I can't write a review of this book without spoilers. So be warned, MANY SPOILERS ahead.

It's 2005. Jolene flies Black Hawk helicopters for the military. Her husband, Michael, doesn't support her military career, but says nothing about it. The story is about what happens to Jolene, Michael, and their two daughters when Jolene is deployed to Iraq.

It took a lot of self-coercing to read past the first few chapters. Michael is a complete dick who manages to blame everything, including his own absence from the family (due to work) on Jolene. He's a self-absorbed prick who can't even be bothered to make it to his daughter's track meet, even though he could have and he promised her he'd come. He has been having doubts about their marriage (blaming Jolene for it) and right before she gets deployed he tells her he doesn't love her anymore. No fictional character has ever made me so mad before.
Jolene's 12-year old daughter Betsy is pretty dramatic, acting out against her mom most of the time. I gave her a pass since she's a preteen, though I thought all the bitching was a little overdone.
Of course, everyone is mad at Jolene when she gets deployed. It's her fault, why can't she just quit or say no thanks, she's a horrible mom for leaving her family. The only people who support her are mother-in-law (a saint) and her best friend, who is also getting deployed with her.
The second part of the book is all about Jolene's experiences in Iraq, with lots of letters home. She writes to her daughters, not to Michael. It's also about Michael having to step up to the plate and actually be a father for once. His character development is actually pretty redeeming. Right before Jolene comes home, he writes her a letter saying he loves her and wants to try again with her when she gets back.
Unfortunately, he sends the letter the same day Jolene's helicopter is shot down and she sustains damaging injuries. She is flown to a hospital in Germany, where her leg is amputated.
This is the last part of the book. Jolene comes home and has to cope with PTSD and depression, and the feeling that nothing is worth it anymore. It pushes her family away from her, including Michael, even though he tries time and time again to tell her that he wants to stay with her.
At this point, I didn't want to stop reading, but I was really hoping for a really good ending. If the ending wasn't all butterflies and rainbows, I'd be very angry.
THANK GOD everything works out in the end. Jolene gets through her depression and lets her family in to help, she accepts Michael back, and gets on the road to recovery.

There isn't a whole lot of good things in this book. But it's pretty realistic, as far as PTSD and therapy goes. I learned a lot about the military and about the mindsets of people and how scary is it (and was in 2005 especially) when a loved one is deployed to the front lines.