WHAT. A. PREMISE!!!! Don’t forget… that title says it all (well… the premise anyway). 😉
Angelica: Read this in one day…my heart was in my mouth the whole time! Marie you did it again…GREAT story!!! I could not put this down.
Ruth: Just finished a marathon reading of fyg. Thanks so much for another great read. Can hardly wait for John’s story. Your stories are great!
Leslie M: I didn’t realize Five Years Gone was a series. I recently got that one on audio. Is it going to rip my heart out??
Michele G: Wellllll…there is a strong possibility.
Maryse: I’m thinking romance-angst wise… yes. 😉 I have a feeling it’s a love triangle of sorts. Because he’s been gone so long.
Nay: Ooh, I was just reminded of this book (Five Years Gone). I need to read it!
Sara: Loved book1❣️ just started #2. Marie Force is always great💘
A military hero that’s been gone for five years (deployed), and the love of his life having NO contact from him whatsoever after he left, and she has no idea if he was safe or where he was? YES. PLEASE. And OMG!!!! I knew I was in for heartache. And boy did it deliver!!!
Maryse: 2 years ago, I wanted so badly to read this, and now I’ve just been reminded to move it to the top of my TBR list!! YAY!! And actually I started reading it last night and I AM HOOKED!! OMG the love triangle potential is going to kill me!!!!
Alice: I loved that book and the sequel so much I’ve read them twice.
Lesley Jones: I’ve got the audio, I’ll move it up the list.
TL Smith: LOVE TRIANGLE! Sign me up LOL
Maryse: And I think it will be crazy intense!!
TL Smith: Maryse ohhhh don’t tempt me
Sue: Marie Force is one of my favourite authors, it was this book that got me into her.
Sarah: I loved this one – but I love all Marie Force books
Joanne: Is there just the 2 books? I’m going to re-read the first one because I do remember loving it, but need a refresher before reading book two.
Maryse: Yes!! Just those 2 books! A duet.
Ali: Great book! Make sure you read the sequel!
Sandy: very emotional story
Vikki: Loved this one!!
Sara: You need to start a list! This series is right up there with Heartbreak Warfare
Maryse: YESSSSS!!!!
Kathleen: Great book!! Make sure you read the sequel too!!
So what’s it about?
So, it’s everything I love in a “meet cute”. Ava goes with her friend to a bar where the military guys hang out (her friend is dating one), and she finds herself swooning over John when he bumps into her and keeps her from crashing to the ground.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, gorgeous and fierce in his fatigues. I noticed gold leafs on his collar, a hint of late-day scruff on his jaw and the name WEST in bold black letters on his chest. Intense electric-blue eyes made it impossible for me to look away, even when I was safely back on my feet.
“Are you all right?” he asked. Realizing I’d been staring at him, I blinked and reluctantly broke the connection.
“I… Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for the save.”
And then he smiled, and the tingling began anew.
…and while she’s never been one who swoons over “the uniform”,
Unlike my friend, who loved men in uniform, I was never turned on by the uniform. Until then. Until John.
…he’s gorgeous, courteous, flirty. And while she has no clue what branch of the military he’s in (side note: I have a bone to pick with this… since he was in uniform when she met him and as far as I know, it’s embroidered right at the top of their uniform – you really can’t miss it – and this comes into play later...) but anyway, I digress, it doesn’t matter to her because it is ALL sparks and love at first sight.
Usually I like a slower burn (not really insta-love), but hey… this one worked for me BIG TIME. But then again, I’m a sucker for uniforms, so I went with it. 😉 Immediate attraction, constant connection, moving in together in record time… and relationship bliss. Pure love and devotion, and forever.
…the blissful passion, the scorching pleasure, the desire that ruled us from the beginning, and I’d know I didn’t dream him. I didn’t dream us. We were real, and he was everything to me.
Or so it seemed to Ava. She knew he was in the military, though he never discussed specifics with her, and she knew at some point he could be deployed, but again, didn’t know much about what could happen in the interim since it was something John really didn’t divulge. But she knew they were forever…
Our future was decided that first night, and it would take care of itself in due time. I honestly and naïvely believed that.
Now, with hindsight, I realize the bubble was strategic on his part. He gave me everything he had to give, including no promise of tomorrow.
And then one day, he gets a call (during a HUGE terrorist attack on the US – and he grabs his “go bag” and he leaves).
“Where’re you going?”
“I don’t know.”
“When will you be back?” “I don’t know that either.” He held my face in his hands and gazed at me, seemingly trying to memorize my every feature. “I love you. I’ll always love you.” Then he kissed me as passionately as he ever had and was gone, out the door in a flash of camouflage.
I never saw him again.
I’m not his wife or even his fiancée, so no one notified me of his whereabouts.
And she never hears from him…
That’s how we started. We were intense from the first second we met until the last time I saw him five years ago today.
After awhile of no contact, she does everything she can to contact the military and try and find out where he is or if he’s okay… or if he’s even alive, but she doesn’t even know what branch of the military he’s in (remember my “uniform gripe”?), and every branch she calls comes up with no results.
I’ve thoroughly researched Navy SEALs as well as Army Green Berets, Rangers and Night Stalkers. I’ve discovered a dazzling number of units John could’ve been attached to but have narrowed his branch to the Marines or Navy, as both have units that deploy out of San Diego. I know it’s somewhat unbelievable that I don’t know which branch of the service he was in or that he didn’t tell me, but we never talked about his work. And by never, I do mean never.
The only time I saw him in uniform was the night we met, and the details of the fatigues he wore that night have grown fuzzy over the years. I don’t know if they were Navy fatigues or Marine Corps.
She’s devastated but she waits for the one true love of her life… for five years. And then she finally gives up, and moves back home, and she meets Eric. Ohhhhh the wonderful, patient, loving (and yet also painfully, recently heartbroken…. Eric).
He’s everything anyone could want in a man. But he’s not John.
And then… the story begins. 😉
For the most part, it was everything I wanted in an angsty romance/potential love triangle/both good guys/team who? type of romance. It was intense, and kind of deep, and painful, and so much happiness too. And I will admit, it was hard to choose a team, but I think I chose mine early on in the story. 😉
Now… my “other” thoughts. SKIP THIS NEXT PART if you haven’t read it yet, so you don’t go in with pre-conceived notions – I don’t spoil it, but I do give you my feelings and you might… think things, that you shouldn’t pre-maturely think. 😉
If you’re looking for my rating, it’s 4 stars (so you don’t have to scroll below to see it).
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So, as much as I loved the angst in this story (and boy did it keep me on edge), I feel… a bit melancholy by the ending. I feel like, yes… there was so much turmoil and conflict and pain and so much warranted ANGER… SO MUCH PAIN. Did I mention pain? P.S. I struggle to believe some of the “reveal” – I won’t say what. Just again… it seems far-fetched, time-wise.
Also… there wasn’t enough time spent for a certain part of the aftermath (or even the beforemath <— 😂). I wanted more. SO MUCH MORE.
Annnnnnnd…. my team did not win. *sigh* I dunno. Maybe it’s the loyal romantic in me? 😉 Trust me… that statement can go both ways in regards to who’s team you’re on (two amazing men).
4 STARS!! <— If my team won, it would have been 5 stars. LOL!!! Yep… I’m a brat that way!
Now onto the sequel… OR… onto a Rebecca Yarros book ’cause I’m in the mood for more military romance and she posted such a beautiful post on her Instagram that made me want to cry and filled my heart.
I’m not sure what I’m ready for yet, but yes… more military please!!!
➔➔➔ Looking for more of my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 starreviews. 😀
➔➔➔ Love this trope? Browse more military romance and/or love triangle book features and reviews on my blog. 😀
Good review Maryse. I was actually missing your reviews. 😉
Well, this book seems great. I’ve heard about it as well. I’m curious now and since I’ve being in the mood and reading military romances for two weeks now, I might try this one. 🙂 But I was actually looking for a book that we could see the heroes deployed and all the action happening between him and his military friends as well… I guess the book would have to be told from his pov or maybe a dual pov. Its actually hard to find a book like this, isnt it?!
READ THIS ONE!!! It’s my perfection!!
https://www.maryse.net/books/book-review-crazy-good-by-rachel-robinson.html