Sebastian Junger embeds with the Army in Korengal Valley in Afghanistan. He gives us a look at what the American soldiers are doing in the worst area of Afghanistan. It is not pretty but it gives a picture of what happens and what the soldiers think.

This is not the easiest book to read because of the emotions brought up by it. I felt it was an honest look at what was happening to this particular group of men. I came to know these men through Mr. Junger's writing. I hated when any of them died. I hated when they were wounded. I found it interesting how the Army tried to understand and help and bring the villagers onto their side against the Taliban. I never thought about how necessary it is for the native populations to want the Americans there and the help given on both sides. I liked that we discovered what happened to some of the men who went home. Not a pretty picture. Many cannot adjust to civilian life. They have seen and done too much.

In addition to what happens with the soldiers, we are also given rationale behind decisions as well as how things are done. I found it profound that the soldiers saw themselves as part of their group, not as individuals. They would let you know if you stepped out of line whether you were grunt, officer, or journalist. I learned so much about the Army and the soldiers that I have more respect for them. This was an eye-opener for me.

Reviewed for Wit and Sin

Two Rogues Make a Right is a tender, emotionally honest romance. Cat Sebastian doesn’t deliver sweeping drama, but rather quiet moments that have a hefty emotional impact.

Friends-to-lovers is a trope I adore when done well and Ms. Sebastian does it exceptionally well. Will and Martin are lifelong best friends and neither will hesitate to drop everything to come to the other’s aid. At the beginning of this story it’s Martin, who suffers from chronic illness made worse by the poor London air, who is nearly on death’s door. Will sweeps him off to the country to heal and close quarters becomes the catalyst for them to take a chance on becoming something more than friends.

Martin is a grumpy hero with a hidden soft side. His father was a monster whose actions have had a strong impact on Martin. After his father’s death, Martin lost everything and when combined with his chronic illness he often feels helpless and it’s understandably frustrating. He doesn’t want to be dependent on others but the life he was raised in left him ill-equipped to survive. I loved watching Martin evolve over the course of the story, to learn what he can do and to accept that it’s ok to ask for help. He carries deep guilt that drags him down and I loved to watch him learn, heal, and grow. Most of all, I wanted him to get his happily ever after with Will.

And oh, Will. The middle Sedgwick is sweetness to the core and wears his heart on his sleeve. He cares deeply, especially when it comes to Martin. Will was raised by a neglectful father and suffers PTSD from his time in the navy. Will is a recovering addict with issues of his own but he’s finding his way. The obstacles in the way of the romance are mostly internal, but nevertheless I was sucked into Will and Martin’s story. Every bump in the road to happily ever after felt organic to these heroes and their histories. I also love that this story features a bisexual (Will) and demisexual (Martin) hero and that consent and dialogue were key parts to the love scenes. Every aspect of this romance worked for me and thinking about the book a day after I finished it, I realized how much the small gestures in this story – a touch here, fixing an article of clothing there – made such a big impact and really make Two Rogues Make a Right stand out from the crowd.

Two Rogues Make a Right is the third book in the Seducing the Sedgwicks series. Since I haven’t yet read the first two books I did feel like I was missing a bit of background information, but not so much that the story was impacted. All in all, I loved Martin and Will’s story. It’s a romance with heart featuring well-drawn characters whose needs and desires are complex and interesting. I cannot wait to catch up on the Seducing the Sedgwicks series as well as Ms. Sebastian’s other works.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.