Review: FOR LOVE OR DUTY by Bethanne Strasser

If not for my friend Kim at SOS Aloha, I wouldn’t have found the novella FOR LOVE OR DUTY by Bethanne Strasser. I’m sure glad Kim suggested I read this author. I’m all for military spouses reading military spouses, especially if the writing also deals with military life. 

I had a good time with FOR LOVE OR DUTY. It’s a light summer read for a few hours by the pool. Valerie and Kevin are just complicated enough to keep each other on their toes without weighing the story down with their issues. I really enjoyed that both were open to the idea of no-strings attached fun. And that they tried to make their friendship work. Cheryl, the sidekick, was fun and refreshing. 

But what really didn’t work for me, so much so that it lowered the grade for the entire novella, was the non-communication tool Strasser used to create a very contrived way to keep Kevin and Valerie apart. Seriously? Valerie’s father knew of Kevin’s plans; he wouldn’t have told his daughter what had happened to Kevin the minute he got the news? Cheryl knew of Kevin’s plans, too; she wouldn’t have called Valerie either? If a serviceman is injured, calls are being made. Period. No one cares if there was an argument before/during the deployment. 

I understand why Strasser used this tool (it’s in every new author’s bag of tricks), but her writing is beyond using such beginner tropes. She’s far better than the contrived conflict she created. 

Still, her conflict led to a satisfying conclusion and my absolute favorite part of the story. When Kevin said, “I can’t assure you I’ll be there every time you need me.” I cheered. I loved that he was being honest and realistic. Separation is a very real part of military life and too often overlooked in the happy-ever-after assurances of our fictional military heroes. Kudos to Strasser (and Kevin) for keeping it honest.

B

Have a grand weekend

Ivy and I took my new friend Kim of SOS Aloha (link) fame up on the offer to spend some time at Bellows beach yesterday. Bellows is easily one of my favorite beaches. The sand at Bellows is like powder. You don’t need beach shoes to protect your feet and it’s not usually crowded. Ivy had a great time, first at the playground and then in the sand. She’s a fearless little creature, let me tell you.

It was a bit overcast at first, but that just means no immediate sunburn :-)

I hope wherever you are, your weekend got off to a good start as well.

Life of leisure

My new friends, blogger extraordinaire Kim and fantasy writer Renee, and I drove over to Kaneohe Marine Corps Base this morning. Our goal: to show Renee who is new to Oahu the sights and talk “shop.” It probably wasn’t the best day to appreciate the Koolau Mountain Range, because low hanging clouds shrouded everything in a haze, but the beaches on Kaneohe were still impressive. The surf was a bit rough – not good for swimming – but at least one beach-going creature seemed to have had a good time.

Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered, but that doesn’t keep them from coming ashore for a sunbath. You don’t see them very often, so it’s a big deal when you spot one. If you do see one, please give it room. Harassing them can get you in big trouble with the locals (and the law). The same goes for green sea turtles by the way, though they can be found on the beaches with far greater frequency.

Naturally I got wet while snapping these pictures. (Beach safety says not to turn your back to the ocean for good reason.)

After our sightseeing adventure we had lunch at the K’Bay O’Club. Yummy. On the way home, Ivy slept blissfully in her carseat and Kim told us about meeting the cast of Hawaii 5-0 (they visited “her” elementary school, sigh, but not “mine.”)

No adventures are planned for next week, Thanksgiving and all, but we’ll do more exploring the week after. Stay tuned.

And in case, you wondered, no I got no writing done yet this week. My goal was to finish the break-in scene and have Mason explain to Soren how his military career ended. I may have to stay up a bit later this weekend to get it all done.