5 Great Summer Reads for Military Spouses

It’s not summer without a weekend or two spent swept up in an attention-grabbing, page-turning, excitement-inducing novel. Whether you have vacation plans, are relaxing at home, or you’re in the middle of PCSing, these books written for members of the Military community will season your summer with stories of mystery, love, family, and so much more.

1. You Know When the Men Are Gone

By Siobhan Fallon

Composed by a series of artfully interwoven short stories, this book covers the trials of several fictional households living on Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) when the men are deployed. Secrets, lies, drama, and hardships come out to play in the eerie silence left by the men, and very little goes unnoticed by the rest of the community.

2. Stories Around the Table: Laughter, Wisdom, and Strength in Military Life

By Terri Barnes and multiple authors

This book provides more than 40 vignettes of Military life from different authors that cover everything from finances to career to love to children and provide an insightful and varied look at the many paths Military life can take. They’re sure to make you take a second look at your own journey and recount all the stories you have to share.

3. Home Front

By Kristin Hannah

This tale of love and loss will keep you on the edge of your seat (or beach chair). It takes a new perspective on the stereotypical military family when the wife goes off to war and leaves her husband to take care of their children and hold down the home front. As the plot thickens and the drama builds, readers get an intimate look into a challenged marriage and the price of war on a single American family.

4. Dinner with the Smileys: One Military Family, One Year of Heroes, and Lessons for a Lifetime

By Sarah Smiley

This heartwarming true story details the efforts of an entire community who came together to help raise three young boys during their father’s yearlong deployment — one meal at a time. Author Sarah Smiley invited one new guest (from teachers to artists to athletes) to dinner each week, and shares the lessons each brought to the table.

5. Behind the Blue-Star Banner

By Michelle S. Cuthrell

This book will appeal to those looking for a heartwarming tale of friendship, faith, and love that is not without its challenges. It chronicles the true story of a newlywed wife and first-time mother as she navigates the challenges of raising a new family on her own while her husband is deployed in Iraq. The hardships she faces speak to those endured by many Military families and the lessons she learns will warm the hearts of those who have found comfort in their Military communities.