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David Rhodes is ending his stint in the Naval Reserves to return to active duty. Assigned to the Bringer, he is finding it difficult to adjust among a group of strangers on a new ship as an officer with rank and power over others who are equally as unsure of him. While preparing for a mission to Australia, a chance encounter with a woman changes his career-minded direction and has him looking for a new source of fulfillment in his life. Smitten with this woman, Beth, he is dismayed to learn that she is already married and that her husband happens to be on the same ship as David. Torn between a love more powerful than he has ever known and the desire to keep the status quo, David must endure time on a trip beneath an incompetent captain while making up his mind.
The author balances two storylines realistically and entertainingly. As David makes his decision and has his suspicions about the identity of Beth’s husband, he must also attend to his daily duties aboard the ship. While there’s plenty of action and even tragedy happening around the ship whether in port or at sea, the primary source of conflict comes from within David as he must decide if he can break up a marriage to be with the person he believes he belongs. The author is a retired Naval Officer, and his expertise shines through in the many details that bring the story of Lt. Rhodes to life, something that anyone who has served in the Navy will instantly relate to. With plenty of conflict, action, and an ending that will shock the reader, this book is a solid journey from start to finish.