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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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
3.5 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
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was hoping for more military people doing competent things, but this was really internal. I'll probably read this author when I'm looking for something contemporary and light-ish (for me.) I think they get two more chances to have a book where outing (of self or relationship) isn't a large plot threat.
I liked this book quite a bit more than the previous book I read by this author but it was about a 2.75.
It was unusual to start a romance with a hookup directly after a break up but I thought it wasn't unrealistic.
I liked seeing an older gay man who wasn't necessarily confident about his body with his younger lover. The story was very heavily focused on Paul. We didn't really get to know that much about Sean, his plans for the future, his friends, what he was studying were all a bit blurred.
I didn't really get the sense that the relationship deepened across the book. I don't think they spent enough non-sex time together to really warrant the loving declarations at the end.
It was unusual to start a romance with a hookup directly after a break up but I thought it wasn't unrealistic.
I liked seeing an older gay man who wasn't necessarily confident about his body with his younger lover. The story was very heavily focused on Paul. We didn't really get to know that much about Sean, his plans for the future, his friends, what he was studying were all a bit blurred.
I didn't really get the sense that the relationship deepened across the book. I don't think they spent enough non-sex time together to really warrant the loving declarations at the end.
This was a really fun read for me. Yes, there was some angst, but it wasn't the kind of drawn-out angst-for-the-sake-of-drama angst, which I love. Angst for the sake of angst annoys me, but when it actually makes sense, I can take it, and it makes sense in this book.
I love how fast I read this, because I couldn't put it down. Paul and Sean had crazy good chemistry, and I'm a sucker for forbidden romance (which they don't even realize is forbidden until like a third into the book) and not only was their sexual chemistry palpable, but their love for each other screamed off the page. The fact that they could never stop thinking about each other and that it hurt so much to be apart and that they just could NOT stay away from each other was wonderful. I felt their love for each other, and I love that.
And this books is focused on their relationship more than anything. It doesn't focus a crazy amount on what they do outside of each other (beside their jobs) so if that bothers you, then??? I dunno, it's not that big of a deal, but doesn't give a clear age for Sean other than he's in his early 20's.
But this is just such a fun read with lots of wonderful sexy-times. Loved it.
I love how fast I read this, because I couldn't put it down. Paul and Sean had crazy good chemistry, and I'm a sucker for forbidden romance (which they don't even realize is forbidden until like a third into the book) and not only was their sexual chemistry palpable, but their love for each other screamed off the page. The fact that they could never stop thinking about each other and that it hurt so much to be apart and that they just could NOT stay away from each other was wonderful. I felt their love for each other, and I love that.
And this books is focused on their relationship more than anything. It doesn't focus a crazy amount on what they do outside of each other (beside their jobs) so if that bothers you, then??? I dunno, it's not that big of a deal, but doesn't give a clear age for Sean other than he's in his early 20's.
But this is just such a fun read with lots of wonderful sexy-times. Loved it.
Hot steamy May/December romance with a disappointing cop-out ending and Lifetime Channel epilogue.
DNF @ 18%.
I figured I must have been about halfway done this and was shocked to see I was only 18% done, as it felt like it had been dragging on for forever.
I'm not digging the insta-love or the car hook ups. Paul is kind of annoying - stop whining about how Sean is too young for you.
I figured I must have been about halfway done this and was shocked to see I was only 18% done, as it felt like it had been dragging on for forever.
I'm not digging the insta-love or the car hook ups. Paul is kind of annoying - stop whining about how Sean is too young for you.