Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse

91Bgzqx-vwL._SL1500_Title: Desert Heat
Series: N/A
Author: Lucy Felthouse
Genre: Contemporary/Military
Length: Novella (59 Pages)
Publisher: Lucy Felthouse (January 29th 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Reviewer: Aerin
Blurb: Their love is forbidden by rules, religion and risk. Yet still they can’t resist.

Captain Hugh Wilkes is on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan. The British Army is withdrawing, and Wilkes expects his posting to be event-free. That is, until he meets his Afghan interpreter, Rustam Balkhi, who awakens desires in Wilkes that he’d almost forgotten about, and that won’t be ignored.

Please note: this book was previously published as part of the Unconditional Surrender bundle.

ISBN: 9781311301949

Product Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S08V8IC/

Review: This was an interesting and original little story, well researched and very well written.

British Army officer Wilkes is on his last tour in Afghanistan, only six months of hellish heat and sandy nightmare before he gets to return home. Wilkes is gay and closeted and he’s determined to stay that way; but things get complicated when he meets his Afghan interpreter, Rustam. Rustam is good-looking, and Wilkes finds himself extremely attracted to the young man.

After weeks of fantasies Wilkes has about Rustam, they finally give into their attraction. Their jobs and religions are some major hurdles they would have to overcome if they want to be together.

I’m not a fan of love when it’s happening too fast. I didn’t really believe in the feelings that both Rustam and Wilkes developed for each other; I honestly don’t see how they got to that point after only working together for a short amount of time and not having any interactions in their free time.

I couldn’t even detect any chemistry between them at all. I get that their circumstances and the forbidden element made their attraction all the more intense, but I just didn’t get a feel for them as a couple.

The ending made sense, happy for now is all you can dream of when you’re in their situation. I would have liked an epilogue, anything to get an idea if they made it out of there safely; their story feels incomplete to me.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *