THE LADY LEATHERNECKS is about women who have the guts and grit to serve in the US Marine Corps. The author’s first-hand knowledge of life in the Marines is evident throughout this story of a Starbucks barista named Allyn Kend, a Marine Corps newbie, who defies the female military stereotype of the typical tough-as-nails, G.I. Jane-type. Fortunately, Allyn’s stubborn as heck, a bit of rebel and engaged to Lance Corporal Eliot Michaels, so she manages to thrive as a Marine.
Boot camp at Camp Lejeune is brutal –Allyn’s comrades come from all walks of life, including rich Bibi and homeless Jess, and there’s absolutely no time to think about herself or Eliot, for that matter. The hours are long and Allyn has a lot to learn, from shooting a rifle to barking out cadences, to throwing a grenade, to sacrificing one’s own needs for the sake of her team, to foregoing luxuries like aromatherapy, to human trafficking, to showing integrity in love.
Spoiler alert: Allyn never encounters combat duty but she does face several personal battles that require just as much skill, fortitude and maneuvering as any military one ever could.
Despite the language being curt and rough, this story ticks because the author knows what she’s talking about. That being said, at times there’s just too much information and the story gets bogged down by unnecessary details.
THE LADY LEATHERNECKS is an excellent book for any reader, whether female and male, who’s considering enlisting in the military, for the civilian who want to learn more about what the daily life of a military recruit and for the reader who wants to become engrossed in the story of a passionate young person who’s just starting out in a life filled with love, mistakes, successes and purpose.
THE LADY LEATHERNECKS provides readers with a realistic look at what it’s like to be a woman in the Marines but the storyline, at times, gets lost in the details.
Reviewed by Robin Carr for IndieReader.