In the Likely Event

2.5/5

Everything about this book was perfectly average. I can't really pin-point what it was about this book that left me feeling so indifferent. It just didn't do anything for me. But, at the same time it also wasn't bad enough that I had to put it down. I finished it quite quickly. The audiobook helped.

I think one of the main things that bothered me was the "miscommunication" trope. Like, it wasn't a bad story but it left me feeling like "this meeting could've been an email". It just wasn't for me.

Being an Air Force Veteran, I really appreciated the military storyline.. The live story was excellent and definitely puts relationships to the test!

I absolutely adore Nate and Izzy. Their love story left me yearning for their happy ending with every page. The way their lives kept intersecting—sometimes tenderly, sometimes explosively—had me rooting for them even when life pulled them in opposite directions. Their chemistry? Off the charts. The two explicit sex scenes were so hot and so earned. The flashbacks mixed with present-day storytelling gave my ADHD brain something to latch onto. I actually loved the time jumps—it kept things emotionally fresh while peeling back more layers of who Nate and Izzy were before their paths fully aligned. There’s a real sense of fate at play in this book, and yet nothing ever felt forced. Some of the military lingo—C-130s, Delta, cadre, etc.—and Afghan geography had me pausing, trying to keep up. A glossary and map would’ve gone a long way to help ground readers who aren’t familiar with the military. A timeline of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and a visual of the cities mentioned would have added so much depth and anticipation to those intense scenes. Even with a bit of fluff that could have been cut, I was hooked. Rebecca Yarros has a gift for writing scenes that feel like they could unfold in real life—heart-racing, raw, and deeply human. Nate and Izzy aren’t just characters—they’re the kind of people you wish you could meet, the kind of love you wish you could experience. The way they both chased their dreams while still making room for one another was so inspiring. It made me wonder where I’d be if I had someone like Nate cheering me on and holding me accountable. Nate risked everything—not just to save Izzy from a literal crash, but over and over again, to be there for her. And that annual meet-up? The yearning, the slow burn, the tension… it gave Dear John vibes but with more hope. To the folks who complained about the wartime setting of their romance: this book doesn’t romanticize war. It shows the heartbreak, the desperation, the red tape, and the humanity that exists in chaos. Nate and Izzy weren’t being reckless—they were clinging to something real in a place where tomorrow isn’t promised.

In the Likely Event surprised me in the best way. I already knew Rebecca Yarros could write sweeping, emotional romance, but this one pulled me in immediately and didn’t let go. The story centers on a couple bonded by a traumatic event, then unfolds through a back-and-forth timeline between their first meeting and the present day. I loved that there was never a question of whether they loved each other, they always did. That mutual devotion made the separation ache more… even when I wanted to shake them and say just be together already (though, to be fair, that would’ve made for a very short book). He’s constantly protecting her. She’s always searching for him. There’s this steady undercurrent of longing, fate, and emotional safety that made the whole story feel tender and intense at the same time. Add in high stakes, emotional restraint, and that slow-burn yearning Yarros does so well—and I was fully engrossed. Romantic, heartfelt, and quietly devastating in places. A reminder that love can be steady even when timing is not. 💔✨

I received this book as a Christmas present, with a monthly book club included amongst friends. I have read several of her books. This one, I read in 2 days. I couldn't put it down. Yarros is an excellent writer. This was another side of her writing and I really enjoyed it.