Josh Walker is loyal, reckless, and every girl’s dream. But he only has eyes for December Howard, the girl he's craved since his high school hockey days. Together they have survived grief, the military, distance, and time as they’ve fought for stolen weekends between his post at Ft. Rucker and her college at Vanderbilt. Now that Josh is a medevac pilot and Ember is headed toward graduation, they’re moving on—and in—together.
Ember never wanted the Army life, but loving Josh means accepting whatever the army dictates—even when that means saying goodbye as Josh heads to Afghanistan, a country that nearly killed him once before and that took her father. But filling their last days together with love, passion, and plans for their future doesn’t temper Ember’s fear, and if there’s one thing she’s learned from her father’s death, it’s that there are some obstacles even love can’t conquer.
Flight school is over.
This is war.
I absolutely loved Rebecca Yarros' Flight and Glory series, and Josh and Ember have always been my favorite. When I found out there was more to their story, I couldn't wait!
Ember met Josh after losing her father, a doctor in the military, and after much romance, drama, and heartbreak, managed to admit their commitment and love towards one another, despite Josh's looming military service. When everything seems to be going smoothly, Ember and those closest to her are put to the test.
I loved this book. I thought that Full Measures did a wonderful job in highlighting the sacrifice and strength of not only soldiers and officers, but of their families and loved ones. Hallowed Ground goes one step further, letting readers worry and love and laugh along with Ember as she and Josh navigate deployment, the return home, the guilt, the love - everything. I liked that we get to see their separate lives and struggles, along with those of their closest friends. Their individual characters and how they function separate from one another was interesting to see, and made root for their reunion even more.
I loved revisiting old characters and seeing them grow and develop. While the push and pull of misunderstanding and guilt got a little repetitive, I thought overall the pacing was good, the plot interesting, the romance between Josh and Ember beautiful, and their relationship with their friends refreshing. For me, the development and depth of all the characters (and fine, Josh and Ember's beautiful romance and witty banter) really made this conclusion shine.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Find out more about her and her works here: http://www.rebeccaelizabethyarros.com/index.html
Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo. In addition to being a mom, military wife, and blogger, she can never choose between Young Adult and New Adult fiction, so she writes both. She's a graduate of Troy University, where she studied European history and English, but still holds out hope for an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her blog, The Only Girl Among Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores.
When she's not writing, she's tying on hockey skates for her kids, or sneaking in some guitar time. She is madly in love with her army-aviator husband of eleven years, and they're currently stationed in Upstate NY with their gaggle of rambunctious kiddos and snoring English Bulldog, but she would always rather be home in Colorado.
Happy Reading!
Jasmine
