perachdavida's review
3.0
Look, Harlequin category romances are a very specific thing. The title tells you exactly what you’re getting, which is tropey goodness in under 250 pages. This is a “whoops, we woke up in Vegas married and one of us doesn’t remember a thing” story, but of course both are army captains newly assigned to the same base, and oh no, Texas law requires you to live there for 6 months before you can file for a divorce, so uh-oh, now they’re required to live in married base housing together. What will happen?? They’ll fall in love again and live happily ever after because that’s what happens in a romance.
lateresita27's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bananatricky's review
4.0
Captain Helen Pallas is driving from Seattle to Fort Hood, Texas to take up her new posting, she has detoured via Vegas and wakes up in the honeymoon suite of the MGM Grand with no clear recollection of the events of the night before, or how she ended up married to a complete stranger only a few weeks after her divorce came through.
Regardless of how attractive her new husband Tom Cross might be, Helen has to be in Fort Hood within 24 hours for her new position and so she runs out on their honeymoon breakfast with a vague promise to call him to arrange an annulment or divorce.
When Helen arrives at Fort Hood and meets her new commander she is surprised to find Tom in his office, the two of them are both Captains at Fort Hood. Her new commander insists that the two of them share Tom’s quarters and attend marriage counselling as the laws of Texas require an individual to be resident for at least six months before they can file for divorce.
I liked this Mills & Boon romance, it approached a well-worn trope with a new twist – Tom recalls everything from that night, he and Helen talked for hours and shared their thoughts and dreams. For him this wasn’t some drunken whim but meeting the love of his life and pledging solemn vows. He is totally thrown when Helen remembers nothing from that night and demands a divorce.
This is the second book by Caro Carson I have read, both of which were military romances featuring MPs. I really enjoy the novels although they feel very short, almost novella length, the characters are intelligent, honorable, thoughtful people with a strong sense of duty and I enjoyed the way that each of them viewed the other’s actions through the perspective of their previous relationships.
I will continue to look out for Ms Carson’s novels in future, she writes delicious heroes that I would love to meet and strong, clever heroines that I wish I could be.
Regardless of how attractive her new husband Tom Cross might be, Helen has to be in Fort Hood within 24 hours for her new position and so she runs out on their honeymoon breakfast with a vague promise to call him to arrange an annulment or divorce.
When Helen arrives at Fort Hood and meets her new commander she is surprised to find Tom in his office, the two of them are both Captains at Fort Hood. Her new commander insists that the two of them share Tom’s quarters and attend marriage counselling as the laws of Texas require an individual to be resident for at least six months before they can file for divorce.
I liked this Mills & Boon romance, it approached a well-worn trope with a new twist – Tom recalls everything from that night, he and Helen talked for hours and shared their thoughts and dreams. For him this wasn’t some drunken whim but meeting the love of his life and pledging solemn vows. He is totally thrown when Helen remembers nothing from that night and demands a divorce.
This is the second book by Caro Carson I have read, both of which were military romances featuring MPs. I really enjoy the novels although they feel very short, almost novella length, the characters are intelligent, honorable, thoughtful people with a strong sense of duty and I enjoyed the way that each of them viewed the other’s actions through the perspective of their previous relationships.
I will continue to look out for Ms Carson’s novels in future, she writes delicious heroes that I would love to meet and strong, clever heroines that I wish I could be.
beckymmoe's review
4.0
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 10/11/12.
This might be my first amnesia story...it's the first one I remember reading, anyway. ;)
Both Helen and Tom were highly sympathetic characters--seeing their thoughts and observing their feelings throughout the story really made me want them to be happy, though knowing what they were thinking and feeling made an HEA for them seem almost impossible for much of the book.
I don't know how Ms. Carson did it--even though the whole "we met and married in 14 hours and expect it will last forever" premise behind their marriage seems totally implausible as did Helen's memory loss (especially minus the usual illness or bump on the head--even though those plot devices are undoubtedly equally ridiculous...) I still was 100% invested in their outcome. I wanted them to be together, at least as much as Tom did--no, we both needed it.
Since my first book from this author was pretty much unputdownable, you'd better believe I'll be coming back for more!
Rating 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This might be my first amnesia story...it's the first one I remember reading, anyway. ;)
Both Helen and Tom were highly sympathetic characters--seeing their thoughts and observing their feelings throughout the story really made me want them to be happy, though knowing what they were thinking and feeling made an HEA for them seem almost impossible for much of the book.
I don't know how Ms. Carson did it--even though the whole "we met and married in 14 hours and expect it will last forever" premise behind their marriage seems totally implausible as did Helen's memory loss (especially minus the usual illness or bump on the head--even though those plot devices are undoubtedly equally ridiculous...) I still was 100% invested in their outcome. I wanted them to be together, at least as much as Tom did--no, we both needed it.
Since my first book from this author was pretty much unputdownable, you'd better believe I'll be coming back for more!
Rating 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
laura_sorensen's review
3.0
I've read better books about getting married in Vegas, but I like what happens afterward when they end up at the same army base. But why oh why isn't she wearing her uniform on the cover?? COME ON!
jenreadsromance's review
4.0
Captain Helen Pallas (I'll be honest, I generally think I'm good at the overt symbolism, but for whatever reason, I get this is a reference to The Trojan War, but not quite sure why) wakes up to find she's married one morning in Vegas, only weeks after her divorce is final. The groom is Tom Cross and she doesn't remember anything about the night before--just flashes of very hot sex. Tom is CRAZY in love with her and frustrated, angry, and disappointed that she can't remember. She blows out of the hotel room for Ft. Hood. When she arrives, she discovers that Tom is Captain Tom Cross, he's also stationed at Ft. Hood, and the commanding officer orders them to live together and go to marriage counseling. Tom & Helen have to live together for at least 3 months before they can file for divorce.
Pluses: It's a fairly complicated set up, but one that the author pulls off, I think. It doesn't seem ridiculous or silly, even though it easily could have been. This is all about the emotional journey between them--can they fall in love again? will she remember that magical day?
Wishes: There's basically no external conflict, and I found myself wondering how the author would muscle through, it largely works. But the truth is, I felt like Helen---I wanted more on the day they got married. For story reasons, I get why. But...the heart wants what it wants.
Verdict: Recommended. Even though it's an unorthodox "marriage in trouble" story, I think it's successful. A good category romance is a perfect package, and this delivers.
PS: Also unexpectedly hot for a category romance. Let's just say that Captain Cross has tremendous upper body strength and knows how to use it.
Copied & Pasted from Twitter as part of a project where I'm reviewing the 2019 RITA finalists.
Pluses: It's a fairly complicated set up, but one that the author pulls off, I think. It doesn't seem ridiculous or silly, even though it easily could have been. This is all about the emotional journey between them--can they fall in love again? will she remember that magical day?
Wishes: There's basically no external conflict, and I found myself wondering how the author would muscle through, it largely works. But the truth is, I felt like Helen---I wanted more on the day they got married. For story reasons, I get why. But...the heart wants what it wants.
Verdict: Recommended. Even though it's an unorthodox "marriage in trouble" story, I think it's successful. A good category romance is a perfect package, and this delivers.
PS: Also unexpectedly hot for a category romance. Let's just say that Captain Cross has tremendous upper body strength and knows how to use it.
Copied & Pasted from Twitter as part of a project where I'm reviewing the 2019 RITA finalists.
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