REVIEW: The Reality of Everything by Rebecca Yarros

In The Reality of Everything (Flight & Glory #5) by Rebecca Yarros, Most people move to the Outer Banks to be near the ocean and spend their days relaxing on the beach or surfing. But not Morgan Bartley. She bought a run-down beach house, sight unseen, just to get away from the memories after losing Will, the only man she’s ever loved, two years ago. Panic attacks and heart-ripping grief is her new way of life. Morgan is hoping North Carolina will be her new start, but she certainly wasn’t looking to start anything with another helicopter pilot who has the potential to damage her already wounded heart. But between Jackson’s gentle treatment of her, his sexy smile–and body–and his adorable five-year-old daughter Fin, Morgan can feel herself drawn to them against her better judgement.

“I’ve waited my entire life to love you, Morgan. Everything that came before was just to prepare me for your arrival, to teach me how to love you.”
“I don’t want to fall in love with you,” I whispered.
“I know that, too.”

Jackson loves his job as a search and rescue pilot for the Coast Guard. Saving lives is a very personal commitment he’s made–but he’s well aware of the danger that comes with it. As a single dad, he keeps things as safe as possible. Jackson also keeps any casual dalliances away from his daughter so she doesn’t get attached to someone who won’t be sticking around. That all changes when sultry Morgan moves in next door. The woman is a walking contradiction. She’s strong-willed but is crippled by grief. She’s sassy one minute then having a panic attack the next. But Jackson can see the the amazing person Morgan is underneath it all. And although it’s the first time in years that he’s actually willing to get his heart involved, he’s sure it will be worth it in the end.

‘That girl had some damage, and it ran deep.
Like calls to like.
But when I riled her up, a spark lit in her eyes, which told me she wasn’t completely broken.’

Phenomenal. That’s the only way I can describe the beauty that was The Reality of Everything. Somehow Rebecca Yarros took what should have been a somber, heavy story of grief, and intricately added light and truly touching moments turning this into a powerhouse of a romance.

‘He held me like I was something he cherished, because he did. God, I didn’t deserve this man who held me carefully as I cried out my grief for another.’

I’ll start off saying that even though The Reality of Everything wasn’t super dark, if you’ve gone through the grieving process for a close loved one and it’s a trigger for you to read of others struggling with it, this will be a tough story for you. But I can also say that Yarros did the unthinkable (in my humble opinion) with the laughter and achingly sexy moments she convincingly included. And she showed us Morgan’s whole range of feelings: the peace that eventually came from moving away from reminders of Will; the camaraderie of making new friends; and even healing as Morgan fell little by little–mostly kicking and screaming the whole way–for wonderful Jackson.

You can read this as a standalone or as part of the Flight & Glory series and still be okay. I think it might make more an impact if you’ve read some of the other installments, but Yarros did a terrific job of doling out Morgan and Will’s backstory a little bit at a time. And it’s not exactly what I thought it was at the beginning. I won’t spoil it for you, but Morgan was in a unique predicament. She still kept her spirits up when around others, though, and had that Southern sassy-ness going on. Especially during Morgan and Jackson’s meet-cute which involved sketchy stairs, lots of scratches and bruises, and…Hello Kitty? (lol) It was when she was alone that it all fell apart–or when she was faced with anything to do with Will.

Jackson was amazing. We ladies all deserve a stand up guy like him in our lives…seriously. He was a single dad, a helicopter search and rescue pilot for the Coast Guard, and an all-around nice (and oh so sexy) man. I loved Jackson’s patience with Morgan and that he understood what she needed. He didn’t give up even when most guys would have. But what else would you expect from a man raising a smart-as-a-whip five-year-old daughter on his own like it was easy as anything?

A perfect storm of emotions that inspired, saddened, and wowed me, The Reality of Everything was a breathtaking novel that had an exciting ending and characters that you will adore. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Book Info:

Publication: Published August 24th 2020 | Entangled: Embrace | Flight & Glory #5

Two years after the man she loved was killed in Afghanistan, Morgan Bartley is trying to put the pieces of her life back together. The reno on her dilapidated beach house in the Outer Banks might be just the distraction she needs to keep her debilitating anxiety attacks at bay and begin to heal her heart…if she can ignore the ridiculously handsome guy next door.

At twenty-eight, single-dad Jackson Montgomery’s life revolves around his five-year-old daughter and his job as a search-and-rescue pilot for the coast guard. He’s no stranger to saving a damsel in distress, and though his gorgeous new neighbor is clearly in distress, she’s no damsel. She’s stubborn as hell with walls a mile thick, and the dog tags hanging from her rearview mirror give him a pretty good clue as to why.

It doesn’t matter that their attraction is undeniable―she swore she’d never fall for another pilot, let alone a military man. There are some wounds time can’t heal, and some fears too consuming to conquer.

She’s a barely breathing heartbreak on the edge of recovery.
He’s a crash waiting to happen.
Together they could have it all…if they can endure the coming storm.