A difference in age is just one of the things causing turmoil in the burgeoning relationship between a jaded military man unlucky in love and the young man just trying to find himself. Keep reading to get a tempting glimpse of Just Drive by L.A. Witt and its scorching and complicated m/m romance then add it to your bookshelf. You'll also get my impressions of this book and can learn even more about it by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this first installment in the Anchor Point series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win two backlist titles and a $10 Riptide Publishing GC too!
For Sean Wright, driving a cab in the tiny Navy town of Anchor Point isn’t an exciting job . . . until he picks up just-dumped Paul Richards. A drive turns into a walk on the pier, which turns into the hottest hookup Sean’s had in ages.
After a long overdue breakup, Paul can’t believe his luck. Of all the drivers, he’s picked up by the gorgeous, gay, and very willing Sean. Younger guys aren’t usually his thing, but Paul can’t resist.
One taste and neither man can get enough . . . right up until they realize that Paul is Sean’s father’s commanding officer and the last man Sean should be involved with.
With two careers on the line, their only option is to back off. It’s not easy, though; the sex and the emotional connection are exactly what both men have been craving for a long time. But Paul has devoted twenty-four years to his career and his dream of making admiral. If he’s caught with Sean, that’s all over. He has to choose—stay the course, or trade it all for the man who drove off with his heart.
*****GET AN EXCERPT OF JUST DRIVE HERE*****
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
It's a rocky road to HEA for a devoted military man and the young man tired of sacrificing for other's military goals in this steamy story full of angst and thought-provoking issues. From the very first page to the last it's a roller coaster ride of shoulds and shouldn'ts that keeps readers on edge and rooting for this couple every step of the way.
Paul's a devoted military man whose goal before retirement is to become an Admiral. Every decision he's made through the years has been in anticipation of that goal. From two marriages trying to hide his homosexuality to a recent break-up that showed once again how little he's willing to sacrifice to achieve his goal, Paul's a lonely man feeling lonelier and more unsettled every day. The moment he meets the young and carefree Sean though everything changes. Clandestine encounters and scorching interludes ultimately leads to painful truths regarding rules of fraternization as well as an age difference that will leave readers frustrated. It will take some deep soul searching and self-realization for these two to find each other again after all the heartwrenching choices befalling them. Paul's an honorable man who's slowly realizing all he's sacrificed with no promise for the future. He's wiser now, realizing the hurt he's caused others and himself, and it endeared him to me. He sees Sean as a one-night stand at first but soon finds himself charmed and obsessed with the young man. Theirs is a relationship that's scorching, along with playful, teeming with desperation that had me blushing at times. Not as much time is spent outside the bedroom though which had me doubting their compatability early on. Through all the highs and lows though they won me over which made for an immensely satisfying conclusion!
Sean's a young man not clear on what he wants out of life. What he does know though is that he's angry over all the sacrifices he's made for the military, and for the advancement of the men closest to him. He wants to be valued and loved and hasn't found that amongst men his own age. Meeting the much older Paul gives him a glimpse of what he's always wanted until fate intervenes once again. An unforgettable one-night stand leads to more scorching encounters involving their hearts and minds, putting readers through the wringer right alongside them, until their love is truly put to the test. Sean's immensely likable and showed surprising maturity. Though he knew he was setting himself up for heartache he couldn't stay away from Paul. When being Paul's dirty little secret with no hope for more drives him to making a heartbreaking decision it again showed his maturity and endeared him to me all the more.
This was an erotically-charged m/m romance from the first scorching encounter until the last. These encounters were a large part of the relationship between Paul and Sean and had me wishing for more interactions outside the bedroom to show their compatibility on other levels. That's not to say that I didn't become immersed in their HEA. As their struggles became more prominent I couldn't help cheering for them as it was clear they both brought to the other those things lacking in their lives. Paul was once carefree himself but the horrors of war and the physical scars he carries hardened him and made him more methodical. Sean simply wants to be loved and to be the one chosen which is why Paul's Grand Gesture ultimately means so much to him and us. Issues regarding DADT, PTSD, and May to December relationships are dealt with head-on here in a thought-provoking way that added realism to the story and made Paul and Sean's HEA more richly rewarding. Along with an immensely appealing main couple there was a small but compelling cast of secondary characters. Sean's dad was accepting of his sexuality, heartwarming in his words and deeds early on. When his own career dreams put Sean's HEA in doubt he once again showed why he's the quintessential supportive father in an act that left me cheering. Paul's friend and fellow military man, Travis, left an impression as well. He too has been left scarred by war, and by the death of a man he loved but let slip through his fingers. He's starting to realize that life is fleeting and that he's lonely, hoping to find the HEA that Paul found. The glimpse readers get of him is of a man who's tired, hoping for more but not sure where to find it, and I'm clamoring to hear his story which is blessedly up next. Though this story dragged a bit early on with its numerous sexual interludes I still found myself intrigued by this rocky road to HEA courtesy of an appealing and dynamic duo. Ultimately, Ms. Witt has once again captivated me with a romance that didn't shy away from serious topics while balancing a hot, charming, and playful romance!
Paul's a devoted military man whose goal before retirement is to become an Admiral. Every decision he's made through the years has been in anticipation of that goal. From two marriages trying to hide his homosexuality to a recent break-up that showed once again how little he's willing to sacrifice to achieve his goal, Paul's a lonely man feeling lonelier and more unsettled every day. The moment he meets the young and carefree Sean though everything changes. Clandestine encounters and scorching interludes ultimately leads to painful truths regarding rules of fraternization as well as an age difference that will leave readers frustrated. It will take some deep soul searching and self-realization for these two to find each other again after all the heartwrenching choices befalling them. Paul's an honorable man who's slowly realizing all he's sacrificed with no promise for the future. He's wiser now, realizing the hurt he's caused others and himself, and it endeared him to me. He sees Sean as a one-night stand at first but soon finds himself charmed and obsessed with the young man. Theirs is a relationship that's scorching, along with playful, teeming with desperation that had me blushing at times. Not as much time is spent outside the bedroom though which had me doubting their compatability early on. Through all the highs and lows though they won me over which made for an immensely satisfying conclusion!
Sean's a young man not clear on what he wants out of life. What he does know though is that he's angry over all the sacrifices he's made for the military, and for the advancement of the men closest to him. He wants to be valued and loved and hasn't found that amongst men his own age. Meeting the much older Paul gives him a glimpse of what he's always wanted until fate intervenes once again. An unforgettable one-night stand leads to more scorching encounters involving their hearts and minds, putting readers through the wringer right alongside them, until their love is truly put to the test. Sean's immensely likable and showed surprising maturity. Though he knew he was setting himself up for heartache he couldn't stay away from Paul. When being Paul's dirty little secret with no hope for more drives him to making a heartbreaking decision it again showed his maturity and endeared him to me all the more.
This was an erotically-charged m/m romance from the first scorching encounter until the last. These encounters were a large part of the relationship between Paul and Sean and had me wishing for more interactions outside the bedroom to show their compatibility on other levels. That's not to say that I didn't become immersed in their HEA. As their struggles became more prominent I couldn't help cheering for them as it was clear they both brought to the other those things lacking in their lives. Paul was once carefree himself but the horrors of war and the physical scars he carries hardened him and made him more methodical. Sean simply wants to be loved and to be the one chosen which is why Paul's Grand Gesture ultimately means so much to him and us. Issues regarding DADT, PTSD, and May to December relationships are dealt with head-on here in a thought-provoking way that added realism to the story and made Paul and Sean's HEA more richly rewarding. Along with an immensely appealing main couple there was a small but compelling cast of secondary characters. Sean's dad was accepting of his sexuality, heartwarming in his words and deeds early on. When his own career dreams put Sean's HEA in doubt he once again showed why he's the quintessential supportive father in an act that left me cheering. Paul's friend and fellow military man, Travis, left an impression as well. He too has been left scarred by war, and by the death of a man he loved but let slip through his fingers. He's starting to realize that life is fleeting and that he's lonely, hoping to find the HEA that Paul found. The glimpse readers get of him is of a man who's tired, hoping for more but not sure where to find it, and I'm clamoring to hear his story which is blessedly up next. Though this story dragged a bit early on with its numerous sexual interludes I still found myself intrigued by this rocky road to HEA courtesy of an appealing and dynamic duo. Ultimately, Ms. Witt has once again captivated me with a romance that didn't shy away from serious topics while balancing a hot, charming, and playful romance!
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut...
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PRIZE IS TWO EBOOKS FROM L.A. WITT'S BACKLIST (EXCLUDING JUST DRIVE & AFRAID TO FLY ) ALONG WITH A $10 RIPTIDE PUBLISHING GC!
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Hmm...being (somewhat) near water, I always admire the Navy and Coast Guard, but Marines are pretty impressive too!
ReplyDeletevitajex(at)aol(dot)com
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on your read.
ReplyDeletehumhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
Congrats on the release & thanks for the review!
ReplyDeletelegacylandlisa(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the review! I have Just Drive on my TBR list.
ReplyDeletejen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com
Thanks for the excerpt!
ReplyDeleteserena91291@gmail(dot)com