This was a good book and an easy read. Some of the subject matter wasn't the easiest, but it was written in a way that made it more bearable.

I feel like something was missing though. Things were glossed over or not gone into as much detail as was warranted, in my opinion. Even the relationship questions were handled too simply and without enough real, hard talk. I don't know, maybe that's just me. Given the storyline of the book I expected more "real talk," for lack of a better description.

I did enjoy the family relationships a lot. They felt pretty accurate, especially with Charlie.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Coming Home is a heart warming and at times heart breaking story as an injured Jake returns home from fighting in Afghanistan.

Like many before him Jake is suffering from PTSD and also faces the challenge of reuniting with his teenage son Charlie who can't understand why his dad enlisted after the death of his mom

Windsor Peak is a small town where everyone knows everyone and people will rally around you to help.

Jake's family are exceptional yet you can feel his anguish and despair as he struggles to adapt.

Shea is a bright light in Jake's world but can they make things work out.

Denise Latham does a wonderful job of reeling you into to the story of Jake and his family and I hated the book to end.

I certainly will be reading the second book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an engaging read.

Coming Home is a very well written book. I throughly enjoyed the plot and the character dynamics. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.

I loved this novel! The characters were great, the setting and storyline was well paced and enjoyable, and it was a terrific romance and family drama that didn't have to get graphic in the romance area. I hope there are further stories about the family, especially the two brothers.

3.5 stars.
An engaging approach to the dilemmas and issues of soldiers readjusting to civilian life, “Coming Home”, by Denise Latham, is a story about a romantic couple but also a tale about family and friendship.
Watching Jake struggle with both worlds – the military and civilian – and not knowing which to choose, while trying to ease into family life and mend family ties, was interesting and realistic.
I liked the characters, the slow burn romance with the epistolary dimension, and the strong family and community bonds.
I also appreciated how Jake’s injuries were addressed and the fact PTSD and guilt didn’t just disappear and demanded real therapy.
Seeing Jake and Shea address delicate issues like their relationship with Jenna or the hero’s PTSD was also interesting.
While I enjoyed the relationships and interaction between Jake and Shea, and the other characters, which are, in general, likeable and relatable, I felt too much of the information was conveyed through dialogue.
I felt the recent injury was handled a bit vaguely, I don’t even remember if it was the dominant shoulder.
Goodreads Feb 16, 2024