Home for the Holidays (Homecoming Heroes)

Major Royce “Roy” Brewster screwed up, and he knows it. Allowing his PTSD to drive him to drink has nearly cost him his family. As the holidays roll around, he attempts to reconcile with his wife. Unfortunately, his past behavior and the difficulties of military life have made Caro Brewster wary of allowing him back into her life. Yet, when an unexpected fire throws them together, Roy has one shot to make amends and prove to Caro that he’s changed. He does his best to show Caro his new self, but old hurts have a way of coming back, and the path to forgiveness and a stronger relationship is full of pitfalls, especially when PTSD is involved.

A contemporary romance that is part rollercoaster and part love boat, “Home for the Holidays” is worthy of praise. As a modern story, the main characters have depth and believability. The conflict is divided, however, between Roy’s PTSD and his subsequent actions and their relationship struggles made complicated by his jealousy. Because the story has so much conflict potential in the military difficulties that are briefly mentioned then dropped and her struggle to maintain a job as a result, the focus on Roy’s jealousy seems unnecessary. Also, the slow pace drags the story out a bit longer than necessary. Still, the relationship between Caro and Roy is very well done; their children are three dimensional, and the interactions among them all is engrossing, making this book worth adding to any contemporary romance lovers’ to-read pile.

Sarah E Bradley