What do you think?
Rate this book
Always Coming Back Home: An Emotional Tale of Love, Adventure, Tragedy and Hope
An emotional memoir about a military family experiencing love, loss, and challenging times.Always Coming Back Home uses heartfelt stories and real-time emails sent from a deployed sailor to his bride and readers quickly become invested in this young family. The couple takes readers on sailing and scuba diving adventures throughout the world. They also keep readers laughing as the couple becomes first time parents, anxious with them during military deployments, upset with them through miscarriages and family loss, and finally, heartbroken as it all comes to an end with a single phone call. Always Coming Back Home is a candid and raw account of two ordinary people coming together to accomplish extraordinary things.Praise for Always Coming Back Home“Such a beautiful and incredible tale of love and family. Ashley and Brian are such an amazing couple . . . . The memories Ashley shares with readers are so personal that you will feel like you are living in the moment with them . . . . I loved reading their story. I laughed with them, I cried with them and lived their life with them!” —Rabia Tanveer, Readers’ Favorite
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2020
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 29, 2021
"Always Coming Back Home" chronicles the requited and amazing love between Ashley and Brian Bugge, their adventures sailing on and diving beneath the ocean surface, the hardships of Navy deployments, the joys of having babies together, and the love and laughter of family and friends along the way. I gave it five stars because this book leads the reader on an epic love journey, detailing past and present events, while invoking joy, compassion, and inspiration to live life fully.
Upon the death of someone close in the book, Brian wrote "[This] has made me understand just how precious each moment is; we truly do not know how much time we have left....show affection and love to those whom you feel deeply today. There may not be a tomorrow" (2449).
The loss of future Officer Brian Bugge rocked the dive community on O'ahu. This is not in the book, but I was there and had worked at a dive shop for over a year, and was so saddened to hear of what happened May 20, 2018. My husband was on the NOAA Rebreather team at the time, and was so grieved to hear the news, as was his crew. Rebreather diving is still relatively new and very specialized, and sadly, so dangerous. My husband and Brian would have gotten along well with the love of technicality, challenge and inner workings of the machine. I wish my husband had been there to demand greater safety. The documentary "If Only" tells the details of the actual events leading up to the loss. So incredibly tragically, a year later, another husband and father, Joshua Copus, a coworker of my husband, passed away rebreather diving, leaving behind a son and child yet to be born. Two phenomenal men lost within 1.5 years. One always hopes that a drowning victim will be revived, but as Ashley writes in her book: "there are no second chances in the water." (157) It is clear how important the ocean was to Brian and is to Ashley, as she continues his legacy by diving and adventuring with the three loved children they made together. I pray that the dive community will continue to regard safety in high order, and never forget those who were lost to the sea.
"Brian and I had never experienced a thrill as exhilarating as the one we felt when we went scuba diving. We knew from day one that we were hooked. We never wanted to get out of the ocean; with each kick of our fins, we felt like we had found a part of ourselves while in the water. Brian was fascinated by the technicality of it all; he loved learning how things worked, the proper way to maneuver his gear, how taking deep and shallow breaths could help control his buoyancy" (1622). "Spend today watching the tele. Or spend today working towards your life’s goal. The choice is yours and yours alone. You are the captain of your ship. Make it happen" -Brian Bugge (2909).
"To say my heart is broken is an understatement. It is shattered. It is resting on the ocean floor with my husband and I don’t think it will ever surface. He and I knew how lucky we were to have found each other and we talked often about how love like this only comes along once in a lifetime and certainly not for everyone. We shared an incredible life together and beyond any other emotion I’m feeling right now. I’m just thankful I had the time I did with him and was able to embrace the impact he has made on me and my life" (2615).
Upon the death of someone close in the book, Brian wrote "[This] has made me understand just how precious each moment is; we truly do not know how much time we have left....show affection and love to those whom you feel deeply today. There may not be a tomorrow" (2449).
The loss of future Officer Brian Bugge rocked the dive community on O'ahu. This is not in the book, but I was there and had worked at a dive shop for over a year, and was so saddened to hear of what happened May 20, 2018. My husband was on the NOAA Rebreather team at the time, and was so grieved to hear the news, as was his crew. Rebreather diving is still relatively new and very specialized, and sadly, so dangerous. My husband and Brian would have gotten along well with the love of technicality, challenge and inner workings of the machine. I wish my husband had been there to demand greater safety. The documentary "If Only" tells the details of the actual events leading up to the loss. So incredibly tragically, a year later, another husband and father, Joshua Copus, a coworker of my husband, passed away rebreather diving, leaving behind a son and child yet to be born. Two phenomenal men lost within 1.5 years. One always hopes that a drowning victim will be revived, but as Ashley writes in her book: "there are no second chances in the water." (157) It is clear how important the ocean was to Brian and is to Ashley, as she continues his legacy by diving and adventuring with the three loved children they made together. I pray that the dive community will continue to regard safety in high order, and never forget those who were lost to the sea.
"Brian and I had never experienced a thrill as exhilarating as the one we felt when we went scuba diving. We knew from day one that we were hooked. We never wanted to get out of the ocean; with each kick of our fins, we felt like we had found a part of ourselves while in the water. Brian was fascinated by the technicality of it all; he loved learning how things worked, the proper way to maneuver his gear, how taking deep and shallow breaths could help control his buoyancy" (1622). "Spend today watching the tele. Or spend today working towards your life’s goal. The choice is yours and yours alone. You are the captain of your ship. Make it happen" -Brian Bugge (2909).
"To say my heart is broken is an understatement. It is shattered. It is resting on the ocean floor with my husband and I don’t think it will ever surface. He and I knew how lucky we were to have found each other and we talked often about how love like this only comes along once in a lifetime and certainly not for everyone. We shared an incredible life together and beyond any other emotion I’m feeling right now. I’m just thankful I had the time I did with him and was able to embrace the impact he has made on me and my life" (2615).
January 29, 2021
Requited Love, Family, Adventure, Loss, and the Sea, Worth Reading
“I know . . . honestly, I didn’t know I could be this happy. I didn’t think anybody out there would love this stuff as much as I do, and I can’t believe that it’s you!” - Brian to Ashley on location 616 of 3232 on Kindle. "Always Coming Back Home" chronicles the requited and amazing love between Ashley and Brian Bugge, their adventures sailing on and diving beneath the ocean surface, the hardships of Navy deployments, the joys of having babies together, and the love and laughter of family and friends along the way. I gave it five stars because this book leads the reader on an epic love journey, detailing past and present events, while invoking joy, compassion, and inspiration to live life fully.
Upon the death of someone close in the book, Brian wrote "[This] has made me understand just how precious each moment is; we truly do not know how much time we have left....show affection and love to those whom you feel deeply today. There may not be a tomorrow" (2449).
The loss of future Officer Brian Bugge rocked the dive community on O'ahu. This is not in the book, but I was there and had worked at a dive shop for over a year, and was so saddened to hear of what happened May 20, 2018. My husband was on the NOAA Rebreather team at the time, and was so grieved to hear the news, as was his crew. Rebreather diving is still relatively new and very specialized, and sadly, so dangerous. My husband and Brian would have gotten along well with the love of technicality, challenge and inner workings of the machine. I wish my husband had been there to demand greater safety. The documentary "If Only" tells the details of the actual events leading up to the loss. So incredibly tragically, a year later, another husband and father, Joshua Copus, a coworker of my husband, passed away rebreather diving, leaving behind a son and child yet to be born. Two phenomenal men lost within 1.5 years. One always hopes that a drowning victim will be revived, but as Ashley writes in her book: "there are no second chances in the water." (157) It is clear how important the ocean was to Brian and is to Ashley, as she continues his legacy by diving and adventuring with the three loved children they made together. I pray that the dive community will continue to regard safety in high order, and never forget those who were lost to the sea.
"Brian and I had never experienced a thrill as exhilarating as the one we felt when we went scuba diving. We knew from day one that we were hooked. We never wanted to get out of the ocean; with each kick of our fins, we felt like we had found a part of ourselves while in the water. Brian was fascinated by the technicality of it all; he loved learning how things worked, the proper way to maneuver his gear, how taking deep and shallow breaths could help control his buoyancy" (1622). "Spend today watching the tele. Or spend today working towards your life’s goal. The choice is yours and yours alone. You are the captain of your ship. Make it happen" -Brian Bugge (2909).
"To say my heart is broken is an understatement. It is shattered. It is resting on the ocean floor with my husband and I don’t think it will ever surface. He and I knew how lucky we were to have found each other and we talked often about how love like this only comes along once in a lifetime and certainly not for everyone. We shared an incredible life together and beyond any other emotion I’m feeling right now. I’m just thankful I had the time I did with him and was able to embrace the impact he has made on me and my life" (2615).
“I know . . . honestly, I didn’t know I could be this happy. I didn’t think anybody out there would love this stuff as much as I do, and I can’t believe that it’s you!” - Brian to Ashley on location 616 of 3232 on Kindle. "Always Coming Back Home" chronicles the requited and amazing love between Ashley and Brian Bugge, their adventures sailing on and diving beneath the ocean surface, the hardships of Navy deployments, the joys of having babies together, and the love and laughter of family and friends along the way. I gave it five stars because this book leads the reader on an epic love journey, detailing past and present events, while invoking joy, compassion, and inspiration to live life fully.
Upon the death of someone close in the book, Brian wrote "[This] has made me understand just how precious each moment is; we truly do not know how much time we have left....show affection and love to those whom you feel deeply today. There may not be a tomorrow" (2449).
The loss of future Officer Brian Bugge rocked the dive community on O'ahu. This is not in the book, but I was there and had worked at a dive shop for over a year, and was so saddened to hear of what happened May 20, 2018. My husband was on the NOAA Rebreather team at the time, and was so grieved to hear the news, as was his crew. Rebreather diving is still relatively new and very specialized, and sadly, so dangerous. My husband and Brian would have gotten along well with the love of technicality, challenge and inner workings of the machine. I wish my husband had been there to demand greater safety. The documentary "If Only" tells the details of the actual events leading up to the loss. So incredibly tragically, a year later, another husband and father, Joshua Copus, a coworker of my husband, passed away rebreather diving, leaving behind a son and child yet to be born. Two phenomenal men lost within 1.5 years. One always hopes that a drowning victim will be revived, but as Ashley writes in her book: "there are no second chances in the water." (157) It is clear how important the ocean was to Brian and is to Ashley, as she continues his legacy by diving and adventuring with the three loved children they made together. I pray that the dive community will continue to regard safety in high order, and never forget those who were lost to the sea.
"Brian and I had never experienced a thrill as exhilarating as the one we felt when we went scuba diving. We knew from day one that we were hooked. We never wanted to get out of the ocean; with each kick of our fins, we felt like we had found a part of ourselves while in the water. Brian was fascinated by the technicality of it all; he loved learning how things worked, the proper way to maneuver his gear, how taking deep and shallow breaths could help control his buoyancy" (1622). "Spend today watching the tele. Or spend today working towards your life’s goal. The choice is yours and yours alone. You are the captain of your ship. Make it happen" -Brian Bugge (2909).
"To say my heart is broken is an understatement. It is shattered. It is resting on the ocean floor with my husband and I don’t think it will ever surface. He and I knew how lucky we were to have found each other and we talked often about how love like this only comes along once in a lifetime and certainly not for everyone. We shared an incredible life together and beyond any other emotion I’m feeling right now. I’m just thankful I had the time I did with him and was able to embrace the impact he has made on me and my life" (2615).
June 18, 2020
Ashley Bugge has written a moving account of life with her husband, Brian James Buggee, and their children. They are an inspirational and high-performance couple who both believe in setting lofty goals and achieving them. This shared personal trait causes the couple to excel in their individual and collective endeavors while maintaining a close bond. As an enlisted member of the U.S. Navy, Brian rose through the ranks to become a Naval Officer, a very rare accomplishment for an enlisted sailor.
We get to join-in on one of his exciting endeavors, sailing a small 33-foot sailboat from Washington State to Hawaii. Ashley worked in the banking industry and was a successful entrepreneur who also loved everything about the ocean, especially sailing with Brian and their children.
Just as Brian was to accomplish another goal by becoming a certified rebreathing SCUBA instructor, a shocking tragedy strikes, and things change permanently. While writing honestly about the emotional pain, Ashley remains hopeful and thankful for the life they built and shared together. Their story is powerful and poignant. It is a compelling read.
Please note that I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
We get to join-in on one of his exciting endeavors, sailing a small 33-foot sailboat from Washington State to Hawaii. Ashley worked in the banking industry and was a successful entrepreneur who also loved everything about the ocean, especially sailing with Brian and their children.
Just as Brian was to accomplish another goal by becoming a certified rebreathing SCUBA instructor, a shocking tragedy strikes, and things change permanently. While writing honestly about the emotional pain, Ashley remains hopeful and thankful for the life they built and shared together. Their story is powerful and poignant. It is a compelling read.
Please note that I received a review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read
March 10, 2021MWSA Review
This memoir is a loving tribute to the author’s deceased husband, as well as to their relatively short marriage. Widowed while pregnant with her third child, Ashley Bugge guides the reader through her romance with Brian. We get a glimpse into their life from dating, to marriage, to the birth of children, long separations, and ultimately, to Brian’s unexpected death. Along the way, the reader is deliciously infected with their enthusiasm and zest for life.
The author provides the uninitiated with a view into some of the challenges of a military family—especially the military spouse. Learning about Ashley’s experience is enlightening and makes one realize that that it is not just the deployed person who serves our country. The spouse who stays at home also serves.
So critical for marriage success, Bugge regales the readers with tales of how she and Brian helped each other achieve their dreams. It was a pleasure to read how eagerly they embraced life and supported each other.
This memoir is funny and exciting, and it is also poignant and heartbreaking. Come to it with an open heart and be prepared to cry in both sorrow and joy.
Review by Patricia Walkow (March 2021)
This memoir is a loving tribute to the author’s deceased husband, as well as to their relatively short marriage. Widowed while pregnant with her third child, Ashley Bugge guides the reader through her romance with Brian. We get a glimpse into their life from dating, to marriage, to the birth of children, long separations, and ultimately, to Brian’s unexpected death. Along the way, the reader is deliciously infected with their enthusiasm and zest for life.
The author provides the uninitiated with a view into some of the challenges of a military family—especially the military spouse. Learning about Ashley’s experience is enlightening and makes one realize that that it is not just the deployed person who serves our country. The spouse who stays at home also serves.
So critical for marriage success, Bugge regales the readers with tales of how she and Brian helped each other achieve their dreams. It was a pleasure to read how eagerly they embraced life and supported each other.
This memoir is funny and exciting, and it is also poignant and heartbreaking. Come to it with an open heart and be prepared to cry in both sorrow and joy.
Review by Patricia Walkow (March 2021)
September 28, 2021
In Always Coming Back Home, Ashley and Brian Bugge tell their story of love, family, adventure, and adversity. A quick read, Ashley presents her life as a military spouse, revealing how much life they squeezed into the short periods when Brian was home from assignments.
We read about the expressions of respect for both sailor and spouse, and the struggles of a woman becoming a mother while geographically separated from her husband. This is followed by the raising of a family often by herself, yet there is no shortage of love present from Brian during his deployments.
Ashley’s story ends near page 200, and many pages are transcriptions of emails between the two, while Brian’s story makes up the appendix, over 40 pages of his messages to fans as he crossed the Pacific Ocean by sailboat, from Washington to Hawaii. The editing leaves a lot to be desired, especially in the appendix, but overall does not take away from the beautiful—and tragic—story that unfolds.
Brian promises more to come at the end, and Ashley’s sudden stop with her story begs more from her, as is indicated early in the acknowledgements. One can’t help but want to know what Brian had in mind, and what came next for Ashley and the kids.
We read about the expressions of respect for both sailor and spouse, and the struggles of a woman becoming a mother while geographically separated from her husband. This is followed by the raising of a family often by herself, yet there is no shortage of love present from Brian during his deployments.
Ashley’s story ends near page 200, and many pages are transcriptions of emails between the two, while Brian’s story makes up the appendix, over 40 pages of his messages to fans as he crossed the Pacific Ocean by sailboat, from Washington to Hawaii. The editing leaves a lot to be desired, especially in the appendix, but overall does not take away from the beautiful—and tragic—story that unfolds.
Brian promises more to come at the end, and Ashley’s sudden stop with her story begs more from her, as is indicated early in the acknowledgements. One can’t help but want to know what Brian had in mind, and what came next for Ashley and the kids.
March 13, 2021
This is one of those stories that is so beautiful and so beautifully told that it is almost impossible to remember it's a memoir and not a fiction love story or movie. The writing is spectacular, you can truly feel and experience this story as if you were there in the background of each moment. It is so unfair that this beautiful love story had such a tragic ending, but I am so thankful to Ashley for sharing her story with us and allowing us a look at love in its greatest and most pure form.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2025
Always Coming Home is a true story written by an amazing author and person - sharing her story of love, family, grief and healing after she lost her husband in a tragic scuba diving accident while their young and growing family was deployed in Hawaii. Her words will reach right out of the pages into your soul!
September 22, 2023
This book has a special place in my heart. 💟 Such a sad story and as a navy wife I connected with this book so much. Ashley put so much love into this book and just loved how beautifully written this was.
April 1, 2021
I haven't had a book make me cry in a long time but this one sure did!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews