Cross My Heart

The Heart Falls Heroes #1

by K.D. Friedrich

Pete Cross is struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, the last thing he needs is to find himself attracted to the one woman he shouldn’t want … his best friend’s sister.

Struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, Marine Pete Cross returns to his hometown, Heart Falls, New York, bitter and broken. The last person he wants to see is the stubborn tomboy from his past, Cara Sands. The guy code of ethics demands he keep his hands to himself where his best friend’s sister is concerned, but Cara never got that memo. Apparently, neither did Pete’s libido, because his desire for her is stronger than ever. Cara has no clue where the man she loves went, but she’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back. Pete tries to push Cara away with bitterness and anger, but she yanks him right back with understanding and patience. Her persistence drags them closer to an outcome that might destroy them both or show him, once and for all, the power of second chances.

K.D. Friedrich is pleased to present Book 1 of her new series, The Heart Falls Heroes. Cross My Heart takes you on a poignant journey of loyalty, love, and above all, the healing power of second chances.

Genres: Romance

123 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 19, 2015

About the author

K. D. Friedrich is a writer of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. By day, she crunches numbers, but by night, she's busy creating interesting worlds and compelling characters, hot alpha heroes being her favorite. In 2013, she placed second in the Golden Palm contest for Paranormal Romance. She's an overprotective mother (her daughter's words), lifelong New Yorker, and an obsessed reader of everything romance. Find her on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-D-Fr...

Reviews

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review in any shape or form.

I’m a sucker for my best friend’s little sister stories. Like seriously if the synopsis says anything close to “best friend’s little sister” I am reading it. I love those kind of stories so when I had the opportunity to review Cross My Heart, I immediately said yes. Not only is it a best friend’s little sister story but it is also has a Marine and I love Marines.

I had semi high expectations when it came to reading this book because it included all my favorite things so I was praying to the bookish gods not to let me down and please let me enjoy this story. I wanted to throw in the towel a couple times but I made it through and enjoyed it.

Our Story
Cross my heart begins in the past where we first encounter Pete, John and Cara. Cara is at a party with her boyfriend and Pete and John stop by to make sure she’s not doing anything stupid. That’s when we find her making out with her boyfriend and Pete loses it. His jealously wins and he beats up Cara’s boyfriend Stan. We know they have strong feelings for one another but Pete won’t cross that line and they have a big fight he leaves for the Marines the next day without even saying good bye.

Then the book fast-forwards six years, Pete is discharged from the Marines due to his injuries and he has to return back to civilian life. It was something he wasn’t looking forward to, especially moving back to his mom’s house but as fate should have it he had to move in with Cara. Leaving both fighting their attraction, their sexual tension and their feelings.

We not only have a love story in Cross my heart we also get a glimpse of a soldier trying to deal with the after affects of war. Learning to relive his life in the civilian manner. We see PTSD, drinking and the real affects that some soldiers returning home have.

Cross my heart is told in third person point of you with snippets of both character’s thoughts. I really would have liked seeing both their point of views to just to get a better feel for the story but since it wasn’t told in dual points. I did enjoy the little snippets we saw of what they were thinking. It helped me connect with their story.

Our Characters
Pete was so hard to like sometimes. I totally understood he went through hell because it is described throughout the book. We see him have a drinking problem, we see how he doesn’t want to deal with things from his past. He’s cut off from the world never showing his true feelings and that really does show throughout the book. I’m not going to lie, I wanted to slap Pete for the way he acted towards Cara but I knew he was trying not to hurt her and put her through hell because of what he was going through. Towards the end, I really liked how he grew as a character. I was able to see the man I had hoped was there. It just took a while for him to show behind the anger, the feelings of unworthiness, survivor’s guilt etc. you see the real man Pete is and he is amazing.

Cara was a strong character. I don’t think I could’ve put up with everything Pete said or did personally but she refused to leave him to his own devices. She made sure he knew that she was all in and she would support him no matter what. It was amazing to see how strong she was because the boy really did some messed up things to her. Not many would’ve put up with everything she did. I especially loved how she stood her ground and laid down the rules for Pete if he wanted to be with her certain things had to happen. I felt this was a key part to her growth. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself and lay down the rules. It was something I truly admired.

Stan was hard not to cheer for in this story. He was truly an amazing man and someone who did love Cara just as much as Pete did. It was hard not to want Cara to wake up and like him because he didn’t come with as much baggage as Pete. I hope we see more of him in the other books (I’m assuming there will be more) because he deserves an amazing woman.

John was an awesome big brother though at times I felt like he was avoiding the whole my best friend likes my sister ordeal because he just couldn’t believe it. I loved how protective he was with both his sister and Pete. I especially loved how protective he was of Cara. I thought that was really neat.

The Romance
Pete and Cara without a doubt loved each other. Unlike most romances they had to deal with some scary stuff alcoholism, PTSD, Survivor’s Guilt, Medical Injuries just to name a few. I loved how Cara really fought for their love. What I loved most about them is that Cara wanted Pete to learn how to love himself so that he could be happy and if things were meant to be they would be happy together. She wanted to help him overcome things, she didn’t ask for much in return and no matter how hard he pushed she pushed right back to let him know that she was still going to be there no matter what.

Overall
I really enjoyed Cross my heart. I loved the connection Pete and Cara had. I loved how she really stood up for their relationship and how she tried to help Pete overcome his struggles it didn’t matter that they were in relationship or not she wanted him to overcome his battles to be a better person for himself. I thought that was so amazing and definitely not something we see in a lot of romance novels. I will admit I HATED how Pete treated Cara sometimes, I personally would’ve said F.U. and left but she really stood her ground and fought her own battle against him. I loved that the most about their relationship.

My best friend’s little sister + Marines = A Pretty Happy Tina.

[Meka♥books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book the day after I received it and immediately recognized similarities with my childhood growing up as a MB (military brat). Unlike the story, I was fortunate enough to have my parent safely return home after each tour and without any physical scars. My personal feelings are emotional scars are always there whether someone wants to address them or not. I think this is especially true for those on the front lines of war as these individuals see/experience things up close and personal while fulfilling their obligation to their country. With that being said, I wish more emphasis was given to Pete's deployments and time spent on tour so a more accurate picture and understanding could have been painted on the effects of war (PTSD, survivor guilt, anger, etc) on military personnel. In my opinion this component was lost in the love story between main characters and love interest, Pete Cross and Cara Sands. Pete’s honorable discharge felt like an honorable mention and not a main focus which was sad because it was relevant to the developing romance and led to reasons why Pete was not initially fully invested in a relationship with Cara.

I love Pete’s no non sense alpha personality. Pete has known Cara for years. He is best friends with Cara's brother John. Pete has always looked out for and protected Cara from outsiders and even herself. His unspoken love is evident from the moment his character is introduced. But, because of his friendship with John, Pete keeps his attraction for Cara hidden until it could no longer be kept secret.

"For the first time in years, I felt alive. She breathes life into me. Makes me want to fly, but at the same time, she brings me to my damn knees. With her, the buzz in my head, all the pain, and agonizing ache right her," he said, pounding his fist above his heart, "doesn’t exist". You want to know if I love her? My life is nothing with her. I fell in love with her fifteen years ago, man. I have loved her every day since, and I will love her until the day I die…"

Many Pete scenes remind me of the song lyrics by George Strait, I Cross My Heart.

Even though Cara is sweet and virginal, she can hold her own- would anyone expect less growing up with John and Pete as her shadows? I don’t think so. There’s a moment of nostalgia when Cara and Pete reminisce over what use to calm Cara during a storm. Once Pete and Cara confess their feelings for one another Pete discovers this item discretely located on Cara’s body while making love.


As a community we need to be there for our heroes when they return home and provide assistance if needed. I was saddened to see that even though John and Pete were best friends, John buried his head in the sand and often times I saw him as an enabler. It wasn’t until it came to Cara that John voiced any concern.

"Did you fucking hit on my sister?" Pete took another swig, swallowing the entire can. "Your silence better not be my answer." John started to crowd him. "My sister deserves better than some drunken piece of shit groping her."

Though the military aspect of the story was uninspiring, the love between Pete and Cara was better. The chased kisses that no one except them knew they shared were fun to read about. I’m glad that after all the back and forth and jealous reactions, a HEA was in store for the two.

Though the ending felt rushed Cross My Heart for me is a nice romance. The very last sentence explains the book title which is sweet. I’ve never wanted ½ star ratings more than with this book. Cross My Heart gets 3.5 stars for a good love story with a tamed military backdrop.

***I received a free copy of this book from the author via IndieSage PR in exchange for an honest review***

[Books, Coffee & Passion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books, Coffee & Passion
John and Pete are best friends and Cara is John’s little sister. So, Pete and Cara are in love with each other since they were kids but, bro code and all, Pete fights his feelings for her out of respect for her father and of course for his best friend. He also tries to resist her because he thinks he’s not good enough for her, but he can’t help to protect her from everything, especially from other guys. Cara doesn’t understand he’s struggling to avoid crossing a line that goes way beyond friendship. They have a huge fight, in the beginning of the book, and in the next day Pete leaves to join the Marines without saying goodbye.

6 years later, Pete gets back home from a tour, injured and John asks Cara to pick him up from the airport. Even though Pete kept in touch with John, he never contacted Cara, so there’s still tension between them and the chemistry is off the charts. Pete returns a different man, suffering from PTSD, having nightmares, dealing with survivor guilt and on top of that he has to deal with the fact that even after 6 years, he still has strong feelings for Cara.

Cara is a sweet, virginal, independent woman who couldn’t forget Pete while he was away and now that he’s back, she has to deal with the fact that he isn’t the same Pete anymore. I really liked how Cara was tough enough to help Pete, I was actually doubting she could deal with this new Pete but she proved me wrong!

There’s a lot of angst in this book, jealousy, passion, sizzling chemistry, tears, drama, fights, you name it! It’s a roller coaster ride and it’s totally worth it.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete has been protecting Cara since they were kids. Attractions grow on both sides as they grow up. After graduation he joins the Marines and Cara doesn't hear from him or see him for 6 years. Pete, wounded in battle and suffering from PTSD comes home. Both have lingering feelings for the other, but Pete thinks acting on them would be a betrayal of his friend and Cara's brother. MEN and their silly codes..

I loved the chemistry between the 2 and I wanted to beat them both over the head for misreading each other. But that's what makes a good read and this is a good read. I recommend Cross My Heart to anyone who loves a good Military love story.

“I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review”.

[Ara Prado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Cross My Heart
Author: K.D. Friedrich
Genre: Romance
Publication Date: May 17, 2015
Source: Copy Given by Author and Organizer

ARA'S NOTE:
I just finished reading another military survivor-themed romance book when I immersed myself in Cross My Heart. I did not expect it to be that...complicated between the two main characters. Let me tell you more about it...in a bit.


SYNOPSIS:
Pete Cross is struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, the last thing he needs is to find himself attracted to the one woman he shouldn’t want … his best friend’s sister. K.D. Friedrich is pleased to present Book 1 of her new series, The Heart Falls Heroes. Cross My Heart takes you on a poignant journey of loyalty, love, and above all, the healing power of second chances.

Struggling with the emotional and physical scars of war, Marine Pete Cross returns to his hometown, Heart Falls, New York, bitter and broken. The last person he wants to see is the stubborn tomboy from his past, Cara Sands. The guy code of ethics demands he keep his hands to himself where his best friend’s sister is concerned, but Cara never got that memo. Apparently, neither did Pete’s libido, because his desire for her is stronger than ever. Cara has no clue where the man she loves went, but she’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back. Pete tries to push Cara away with bitterness and anger, but she yanks him right back with understanding and patience. Her persistence drags them closer to an outcome that might destroy them both or show him, once and for all, the power of second chances.


CHARACTER BACKGROUND:
Pete Cross used to be a sweet, carefree, and bubbly man. He used to find the smallest reasons to smile and laugh. But he's not that man anymore. He was changed by war; the loss of his men, the guilt of their blood on his hands, and the crippling pain the aftereffects of battle left him. He's suffering from much more than survivor's guilt. He's lost and broken, and the only thing that could possible save him is also the one that he doesn't want to taint and must stay away from.

Cara Sands has always been quite stubborn, a trait that is both endearing and frustrating. She's independent and always knows what she wants. RIght now, what she wants is for Pete to open up to her, and not fight the attraction that they have for each other.

TO LOVE:
I've read a lot of books wherein the male lead came back from war and is experiencing survivor's guilt. I even read one, titled Death Grip by Tracy Sherwood which I personally found to be eye-opening, but Cross My Heart is much more...angry.

I liked the fact that Pete came back from war with physical evidence of his suffering. It's just that more often than not, authors create war heroes that are physically perfect but emotionally and mentally absent. So reading about one who has flaws gives the entire story more sense of realism. More than that, he went through the usual stages of dealing with his demons; by drinking, being angry, and being destructive. I found Cara annoying at the beginning, namely from the prologue to the part she picked Pete up from the airport. She seemed childish, selfish, and unable to see sense. BUT it all changed when the two of them finally got together. I saw a side, or rather sides, of her that I truly liked. Stan was also a doll. Can I have him? Please? Maybe a Stan-Ara love team in the future?

TO BLEH:
There were a couple of scenes I could've done without. The push and pull between the two irritated me a few times, so it would have been better if they got to the climax of the story a bit sooner.

SUMMARY:
I rate Cross My Heart 4 stars. It's very engaging, frustrating, and heart-melting. They took things at a steady and believable pace, and I'm a huge supporter of that.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Blushing Reads My Thoughts
We meet Pete, John and Cara at a party where Cara is with her boyfriend.  Pete and John stop by to make sure she’s not doing anything stupid and that is when Pete finds her making out with the boyfriend and she's drunk. Pete loses it completely! It is clear they have feelings for one another but Cara is young and even though they share a steamy kiss Pete won't cross that line. They end up having a huge fight and Pete leaves for the Marines the next day without even saying good-bye.

Fat-forward six years, Pete has been discharged from the Marines due to his injuries and is returning back to civilian life. One that he is not looking forward to. He is supposed to move into  his mom’s house but as fate steps in and he has to move in with Cara. Which then leaves both of them fighting their attraction, their sexual tension and their feelings.

He’d called her a dozen times during his first year at the base, staying on the line long enough to hear her sweet voice. After her second hello, he’d hang up, stifled by fear of rejection and ashamed about what he had allowed to happen at the senior party. They hadn’t simply drifted apart. They had sprinted in different directions. Far enough away from each other, he doubted they would ever find a way back to one another.

There were times that I really wanted to slap Pete! Honestly there were! He is dealing with a lot his past, drinking, PTSD, not to mention the real effects that some soldiers returning home have. Add attraction and emotional feelings toward Cara into the mix and he is on a roller coaster. He does try so hard to not to hurt her and he doesn't think he is worthy enough. It takes a while but once we finally got to see the real Pete, he was amazing. You get glances, especially in the beginning when you can see that he is honorable enough to try to do the right thing.

Cara is a strong woman and she would have to be to put up with everything that Pete dishes out. She stands up for herself though and tells him what will happen if he is going to be with her. She doesn't give up on him and that is the important thing.  She put up with way more than most women would and yet she didn't lose herself in any of it.

“I’m not going anywhere. You hear me? You can push me away, yell at the top of your lungs, and insult me with every derogative term in your vocabulary, but I’m staying
right here. I will always be here, because I love you.” She held his face tight, not letting his eyes stray from hers. “You hear that, Pete Cross? I. Love. You.”

The entire story is great and very heartfelt. This is a series that I have added to my watch list so that I can read the next book that comes out and I really hope to see more Cara's brother John. He is the comedy in the book although I got the feeling that he avoided the whole my best friend and sister thing because that is what brothers do. They just can't believe it sometimes.

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

received in exchange of a honest review.

I liked the realness of the story. A young man who has had a crush and his best friend’s sister since he was a child. always protecting her and being there for her. He doesn’t realize it is love until he is older and been through alot-war and back. He comes back more damaged and he has guilt. He feels unworthy of anything and anyone and is having hard time adjusting and horrible nightmares. Pete is a sweet caring guy. Used to be easy going and kind but his temper was there. His temper though only really flared when protecting Cara.

Cara is his best friends sister. She has always liked Pete but he only saw her as his best friend’s sister. They had a easy friendship. when he goes away, they grow apart. years later after war has beaten him he comes home and it is Cara who helps him. She takes him in and they get close again. she helps him keep the demons away. But he is trying to honor his friendship with her brother and it makes for a rocky road.

Add in the jealousy when Cara starts to have a friend show interest. When this emotion comes into play we have craziness occurs and they grow apart again. Pete begins to drink and lose perspective and Cara gets hurt. They are both lost in the emotion and the confusion. Such a real book in terms of emotions and what soldiers experiences are when coming home from war. they are angry, lost, confused and trying to find their way. sometimes to drown out the demons they drink as we see with Pete.

They both love each other but are afraid of the emotion. When they finally realize their feelings, the brother takes a whack at this and it gets messy again. We see so much confliction and pain but with this comes some wonderful themes. We see loyalty to friends and the conflict of this against our feeling of love and connection with someone special. We see where love helps us to want to change so we can be what the other needs. We see love being supportive and unconditional as well. Pete needs this from Cara to come back from the dark place he is in. Their journey is rocky but beatiful as Cara shows patience and kindness but also tough love as she helps Pete come back from the darkness and find meaning in himself and love.

Each character is powerful and has purpose in the book and affects the others in the book as well. the emotions and the situations are real in their occurrence and help create a powerful love story on acceptance, support and showing what one goes through when coming back from war. The warring emotions are powerful and poignant throughout this tale of love. You root for Pete to come back from the darkness and for him and Cara to grow closer and become a couple who are there for one another no matter what and how ones love helps one become a better version of themselves.

A truly wonderful powerfully written love story of the journey of Pete to conquer his demons and the coming together of him and Cara as soulmates.

[Christina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: 4.5 stars

**This book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review**

I have a thing for military romances. They have a soft spot in my heart. So when I was asked to review this book, I didn't hesitate because I just knew there was a story of a soldier just waiting to be told. And I was right.

I've never read anything by K.D. Friedrich, but she seems like a fairly new author. And this may be her first novels. If it is, then I am highly impressed. This was such an emotional, cohesive read. I didn't once find myself bored or uninterested.

This book follows the aftermath of our male lead, Pete Cross, and his experiences with war. While he's adjusting, he is re-introduced to his best friend's sister, Cara, who always sent him in a tale spin whenever she was around. Of course, things become complicated and lives become intertwined.

I had such a positive experience with this book. The story was very good, the characters were very believable (for the most part), and the progression of the plot, as well as the characters' development were pretty much spot on. I found myself getting rather emotional at certain points because it was obvious that the author tried her hardest to portray the potential effects on a soldier after being in war. But she also tried to paint the picture of what happens to the people that soldiers leave behind during their tours.

I found myself empathizing with both Pete and Cara, but then I also wanted to slap both of them. This read definitely takes you on the emotional rollercoaster. But I don't regret it, I think it was all necessary for the reader to love and appreciate the book as a whole.

There's not much else to delve into without getting into spoiler territory. Overall, this book was so good. I had a great time playing this movie in my head. Everything about it was pleasing, for the most part. And everything about the book was fairly believable. I think that has to do with a patient author, emotive writing, and the learned knowledge of what can go on after a soldier returns home.

Friedrich made the characters' experiences tangible enough for the reader to grasp. That's not easy to do. But K. D. Friedrich has. And it was fantastic.

[Books, Coffee & Passion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books, Coffee & Passion
John and Pete are best friends and Cara is John's little sister. So, Pete and Cara are in love with each other since they were kids but, bro code and all, Pete fights his feelings for her out of respect for her father and of course for his best friend. He also tries to resist her because he thinks he's not good enough for her, but he can't help to protect her from everything, especially from other guys. Cara doesn't understand he's struggling to avoid crossing a line that goes way beyond friendship. They have a huge fight, in the beginning of the book, and in the next day Pete leaves to join the Marines without saying goodbye.

6 years later, Pete gets back home from a tour, injured and John asks Cara to pick him up from the airport. Even though Pete kept in touch with John, he never contacted Cara, so there's still tension between them and the chemistry is off the charts. Pete returns a different man, suffering from PTSD, having nightmares, dealing with survivor guilt and on top of that he has to deal with the fact that even after 6 years, he still has strong feelings for Cara.

Cara is a sweet, virginal, independent woman who couldn't forget Pete while he was away and now that he's back, she has to deal with the fact that he isn't the same Pete anymore. I really liked how Cara was tough enough to help Pete, I was actually doubting she could deal with this new Pete but she proved me wrong!

There's a lot of angst in this book, jealousy, passion, sizzling chemistry, tears, drama, fights, you name it! It's a roller coaster ride and it's totally worth it.

[Breanna Eichhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just hearing Cara's name made his heart expand in Pete's chest. Pete has been protecting Cara since they were both kids. As they grew up their feelings started growing as well. He hasn't spoken to Cara in six years, when John asked her to pick up Pete she didn't want to. Pete has been thinking about Cara for the past six years, he picked up and called Cara at least a dozen times during his first year. His thoughts of her kept him safe during his tour. Pete doesn't want to betray his friends trust by going out with his sister.
Pete Cross joined the Marine's. He has done four tours and on his last tour he came back injured. He calls Cara and John's father Pop. Cara is John's little sister, she learned how to change oil from her father. She is a library assistant and a virgin. John is Pete's best friend, He is a police officer working on making Sheriff. Darlene is Cara's friend and she is getting married. Stan is Cara's friend, wants more then a friendship with Cara. Was beaten up by Pete.
This book is amazing! It's very well written and the characters were very well developed. I loved the chemistry between Cara and Pete. K.D. Friedrich is an amazing author and I highly recommend this story. I was hooked from the first page. I can't wait to read more books by K.D. Friedrich.

[Brigitte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete grew up with Cara and her older brother John. Pete is very protective of Cara and even if his feelings run deeper than friendship, he hides it well in fear of losing John's friendship.

One evening Cara and Pete have an argument and she says some unpleasant things to him in the heat of the moment. He leaves to join the Navy the next day and keeps in touch with John but not Cara.

Pete returns six years later but he is a changed man. He puts on a brave front and doesn't divulge that he is plagued by the nightmares of the war. At the same time he is fighting his true feelings for Cara who is quite confused by his behaviour and mixed messages.

I found myself getting angry and frustrated with both Pete and Cara on various occasions but at the same time, this is what makes this tale so compelling. The secondary characters are lovable and believable too. I love Cara's father's attitude and the way he understands and supports those around him. John and Stan are fascinating characters too and I hope we get to read their stories.

It's a heartwrenching and compelling love story which totally held my attention and I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[The Sweet & Sinful Book Nerds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing story of lifelong friends and their struggle with their emotional connection to one another. They have been in love with each other for forever. Pete refuses to cross that line and ruin not one, but two friendships. Cara knows he is the love of her life and has never met someone that she could even remotely think of letting take his place. When Pete comes back from the Marines, he is different. He is dealing with PTSD and injuries. He doesn’t feel worthy of Cara and decides not to pursue anything with her, because she can definitely do better than a cripple like him.
I like how the author described his struggles with his emotional and physical issues. I like that Cara’s character is a strong, independent woman, who takes no crap. I love that she sticks by him and gets to realize that he can’t cope by himself. Every man needs a strong woman!

Reviewed for FMR Book Grind

[FMR Book Grind · Rating 4 out of 5]

ERIN'S REVIEW
4 STARS

This was an amazing story of lifelong friends and their struggle with their emotional connection to one another. They have been in love with each other for forever. Pete refuses to cross that line and ruin not one, but two friendships. Cara knows he is the love of her life and has never met someone that she could even remotely think of letting take his place. When Pete comes back from the Marines, he is different. He is dealing with PTSD and injuries. He doesn’t feel worthy of Cara and decides not to pursue anything with her, because she can definitely do better than a cripple like him.
I like how the author described his struggles with his emotional and physical issues. I like that Cara’s character is a strong, independent woman, who takes no crap. I love that she sticks by him and gets to realize that he can’t cope by himself. Every man needs a strong woman!

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been proud of our men and women in the military and I love a good war romance, but I know how hard it can be for wounded warriors to come back from the war and feel comfortable in the life we take for granted because they are out there protecting it for us. This story incorporates the pain and fear that happens during war and makes it okay, makes it a fact of life. I appreciated that aspect most in this story.

And it is a great story. It’s all about love, missed chances, and coming to terms with yourself.

I give this story 4 out of 5 cloudss.

[Rebecca Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross My Heart is a fantastic read! I was hooked from the beginning and finished the same day. I haven't had a book move me to tears, laughter and even anger in a long time and K.D. Friedrich did just that to me today! I feel if a book doesn't make your emotions flow, then it's not a good book. This book did it's job! Well done K.D. Friedrich!

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I liked the characters but I wasn't super into the story.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, the angst and the wavering went on a little too long and became boring but I pushed through. The ending was wrapped up in a nice little bow. Easy read.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost there

I would love to see where the rest of this series goes; seemed like this book was missing something. I liked it a lot and want to see more of the other characters.