A heart wrenching read I couldn’t put down! Izzy and Nate are two magnets.. deeply connected to one another but never able to stay together for long. As the book follows the present day timeline and a series of flashbacks, we can see how they transitioned from being content with being passing ships in the night to wanting so much more.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦”

This was my first military romance novel and I loved it! The alternating chapters between present and past was a great addition to add depth to the story of Izzy and Nate. I enjoyed the dual POV chapters to get an insight into each characters background including their thoughts and feelings. Bonus points for having ADHD and PTSD representation!

Favorite Quotes:

I just hate to watch you living your life like a first-time driver with a stick shift, jolting forward and stalling over and over again.

If he cheated, then my guess would be that it wasn’t because you weren’t enough— it was because he wasn’t.

My Review:

This was an absorbing and engaging tale written in my favorite dual point-of-view with multiple timelines, yet it was easy to follow as well as smartly plotted with lashings of clever wit and sly banter.

I adored these characters, they were lovable, honorable, and well-meaning despite being stubborn and often in their own way. They were victims of bad timing and circumstances, yet they valiantly struggled forward, but never the same for having met. I was cheering for them from beginning to end.

I’m probably the only person on the planet who hasn’t read The Fourth Wing, so I went into this pretty blind on the author’s writing, and while this story wasn’t necessarily for me Yarros’ writing is sooo good. The scenes she sets, the conversation she creates — it’s all so good.

Nate and Izzy were involved in a traumatic accident and have crossed paths through the years but are always met with “missed connections” until Izzy, now a Senate staffer, goes to Afghanistan for advance work for her boss. Nate is serving in the special forces and is tasked with “babysitting” while Izzy is in the country.

Very unique premise for a “romance” and I’ll definitely pick up more of this author’s writing.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.25 stars

Fourth Wing was my first foray into this author. That of course was amazing. So I figured I would try this book in a completely different genre. I loved it!!!! Sucked my in From the start and was able to connect with the characters. I loved how it was told from multiple points of view. 5 stars.

The only word to describe how sweet it is is diabetic. A very nice romance without a lot of the tropes I really hate in stories. I was rooting for them the whole time while slightly yelling at them for being idiots, but I was hooked right to the end. I kept expecting heartbreak in some way and Im glad there wasnt any. Lovely read!

First off, the chemistry and connection between Nate and Izzy was spot on, tangible, just a big yes.

I kept finding myself getting bored in the present-day narrations, but I loved the flashbacks. The flashbacks and the seamless way they were woven into the present were 4 or 5 stars for me.

The present day, however, was really repetitive. It was essentially just Nate and Izzy grumpy with each other where one would say, 'let's talk' and the other would say, 'eurgh really this isn't the time or place' on repeat. It did create a decent vehicle for the flashbacks in explaining the arguments, but I found it to similar. Read one, read 'em all.

But in general I enjoyed it and I've read it in one evening.

5/5⭐️
Absolutely devoured this book and could not put it down! After reading Fourth Wing by Rebecca I was so excited to dive into her other books and this one was perfect. Some of the tropes include bodyguard, right person/wrong time, second chance and has dual pov which I love. This book had me feeling all the emotions and love Izzy and Nate so much. The flashbacks also fit so seamlessly into the story and gave a much better insight into both their emotions and allowed the reader to see how their relationship played out. There was the perfect level of slow burn and the spice was 🔥but beautiful at the same time.

The two main characters Izzy and Nate met when they were both 18 and victims of a plane crash. They had an instant connection and met up multiple times over the years but the timing never worked in their favour, with him away so much for work in the army. But their feelings for each other never faded, only growing stronger the longer they were apart. The two reunite, although not in the way they imagined, when Izzy arrives in Afghanistan for work where Nate is currently stationed. With the fragile situation In Afghanistan there is plenty of tense and heart pounding moments, with Nate doing all he can to protect Izzy. Can the two finally have their chance to be together or will their love for each other be what drives them apart?

The twist at the end literally had me sobbing but the ending was perfect and it wrapped up their story beautifully. I love Rebecca🫶🏻

Thank you to @netgalley, @rebeccayarros and Montlake for the opportunity to read this book and all opinions are my own.

Thank you Rebecca Yarros, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

If you have read ANY popular book this year... then you must have heard about Fourth Wing. When I saw that she was releasing a contemporary romance - I RAN to request it. I even went and purchased a physical copy when release day came out!

Although this wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, it was still enjoyable. I definitely prefer her fantasy novel above this one... and you will definitely want to check trigger warnings before going in.

Read if you love:
-Military Romance
-Bodyguard Romance
-Second Chance (?) Romance
-Then and Now timelines
-Multiple POV's
-The one that got away

True to the title... I had a feeling going that there would be topics and scenarios that would be hard to envision truly happening. After the main characters Nathaniel and Izzy meet as passengers who survive an intense plane crash - they find each other face to face 10 years later in Afghanistan. Assigned to be her special forces protection while she obtains information on the current status of troops leaving the nation - Nathaniel refuses to put her safety in anyone else's hands but his own. As the story moves forward, we get glimpses of previous years leading up to now. We also learn that there is a hidden agenda that might change everything in the present.

There are certain things that worked for me, and didn't. I LOVED the angsty bodyguard vibes that Nathaniel was giving, and Izzy herself was great. The drastic situations that they find themselves in however were hard to get behind at times... like the fact that her garbage parents didn't come to see her after she survived a plane crash... um what? Some things like this felt as though they were dropped in the storyline for shock factor alone, which isn't something I enjoy in this setting.

War time is definitely a Yarros specialty. I am excited to see how this writing style and passion will continue in her fantasy novels... but I feel for the contemporary romance field the high intensity levels could have been toned down.

If you are a military member, spouse, relative, etc - please please please check trigger warnings. If you have flight fears also be cautious going in.

Contains Topics of:
-Plane Crashes
-Active War Zone
-Abusive/Negligent Parent Figures

Spice levels:

This is very mild in nature, and angst filled. I consider scenes open door and friendly for those who are 18+

Overall - 3.5 Star Rating

Another home run for Yarros. While the romance was sizzling sweet, honestly, I was blown away by Yarros' ability to weave you seamlessly into the story itself. I felt like I was there, watching beside the FMC as all the provinces collapsed. The plot kept me guessing, and I wasn't disappointed. Truly, this took me through the emotional wringer, but it also painted a poignant picture of a country in collapse. Yarros did not try to sugarcoat any of the heartbreaking realities of war, and I appreciate that so much. Highly recommend this book!

This book was so hard to put down! I knew Rebecca Yarros had a military family background but I didn’t know what to expect with this book. She made me feel the separation and longing of two people who wanted nothing more than to be together but couldn’t due to family, career, and love for the other person to thrive by not standing in the way of their dreams. The past and present POVs kept me craving for more and to learn what happened between them. Nate and Izzy had so much chemistry and I loved it. Definitely will be recommending this book.

One of my most recent NetGalley favorites. The back and forth, and the twists of this book kept me engaged. Left me wanting to know more of what happened after.

Rated 4.5 Stars

In The Likely Event was an event, an emotional rollercoaster, angst ridden type of event and I loved it. It gave me all the feels. I loved Nate and Izzy's journey it wasn't easy but it was worth it. It was filled with turmoil, upheaval, heartbreak, love, joy, sexy times and so much more. It kept me glued to the pages and I can't help but highly recommend it especially to those looking for a story that snatches you by the throat and pulls you along for the journey. What a journey it was!

In The Likely Event is a story about Nate and Izzy, who met ten years ago under traumatic circumstances where they developed a strong connection with each other. I hear that traumatic events will do that to you, and these two had some clear chemistry in those opening moments during the take off of the fateful flight.

Nate is a military man, intent upon being different than his abusive father. He is a bit "wrapped too tight" as my generation might say. Izzy is a lawyer working in politics ten years later when they are reunited against the backdrop of the war and drawdown in Afghanistan. Nate and Izzy try to figure out themselves during a particularly tense week under some very dangerous circumstances.

I did like the opening plane crash scene and was very hopeful for Nate and Izzy's story. Can their spark endure with the distances between them? It appears it might as the story with flashbacks to the important events in their lives over that ten year period. It's a tough story to pull off over the ten year time period. The story is also told in alternating points of view, so you do have to pay attention to who is narrating the individual chapters.

As far as the romance goes, it's a typical scenario -- Nate needs to get his head together and figure out what is important to him. Izzy has to do the same, but she is a bit more open to a future than he is which is a big part of the conflict between the two of them. I did think there were some slower spots in the story and I craved some action. There are action sequences that a harrowing and illustrate just how dangerous things could be in this region. I really did wonder what prompted Izzy to put herself in such a situation.

There's a little twist at the end that I didn't see coming that spoke to the devastation of losing a friend while in service that did squeeze my heart somewhat and I did like where these two end up by the epilogue of the book. I would call this one of Rebecca Yarros's more emotionally contained stories, as she usually makes me cry like a baby and I didn't even shed a tear with this one. That's not to say there aren't harrowing scenes in this -- there are.

Overall, In the Likely Event is what I expect from Rebecca Yarros -- a military romance with a sense of realism. Nate and Izzy are flawed main characters, and that makes it interesting to see what it takes for them to make it work. I liked that about the story. This is a quick read that I devoured in a couple of days. It is also a standalone title.

This is a wow story. I very kich felt attached to these charaters and feel like I need more. Highly recommended

The collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban in which thousands of very real people lost their lives is not a good backdrop for your angsty romance novel. Hope that helps :)

The reason stated above is enough to give this book one star. Rebecca Yarros showed a significant lapse of judgement using this event as a backdrop for this type of book. At no point does In the Likely Event scrutinize, critique, or even question US involvement in Afghanistan. It doesn't explore how these events affected actual Afghani people, only Americans. And only young, hot, horny Americans at that. Did no one in the publishing process stop and think about how tacky that is? Or did no one care?

The male lead of this book, Nate, is some sort of special forces soldier who is in the military because "There will always be a need for guys like me to do the things that make it possible for you to sleep at night." He never has a single thought about Afghani people in danger, only Americans back home who are apparently in immanent danger if he doesn't hold a gun and stand menacingly halfway around the world. Oh, is that not all he does? This book sure had me fooled. He doesn't really care that a country is collapsing around him outside of the fact that his on-again-off-again girlfriend might get hurt. Right.

You might be thinking, "This is a romance book, it doesn't need to talk about ethics or politics!" and you are so right. That's why romance novels should not be set during real world military events.

This novel has many more (albeit less significant) sins from using terms like "brown orbs" to describe someone's eyes to ableist comments about someone needing to use a ramp to deboard an aircraft. Also, the female lead has a fiancé that is such an astronomical douchebag that I lost respect for her, no matter her "reasons." Overall, I found myself wishing someone had paid a sensitivity reader for this book. Although, I'm pretty sure the best advice a sensitivity reader could give in this case is "throw the whole thing in the trash."

To end on a positive note- this book did have moments that worked very well. I thought the main characters had good chemistry and I enjoyed the premise of fate bringing them back together throughout the years. This concept could have been great if it wasn't ruined by everything I already discussed. The plane crash scene and the bar reunion scene drew me in and stood out from all the other white-room-syndrome chapters we get in this book.

In The Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros
I give this book 4.5 stars.

Izzy Astor is on a plane next to Nate Phelan. Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.
Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.
Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.
He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

A second chance military romance spanning 10 years.Told from Izzy and Nate’s pov’s with a present and flashbacks timeline the story flows beautifully.The timespan allows for strong character growth and plot development that had me feeling all the emotions while reading.Both action packed and heart wrenching l loved it!
Thanks to Netgalley,Rebecca Yarros and
Montlake for my chance to read and review this book.

Touching and super emotionally charged, I enjoyed it but it was a tough read for me.
This military romance book was heavy on the consequences of military/war aspect on families and relationships.
The romantic aspect of this story was haunting and at times painful to read. Emotional, intense, heart pounding, and gut wrenching story this couple out me through the wringer!
It follows Izzy and Nate as they meet in an airplane and tragedy strikes right after takeoff.
This tragic event created a unique and unbreakable bond that spanned 10 years.
Obstacles kept interfering into the possibility of having more than a fleeting connection.
What if that’s the best they can do?
While they cared deeply for each other they went on with their lives and other relationships! We get to know them and so many questions arise about these characters.
Ten years where they went back and forth!
Why?
Thought provoking and insightful this read begged the questions what would you do if you were Nate and Izzy?
Oh it was heavy but I couldn’t put it down, I had to find out, and I was not disappointed.

“Why is our timing always shit?”“Because nothing worth having is easy.”

In the beginning, I really liked the story. Izzy & Nate fell in love during bad circumstances and their lives were really different because they were headed in opposite directions. The book narrates the story in the past and present alternatively. So at first, I was really loving the angst between Nate & Izzy but towards the middle, it just got boring and reading a book set in a war zone was difficult tbh. Not to mention, Izzy was portrayed as this rich but helpful American lawyer but in her selfish quest to find her sister in Afghanistan, she unnecessarily put her team's life in danger. Nate was broody and protective but other than that, his whole personality was so bland. The entire problem in their relationship was him, for staying enlisted in the military knowing that it wasn't the path he wanted for himself. And that part about Izzy dating other people throughout their separation didn't sit well with me. I mean she herself said that none of the other men ever measured up to Nate. So then why lead them on? I just couldn't understand both of them and I just wanted to get to the end, which again was very predictable and cliche. It's safe to say, I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would have.

<b>Some books are written to take your breath away. The sole purpose of their existence to crush you with devastating feels. In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros falls in that category. I am still not sure how to process all these conflicting, heart wrecking, all consuming feels but I do know this book will haunt me forever. Rebecca Yarros has a beautiful and powerful writing that never fails to deliver intense emotions. This is a story of love in time of war and war in time of love.</b>

First, a disclaimer. I am a third party when it comes to the political conflict referred in a book. The American army involvement in Afghanistan and the war against the Talibans is a sensitive and multifaceted issue. Being an Indian, it has indirect effect in my country. But I think it's impossible for outsiders to actually understand the full impact of such a critical thing. So I am not listening to any specific side here. But my unbiased opinion is, this book concentrated on the love story and not on the politics. Yes it had to be mentioned because it is set largely in Afghanistan during the time of USA army evacuation and That facets play a role here. But I don't think that should be your focus here. Anyway carrying on.

<b>This story tells the saga of Nathaniel aka Nate and Isabeau aka Izzy who First met 10 Years ago in a plane that crashed. Izzy was almost graduating and Nate was on way to his first army training. They fell in love in a way but the time was never right. Nate was moving to Special Forces and Izzy had her school and career but it was undoubtedly true that they had the most unique and purest love. Every time they had to say goodbye, my heart broke a little. We go back and forth from the present time..where Izzy has just arrived in Afghanistan as part of Congress's representative team and Nate is assigned as her security. The country is crumbling. Nate doesn't want Izzy anywhere near the danger. But she is on a mission to contact her sister who is a photojournalist. Years of heartbreak and angst explode in face of extremely pressure situation. Their love has not faded no matter how much they tried to move on. Nate has his demons. The war changed him..damaged him but Izzy remains his safest part. Izzy is so sweet and strong and Nate is her only real weakness .I raged and I broked and I cursed like crazy while reading it. So many kindle throwing and ugly crying moments. And in last few chapters, I legit stopped breathing. I felt my heart would give out. Because my heart wouldn't survive if there was not a HEA. Nate and Izzy have a very unique love. That cannot be defined by society's standards. They loved deeply and unconditionally and that meant letting go and not looking back at some point. Nate charmed me and made me swoon. This man in unreal. He would die for Izzy. Literally. And like Izzy, I wanted to wrap him in a protective bubble and never let go. Love sometimes means being selfless and accepting every part of the other person, at whatever capacity. This is a story of that kind of love.</b>

I reviewed an early copy through Montlake and Netgalley