Loving You Was Against the Rules: A Forbidden Military Romance That Cuts Deep

When duty demands silence—but your heart refuses to forget.

Some romances don’t come wrapped in fairy lights and soft promises. Some come in camouflage, laced with guilt, tethered to regret. What I Should Have Done by R.L. Atkinson is one of those stories—and it stays with you.

Set within the high-stakes, emotionally charged world of military life, this forbidden love story doesn’t just explore what it means to fall for someone you shouldn’t—it asks what happens when you don’t act on it in time. This isn’t just about love; it’s about consequence, silence, loyalty, and longing that refuses to fade.

As contemporary romance continues to embrace heavier emotional themes and imperfect characters, What I Should Have Done reminds us that the hardest love stories are often the most honest.

A military romance filled with tension, loyalty, and missed chances.

At the heart of What I Should Have Done is a love that never had permission to bloom. The story follows two people bound by duty—one active in uniform, the other caught in a web of silence, circumstance, and choices that feel anything but simple.

Their connection simmers under the surface—undeniable, electric, and unspoken. Every interaction brims with tension as if one wrong word might break them open or tear them apart. What begins as camaraderie evolves into deep emotional intimacy, but the cost of that closeness looms ever larger. There are rules in place, not just military regulations, but moral codes, unspoken boundaries, and personal pain.

R.L. Atkinson writes with restraint, letting the longing bleed through between the lines. There are no sweeping declarations here—just moments. Glances that linger too long. Hands that brush and shouldn’t. Conversations laced with what’s unsaid.

It’s a story of what could have been—and what still might be if they’re brave enough to face it.

A romance that aches before it heals

Tropes That Add Fire:

• Forbidden love — military protocol, rank, reputation—everything is in the way.
• Slow burn — the kind of build-up that makes every stolen second feel like a detonation.
• Angst-heavy second chance — because not all love stories get it right the first time.
• Emotional restraint — passion doesn’t have to shout. Sometimes, it just waits.

Emotional Threads That Ground the Story:

• Guilt and regret — not as plot twists, but as lived-in emotions that shape every choice.
• Moral complexity — both leads are doing what they think is right… even when it hurts.
• Sacrifice — for career, for others, for the love that feels impossible to claim.
• Healing through honesty — the reckoning isn’t easy—but it’s necessary.

Atkinson doesn’t romanticize the military or use it as a mere backdrop. The structure, expectations, and emotional toll of service feel real. And within that realism, she crafts characters who feel equally authentic—tough, tender, flawed, and yearning.

For readers who crave depth with their desire

This isn’t the kind of romance you read to escape. It’s the kind you read to feel. If you’ve ever loved someone at the wrong time, held back words you should have said, or lived with the weight of “what if”—this book will find you.

Ideal for:

• Fans of forbidden romance who crave real emotional stakes
• Readers who enjoy military romance with complexity and nuance
• Lovers of slow-burn emotional intimacy more than external action
• Women who want character-driven stories where the pain is just as real as the passion

What I Should Have Done doesn’t spoon-feed resolution. It walks you through every jagged step. And that’s what makes it unforgettable.

Final thoughts: The bravest love is sometimes the quietest

This isn’t just a romance—it’s a reckoning. A story that digs into what it means to be loyal, to serve, and to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others… until one day, you realize it’s your own heart you’ve left behind.

R.L. Atkinson writes with empathy, restraint, and a deep understanding of the kind of love that simmers long after the moment has passed. What I Should Have Done is a powerful reminder that sometimes the most courageous thing isn’t fighting a war—it’s facing the person you left behind.

So if you’re ready to ache, to root for love that defies the odds, and to believe that some stories are worth returning to—start here.

And, finally, do what your heart should have done all along.