A Searingly-Honest Look at Being Married to an Enlisted Man
This book reads as easily and smoothly as a well written fiction novel, but what adds extra interest is the fact that it is a memoir. Prior to finishing the book, I came across a few reviews that referred to the 28-year-old memoir narrator as a complainer or a whiner or a negative wife. Here's what I think: if you are a person that is going to "stand by your [spouse]" like Tammy Wynette sings in a famous country song or you think it is unpatriotic to point out aspects of military life that aren't romantic and perfect or you belong to a church that wants to portray life for its members as 100% happy and perfect, then you might not like this book. However, if you are a person who has ever thought you or someone you love -AND have made personal sacrifices to be and build a life with- might have made a mistake in a career choice or a move to a different state, then you will understand the emotions of Simone. She and Andrew met and fell in love in New York. Simone has a wonderful career as an editor and lots of friends with whom she shares similar activities. Simone also thinks Andrew is joking when he says he might enlist in the Army, bu nine days after they marry, Andrew enlists.
Simone gives up her career as well as a circle of friends and life in a big city filled with restaurants that she and Andrew enjoy, art exhibits, theater and author/book review events to relocate to a tiny town in Georgia in a neighborhood of financially-struggling military families. So yeah, Simone is not thrilled every day; when Andrew is deployed as part of a special military unit, her doubts and loneliness weigh heavily on her mind.
I applaud this author for an interesting book that is brutally honest about the pitfalls of having an enlisted spouse, the caste system in the military, as well as the things in the author's own life that haunt her at times.
Simone gives up her career as well as a circle of friends and life in a big city filled with restaurants that she and Andrew enjoy, art exhibits, theater and author/book review events to relocate to a tiny town in Georgia in a neighborhood of financially-struggling military families. So yeah, Simone is not thrilled every day; when Andrew is deployed as part of a special military unit, her doubts and loneliness weigh heavily on her mind.
I applaud this author for an interesting book that is brutally honest about the pitfalls of having an enlisted spouse, the caste system in the military, as well as the things in the author's own life that haunt her at times.