My Thoughts On Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Source:  Goodreads

From the dust jacket...

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life--children, careers, bills, chores--even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart.  Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm's way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls.  As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a soldier she has always understood the true meaning of duty.  In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth.  But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen.  When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own--for everything that matters to family.

Kristin Hannah
Source:  amazon

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I need to thank my friend, Megan, for this book recommendation.  She suggested this book to me on facebook as one she really enjoyed, and I'm so glad she did.  I liked it so much!

Let me just start with...I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book!  And after looking around at other Kristin Hannah books, I find that she pretty much always has beautiful covers.

home front was the first Kristin Hannah book I've read, and I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Of course I've heard of  her and I've seen her books in the bookstore, but I just never picked one up.  After reading home front, I will definitely be reading more.

I went into this book knowing nothing about it.  I didn't even read the dust jacket before I bought it.  So I was very surprised when I discovered that the main character was a female pilot in the National Guard.  There is so much going on in this book...Jolene's service in the National Guard, her crumbling marriage with her husband, her preteen daughter trying to survive middle school, and the demons from her past that haunt her even more than she realized.  I wasn't prepared for the seriousness of this book.  I think I was expecting something a bit lighter, but I was pleasantly surprised.  This book is mostly about love...the love between a husband and wife, the love of a mother for her children, the love of a best friend, and the love of a soldier for her country.  It's about duty and sacrifice and most of all it's about not giving up.  I'm so happy I read this one, and I think I've found another author to explore.  Thanks again Megan!