Title: Untethered
Series: N/A
Author: R.A. Thorn
Genre: Historical/Military/WWII
Length: Novel (200 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner (April 6th, 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate/Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Determined to help the war effort, Frankie Norris joins the US Air Force in 1943. Braving intimidating drill sergeants and unending marches, Frankie struggles to hide his secret—he’s queer. But having passed basic training, he’s not going to risk an undesirable discharge or any of his fellow recruits finding out. Then he receives word that he’s been granted a position flying the plane he loves, the P-51 Mustang.
But as Frankie finds his wings in the sky, feelings of isolation may keep him grounded. Slowly making friends among his squadron, Frankie realizes he may not be as alone or as abnormal as he thinks. Other queer men have formed a community in the Armed Forces to offer support. Then Frankie meets his crew chief, Jim Morrow. Initially antagonistic, they slowly become friends and a mutual attraction develops as they join the Eighth Air Force in Britain.
Confessing their feelings, snatching what time they can together, and wary of discovery, Frankie and Jim are there for each other through dangerous missions and the loss of friends. It’s a long war with enemies on both sides.
All they can hope for is to survive long enough for a chance at something more.
ISBN: 978-1-63216-884-9
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6233
Reviewer: GiGi
Review: A beautiful and painful romance with depth and accuracy, Untethered, managed to anchor its pages to my heart. A poignant view into the lives of gay men and women in service during WWII. Frankie Norris has a secret he’s going to hide, and a heart he knows he needs to protect during the most trying moments of his life.
If the stress of preparing to complete flight school and ship overseas isn’t enough, hiding his growing attraction to a fellow soldier only adds to Frankie’s distress. Turns out he isn’t hiding his wandering eye so well, at least not to other like-minded men in the forces. Finding an oasis of other gay men on base, Frankie explores his desires while allowing his attraction for his bunk mate do die along with his heart.
With new understanding about his own sexuality, his fellow service members giving him confidence, he takes his broken heart and his newly earned wings and heads to the next level of training. This is not only where he gets to fly his dream plane, but Frankie meets a new team member, his crew chief, and the mechanic that will keep him flying safe as they fly over the Atlantic to join in the live action in the war effort.
This is the part that really gets me hooked, the introduction of new characters into Frankie’s world, the abrasiveness of his mechanic, the new hardened heart Frankie has developed, and the fear and excitement of flying missions over Germany and occupied France.
It’s thrilling, sexually tense, and heart throbbing sweet when Frankie finally realizes his snarky crew chief has his heart invested in Frankie’s welfare, as well as his plane. That moment when the light bulb goes off and Frankie sees Jim through clear eyes, sees the attraction, the concern for more than a team member, is golden!
Here the author’s research shows, the lingo, the psychological impact, the aeronautical terminology, all combine to put me right in the action, I nearly felt the nerves of both Frankie and the men on the ground waiting to see if the other half of their team will return to base. So thrilling!
Of course this is war, scary things happen, people die, people are injured, injuries are more than skin deep and those who do recover and get sent home with injuries carry scars on their minds. So many very realistic psychological aspects are woven into this beautifully written story I can’t express it with my paltry command of words.
Grab this book! I hate to compare authors, but as a reader looking at new writers sometimes it’s helpful to know…I put R.A. Thorn right up there with some of my favorites who have written similar material, Thorn easily compares to the quality of Amy Lane and Josh Lanyon, a new author to add to my must read list!
Oh, I love the inclusion of the WASPS!!!!