Sanctuary (Wrecked, #1) by Kelly Fox

Amazon Link - Available in KU 

Goodreads Link

Blurb

What's the first rule of running a gym for combat vets?

Enjoy the scorching hot scenery, but get your kicks somewhere else.

Never mind that my cousin-slash-business partner ignores that rule every chance he gets. I don't ignore it. Ever. And frankly, between Grindr and living in one of the gayest cities in America, it's not exactly a hardship.

Hell, it's so easy, I can do it on one leg.

That is, until a pair of blue eyes swimming with vulnerability shows up at my door, looking for a job. He's too skinny, too mouthy, and way too young for the likes of me, but he pings that protector instinct in me, hard.

I want to fix whatever put that lost look in his eyes, but to manage that, I'd have to do the one thing I said I'd never do.

Break my own rules.

Sanctuary is an MM military romance featuring hurt-comfort, found family, and a gym full of ripped men wearing tight shorts lifting heavy objects.

What's the first rule of running a gym for combat vets? Enjoy the scorching hot scenery, but get your kicks somewhere else.

Never mind that my cousin-slash-business partner ignores that rule every chance he gets. I don't ignore it. Ever. And frankly, between Grindr and living in one of the gayest cities in America, it's not exactly a hardship.

Hell, it's so easy, I can do it on one leg.

That is, until a pair of blue eyes swimming with vulnerability shows up at my door, looking for a job. He's too skinny, too mouthy, and way too young for the likes of me, but he pings that protector instinct in me, hard.

I want to fix whatever put that lost look in his eyes, but to manage that, I'd have to do the one thing I said I'd never do.

Break my own rules.

Sanctuary is an MM military romance featuring hurt-comfort, found family, and a gym full of ripped men wearing tight shorts lifting heavy objects.


Review 

My Rating - 5+ Stars!

Kelly Fox's Sanctuary, the first book in the Wrecked series, is an amazing read. 

It's a wonderful tale that sucked me in from the start. From there it only gets better. I love, love, love it. Thus the 5+ stars.

The author delves into the struggles that veterans experience upon returning home. In a caring and compassionate manner, she explores the ways in which both the mind and body are altered. This book illustrates the plight of homeless veterans, including the difficulty to find a bed at night and the troubles with finding a job.

Nick is the owner of a gym that caters to veterans. This idea is fantastic, creating an interesting background for the series. An ex Navy Seal, he is an amputee who doesn't let his loss define him. 


Elijah, an ex Marine who's struggling to keep himself clothed, is luckily hired as a gym employee. He's been alone forever, is without a home, and desperately longs for a family and a place to belong. He's brilliant with his ideas for the gym and has the perfect personality to help the clients. He's truly a bright light for Nick's gym.

In this extremely touching story, Nick and Elijah are stellar together, each full of strength to lift the other up. They're two men who have both suffered during their military service, leaving each of them with their share of self eesteem issues. 

The author also explores transphobia and the problems that trans people face. This is a fantastic addition to the story, and I can't wait to read more about this in the rest of the series.

With a superb writing style, the storyline is complex, fluid, and includes plenty of heat. The dialogue is flawless, as the author clearly excels in written dialogue.
The characters are extremely well developed, fully coming alive for the reader. They are both compelling characters with an intense connection. Adding to the fun, the author includes some amazingly intriguing secondary characters, all of whom need their own stories told. 
Sanctuary is tender, sensitive and emotional. Kelly Fox impresses in this tale of two men finding themselves again, all through the strength of love. The storyline is as riveting as it is deep. It's romantic, flows magnificently, and includes some surprises. It's perfect when you're looking for your next hurt/comfort read. It's beautiful, full of character growth. And best of all, there are more books in this series to come. I, for one, can't wait!

A Family of His Own (Stories Of Us #3) by Rheland Richmond

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Goodreads Link

Blurb

XAVIER​

Former Navy SEAL Xavier Thierry knows he is good at his job… protect the client. You do the job but never get too close—that’s his motto.

When the friend he owes for saving his life asks for a favor, he doesn’t hesitate to say yes, no questions asked. But babysitting some pampered brat is nowhere on his to-do list.

Until he first lays eyes on him… Cris. And he’s nothing like Xav expected.

He wasn’t sure when this man stopped being a job, but the rules blur once Cris ends up in his arms. How can Xavier let him go when he’s the only one who chases away the darkness?

CRIS

Cris Whitcomb thought he finally found his happily ever after… But the fairytale soon became a nightmare, one that left him with only one choice—to push away those he loves to protect them.

His chosen family refuses to be pushed away. Their solution, call in someone trusted to watch over and protect him… Xavier.

But what happens when your future walks in on the worst day of your life?

Maybe sometimes you have to go through the bad to get the best...

One who knows the pain of loneliness, another haunted by memories he can’t run away from... Maybe they are exactly what each other needs…

TRIGGER WARNING: This book contains scenes of domestic violence in flashbacks.

Review 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

A Family of His Own is a great addition to Rheland Richmond's Stories of Us. The third book in the series, this one is great tale of two broken men who help each other to heal. It's a tale of two men finding a family together.

Cris has made some mistakes and now he's dealing with a stalker ex. Soon Xavier is assigned as Cris's bodyguard. Cris and Xavier are perfect together. Xavier's an ex Seal, which could explain Cris's reaction to him. However, in a heartwarming twist, it's just the presence of Xavier, the man, not the ex-Seal, that immediately instills a sense of peace and calmness in the man. Even better yet, Xavier has the same reaction to being with Cris.  

The backstory is important, but it's slow and long, as it's told all at once. I prefer when we get slow snippets of a backstory, as told all at once it's a little distracting. But it still worked.

Now, for the fun stuff, Xavier's thoughtfulness starts to win Cris over and the lines start to blur. Cris and Xavier are heavy on the want, need, and heat. The chemistry is sizzling between these two.

Their story includes mistakes, fear, pain, and more. It also includes love, romance, and passion. These are two men with tough pasts. It's a riveting story of these two men healing. And it's a wonderful story of family. The reader is treated to some great friends and family banter. And even better yet, a sweet and adorable baby.

I love the author's writing style, as I feel invested in the characters from the start, and enjoy the entire journey with them. The storyline is fascinating, while also leaving me with an edge of fear throughout. Personally, I was surprised that there wasn't a heavier level of fear, but this worked well too. The focus on the importance of family is well developed and executed, and I enjoyed every moment.

A Family of His Own is a great read. The entire Stories of Us series is fantastic. 
I highly recommend it when you're in the mood for a wonderful romance spun around some exciting danger and action. 

Love in the Line of Fire by Michael Murphy

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Blurb

Agent Jonah Pratt heads the Secret Service team guarding the President’s husband. When a routine day turns into a dangerous assassination attempt, the stranger who dives into the melee and takes down the assassin complicates the situation, sparking Jonah’s anger.

Just back from multiple tours of duty in Iraq, Benji hides the fact that he brought the war home with him and that it continues to haunt him. His actions in stopping the would-be assassin are more instinct than strategy. And his first conversation with a furious Jonah doesn’t end well.

Losing a member of his team turns Jonah’s world upside down. And if Benji seems to know exactly what Jonah is experiencing, it’s because he went through the same thing in combat. Jonah’s work consumes him, leaving little room in his life for anything else, and Benji focuses on his studies, working to keep his nightmares at bay. But when they get together, Jonah and Benji recognize a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for love and happiness—one worth fighting for.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Damn! I don't know if I can even put into words how much I enjoy Love in the Line of Fire, the sequel to The President's Husband. Although a sequel, it focuses on a different couple, while still having appearances by Gray and David.

Michael Murphy's writing instantly draws me in with hot men, dangerous situations, fantastic story lines, and some hot sex.

Benji's a former Navy Seal who's now attending college where David, the President's Husband teaches. He's a broken men, full of guilt, a sense of failure, PTSD, and anxiety. The author excels in his description of the horrors of PTSD. Some scenes are truly heart-breaking.

Meeting Jonah is an extreme situation, the two get involved slowly, and in a wonderful manner. However, the fear of dating someone who's job involves taking a bullet to protect his charge is a struggle. With excellent writing, it's gritty, raw, and authentic. I love the angst in this book, as it's perfectly developed and absolutely realistic. 

I love this book. Love in the Line of Fire is both compelling and riveting, as well as mesmerizing. I enjoy the couple, their romance, and the angst. Michael Murphy excels in this tale of two men who can help heal one another.

No Quick Fix (Torus Intercession #1) by Mary Calmes

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Goodreads Link

Blurb

A retired SEAL is about to face his toughest assignment yet. As a nanny…

Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate. Brann Calder is expected to play all these roles and more as a member of Torus Intercession, a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong. In the military, catastrophe was his specialty. Five months out of the service, Brann is still finding his way, so a new assignment might be just what he needs. Unless it includes two things sure to make a seasoned, battle-trained veteran nervous: life in a small town, and playing caretaker to two little girls.

Emery Dodd is drowning in the responsibility of single fatherhood. He’s picked up the pieces after losing his wife and is ready to move on now, hopeful that his engagement to a local patriarch’s daughter will not only enrich his community but will grant his daughters some stability too.

The only thing standing in Emery’s way is that he can’t he seem to keep his eyes—and hands—off the former soldier he’s hired to watch his girls until the wedding.

Emery’s future is riding on his upcoming nuptials, but being with Brann makes him and his family feel whole again. Too bad there’s no way for them to be together.

Or is there?

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

No Quick Fix is the first book in Mary Calmes' Torus Intercession series, and I'm hooked! 

Wow! Words cannot describe how wonderful Brann is with Emery's kids. He's straight-forward, ballsy, and helpful, as he supports them through their loss, pain, and grief. I adore the way he deals with them. 

In general, I love Brann. He's an ex-Seal who's sent to care for Brann's kids. Never does he expect to fall for the kids, let alone the men himself.

Brann and Emery are amazing together. Their love is intense and all-consuming, making for a great story. Of course, they have a lot to deal with if they're going to be together. Emery's engaged to someone else, and the town is relying on that arranged marriage to happen. 

I love both kids and how they're written. They're good kids and I enjoyed all of their scenes immensely.

The tone is nice and easy, setting the reader up for an enjoyable read from the start. The men are great, in addition to the town, kids, family and friends. I love them all.

No Quick Fix is a fantastic tale about finding a family. I loved every single moment of this story. It's an impressive mix of romance, fun, and danger. Having not read a lot of Mary Calmes' books, I am now interested into checking out her older works. And, as for this series, I cannot wait for the next.