Summary of In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros

Overview 

Rebecca Yarros is the author of the love novel In the Likely Event. The narrative of Izzy and Nate, two young individuals on the verge of adulthood who meet just before an unplanned plane disaster, is told in the novel. Izzy attends law school and college, while Nate enlists in the military. Despite their divergent paths, they keep coming back to each other until a miscommunication forces them to part ways forever.

Izzy and Nate reunite in war-torn Afghanistan and are forced to confront their conflict as their surroundings collapse. The story cleverly juxtaposes two conflicting timelines in a dual-plotline structure that switches between descriptions of the protagonists’ early romance and their unexpected reunion in 2021 to explore the idea that sometimes love isn’t enough. Rebecca Yarros is a best-selling romance author whose books have become bestsellers. Her husband has served many deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, thus she incorporates her own family’s experiences into the military subject of In the Likely Event.

Nathaniel “Nate” Phelan serves in the Special Forces division of the US Army. He is in Afghanistan at the start of the story, awaiting the arrival of a congressional delegation that he and his team are tasked with securing. Nate is not happy to learn that Isabeau “Izzy” Astor, the congressional assistant he is supposed to guard, is a lady he was romantically involved with until three years prior.

The story jumps ahead to 2011, when Izzy takes a plane to return to school following a visit with her sister during her first year in college. When she locates her seat, Nate has already taken it. They talk about their future goals and their mutual love of books throughout the pre-takeoff period. Unfortunately, the aircraft falls into the Missouri River a few minutes after takeoff. In the middle of the debris, Nate assists in removing Izzy and the other passengers from the water. He then identifies himself to the paramedics as Izzy’s husband in order to accompany her to the hospital. Izzy requires surgery due to a ruptured spleen, which Nate authorizes. Nate is accompanied by local army men to catch another flight while she is still in surgery.

The story goes back to 2021. After learning that Izzy is in Afghanistan to locate her photographer sister Serena and make sure she gets back to the United States safely, Nate and Izzy quarrel about her presence in the country. Even though he is devastated to learn that Izzy is now engaged to someone else, Nate offers to assist her in finding Serena.

The story jumps ahead to the events that followed the 2011 plane crash. After the disaster, the airline sends Izzy Nate’s backpack, so she just knows his name. She is therefore overjoyed when she and Nate cross paths in 2014 at a Georgian tavern. After spending a day together, they get back together, but because Nate is going to deploy to Afghanistan, he won’t commit Izzy to a relationship. Rather, they correspond via mail for a few months prior to him surprising her on her birthday at home. They decide to take a plane to Fiji in 2017 at that period.

The story goes back to 2021. Serena is found by Nate and Izzy in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. Izzy makes plans to include the town on the agenda for the congressional delegates. It is Nate who leads her to welcome the evacuees, but Serena arrives just before Izzy is about to go. Izzy is reassured by Serena that she is secure, but she won’t go until Taj Barech, her interpreter, gets his passport and is able to accompany her. Jeremy Covington, Izzy’s fiancé, has gone to Afghanistan to beg that she forgive him for cheating on her. Izzy is shocked to discover this when she returns to the embassy. Izzy breaks up with him after they quarrel.

When Nate and Izzy reunite in 2017 while traveling to Fiji, the story takes a new turn. Now that he’s graduated from law school, Izzy wants to work for a company close to Nate’s base, but he keeps telling her it’s not a smart idea because he’s going to join the Special Forces, which will limit his availability and probably require him to move. Izzy gripes that Nate never shares the core of who he is with her, and one night, when she wakes him up from a nightmare, he acts out violently, which escalates the problem. Although Nate once more maintains that they are not meant to be in a relationship, he arranges for them to travel more in the future, including a trip to Palau in a year.

Izzy is flown to the airport in Kandahar in 2021 after calling off her engagement. There, she meets with a girls’ chess team and provides visas for the girls, their families, and the coach. Sadly, not long after arrival, missiles from the nearby city—where the Taliban is seeking to seize control of the region—destroy the runway. Until help arrives to save them, Izzy and Nate are left to stay the night. The following day, when Izzy goes back to the embassy, she finds that Jeremy and most of her staff have left her behind since the State Department has ordered the post to be evacuated.

The story then jumps back to 2018. Izzy takes a plane to Palau for her planned vacation with Nate, but he never arrives. Izzy looks for him on social media and tries to call him, but she is unable to get through. After she gets back home, Nate appears and tells her that one of his friends passed away while he was preparing for the Special Forces. Izzy declines Nate’s proposal of marriage due to his unstable emotional state. Izzy won’t see Nate again until she gets to Afghanistan in 2021, at this point.

As they reminisce about their history, back in the present, Izzy finds that Nate has been carrying her engagement ring with him for the previous three years. Izzy confides in Nate about her emotions, and they both acknowledge their love for one another. After a short while, the embassy is evacuated, and Nate makes private plane travel arrangements for Izzy to return home. Serena and Taj make it in time to board the plane with Izzy, all thanks to Nate and his crew. Nate left the service five years later and went on to become an English teacher. He resides in Maine with his spouse, Izzy.

Analysis of Chapters 1–7

Rebecca Yarros presents her characters twice: once as grownups carrying a plethora of emotional baggage from each other, and again in a flashback that shows the challenging circumstances surrounding their initial encounter. While raising the tension in the book, Yarros uses time travel to give her two protagonists a more complex portrayal. The real-time action moves quickly, maintaining a sense of urgency, while the narrative in Afghanistan for 2021 foreshadows a number of difficulties. Similar to how the first encounter of the protagonists in 2011 is portrayed, it provides much-needed exposition and sets up an exciting adventure when their commercial flight crashes into a river. Because of this, the author is able to depict how both characters respond to stress and trauma before the more extreme setting of Afghanistan in 2021 forces them back into the action together, this time with years’ worth of emotional problems and resentments to work through on top of their situation.

The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma are relevant to both characters, as their tense interactions in 2021 soon show, because even though they have learned to deal with their individual traumas, they are still finding it difficult to process the intense emotions that have grown between them over time. Nate’s perception of himself as a protector is evident from their encounters in both eras, as he is willing to put himself in danger to save someone in need. This propensity is relevant to his job as a soldier, but it also plays a role in the aftermath of the 2011 plane crash, as Nate goes above and beyond what is expected of him as a passenger, saving multiple lives and going above and beyond to drive Izzy to the hospital and make sure she is safe. Though Nate’s broken lip and bruises only hint at the depths of his protective instinct, the novel’s opening chapters leave the reader wondering what exactly is causing him to have this inclination.

The main purpose of Yarros’ usage of the Afghanistan scenes in this section of the book is to arouse curiosity and mystery about the pair’s past relationship because every exchange suggests that even though their romance ended bitterly, they both still have strong love for one another. Rather than coming across as extreme, Nate’s overbearing attitude suggests that once upon a time, he had the kind of connection with Izzy that allowed him to express such opinions openly. For example, it shows that he is still willing to impose his opinions on her despite their many years apart. When combined with his natural rage and jealousy at seeing the engagement ring on Izzy’s finger, these incidents portend more conflict between the two characters and a possible resolution because, despite their current animosity, they still have a level of intensity that can only be reached when love is still a factor in the bigger picture.

While this may cause the character herself some distress, it nevertheless bodes well for the overarching romance plot that is now well underway. The author immediately indicates that there is a great deal of strife in Izzy’s current relationship with her fiancé, further hinting at the pair’s eventual reconciliation. The author makes sure to include a more direct McGuffin for the protagonists to pursue in addition to these interpersonal tragedies, which gives them numerous chances to reflect on the past and consider their shared future. In order to achieve this, the urgent need to find out where Izzy’s sister is takes center stage. While this plot point’s urgency is a little fabricated, it does allow the story to pick up steam as Nate again seizes the opportunity to assist, demonstrating his desire to be the perfect protector even as he divulges the full extent of his feelings for Izzy.

Analysis of Chapters 8–14

In this section of the book, the concept of Abandonment Through Disappointment is explored in a number of ways, all of which emphasize Izzy’s natural fear of experiencing even more apathy from the people she loves the most. This pattern is initially shown in the novel’s previous timeline, when Izzy’s own parents decide to put their vacation ahead of helping their daughter following the plane crash and subsequent surgery. They ignore the deeper psychological scars their daughter’s absence and lack of concern cause, justifying their choice with the flimsy justification that Izzy is already healing. When they abruptly postpone their intentions to see Izzy on her birthday in 2014, they demonstrate their continued disregard for her emotional health. Izzy’s relationship with her parents is characterized by a pattern of conduct like this, and the sense of abandonment she experiences as a result of this treatment permeates all aspects of her life, chief among them being her enduring rage over Nate’s regrettable choice to “disappear” from her. The reason behind this incident is still unknown, but it contributes significantly to the pair’s animosity for one another when they first meet in Afghanistan.

The older timeline must reflect the more positive aspects of Nate and Izzy’s previous relationship because their 2021 rendezvous is so full of unresolved concerns and unpleasant feelings. In order to achieve this, the author employs a deliberate sequence of flashbacks that intercut the more contemporary story and offer historical context for the challenges that the couple today faces. Their fortunate meeting in Georgia marks a hopeful new beginning in the years-long chronology of their evolving relationship, and it also provides the framework for the author to explain some of the conflicts that arise between the characters when they are in Afghanistan. The younger Izzy, for instance, tells Nate about her previous romance with a male who persuaded her to enroll at Georgetown before deserting her to attend Yale. The author purposefully left out this little bit of Izzy’s past because it gives Nate just enough knowledge to identify Izzy’s fiancé, Jeremy, when Jeremy pays her an unexpected visit in Afghanistan. Even though Jeremy is Izzy’s fiancé and appears to have more power than Nate does, the author immediately conjures up negative associations and paints Jeremy as an intruder when it is revealed that the man to whom Izzy is now engaged is also the one who broke a previous engagement and abandoned her.

In contrast to Nate, who feels obligated by The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma to attempt to protect everyone, Izzy also has a strong desire to make things right for everyone. This is the real reason behind Izzy’s audacious and reckless journey to Afghanistan; in her eyes, the need to save her sister Serena outweighs the risk involved. However, even though she is currently in the midst of such great political unrest, earlier flashback chapters have previously shown that she had no desire in being involved in politics of any way, raising concerns about her life choices and professional path. Serena now explains that Izzy’s current readiness to cooperate with Senator Lauren is contingent upon the senator’s opposition to the war in Afghanistan, even though this earlier reluctance is not completely explained. Even if Izzy’s decisions are still unclear, these sentences imply that there is more to the narrative than Nate is aware of at this time, which portends a future event where Izzy’s motivations for entering politics will become evident.

The author introduces unexpected characters into both timelines in this section of the book: Jeremy arrives in Afghanistan in 2021, while a young Nate arrives in Washington, DC, for Izzy’s earlier birthday. This is a purposeful decision since Yarros frequently arranges linked plot points in tandem, offering explanatory moments for the more current story while also intentionally creating starkly different moods for the two scenes. For instance, it’s evident that Izzy’s depressed state and nagging sense of abandonment are reversed by Nate’s surprise arrival in 2014. On the other hand, Izzy is adamant that her fiancé give her more time and space to herself, so Jeremy’s arrival in 2021 is evidence that she doesn’t want him anywhere near her. In addition, Jeremy’s entrance during Nate’s presence is meant to heighten the suspense and provide Izzy and Nate avenues for conflict and character growth as the narrative progresses.

Analysis of Chapters 15-20

This part of the book is where the author’s early foreshadowing about the depths of Nate and Izzy’s relationship starts to pay off. Yarros uses the flashback chapters to explore a range of emotionally charged subjects that help the reader better understand each character’s vulnerabilities, fears, and triggers as well as the comfort and strength they derive from one another. In light of the traumatic aspects of Nate’s past and upbringing gradually coming to light, The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma become even more evident. The flashback to his mother’s funeral is very insightful since it gives Izzy a fresh perspective on his troubled family dynamics and creates a pathway for them to get closer on a number of levels. Izzy ultimately gets an explanation for the injuries Nate had prior to the plane disaster as she watches him interact with his father and learns that Nate has personally experienced The Long-Term Effects of Domestic Violence. This epiphany also clarifies the origins of his drive to defend others, since the incident suggests that Nate was probably his mother’s defender, doing his best to shield her from his violent and abusive father. It follows that he pursued a more prominent “protector” role in the military as a result of his challenging upbringing, and he applies this behavioral pattern to his relationship with Izzy.

Because of his challenging upbringing, Nate also approaches new traumas with an unwavering resignation. This peculiarity of his personality serves as a powerful illustration of The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma, as he startles Izzy with an inconsiderate remark about Fitz’s passing. This interaction shows how his childhood and present job path have produced a situation in which trauma has become an almost everyday experience for him—something hardly worthy of comment. Nate even seems surprised by Izzy’s reaction when she is stunned by the news. But after Nate’s mother passes away, a lot of these unsolved problems surface in a way that he finds unable to handle on his own. As a result of this emotional breakdown, he decides to go to Izzy for solace following the burial.  

Despite numerous early signs that Nate and Izzy might make a good match, there are still a lot of barriers in their relationship because, ironically, Nate’s fear of dying while performing his duty and leaving Izzy alone and abandoned leads him to initiate a different kind of abandonment. He makes the mistake of trying to shield Izzy by refusing to categorize their relationship. Consequently, the topic of Abandonment Through Disappointment emerges as a significant problem in their numerous encounters since Nate holds back in ways that unknowingly cause harm because he doesn’t want to upset Izzy by getting too close. He also doesn’t realize that he has unintentionally committed to Izzy, deepening their relationship irreversibly, by turning to her for solace following his mother’s funeral. No matter how much he fights the term, it’s still a relationship, and his well-meaning reluctance to give Izzy his whole attention finally aligns with her own innermost dread of being abandoned, undermining their bond.

The fact that Nate and Izzy’s journey to Fiji is successful in that they both find happiness in each other’s arms within this perfect time frame adds more uncertainty to this subtle push-pull dynamic. Nate promises to continue these romantic travels for a number of years to come, despite Izzy’s persistent attempts to center her life on him. Because of this, Nate’s relationship with Izzy is complicated because, although he won’t allow her to change his life, it’s obvious that he loves her and wants to be with her in spite of his reservations. When Izzy and Nate find themselves stranded at the Kandahar airport, Izzy discovers that Nate uses the call sign “Navarre” and realizes that this decision is a reference to Ladyhawke, the movie that inspired Izzy’s name and that they watched together on her birthday so long ago. This pattern of behavior carries over into the future and manifests itself once more in Afghanistan. The movie’s premise, which centers on two lovers who are kept apart by a curse, is also noteworthy since it alludes to the relationship between Izzy and Nate. As a result, the subtle inference of this reference highlights the challenges that still stand in the way of Nate and Izzy’s natural compatibility.

Given this additional background, it is evident that Jeremy serves as a counterbalance to Nate. His callous disregard for the woman he is currently engaged to shows in his casual dismissal of his own infidelity and his expectation that Izzy will submit to the idea of a loveless marriage that would only work on paper. In contrast to Nate, who has shown his love and commitment for Izzy time and time again, Jeremy treats her with less respect than a worthy fiancé. Given that Izzy’s connection with Jeremy is a direct result of her parents’ self-centered tendencies, this comparison between the two men highlights the depth of Nate’s feelings and highlights the apathetic nature of the environment in which Izzy was raised. The only reason they are intrigued by Izzy’s relationship is that they think having a family tie to Jeremy—who is headed for a career in politics—will help their business. Therefore, their preference for self-interest over familial loyalty simply serves to highlight how uninterested they really are in their daughter’s happiness. Additionally, it reaffirms Izzy’s fear of being abandoned by touching on the concept of Abandonment Through Disappointment, which continues to plague her into adulthood.

Analysis of Chapters 21–27

The flashback chapters mirror the mounting suspense and sense of impending peril as Taliban troops continue to advance near Kabul, with the 2021 timeline illuminating the characters’ deepest anxieties and most difficult experiences. Yarros skillfully weaves together parallel stories that culminate in heartbreaking revelations. For this reason, a number of acutely emphasized flashback chapters are placed over the story of Afghanistan, as though to jolt Nate and Izzy’s continuous disagreement with the agony of former experiences that are so starkly clear as to be almost cruel. The two argue about Nate’s failed proposal scene, which is arguably the most intense instance of this because, despite Nate’s continued conviction that it was an outright rejection, Izzy’s memory of the incident reveals that the couple’s dramatic breakup was much more nuanced than he realized. The sudden death of his buddy and comrade Julian upset a younger Nate in that previous moment, which affected his ability to make decisions. His persistence in asking Izzy to marry him at such a difficult time can thus only lead to catastrophe. Not only does Nate want Izzy to console him now, as she did when his mother passed away, but he also wants her to make decisions on his behalf. Since Julian’s passing has exposed all of Nate’s unresolved anguish, he is unable to move on and is overcome with emotion. As a result, he is set up to see Izzy’s reluctance to accept his proposal as a flat rejection, and this is the tipping point that causes him to end their relationship. By doing this, he not only gives in to The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma and abandons the most meaningful relationship in his life to pursue a career he believes noble but will also expose him to further trauma and isolation, but he also sets off her sensitivity to Abandonment Through Disappointment.

Given this background, the author clarifies Nate’s custom of always keeping the ring with him. The harrowing conversation between the two leads to the stunning understanding that, despite their distance from one another, Nate still harbors strong feelings of love and devotion for Izzy. Izzy and Nate finally resolve a lot of their issues and gain a fresh perspective on one another after this realization. Izzy has always known that working for Nate is risky, but she doesn’t fully realize how risky his life can be until she interacts with him in an environment that highlights the day-to-day realities of his Special Forces employment. The two characters find fresh methods to put aside their differences and be patient with one another, despite the fact that their reconciliation is characterized by fits and starts and recurrent painful sentiments.

Only after they return to the embassy in Kabul and learn that Izzy’s coworkers and ex-fiance have already left the area does Nate and Izzy’s dramatic encounter begin. Izzy’s long-standing fears and sense of abandonment are triggered by her team’s disappearance, even though it is inevitable. Amidst the ongoing strain of dealing with The Myriad Effects of Psychological Trauma, she seizes this difficult opportunity to reexamine her belief that Nate too deserted her after making a proposal years prior. 

As a result, the author sets up a scenario that enables both storylines to reach their simultaneous climax. For while the two argue over historical events, Serena is once again in danger as the threat level rises due to the Taliban’s swift takeover of Afghanistan’s major cities. In the end, despite all of these emotional and physical tensions and conflicts, Nate saves Izzy once more, demonstrating his loyalty as a romantic partner and his value as a soldier by using his connections to help Taj obtain a visa and organize Serena’s escape from Mazar-i-Shariff. Consequently, Nate performs his self-appointed protector job on several levels: he goes above and above his basic duties to safeguard Izzy and her sister, and he makes every effort to resolve Izzy’s issue so that she can leave the nation and avoid the approaching invasion.

Analysis of Chapter 28’s Epilogue

Yarros purposefully chooses to include connections to extremely recent historical events whose long-term effects are still being felt in her romance story, even if a complicated, multi-year love affair like Izzy and Nate’s might have happened anywhere. Her novel incorporates significant social commentary about current events and becomes more broadly relevant to the ongoing discussion about the aftermath of these historical occurrences by using the turbulent and contentious US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as the setting for an otherwise traditional romance plot. In light of this, on August 15, 2021, Nate and Izzy experience an emotional reconciliation. They do it amid pandemonium as Kabul’s infrastructure collapses all around them. The US embassy evacuation was a real-life incident, and the last-minute, chaotic visa process for evacuees played a significant role in the efforts of the remaining personnel to safely evacuate as many individuals from Kabul as possible before the Taliban took control of the city. Evacuees from Afghanistan as well as fleeing foreign nationals clogged the airport. Yarros gives her entirely fictional story a feeling of reality by describing the incident in great detail, maybe drawing from accounts of her husband’s own military experiences in the area.

Paradoxically, this devastation moment gives Nate and Izzy the much-needed push to rebuild the shattered pieces of their relationship and rekindle their bond; they are finally able to express the feelings they have been holding inside for the past three years. A change in Nate is evident when he later confides in his friend Torres and expresses his wish to leave the military. 

This shift begins when Nate acknowledges his love for Izzy and accepts her affirmations of love for him. The scene between two active-duty soldiers going about their business initially seems to be nothing more than a supportive moment, but the real significance of this exchange and other conversations Nate has had with Torres will soon reveal much more about the most closely-kept secrets of Nate’s character. It is revealed that the Julian Torres of Nate’s past and the Torres of his present are the same person when Izzy later looks at the dog tags that he was wearing with her ring. As a result, Nate has been experiencing the long-term effects of PTSD for years and has been having hallucinations of a long-dead comrade. This is an illusion that many mental illnesses, including PTSD, are prone to. This information reveals The Various Impacts of Psychological Trauma that Nate has experienced over the years, and his previous allusions to his coping strategies and worries about his own mental health now have a pressing new meaning. The novel’s scope prevents Yarros from delving deeply into the subtleties of PTSD, but her choice to include the disorder’s negative effects as a plot device nonetheless elevates the subject and validates the trauma and mental health issues that many real-life soldiers deal with.

As Nate and Izzy come together in the end, their rekindled romance becomes a source of inspiration for many whose own struggles and experiences may resemble that of the two main characters. Yarros also makes an effort to complete the circle in the denouement of the book by referencing the playful questions that Nate posed to her at the start of the book in reference to their decision to relocate to Maine. Thus, this detail not only establishes his faithful memorization of all mother has ever taught him, but it also gives the story a sense of closure by simultaneously resolving the two plotlines. Similarly, Izzy’s decision to work for nonprofits in Maine demonstrates that she has gone back to pursuing her initial interests rather than letting her father control her career path for his own benefit. It appears that Nate has also gotten his life and objectives back on track because he has accepted the teaching career that he had dreamed of pursuing before enlisting in the military.

Discussion Questions 

1. An Examination of Izzy’s Expectations and Abandonment Problems: Parental Indifference

   – In what ways does the opening scene with Izzy’s parents on the cruise convey their lack of concern for her life? 

   – Talk about how Izzy’s expectations of abandonment and the emergence of her abandonment issues are influenced by her parents’ actions.

2. Izzy’s Life Decisions: The Effect of Parental Selfishness

   – Examine how Izzy’s parents’ self-serving desires affect her choices, especially in light of their opposition to her perhaps marrying a soldier.

   – How has Izzy’s life been shaped by parental pressure? How does it add to her feelings of disappointment and dread of being abandoned?

3. Nate’s Function in Addressing Issues of Abandonment: Reliability and Unpredictability

   Examine how Nate has affected Izzy’s feelings of abandonment, paying particular attention to how willing he is to enter her life at random.

   – Talk about how Nate’s actions contradict Izzy’s belief that people will leave her and how their dynamic is made more complex by his unwillingness to clarify their relationship.

4. Nate’s Military Career: Juggling Unpredictability and Commitment

   Examine the conflict that exists between Nate’s desire to support Izzy and the responsibilities of his military career. What effects does this dynamic have on their partnership?

   – Talk about the difficulties and tensions that result from Nate’s unwillingness to establish and commit to a relationship because of his military obligations.

5. The Broken Trust: Nate’s Absence in Palau – Analyze the critical juncture in Palau where Nate’s non-appearance has an impact on Izzy’s faith in him.

   – Talk about the emotional fallout and Serena’s significance in Izzy’s life as the trustworthy person.

6. Psychological Repercussions: The Irreversible Break and Assignment to a Different Man

   Examine how Izzy’s perception of Nate and their relationship have been affected by his seeming desertion.

   – Talk about how Izzy’s choice to be engaged to a different man represents her emotional state following the events in Palau.

7. Nate’s Failed Proposal: Turning Points in Izzy’s Priorities – Examine how Nate’s abandoned plan affected Izzy’s decisions and priorities.

   – Talk about the ways that the turbulent events in Afghanistan have caused Izzy to reevaluate her priorities and her choices.

8. Nate’s Path to Trust-Building: An Unusual Bond

   – Examine the instances where you gain Nate Izzy’s trust and compare them to her expectations based on previous encounters.

   – Examine the ways in which Nate’s behaviors distinguish him from Izzy and add to their special bond.

9. Comfort and Abandonment: Izzy’s Engagement to a Known But Untrustworthy Man

   – Talk about the complicated nature of Izzy’s relationship with a well-known but dubious man. In what ways does this choice represent her feelings at the moment?

   Examine how comfort played a part in her decision and how it differed from Nate’s apparent desertion.

10. Izzy’s Journey: Priorities, Resilience, and Abandonment

    – Consider Izzy’s trajectory from her parents’ disinterest to her engagement and Nate’s absence. How does she deal with obstacles like resiliency, abandonment, and changing priorities as the story progresses?

    – Talk about how Izzy’s decisions and character have changed in light of her experiences with trust and abandonment.

Reflection Essays 

1. There is a book called In the Likely Event that is classified as a military romance. Which typical romance clichés does Rebecca Yarros employ, and how does she modify them to give the worn-out narrative patterns a new spin?
2. Nate remarks at the start of the book that by staying in Afghanistan, he is losing out on a trip to the Maldives. What relevance does this comment have? In what ways does Nate’s selection of vacation locations indicate his continued love for Izzy Astor?
3.  Yarros makes it rather evident that Izzy will be traveling to Afghanistan in August 2021. What makes this date noteworthy? How does Yarros improve her setting and develop a conflict in her novel using historical events?
4.  A plane disaster is when Nate and Izzy’s romance starts. Why does Yarros decide to have this first encounter between the two characters be so traumatic? How does the plane tragedy affect Nate’s emotional journey through the book, and how does it simultaneously unite and divide Izzy and Nate?
5.  In 2014, Nate pays Izzy a visit for her birthday but declines to have a personal relationship with her. Are Nate’s justifications for staying out of a committed relationship sound? In what way does Nate’s actions seem to go against his desire for close intimacy with her?
6. Izzy hopes to practice law and work with charity organizations. Why did Izzy give up this to work for a senator, and why does Nate find Izzy’s choice of job offensive?
7. Izzy gets engaged to a man who had before persuaded her to enroll in a particular institution but had abruptly changed his mind. What made Izzy decide to get engaged to this man a second time, and how does her decision relate to the fallout from her unsuccessful relationship with Nate?
8. Yarros introduces two supporting figures who are crucial to the lives of the protagonists. What function does Torres play for Nate, and why is Serena crucial to Izzy? In what ways do these characters highlight the more nuanced aspects of each protagonist’s personality? Make use of the text’s examples to support your arguments.
9. Throughout the Afghanistan-based chapters, Yaro depicts Nate conversing with Torres. How does she twist the story to cover up Torres’ true nature? What hints does she give that point toward the possibility that Torres isn’t there at all?
10.  Izzy and Nate had challenging childhoods for various reasons. What relevance does the abuse topic have to the pasts of both characters? Examine and contrast the early life situations that shaped the characters of Nate and Izzy.