Welcome to Bell Cove, North Carolina.
The famous bells in this small Outer Banks town are
ringing a hero's welcome when a former army captain returns home...
After being held prisoner for three years in an Afghan
prison, Jake Dawson is finally going home—except everyone, including his wife
and young sons, believed he was dead. Jake has changed since he left for war,
and now he isn't sure where he belongs.
Sally has changed, too. Her marriage to Jacob was on
shaky ground even before his last deployment, but he's still every inch the
hot, headstrong man she loves, despite his wounds, both visible and invisible.
Seeing him with their three boys makes her want to fight for this unexpected
second chance.
As summer winds down, all of the wacky folks in Bell
Cove, which is awash with yellow ribbons and American flags, are aiming for a
Labor Day Love Re-Connection. In fact, they're pulling out all the stops, in
their usual outrageous style, to get Jake and Sally together again...
Very good second chance romance. Jake and Sally have been
married for almost nine years, but he has been gone on deployments for most of
it. Three years earlier, Jake had re-enlisted without talking to Sally about
it. They fought bitterly just before he left on another deployment. Then Jake went
MIA and was presumed dead.
Sally was devastated by his loss and the bitter words
that were the last they shared. She pulled herself together for the sake of
their three sons and moved on with her life. She started a business that she
loves and became an integral part of the community. Then came a visit from some
top Pentagon officials. Jake is alive after all and will be coming home soon.
Jake spent the last three years as a captive of
terrorists, beaten, tortured, and maimed. He has spent several months in the
hospital undergoing various surgeries and attempting to recover. Besides the
physical injuries, Jake also deals with severe PTSD, which he likens to a
"red tide" taking him over. He refused to let officials inform his
family that he is alive, as he has no idea if he wants to go home. He feels
that he is too broken to be around anyone, much less his family. As the story opens,
Jake is informed that he has no choice and will go home. His rescue was kept
top secret because the terrorists who had him are now high-placed officials in
their country's government. But the secret is out, and Jake must play his part.
He is not at all happy when he finds out about the spin being placed on his
return.
I hurt for Jake and the way what he has been through is
covered up. The lack of control he had as a captive is now continued by his own
government. He'll go along with it for now, but has no idea what his future
holds for him. His captivity changed him and has left him unsure of where he
belongs. Should he take the desk job offered to him, join his father in his
fishing business, or just disappear into the wilderness somewhere?
The rekindling of the relationship between Sally and Jake
is not an easy one. Both of them have changed and must get to know each other
all over again. Because Jake was away so much during their marriage, he has some
eye-opening moments as he experiences the family's day-to-day life. One thing
that hadn't changed was the strength of their love. I liked watching them fight
for their marriage. I liked the flashbacks to their early years together and
how those memories reminded them of the love that they shared. It was fun to
see how their friends and family got involved in helping the two along. I loved
seeing Sally's efforts to help Jake, especially once she began to suspect the
truth about his absence. I ached for Jake and his fears of hurting his family. The
singing scene was a defining moment for Jake. I loved how he took back control
of his life in an unexpected way. I liked the ending as Sally made her own
stand for their love.
The secondary characters were great. I especially loved Jake
and Sally's three sons, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The scenes with them were fun
and were a sweet relief from some of the more intense segments. I also enjoyed
the scenes with Jake's father, Joe. His scheme to push Jake and Sally together
was a hoot, and I loved seeing him make it happen. The parts with Jake's friend
Izzie were great. Their friendship is a long-standing one, and I liked seeing
how well Izzie understands his friend. He's there when Jake needs him and has
no trouble giving him advice. There is an interesting scene between Izzie and
his ex-girlfriend, with plenty of sparks flying. I'd like to see a book for
them. There were also plenty of scenes with the assorted residents of Bell Cove,
providing lots of love and laughter.
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