by Jordan Gray
First published 2022
A former Marine sergeant sends a letter to Phoenix, the woman he walked away from years ago. He carries secrets from overseas deployments that he cannot discuss with anyone. The weight of what he was ordered to do broke something inside him. Now he hides in his house, avoids people, and struggles through client meetings at work. His marriage fell apart when his wife could not handle his need for support after his breakdown. He sees his children every other week but puts on an act for them. The sergeant tells Phoenix he saw her completely from the beginning. Her own military service never changed how he felt about her. He calls her a good soldier and a good man, insisting she was never the monster she believes herself to be. He tells her not to confuse the orders she followed with who she is as a person. The story explores whether two damaged veterans can find healing together when both carry guilt over actions they took in service to their country.
Genres: fiction, romance, military-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, second-chance
228 pages · Paperback · Independently published
Content warnings: mental-illness, war