Synopsis – Blood, Tears, and Purple Hearts
Blood, Tears, & Purple Hearts is a gripping, emotionally charged female-veteran thriller that takes readers into the heart of modern warfare and into the lives of two elite women aviators whose courage is tested beyond imagination.
When their Navy helicopter is shot down deep in the Syrian desert, these women find themselves stranded behind enemy lines, wounded and under siege. In a high-stakes military survival mission against ruthless ISIS forces, their training, skills, and bond are all that can carry them through.
But the war doesn’t end with the rescue. Back home in the U.S., the struggle to rebuild begins: shattered bodies, haunted minds, invisible wounds. As female combat veterans, they face a different battlefield, one of trauma, reintegration, identity, and the often-silenced heroism of women in uniform.
Inspired by real life and forged in raw authenticity, author B.J. Ricketts, himself a former U.S. Navy veteran and Middle-East contractor, brings you a novel steeped in true-to-life detail and emotional depth.
This is more than a war story. It’s a powerful tribute to the resilience of women in uniform, a raw exploration of PTSD and combat injury, and a call to honor the invisible battles our veterans continue to fight. If you crave stories about women warriors, modern warfare, heroic sacrifice, female veterans stepping into the spotlight, and the path from front-line combat to home-front healing, then Blood, Tears, & Purple Hearts is a must‐read.
My Review
Blood, Tears, and Purple Hearts: A Novel of War, Disability and PTSD by B. J. Ricketts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
What this author is highlighting is very important. I appreciate the discussion of post traumatic stress and the included symptoms at the end of the story.
The premise of this was very interesting and I did want to know what happened with the characters. However, the emotional punch I expected was not there for me. I think the dialogue between the characters was a bit stilted and impacted the flow of the story.
I was not fond of the FMC. She seemed distant and cold and the close relationship with the other characters wasn’t fully believable.
This was the type of story that I found myself wishing that someone else was reading because I wanted to discuss the character and the themes that were covered. This would be a good book for a bookclub disucssion.
There are random pictures included throughout the book which I enjoyed.
If you are interested in books about combat, especially females in combat this book would be interesting.
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3 thoughts on “Blood, Tears, and Purple Hearts – Book Review”
Thank you for your honesty in reviewing my book. As this was the first time out of the gate for me, I was aware that it might have some deficiencies. That said, I recently worked with a film producer to write a cinematic script version for a film based on the book. This was a very good choice for me as I learned a lot about emotional storytelling. Based on that experience, I’m planning a second edition, with a lot more details about each character. Sam will have a much bigger role in it. The dog Ranger’s backstory will be included, and Althea’s mindset will come out. She’s not as cold as she may seem in the story, but is fearful of relationships of any kind due to her life experiences (based on a real person). That will be laid out as well. If you would care to elaborate on areas where you think it needs improvement, feel free to message me with your suggestions. Again, thanks for your review, and taking the time to read the book.
I can definitely see how this book would make an excellent film. I sent you an email. Best of luck to you on the second edition.
Thank you for your contribution.