.

Overall I enjoyed this book (obviously since I lost sleep to it :-), and I will be searching out more from this author.

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-A great summer read

This book was high on my want to read list and it is the first one that I really enjoyed from this list. The story deals with some major traumas but it isn't depressing.

Captain Britt Story came back from Afghanistan without her left arm, her dad is a senator and he has made sure she gets special treatment. She can recover on her grandpa's farm. Britt has never asked for, nor does she want any special treatment, all she wants is out of the service. The army sends over Lieutenant Teddy Alexander to help Britt in her recovery. Teddy's wife was killed in action 6 years ago and she has struggled with nightmares ever since. Britt is reluctant to accept the help Teddy is offering when they come to a deal where they drop the ranks and the uniforms it all becomes a bit more bearable. While they struggle with their personal demons something between them clicks. Even if Britt needs a pretty big shove from Pops to get her ass into gear. Major drama towards the end is a bit much, not the drama itself, it fits well into the story, but the action one of the mains takes, it's over the top.

I like both characters, opinionated strong female leads with depth, that is a big plus in my book. Both characters have a backstory that we get snippets of throughout the book, as you normally would when you get to know someone. The writing is good, I like the characters, the supporting characters all serve a certain purpose as well, they aren't just page fillers. The story which revolves around different kinds of losses and dealing with them isn't as depressing as it might sound. I find it a rather uplifting story, realistic and yes, sometimes a bit painful to read, but it adds depth to the story and makes it believable. Aside from the drama and the actions towards the end, there is one slight issue I have with this book, it's timing. At times I get lost with how much time has passed, it's not a big issue, you could just skip over the mentions of time. But I think it isn't entirely correct all the time.

I enjoyed reading Blades of Bluegrass. It does come with a few warnings - PTSD and off screen sexual assault. Capt Britt Story comes home from Afghanistan after losing her most of her arm. She is ready to be out of the military, but for some reason the higher ups and her father do not want her to retire. They want her to participate in a trail for a new prothesis that will allow her to return to active duty full functioning. First Lieutenant Teddy Alexander is the PT working directly with the new prothesis program and is sent to help Britt recover from her injury.

I really enjoyed Blades. The story was intriguing, it has some suspense/mystery around what the military was hiding. The two mains are likeable and they have chemistry. I think I would have enjoyed this story even if there was no romance in it. I really like how Teddy worked with Britt. She didn't let Britt get over on her and her temperament was what Britt needed. Both mains also have encountered lost in the military. Britt lost her arm and Teddy lost her wife in Afghanistan. They are able to both heal together despite the trauma they both have experienced. I thought the romance side of things were good. I was rooting for them all the way. I also liked that the angst was pretty low in this one. I really like when an author can pull that off. Overall this was a very solid read.

4 stars.

This arc was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

Have to Love This
Britt is a wounded vet who has secrets that the Army and her Senator father don’t want reviled. She is living with the ghosts of the incident where she lost her arm and has lost faith in humanity, and the powers that be. She just wants out of the army to live her life working with her grandfather on his racing horse farm. Teddy is a widow who lost her wife while she was serving overseas. She is a physical and occupational therapist who has been assigned to help Britt rehab. There is a whole lot more to the story but you will have to read it to see its awesomeness.

This story has it all, a lost and damaged woman in uniform, a woman who can help her heal in all ways, medical drama, romance and of course horses! What’s not to love? Because this is a D Jackson Leigh story, you KNOW it’s really well written, has a great story line, wonderful characters, drama, angst and lots of feels. I loved this book! The story was captivating and I was immediately immersed in it. It was just so good! I found myself worried about the characters, celebrating with them and generally thrilled by them. Britt is so special, a brave, strong, torn, grieving, loving and smart woman who just wants to heal and get justice for the wrong doing she saw. I admired and respected her. Teddy is also super smart, caring, generous and special. I thought she was the perfect person for Britt to lean on. Their emotional connection was just lovely…. I could go on and on about this book but I don’t want to keep you here. Go get the book and start reading now!

I liked the first 3/4 of the book. I didn’t love it because something was missing for me, I don’t know if it was a real connection between the two MC’s or what, but it didn’t draw me into the book. Also, the last portion of the book felt rushed to me. For valid reasons they had to spend time apart, but the book dwelled on that Portion and dragged it out too much for my liking, and then when they saw each other and all was forgiven. All in all, the book was just ok for me.

Britt and Teddy meet while Britt is rehabbing after losing most of her left arm in Afghanistan. Britt saw the worse of the treatment of female soldiers and wants out of the military. Terry is trying to recruit her for a new prosthetic program that would mean remaining in service. I like the speed of their relationship, not so fast there is no time learning about each other and not so slow you want to skip pages to get there.
Goodreads

It is easy to say this book is my favorite of D. Jackson. It has powerful meaning. The devotion to what you do and to the right thing at the same time? I loved the relationship that developed between main characters. The issues they had to deal on their own and together. I absolutely adore both characters. Wonderful read.

D. Jackson Leigh has created a winner of a contemporary romance novel with Blades of Bluegrass. I was already a fan of Ms. Leigh’s writing, but this novel has made me fall even more in love with her work.

Almost all romance stories are character driven, which makes character development one of the most important aspects of the work. The character development in this novel is outstanding. Any of these characters, both main and secondary, could walk right out of these pages and be as real and you and I. Britt and Teddy, especially, are extremely well-written and very easy to connect with. The chemistry between the two is sizzling from the very beginning, even though it takes a while for both of them to recognize that, and even longer before they admit it.

The story itself is inspiring, heartbreaking, uplifting, and just plain breathtaking. Ms. Leigh did a wonderful job of researching the use of new and innovative bionic prostheses with both service members and veterans who have lost limbs while serving their country. She did a seamless job of integrating this research into her story.

This is a wonderful book filled with joy, angst, heartbreak and love. It will make you cry. I know because it made me cry. Don’t worry, though, because it’s also a very uplifting and beautiful story. It has joined my list of favorite books and I think it will be one of your favorites also.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the chance to read and honestly review this novel.

Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

3.75 Stars. This was a good read! I’m happy to say that I am on a mini run of good books and I had a feeling Leigh would keep it going. I’ve been a fan of Leigh for a long while. I feel comfortable with her writing and I like that I know what to expect, yet her stories always feel fresh. Plus, Leigh is great at writing about horses and for whatever reason WLW stories and horses always go well together.

I’m a big fan of women in military romances so I was really excited to read this one. I was also happy that Leigh didn’t shy away from a story about a solider in rehab. Britt lost her arm while in Afghanistan so she has to come to terms with that loss while rehabbing for a possible new advancement in prosthetics. I was wracking my brain about how many books I have read that touches on this subject and it is not many at all. Everything from the nerve pain, phantom pain, to the medicines and exercises, not only did my heart hurt for what so many veterans go through, but I felt like I actually learned something too. You come away from this book knowing that Leigh did her research and tried her best to be accurate on this subject.

I found I really enjoyed the setting of the book. Leigh absolutely took us to Kentucky and I’m ready to go there to watch some races and drink some bourbon. With the mix of horse raising/racing, some political intrigue, and Britt’s rehab, there was always something going on in this book that kept my attention. I would have read the whole book in one sitting but stupid sleep got in the way. The book doesn’t lag, is never boring and is just very readable.

When it came to the romance I liked it. Both characters are pleasant, well fleshed-out and detailed characters. The chemistry is not in your face but it is there. I think the sex scenes were needed and added to the heat level. I needed to see that increased level of intimacy to really believe that they could have a HEA. The romance got better for me as the book went on and their intimacy improved. (see spoiler on Goodreds review)

I do have to mention my one main issue is that I had to roll my eyes at the main angst moment. It’s not what caused the angst, that was fine and it worked for the story. My problem was how one of the mains handled the angst that I thought was a bit ridiculous. I’m going to put my issue under a spoiler and it should only be read after you read the book.

Overall, this was a good and enjoyable read. It was nice to be transported to Kentucky while we are stuck social distancing instead. I would easily recommend this to romance fans and I can’t wait to see what Leigh writes next.

I'm always going to pick up the latest book by D Jackson Leigh - she's one of my go to authors.

In Blades of Bluegrass, Captain Britt Story has returned home to her grandfather's farm after losing both her arm and her faith in the chain of command in Afghanistan. Thanks to her Senator father and a rather skeevy General she's fast tracked for a experimental prosthesis in a bid to keep her silence on what happened overseas. Enter Lieutenant Teddy Alexander, physical and occupational therapist who lost her wife in Afghanistan 5 years ago, who has been tasked with helping Britt's recovery. As this is a D. Jackson Leigh novel the farm is a horse breeding farm and there's a fair bit of equine throughout the story.

You'd think from the description this would be an angsty read but Jackson Leigh doesn't delve too deeply into the past tragedies - they impact the characters and their actions, but they aren't overwrought storylines that overwhelm the broader plot. It's a delicate balance to keep the budding romance light and positive when there are such serious issues that they are both dealing with. I do wish a bit more time had been spent on the military plot - it seemed a bit rushed at the end as things were wrapping up into the HEA.

There's a nice romance developed between Britt and Teddy - a slow burn as they build their trust. Even thought I didn't get a strong sense of chemistry at the beginning, both characters were engaging and the chemistry popped once things started moving in a more romantic direction.

As always - I enjoy Jackson Leigh's novels. She writes well, has characters you can't help but like and , of course, her novels are usually set in horse country. With a slightly more serious subplot the book had a bit more gravity and seriousness than some of her other books but it is balances well with the romance. Recommended

I'm a fan of D. Jackson Leigh, so I figured I'd like this book right off. With a gorgeous cover and a very promising blurb, I had high expectations.

This story behind the cover was everything I'd hoped for and more. There was obviously a lot of research done into prosthetics and explained in such a way that I understood all the nuances easily. In fact, the prosthetic that Britt ended up with seemed like a near-miracle. The character's angst and foolish pigheadedness made the plot that much more layered and interesting, and yet not overdone. Even though I did want to slap them both a couple of times. I felt badly for them both many times, and would have given up all the gummy bears in the world to have been at that sale with Britt!

There was so much heartbreak here as well, and love, even of the equine variety. The scene between Mysty and Britt, when Britt is sobbing into the mare's shoulder and Mysty just reaches back and takes the tail of Britt's vest in her mouth -- holding on to her human as best she can to offer comfort. I'm not ashamed to admit that scene made me tear up. There are so many complicated emotions in this tale. It is a rollercoaster of anger, suspicion, bravery, perseverance, loyalty, love and dedication.
And the horses sure didn't hurt either!

This is another gem from D. Jackson Leigh that I'm very honored to have been an advance reviewer for in exchange for my opinion. Many thanks to the author, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley.

Captain Britt Story lost her left arm in Afghanistan, but along with that she lost faith in the military following an incident that resulted in the deprivation of dignity and ultimately the life of one of her soldier. To complicate matters her father is former military and an influential senator who in involved.

First Lieutenant Teddy Alexander is an Occupational therapist who is assigned to rehab Britt. She successfully petitioned to receive survivor’s benefits after her wife, Shannon, was killed in Afghanistan days before DOMA was repealed, six year earlier. She occasionally has one night stands, but her love remains with Shannon.

This was an emotional book about loss, deception, grief, and eventually letting go on many levels to ultimately achieve happiness again. The characters of both Britt and Teddy were well written and I also enjoyed Britt's common sense grandfather, Pops. Pops was also a wealth of knowledge about the backdrop of the book at Story Hill Farm which revolved around raising race horses.

The writing flowed well from the initial meeting between Britt and Teddy to their developing friendship during live-in rehab at the farm to their hot attraction that smoldered under the surface.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.