In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war. All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . . Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, ...
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In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war. All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . . 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 solider 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 his family. At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.
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A little slow at first, but ended up being a great book. Kristin is one of my favorite authors.
squiresj
Dec 29, 2012
How being a Soldier affects families
This book will give you a greater understanding of our soldiers and how being a soldier affects everyone in family.
When a husband or wife (in this story) go off on deployment, they are struggles both at home and on the front. Life goes on at home but sometimes family feel abandoned and children do not understand.
Jolene in this story loved being a soldier but her husband did not support her career. So when she leaves it is with words he doesn't love her anymore. Her children did not understand how their Mom could leave them. She returns home broken and injured and cannot face her life as it is putting more stress on an already broken family.
No one is prepared for the changes in a soldier when they come back home.
I know as I remember my brother returning from combat in Viet Nam. After reading this book, I see now what his wife went through and why their marriage fell apart. A marriage they should have waited to enter into. Also a friend at church is dealing with the nighmares from Iraq and not sleeping and people do not understand.
Michael, Jolene's husband, finally realizes how much he misses and loves his wife in her absent. But she never knows it until she isn't ready to accept it.
The struggles Jolene, Betsy, LuLu and Michael face are real not just fiction. This story will grip you.
A friend I gave a copy of this book too said not to give to another person without including a box of Kleenex.
Be prepared to value your freedom more and what these soldiers do to keep you free.
