A Marine for Christmas by Beth Andrews
Diamond Dust trilogy, Book 1
Harlequin
Contemporary
ISBN: 978-0373716708
Reviewed by Vanessa







Former Marine, Brady Sheppard, received a “Dear John” letter from his fiancée, Liz Montgomery, twelve months before while stationed overseas.  Wallowing in self-pity and not exactly sober, injured Brady crashes Liz’s wedding because he believes this will make it more of a reality for him.  Brady had his life mapped out, but things and events changed and none of his plans bared fruit.  Brady feels he isn’t in control of his current life.  He doesn’t like the way he feels that he is just along for the ride as though he hasn’t made any choices in his life.

Jane Cleo “J.C.” Montgomery doesn’t hesitate to help get the drunken Brady to leave her sister’s wedding and go home.  One thing leads to another and she is soon wrapped up in her crushes’ arms feeling that her world is about to explode with passion.  Instead she is devastated to discover that her life has just imploded and it all began with Brady calling out Liz’s name at the pinnacle of climax!  Will J.C. grow up and realize that she can’t continue to live her life cutting and running before seeing things through?  Will Brady be able to redeem himself from the devastating effects of his faux pas?

A Marine for Christmas is a story with hidden facets and endearing characters.  It’s a story that you have to search for the sweetness in because it’s there layered amongst the angst!  It’s just not manifested and in your face.  A Marine for Christmas is full of characters that appear to be more human with their emotions.  They are full of messiness and imperfections.  The characters have to struggle to find their right paths and, when they are diverted, they have to learn to pick up their pieces and carry on.

In A Marine for Christmas, Brady seems mean towards J.C. in the things he does and says to her, but this is a guy that has been physically and emotionally wounded, and I felt like the author conveyed those emotions well.  A Marine for Christmas had some pretty poignant moments showing that Brady is a guy that will fight for what he wants and who is willing to put himself out there emotionally as he picks up the pieces of his shattered life.  He fought his inner demons for J.C., shared things with her that he hadn’t shared with another and these are things he didn’t do for Liz.  A Marine for Christmas had Brady realizing that he was in control of his choices, and that things happened because of decisions he made!  A Marine for Christmas showed, at least to me, that Brady truly didn’t mean to hurt J.C. in the end because he had opened himself up to her in ways that he never had with anyone else.

A Marine for Christmas had J.C. learning that even if she were to fail at something, it didn’t mean it was the end of the world; that she could complete a task instead of leaving it undone to avoid admitting failure.  J.C. was there for Brady, showing him that she cared and that her love wasn’t conditional.  As J.C. grew in A Marine for Christmas, it seemed that she didn’t need Brady for her happiness, but that he needed her.

In A Marine for Christmas, it was more like Brady just wanted to hang onto the past because it was comfortable and he knew how things were then before everything changed.

A Marine for Christmas was definitely a book full of angst, but it also had sweeter emotions and some love between the covers with real life people!  I joyfully recommend A Marine for Christmas.