Reviewed by Heather C

TITLE: The Door Behind Us
AUTHOR: John C. Houser
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 260 pages
BLURB: It’s 1919, and Frank Huddleston has survived the battlefields of the Great War. A serious head injury has left him with amnesia so profound he must re-learn his name every morning from a note posted on the privy door.

Gerald “Jersey” Rohn, joined the Army because he wanted to feel like a man, but he returned from the trenches minus a leg and with no goal for his life. He’s plagued by the nightmare of his best friend’s death and has nervous fits, but refuses to associate those things with battle fatigue. He can’t work his father’s farm, so he takes a job supervising Frank, who is working his grandparents’ farm despite his head injury.

When Frank recovers enough to ask about his past, he discovers his grandparents know almost nothing about him, and they’re lying about what they do know. The men set out to discover Frank’s past and get Jersey a prosthesis. They soon begin to care for each other, but they’ll need to trust their hearts and put their pasts to rest if they are to turn attraction into a loving future.

REVIEW:

This was a beautiful, historical romance about two young men who find a connection due to the traumas they suffered during World War I. After sustaining a traumatic brain injury while at war, Frank Huddleson awakens every morning with amnesia, having forgotten who he is and the people around him. His elderly grandparents have taken him in to work on the family farm and decide to hire someone to keep him company during his daily chores. Its been several months since Jersey Rohn lost his leg from a gun shot wound, and has finally decided to stop his moping and get a job. Against Frank’s grandmother’s judgement, Frank and Jersey immediately form a special bond only they can understand. Jersey passes the days telling Frank stories of the war while Frank carries out his chores. Soon, Frank begins to retain memories of Jersey…and their journey begins.

What did I love about this story?

♦ The friendship between Frank and Jersey was so sweet and I loved how they always wanted to be together not matter what…almost.

♦ The slow burning sexual tension that lasted most of the story. There wasn’t a lot of sex in this one; just enough to know how passionate the feelings were between Frank and Jersey.

♦ The characters were so realistic to me; both of the MCs and all of the secondary characters. Even though some of them really pissed me off, their reactions felt real and that’s most important.

♦ The seemingly slow paced plot really wasn’t slow. Things were constantly moving forward in one direction and then in another, but constantly propelling the story on. But I think the barriers the MCs kept running into made the overall feel seem slow.

♦ The beautiful cover was actually a scene in the story. Be patient, it takes a while, but its there.

♦ The happy ever after! Yes, it was believable and I loved the little glimpse of their future…there were even a few tears in my eyes.

What was this story missing?

♦ The sudden scene shifts felt choppy and left me wanting more…like there were pieces of the story that were and never told. Does that even make sense?

♦ Did Frank ever recover those memories he was searching for? It was so important for ALL of the story…but I’m still left guessing.

♦ Whatever happened to James? I mean, I know where he went, but there is a story there that needs to be told.

So overall, I really loved this book and would recommend it to any historical fan looking for a slow burning romance.

Heather rates it – 

BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Press

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Heather C. is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: HEATHER’S REVIEWS
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