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suze_1624's review against another edition
3.0
Despite both MC's dealing with severe PTSD and Travis with chronic pain, this is a fairly easy going story.
Clint and Travis have been giving the side eye to each other for a while so whilst their getting together is fairly quick, there has been build up. Both are older which I liked, though Travis does get to act like a teenage girl later one (in his head). And both have families.
Both have to live with restrictions so mostly what we get is their adjustments to each other - it is what any couple has to do but with added traumas both mental and physical. In some senses it is a bit too good to be true but nice to have that possibility there. Though I'm not sure how much office shenanigans they could get away with.
I enjoyed it, it is not going to be a wow story for me but does show you have to work for what you want.
Clint and Travis have been giving the side eye to each other for a while so whilst their getting together is fairly quick, there has been build up. Both are older which I liked, though Travis does get to act like a teenage girl later one (in his head). And both have families.
Both have to live with restrictions so mostly what we get is their adjustments to each other - it is what any couple has to do but with added traumas both mental and physical. In some senses it is a bit too good to be true but nice to have that possibility there. Though I'm not sure how much office shenanigans they could get away with.
I enjoyed it, it is not going to be a wow story for me but does show you have to work for what you want.
mrnnprsns's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
f_a_b_i_e's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
f_a_b_i_e's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars ~ Just Drive and Afraid to Fly are the first two books in L.A. Witt’s newest series from Riptide Publishing. The series is named after the small, fictional naval town in Oregon that is the setting for the stories, and I must say there are some really good things going on in Anchor Point. We’re talking cute, coastal town, realistic storylines, and Navy pilots. Yep. You heard me right. Navy pilots. *pauses for collective sigh* Not just pilots, though…we also have a cab driver (who’s also a college student), and one of our pilots is the base CO. Pretty hot stuff, folks.
‘Hot’ is definitely a keyword I would use to describe Just Drive in particular. Sean and Paul have an almost immediate connection, and they are smokin’ hot together. Chemistry for dayyyyyys. Their first encounter, in the back of Sean’s cab, was pretty much on fire. I liked these guys a lot—both individually and together—but I have to admit, I need a hefty side of story with my orgasms, and here the side dish was a littttle bit small. Like I said, the ingredients were great—sexy, ex-fighter pilot/naval CO, and a smart, toppy twenty-something with dyed hair—I just wish the portion had been larger.
I definitely would have liked to get to know Paul a little better. I felt like I knew Sean fairly well, but can’t honestly say that about Paul. In fact, I had a sort of funny reaction toward the end of the book, upon learning that Paul adored animals. I thought, “Paul was an animal lover?!?!” I felt like the only thing I knew about him before the last twenty percent of the book was that he loved to shower and reeeeeaaaaally wanted a cigarette! Heh. I’m exaggerating a bit for effect, of course…but, I would have loved to see the author delve a little more into the backstory and the relationship.
Afraid to Fly is completely different, however. Travis and Clint’s book is heavy on the story—but in a really good way. I should probably preface by saying that I have been dealing with chronic back pain for going on fifteen months now, so I felt very tapped into what Travis was going through. Only, in Travis’s case, the duration is much worse. The near-fatal crash that changed his life and caused his battle with daily, debilitating pain was eight years ago. That kind of chronic pain is something that very few of us can imagine, thankfully, and I think L.A. Witt did a fantastic job with Travis’s character, and realistically depicting how the injury affected his life.
One place it impacted his life, obviously, was in the bedroom. Travis hasn’t been able to keep a man or woman in his life because the pressure and disappointment in the bedroom simply added too much stress to the relationships. That is, until Clint.
Clint was so good for Travis. In fact, they were good for each other. Both suffered from pretty severe PTSD—Travis from his crash, of course, and Clint from a traumatic incident involving a drone he was piloting—and they eventually realized that they could help one another with their symptoms and nightmares. Clint was also incredibly understanding of Travis’s situation with his back, and never made him feel like the fact that they couldn’t be adventurous in the sack was a problem. For a couple of older guys who couldn’t do much more than hand jobs, blow jobs, and some epic make-out sessions, I thought they were pretty damn sexy and romantic. I loved how in depth the author covered their backstories, and what it took to make their relationship work.
All in all, I think Witt is off to a great start with this series! I enjoyed Sean and Paul, and the fact that theirs was a May-December romance was a big plus for me. And, I really did love how she told Travis and Clint’s story. I’m looking forward to the third installment!
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
‘Hot’ is definitely a keyword I would use to describe Just Drive in particular. Sean and Paul have an almost immediate connection, and they are smokin’ hot together. Chemistry for dayyyyyys. Their first encounter, in the back of Sean’s cab, was pretty much on fire. I liked these guys a lot—both individually and together—but I have to admit, I need a hefty side of story with my orgasms, and here the side dish was a littttle bit small. Like I said, the ingredients were great—sexy, ex-fighter pilot/naval CO, and a smart, toppy twenty-something with dyed hair—I just wish the portion had been larger.
I definitely would have liked to get to know Paul a little better. I felt like I knew Sean fairly well, but can’t honestly say that about Paul. In fact, I had a sort of funny reaction toward the end of the book, upon learning that Paul adored animals. I thought, “Paul was an animal lover?!?!” I felt like the only thing I knew about him before the last twenty percent of the book was that he loved to shower and reeeeeaaaaally wanted a cigarette! Heh. I’m exaggerating a bit for effect, of course…but, I would have loved to see the author delve a little more into the backstory and the relationship.
Afraid to Fly is completely different, however. Travis and Clint’s book is heavy on the story—but in a really good way. I should probably preface by saying that I have been dealing with chronic back pain for going on fifteen months now, so I felt very tapped into what Travis was going through. Only, in Travis’s case, the duration is much worse. The near-fatal crash that changed his life and caused his battle with daily, debilitating pain was eight years ago. That kind of chronic pain is something that very few of us can imagine, thankfully, and I think L.A. Witt did a fantastic job with Travis’s character, and realistically depicting how the injury affected his life.
One place it impacted his life, obviously, was in the bedroom. Travis hasn’t been able to keep a man or woman in his life because the pressure and disappointment in the bedroom simply added too much stress to the relationships. That is, until Clint.
Clint was so good for Travis. In fact, they were good for each other. Both suffered from pretty severe PTSD—Travis from his crash, of course, and Clint from a traumatic incident involving a drone he was piloting—and they eventually realized that they could help one another with their symptoms and nightmares. Clint was also incredibly understanding of Travis’s situation with his back, and never made him feel like the fact that they couldn’t be adventurous in the sack was a problem. For a couple of older guys who couldn’t do much more than hand jobs, blow jobs, and some epic make-out sessions, I thought they were pretty damn sexy and romantic. I loved how in depth the author covered their backstories, and what it took to make their relationship work.
All in all, I think Witt is off to a great start with this series! I enjoyed Sean and Paul, and the fact that theirs was a May-December romance was a big plus for me. And, I really did love how she told Travis and Clint’s story. I’m looking forward to the third installment!
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
the_novel_approach's review
5.0
Commander Travis Wilson, United States Navy, was once a fighter pilot, until an accident on the flight deck of a carrier left him behind a desk and guilt ridden over the outcome of the final flight that ended the career of a good friend. But Wilson did not walk away unscathed, either. Along with his guilt, his spine was severely damaged, leaving him with bouts of mind-numbing pain.
Lt. Commander Clint Fraser use to remotely pilot drones in the Middle East. The incident that took him away from that part of his Navy career was classified more than top secret, meaning Clint cannot discuss the incident and its aftermath, even with Navy psychiatrists. The fallout wrecked his marriage and left him nearly an alcoholic and suffering PTSD for being the cause of a horrible mistake.
When the two meet at a Navy celebration, they are each with other people and convinced the other is out of reach. In the post DADT Navy, you can be gay, but cutting in on another officer’s territory is still a no-fly zone. After a few silly misunderstandings, the pair begin a relationship that is meant to be fun, casual, and a distraction for the things that live in both their minds. But love grows in even the driest desert. These men must negotiate their own guilt, their own fear of bringing another man into their past mistakes, and the deep emotional bond they clearly feeling for one another.
This is the second book in the Anchor Point series, but you need not have read the first to enjoy this story. Nick J. Russo returns to narrate Afraid to Fly, and his performance is just as wonderful as in Just Drive. The characters here are fully fleshed out by his expert voice acting. Both male and female voices are done with care, and each character has their own consistent voice.
This book is a great buy, and the series has the promise to continue for some time. We can only hope that Russo returns each time there’s a new story to tell. Buy this book, buy book one (if you haven’t already), and be prepared for a treat. While the characters are not perfect, their obstacles are not impossible to overcome. Russo tells us this in moments of tenderness, anger, and pure joy. You will be glad you entered this world with these men, and you will be glad that this voice is the one picked for the narration; they are perfectly paired.
Audio Reviewed by Mike
Lt. Commander Clint Fraser use to remotely pilot drones in the Middle East. The incident that took him away from that part of his Navy career was classified more than top secret, meaning Clint cannot discuss the incident and its aftermath, even with Navy psychiatrists. The fallout wrecked his marriage and left him nearly an alcoholic and suffering PTSD for being the cause of a horrible mistake.
When the two meet at a Navy celebration, they are each with other people and convinced the other is out of reach. In the post DADT Navy, you can be gay, but cutting in on another officer’s territory is still a no-fly zone. After a few silly misunderstandings, the pair begin a relationship that is meant to be fun, casual, and a distraction for the things that live in both their minds. But love grows in even the driest desert. These men must negotiate their own guilt, their own fear of bringing another man into their past mistakes, and the deep emotional bond they clearly feeling for one another.
This is the second book in the Anchor Point series, but you need not have read the first to enjoy this story. Nick J. Russo returns to narrate Afraid to Fly, and his performance is just as wonderful as in Just Drive. The characters here are fully fleshed out by his expert voice acting. Both male and female voices are done with care, and each character has their own consistent voice.
This book is a great buy, and the series has the promise to continue for some time. We can only hope that Russo returns each time there’s a new story to tell. Buy this book, buy book one (if you haven’t already), and be prepared for a treat. While the characters are not perfect, their obstacles are not impossible to overcome. Russo tells us this in moments of tenderness, anger, and pure joy. You will be glad you entered this world with these men, and you will be glad that this voice is the one picked for the narration; they are perfectly paired.
Audio Reviewed by Mike
punkrockromance's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
prgchrqltma's review against another edition
5.0
Two people dealing with fallout from trauma, and, yay, love didn't magically cure all that. Exploration of PTSD, the toll on family, constructive and destructive coping mechanisms.