Tag: DADT

You Don't Have To Ask by Mathilde Watson

Title: You Don’t Have To Ask

Series: Men in Uniform

Author: Mathilde Watson

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (79pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (23rd June 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Adam never asked if Seth loved him and he sure as hell never told the man how he felt. The military’s policy of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ kept their times together brief and sporadic, making love an irrelevant consideration–until now.

With the threat of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ hanging over their heads, hooking up for a few hot but hurried encounters was all Adam Young and Captain Seth Williams had over the past ten years. Adam could never resist the opportunity to spend even a few hours in Seth’s arms. Seth’s heart was torn between the two loves of his life; the sea and his life of adventure versus Adam who could give him the love he needs to live on.

Now, six months after the repeal of the hateful law Adam is faced with a terrifying question. The chemistry between them is explosive and undeniable but is it only lust or could it possibly be love?

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/1092/

Review: Adam is madly in love with his Navy guy. He has been for many years, but now with DADT repelled he fears that all he was to Seth was a booty call. Seth has made plans which he hopes Adam will agree to, but first he has to spend some quality time with the beautiful man.

Wow. Well, what can I say about this one; except that I was torn for the first half of the book and I wanted Adam to dump Seth’s ass. For the last ten years Adam has been in a ‘relationship’ with Seth, but it has never been clearly defined between them.   Hell, for all Adam knows, Seth could have a guy in every port for a booty call. He wants more now that DADT is, but how does he broach it with a man who he is usually naked and in bed with? Seth isn’t as uncaring as we first think and he has made plans. Plans that do include Adam, but he wants it all to be a big surprise. So what if he has to leave Adam naked in a motel room for hours; he just knows that Adam will love the surprise.

Okay. So by the time I had been in Seth’s head for a few minutes, I had revised my opinion of Seth and had decided that he just needed a slap across the back of the head. So he would open his stupid mouth and just tell Adam how he feels. Adam on the other hand just needed to man up. But, his trepidation was understandable as he didn’t want to lose what little contact that he had with Seth. So, I won’t go into much detail, but this really is a lovely novella and my only complaint would have been the ending. I so wanted it to end at the change of command ceremony, but other than that it was great.

Oh.  And there is plenty of hot scorching sex, touching love-making and a solid relationship in the making. So, I am going to recommend this to those who love military coming out stories, two lovers finally being open with each other and a really happy ending.

Beyond Duty by S. J. D. Peterson

Title: Beyond Duty

Author: S.J.D. Peterson

Genre: Military, DADT, Slight BDSM

Length: Short (28pgs)

Publisher: Goodreads M/M Romance Group & S.J.D. Peterson (4th June 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Part of the Goodreads M/M Romance group’s Love is Always Write event. Story Prompt

PHOTO DESCRIPTION: Sexy Marine sitting on the floor, shirtless with just fatigue pants, another sexy Marine leaning down with his hand resting on the other Marine’s lower stomach. Matching tattoos on their shoulders and upper arms.

STORY LETTER:

Dear Author,

He’s been in my life for two decades. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell ended too late for us as we were months from retirement. We spent so much of our lives in the closet, hiding our love that I worry if we can hold it together when we’re out. I’m scared of losing him. For me, he’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen still and I know he could get guys half my age without trying hard. Why would he stick with me now? But he always knows…he knows when I need him to center me—to remind me of what we have. We’re in it together to the end.

If an author selects this…I LOVE BDSM. Please, please…

Edited to clarify: I see the man facing forward as a sub and the other man as his Dom. They’ve had stolen moments over the years but never the time and privacy to truly explore their D/s needs at the level they have desired. Now they do since they have retired. I enjoy a little angst (no cheating) but definitely want a HEA. Moderate BDSM would work great. Author, up to you if you take this mind. Ultimately, author, if you pick this one I’ll be pleased no matter what you do to give my guys a story!

Sincerely,

Virginia

FREE STORY

Purchase Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-beyondduty-820729-145.html

Review: Gunnery Sergeant Gunther ‘Gunny’ Duchene & Macalister ‘Mac’ Jones are both Marines who are coming up for retirement, now DADT is two months from being repelled and it gives Gunny an added worry that Mac will now go looking elsewhere as he no longer has to hide.

Oh, SJD.  give you a little prompt and two military men, and you pull up your big girl panties and come up with a right sparkling little gem. Gunny and Mac have been exclusive for the last ten years, after Mac had a brief brush with blackmail. But, now as they come to the end of their careers, Gunny is starting to panic a little and he has no idea why, until it hits him that Mac could have anyone he wanted now without having to hide. Mac has a different idea about what will happen with their retirement, but he notices a change in Gunny and gives him what he needs most, together they can both lay their fears to rest.

A very well written short story that amazingly shows the needs and fears of Gunny very well (I mean amazingly because it’s so short, not because of the writing or anything like that 😉 ). Gunny has been coasting along very well for the last twenty years having Mac as his best friend and f**k buddy; although for the last ten it has been exclusive. But, now as the time of their retirement approaches he is beginning to panic as he realizes that retirement means Mac could go off in his own way and find someone new. This I found to be a very angsty part as Gunny is too scared to broach the subject with Mac and it was very telling that Gunny never even thought about himself looking elsewhere even before his revelation. Mac has his own plan and that plan very much includes Gunny, but as Gunny is a bit off kilter, Mac decides to help him clear his head with a little light bondage.

So, all in all…a really good short that was worth every penny. Oh hang on, it was free. Okay, so it was still really good and it has a very good selection of emotions that Gunny works through. The sex is mega hot, the slight BDSM is very well portrayed and carried out well, and Gunny final sees his relationship with Mac for what it really is. Mac is a very sure character, there wasn’t any doubt in his mind what he wanted, and I just don’t think he ever realized that Gunny was unsure of him.

Well, hot sexy military men, a touch of BDSM, some angst, a sharing of feelings and a happy ending what more could you want in a book? It’s free as well… fine, it’s a great story that you really get into if you read the blurb/introduction, as that gives you a good mind-set as to the main characters state of mind. I highly recommend that you read this story because it will have something for everyone.

 

 

 

Battle Buddy by S. J. D. Peterson

Title: Battle Buddy

Series: Rough Rangers 01

Author: S.J.D. Peterson

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Short (67pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (17th March 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Shane Tucker joined the Army to hide behind “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. It was working too, until he was paired with sexy Owen Bradford as his Battle Buddy. If boot camp doesn’t kill him, the temptation of Owen’s sinful body surely will.

Shane Tucker joins Uncle Sam’s Army at nineteen. Tucker is gay, but not ready to be open about his orientation and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” seems like a convenient way to avoid having to dealing with his sexuality.

The Army suits Tucker; he does well right from the beginning. Things get harder for Tucker during boot camp when he is assigned a “Battle Buddy”.  Owen Bradford is a walking, talking wet dream, with no concept of personal space–he especially likes being in Tucker’s personal space. Tucker barely survives boot camp living with the constant temptation that is Owen Bradford.

Two years later, Tucker–now in the Army Ranger program–is paired up with Owen once again. Getting through training while ignoring the sizzling sexual tension between him and his “Battle Buddy” might be the biggest test of Tucker’s military career.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/806

Review: Shane comes from a small town and he has never had a reason to come out.   At nineteen, he joins the army and now he has the perfect excuse.   he has no choice but to lie about his sexuality and he grips onto it. Shane struggles when he meets Owen, as he fights his attraction to him and now two years later he’s still struggling with that attraction.

Whoop!  what an enjoyable story of attraction, lust and want. Shane desperate struggles to get a grip on his attraction to Owen, especially with Owen being straight and tough.  When Owen turns back up in his life, Shane finds it harder than ever and as far as he is concerned, as soon as the training is finished, he’s going to sort out his virgin status with the first available male.

I have to say that S.J.D. blew me away with the amount of research that must have gone into this book.   The descriptions of the training were brilliant and brought the book to life. While we learn a lot about Shane, as the book is from his POV, we don’t learn much about Owen.  With Shane, we can feel his lust, want and need for Owen.   But, we also feel his confusion and fear as he struggles to understand why Owen is acting like he is.  Remember, Shane firmly believes Owen to be straight.

When these two men come together it is explosive and although we don’t get an instant happy ever after what we do get is a promise of the start of a relationship that will rock both men’s worlds and boy do they rock ;-). So in all honesty, we don’t get the angst that we usually get from S.J.D.  but, we do get an awful lot of frustration and some wicked lines ‘Like right then and there before my shaft exploded and I ended up a fucking eunuch’ classic.

So, I have to recommend this to those who love hunky sexy soldiers, explosive sex, frustration, longing, doubts and a happy for now ending.

 

 

 

Ex Equals by L. A. Witt

Title: Ex Equals

Author: L.A. Witt

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Extended Novella (152pgs)

Publisher: Amber Quill Press/Amber Allure (18th September 2011)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: On the first day of his new career as a community college math teacher, Chris Reuben gets an unexpected—and most unwelcome—blast from the past: one of his students is his former navy shipmate…and ex-boyfriend.

Justin Hayes isn’t after a second chance when he signs up for an algebra class taught by his ex. All he wants besides a passing grade is a chance to make amends with the man he loved and hurt while they were deployed together three years ago.

Pain, guilt, and bitterness aren’t the only lingering feelings, though, and even if three years is enough to melt the ice between them, they’ve already risked their careers for each other once. Can Justin convince Chris that what they once had is worth putting careers and hearts on the line again?

Review: I have to say that this was a great read. Chris has just started working at the college as a teacher when his ex walks through the door and he is soooo not happy to see him. Justin has signed up for Chris’s class as a way to confront the past.   He knows he hurt Chris three years ago and now he wants to make amends.

I have to say this story touched my heart.  With the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal just being passed this is a fitting story. After a brief relationship that went horrible wrong when Justin got promoted and made Chris’s life a living hell it was understandable for Chris’s reaction to having Justin back in his life was not a happy one. Justin does try his best to get through to Chris but I don’t think he understood just what he did to Chris.   It wasn’t just that he dumped Chris; it was that he undermined his authority at work and made it impossible for him to carry out his job.   So even if Chris had decided to re-enlist Justin had effectively ruined his career. I found that I respected Chris more because even though he still loved Justin he would no longer let him walk all over him and I know it would have been really hard for him to forgive the way that Justin treated him.

The story flips between the past and the present from both MCs point of views, so we can fully understand what happened between them.   It also shows their fear that although DADT is no longer in effect that it won’t make much difference to the higher-ups if Justin did come out, and that he would be hounded out of the Navy.

I really enjoyed this book and I think it showed a more realistic view of how people behave when they are scared of being outed and a very valid point that although DADT has gone it won’t change some people’s attitudes. So I recommend this as a ‘must read’.