Tenacity from J S Law – one of my favourite reads of last year entering my Top Ten of 2015 at no 4 – comes out in Paperback on the 21st April from Headline – and to celebrate we are on a Naval Toasts blog tour. Saturday is to Wives and Sweethearts (May they never meet) – Hope you enjoy this post from James and make sure to follow the tour.
Saturday’s toast is to “Wives and Sweethearts” (may they never meet)
By James Law.
If you’ve followed my blog tour at all, you’ll know that at mess dinners in the Royal Navy, immediately after the Loyal Toast of ‘The Queen’, the youngest officer present will normally offer the traditional drinking toast of that day.
The toast for Saturday is traditionally to “Wives and Sweethearts” with “may they never meet” either silently acknowledged, or quipped by some smart ass afterwards. This toast was changed in 2013 by the then Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral David Steel, to become “Our Families”, to rightly reflect the contribution of females at sea, though the traditional toast is still widely used.
When I was away on submarines, it was always my family that I missed, my children in particular – there’s something you never forget about working away and missing Christmases, birthdays, first steps, first words, first smiles – and I’ve missed all of those things – I never forget those memories I don’t have.
I came back once and my daughter, who was only a few years old, wouldn’t even look at me for several days and it was this, among other things, that led me to leave the submarine service. However, whilst I do look back with some regrets, I always had a strong family unit behind me, which enabled me to do what I did and I think this tie to family is hugely important.
In Tenacity, we see that Dan Lewis is adrift from her family and on board HMS Tenacity. She stands with little support around her, but the Royal Navy is all about teamwork and belonging and it becomes quickly apparent, that without the support of those who value her, Dan may not live long enough to have regrets…
About the book:
Two hundred metres below the surface,
she will have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
A sailor hangs himself on board a naval submarine. Although ruled a suicide Lieutenant Danielle Lewis, the Navy’s finest Special Branch investigator, knows the sailor’s wife was found brutally murdered only days before.
Now Dan must enter the cramped confines of HMS Tenacity to interrogate the tight-knit, male crew and determine if there’s a link.
Standing alone in the face of extreme hostility and with a possible killer on board, Dan soon realises that she may have to choose between the truth and her own survival.
The pressure is rising and Dan’s time is running out…
You can read my original review of Tenacity HERE
Find out more about James Law HERE
Follow him on Twitter HERE
To Purchase Tenacity clickety click right HERE
