Battle Scars by Meghan O'Brien

Battle Scars by Meghan O'Brien is the story of Iraq War veteran, Ray, who is suffering from severe PTSD following her kidnapping and long-term imprisonment as a hostage in Iraq. Her return home to a press storm doesn't help her PTSD and, in fact, drives her into isolation in a northern California beach town where she lives with her therapy dog, Jagger and skypes with her therapist. Enter veterinarian Carly, who slowly befriends shy, reclusive Ray despite Ray's lingering homophobia (attributed mainly to her paranoia thanks to Don't Ask Don't Tell).

I chose this as my first entry because I'm a long-time fan of Meghan O'Brien's 'fanfic'. She's a solid writer and good storyteller and Battle Scars didn't disappoint. These women face real problems and obstacles on their way to love rather than the annoying series of miscommunications and manufactured obstacles so common in the genre. This is a solid romance with hot love scenes that don't airbrush or soft-pedal the f/f sex. If you're looking for a 'story' heavy on plot, this isn't the book for you. Battle Scars is strictly lez romance.