We Have July
Author: Ellison Lane
Genre: Romance, fiction
Published: June 4th, 2021
Jesse can't escape his past. Raina can't escape the present.
When the two meet, can they find their way to love and a future?
Recovering from a combat injury sustained in the Persian Gulf War, Airman-1st Class & Staff Sergeant Jesse Quarless is on medical leave when he meets Raina. After being enlisted and deployed for six years, Jesse returns to his rural Wisconsin hometown not as the hellion teenager he once was, but as a grown man with a different perspective on his future. Like racing to extinguish a lit fuse, he finds it impossible to outrun his past before it destroys his hopes for a future.
Social worker and responsible good girl, Raina Blake is swept off her feet by the quiet, charming, and mysterious airman. Abiding by the rules of her employment at the VA clinic and fighting for independence from her overbearing father, Raina knows she can't let her attraction to Jesse grow into a relationship-especially since his military leave will expire in a few months.
A single night changes Jesse's path. Can Raina break away from the safety of following the rules and accept a life into the unknown with Jesse? Striving to look beyond Jesse's past, can Raina give love a chance?
A story of forgiveness, acceptance, and growth.
What better time to review a book titled We Have July, than in the month of July?!
Fact: I'm a sucker for a good, clean romance novel, and this was like a glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day. I found I was easily able to relate with the Raina and her situation. She has such a sweet personality.
Then there is Jesse. Um, yes, please. A strong man overcoming a physical setback? A passionate man in a uniform? Now that is my cup of sweet, sweet tea! Lane illustrated her talent for words in description and in the flow of the plot. I was drawn into the story, feeling the hurt as well as the elation the main characters experienced.
Let's talk about the plot. Many books fail to tie up all loose ends, but it's clear Lane did her homework. She took the time to answer all questions, even the epilogue took us five years into the future. Anything I could've wondered was explained there as well as in the last few chapters. I didn't want the romance to end, but Lane was gentle. By the time I reached the last page, there was an understanding: all good things come to an end, and it's okay. Besides, I'll be sure to look out for any other books by Ellison Lane. I have a good feeling about this new and upcoming author!
Five stars. Why? Because I wasn't missing anything. Nothing could've made the story better. It was clean, family friendly and these qualities are something I can support and suggest to anyone!
