Review: Last True Hero by Diana Gardin (Battle Scars #1)
Note: This ARC was provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At eighteen, Dare Conners left his less than ideal life in foster care behind to join the Army, going on to become a Ranger. Seven years later and with injuries that led to his honorable discharge, he's decided to take his best friend up on his offer to spend some time in Lone Sands, North Carolina. With the surf and sand serving as the perfect backdrop to get his life as a civilian started, Dare is planning on hanging around for a few months before he heads off to wherever, continuing the nomadism that's become a part of him. Then he meets Berkeley Holtz, and he's immediately smitten and intrigued by the college graduate. She's made clear she doesn't date military men, but Dare is proving to be too much for Berkeley to resist, and while she considers a summer fling with him, but the summer isn't long enough for what this couple share.
Last True Hero is the first novel in the Battle Scars series from Diana Gardin and is also my first ever read by the author. This book worked quite well as a series starter, introducing readers to a cast of characters that proved to be worthy of attention, but just enough so that you'll want to witness the "real" stories unfold as the series goes on. The focus truly is on Dare Conners and Berkeley Holtz and their romance that's filled with intensity. Berkeley makes it a rule to not date anyone in the military--because dating someone that was too much like her father was a no-go for her--and you would think that Dare being an ex-Army Ranger would make it easier for her to date him and for her overbearing father to accept the guy, but goodness, these two have a heck of a lot of hurdles to jump over before they get to happily-ever-after.
Both Dare and Berkeley are at a point in their lives where they're going to need to make certain decisions that will lead them down their respective paths. Dare saw himself becoming a lifer in the Army and that didn't include his ending up working behind a desk after he was injured. On the other hand, Berkeley's life was all mapped out, courtesy of her overly involved parents, and while she knows she wants something different for herself, she seems to lack conviction when it comes to making her parents see that. It's only when Dare and Berkeley meet and spend their time together that how they saw their lives panning out changes. They've got more than their fair share against them, leading them to decide if what they feel for each other is something actually worth fighting for or if it's nothing more than one temporary distraction.
Just when you think you know where the story is going, there's a sudden twist that had me surprised, but it was that one perfect thing that made this even better than it already was. Loaded with romantic and sexual tension, this is the kind of love story that feels familiar but is actually a step above what you'd expect. Add in two main characters that are so perfectly suited for each other and a host of supporting characters that you hope will pair up later on--and with that sneak peek at the second book, it's clear that one of those hopes will prove to be fruitful by March 2016, with my fingers crossed that the other pair that seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot here find their footing afterwards. This has been one of my favorite finds for 2015 and I'm highly recommending you check it out. Last True Hero is five-starred series starter. ♥
Date Read: 21 November 2015
Learn more about Diana Gardin.
Purchase Last True Hero on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.
At eighteen, Dare Conners left his less than ideal life in foster care behind to join the Army, going on to become a Ranger. Seven years later and with injuries that led to his honorable discharge, he's decided to take his best friend up on his offer to spend some time in Lone Sands, North Carolina. With the surf and sand serving as the perfect backdrop to get his life as a civilian started, Dare is planning on hanging around for a few months before he heads off to wherever, continuing the nomadism that's become a part of him. Then he meets Berkeley Holtz, and he's immediately smitten and intrigued by the college graduate. She's made clear she doesn't date military men, but Dare is proving to be too much for Berkeley to resist, and while she considers a summer fling with him, but the summer isn't long enough for what this couple share.
Last True Hero is the first novel in the Battle Scars series from Diana Gardin and is also my first ever read by the author. This book worked quite well as a series starter, introducing readers to a cast of characters that proved to be worthy of attention, but just enough so that you'll want to witness the "real" stories unfold as the series goes on. The focus truly is on Dare Conners and Berkeley Holtz and their romance that's filled with intensity. Berkeley makes it a rule to not date anyone in the military--because dating someone that was too much like her father was a no-go for her--and you would think that Dare being an ex-Army Ranger would make it easier for her to date him and for her overbearing father to accept the guy, but goodness, these two have a heck of a lot of hurdles to jump over before they get to happily-ever-after.
Both Dare and Berkeley are at a point in their lives where they're going to need to make certain decisions that will lead them down their respective paths. Dare saw himself becoming a lifer in the Army and that didn't include his ending up working behind a desk after he was injured. On the other hand, Berkeley's life was all mapped out, courtesy of her overly involved parents, and while she knows she wants something different for herself, she seems to lack conviction when it comes to making her parents see that. It's only when Dare and Berkeley meet and spend their time together that how they saw their lives panning out changes. They've got more than their fair share against them, leading them to decide if what they feel for each other is something actually worth fighting for or if it's nothing more than one temporary distraction.
Just when you think you know where the story is going, there's a sudden twist that had me surprised, but it was that one perfect thing that made this even better than it already was. Loaded with romantic and sexual tension, this is the kind of love story that feels familiar but is actually a step above what you'd expect. Add in two main characters that are so perfectly suited for each other and a host of supporting characters that you hope will pair up later on--and with that sneak peek at the second book, it's clear that one of those hopes will prove to be fruitful by March 2016, with my fingers crossed that the other pair that seemed to have gotten off on the wrong foot here find their footing afterwards. This has been one of my favorite finds for 2015 and I'm highly recommending you check it out. Last True Hero is five-starred series starter. ♥
Date Read: 21 November 2015
Learn more about Diana Gardin.
Purchase Last True Hero on Amazon | B&N | Kobo.
Comments
Post a Comment