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His Soldier
Sometimes you find love where you least expect it, for Sergeant Ryder Brooks that’s writing letters home to Dean Anders, his army pen pal…
After a tragedy, in a way to honor his brother and try to cope, Dean becomes a army pen pal to Sergeant Ryder Brooks. The two connect through letters and phone calls for a year, falling in love and making plans to meet when Ryder finishes his tour. However, in an effort to save one of his men who steps on a mine, Ryder loses his leg. Broken and depressed, he doesn't think Dean will want him. But once Dean learns what happens, he immediately goes to Ryder, determined to help him heal and show him that he loves him no matter what. Ryder has a long road of recovery ahead of him, but with Dean's support, he realizes his life isn't over, it's just beginning if he’ll only give them a chance.
After a tragedy, in a way to honor his brother and try to cope, Dean becomes a army pen pal to Sergeant Ryder Brooks. The two connect through letters and phone calls for a year, falling in love and making plans to meet when Ryder finishes his tour. However, in an effort to save one of his men who steps on a mine, Ryder loses his leg. Broken and depressed, he doesn't think Dean will want him. But once Dean learns what happens, he immediately goes to Ryder, determined to help him heal and show him that he loves him no matter what. Ryder has a long road of recovery ahead of him, but with Dean's support, he realizes his life isn't over, it's just beginning if he’ll only give them a chance.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2015
12 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Anna Lee
20 books22 followersAnna Lee graduated from the University of California Riverside with a Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing. Living with a disability, she has overcome many challenges and puts her passion for life and love into her writing. She lives with her family and dogs and enjoys writing late into the night.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 20, 2015
2.75
Is it possible for a story to be to perfect? Perfect characters, perfect reactions, perfect storyline that flows through romance, angst and conclusion.
This story was that and it didn't work for me. Dean is sweetness personified and Ryder is the stoic injured soldier and his sometime hookup was more than a bit over the top villian-ish. Maybe it was the mood I was in when I read it but this frustrated me and it was a struggle to finish it.
May work for other readers looking for a sweet romance but I just wasn't feeling it.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Is it possible for a story to be to perfect? Perfect characters, perfect reactions, perfect storyline that flows through romance, angst and conclusion.
This story was that and it didn't work for me. Dean is sweetness personified and Ryder is the stoic injured soldier and his sometime hookup was more than a bit over the top villian-ish. Maybe it was the mood I was in when I read it but this frustrated me and it was a struggle to finish it.
May work for other readers looking for a sweet romance but I just wasn't feeling it.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Read
December 13, 2016(Attempted to read Sept 2016)
This is the kind of book that I'd have enjoyed many years ago. It's a simple book with poorly-developed characters and tons of telling instead of showing.
The premise was enticing (epistolary style is a fave of mine), but the actual novel was flat. Gauging by my lack of surprise at the beginning, I should've figured out this book was trying to mehhhhh me into total boredom.
DNF'd it at 20%. Cannot recommend. :-/
This is the kind of book that I'd have enjoyed many years ago. It's a simple book with poorly-developed characters and tons of telling instead of showing.
The premise was enticing (epistolary style is a fave of mine), but the actual novel was flat. Gauging by my lack of surprise at the beginning, I should've figured out this book was trying to mehhhhh me into total boredom.
DNF'd it at 20%. Cannot recommend. :-/
April 24, 2017
This book of course made me cry. When Dax's family lost him, it took me back to when my husband was deployed twice, this was always a fear my family had everyday he was there (He made it home safe) My heart just broke for everyone. My husband didn't have a regular pen pal but he was sent a box and a letter from a class and he really appreciated it. I love the idea that both Dean and Ryder met by writing to each other. That's really a great way to get to know a person. I loved them together and they were both so sweet. I really enjoyed the whole book.
October 7, 2015
This story had lots of potential that in the end didn't seem realized. Don't get me wrong; it started off really well, with Dean's heart-breaking backstory being explored, and losing his best friend/brother Dax, and then honoring his memory by becoming a pen pal with a soldier (Ryder) still on deployment - all that was nicely done.
It was interesting to watch their relationship and feelings for each other grow with each letter, correspondence that spans about a year.
Then when Ryder, the soldier pen pal, comes home after losing a leg, it sort of fell apart for me. At that point, Ryder tries to pull an Edward Cullen move, but Dean finds out and rushes to his side.
They struggle for a bit, with Ryder thinking everything he touches will break, including his relationship with Dean, and Dean's sperm donor and the woman who carried him are not done with him yet and raise their ugly, bigoted heads, but Mama Beth shuts them down real quick.
Dean's 'adoptive' family, especially Mama Beth, are really awesome, and they kept me interested in the book, even if they weren't fully fleshed out.
I didn't much like the various tropes employed here, including the one with Ryder's jilted secret lover who goes a bit mental toward the end, but if you don't mind that sort of thing, read on.
Overall the story is certainly sweet, HEA included, and mostly engaging, and YMMV as far as realism is concerned. Read it for what it is - a love story between a wounded soldier and someone who loves him no matter what, and you might enjoy this.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
It was interesting to watch their relationship and feelings for each other grow with each letter, correspondence that spans about a year.
Then when Ryder, the soldier pen pal, comes home after losing a leg, it sort of fell apart for me. At that point, Ryder tries to pull an Edward Cullen move, but Dean finds out and rushes to his side.
They struggle for a bit, with Ryder thinking everything he touches will break, including his relationship with Dean, and Dean's sperm donor and the woman who carried him are not done with him yet and raise their ugly, bigoted heads, but Mama Beth shuts them down real quick.
Dean's 'adoptive' family, especially Mama Beth, are really awesome, and they kept me interested in the book, even if they weren't fully fleshed out.
I didn't much like the various tropes employed here, including the one with Ryder's jilted secret lover who goes a bit mental toward the end, but if you don't mind that sort of thing, read on.
Overall the story is certainly sweet, HEA included, and mostly engaging, and YMMV as far as realism is concerned. Read it for what it is - a love story between a wounded soldier and someone who loves him no matter what, and you might enjoy this.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
March 23, 2015
I should really dig this book. It had all of the usual suspects I crave: a resilient character, a queer soldier (fuck hegemonic masculinity), a friendship that slowly blossoms to love...but it was just meh man...so underwhelming....
March 6, 2015
3.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.
This is a really sweet story. After Dean loses his best friend and stepbrother in the war, he decides to be a pen pal to another soldier as a way to deal with his loss. He ends up writing to Ryder, and the two begin a relationship that spans about a year through letters and phone calls. Unfortunately, before they can finally connect, Ryder is wounded and sent home to recover.
I really enjoyed the pen pal correspondence and watching these guys learn about each other. Their feelings grow, and they both feel as though they are perfect for each other. However, before they have the opportunity to meet, Ryder decides Dean doesn’t deserve a broken man, etc. and cuts off contact. Thankfully, a “friend” of Ryder clues Dean in, and he wastes no time in making sure Ryder realizes he is in love with the man from the letters and that his injuries are not an issue. They still struggle a bit, as they adjust to their new life, but it is these little things that I enjoyed seeing.
Dean’s family is fantastic. His “mom” is also the mother of the best friend he lost, having adopted him when he was a teen and that friend saved him from life on the streets. Dean’s original family is worthless, but Mama Beth and Jessie both make up for it. They take Ryder into the family as one of their own and are there when things get tough.
I love soldier stories, and stories where they are no longer soldiers but find new lives for themselves when forced to give up the only career they thought they’d have. It is easy to understand how they must feel when faced with such changes on top of their disabilities. If only they were all lucky enough to find someone like Dean who is so willing and determined to help them overcome.
There were definitely things here that just seemed a bit over the top that threw me out of the story. So much happened to these guys, it was one thing after another, starting with Dean’s childhood, his family, losing his friend, etc. Then there are crazy ex’s, jealous crushes that came out of nowhere, etc. These guys have been building up their sexual tension for over a year, though we didn’t really see that in the letters, so it was somewhat expected that they’d be all over each other when they finally meet. However, it was hard to imagine a guy still recovering from an amputated leg getting it on in the hospital. I suppose anything could happen, but these things just added up and took away from the story.
Setting those things aside, this was still a really sweet story, and I enjoyed many aspects of it. It kept me interested until the end and feeling satisfied when I got there. This was my first book by this author, but I’m definitely going to look at more of her work.
February 9, 2015
After losing his brother to the war in the Middle East Dean decides to become pen pals to with a soldier who doesn’t have any family to send him some written cheer from home. Dean knows all about what it is like to not have the love and support of family. At sixteen he was thrown out of his parents home and left to find his own way. It was not as dire of a situation as it could have been (as with EVERY situation in this book). Dean’s friend Dax and his mother take him in and give him the family he deserves.
Ryder did not expect much to come from the pen pal program when he signed up. He did it so he could lead a good example to his fellow soldiers. It only takes a few letters for Ryder to realize that there is more than simply a pal waiting for him stateside. He is quickly falling in love with his letter writer Dean. Months go by and plans are made to meet as soon as he comes home. One heroic event and a hidden mine later and Ryder is sitting in a hospital writing a Dear Dean letter.
A little conflict in a novella generally goes a long way. I do not expect much in the way of drama when the pages are few and limited. I think that might be what happened here with the bumps Dean and Ryder hit on their road to happily ever after. They have big pity parties around every little thing that they themselves blow way out of proportion and then go into an emotional overload of caring and helping the other over this perceived big thing the other will never get past. I saw way too many mountains out of molehills here.
His Soldier happens to be one of those books where the characters never fleshed out enough to have any dimension. I, the reader was told their story. Ryder and Dean didn’t tell me their story. Their story was something that was put to paper. I like to get into a book by reading the actions of the characters, travel with them and see their reactions to what happens to them as they go. The writing here left me feeling like everything I needed was presented to me in an abrupt forced manner. In the end I didn’t ever get a connection to them. The idea of falling in love with a pen pal caught my attention. Sadly that was the only appeal here.
Ryder did not expect much to come from the pen pal program when he signed up. He did it so he could lead a good example to his fellow soldiers. It only takes a few letters for Ryder to realize that there is more than simply a pal waiting for him stateside. He is quickly falling in love with his letter writer Dean. Months go by and plans are made to meet as soon as he comes home. One heroic event and a hidden mine later and Ryder is sitting in a hospital writing a Dear Dean letter.
A little conflict in a novella generally goes a long way. I do not expect much in the way of drama when the pages are few and limited. I think that might be what happened here with the bumps Dean and Ryder hit on their road to happily ever after. They have big pity parties around every little thing that they themselves blow way out of proportion and then go into an emotional overload of caring and helping the other over this perceived big thing the other will never get past. I saw way too many mountains out of molehills here.
His Soldier happens to be one of those books where the characters never fleshed out enough to have any dimension. I, the reader was told their story. Ryder and Dean didn’t tell me their story. Their story was something that was put to paper. I like to get into a book by reading the actions of the characters, travel with them and see their reactions to what happens to them as they go. The writing here left me feeling like everything I needed was presented to me in an abrupt forced manner. In the end I didn’t ever get a connection to them. The idea of falling in love with a pen pal caught my attention. Sadly that was the only appeal here.
March 23, 2015
2.5 stars
When I first saw this one, the story sounded interesting and I looked forward to reading it. Unfortunately, for me it just didn't work for me and was missing something. There were a couple of places where it tugged at the heartstrings, but the overall feeling of the story was just there. Nothing exciting, no angst really, just a so-so love story. Maybe the timing for reading this story was not right for me or not what I was looking for.
When I first saw this one, the story sounded interesting and I looked forward to reading it. Unfortunately, for me it just didn't work for me and was missing something. There were a couple of places where it tugged at the heartstrings, but the overall feeling of the story was just there. Nothing exciting, no angst really, just a so-so love story. Maybe the timing for reading this story was not right for me or not what I was looking for.
back-burner-for-now
February 6, 2015Made it to 45% but am putting it aside for a bit. Just not feeling this one.
June 28, 2019
His soldier
This book was so beautiful, I knew as soon as I read the blurb that I needed to read this and I was right. It’s been a while since I’ve had a story like this bring me to tears but in the first 7% I was crying and they continued on and off throughout the story. Tears worth shedding!
This book was so beautiful, I knew as soon as I read the blurb that I needed to read this and I was right. It’s been a while since I’ve had a story like this bring me to tears but in the first 7% I was crying and they continued on and off throughout the story. Tears worth shedding!
June 10, 2021
Good book, but nothing about reality. You are perfect, he is perfect. Everything seems to be perfect in this book but i did mot feel connections and the greatest love. Thats all
April 24, 2015
An emotional story of sacrifice and loss, honor and duty, love and romance, friendship and the family we make when we open our hearts.
Dean and Ryder were adorable together when they began their pen pal relationship. Slowly falling in love over the months that Ryder finished his tour in Afghanistan. Letters became phone calls, they were each other's comfort and support. They'd begun making plans to be together before they'd ever seen each other in person. When tragedy strikes and Ryder is ready to give up Dean won't let him. Instead both men begin healing together.
Both men carry a lot of wounds from painful childhoods and neither has ever been able to find love in a romantic relationship before. They are very sweet and caring with each other. Supportive, loving, always willing to listen and comfort. They understood one another and knew how to be there for each other. I loved that they were expressive and open, they allowed themselves to be vulnerable and ask for what they needed.
There were some complications and some of the past kept trying to pull them back, but they stood strong for each other. They're both tough and street smart and nobody was going to take their hard won happiness away. Not without one hell of a fight.
Dean's brother, Dax was felt throughout the story, even if he couldn't be there in the flesh. He was a man who loved with everything he had and those he left behind would always feel his loss, but were under strict orders not to dwell in grief but be happy and live the life he couldn't. He saved Dean and in a way he helped to bring his brother happiness, even after he was gone. Dean began writing to Ryder to honor his brother.
The rest of Dean's family is great. Mama bear Beth (nobody messed with her babies without feeling the sting of claws and severely regretting it) and sweet almost sister-in-law, Jessie were great. Ryder's family was his squad and then Dean's family as the men began to weave a life together.
I enjoyed the slow build up of the relationship through their chatty letters. There is something old fashioned and romantic about allowing the confidences that can be shared through letters. It made the time they spent once they were together sweet and the speed of their commitment to each other seem genuine. I liked that while some things moved quickly, those were logical, they didn't rush into things in a way that felt false or dangerous.
I really liked these men and their story, their family and friends. I connected with their daunting journey towards a good life together, it felt sweet, romantic and grounded in genuine emotion and love. I have to admit that there were several moments that had me emotional and teary eyed. I loved that both men highly valued their relationship and were willing, without hesitation or doubt, to fight for their man and their love. It was great watching them develop their own couple language and insight into each other, there was friendship, support, acceptance, safety, comfort, sensuality and contentment in their growing bond as each man became more in their love for the other. Highly recommend!
Reviewed by Nina
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
Dean and Ryder were adorable together when they began their pen pal relationship. Slowly falling in love over the months that Ryder finished his tour in Afghanistan. Letters became phone calls, they were each other's comfort and support. They'd begun making plans to be together before they'd ever seen each other in person. When tragedy strikes and Ryder is ready to give up Dean won't let him. Instead both men begin healing together.
Both men carry a lot of wounds from painful childhoods and neither has ever been able to find love in a romantic relationship before. They are very sweet and caring with each other. Supportive, loving, always willing to listen and comfort. They understood one another and knew how to be there for each other. I loved that they were expressive and open, they allowed themselves to be vulnerable and ask for what they needed.
There were some complications and some of the past kept trying to pull them back, but they stood strong for each other. They're both tough and street smart and nobody was going to take their hard won happiness away. Not without one hell of a fight.
Dean's brother, Dax was felt throughout the story, even if he couldn't be there in the flesh. He was a man who loved with everything he had and those he left behind would always feel his loss, but were under strict orders not to dwell in grief but be happy and live the life he couldn't. He saved Dean and in a way he helped to bring his brother happiness, even after he was gone. Dean began writing to Ryder to honor his brother.
The rest of Dean's family is great. Mama bear Beth (nobody messed with her babies without feeling the sting of claws and severely regretting it) and sweet almost sister-in-law, Jessie were great. Ryder's family was his squad and then Dean's family as the men began to weave a life together.
I enjoyed the slow build up of the relationship through their chatty letters. There is something old fashioned and romantic about allowing the confidences that can be shared through letters. It made the time they spent once they were together sweet and the speed of their commitment to each other seem genuine. I liked that while some things moved quickly, those were logical, they didn't rush into things in a way that felt false or dangerous.
I really liked these men and their story, their family and friends. I connected with their daunting journey towards a good life together, it felt sweet, romantic and grounded in genuine emotion and love. I have to admit that there were several moments that had me emotional and teary eyed. I loved that both men highly valued their relationship and were willing, without hesitation or doubt, to fight for their man and their love. It was great watching them develop their own couple language and insight into each other, there was friendship, support, acceptance, safety, comfort, sensuality and contentment in their growing bond as each man became more in their love for the other. Highly recommend!
Reviewed by Nina
To see more of this review and others like it please visit us at Gay List Book Reviews at www.gaylistbookreviews.wordpress.com
March 6, 2015
Original Blog Post: Happy Happy Release Day!!! Blog Tour, eARC Review, Excerpt & #Giveaway: His Soldier by Anna Lee
His Soldier is just one of those stories where the first page grabs your attention and never lets go. The sad part is reaching the end, although, it's not sad for it is a good ending. It's just sad it ended.
This is the story of how two men meet using the Pen Pal program of the military, hit it off, fall in love, and eventually meet to realize they are truly meant for each other for all the days of their lives. They meet some distractions along the way like the loss of a limb and other men who want their attention, but that is all in the sidelines.
Dean lost his biological family when he turned sixteen after admitting that he, indeed, was gay. Tossed out of house and home, he never expected his best friend, Dax, to take him in and accept him as his own true brother. Dax's mom, Mama Beth (someone we all need in our lives) is a foster mother so did not think twice to take him in and treat him as her own son. It could have all gone well and normal for both Mama and Dean had not Dax lost his life fighting off somewhere for his country. The grief nearly drove Dean to despair until he started writing to a pen pal in memory of Dax.
Ryder had been a foster kid all his life and it was not glamorous or fairytale-like. He got tossed every which way until he turned of age to join the army. Being alone all his life meant he had no one to share his loneliness with. For some reason, he signs up for the Pen Pal program and receives a letter from someone called Dean.
Their exchange of letters set the tone of how the two men got to know each other intimately without meeting each other physically. This part of the story should have sounded like a fairy-tale but it is not. History takes into record that two people do meet through the pen and fall in love. This day and age, the multimedia does the same trick. Many simply connect and fall for each other. This is what happens to Dean and Ryder and it is truly a romantic story.
Overall, despite the blurb's sombre, if not, heavy drama plot tone, this is one very, very light read. The drama that happens is expected, understandable and incredibly, real. The angst that develop when Ryder thinks he loses all sense of manhood due to a loss of limb is also very real. Thankfully, the lightness of how this was written made this an incredibly fast read that not only entertained (this is HOT!) but it also makes one think of just how many men and women out there are fighting for our freedoms and yet have no one to talk to or reach out to when the lights go dim.
His Soldier is just one of those stories where the first page grabs your attention and never lets go. The sad part is reaching the end, although, it's not sad for it is a good ending. It's just sad it ended.
This is the story of how two men meet using the Pen Pal program of the military, hit it off, fall in love, and eventually meet to realize they are truly meant for each other for all the days of their lives. They meet some distractions along the way like the loss of a limb and other men who want their attention, but that is all in the sidelines.
Dean lost his biological family when he turned sixteen after admitting that he, indeed, was gay. Tossed out of house and home, he never expected his best friend, Dax, to take him in and accept him as his own true brother. Dax's mom, Mama Beth (someone we all need in our lives) is a foster mother so did not think twice to take him in and treat him as her own son. It could have all gone well and normal for both Mama and Dean had not Dax lost his life fighting off somewhere for his country. The grief nearly drove Dean to despair until he started writing to a pen pal in memory of Dax.
Ryder had been a foster kid all his life and it was not glamorous or fairytale-like. He got tossed every which way until he turned of age to join the army. Being alone all his life meant he had no one to share his loneliness with. For some reason, he signs up for the Pen Pal program and receives a letter from someone called Dean.
Their exchange of letters set the tone of how the two men got to know each other intimately without meeting each other physically. This part of the story should have sounded like a fairy-tale but it is not. History takes into record that two people do meet through the pen and fall in love. This day and age, the multimedia does the same trick. Many simply connect and fall for each other. This is what happens to Dean and Ryder and it is truly a romantic story.
Overall, despite the blurb's sombre, if not, heavy drama plot tone, this is one very, very light read. The drama that happens is expected, understandable and incredibly, real. The angst that develop when Ryder thinks he loses all sense of manhood due to a loss of limb is also very real. Thankfully, the lightness of how this was written made this an incredibly fast read that not only entertained (this is HOT!) but it also makes one think of just how many men and women out there are fighting for our freedoms and yet have no one to talk to or reach out to when the lights go dim.
August 11, 2015
To everyone offended by my rating-it's just me. Or not.
Everything seemed rushed. Plain, simple, shallow. The writing was poor-like really, really poor (and English is my second language, so try to imagine it. There weren't many typos or sth like that-it's just the vocabulary. One of MC is a teacher and he loves literature, yet he writes and speaks like retarded young-adult.
Like I said-it's just me. I have a feeling that I've just read another book everyone loves but me.
Everything seemed rushed. Plain, simple, shallow. The writing was poor-like really, really poor (and English is my second language, so try to imagine it. There weren't many typos or sth like that-it's just the vocabulary. One of MC is a teacher and he loves literature, yet he writes and speaks like retarded young-adult.
Like I said-it's just me. I have a feeling that I've just read another book everyone loves but me.
March 7, 2015
This was a sweet low angst read. The characters were nice but they could have been a bit more developed for a book this length. I also think there was to much going on in this book and all those things are resolved to quick.
But overall i enjoyed reading this book.
But overall i enjoyed reading this book.
May 6, 2015
I loved the first part of this book. The letters and phone calls back and forth were awesome. A few things fell out of sync for me and had to reread several parts. But overall a good story about two people falling into love.
January 30, 2016
I came for the soldiers and the angst, but all I got was happy romance. Meh. Little soldier action and even less angst. The characters were very sweet but their lives were too perfect, like, all their problems were solved just by looking each other in the eyes.
November 21, 2015
Just the kind of story I was looking when I picked this book.... something sweet and easy to read through the weekend.
March 20, 2015
3.5 stars
April 19, 2020
"Tienes mi apoyo. Eres gay, Soy gay. El cielo es azul ¿Ves? No es gran cosa"
¡Uf! Esta historia es la más hermosa y pura, que he leído de lo que va de año, ¡Dios! Es que todo es una belleza; me sentía en una montaña rusa, por los sube y baja que daba de repente la historia. La historia va entre Ryder y Dean; Ryder es un soldado que no tiene familia, está solo; mientras que Dean es un civil normal y corriente, que al perder a su hermano Dax, toma la decisión en ser un amigo de correspondencia y desde ese momento empieza la historia de amor de Dean y Ryder.
Cada personaje dio su toque, su momento y su lucha; hubo como tres personajes que no toleré, pero era parte de la evolución de uno de los personajes principal; el resto de los personajes se ve tanta verdad y tanto amor verdadero, tan natural.
Se debe de mencionar que hay unos sad dramas 🤣 que te dejan loca, pero su forma de evolucionar, de superarlo, de saber que tienes a alguien que te apoya y te ayuda, valen la pena pasar por eso.
La escritura es exquisita, fácil y rápida de leer; es mi primer libro de esta mujer, que la amé en este libro y espero que sus otros libros sean igual de buenos, que te dejen una enseñanza.
"No voy a huir porque las cosas se pusieron difíciles. Puedo manejarlo. Tienes que confiar en eso y ver que estaban equivocados. Que la única forma en que rompas esa curva que crees que tienes es dejando que todo lo que duele en tu pasado se vaya"
¡Uf! Esta historia es la más hermosa y pura, que he leído de lo que va de año, ¡Dios! Es que todo es una belleza; me sentía en una montaña rusa, por los sube y baja que daba de repente la historia. La historia va entre Ryder y Dean; Ryder es un soldado que no tiene familia, está solo; mientras que Dean es un civil normal y corriente, que al perder a su hermano Dax, toma la decisión en ser un amigo de correspondencia y desde ese momento empieza la historia de amor de Dean y Ryder.
Cada personaje dio su toque, su momento y su lucha; hubo como tres personajes que no toleré, pero era parte de la evolución de uno de los personajes principal; el resto de los personajes se ve tanta verdad y tanto amor verdadero, tan natural.
Se debe de mencionar que hay unos sad dramas 🤣 que te dejan loca, pero su forma de evolucionar, de superarlo, de saber que tienes a alguien que te apoya y te ayuda, valen la pena pasar por eso.
La escritura es exquisita, fácil y rápida de leer; es mi primer libro de esta mujer, que la amé en este libro y espero que sus otros libros sean igual de buenos, que te dejen una enseñanza.
"No voy a huir porque las cosas se pusieron difíciles. Puedo manejarlo. Tienes que confiar en eso y ver que estaban equivocados. Que la única forma en que rompas esa curva que crees que tienes es dejando que todo lo que duele en tu pasado se vaya"
June 21, 2020
Su soldado. Mi soldado. Su canción. Mi canción. Sus lágrimas. Mis lágrimas. Ellos están rotos. Yo ya lo estoy.
Con las primeras 100 páginas, la historia dilata una versión de Querido John, con romance gay y una dulcura demencial que raya lo cursi al extremo pero hay demasiado feeling como para ignorar o rechazarla.
La correspondencia de cartas en el ejército fue lo mejor. Mi parte favorita. Quisiera también anotarme en Amigos por correspondencia y encontrar un Ryder.
A pesar de que me encantó la historia por momentos, quizás sus primeras 100 páginas y el final de llantos, la historia tiene algunos problemas de saturación. Hay demasiados momentos inertes de pañito de agua tibia y de sin sentidos para encontrar un relleno y extender la historia. No había necesidad de tanto machaqueo de Benthley, ni tanta convivencia familiar. Hubiese preferido que la historia se extendiera más en la correspondencia en el ejército y en la depresión de Ryder luego del accidente. Hubiese sido más dramático, agobiante y deseado.
Pero al final mido esto por su contexto y agradezco que la homofóbia no arropara la historia. Es bonito encontrarse con historia cómo está que relatan la normalidad de dos seres que se aman.
El amor al final vence y pelea contra todo lo que venga. My Heart is go Home.
Con las primeras 100 páginas, la historia dilata una versión de Querido John, con romance gay y una dulcura demencial que raya lo cursi al extremo pero hay demasiado feeling como para ignorar o rechazarla.
La correspondencia de cartas en el ejército fue lo mejor. Mi parte favorita. Quisiera también anotarme en Amigos por correspondencia y encontrar un Ryder.
A pesar de que me encantó la historia por momentos, quizás sus primeras 100 páginas y el final de llantos, la historia tiene algunos problemas de saturación. Hay demasiados momentos inertes de pañito de agua tibia y de sin sentidos para encontrar un relleno y extender la historia. No había necesidad de tanto machaqueo de Benthley, ni tanta convivencia familiar. Hubiese preferido que la historia se extendiera más en la correspondencia en el ejército y en la depresión de Ryder luego del accidente. Hubiese sido más dramático, agobiante y deseado.
Pero al final mido esto por su contexto y agradezco que la homofóbia no arropara la historia. Es bonito encontrarse con historia cómo está que relatan la normalidad de dos seres que se aman.
El amor al final vence y pelea contra todo lo que venga. My Heart is go Home.
August 12, 2022
Dean is trying to cope with the loss of his brother by becoming a penpal for other soldiers. In doing so he encounters Ryder. The two make a long distance connection that goes beyond just being friends. When Ryder is injured he's convinced that Dean won't want to see him let alone be with him. It's up to Dean to make their long distance connection real no matter what the challenges. An Interesting read of giving hope and the nature of love that goes beyond the superficial exterior.
August 15, 2021
Eh. Didn’t feel the chemistry. Undeveloped characters and story. A simple, bland read.
October 3, 2024
Fue muy lindo, quiero un amo así 🤧
March 15, 2015
I was very intrigued by this book after reading the blurb. It ticked some of my personal interest checkpoints for a story, with having a character in the military and then having to overcome a disability. I also really liked the premise of two people meeting as pen pals, so I figured I'd love the story. Unfortunately, by the time I reached the conclusion of the book, I was rather disappointed. I ended up just skimming the last three chapters and epilogue. Such a shame, since the beginning was heart wrenching and so well done.
It started off with a flashback of when Dean was beaten and kicked out of his house, and how he was found by Dax and then was adopted by Dax's mom, Mama Beth. Then the story moved into Dean dealing with Dax's death, and I actually teared up when he read the letter Dax had left for him. Dax's death lead Dean to join the arm pen pal program, and that's how he and Ryder first get in touch.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the letters between Dean and Ryder.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it doesn't appear that the author laid the story out on a story arc before writing it. The main conflict / plot is the romance between Dean and Ryder: How they meet through the pen pal program, fall in love, meet in real life, and then have to deal with Ryder's disability. The climax of the story was Ryder losing his leg and starting to fall into depression, thinking that Dean would never want him now. The problem is, the climax happened ~33% of the way into the book.
A minor complaint I had with the story was about a couple of the events that happened in the second half of the book. The drama with Jules and the situation with Ben both included information that should have been mentioned earlier in the story. Without foreshadowing, or at least mentioning the involved characters sooner, the author made the two events seem disconnected from the main story. Jules just seemed superfluous, and Ben's situation lost credibility.
It started off with a flashback of when Dean was beaten and kicked out of his house, and how he was found by Dax and then was adopted by Dax's mom, Mama Beth. Then the story moved into Dean dealing with Dax's death, and I actually teared up when he read the letter Dax had left for him. Dax's death lead Dean to join the arm pen pal program, and that's how he and Ryder first get in touch.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the letters between Dean and Ryder.
My biggest complaint with this book is that it doesn't appear that the author laid the story out on a story arc before writing it. The main conflict / plot is the romance between Dean and Ryder: How they meet through the pen pal program, fall in love, meet in real life, and then have to deal with Ryder's disability. The climax of the story was Ryder losing his leg and starting to fall into depression, thinking that Dean would never want him now. The problem is, the climax happened ~33% of the way into the book.
A minor complaint I had with the story was about a couple of the events that happened in the second half of the book. The drama with Jules and the situation with Ben both included information that should have been mentioned earlier in the story. Without foreshadowing, or at least mentioning the involved characters sooner, the author made the two events seem disconnected from the main story. Jules just seemed superfluous, and Ben's situation lost credibility.
May 2, 2015
3.5 STARS
When Dean was sixteen he was discovered kissing another boy by his bigoted, homophobic mother who immediately reported the “infraction” to his equally homophobic and violent father. As a result Dean found himself beaten and homeless with no idea what to do next. Luckily, he was found by his best friend Dax, who took Dean home with him and Dax’s family welcomed him with open arms. Already blood brothers, they became brothers legally too and this story begins with a phone call from their mother giving Dean the news that Dax has been killed in combat.
I really liked the beginning of the story. I even cried a bit as Dean, Dean and Dax’s mother, and Dax’s girlfriend Jessie mourned for a man who felt like a very present character throughout the book, for all that he’s deceased from the first sentence.
To help heal from the loss of his brother and to do something he hopes will help even just one soldier, Dean decides to become a pen pal. He begins writing to Sergeant Ryder Brooks and after only a few letters the two men are fast friends. Both feel a strong connection to the other so when they each admit that they’re gay they both start hoping that once Ryder heads home, something might happen between them. Although Ryder feels he has no right to ask, Dean swears that he’ll be there, waiting for Ryder’s return and after a year of letters and phone calls they’ve fallen in love despite never meeting.
So normally that would leave me scoffing to the extent it would sound like I was attempting to cough up a furball. Falling in love before physically meeting is not a storyline I tend to have much time for but I think in this case the author pulled it off really well. Both of these men had suffered so much emotional crap through their lives that they were basically desperate for someone to love, even though they weren’t aware of it. So as soon as they found someone who was worthy of their love it was entirely believable that they wouldn’t hold back.
I appreciated the fact that there wasn’t a drawn out period of Ryder refusing to be with Dean after he loses his leg. Yes, there’s the usual fuss of the injured soldier trying to set his perfect bodied lover free but it just takes Dean setting him straight once for Ryder to give up on that idiot behavior.
However as much as I appreciated the lack of drama in the two mens relationship, that left me sitting at around a third of the way through the book thinking, well what now? I think this may be the first time I’ve ever said – this story may have worked better as a novella rather than a full length book. The problems that popped up in the second half of the book, which came from a couple of different sources, seemed more an effort to extend the length of the story than anything else. There’d be a flare up of drama, the men would solve that problem, and then another “bad guy” would come along to create another commotion. But for me, the romance was done back at that first third and could probably have been finished off by 50%. That’s not to say that the rest of the story wasn’t good. To be honest, I prefer a longer story and I enjoyed reading everything that happened. I’m just saying that, in my opinion, a lot of this story felt unnecessary.
Readers who like a bit of military hurt-comfort will probably enjoy this one. Overall it was a good read.
This book was reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/03/2...
When Dean was sixteen he was discovered kissing another boy by his bigoted, homophobic mother who immediately reported the “infraction” to his equally homophobic and violent father. As a result Dean found himself beaten and homeless with no idea what to do next. Luckily, he was found by his best friend Dax, who took Dean home with him and Dax’s family welcomed him with open arms. Already blood brothers, they became brothers legally too and this story begins with a phone call from their mother giving Dean the news that Dax has been killed in combat.
I really liked the beginning of the story. I even cried a bit as Dean, Dean and Dax’s mother, and Dax’s girlfriend Jessie mourned for a man who felt like a very present character throughout the book, for all that he’s deceased from the first sentence.
To help heal from the loss of his brother and to do something he hopes will help even just one soldier, Dean decides to become a pen pal. He begins writing to Sergeant Ryder Brooks and after only a few letters the two men are fast friends. Both feel a strong connection to the other so when they each admit that they’re gay they both start hoping that once Ryder heads home, something might happen between them. Although Ryder feels he has no right to ask, Dean swears that he’ll be there, waiting for Ryder’s return and after a year of letters and phone calls they’ve fallen in love despite never meeting.
So normally that would leave me scoffing to the extent it would sound like I was attempting to cough up a furball. Falling in love before physically meeting is not a storyline I tend to have much time for but I think in this case the author pulled it off really well. Both of these men had suffered so much emotional crap through their lives that they were basically desperate for someone to love, even though they weren’t aware of it. So as soon as they found someone who was worthy of their love it was entirely believable that they wouldn’t hold back.
I appreciated the fact that there wasn’t a drawn out period of Ryder refusing to be with Dean after he loses his leg. Yes, there’s the usual fuss of the injured soldier trying to set his perfect bodied lover free but it just takes Dean setting him straight once for Ryder to give up on that idiot behavior.
However as much as I appreciated the lack of drama in the two mens relationship, that left me sitting at around a third of the way through the book thinking, well what now? I think this may be the first time I’ve ever said – this story may have worked better as a novella rather than a full length book. The problems that popped up in the second half of the book, which came from a couple of different sources, seemed more an effort to extend the length of the story than anything else. There’d be a flare up of drama, the men would solve that problem, and then another “bad guy” would come along to create another commotion. But for me, the romance was done back at that first third and could probably have been finished off by 50%. That’s not to say that the rest of the story wasn’t good. To be honest, I prefer a longer story and I enjoyed reading everything that happened. I’m just saying that, in my opinion, a lot of this story felt unnecessary.
Readers who like a bit of military hurt-comfort will probably enjoy this one. Overall it was a good read.
This book was reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/03/2...
March 8, 2015
FourStars
This was a wondering story. It has pain, loss, but it also has happiness and hope. We all know that when a soldier comes home, sometimes they come home to a different type of fight, but not any less important.
I loved the relationship that Ryder and Dean embark on. Their long-distance letters bring both peace and hope to lives that were both damaged by war.
I really wanted to hug Joel every time he was mentioned in this story. He was supportive, open-minded and grateful. Not only did he witness what true friendship was, he also demonstrated it right back. The friendship is one that will withstand anything.
I wanted to boot Bentley in the rear each time he was mentioned. It is asking too much of anyone to hide any type of relationship - to not allow his friends to be who they are. Bentley was someone who never was going to learn that lesson and the fact that he tried to hurt both Ryder and Dean, that he had no redeeming qualities, I could have done without him in the book.
Finally, I LOVED Dean's family. When I say family, I mean those he surrounds himself with. DNA does not make your family. It was so awesome that Dax was his friend - so often people have no where to turn.
I really enjoyed this book
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
ThreeStar
This book had me crying from the second page. If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks or John Green, you will enjoy this raw, emotional story.
When Dean loses his brother in Afghanistan, he signs up to offer pen-pal support to another deployed soldier.
Ryder is a sergeant deployed in Afghanistan. When Dean’s first letter arrives, Ryder is lonely and experiencing huge stress. But Dean’s letters start to quickly make Ryder’s life just a little bit better.
The two men write and talk over the course of Ryder’s deployment. After nearly a year, they are close and looking forward to Ryder’s return. When Ryder loses his leg in a last minute act of heroism, plans change.
Ryder needs rehabilitation and emotional support when he returns and he doesn’t want to make demands on a man he’s never actually met. Both men struggle with relationships and and neither man trusts easily.
I really loved the premise of this book, but the execution was slightly clunky. The book needs a final grammar and punctuation edit. The developing emotional bond between the two men was at times overshadowed by a series of complex sub-plots and discussions that seemed to repetitively re-hash the same topics. There were obvious reasons for the sex scenes being delayed and tentative, but it was difficult to sense any real heat in the bedroom scenes that were included. Supporting characters, like Beth, Joel and Jessie were well developed, but more villainous characters were pretty one dimensional.
But still, the men are sweet and their emerging relationship is charming. The story of loss and new hope is gentle and tender.
Ultimately, Anna Lee definitely knows how to pull at heart strings. You will need a box of tissues, a glass of wine and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s for this one.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
This was a wondering story. It has pain, loss, but it also has happiness and hope. We all know that when a soldier comes home, sometimes they come home to a different type of fight, but not any less important.
I loved the relationship that Ryder and Dean embark on. Their long-distance letters bring both peace and hope to lives that were both damaged by war.
I really wanted to hug Joel every time he was mentioned in this story. He was supportive, open-minded and grateful. Not only did he witness what true friendship was, he also demonstrated it right back. The friendship is one that will withstand anything.
I wanted to boot Bentley in the rear each time he was mentioned. It is asking too much of anyone to hide any type of relationship - to not allow his friends to be who they are. Bentley was someone who never was going to learn that lesson and the fact that he tried to hurt both Ryder and Dean, that he had no redeeming qualities, I could have done without him in the book.
Finally, I LOVED Dean's family. When I say family, I mean those he surrounds himself with. DNA does not make your family. It was so awesome that Dax was his friend - so often people have no where to turn.
I really enjoyed this book
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
ThreeStar
This book had me crying from the second page. If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks or John Green, you will enjoy this raw, emotional story.
When Dean loses his brother in Afghanistan, he signs up to offer pen-pal support to another deployed soldier.
Ryder is a sergeant deployed in Afghanistan. When Dean’s first letter arrives, Ryder is lonely and experiencing huge stress. But Dean’s letters start to quickly make Ryder’s life just a little bit better.
The two men write and talk over the course of Ryder’s deployment. After nearly a year, they are close and looking forward to Ryder’s return. When Ryder loses his leg in a last minute act of heroism, plans change.
Ryder needs rehabilitation and emotional support when he returns and he doesn’t want to make demands on a man he’s never actually met. Both men struggle with relationships and and neither man trusts easily.
I really loved the premise of this book, but the execution was slightly clunky. The book needs a final grammar and punctuation edit. The developing emotional bond between the two men was at times overshadowed by a series of complex sub-plots and discussions that seemed to repetitively re-hash the same topics. There were obvious reasons for the sex scenes being delayed and tentative, but it was difficult to sense any real heat in the bedroom scenes that were included. Supporting characters, like Beth, Joel and Jessie were well developed, but more villainous characters were pretty one dimensional.
But still, the men are sweet and their emerging relationship is charming. The story of loss and new hope is gentle and tender.
Ultimately, Anna Lee definitely knows how to pull at heart strings. You will need a box of tissues, a glass of wine and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s for this one.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
March 1, 2016
“Love lives in strange places. It’s the obvious that never shows. It just might find you when you least expect it. You’ll never know, You’ll never know. Until you just let go.” ~ Kelly Rowland
There is something special about hand writing a letter. It causes us to slow down and really think about what we want to say. It helps clarify and bring closure to problems; it gives us something else to reflect on and look forward to besides our own problems. Dean, from 'His Soldier’, wanted to honor his fallen brother and decided writing someone in the military who may be going through what Dax did, would be a good way to do it. Dean was beaten and thrown out of the house when he was sixteen and, without Dax and his wonderful mother, might not have survived. Dean enjoys receiving the letters just as much as Ryder does sending them. Even though they have never met, they know a lot about each other. Dean also looks forward to the phone calls Ryder makes to him. Soon Dean falls in love with this brave, intelligent, and caring man. He can't wait to meet Ryder in person. When he learns that Ryder has lost a leg, he doesn't even hesitate. He goes to see him and reassures him that Ryder is still the man he fell in love with and refuses to leave. Dean convinces Ryder to help him get well, no matter how long it takes.
Ryder's mother gave him up when he was a young boy. He grew up in foster care being passed from one home to another. Dean's letters mean so much to him because he finally has someone who cares about him and as strange as it seems, Ryder, for the first time in a long time, has found someone he can trust. When his plans are shattered by him saving someone from being killed by a landmine and losing a leg, he thinks that his dream has ended almost before it begins. He can hardly believe Dean's reaction, his nonchalant attitude toward his injury, and his willingness to stick by him. Dean's attitude makes him love the man even more.
The letters between the two men were so endearing. It was a wonderful way to show how their relationship formed and grew, even though they had never met. In a way, it was even better than meeting in person first because it gave them a chance to get to know each other well, but slowly. By the time they met, they had already established a strong bond which only became stronger. There are a few bumps left in the road, but they were so in tune with each other that they were able to solve them without a great deal of turmoil.
This is a nice story, with wonderful characters, spotlighting the military pen pal program. It's inspired me to want to have my own pen pal. If you like a romance with little stress, lots of passion, and a happy ending, you may enjoy this book. Thanks, Anna, for introducing me to Dean and Ryder.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
There is something special about hand writing a letter. It causes us to slow down and really think about what we want to say. It helps clarify and bring closure to problems; it gives us something else to reflect on and look forward to besides our own problems. Dean, from 'His Soldier’, wanted to honor his fallen brother and decided writing someone in the military who may be going through what Dax did, would be a good way to do it. Dean was beaten and thrown out of the house when he was sixteen and, without Dax and his wonderful mother, might not have survived. Dean enjoys receiving the letters just as much as Ryder does sending them. Even though they have never met, they know a lot about each other. Dean also looks forward to the phone calls Ryder makes to him. Soon Dean falls in love with this brave, intelligent, and caring man. He can't wait to meet Ryder in person. When he learns that Ryder has lost a leg, he doesn't even hesitate. He goes to see him and reassures him that Ryder is still the man he fell in love with and refuses to leave. Dean convinces Ryder to help him get well, no matter how long it takes.
Ryder's mother gave him up when he was a young boy. He grew up in foster care being passed from one home to another. Dean's letters mean so much to him because he finally has someone who cares about him and as strange as it seems, Ryder, for the first time in a long time, has found someone he can trust. When his plans are shattered by him saving someone from being killed by a landmine and losing a leg, he thinks that his dream has ended almost before it begins. He can hardly believe Dean's reaction, his nonchalant attitude toward his injury, and his willingness to stick by him. Dean's attitude makes him love the man even more.
The letters between the two men were so endearing. It was a wonderful way to show how their relationship formed and grew, even though they had never met. In a way, it was even better than meeting in person first because it gave them a chance to get to know each other well, but slowly. By the time they met, they had already established a strong bond which only became stronger. There are a few bumps left in the road, but they were so in tune with each other that they were able to solve them without a great deal of turmoil.
This is a nice story, with wonderful characters, spotlighting the military pen pal program. It's inspired me to want to have my own pen pal. If you like a romance with little stress, lots of passion, and a happy ending, you may enjoy this book. Thanks, Anna, for introducing me to Dean and Ryder.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
February 16, 2020
Lovely story.
A little angsty but both the characters were written beautifully. A love we all yearn for.
A little angsty but both the characters were written beautifully. A love we all yearn for.
March 11, 2015
3.75 Stars
*This book was provided to Bayou Book Junkie via Pride Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
At the age of 16 Dean's mother discovers him kissing another boy, and his father beats him badly and his mother throws him out of the house. His best friend, Dax and his mother take him in. After Dax, who has become a soldier is killed overseas, to help himself heal Dean begins to write letters through a pen pal program for soldiers who have no family or friends to write to them. His pen pal is Ryder.
Ryder didn't expect much from the pen pal program. He definitely didn't expect to find the guy of his dreams, but alas he did.
Dean and Ryder write back and forth, talk on the phone and exchange emails for almost a year. They start to fall for each other. They are supposed to meet, but instead after being badly injured, Ryder sends Dean a letter with a fellow soldier telling him they can't meet.
As a reviewer maybe I am wrong to have an opinion about what should have been in the book, but as a reader and especially a beta reader, well here goes anyway. This book had so much potential. The author had so much to work with. I was excited and couldn't wait to read this book. It started well, then it just fell apart. I was so disappointed. The author had the perfect conflict, in Ryder's injury. I think the author should have focused on this as the major conflict for this book. Instead it was passed over, ignored and other less believable conflicts are pulled in to give the story angst, when the angst was staring her right in the face.
The book was well written and flowed well. Dean and Ryder had good chemistry. I actually love books where the MC's stay together and work through their problems, but there was no tension in this book. It was too syrupy sweet and the conflicts that were brought in ended too soon, and too neatly, almost before they even began. I wanted to love this book, and I wanted to care, but honestly by the end of the book, I just didn't care if they got a HEA anymore. I was just ready for it to be over. :/
*This book was provided to Bayou Book Junkie via Pride Promotions in exchange for an honest review.**
At the age of 16 Dean's mother discovers him kissing another boy, and his father beats him badly and his mother throws him out of the house. His best friend, Dax and his mother take him in. After Dax, who has become a soldier is killed overseas, to help himself heal Dean begins to write letters through a pen pal program for soldiers who have no family or friends to write to them. His pen pal is Ryder.
Ryder didn't expect much from the pen pal program. He definitely didn't expect to find the guy of his dreams, but alas he did.
Dean and Ryder write back and forth, talk on the phone and exchange emails for almost a year. They start to fall for each other. They are supposed to meet, but instead after being badly injured, Ryder sends Dean a letter with a fellow soldier telling him they can't meet.
As a reviewer maybe I am wrong to have an opinion about what should have been in the book, but as a reader and especially a beta reader, well here goes anyway. This book had so much potential. The author had so much to work with. I was excited and couldn't wait to read this book. It started well, then it just fell apart. I was so disappointed. The author had the perfect conflict, in Ryder's injury. I think the author should have focused on this as the major conflict for this book. Instead it was passed over, ignored and other less believable conflicts are pulled in to give the story angst, when the angst was staring her right in the face.
The book was well written and flowed well. Dean and Ryder had good chemistry. I actually love books where the MC's stay together and work through their problems, but there was no tension in this book. It was too syrupy sweet and the conflicts that were brought in ended too soon, and too neatly, almost before they even began. I wanted to love this book, and I wanted to care, but honestly by the end of the book, I just didn't care if they got a HEA anymore. I was just ready for it to be over. :/
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