Love is a Wounded Soldier in The Indie Bookshelf

Jun 14, 2012 Leslie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, wwii-era, historical-romance

When I was asked to read this book and give my review, I went in knowing nothing about the author or his story. I certainly wasn't prepared for what I was about to experience because this book truly had it all; romance, tragedy, war, death, violence...even hope. The prologue started out through letters from a grandfather to his grandson. It immediately grabbed me, but once the story unfolded the writing alone absolutely blew my socks off.

Pre-WWII, Robert Maddox is a young man with a tough famil ...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Angela Mclaurin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books, indie-bookshelf

Love is a Wounded Soldier is the phenomenally crafted journey of a man from a simpler time who experiences disappointment, love, war, loss, redemption, and ultimately courage to move forward with his life. Blaine Reimer is truly a gifted writer who carefully weaves his beautiful words into a story that will capture your heart and move you to tears. From the stunning cover art to the vivid images of love and tragedy Blaine transcribed, this is a work of pure brilliance that you simply must read!

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Jul 10, 2012 Andrea Randall rated it it was amazing

"A woman is a terrifying thing. A woman is a velvet hammer that softy pounds your will from around your heart, leaving it bare, vulnerable, defenseless." ~Love is a Wounded Soldier.

The above quote is not the exception to the kind of literary art between the pages of Love is a Wounded Soldier- it's the rule. Page after page of this work pounded away at MY heart and left me vulnerable and defenseless. Blaine's work of historical fiction/romance struck such a deep chord that reverberated in me the "A woman is a terrifying thing. A woman is a velvet hammer that softy pounds your will from around your heart, leaving it bare, vulnerable, defenseless." ~Love is a Wounded Soldier.

The above quote is not the exception to the kind of literary art between the pages of Love is a Wounded Soldier- it's the rule. Page after page of this work pounded away at MY heart and left me vulnerable and defenseless. Blaine's work of historical fiction/romance struck such a deep chord that reverberated in me the entire time I was reading it, and for two days after. It was only when the chords silenced that I could compose myself enough to express the magnitude of intellectual art sat between its pages.

Robbie, our lovable pre-WW II boy, takes us on a visual and emotional journey through his childhood, falling in love, and leaving for WW II in the first 1/3 of the story. The 2nd 1/3 follows Robbie's time training for and on the front lines of WW II. That section was extremely difficult to get through, for me, only because the writing was so beautiful and so detailed at the same time. The visuals produced by his words hung over me and made me mourn with Robbie for all the loss he witnessed. I do wish that we saw some of Ellen's letters to Robbie during the war, rather than hear one passing line about them, but I wasn't left sitting on that thought for the whole novel. The final 1/3 of the book sent me through a vortex of complicated, depressing, intense, and awe-inspiring moments that I thought I'd never come up for air. We're shown that while war changes those who are in it, it changes those who are left behind as well. One of my favorite quotes from the third part, "...my problem was I let old wounds outlive the people that made 'em...." Love is a Wounded Soldier was beautiful and melancholy from beginning to end.

This book is truly one that couples could read together. I've never read any romance by a male, and this did not disappoint. Further, the war scenes were written delicately enough for those who don't read lots of war books, but intense enough to be appreciated by those who do.

Blaine's talent left my jaw hanging open and my voice mute. I wondered how I could ever write a review for a book that kissed me, punched me, stepped on me, loved me, and held me hand all at the same time? I hope I've done it justice. ...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Janna Bartolina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

"In my Life, I have experienced many things. I've seen unbelievable beauty and felt unbearable pain. I've witnessed human beings exhibit both savagery that would shame a beast, and love and grace I'd thought only god could be capable of"

Love is a Wounded Soldier is a beautifully written story narrated through the eyes of a man who has experienced life, love, loss and redemption.
I loved every word written, and this story will stay with me for a very long time. ...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Erin Roth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Go. buy. this. book. I can't say enough about it. I went from a farm in the South to the western front and back again, lulled by the seamless beauty of Blaine Reimer's words, the vividness of his characters, and my overarching NEED to see what happened next. I think I'll even read it again, ugly crying or not, just to spend more time in Robert Mattox's shoes. "How could love not grow in a soil so fertile?" Sigh. ...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Kara rated it liked it · review of another edition

I really want to rate this book higher but I just can't. Through most of the book I was in love!!! I loved the story, the characters, the emotions and they way they were written. The morals that were learned we're so true and beautifully written!!! Sure there were some gut-wrenching parts but that's part of life, right. I even loved the way it ended for the main character. But, I felt very slighted with the quick and almost corny way the author tied up the loose ends in the epilogue. It was not ...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Colby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Loved this one. I keep revisiting this story in my mind days after finishing it. The flow was fantastic! I could truly picture him growing physically, mentally, and emotionally. It's difficult to SHOW how a character thinks rather than to be TOLD, but Reimer has proven to do just that.

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