You Know When the Men Are Gone / Siobhan Fallon / 226 pgs / Audiobook

There are many reasons for why we choose the books we read. Mine are often to learn something new, to marvel in the miracle of language, to better understand other people, to escape to a new (and often fantastical) place, or just to enjoy myself and laugh for a little while. I read You Know When the Men Are Gone because I understand it. Let me clarify first that I didn't have the experiences of Fallon's characters from these stories. But I was a military spouse, and there are certain "truths" (in quotes because these are things you are told and expect even if they are not true for you) that members of the military and their families learn quickly: Your significant other will cheat on you, likely at your most vulnerable or public moment. Other spouses and families are here for you, but you should also be able to take care of yourself and your family. Rank matters in every situation, professional or personal. There are more of these little lessons, but I can't think of them right now. The point is, Fallon's stories are not unusual (except perhaps "Leave," which is possible but not as likely as the others), and I know a lot of people who lived these experiences. There are lots of books about war from various angles, but it's rare to find a book (even though it's fiction) that accurately conveys the situations and emotions of United States Military family life. If someone asked me what it was like to be a member of a military family or how to better understand the mindset of the military spouse, this would be the first book I'd hand them.

Beyond the sunrise / Mary Balogh 384 p.

Beyond the sunrise / Mary Balogh 384 p.

Jeanne Morisette and Robert Blake went through the throes of first love when she was 15 and he, 17.  Her father forbids the romance when Robert's illegitimacy is discovered.  Her final words were so harsh, he joins the military.   During the Napoleonic Wars he rises through the ranks to become a captain.  They meet again when both are spies; and neither knows the other's role; and she doesn't even recognize him.  Even the lies they must tell each other doesn't keep a romance from slowly flourishing.  She especially plays her spy cards close to her chest.  Robert doesn't have a clue as to her real role.  He captures her when he breaks out of a French prison.  Dragging her back to the British lines as a French spy gives them ample opportunity to explore their budding romance.  Interwoven into the romance is the fascinating description of Wellington's masterful defense of Lisbon by using a series of forts, built in secrecy, the Lines of Torres Vedras.