Terrific book. Luke has been back in his hometown for a year after his medical discharge from the Marines. He is doing his best to avoid Crystal, whose husband Brandon, Luke's best friend, was killed in the same IED attack. Luke blames himself for Brandon's death and is sure that Crystal would want nothing to do with him.

Crystal's son Jack has changed since his father's death, constantly in trouble at school for fighting. She's at her wit's end trying to get through to him. When circumstances make it impossible for Luke to continue avoiding Crystal, he realizes there is something he can do to help Jack and honor his friend's memory.

Luke's school years were miserable because of undiagnosed dyslexia. His home life wasn't much better, thanks to the cruel taunts of his grandfather. It wasn't until Luke left home and joined the Marines that he found out what the trouble was. Thanks to the help he received, Luke found a new way to learn, opening up the world of education to him. I loved hearing about his extensive experiences and the vast difference they made to his life. Unfortunately, recovery from his injuries was a long, slow process, and he still suffers from pain and PTSD.

Like Luke, Brandon had had dyslexia, and Jack inherited the issue. Luke tells Crystal he will work with Jack, teaching him ways to work around the problem. It warmed my heart to see the nearly immediate difference that Luke's lessons had on Jack. Because of his own experiences, Luke knew precisely how to reach Jack, and there are some great scenes of the two of them together.

The amount of time Luke spends with Jack creates other complications. Luke has always had feelings for Crystal, but she was his best friend's wife. Though Brandon is gone, Luke's guilty feelings make him feel unworthy of her. Crystal was stunned to discover that Luke rouses feelings in her that have been numb since Brandon's death. Too bad that Luke doesn't show any signs of returning those feelings, keeping her firmly in the friend zone. Fortunately, a hint of jealousy when she goes on a date with another man gives her hope. A bit of boldness on her part, and the sparks between them burst into flame.

I loved watching them grow closer over the next few weeks, though each was wary of being the first to express their feelings. It takes a frightening accident and Luke's fear of a return of an old injury for them to break through their reluctance. I loved the epilogue and how Luke involved Jack in the planning for his big moment.

My favorite scene was when Crystal, a certified massage therapist, finally convinced Luke to let her work on him. I loved seeing him go from skeptic to believer in one session. ( )