Hi..Just have to say this book was a outta this world story. I have never read R. Casteel's books before so I was very unsure but thought well let me give it a try and I have to say I was 110% happy and "WILL" be trying other books now! Worth every penny and then some!!

R Casteel captures the love and loss brought on by war and terror. Crimson Rose is set against the backdrop of the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut in 1983.

Rose is a young woman who finds herself pregnant and married to a man she loves, Sgt Mark Grady. He is killed in the bombing and Rose has to overcome her loss.
Mark's family is not aware of the marriage until after Mark's death. His brother Dennis comes to Jacksonville to solve this mystery and gets more than he expects.

I cried, laughed and thought about our boys overseas. R Casteel captures the anguish of losing a loved one but also captures the seeds of healing and overcoming grief. Finding love again can happen. This book will make you cry but it's a good cry. I highly recommend it.

In the time and place, in the heart of a country torn by strife, a contingent of US Soldiers were stationed to help a fledgling and often embattled government. As with Israel, its neighbour to the south, Lebanon was fighting for independence, and a relief from the heavy handed regimes that threatened to smother it. It was a terrible fate that overtook the Marie Barracks on that sunny and bright day. Peace was slowly grabbing hold, then men laughing and joking, the shift changes smooth, life and the prospect of peace seemed close. The blast that shattered the day took the lives of over 241 good men, US Marines, and left those at home to mourn.

Crimson Rose is a book based in that time. The story, based on the terrorist attack and the facts of that sad day is the story of many a young couple. Torn apart by a conflict in which they are innocent targets, many a young man and woman married never to see each other again. In a tale as old as time, war and the folly of men separate lovers, and as a result, leave a grieving love behind. Rod Casteel sets the incident into a poignant story of love, loss, and then the slow realization one can truly love again. In remembrance of the men and women who serve our country, to the men lost that terrible day, Crimson Rose brings to light the sacrifice of our soldiers, and the devastating losses resulting from one fanatic and insane act. Rose's story is one you will not soon forget, and it is one that is once again apropos to the time. Crimson Rose it not the racy fare you may expect from Ellora's Cave, but it goes beyond the boundaries of the heart and mind with just enough spice to let it live and shine bright in your memory. It is a memorable read, and a true tribute to those who have fallen in battle, to those who were left behind, and a reminder that we owe them all a debt of gratitude. Rate, this definitely gets 5 stars from me.