Miniviews #25: Come Back to Me & This is One Moment

Come Back to Me by Mila Gray

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: June 19th, 2014

Pages: 373

Series: Come Back to Me #1

Source: Purchased

Rating: 4/5

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I was in a real reading mood for military romance. I haven't read a bunch but it's always a topic I seem to love in my romance books. Probably because I have no first hand experience. So it kind of interests me. And usually can provide a more deep and emotional love story. Come Back to Me also gives me another of my favourite romance tropes; falling for brothers best friend. Jessa and Kit's story has you intrigued and invested by the end of the prologue. Not that I would have stopped reading otherwise. But the who's dead(Kit or Riley) hangs in the air for a good portion of the book. And even pretty much knowing(it is a romance) who the poor soul is, there's always that chance that the author will surprise you and destroy your feelings even more so. So we have the lead up to the death. And than the subsequent fall out. Both Jessa and Kit's families are military. Their dad's also have a history that includes a nasty fall out. Even with Riley and Kit being inseparable, the kids don't know what happened. Riley and Jessa's dad is suffering with PTSD, refusing to get help, which makes him a nasty man. Jessa being the kid at home, she has to tiptoe around the house and hide what her true passions are. Pretty much right away Jessa and Kit start their secret relationship. Kit and Riley are just back before being redeployed again in a few weeks. Kit finally decided enough is enough and acts on his long lingering feelings for Jessa.
I definitely really felt for Jessa. It's like she can't be herself because of her dad. She's honestly scared of what will happen. Jessa is a sweet and quiet girl. Kit is more on the carefree side. They both love hard. Kit is able to encourage Jessa to do what she wants. She wants to try out for a play so do it. Don't be scared of what your dad is going to do. You have to live for yourself. Which I think becomes a bit of a motto throughout the book. Kit and Riley head back on deployment after a lot of shit hitting the fan. And than the feels just take off from there. We know someone isn't coming home and shit, that's hard to read. Clearly because of spoilers there's not much I can say. But just know that even from something so devastating, happiness does eventually arise. People change for the better. The light becomes brighter as time moves forward. Gray was easily able to capture the emotional journey of the family. Her writing flowed seamlessly. Which lead to me having no problem(also needing to) read Come Back to Me in one go. Really really well done military focused romance.  

This is One Moment by Mila Gray

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: September 10th, 2015

Pages: 384

Series: Come Back to Me #2

Source: Netgalley/Publisher

Rating: 4.5/5

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God, I loved This is One Moment. The ending was a teeny bit cheesy, but seeing as it's a romance, that's to be expected. Otherwise on point. I liked Didi in Come Back to Me. She was fun and really loyal. So getting her POV unsurprisingly made me absolutely adore her. Didi's relationship with her parents is open and solid that I have to believe that rubbed off on how calm and grounded of a women she is. Didi is taking after her parents, she's studying psychology. Which leads her to taking a summer internship with her dad at a military hospital. This is where Didi meets Noel Walker. Walker is a patient at said hospital. This is one complex man. Walker is struggling to come to terms with his current life. Having been one of two survivors from a attack on his unit, he blames himself for not being able to safe all his men. That attack did a number on Walker's head and body. The hardest to deal with is his current blindness. Understandably this makes Walker grumpy and sullen. Especially when the doctors are telling him there's nothing physically wrong with his eyes. It's his subconscious. Walker needs to learn that it wasn't his fault. Has to forgive himself.
Let's get my feelings for Zac out of the way. I really felt nothing for him. He's absolutely clueless. He embodies how we imagine young, hot celebrities. I was questioning where Didi's head was at when it came to him. Silly girl.
Now Didi's and Walker's relationship I was 100% on board with upon the first not so stellar meeting. I loved how Didi didn't get scared off by his moods. She was patient and knew he just needed someone stable to be a friend to him. The small things that Didi would do, like giving him her iPod full of audio books, or helping him shave, was so what he needed. Walker didn't necessarily need someone to take his hand and guide him through life. He needed someone to tell him he's strong. He needed someone to talk to him like the normal man he is. He needed a friend. I love them together. Seriously, the progression of their relationship was so easy. Being in Walker's POV was extra emotional. Even just when he was needing someone to hold him because he missed human contact. It would break my heart. But than Didi was there to grab his hand. Their connection was so hot and sexy. Especially because Walker feel in love with Didi's personality. He would lust over just talking to her. Didi was going to be beautiful to him no matter what she looked like. Now that was effing sexy.
Like with Come Back to Me, Gray pulled in my heart with her emotional writing. The setting being an army hospital the injured marines were really captured in so many dynamics. Some have lost legs, arms, etc... And each one deals with their new lifestyle in a different way. From upbeat and positive to depression. Every marine has their story to tell and Gray told it. It's hard to read and not be constantly emotional. Walker and Didi's journey and relationship may have been the main focus but that didn't take away from me needing everyone to make a full recovery.

Happy reading!

Brittany