In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros is a great book that I read in one sitting and wanted to immediately re-read.

I will admit to being a little prejudiced - I'm from St. Louis (and live by the airport 😳) and my husband and I had a long distance relationship for several years while he was stationed at Ft. Benning. I was rooting really hard for Izzy and Nate from their intros.

The book starts with Nate missing his leave because of a sick team member and seeing his assigned person to protect on a diplomatic mission replaced at the last minute by none other than Izzy, who he hasn't seen in three years

Izzy and Nate meet on a fateful plane trip originating in St. Louis, she is heading back to Syracuse University and Nate is heading to Ft. Benning, GA for basic training. Izzy is terrified of flying and despite it being his first flight, Nate tries to settle her nerves. She tells him that most plane crashes occur in the first three minutes and the last eight. Nate offers to hold her hand and countdown the three minutes and it's going well...until it isn't.

Nate helps save Izzy after the plane crashes into the Missouri river and then says he is her husband so that he can go with her to the hospital. He is forced by a military liaison to leave the hospital before she comes to at the hospital, but meets her beloved sister, Serena on the way out.

Fast forward a few years and they are still thinking about each other and by chance meet up again and the attraction is still there. They continue to hit and miss each other through the years until something happens that tears them apart.

The book has dual POV and flashbacks that thread seamlessly really well to weave their backstory. I loved every part of this book, from the names given to the Special Ops guys (a little Reservoir Dogs homage?) to the special relationship Izzy and her sister have.

I'm a sucker for military romances, torn apart and brought back together couples, and a dark haired, light eyed hero.

This would make a terrific movie!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I can't wait to be able to buy this book for my keeper shelf and hope it comes out in audio at the same time.

I loved this book.

From the second I started reading it. I couldn’t put it down. The two main characters are so well written and you root for them the whole time.
The ending with Nate’s friend made me cry. Overall, a great read and I’d definitely recommend it.

This book was absolutely amazing from start to finish. I am so thankful that I was able to get my hands on this. Rebecca Yarros was a new to me author this year and let’s all be serious… Fourth Wing did NOT disappoint anyone. I will be reading anything and everything she writes from now on.


I don’t want to give too much away but you will not regret this purchase.

This was absolutely brilliant. Rebecca Yarros never disappoints with her romance books.
She writes the best military men ever - Nate is special forces, tattoos and is a reader and wants to become an English teacher and is willing to literally die for her just to keep her safe.
I loved the flashbacks to what happened between Izzy and Nate before the present action in Kabul, that was a brilliant way to keep readers invested and on their toes.
It was super easy to read and follow and could not notice any mistakes or gaps in the plot whatsoever.
What I felt could have used a bit more work was the ending as it felt a little bit rushed, I wanted to read more about their lives after Nate finally left the military.

You would think I’d be used to reacting to Rebecca Yarros’ novels this way by now, but I still find myself utterly overwhelmed by all the ways her beautiful storytelling affects me, and by how deeply I grow to care about her characters. There are not enough words for me to properly describe my love for this book. In The Likely Event is going on my list of top reads for 2023. A powerful, beautiful, heartbreaking…so much more than a second chance love story that held my heart in its hands till the very last word. It was worth every tear I shed. It is a journey, that's for sure. Pure perfection.

From the moment Izzy and Nate met, I was emotionally invested. They are the epitome of right place, wrong time. Their paths collided ten years ago during a plane crash, and an undeniable bond is forged. From there, fate intervenes in a series of meetings between the two, until one rainy night in NYC changes everything.

Rebecca Yarros exquisitely crafts this incredible story of a decade long journey of longing, love, and pining told through alternating chapters in the past and in the present. I don't even have words to describe how much I am in love with Izzy and Nate. With this book. With their story. Their love and heartache. Their losses and tragedies and their strength and resilience. I was rooting for them the entire time. I just want to thumb through the book again and absorb it all over. To experience it all over again, one emotion at a time.

Everything about In The Likely Event is so right, so perfect, so superbly crafted. Every poignant moment in this love story touched me. Every devastating revelation cut me somewhere deep. This book is meticulously pieced together, so superbly executed, all of it coming together in the most unforgettable, brilliant story. My heart, it was left on the last page of this book. I am so completely and utterly in love with this book. It captured my heart and it did not let it go. Simply beautiful, and absolutely captivating.

Rebecca Yarros is one of my go-to authors. She could write an encyclopedia, and I’d buy it and set aside an entire day (or more) to devote all of my time to reading it. I love her writing that much. I finished this book almost a week ago and had to take some time to process it before I could find the words to convey how much I loved it. While I love how Fourth Wing continues to take the world by storm, I’ve been one of her number-one contemporary fans since the beginning, so I’m incredibly excited to see how much love this book is already seeing.

OK…on to the review…

Before I even started reading, I knew this one would hit close to home, and I wasn’t wrong. It was intensely emotional, and as usual, Rebecca made me experience everything Izzy and Nate went through in a nearly tangible way. Her writing never fails to grab you from the outset and won’t let you go until she’s managed to throw you for a loop with a twist you didn’t anticipate at the end of the story. Add in her personal experiences with military spouse life and her background in history, and you end up with a book accurately depicting military aspects while wringing every bit of emotion out of you. In many ways, the ups and downs Izzy and Nate experienced were similar to what I went through with my husband, so it’s no surprise I loved this book. That aside, I would have loved it just as much simply because of Rebecca’s extraordinary talent for weaving unputdownable tales.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book right here, is why Yarros shines at writing Military Romance 🪖.

The dual tomeline of this story only added to the angst between Nate and Izzy. I loved getting their backstory.

I love the location of the present timeline. Yarros took a real world event, that captivated the world and put this amazing couple right in the center of it. She was able to catapult me into the feeling of helplessness and danger that took place. While envoking this absolute adoration for her characters. All while dealing with the anticipation of whether they would get out or not.

And I love the little Fourth Wing easter egg!.

So real. So heartbreaking. So much hope amidst the chaos. And, so undeniably captivating. Rebecca Yarros has done it again!

In this book I bore witness to two very different kinds of struggles - the heartbreak of a country in crisis and the hope that endures in the hearts of those who are meant to be...even after their dreams have been splintered.

This book had me smiling, sighing, and tearing up in turn...over and over again. With the reality of everything that happened (and continues to happen) in Afghanistan as the backdrop for this second chance romance, my heart didn't stand a chance. The author put me right there - right into the pain of watching a country fall, witnessing the desperation and dedication of its people and, all the while, managed to make me care deeply for two people who's story began years before under unusual circumstances and who still, undeniably, need and want each other.

Nate and Izzy were everything. Their story, their chemistry, and their love were overwhelming in the best possible way. Ms. Yarros managed to keep me on the edge of my seat and yet still basking in the glow of the undeniable love these two had for each other. This story will stay with me for a long time and Nate and Izzy are now one of my favorite Rebecca Yarros couples. And that's saying a lot because she writes some amazing characters!

All I can say is do yourself a favour and read this book...you can thank me later!

Magnificent, heart-wrenching, action-packed and sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat scenes! From the first chapter of Yarros’ military romance, primarily set in a country thrown into civil chaos, I sensed In the Likely Event would be one of these reads I’d gobble up in one sitting. Not only did I do that, but I had no wish for this intoxicating must-read to end. 

Yarros’ two protagonists have a brief yet traumatic encounter, and ooh boy, does the reader pick up on their emotional connection or what? Therein, and through their eyes, she explores the devastation war causes them and those they care for over a lengthy period, but before the coming of a jaw-dropping twist. She aced their feelings of desperation mingled with delight in stolen moments, giving the reader a little hope when there seemed to be none at all.

The first sight of the dual timeline worried me, but I shouldn’t have been. It simply added an incredible amount of depth to Izzy and Nate’s story. His coping mechanism, her vulnerability, and the chance they’d have their shot at love evoke every emotion. Nate has his reasons to protect both of them from heartbreak. Izzy clings to what could be until life takes its course, pleasing others whose high expectations for her had always been the crux of the matter.

I wholeheartedly believe in fate since it often contributes to likely events, but whether or not Izzy and Nate are happy to let destiny guide them remains to be seen. Although I’m not a newbie to Yarros’ military romances, her latest offering blew my mind. I would have liked to see a more extended epilogue, but all in all, she tied their story up neatly. Bravo!

Izzy and Nate’s story is “chefs kiss” full of angst and passion. Definitely left me wanting me. I’m a sucker for all of Rebecca’s military tropes as a veteran myself they always hit a different note. The characters are very relatable and the emotions intense. The descriptive writing makes you feel like you’re sitting in the scene with Izzy and Nate. Bravo, now we need more!

Thank you for this ARC!!

Ms Rebecca Yarros does it again!
In the likely event was a surprise release and I am here for it!
It had everything I’ve come to love from Rebecca’s books:
Banter
Tears within the 5th chapter, more tears throughout..
Unexpected twist.
I read this in one sitting and it’s 1am and I don’t regret a thing!
So. Good.
I really loved this book and I loved the characters.