Blog Tour + Giveaway: No Flag (After Everything #1) by Liz Borino

Author Liz Borino and IndiGo Marketing host today's tour stop for re-release, No Flag (After Everything #1)! Read more of the exclusive excerpt and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

 

Title: No Flag

Series: After Everything, Book One

Author: Liz Borino

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 06/07/2021

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 67100

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, family-drama, military, war, violence, terrorists, disabilities, amputee, bartender, Dom/sub relationship, domestic discipline, OCD

Add to Goodreads

Description

Captain Mike Kelley does not ignore his intuition, so when sexy bartender Will Hayes captures his heart, Mike embarks on a mission to win him over to a Domestic Discipline relationship. Will accepts with one caveat: Mike must promise not to renew his army contract.

Mike agrees, until the army invokes the stop-loss military policy to involuntarily extend his commission and send him back overseas, rendering him powerless and threatening everything he and Will have built. Will, left alone to cope with a new café, must rely on the support of old friends who may no longer be trustworthy.

A horrific terrorist attack on Mike’s outpost changes everything, leaving them both at a loss.

Mike awakens in a hospital with a devastating injury and no recollection of the attack. As the only survivor, his memory may be the key to national security. Mike struggles to cope with his injury and Will struggles with his new role in Mike’s life.

For Mike and Will, “No Flag” meant “come home alive.” Will has Mike back rather than a folded flag, but in the aftermath of war, can they rebuild the life they had before?

Exclusive Excerpt

No Flag
Liz Borino © 2021
All Rights Reserved

Wake Up
Germany, July 6, 2012
Beep, beep, beep. The sound of the machine was like an ice pick in Mike’s brain. Machine? Where was he? He tried to inhale, but choked on the smell of alcohol, plastic, and sterility in the air. Hospital. Shit. What the hell happened? Mike couldn’t remember…anything. Voices around him spoke a mixture of German and English. He pried his eyes open and focused on a woman in green scrubs.
“Good morning,” the woman said, sympathy in her eyes.
must look bad. And is it morning? “Um…” Mike lifted his hand to scratch his head, but it was so bogged down with wires, he did not get far. The other hand felt heavy, or maybe weightless. He couldn’t tell. What did they have him on? Whatever it was, was not enough.
“Do you know your name?”
“Michael Kelley.” The whole left side of his body burned and throbbed.
A man entered the room. “Captain Kelley, my name is Dr. Tate. How do you feel?” “Like the machine is drilling holes through my brain.” Mike tried again to move his head, but the neck brace kept it straight. He didn’t know if he was relieved or annoyed not to see the damage right away.
“I’m happy to see you awake and talking. Would you answer a few questions for me, so I can get a handle on your neurological function?” Mike was pretty sure he nodded because the doctor asked about his birthday, hometown, family, and a bunch of stupid questions about elephants floating on water and one pound being more than two. What the hell do elephants have to do with brain activity? Mike’s brain was fine, except knowing why he was here. “I’m going to check your surgery wounds, and we’ll arrange transport to the States. You’ll probably be at Walter Reed tomorrow night.”
“Surgery? Tomorrow?” Must be minor if I’m going home so soon. Then Will can kill me for getting hurt.
The doctor’s face changed to deep concern. “Do you know what happened?”
“No. The last thing I remember was a ringing phone and…an explosion behind me. Then nothing,” Mike recalled. “I’m okay, Dr. Tate. I have to be. You’re sending me home tomorrow.”
Dr. Tate sat on the chair next to Mike’s bed. “Captain Kelley—”
“Please, it’s Mike.”
“Mike, a group of insurgents broke through the security of the building where you were stationed. The explosion you heard could have been any one of the ten IEDs set off by the suicide bombers,” Dr. Tate started. “I’m sorry. You were awake when you came in. I thought you knew.”
No, no, that’s not right. If there were ten IEDs set off by suicide bombers, I would be underground. Not the doctor’s fault he was given bad information. All civilians are.
“Did everyone make it out?”
“Unfortunately, no. Twenty servicemen and women lost their lives.”
Mike lifted his eyes toward the ceiling to dry the physical proof of his emotions. “I’m all right?” He hated how selfish the question sounded, but he had to know.
“The left side of your torso is afflicted with first- and second-degree burns.” Dr. Tate paused and glanced up at the nurse, who—in what seemed like a choreographed move—put her hand on Mike’s shoulder. “The bomb also destroyed the building. A wall collapsed on your left arm, which had to be cut off to free you.”
“But you put it back on, right, Dr. Tate?” Mike scanned their faces, the kindness now looking more like pity. He had to be dreaming, or they were lying. Why couldn’t he move his head? Fuck it! He didn’t have to move his head. He’d move his damn arm! “I’m waving, doctor. It hurts, but I can do it. Why would you lie?” Mike gasped for breath.
The doctor stood, unfastened Mike’s neck brace, and encouraged him to turn his head. Though, suddenly, he didn’t want to. The hospital gown sleeve covered whatever remained of his left arm. “I’m sorry, Mike,” Dr. Tate said. “I could only even the bone and clean out lingering infected skin and muscle. Your arm was crushed.”
“All right, I’ll get a prosthetic when the swelling goes down. How long will that take?” Yeah, the rehab would suck, but Mike could deal. People managed much worse circumstances coming home from war.
Dr. Tate shook his head. “Because of where the wall fell, the army medic had to cut off the edge of your shoulder. By the time you arrived here, the infection had spread through the rest of the joint. A prosthetic is not possible without a joint.”
So… I’ll have to live the rest of my life with one arm? Can I ever hope to hold Will securely again? Oh, god, how will I fold my clothes properly? But instead of expressing the dread shooting through his heart and mind, Mike said, “Thank you for saving me.” He wanted nothing more than to be alone to process his future. Because if the doctor stayed much longer, he would see how distraught the prospect made Mike.
“Of course. Please know every one of us here is grateful for what you and all the troops do.” Dr. Tate unwrapped the stump that used to be Mike’s shoulder. “It will get better. There are support groups and many advances in medical technology that will improve your quality of life.”
My quality of life was fine before the stop-loss sent me overseas. He blinked the thoughts away. Mike had been given a chance that twenty of his friends had not. He would not let himself think about the broken promise to Will. I’ll come back and it’ll be like nothing changed. Now everything had changed.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

Liz Borino has been telling stories of varying truthfulness since she was a child. As an adult, she keeps the fiction on the page. She writes stories of human connection and intimacy, in all their forms. Her books feature flawed men who often risk everything for their love. When Liz isn’t writing, she’s waking up early to edit, travel, and explore historic prisons and insane asylums—not (usually) all in one day. Liz lives in Philadelphia with her two cats.

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Re-Release Blitz + Giveaway: No Flag (After Everything #1) by Liz Borino

Author Liz Borino and IndiGo Marketing host re-release blitz for No Flag (After Everything #1)! Check out more about the contemporary romance and enter in the $10 NineStar Press credit giveaway!

Title: No Flag

Series: After Everything, Book One

Author: Liz Borino

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 06/07/2021

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 67100

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, contemporary, family-drama, military, war, violence, terrorists, disabilities, amputee, bartender, Dom/sub relationship, domestic discipline, OCD

Add to Goodreads

Description

Captain Mike Kelley does not ignore his intuition, so when sexy bartender Will Hayes captures his heart, Mike embarks on a mission to win him over to a Domestic Discipline relationship. Will accepts with one caveat: Mike must promise not to renew his army contract.

Mike agrees, until the army invokes the stop-loss military policy to involuntarily extend his commission and send him back overseas, rendering him powerless and threatening everything he and Will have built. Will, left alone to cope with a new café, must rely on the support of old friends who may no longer be trustworthy.

A horrific terrorist attack on Mike’s outpost changes everything, leaving them both at a loss.

Mike awakens in a hospital with a devastating injury and no recollection of the attack. As the only survivor, his memory may be the key to national security. Mike struggles to cope with his injury and Will struggles with his new role in Mike’s life.

For Mike and Will, “No Flag” meant “come home alive.” Will has Mike back rather than a folded flag, but in the aftermath of war, can they rebuild the life they had before?

Excerpt

No Flag
Liz Borino © 2021
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One
The News

July 7, 2012

Bombs exploded on the evening news, one after the other. Body parts flew past the camera. The headline across the bottom of the screen read: “20 Army Intelligence Officers Dead.”

“Early this morning, a bomb exploded in the Army Intelligence building, killing twenty American soldiers from Platoon 518,” the blonde newswoman reported.

Will Kelley squinted as the fuzzy security images played behind the woman’s head, searching through the chaos for reassurance. Nothing. His heart pounded and he tried to swallow but found only dry air in his mouth and throat. The female reporter described the weapons used and structural damage done in vivid detail, which made for sensational television, but failed to answer any questions for the people at home. Victims’ families had to be notified before the media could release their names. So, Blondie would lose her job if she read the list in front of her.

“What the hell are you doing, man? We open in thirty minutes and you’re watching television?” Seth, his roommate, demanded from the doorway of the living room.

“Answered your own question, didn’t you?” Will responded.

“Are you ready?”

“No.” Will did not take his eyes off the screen. “I’ll drive myself.”

“When?”

The report flashed to an increase in allergies in children, so Will switched to another station while typing “Attack on American S2 Building in Afghanistan” into Google. It wouldn’t be that easy though. So, Will tried several more combinations of search terms before finding a video shot by an insurgent involved in the attack. The camera shuddered. Focused on different areas of the chaos. Men ripping clothes off soldiers. Looting. Bodies blown to bits. A man removing computer hard drives. And only one face. On the severed head of Major Evans.

“Will!” Seth jabbed him in the shoulder with a pen. Will forced his eyes away from the computer. “What happened?”

“Mike’s platoon was attacked. Twelve survivors.”

“Shit,” Seth said. “Can you call…?”

Will took a slug from the nearby water bottle. “Who? No one will talk to me. I’m not my husband’s family.”

Seth stared at him for a long moment and said, “I’ll have Casey cover for you.”

Will stood and shook his head. “Why? I can’t do anything here except watch the same videos over and over. May as well see if I can make some money.” He shut his computer and set it on the side table. “Meet you there. I won’t be too late. Promise.” He had to stop himself from scoffing as the meaningless word left his lips.

“Will…” Seth began.

“You wanted me to move, I’m moving! Go. I’ll be there.” He walked toward his bedroom, Seth’s gaze burning into his back. Stopping to throw a glance over his shoulder, he added, “Don’t tell Casey. I can do without her mother-henning me.”

“Will…”

“Please, Seth.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” Will climbed the steps and closed his bedroom door. He leaned against the wood cutting him off from the rest of the world. His gaze roamed the four walls decorated with art prints, a whiteboard, and his wedding picture. Will strode over and fingered the golden frame. Behind the glass lay a photograph of Will and Mike in tuxes in the middle of their first dance. Their smiles easily outshone the gold on the frame. Mike had always been handsome with broad, built shoulders and muscular pecs, leading to abs you could grate cheese on.

But none of that stood out to Will, not on their wedding day of the year before. Mike’s blue eyes radiated a strength and hope. Will removed his wedding band to read the promise inscribed: No Flag.

Please keep your promise, Mike, Will thought as he took a deep breath and tore himself away from the picture and the crushing memories it brought. He had a job to do tonight.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read

Meet the Author

Liz Borino has been telling stories of varying truthfulness since she was a child. As an adult, she keeps the fiction on the page. She writes stories of human connection and intimacy, in all their forms. Her books feature flawed men who often risk everything for their love. When Liz isn’t writing, she’s waking up early to edit, travel, and explore historic prisons and insane asylums—not (usually) all in one day. Liz lives in Philadelphia with her two cats.

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Audiobook Review: Dare to Hope (All Cocks #4) by T.M. Smith

Tristan is the second oldest of the Brennan brothers and the odd man out. Most of the Brennan men have careers in law enforcement, but as a psychiatrist, Tristan chooses to help people in a different way. Quiet and restrained, he is content to hover in the background of his more gregarious brothers. Then he meets two men, each broken and damaged from losses beyond their control.

Gabriel Simenson is mourning his lover's death. The random act of violence that took Gio's life has left everyone at All Cocks reeling. The only thing keeping Gabe from drowning in misery is the friendship he's forged with Micah, the newest model at All Cocks. He continues to struggle, and at the urging of his All Cocks family Gabe agrees to counseling with Tristan under one condition: Micah must go with him.

Micah Solo can relate to unbearable loss, having lost his leg and so much more in Iraq. The past two years he has been alone, adrift and vulnerable - the memories of war haunting his dreams, spilling over into his daily life. At All Cocks, Micah has found the acceptance he craves and the family he lost, but still he yearns for happiness and peace within.

The friendship between the three is instant, the mutual attraction evident. They circle each other, wanting more, yet unsure if it is truly possible. Is life the mundane reality they've each come to accept for themselves or do they dare to hope?

The All Cocks Stories is a series set within the world of online gay porn. Micah's PTSD is told in detail, including flashbacks to his time in Iraq.

Listening Length: 6 hours and 13 minutes
Narrator: Joel Leslie

Reviewer: Shee Reader

This is book 4 in the All Cocks series (set in the world of gay porn) but is easily accessible as a stand alone

The book tells the story of Tristan (the second oldest Brennan brother) who works as a psychiatrist. He professionally helps two lovely guys who work at All Cocks making porn movies. Gabriel is mourning the tragic and sudden loss of his lover in a shooting, and Micah is a wounded veteran who suffers PTSD from his time in Iraq where he and his troop were ambushed. Micah was the only survivor, losing his leg and suffering terrible PTSD flashbacks.

Micah and Gabe are best friends, and have developed a super close bond in the year they have lived together in the house where All Cocks is often filmed. Tristan has been helping Gabe, and Gabe encourages Micah to see him too. The three men make fast friends, but there's an attraction too. Can they work through their issues and Dare to Hope for more?

This is a lovely story, with a moving background. Micah’s flashbacks are realistic and emotive, and Gabe’s grief is almost tangible. Tristan helps them both individually, but fights his attraction to both men, believing they’ll be better off without him around. The complexities of the relationships with each other are enthralling. The menage aspect makes the will-they wont-they so much more complex, and the demons each man is fighting make is even more challenging. That said, it wasn’t an overly angst-y book, and was very enjoyable to listen to. So much so, that I stayed awake until 4am one morning to listen to the end!

Joel Leslie does an outstanding job with what must have been a tricky story to narrate. There are three leading men for starters, and more emotional baggage than five strong men could carry! His voices were warm, engaging, and clear. He gave super intonation and characterisation. and was a joy to listen to.

The HEA was lovely, and I’ll be sure to look up the audio books of the first three books in the series to get the down-low on all the Brennan brothers, and All Cocks boys!

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Everything Changes (Resilient Love #1) by Melanie Hansen

What happens when friendship catches fire?

Former Marine and lower-leg amputee Carey Everett keeps a grueling schedule of counseling fellow war veterans and their families. The injury he received in Afghanistan forces him to rely on a reserve of strength he didn’t even know he had. A much deserved vacation will let him reconnect with his best friend, who saved his life and has been there for him through devastating injury and painful recovery.

Part-time EMT and aspiring singer Jase DeSantis has been in love with Carey for years, but he’s come to accept that his straight friend will never be able to offer more. Jase fills his days with band rehearsals, ambulance shifts, and willing groupies, all while trying to cope with debilitating PTSD.

A week of sun, fun, and music in San Diego changes Jase and Carey’s lives forever when their relationship takes an unexpected turn. Jase has been longing for that change, but it leaves Carey reeling with confusion. As Jase fights to hold things together, Carey deals with doubts, fears, and his own preconceived notions about labels and the true nature of love.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 12 minutes
Narrator: Robert Nieman

If you are a hurt/comfort junky (as I am) than this is the book you need to listen to. It’s hurt/comfort x 2 because both MC’s are hurting in their own way and the way the author built their backstory and connection was perfection. Carey and Jase have also been close for years so you also get a healthy dose of friends to lovers. It’s a tropapalooza of awesome.

So, Carey and Jase met in the military and have literally been through hell on earth and back. Carey almost didn’t make it home at all and both have PTSD to deal with. It’s been awhile since they’ve seen one another and the story begins with Carey heading to San Diego to spend some time with Jase. The author did a great job of telling the story in the present and flashbacks to their time in Afghanistan and after. The timing and pace were perfect for the way the story progressed and I got a real sense for both characters as they are and as they’d been.

Friends-to-lovers is not an easy story line to pull off believably for me. I can be a picky pain in the ass with it. I want to feel the connection through conversations and all the “little things” that make up a real relationship, I don’t want to be told that two people are BFF’s and that’s that. Everything Changes made me believe in these two from the beginning and Robert Nieman narrating their convos and thoughts was so spot on with what I imagined for both of them.

These guys have not had it easy since their return home (Ya think Ann? Downplayed statement much?) and it was honestly heartbreaking to listen to. At the same time, the story treated both men’s lives with deference to their experiences and while it was tough to listen to their pain, I had so much respect for both characters and how they helped themselves in the long run by helping each other in the short term.

There’s always been a little somethin’ somethin’ between Carey and Jase but there’s no way anything could have played out naturally given their active duty service. Priorities were elsewhere, obviously, and when they came home they had their hands full with a new kind of survival. It seemed like they came back together at just the right time and I loved hearing their relationship grow again and the story behind their stories. One of them was always aware of what they could be together and the other was clueless. That setup made for some quality angst in among the rest of what they were going through.

Not gonna lie, there was a moment or ten towards the end where I wanted to throttle the hell out of Carey. Of course, those moments did make the story more believable, but dammit Carey! Just, dammit! I kind of wanted a lit bit more when he finally came around, but what happened and the communication fit with his personality, plus Jase was happy, so at that point, that’s the only thing I cared about.

Robert Nieman does an amazing job of capturing the characters during wartime and at home. That’s a big range of emotion to cover and the balance was spot on throughout. The transition from current to the past and back again was seamless and easy to follow without ever being jarred out of the moment by the changes. This isn’t the first narration of his I’ve listened to and he’s a narrator I love to see attached to a book I want to listen to. And after listening to him read Melanie Hansen’s words I’ll be getting more from this series.

Visit Dreamspinner Press for more info on Everything Changes.

**a copy of this audiobook was provided for an honest review**

Review: His Favorite Color is Blood (Sex & Mayhem #8) by K.A. Merikan

--- When life gives you blood, make mayhem. ---

Grim. Assassin. Leather-clad sex god. Has the most unusual taste in men.
Misha. Mutilated. Afraid. Will never trust again.

Grim is a bloodthirsty killer, and he owns it. Gay in a world of outlaw bikers, he firmly stands his ground if anyone dares to cross him. He takes pleasure in showing homophobes their place and fucking his way through a life of carnage.

But there is a part of him always aching for something he cannot get. When by chance he saves the most perfect guy he’s ever met, he is not about to let him go. Even if it means he needs to smother his broken bird.

When a masked, bloodstained man rescues Misha from captivity, he doesn’t know if he should thank the menacing stranger or stab him and run. Grim is not the kind of man who takes no for an answer, and Misha might now be in more danger than when he was trapped as a sex slave.

Misha cannot deny though that Grim is as alluring as he is frightening, and once Misha realizes what power his body holds over Grim, he understands that taming the beast of a man could be within his reach.

But any possibility of a future together is like a house of cards when Zero, the sadistic crime lord who destroyed Misha’s life, sets out to get him back.

Will the ruthless biker assassin at Misha’s side be enough to conquer the monsters from his past?

There are a few things I can be sure of when I pick up a K.A. Merikan book.

1. It's gonna be kinky.
2. Things might get a bit weird.
3. My morals get chucked out the door. 
4. There will be some spectacular sex happening.
5. I'm gonna freakin' love it.

Grim is a nomad for the Coffin Nails MC. He doesn't belong to any specific chapter and does jobs for whoever needs him. And by jobs, he kills people. 

While on a job getting rid of one particular piece of scum, he finds something said scum has been keeping captive. Misha. Grim takes Misha and decides that it's his job to keep Misha safe. Oh, Misha. He was captured by some horrible people and they did despicable things to him. He'd been living in fear of these people for years, until Grim took him from that gruesome place. 

Misha is everything Grim could have ever dreamed. He fits every dark fantasy and kink Grim has. Grim wants to keep Misha. Grim wants to help him, he wants to fix him, and he wants to keep him safe. The only problem is, after everything Misha has been through, he doesn't trust Grim's intentions. He doesn't trust that Grim actually wants him or just to fulfill his fantasies. And at first, I think Misha was right in his fears. He didn't let Grim push him around. After realizing that he was (mostly) safe with Grim, Misha made his wants known. He wasn't going to be someone's plaything ever again. Even if that someone was hiding a monster in his pants that Misha desperately wanted to play with.

Grim is borderline psychopath, but he channels his dangerous and brutal tendencies into his MC. He only hurts people he feels truly deserves it. When he does his job, he does so with brutality and without emotion. But at the same time, he's really sweet. He is a genuinely sweet guy towards Misha. He gives Misha everything he needs, including space. Mostly. A guy can only hold back so much, ya know? Especially when all his wet dreams have come to life right in front of him. I loved the complexity of his character. He's totally crazy. But he knows it and he tries to make the best of the violence inside of him. I loved that this badass biker was a little odd and unexpected. He's a multifaceted guy.

Let's get back to the monster in Grim's pants. He's got a huge dick and he knows what to do with it. Or rather, what not to do with it. They were kinky and hot together, but still realistic. Grim has kinks that I have never read before and that I honestly didn't even realize existed. Not only did I get to read about all their sexiness, but I expanded my kink knowledge a bit. *buffs nails*

Bottom line: I have a serious love for these biker dudes. Grim & Misha are among my favorite couples in this series. I will continue to inhale stories from the Coffin Nails MC for as long as K.A. Merikan blesses us with their words. 

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more info on Goodreads.

Review: Silver Scars by Posy Roberts

You need people to love you, especially when you shove them away.

A bomb destroyed high-powered lawyer Gil Lemieux’s seemingly perfect life, and PTSD has ruled every decision since the explosion that left him scarred inside and outside. Moving home with his mom is meant to be a temporary measure, just like proofreading for a medical editorial firm is meant to be a stopgap. But two years after taking on the wrong court case, he’s still living in fear.

Keith Kramer might be based 1,500 miles away from Gil, but their shared work brings them together—a chance meeting that’s life-changing. Gil is drawn to Keith’s good looks and intelligence, but it’s his innate understanding that Gil is more than the scars on his skin that is truly attractive. He’s everything Gil used to be and more. It blows Gil’s mind that his attraction might be returned.

Only doubt could widen the distance between them. Keith’s hopefulness, borne out of surviving some tough challenges of his own, isn’t enough to bridge the distance alone. Gil will need to believe he has as much to offer as Keith if they’re to build a life together.

Gil's story is heartbreaking really, and tells tale of just how fragile life is. Not just in the live or die way, but in the way that, as humans,we think we know where our life is going. We have a plan, we've done the schooling, got the job, the house, the family, the whatever it is we've strived for (or we're in the midst of doing said things) and we rarely anticipate how easily it can all be snatched away.

We see daily on the news disasters happening, but they are something that happens to other people. In Silver Scars Gil becomes that 'other' person, the one on the news. It could have been a flood, a gas explosion, a house fire...any number of things, for Gil though it was someone he'd pissed off in his job as a lawyer and a homemade bomb. That he got away with his life is barely comforting when that life is so compromised by PTSD that he finds it hard to leave his house. Well, his mom's house, despite living alone for numerous years, that is out of the question now.

Everyday is a struggle for Gil. He gives himself challenges - sometimes he meets them, other times he doesn't. When he makes it a cross country on board a plane alone for work, he is rightly proud of himself. It's hard, he feels judged as people look at the scars the bomb left him with. Obvious and ugly and god, please don't ask about them. And some do, some don't, some stare, others ignore...

Keith pays no attention to them whatsoever. Thank fuck. Because Keith is doing things to Gil's libido that he hasn't felt since before the bomb. Keith is gorgeous and friendly and makes Gil laugh. He also makes him feel at ease. Shame he's so ostentatious and flashy, with his carved cane fashion accessory.

Except he isn't. Keith understands all too well the pain of recreating your life.

I loved how both of these characters found each other. Two people with their own battle scars, physical and mental. Seen and unseen. I liked the understanding and empathy they had for each other and the way they worked to build a life together - despite there being as many downs as ups in their relationship. That is, after all, the way of life. It's not what you have to face much of the time but how you face it, and that is a really strong message in this story. 

This story, despite the content of PDST and trauma, actually felt very happy and positive. Sure, both characters had days when they weren't coping well, when they were dealing with the shit life threw at them, but overall I found that the love story over rode those moments. It gave both Gil and Keith something to hope for, to trust in - it gave them strength. They didn't fight each others battles, that would not be possible, but they gave each other the strength to fight their own.  And that is an amazing thing.

A really enjoyable story. 

A copy of the story was given in exchange for an honest review.

For more information see Goodreads.