Review: Full Measure by Rebecca Yarros

Rating: 5/5
Series: Fight and Glory Book #1
Tropes: hockey romance, new adult, college, military , friends to lovers, close proximity,
CW: death of parent, grief, and injury
PoP: 44%

I picked this book up know that the author write big emotions in to her stories.  I was looking for a different kind of hockey romance. What I got was one of the most beautiful love stories I have read in a very long time. 

December Howard has been brought up in the typical Miliary Brat lifestyle. Her family has moved from base to base following her father’s career as an army surgeon.  She has learned to say goodbye for now and accept that at times of deployment she might have to help her mom out some. She seemingly has a great life, a family that loves her and a perfect boyfriend.

But everything changes with three knocks on her door. When news of her father’s death in Afghanistan hits the Howard family pure devastation ensue. December’s steps up to help keep the family moving.  In the space of 2 weeks Ember loses her father, find her boyfriend cheating on her with her college roommate and friend, stands helpless by as her mother is swallowed by grief and trying to provide boundaries for her out of control sister.  Ember is breaking.. 

Josh Howard, simply no words are strong enough to describe this man.  Local hockey star who is now living with a little less flourish. Once know for his bad boy womanizing ways. He is now youth hockey coach seems to be everywhere whenever Ember needs someone to pick her up…

Josh is patient, clever, witty, caring, and ridiculously supportive. He sees a need and fills it without being asked. But he is hiding a secret, literally it is “hidden in the closet,”. Once the truth comes out, it has the potential to break Ember.

I am not one to cry over books but the way the author tells the story once cannot help but have these heart-wrenching moments.  I shed tears on multiple occasions. The sense of loss in this book is so tangible.  This accompanied with an epic love story is one of the wildest emotional roller coasters you will ever read.

The connection between Josh and Ember is amazing. I loved how they developed slowly. There was so much strength, yet it was so subtly  written with the perfect amount of yearning, benevolence, and admiration that you are fully in this story with them.

Josh Howard is book boyfriend #1. If Josh Howard would have given me the “I have never said I love you to a girl” speech and told me “we are worth the fight,” there would have been nothing keeping me standing. 

While this book is angsty and Ember does go back and forth a bit, the passion in this story just makes it. This book was an unexpected 5 star for me. I am a huge fan of the author and I know she is going to break my heart but the way she puts it back together leaves me in awe of her story telling.