What an outstanding debut!! Sexy and intense and messy. If you're expecting a hearts and flowers romance, then find another book! James and Madison's painful story completely captivated me. 
 A War Like Ours is a compelling, gritty and enthralling book. Once I started I could not put it down! I love stories where the main protagonists are imperfect characters. James and Madison make poor choices in their lives, but somehow the author makes it all seem very believable and just plain real. Also: there is no insta-love here so if you like a story that takes some time to build, then you will love A War Like Ours. 
 "Let the pain take over. Let it own you, turn you inside out. Let it win, Madison." 
 James Maxwell is harboring a big secret. A life-altering, painful secret. He is a brilliant cancer researcher but is not handling his personal life very well at all. He has a beautiful young daughter but he is keeping something from her that is getting more difficult to withhold with the each passing day. As much as I did not agree with James, I totally understood his pain and grief thanks to Saffron Kent's incredible writing. Lonely and tortured, he seeks out Madison, a staff member at the summer resort where he is staying. Somehow he sees a kindred spirit in her. 
 Madison is bitter and depressed. She is stuck in a relationship for all the wrong reasons. For some reason she is drawn to James. But their relationship is fiery, explosive and not at all peaceful. Madion has a deep-seated hatred for men but yet she feels something - sympathy? lust? - for the very sexy and emotionally unavailable James. 
 This story is raw and explicit and very emotional. I could not wait to see if James and Madison got the happy ending they so desperately deserved. All the characters in this book are very flawed and very unusual. I was blown away by this debut book by Saffron Kent and can't wait to read more from this very talented writer. 
 "A beating heart doesn't mean that I'm alive." 
 "No, it only means you want to be. It's the nature of all living things. They want to live, break free. They want a miracle. It's called hope. Hope that one day something will transform our life, transform us as we know it." 
 ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.