Soldiers' Wives by Fiona Field

This page-turning soap opera interweaves the stories of three women trying to get to grips with military life. 

Chrissie, orphaned young, finds solace in her career as a medic in the regiment, but will love for a married man prove her undoing? 

Maddy, a brilliant Oxford graduate, is bogged down with a fretful baby and a super-ambitious officer husband. Will she be able to stand life as a regimental wife? 

And Jenna - glamorous, bad girl Jenna, who doesn't believe in rules and regulations. Will she destroy her husband's career? Or will it destroy her?

Soldiers'Wives by Fiona Field is published by Head of Zeus in paperback on 22 May 2014.

Three women, very different women, who find themselvs flung together because of the Army. Each of these women play their own individual role in Soldiers' Wives; a story that reveals the intricacies of living in a military community.

Chrissie is dedicated to her career in the Army, she's training to be a medic and takes it very seriously. Determined to stay fit and active, and to be a success, she tries her best to fight her feelings for a man who is really out of bounds.

Maddy is struggling.  Struggling with life in a new posting, with a new baby, and with the expectations that come from being married to an officer. Maddy really feels as though her own life and career have been forgotten, are of no relevance and no importance and that her main role is to be the model, supportive officer's wife.

And finally; Jenna.  Jenna has her own agenda. She refuses to conform to expectations, she is strong-willed and determined, but can't see the danger that lies ahead.

Soldiers' Wives is an easy to read, often funny and very human look at life on the patch. The author spent time in the Army herself, was married to a soldier and her son has served in Afghanistan. Her inside knowledge shines through in her writing, creating a totally believable and intriguing insight into what Army life is like for the women who serve, or are there because of marriage.

The three characters are cleverly created, with each of them giving a different perspective of the often stifling and claustrophobic way of life. Whilst the story centres around the military life, the three lead women clearly still have worries, concerns and feelings that every wife, mother and lover has, whether in the military or not, and it is this that makes the book so accessible to all readers. Despite the use of Army slang, Solidiers' Wives is a story with themes that are familiar to all.

Well paced, great characters, some fabulous dialogue; Soldiers' Wives is an enjoyable read. The author brings the camp to life.

My thanks to Becky from Head of Zeus who sent my copy for review.

Fiona Field joined the army at eighteen, married a bomb disposal expert at twenty-one and then, at twenty-six, got thrown out for getting pregnant.
Her youngest child is a soldier just returned from Afghanistan.
She began writing a column for army wives magazine and is now a full time novelist.
Follow her on Twitter @fiona_field

For more information about Head of Zeus, visit the website www.headofzeus.com
Follow on Twitter @HoZ_Books