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zaza_bdp's review against another edition
3.0
Je ne connaissais pas du tout la plume de cet auteur, et je me suis dit que le découvrir par le biais du thème du héros atteint de PTSD, un thème que j'affectionne particulièrement, était l'occasion de faire d'une pierre deux coups.
Alors en ce qui concerne le PTSD, j'ai été servie ! Les scènes de cauchemar/crise de panique et autres joyeusetés sont très abondantes, et le combat intérieur de Reese est bien exploité. Seulement, au bout d'un moment on finit par tourner en rond ...
La majorité du roman alterne entre ces crises, les moments de doute de Reese et Jay, et les scènes de sexe. De nombreux avis déplorent un vrai problème de répétitions dans ce livre, que ce soit au niveau du vocabulaire lui-même ou même des scènes de sexe ou de vie quotidienne, et je ne peux que me joindre à ce constat. Ces répétitions sont parfois pesantes et viennent renforcer cette impression que l'on tourne en rond.
Reese et Jay sont deux personnages qui ont soufferts, dans leur âme et dans leur chair, que ce soit de par une enfance traumatisante (pour Jay) ou les ravages de la guerre en Irak (pour Reese) ; du coup, pour l'un comme pour l'autre, ce n'est pas facile de baisser sa garde et mettre ses peurs de côté, pour se lancer dans une relation.
Je n'ai pas vraiment réussi à "entrer en connexion" avec les personnages, enfin surtout avec Jay, qui change trop rapidement à mon goût, et je regrette que ce soit toujours lui qui fasse le premier pas, même si je ne peux que saluer son dévouement envers son homme.
La romance me laisse un sentiment mitigé, et finalement je me suis plus intéressée à l'évolution de l'état de Reese qu'au reste ...
Alors en ce qui concerne le PTSD, j'ai été servie ! Les scènes de cauchemar/crise de panique et autres joyeusetés sont très abondantes, et le combat intérieur de Reese est bien exploité. Seulement, au bout d'un moment on finit par tourner en rond ...
La majorité du roman alterne entre ces crises, les moments de doute de Reese et Jay, et les scènes de sexe. De nombreux avis déplorent un vrai problème de répétitions dans ce livre, que ce soit au niveau du vocabulaire lui-même ou même des scènes de sexe ou de vie quotidienne, et je ne peux que me joindre à ce constat. Ces répétitions sont parfois pesantes et viennent renforcer cette impression que l'on tourne en rond.
Reese et Jay sont deux personnages qui ont soufferts, dans leur âme et dans leur chair, que ce soit de par une enfance traumatisante (pour Jay) ou les ravages de la guerre en Irak (pour Reese) ; du coup, pour l'un comme pour l'autre, ce n'est pas facile de baisser sa garde et mettre ses peurs de côté, pour se lancer dans une relation.
Je n'ai pas vraiment réussi à "entrer en connexion" avec les personnages, enfin surtout avec Jay, qui change trop rapidement à mon goût, et je regrette que ce soit toujours lui qui fasse le premier pas, même si je ne peux que saluer son dévouement envers son homme.
La romance me laisse un sentiment mitigé, et finalement je me suis plus intéressée à l'évolution de l'état de Reese qu'au reste ...
kaydee_reads's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
There’s a kernel of a good idea in this mess of a book, but it’s hidden very deeply underneath super repetitive sex scenes, super repetitive inner monologues about self doubt, and a paper thin plot. 2 stars instead of 1 because the book doesn’t shy away from how terrible PTSD can be, and doesn’t have love “fix” it. It was refreshing to read a romance story about a soldier that goes into detail about how hard it can be on a partner, as well as the soldier, to live with their PTSD.
Unfortunately that’s the only good thing I have to say about it. I never really believed in their chemistry, and the amount of times the author had to emphasize that they were hot weirdly ended up making them less hot in my eyes. Like, okay, Reese apparently has an eight pack and they both go to the gym a lot. That’s good information to know… the first three or four times it is brought up. After that, it became superfluous to the point of almost being a satire.
Also, the book is weirdly conservative in its attitudes towards sex, considering how much sex there is in it. One of the MCs is incredibly biphobic out of nowhere and even though he does apologize later, it feels unrealistic/odd that in this day and age, he would have NEVER considered that any romantic partner of his could be bi or pan, despite supposedly hooking up with many, many guys in many cities in the past. He also shames the other MC for having a fairly common and relatively tame kink, calling it “weird” many, many times, even though he admits he also enjoys it once they try it.
Unfortunately that’s the only good thing I have to say about it. I never really believed in their chemistry, and the amount of times the author had to emphasize that they were hot weirdly ended up making them less hot in my eyes. Like, okay, Reese apparently has an eight pack and they both go to the gym a lot. That’s good information to know… the first three or four times it is brought up. After that, it became superfluous to the point of almost being a satire.
Also, the book is weirdly conservative in its attitudes towards sex, considering how much sex there is in it. One of the MCs is incredibly biphobic out of nowhere and even though he does apologize later, it feels unrealistic/odd that in this day and age, he would have NEVER considered that any romantic partner of his could be bi or pan, despite supposedly hooking up with many, many guys in many cities in the past. He also shames the other MC for having a fairly common and relatively tame kink, calling it “weird” many, many times, even though he admits he also enjoys it once they try it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and War
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Suicide
shu_long's review against another edition
3.0
Nice, fast read. I always enjoy when two people come together to be better than when they are apart.
ntdan's review against another edition
5.0
10/10
this book was fantastic, and i really liked the realistic depictions of what an actual relationship looks like
this book was fantastic, and i really liked the realistic depictions of what an actual relationship looks like
bronwynheeley's review against another edition
Pause @ 2.26% not sure if it wasn’t the time to pick it up, or if the writing and me don’t mesh, might pick back up in the future
missysreadingcorner's review against another edition
5.0
Even though I'm not a fan of military themed stories, I really enjoyed this story. I liked seeing how Jay and Reese's own turbulent backgrounds brought them together and allowed them to heal. This was the second book by McCormack I read with him as the sole author and it was wonderful. It was so detailed especially on Reese's military service and the events resulting in PTSD. It was nice McCormack focused more on the psychological scars than the physical. He touched on the prosthetic leg for a few chapters but it wasn't a main focus. I know this will sound cold but I'm glad there was a scene where Reese lashed out at Jay physically during his nightmare. I understand we want love stories to be sweet and easy but most love stories aren't. Sometimes they are hard and bumpy but still filled in love like this one. If you want a good m/m stories, give this one a try.
mar_racing_fan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
wickedwitchofthewords's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe even 2.5 stars.
Well, I had high hopes for this one but I'm also kinda used to getting disappointed.
So, let's see why I didn't like it as much as the rest of you obviously did.
1) earlier in the story there's a mention of some prothetic stuff in a curving shape in place of his knee, which made me think "oh, so he's missed an appendage from knee downward or sth". But then later on I come to realize that it's from somewhere in his shin downward.
2) um, Jay takes Rees's boxers off but not a few seconds later Rees himself takes them off again.
With those two being said (which honestly don't really count but still) let's get to the more important stuff.
3) So Jay is this closed off person who's strong & broken, right? No friends, always running away, & having a history like the one he had; addicted lousy mom who left them, a dad who beats them constantly & finally murders Todd the brother, right? But then we find out that he's fun if he puts down his guard. However, by the end of it he seems to have changed into this totally different person who is so different from the one we get to know at first. The change was unsettling. How can a guy like that change so dramatically in such a short time? The way Jay reacted to Rees' being bi or the way he reacted to the thong thing? They were kinda childish & not what you'd expect from the guy you first meet in the book... unsettling, huh?
4) & then how they form that relationship with all the insecurities they had at first & being strong but then suddenly Rees playing that game (because yes, it was a game if it weren't he should've at least stayed true to his words for a few more days not give into Jay the morning after so easily) & then they make up & all? Not cool bro.
I guess that's it. The plot was great & it could've been a way better story if the characters weren't the way they were, & if there were more intense scenes in it. I mean, based on their backgrounds & how life was treating them both it kinda called for some intense suffocating scenes. Am I right?
Anyway, that's how I feel about it. I expected more from a Devon McCormack book.
Well, I had high hopes for this one but I'm also kinda used to getting disappointed.
So, let's see why I didn't like it as much as the rest of you obviously did.
1) earlier in the story there's a mention of some prothetic stuff in a curving shape in place of his knee, which made me think "oh, so he's missed an appendage from knee downward or sth". But then later on I come to realize that it's from somewhere in his shin downward.
2) um, Jay takes Rees's boxers off but not a few seconds later Rees himself takes them off again.
With those two being said (which honestly don't really count but still) let's get to the more important stuff.
3) So Jay is this closed off person who's strong & broken, right? No friends, always running away, & having a history like the one he had; addicted lousy mom who left them, a dad who beats them constantly & finally murders Todd the brother, right? But then we find out that he's fun if he puts down his guard. However, by the end of it he seems to have changed into this totally different person who is so different from the one we get to know at first. The change was unsettling. How can a guy like that change so dramatically in such a short time? The way Jay reacted to Rees' being bi or the way he reacted to the thong thing? They were kinda childish & not what you'd expect from the guy you first meet in the book... unsettling, huh?
4) & then how they form that relationship with all the insecurities they had at first & being strong but then suddenly Rees playing that game (because yes, it was a game if it weren't he should've at least stayed true to his words for a few more days not give into Jay the morning after so easily) & then they make up & all? Not cool bro.
I guess that's it. The plot was great & it could've been a way better story if the characters weren't the way they were, & if there were more intense scenes in it. I mean, based on their backgrounds & how life was treating them both it kinda called for some intense suffocating scenes. Am I right?
Anyway, that's how I feel about it. I expected more from a Devon McCormack book.