Archives

Only Love (Only Love #1) by Garrett Leigh (4 Stars)

Nov10

War and violence didn’t destroy them, but it caused a lot of damage to their lives. Can these two people open their hearts to love and finally find peace and happiness?

Max suffers from serious seizures caused by an incident in his past. He’s now living down the street from his sister in a private cottage. His adorable dog helps him get by, and he’s a generally happy, albeit lonely, person. Jed Cooper is home from the war recovering from a serious injury. He is also trying to determine how to live with the permanent illness he acquired during the war. He’s extremely quiet and really doesn’t talk very much. He needs a place to live, but staying with his brother, who happens to be married to Max’s sister, isn’t working out. However, since him and Max seem to get along pretty well, they decide to become roommates.

This was not an easy story to read. Both of these guys suffered through some serious trauma. Through flashbacks, we got a pretty good idea of the details and they weren’t pleasant. It felt very realistic and had my heart breaking thinking about the people risking their lives for their countries every day. At the same time, neither of the guys expressed self-pity. They accepted their lives for what they were and made the most of it. There was plenty of family and friend drama, but it was also enjoyable to see the support that they provided to each other. I also liked watching Jed spend time with his nieces since he was such a great uncle.

There were two things I struggled with related to the story. Since Jed hardly talked, it was really hard to buy into his relationship with Max. There were barely any deep conversations between the two of them. This lead to the second issue of feeling like I was reading two separate stories where the characters sometimes spoke with each other.

This was a very touching story about a veteran trying to return to civilian life and enjoy the love of a good man.

Link to free missing scene: Awake and Alive (Only Love #1.5)

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Originally reviewed for Swept Away By Romance. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Point of No Return (Turning Point #1) (4 Stars)

Mar4

How long can you mix a dangerous career with a hidden love affair?

Matthew Elliot is one of the Fab Four, a group of top notch detectives working in the narcotics division in Los Angeles. They have been shutting down drug rings and risking their lives to do it. He’s also deep in the closet, and afraid that if he publicly declares he’s gay, he might lose his friends and job. His sexy new boxing coach, Kira Takeo Franco, is also in the closet, but their attraction is mutual.

I really enjoyed this heavy relationship story with romance and police drama. The majority of it was pretty sweet, but it did get a bit violent toward the end. Most of the sex takes place off the page, but it was still sexy in its own way. Matthew was a strong detective who really loved his job. Kira was such a sweet guy who always had a smile. These two were meant to be together, and it was fun watching them sparring at the club or sharing romantic evenings together.

There was a little mystery surrounding the drug bust that took place which gave us a chance to spend time with Matthew’s co-workers. Matthew’s best friend and partner, Mitch, plays a heavy role in the story. Unfortunately, Matthew has never told Mitch he’s gay. I could feel the angst this was causing Matthew, and I wanted to beg him to say something. Kira’s parents were a nice touch to the story, especially since Matthew didn’t have any family left. The violence at the end detracted from the story for me since it was a bit extreme.

I really enjoyed the author’s riveting writing style and this very charming romantic suspense.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Grey’s Hidden Fire by Draven St. James (3 Stars)

Jan28

It’s a good thing these guys are firemen. The sparks flying between them are non-stop!

Grey Hayes loves his job as a fireman, and he considers most of the men at his station to be his family. Mica Cruz is transferring to the station and hoping for a fresh start. As soon as these two meet, they are immediately attracted to each other. But Grey is straight, or at least he thinks he is. As Grey and Mica explore their attraction, and Grey comes to grips with the fact that he’s gay, they must also deal with the threats against Mica.

I enjoyed the beginning of this story, especially several of the sex scenes with Mica’s dirty talk. Mica and Grey are both really nice guys, and they love their jobs. It was great to see them spend time with the other firefighters and get an idea of life in the firehouse. I loved the camaraderie between all of the guys and thought it gave some warmth to the story. There wasn’t really a lot of relationship building or heavy conversations taking place. It seemed like every time there was an opportunity to have a discussion, sex took precedence. The suspense angle allowed for them to spend more time together and move their relationship forward even faster.

If you’re looking for a heavy erotic romance with sexy firemen and a little suspense, this should make for a fun romp.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Beyond Duty by SJD Peterson (4 Stars)

Nov22

Can two career marines move their relationship forward now that they are able to truly be together all of the time?

Gunther “Gunny” Duchene and Macalister “Mac” Jones have been in the marines for their entire careers. They have also been in a hidden relationship for a good portion of that time. Due to the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, they are finally able to freely admit to the world that they are in a relationship. They will have to deal with the issues that arise from telling the service and their family, but more importantly, they will have to learn to be together fulltime.

I loved Gunny and Mac. They were extremely strong, intelligent, and caring men. They weren’t afraid to share their feelings with each other. The majority of the angst was completely outside the relationship, which is one of my favorite stories. I loved watching these two support each other as they finally share their love with the rest of the world. I also really liked that they were an established couple, albeit hidden, for a very long time before the story took place. It added depth and history to their relationship. However, since this was the first time they were openly together and living in the same home, it still had the feeling of the early stages of a relationship.

The characters were a little too similar, making it challenging to differentiate them sometimes. I also really wanted to know what they were going to do in retirement. I never doubted their happiness and knew without a shadow of a doubt that these two would spend the rest of their lives together. I was just hoping to get a better idea of how they would spend their time together.

I really enjoyed this unique military romance looking at two sexy lovers who are planning out the rest of their lives together.

Book Cover

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb