Once in a Blue Year is a rich, multilayered coming-of-age story that delves into the emotional cost of military life on the families and friends left behind. It follows the lives of Dan and Trevor, two Navy barracks roommates, as they navigate their romantic relationships and come to terms with a dramatic event at sea that forever altered their lives.

Dan is receiving a medical discharge from the Navy and, with nowhere else to go, heads to the home of his good friends Nathan and Heather. Trevor, a true submariner, finds himself stunned as he watches the girlfriends and wives wipe away their tears, left behind as his ship glides down the river.

This lyrical debut novel explores the afflicted mindsets of its Navy men, offering a psychological study that is both thrilling and deeply moving. The narrative captures the essence of their struggles as they search for identity and meaning after being cut from a submarine mission during the Gulf War.