True War Romances #20

When Cal Payton ships home from Korea after a year apart, Veda Russell travels all the way to Seattle to surprise him at the dock—only to witness him kissing another woman and watching her spirit shatter in an instant. Back home in Illinois, Veda refuses to hear Cal's explanation and declares their relationship over, but weeks of heartache and her mother's pleas can't quite convince her that moving on with someone new is the answer.

Joan Stanley's passionate opposition to warfare puts her at odds with the man she loves when Gar Mitchell enlists and grows increasingly enthusiastic about military service—creating a rift that neither can bridge until fate and circumstance force them to confront what they each truly value. Separated by duty and divided by principle, Joan must grapple with months of anguished uncertainty before a chance to reunite and finally understand each other's hearts. This wartime romance explores whether love can survive when two people see the world—and sacrifice—through fundamentally different eyes.

In "My Heart was Outranked," Anita Paley finds her wartime engagement to Eddy Stewart tested when he returns from Officer Candidate School with new priorities—and a surprising new romance. As the distance grows between them, Anita must confront the changes in Eddy, especially when she learns he’s been pursuing Melanie McAndrews, the colonel’s daughter, while pushing her away. With the help of Colonel McAndrews, truths are revealed and old feelings are rekindled, but the road to reunion isn’t simple.

When composer Reid Lewis returns from military service, he's determined to finish his musical score before marrying Arliss—but the months of waiting while he chases his dream test her patience as her friends settle down into secure lives. As doubt creeps in and Reid grows distant, absorbed in his work, Arliss discovers he's been spending time with Lorena Hall, a woman who runs a record shop, and jealousy threatens to unravel everything they've built together. Can their love survive the cost of ambition, or will Reid's pursuit of success destroy the one thing that matters most?