Meant to Be

James uses the idyllic setting of Ocean City, Mary., as a man and woman quickly fall into a whirlwind romance. Rad meets Lauren as he is jogging on the beach; despite being brushed off, he meets her again on the boardwalk, and she agrees to go to the Ripley Museum with him. Their romantic day on the boardwalk together turns into a most memorable night as she meets his friends at a beach bash, and their romance continues until almost dawn. Neither Rad nor Lauren disclose any information to the other about their jobs or what paths led them to Ocean City, and they go their separate ways. But not much later, through circumstances related to their military careers, they see each other again. In this difficult new situation, however, both Lauren and Rad need to set aside their personal feelings to complete their respective assignments. Sweetly sentimental and moving, James’s novel is an endearing page-turner offering a unique view of military life and the difficult choices faced by those involved. (BookLife)