Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Home Front


Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312577206
ISBN-13: 978-0312577209

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.


My Thoughts

Kristin Hannah does it again! You will need your tissues when you read this!

This story addresses some important issues. Jolene is a mom and wife but she also serves in the National Guard. When she is deployed to Iraq, she leaves behind her daughters and unhappy husband. I could feel the pain that our service members must feel when they have to leave their loved ones behind. They hurt but have to keep their heads on straight to do their job. Not an easy thing to do. I found myself admiring Jolene for her strength!

Michael is Jolene's husband. He struggles with his life being up ended. Michael is assigned a case where an ex-soldier has killed his wife. His client is not talking which makes his job difficult. To top it off he has to take care of his daughters while his wife is deployed.

I won't give away any more of the story. It would spoil it for the reader. This book is emotional and at times heart wrenching. It gives a look into the families who are left behind when a service member is deployed. My husband is retired military so I remember those difficult times. This book gives us a different look as mom is the one who is being deployed. The reader also gets to see what it is like for the service member when they are deployed.

Kristin Hannah always makes me see two or three sides to every story and this book is no different. She can take a character you are pretty sure you will hate and make you see things through their eyes. She does her research when she tackles a new book and subject. As a reader, I appreciate the work and research she puts into each story. I felt so many different emotions reading this book, which I pretty much read in one day. You can't put this one down! This is a book I won't soon forget. I look forward to Kristin Hannah's next novel!

I received this book for my honest review

12 comments:

  1. Glad to see you liked this one more than me. I was disappointed:(

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  2. I'd like to give it a go as I like the story.

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  3. I just recently read my first Kristin Hannah and really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to this one.

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  4. I've seen some really mixed reviews for this one but I'm really glad to see you liked it as you and I tend to enjoy the same types of books. I'll be starting it in the next few days so I'll come back after I've finished the book and gotten my review out of the way. Glad you liked it so much Beth!

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  5. Glad you liked this! I have a few Kristin Hannah's books on my TBR shelf, but don't think I've ever read one by her. Your review makes me want to read one asap.

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  6. Oh man, the book I read of her's Night Road, was a total tear jerker too! Sounds like that's her MO but I like it sometimes.

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  7. It's nice to see that you liked this one so much! I had a chance to review it but passed just because I have so many others to catch up on.

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  8. I've seen mixed reviews of this book, so I'm glad that you really enjoyed it. I think you have a special understanding of the story given your husband's military career, and I'm sure that made it a richer reading experience.

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  9. I haven't read any of her books...yet! My SIL sent me one and so did a friend. I like this type of story so I'm sure I would enjoy it!

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  10. It's been a long time since I read a Kristin Hannah book.

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  11. i read Hannah for the first time last year -- Night Road -- which I also found heart-wrenching...

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  12. I liked Firefly Lane so I'd probably read this book. I'll have to wait until I'm ready for a tear jerker :)

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