The diagnosis of a chronic stomach condition leaves thirty-two-year-old Sergeant Jed Cooper with little choice but to call time on his Army career. Then on the dusty streets of Kirkuk, an ambush gone tragically wrong decimates his team, and he returns to the US with a shattered leg and the memory of his best friend dying in his arms.
Life in his sleepy hometown proves intolerable until he finds solace in a lakeside cabin with vivacious young carpenter, Max O’Dair. In the shadow of the epilepsy that periodically plagues Max, he and Jed form an unspoken bond. After a late night episode, Jed realizes how much Max means to him, and life has taught him not to waste time.
But the lines between contentment and complacency are blurred. Things left hidden resurface to tear through their world, and before they can repair the damage, death comes to call again. Faces, past and present, rally around them to weather the storm, but before long, they are left with only love.
Length: 355 pages
Cover Design: Book Cover By Design
Amazon US
Amazon UK
This book was a bit of a heart breaker. Mostly because Jed is just so broken. Physically and mentally. But if you know me, you know I love a good tear jerker!
After losing several of his “brothers” while on a mission, and taking a bullet to the leg, it is time for Jed to say goodbye to military life. When he is hurt, his brother asks him to come home to Seattle and stay with his family. Well that turned out to be a fairly epic mistake. So Jed’s sister in law mentions that her brother rents a quiet house on the lake and has an extra bedroom. Off Jed goes to live with a stranger- which is a better alternative than his alcoholic brother.
Max and his service dog are used to being alone. Max has epilepsy, but having his dog trained to alert him has given him the independence he craved. So while he isn’t used to having anyone in his space, he can’t say no to Jed.
There were a few things in the book that were a little eye rolling. Setting up the 2 gay brothers. Gay military guy in love with his straight best friend. Thrown out by his father at 18 for being gay. A few others that I don’t want to give away as spoilers. But there was also a nice slow burn love story. Of two men who really didn’t know how to have a relationship with each other and were stumbling through. Of both men having medical issues that have to be dealt with. Those things trumped the eye rolling things.
My heart broke for Jed so much. PTSD, recovering from a fairly catastrophic gun shot wound to his leg AND gastroparesis. Not to mention his messed up family. Or his friends that were more like family than his was. And Max who just wanted to help Jed. And love him.
Max has his own secrets, but they were kind of anticlimatic to me. But they did add that necessary turmoil.
There were lots of tears in the last 1/4 of the book. Which is not a problem for me- but fair warning. You will most definitely need tissues. The epilogue was…kinda of a mess. I didn’t understand several things. But *shrugs*.
Overall, it was different, but parts were very formulaic. I’d still recommend because it was a good story.
3.5 pieces of eye candy
Dec 11 – The Way She Reads, Reading In Sarah’s Corner, MM Midnight Cafe, Xtreme Delusions, Diverse Reader, Sexy Erotic Xciting, Dilyana’s World, Kimmers Erotic Book Banter, Two Chicks Obsessed, Jessie G Books, Sizzling Romance, Dec 13 – Mikku-chan, Drops of Ink, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Lelyana’s Reviews, Wicked Reads, Dec 15 – Gay Media Reviews, Book Corner Reviews, Mainely Stories, Mirrigold, Love Unchained, Dec 17 – The Secret Of Ko, Making It Happen, The Geekery Book Review, Dec 19 – Bonkers About Books, Dec 21 – MM Good Book Reviews, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Lillian Francis, Book Review Virginia Lee
Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.
Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.
When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.
Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with photographer Dan Burgess.
Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrettleighauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh
