Romance novels can come in many shapes and sizes, and these days there are numerous different facets to the genre to cater to all tastes and interests.
One such example is military romance, a sub-genre that, while seemingly niche, actually has a long standing in literary history – drawing upon notions of forbidden romance overseas, the call of duty interfering with love, and of course the sad notions of love lost to war.
So this begs the question: which are the best military romance novels on the market, and what makes them so special?
The 10 Best Military Romance Novels
While there are near countless books available on the market, there are some that just stand out from the rest. This is why we have made the searching process much easier by compiling our own list of the best military romance novels.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the list!
1. Because Of You by Jessica Scott
In no particular order, we have our first entry: Because of You by Jessica Scott. Telling the story of sergeant first class Shane Garrison, Because of You portrays a man broken by war – both physically, mentally, and emotionally – whose fears of returning, and more importantly, the toll that war has taken on him, leaves him withdrawn and empty.
However, when he is returned home to Fort Hood following a near-fatal IED blast, Shane encounters nurse Jen St James – a kind-hearted nurse working at the hospital whose own brush with death has given her deeply rooted scars of her own.
As Jen spends more time with Shane, the pair quickly develop a bond that neither of them thought possible – all while the shadow of war lingers overhead, threatening to derail the peace they have found.
2. Deadly Descent by Kaylea Cross
Next on our list we have Deadly Descent by Kaylea Cross. Following the stories of unlikely lovers Devon Crawford and Cam Munro, Deadly Descent shows that even during the horrors of wartime, two people can find themselves drawn together against overwhelming circumstances, military etiquette, and their better judgment.
Crawford (an officer), and Munro (an enlisted pararescueman) find themselves coming to term with their forbidden feelings – much to Crawford’s attempts not to – that is until a helicopter mission gone awry, seeing Crawford downed behind enemy lines, where a brutal warlord with his own agenda has her right where he wants her.
It is at this point that rebellious Munro digs deep, finds his courage, and discovers the true soldier within.
3. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockman
Next we have The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockman – one of the much-loved and prolific writers within this sub-genre.
The Unsung Hero follows Navy SEAL lieutenant Tom Paoletti, who after returning home to his New England hometown surprisingly encounters a haunting vision from his past – a dangerous international terrorist who has long since haunted his dreams.
After the navy dismisses his sighting as symptoms of his wartime injuries and trauma, the desperate Tom forms his own counter terrorist division composed of his most trusted officers, two elderly veterans, some misfit teenagers, and Dr Kelly Ashton – the former ‘girl next door’, and one of the few women Tom ever found himself falling for.
4. Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata
At number four on our list, Dear Aaron tells the story of Ruby Santos, who after signing up to write letters to a soldier overseas, finds herself forming a bond she never knew could exist.
After writing once a week to the soldier, Ruby finds herself at the heart of her very own love story, as a way of meeting new people quickly turns into feelings, and eventually into a love that she knew seemed impossible to maintain.
5. Making Faces by Amy Harmon
At the midway point we have Making Faces by Amy Harmon. Telling the story of Fern Taylor – a dreamy young woman with a penchant for romance novels – who finds herself fawning over local heartthrob Ambrose Young.
When Young – as well as several other young men – go off to war, only to return battered, broken, and troubled, Fern finds herself drawn once more to this once-beautiful man.
But can he overcome his own trauma and let her into his heart, and can Fern accept that sometimes the beauty we revere has to fade and die – with only honesty, truth, and love really being the things worth fighting for?
6. Come Back To Me by Mila Gray
Come Back To Me tells the story of military heartthrob Kit Ryan – who after returning to California on leave, finds himself falling desperately in love with his best friend’s sister.
Torn between his newfound love, hurting his best friend, and the shadow of war that seems to be looming over them all, Kit finds himself thrown into a summer love affair that turns his world upside down – showing him that, when compared to the real world, the battlefield was much more straightforward.
7. Fighting Redemption by Kate McCarthy
In Fighting Redemption, we follow the story of Ryan Kendall – a young man broken by war following a six year stint in the Australian army.
Upon returning home, he once again finds himself drawn to his teenage crush Finlay Tanner – a young woman with the perfect life, and her future laid out for her. Troubled by his trauma, and conflicted with his haunting feelings of a love he knows he cannot have, Ryan finds himself questioning whether love really is the solution, and whether some wounds are just too deep to heal.
8. Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor
At number eight, we have Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor. Telling the unlikely love story of Matt McKinney and Abby Davis, who despite their drastically different lives, and their reluctance to look for love, find themselves unwittingly entwined at the beach.
Abby is a single mother of four, her life hectic and full of sacrifice – a theme that links her to McKinney, whose recent return from the war, and the recent loss of his best friend, have got him questioning everything he once knew to be right.
As McKinney bears his soul, and Abby finds herself reciprocating, these two people who weren’t looking for love find just that.
9. Show No Mercy by Cindy Gerard
Written by New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard, Show No Mercy tells the stories of Black Ops Inc, a covert private security team with unconventional methods of exacting justice.
When rebellious journalist Jenna McMillan returns to danger-strewn Buenos Aires to interview a shadowy billionaire, she soon finds herself embroiled in a bombing at the National Congress, a ruthless enemy hell bent on destruction, and top soldier Gabriel Jones – whose own unconventional methods have landed him in hot water.
With death looming closer, and the odds getting slimmer, the pair fight to stay alive – all the while fighting a growing connection that neither of them were looking for.
10. SEAL Of Honor by Tonya Burrows
Last on our list, but by no means least, we have SEAL of Honor by Tonya Burrows.
Based around celebrated Navy SEAL Gabe Bristow, SEAL of Honor sees the top soldier put in command of a private hostage rescue team – a ragtag, motley crew of military men and outcasts who come together to rescue high profile hostages from the unrelenting grip of the enemy.
With a drunken Cajun linguist, a prodigy CIA threat analyst, an FBI negotiator with shady mafia ties, a cowboy medic, and a volatile demolitions expert, the team certainly have their work cut out for them – and that’s without the edition of Audrey Van Amee, whose determination and fiery personality prove vital tools in the hunt for her brother, and the snaring of Bristow’s once-empty heart.
Final Thoughts
And there we have it, everything you need to know about the best military romance novels on the market.
It’s true that military romance might be a niche that many don’t naturally connect with. However, if you follow this list and give some of these a try, you will certainly convert to the sub-genre in no time.
