Reader Revews

Very well written...events unfold in a linear, almost documentary fashion; Delineated between the context of print are the author's deepest emotions, and yet, for the reader's benefit remains true to a narrative format . A story which is shared in such a unique manner, our own empathy is constantly surfacing throughout; making this book not likely to be read in fragments, but to fruition in one, maybe two sittings. -J.A.
Thanks for writing the book...it was great.  I am in the Army and had no idea it was that hard for family and spouses while we are deployed.  A great insight for the future.  -B.Y.
Excellent Book!!!  The authors were able to convey the extreme raw emotion that is associated with having a loved one in Harm's Way.  This is the first generation of  family and friends who have had instant communication with their soldiers, who are on the front lines,  thru emails, I'ming, phone calls and web cam. Many of the soldiers , being at more primitive camps, do not have these amenities  and some of the soldiers do not have the time or the desire to stand in line for two hours to call home or use the internet.  I don't know which is harder, the knowing or the not knowing what your soldier is experiencing.  In each case, the key word is waiting.  Fortunately , for these two authors, the waiting is over and their loved ones came home.  God Bless Them for taking the time to share their story.  As hard as it was  to read portions of it, as the memories flooded back, we must always remember the cost of Freedom.  -Peggy Alexander
"I just HAD to tell you that I'm reading your book right now and I simply can't put it down. -L.B.
Received your book and forwarded your website to my daughter.  She is looking into the links provided on the Resources page for PTSD.  My son-in-law was in Iraq for a year and has been home for about 1-1/2 years now.  He just recently started having anxiety attacks .. nightmares and put on meds which are helping.  The book and information has been very timely!    L.G.

Many books have been written about the Iraq war, from a Soldier's first hand experience to a military wife's journal. This is the first book I have read told from the view of a mother and a sister.
A Soldier is trained for battle, a wife has many more resources at her disposal, a mother in Arizona and a sister in Indiana often have nothing to help them understand what their loved one will experience or how to even get the answers they might need throughout a military deployment.
Friends for Life is a story of two women who despite time, age and distance were able to find the love and support they needed to survive and thrive during their respective loved one's year long deployment to Iraq.
Friends for Life affirms, despite the horrors of war and the fear that lives in the heart of every Soldier's loved one, that sometimes something as beautiful as a lifelong friendship can be found.
The story they tell will touch the hearts of military and non-military families everywhere. A must read for any family member who is unsure of what to expect when their loved one deploys. - H.S. Bartel

This book is a must read for anyone who has any interest in what soldiers and families sacrifice for our freedoms. This story is written by two women, a mother and a sister of two soldiers who served in the Iraq War. These women, complete strangers before the war, became "Friends For Life" through this experience. The book allows those of us who have never experienced the terror of having a loved one in harm's way to have a glimpse of what happens to the families and the soldiers who are serving our country. The resource lists alone would be worth the price of the book. - Dr. Evelyn Brister

This book is a must read for anyone that has been touched by the war in Iraq. It provides insight into the thoughts and feelings of those left at home while their loved ones served in the Gulf. - Robert MackInday

I couldn't put it down! From the start to the finish it held my attention. It made me cry, smile, and have flashbacks to the time of the deployment. Friends for Life is a very powerful book.  -Ashley Donahue