Holiday Heroes

Nearly my entire life has been spent around the military, so I’m always a little leery of stories that center around the Armed Forces. I’m always afraid that the author will make a mistake, something that I just know to be wrong, and I won’t be able to get over it enough to enjoy the story. I’m sure this happens with other professions — a lay person may not realize the goof, but readers with a background in the subject will pick up on it. I figured I was safe, with a book of short stories featuring a Marine and an Air Force general. After all, my background is Army. There are differences between the services.

“A Soldier For All Seasons” by Rachel Lee
Jon Erikson, a Marine on R&R from Afghanistan, meets park ranger Melinda Hawthorne. She remembers him from high school, him being a few years older, and she had a school girl crush on him. Neither is looking for an attachment. Jon is just looking for some peace and solitude before he goes back overseas, so he decides to camp out. Melinda hasn’t been comfortable around people since a traumatic event in her life, so she’s more than happy to be up at the ranger station by herself. Yet, they form a bond during a snow storm and tell each other their inner demons. It’s a sweet, romantic story of two lonely people making a connection. I enjoyed it very much.

“Christmas At His Command” by Catherine Mann
The premise of the story: Senator Ginger Landis is presenting a family heirloom during a rebuilt medieval church dedication and General Hank Renshaw is responsible for her safety. I just couldn’t get into it. The author’s writing style doesn’t appeal to me, so I just skimmed through to find out the who and why behind the death threats.

Started: 14 December 2007
Finished: 17 December 2007

Rating:

Enjoyed it!