Home Front

Title: Home Front
Publisher: St.Martins Press
Pub Date:  January 31st, 2012
Author: Kristin Hannah
Received From: ExLibris_Kate
Format: Audio



In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war. 
All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .
Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.
At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.  


A few weeks ago I received a package from Kate over at ExLibris_Kate, and in it was an advanced copy of this book on CD. Kate and I have known one another long before either of us began book blogging and I consider her to be my greatest inspiration to start this blog. She guided me, answered silly questions and supported me. But now she gets a new title, best package sender ever! I couldn't wait to pop this in the car and watch this story unfold and man was I not disappointed. 


Home Front is the story of family. In this tale Jolene is a member of many families. She her her main family unit, husband Michael, and daughters Besty and LuLu. Her military family in the national guard. Her friendship with fellow guardsman Tammy that is a deep family of sisterhood. Just when one family begins to have a thread unravel, another family is met with the news they are about to go to war. I know war exists but the stories told throughout this book really brought new light to the situation for me. As Jolene prepared her home for the deployment I knew some major changes were coming for Michael and the girls. Maybe it's that I am a mother of two girls but man this family and their story struck my heart so deeply. The tales of life on the home front, or the way Jolene and Tammy were fighting were detailed, expressive and deep! I loved them. 


When tragedy struck in the scariest of ways each one of Jolene's families had to undergo changes and Jolene herself had to as well. Each story, moment, consideration etc was one that drew me in. there were times I drove a bit further around the block to hear more, or had to turn it off so I wasn't the mom shushing her kids so she could listen to her book. The end of the book and epilogue did a fantastic job of tying it all together for me! I am now going to rush out an buy a paperback copy so I can share this one in two ways!