Cocktails and Books

Back to You was a very emotional read. I had to stop several times because tears were rolling down my cheeks. I was drawn to this story because I am a member of a military family. I could really relate to some of the aspects of the book, and I found myself sort of nodding my head and agreeing. However, there were some areas in the book that completely opened my eyes to think on their behavior differently from the perspective of the soldier. I wanted to know why so many far away looks and the feeling of your body is here with me...but you are miles away. This book spoke to the heart of those issues and many more. Every person that is a member of a military family should read this book and get a copy for another military family. This book manages to be deep, thought provoking and entertaining at the same time. I did shed tears, but they weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of release because it seemed like I was reading pages that could have been torn from my own life story.

Trent Davila is a captain in the Army. Trent was wounded and nearly died. Though his physical body was alive, Trent was unable to live because he was crippled by survivor's guilt. Unwilling to reach out to his wife for help and unable to understand his role in the family Trent volunteers for several deployments while misleading his wife, Laura Davila. Laura doesn't understand how their love story could have gone so wrong. Trent finds himself on the receiving end of divorce papers from his wife and being court martialed for crimes he did not commit. Though Laura no longer believes they have a future she refuses to allow Trent to face the court martial alone. In true military wife style she sticks by his side and helps him.

Along the way Trent knew that he didn't deserve a second chance, but the embers of their passionate love begin to flare as they spend time together. Their journey individually and collectively was full of mistakes, fear, forgiveness, determination, and perseverance. The book mimiced real life. We move through life making mistakes, learning from them, and blazing a trail that is uniquely our own while trying to hold our families together. I loved the humanity of both characters. They clearly made mistakes and were flawed, but I couldn't help loving them and championing them to the end.

I haven't read the other books in the series, and I had no problem following this book. It's a must read for everyone that knows finding your lifetime partner and love of a lifetime is a small feat compared to the effort of keeping that relationship strong and loving through the years.

Reviewed by Michelle for Cocktails and Books