If he’d only listened to his father, Michel wouldn’t have lost part of his childhood but what he experienced with the rebel soldiers will never be erased from his mind. Michel was five when he was taken with his best friend Kevin by a group of rebel militia while they were playing basketball after school. His father told him to come right home after school but Michel ignored his father words. Military vehicles were a common sight so when they pulled up alongside the court, the boys disregarded them. When boys in ratted clothing emerged setting off their firearms, the boys fell to the ground. Thrown in the back of their trucks with other boys, they went for a ride. They were soon going to be initiated into the militia’s army. Michel tried to stand up for himself but that only led to him becoming the example in the group. The militia used a variety of means to get their recruits to obey including drugs, force, amputation and of course, death. Michel was forced to perform many actions that horrified and ashamed him as the weeks passed in the countryside. Scared, Michel wanted to go home but the recruits were under constant supervision. Finally, Michel sees an opportunity to escape. As he surfaces to the outside world, Michel emerges a changed individual. He is no longer an innocent child, he has a story that no one else has.

I thought this was a terrific graphic novel memoir that communicates a great story. The illustrations were wonderfully done, not overly dramatic but using facial expressions and other means, the story is presented nicely. I liked the variety of text fonts that were used as I thought that added to the drama of the story. It is 1993 and there is political turmoil occurring in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Michel is in the middle of it. I was surprised how young Michel was when this story took place. I felt that Michel’s father placed too much responsibility on Michel’s shoulders as I read this novel. Michel’s father is a human rights lawyer and an activist and since Michel is the only son in the family, his father tells him what he wants him to do should the police arrest him. His father had many good words of wisdom that he tells his son and I had to wonder how far Michel would take his father’s advice, his father was a man and Michel was now a child of eight. I felt these expectations were a bit high for a child so young. I did appreciate how this novel talked about the country before the fighting began and why the fighting is taking place. I felt this knowledge set the story up before Michel’s drama began. I felt a good connection with Michel throughout the story and I felt closure at the end. At the end of the novel, there is a current photo of Michel and a short narrative about what Michel is presently doing. There is also a question and answer section about Boys and Girls in War and what individuals can do about it, which I thought was very interesting and thorough. The author also included a list of a few other resources individuals can check out if they are interested in child soldiers. This graphic novel is worth checking out.

I was mightily impressed with the writing in this book. It's like with every book this author releases, the writing gets better.

I also was mightily impressed that such difficult topics as PTSD and psychological trauma were handled with realism, insight, and depth.

Jay is the new guy at a factory, having recently moved to town. He never stays long in one place, preferring to run when the going gets tough, always trying to escape the memories of the past that are still haunting him.

Reese is the supervisor at the factory, and annoyed with Jay's being prone to temper tantrums. He sees that the tough guy persona Jay shows to the world isn't what's beneath the shell, and when Jay gets himself into trouble on the factory floor, Reese lays down the law, but gives him another chance.

See, Jay reminds Reese of someone he used to know, someone he couldn't save, someone who saw too much and never got help to learn to live after traumatic experiences in war zones.

Shortly after Reese has a come-to-Jesus meeting with Jay, a loud noise sends Reese into a PTSD tailspin, and Jay instinctively knows how to protect the other man. And then educates himself on the topic.

Their physical attraction is fiery, and they burn up the sheets. The bedroom is also initially where they are fully equal, not boss and employee, but simply two men scratching an itch. Well, at least at first it's just an itch. And then it becomes much more. Which is of course what I expected.

However, their ultimate happy ending, as promised in the blurb, is not something that comes easy. The men have to fight for it, find compromises, realize that a strong connection such as theirs doesn't come along all that often, and that they're worth fighting for. They have to overcome their personal demons, and the author did a fantastic job describing their struggles, and making me root for them both. With each setback, with each insecurity raising its ugly head, I watched them push forward and fight to get what they want, while I was cheering them on. Neither one gave up, even when it sometimes seemed easier to let go than keep holding on.

I really liked how the author allowed each man to find his stride, how both Reese and Jay grow (and in Jay's case, grow up) in realistic increments as the book progresses, and how sometimes the goal is reached with two steps forward, and one step back. The fact that the book is written in the first person present tense also really helps the reader feel as if we are right in the middle of their developing relationship, and really conveys the emotional aspects of this love story.

This was the best book I've read by this author thus far, and I am definitely looking forward to more.


** I received a free copy of this book from its author. A positive review was not promised in return. **

I liked this a lot. High on angst, with one MC having been kicked out by his ever-so-loving (sarcasm) family, and the other hiding the grief and pain of losing his boyfriend from his own family because his being gay is a subject we mustn't talk about. But this is a romance, after all, so there's a HEA. You knew that, of course. Also, holy hot boysecks, L.A. Witt!!!

Finally catching up on my review for this one. My apologies to the author and publisher for being waaaaaaay behind the 8-ball with this.

This was the only book in the series I read, and it worked well as a standalone, even though it includes characters from the previous books.

This was... nice. A little bland. A little non-exciting. Until the climax, which was out of left field and didn't make a whole lot of sense. Nice banter, nice MCs, nice story flow. Just a little on the bland side.

I liked that a character with a disability was featured. Jude, owner of the flower shop in town, has type 1 diabetes, and has recently developed epileptic seizures. Now partnered with a Medical Alert dog named Dawson, he happily runs his flower shop, preparing custom bouquets.

While at the local clinic, he meets the new doc, Elliott Sheffield, ex-military, suffering from PTSD. Their romance starts out slow, and Jude tries to hide his illness just as much as Elliott tries to hide his traumatic experiences overseas.

As I said, it was nice. The dialogue was stilted on occasion, but I liked their banter. The characters were nicely developed and believable. The story flowed well. The climactic scene toward the end was a little unexpected, though.

This was a nice way to spend a few hours.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **

This was... nice, for lack of a better word. I liked the characters, I liked the plot, I especially liked the idea of a mobile library in the Australian Outback, and I liked Ash's family. I liked the whole book.

It's light, it's sweet. The romance develops believably. The book just never delved deeply enough for me into the issues it tried to raise. The PTSD was handled almost superficially. While it affected Ash, and we got to see how quite nicely, his therapy was glossed over. The homophobia Ash and Jaxon encounter was also handled a bit too easily for my taste, especially considering the real life stories that seem to come from that country with an almost daily occurrence, people getting bashed and beaten up simply for whom they love. Just today I read a news story about a gay man in Sydney, who left a party to go home, and got beat up because he wore a dress.

I loved the vivid descriptions of the Outback though, telling me about the vast distances the two men travel, the gorgeous landscape - the author did a great job making me feel as if I were right there with Ash and Jaxon.

It's a nice book, one I'm sure others would enjoy as much as I did, if not more. It's a feel-good story to be enjoyed on a nice summer's day at the beach. Nice.


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **