Commander in Briefs

Commander in Briefs #1

by Kristy Marie

Theo Von Bremen.

Aloof, elite, and baseball’s next MVP, his name hangs on every woman’s next breath.

Except for mine.

All I want to know is if we’re having tacos tonight—it’s his turn to buy.

Friendships like ours are forged from drunken sleepovers and Roommates Gone Wild episodes—nothing could ever tear us apart.

Except… my v-card.

And maybe… my new job with six marines.

But we can handle this, right?

Genres: Sports, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Sports Romance, Military Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

405 pages, ebook

First published December 5, 2017

About the author

Kristy Marie is an international bestselling author who loves writing temperamental heroes who fall hard for strong and witty heroines.

She enjoys harassing her three children and husband for all the hugs and will attempt to grow anything green. She also reads all things romance and can be caught being naughty by enjoying a chapter or two before her 9 p.m. bedtime.

When Kristy's not writing broody alphas or hugging babies, you can catch her in pajamas watching baseball and yelling at the TV. Go Braves!

Reviews

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2! Commander in Briefs (stand-alone). Theo resorts to cock-blocking, punitive sex & immature behavior after his best friend & fuck-buddy threatens their routine by taking in hot vets!

“You’ll never fuck another man.”
“I’ll bury a bitch that looks at you with more than a glare.”

Books in the Commander in Briefs series are stand-alones:
Book 1: Commander in Briefs
Book 2: Gorgeous
Book 2.5: Commanding the Pitcher
Book 3: Drifter

Commander in Briefs (stand-alone) opens up to a flashback in College. A life-long friendship forever altered.

Fast forward seven years and professional baseball pitcher Theodore Von Bremen, Theo aka “Teddy” has spent the years regretting his mistake while enjoying the benefits of a fuck-buddy arrangement with his best friend.

Sports medicine physician and ER doctor Anniston McCallister, Ans aka Dr. McCallister aka Commander in many ways has Theo by the balls and she knows it. But building her career around his baseball makes her feel vulnerable.

To offset their frustration and fears they have settled into a comfortable routine of taking the turns at being the boss in the bedroom pushing each other’s buttons and owning each other’s orgasms.

Well that is until Ans stumbles on a homeless vet and makes it her mission to start a non-profit. Theo is not exactly thrilled about having a bunch of sexy vets in close proximity. He tackles the situation by marking his territory with public sex and lewd, bossy and taunting behavior. LOL!

“I blink. Lies are just not coming as fast as they usually do. What the fuck did they give me in the hospital?”

Seven words to describe Theodore Von Bremen, Theo aka “Teddy: Cocky, aloof, oblivious, immature, a-hole, complex, caring, confused and whipped.

“Don’t speak. You are done speaking for the day. Your mouth now belongs to me, Commander.”

Eight words to describe Anniston McCallister, Ans aka Dr. McCallister aka Commander: Charismatic, conflicted, determined, smart, unpredictable, proud, stubborn and bossy!

“Damn Theo and his macho bullshit. It makes me so fucking horny, and he knows it.”

Commander in Briefs, told from multiple POVs, is a uniquely written mixture of steamy sex, sweet romance, witty dialogue and hilarious antics with a pinch of angst and a hefty dose of suspense.

Under the façade of their sexual escapades, against furniture and walls, there is an underlaying heart-tugging love story. Two proud individuals held back by fears and circumstances in many ways have settled for second best by not allowing their friendship to grow. Story may look to be long, but after reading I feel this is the journey that Theo and Ans need to take and it serves as introduction to many of the MCs for upcoming books in this stand-alone series.

Entertaining! Sexy! Heart-warming! Suspenseful! Kudos Kristy!

“Brace yourself, Anniston, I am about to blow this friendship to hell.”

***
Hero: ★★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★
Storytelling: ★★★★★
Sexual tension: ★★★★★
Sex scenes: ★★★★★
Story ending: ★★★★
******************************************
OVERALL RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Angst: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Darkness: | LOW FOCUS |
Humor: | HIGH FOCUS |
Kink: | MEDIUM FOCUS |
Romance: | HIGH FOCUS |
Sex frequency: | HIGH FOCUS |
Suspense: | HIGH FOCUS |



ARC provided to me by author Kristy Marie in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you begin a book by a debut author, you never know what to expect. You have no idea what the writing style will be like, if you will love the characters, or if you will be able to connect with the story in a way that touches your heart. I was nervous going into this book for all those reasons, but when I started reading, that anxiety quickly faded. By the time I had finished, I was completely blown away.



Commander in Briefs is unlike any novel I've ever read before. Having read over 300 romance novels in the past two years alone, that is really saying something. I started out reading it thinking I knew what kind of book it was going to be, but I was wrong. It was so much more than I could have ever expected.

Theo and Anniston have been attached at the hip since middle school. They call themselves best friends, but their feelings for one another have always run deeper than that. When Theo has to move away to begin his career in baseball, Anniston decides it's time for her to take action. She wants Theo to take her virginity, and after some hesitation, he agrees. What he does afterwards completely crushes Anniston, and he winds up paying for it dearly.



Years later, they are locked in a twisted game of friends with benefits neither of them can win. Despite his colossal mistake, Theo is still the most important person in Anniston's life. Her whole world revolves around him until she finds Cade, a homeless veteran, half dead in a ditch. Her true purpose becomes clear, and everything changes.

Theo is caught off guard by the shift in Anniston’s priorities, and he begins to panic. When she takes in more hot military men, it completely freaks him out. He decides it’s time to stop playing games and prove to Anniston that she belongs with him once and for all.

“Brace yourself, Anniston, I am about to blow this friendship to hell.”  



If you are looking for a nice, sweet romance with perfect characters that always make the right decisions, or a story that can you can fit nicely into a box, this is not the book for you.

Theo is an asshole. I will tell you that right now, but I fell in love with him not only in spite of it, but because of it, too. His antics, jealous meltdowns, and crazy declarations of love had me cracking up and smiling the whole way through the book. I was angry at him for what he did to Ans in the beginning, but I was able to forgive him the same way she was. Underneath his cocky attitude, he is a good guy that loves Ans deeply and would do absolutely anything for her. There is no one more perfect for Anniston than Theo. To say I love his character would be an understatement. In fact, he has become one of my favorite heroes of all time.



Anniston is the kind of heroine I adore, and one you will never forget. She is as strong as they come, sassy, playful, determined, and loyal, but what I love most about her is her incredible heart. Honestly, I think I’m in love with Ans as much as Theo is. I usually find myself more drawn to the hero than the heroine in a story, so when one makes me fall for her the way Anniston did, I'm pleasantly surprised. Anniston is an amazing character. She is who I want to be when I grow up.



There are several other characters that play a big role in this story. The most prominent of which is Cade. I don't know how anyone wouldn't love him. Broken heroes get me everytime, and one as sweet and sexy as Cade is a guaranteed heartbreaker. We get to hear things from his point of view which just makes you want more of him. I can't wait to dig deeper into his character in the next book and to see him get the HEA he truly deserves. As for the other characters, they all burrowed their way into my heart, and I think they will do the same to you. I almost wish Kristy would have made this a reverse harem so Anniston could have them all. Then, I could live vicariously through her! Lol

Commander in Briefs is a novel that accomplishes so much more than a typical romance. The first lines lured me in, the story held me hostage, and the characters stole my heart. If I didn't know this was the author's debut going in, I would have never guessed it. Kristy's writing style is phenomenal! The characters are well developed, the story is unique, and the romance is hot! Not only is this Theo and Anniston's love story, it's also a story about friendship, unconventional family, and love for your fellow man. 

One of my favorite books of the year! Congratulations to Kristy on a job well done and a debut novel she should be incredibly proud of!



ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanna know something? It may be hard to take, but I’ve gotta tell ya. So… I didn’t like this book when I first started.



I actually cringed for the first little bit. I couldn’t stand Theo and I couldn’t understand Anniston. These two have been best friends since grade six. They had a friendship to be envied, for sure. At some point, they both started to feel ‘unfriendly’ feelings for each other, but neither made a move. Then one day, Anniston has the bright idea to ask Theo to take her virginity before he goes away. And things quickly went downhill.



Thankfully, I wasn’t left in purgatory for long. And now I can tell you that I love this author’s writing. I ended up really loving this story! I found myself loving not only the main characters, but the side ones too! I cannot wait to discover how each and every one of them gets their own happy ending. Gah, who could really resist Cade or Hayes???



I really didn’t think the author could get me to fall in love with Theo. I really didn’t. You should have seen my skeptical face. I wasn’t having it. I guess I know now not to underestimate the talent she has because here I am. In love with Theo. How??? While I’m not a huge fan of Anniston’s bossy ways, I absolutely adored her huge heart. How many people do you know who would do what she was willing to do for our veterans? Yeah, I thought so.

If you’re looking for a hot, contemporary read, you’re in the right place. If you like a great story with a surprise twist, look no further. I’m telling you, buy the book. Theo’s immature azz will grow on you ;)

Release Date: December 5, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Multiple - 1st person
Heat: 4 out of 5
Type: Book #1 of the Commander in Briefs series

[Dilek VT]

They are friends with benefits for a long while, sleeping with both each other and also with other people. No one should expect me to believe in their romance afterwards.

[Malene]

DNF @60%

This pains me so much to DNF but I struggled during Commander In Briefs. The writing was great and the character Cade was definitely a highlight.
What it all boils down to are the many storylines and the character Theo. I couldn’t feel any chemistry between him and Anniston and couldn’t connect with them. They’re suppose to bring out the best in each other but I felt it was they other way around. They’re adults but their behavior was just juvenile. I needed an emotional connection between them but it came off as being only sexual.
The other thing is the book had too many storylines going on that I lost focus and interest.
I tried my best and put up a fight but it’s just one of those times where the book and I aren’t compatible.
Don’t let this deter you from reading Commander In Briefs.


I voluntarily read an ARC provided by the PA for the author

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there’s one thing I love when I’m reading a story from a new author, it’s the uncertainty. Call me crazy, but I just love that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you open that first page. Your nerves are shot, and your excitement level is barely contained because you KNOW that this right here? Could be the start of something beautiful. That’s the way I felt about Commander In Briefs and even though I didn’t agree with certain things, you can never take away the fact that this was a well done debut novel.

There’s this old time saying “You should never mix business with pleasure” and I think the same can be said for a life long friendship between the opposite sex. Anniston McAlister and Theo Von Breman has seen each other at their worse, shared heartaches, and loved each other unconditionally through it all. But one decision will change their friendship forever and ultimately alter their future.

Now having established their own careers in Sports Medicine and being a successful baseball player, Theo and Anniston are still “Friends with benefits”. It’s been years since that night changed their friendship and because of a moment, Theo lost out on the chance to have something more with the only woman he’s ever loved. But it’s ok because they don’t call him determined for nothing and if it’s one thing he wants, is Anniston and he’s not going out without a fight.

“Brace yourself Anniston, I am about to blow this friendship to hell".

Taking care of people comes naturally to Anniston. When she finds someone in desperate need of her help, she drops everything to help the brooding green eyed stranger and unbeknownst to her, life as knows it, will never be the same again.



Before I go into anything else, I have to say how much I loved the friendship between Anniston and Theo. Every touch, every wicked banter and unspoken moment was felt with a familiarity that could’ve only been between the two of them and I really liked that. These two loved each other so fiercely and without shame that I wanted nothing more than for them to hurry up and get their shit together.

As much I loved their friendship, I did have some issues with it as well. Theo tested my patience on another level and I even thought about him getting lost at sea! I just couldn’t get on board with some of the things that he did and it made me mad. To say the dude was special, was an understatement but thank the Lord he redeemed himself a bit at the end.

As for Aniston herself, I really liked her strength and her determination to help others and doing something for herself that didn’t revolve around Theo. She was making her own Mark, setting her own rules, and figuring out what she wanted and you couldn’t help but admire that about her. Did she get on my nerves a with her over excessive bossiness? She sure did. But I think that was what made her a different and unique female heroine and what didn't work for me when it came to her, others will love it.

If you’re looking for a sexy banter, heartwarming story, then this one is perfect for you.


   

[Tianna✸loves books✸ · Rating 2 out of 5]

First Scene: The H and h are best friends. And before heading to their respective careers the h wants to lose her virginity to the H. He is quite reluctant at first but gives in. They fuck. And after that he gets a call from a girl to meet her. He goes right away.(Eww...what an asshole)
But anyways they become Friends with Benefits. And over the years they maintain this relationship.

So basically the H is a Dirty Dog (No offense to Dogs). And h is horny bitch. Both H and h are sex addicts. They fuck each other and they also fuck other people. Like they have days assigned for that. Monday and Thursday they have sex with each other. The other days they can have sex with anyone that they want.

There's one scene where the H is fucking a random girl. But he is unable to come. Luckily the h calls. He asks her to help him to come.......And then the h helps him come....in another woman 🤢

One day the h tries to save a homeless guy and bring him home. He is a veteran. He settles pretty quickly with her. This I found quite unbelievable. I mean she just takes a homeless guy at home and than orders him like he is her boyfriend. Then the H comes, who obviously gets jealous. When it's time for him to return, the h takes the other guy with her like he is some kind of a thing and she has ownership on him. So to know what happens, like do the H and h admit their love for each other? What happens to the veteran ? Read the book.


I didn't like this book. It's too stupid. And the h's bossy ways and ordering around was too much. But what kept me reading this book was the writing. This is not a bad book for a debut author. I'm sure the author will write some interesting books in the future which I hope will be good.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I’m so shocked that this was Kristy Marie’s first novel. It was so well written, and really dives deep into all of the characters. Sometimes when a story is told in multi-POV’s you can get a bit lost, but Kristy did an amazing job giving each character a distinct voice. I don’t want to say much about the story, because it will definitely spoil it, but if you like contemporary romance that dives deep mixed with a second chance sports romance and a bit of a military contemporary, then you should DEFINITELY pick this one up and hang out with Anniston, Theo, and Cade! You won’t be sorry.

https://instagram.com/p/BbnM70IgjSm/
^check out a fan teaser I made on Instagram!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

"Commander In Briefs” Was a pleasant surprise that took me on a while ride of emotions. I love friends to lovers/second chance books but this one was a different and I loved that. The relationship between Anniston and Theo is crazy and intense right from the start we get the feel of how into each other they are. Don't get me started on their sexual chemistry, super hot. usually I find myself loving the H more but with this story I loved the h was my favorite. Anniston was such a great h strong, smart, she doesn't take crap from anybody I guess you can say her only weakness was Theo, but imo she gave as good as she got. Theo was your typical alpha male sexy confident with a dirty mouth but he did frustrate me a lot but he grew on me and he did learn from his mistakes.

I enjoyed this story so much, the banter between the characters had me cracking up especially Theo and Cade and the rest of the guys. I also loved the heart of this story how Anniston helped these guys gave them hope and a new beginning. I was really impress to know that this is KM first book. I'm looking forward to reading Cade's book. ❤

**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading Pitcher, the novella that introduces Theo and Anniston, I was intrigued to find out where their friendship would lead them. But once I started this book I realized that the answer was - to insanity. I wanted to like them so much and I was so in the mood for a friends-to-lovers angsty book. But the angst just went a little too overboard for me.

Anniston and Theo had a very complicated relationship. Honestly I'm not even sure I could call them friends, it was more like this highly codependent mess. Every time something actually started to happen in this book, here comes Theo with his over the top possessiveness to fuck it all up. So in the end it was like nothing ever happened other than scene after scene of Anniston just trying to be happy and then Theo ruining it all and staking his claim by making sure every male that even thought of looking at her could hear, sometimes see, him fucking her. It got so repetitive I just couldn't take it anymore.

Then there was some weird plot twist that came out of nowhere near the end that I couldn't get into at all. It felt so unnecessary since up to that point nothing major with any side characters had happened. Not even Cade, the marine Anniston took in, who had his own POV moments had anything of interest going on other than witnessing the mess that was Theo and Anniston. Yet then this plot twists jumps out and honestly just confused me with why it was there.

Overall, I'm still intrigued by some secondary characters that were introduced in this story and may come back to the series to read their books. But for Theo and Anniston I just didn't love them. I think anyone that likes a truly over the top angsty book will absolutely enjoy this book and should give it a try.

[Katerina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skim read it. Boring. And kinda dumb. But my friend kind of begged me to read it even though I knew I shouldn't and we don't really share the same tastes. Moving on...

Essentially the h, and the H are tight knit best friends who are attracted to one another. H is pretty much a slut who beds anyone with tits. h knows this and is in love with him and wants him to take her virginity. He refuses, scared about their friendship but she persuades him on the basis that she wants her first time to be with someone who, a. she trusts and b. knows their way round the female body c. promising it's a one time thing with no hard feelings.

They have sex. Then he receives a msg from a woman called Vanessa, and runs off for another booty call. Asks h if it's alright and nothing's weird since they've had sex now, and if he's still a free agent.... She ices up, says it's cool, he leaves. And then it's years later.

They have a friends w benefits relationship now. She doesn't yield to him and has basically held a grudge all these years. Only gives him Mondays and Thursdays exclusively and purposes fucks guys on his sports team and other guys she's attracted to on the other days. Thank Christ we don't have some piner but this is his punishment for letting her go and being an idiot when she actually wanted a relationship from him all those years ago. He knows this is all because he messed up and is madly jealous because in his mind she's "his girl". Doesn't stop him from fucking around or anything, and one time he's hooking up with a frigid girl and he can't come so he calls the h, and she gets him off with her voice whilst he's inside the other girl. But eh, at least the heroine is very blasé about it since he's trying to chase her, and wants to become exclusive but she refuses, and keeps referring to their relationship as friends only in punishment. This i can kind of respect.

Then she picks up this homeless veteran called Cade. Looks after him and brings him to health like a good samaritan. They are attracted to one another. H begins to feel extremely jealous. Cade is male personified. VROOOM, kind of hot but annoying because he has morals and was boring. Then the h starts to pick up other veterans who have become homeless and starts a business of some sort. Six guys eventually are under her roof. BTW I totally forgot to mention that H's twin brother is also in love her and madly jealous of the H so they have a shit relationship. So we have Cade, the H's twin and the H in love with her. H tries to exert authority and lay claim by purposely fucking her in full view of the other guys when he's extremely jealous, so there's the whole exhibitionist edge and what not.

There's some additional shit but their arrangement doesn't stay exclusively Mondays and Thursdays. He says he loves her, wants her. She still plays the game. Kisses Cade on his stomach and shit to make the H become jealous. Cade and the twin eventually realise whilst she cares for them, she will never actually love them like the twat H, and is basically making him jump hoops before she agrees to be with him.At some point the H gets shot. And there was a hea.

Whatever floats your boats ladies... I was bored personally and in no way invested.

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Have you ever started a novel knowing it would be okay but you wanted to continue to hold out for hope? Yeah that’s what happened for me.

I like the idea around this story, but I have to agree with all the negative reviewers, everything but the kitchen sink was thrown into this book.

What I liked.

I liked that the angst was low
There were smoothing going parts
I liked the parts with dialogued
The sex was hot!

What I had trouble with

The main problem with this book was that there was just too much stuff going on. It started out as a simple book, but it turned out to be something entirely different. The author should have stuck with a few obstacles and kind of built off of that. But instead of throwing everything into the book and just making it go, go go and go!

It was too much. About 30% of the book could have been edited out.

I felt like there were too many side characters and storylines going on. The book should have been focused on Cade, Theo and Anniston. Since it’s in their POV.

There were too many themes going on..

Best friends with benefits
Sports
Sports doctor
Military
Sex-trafficking girls? (I kid you not)
Mental illness
Physical illness

I also had trouble with Anniston. I felt she was kind of too flirty for my taste. You know that girl that always has guy friends and knows the guys lust after her but she keeps them in her life for her ego? Yeah she’s like that. I can’t stand girls like her.

I do like that that Theo chases after her and he wasn’t a huge dick. I also like that the angst was low and I didn’t pull my hair out. I love how sweet Cade was and he understood the interesting relationship between Theo and Anniston.

This didn’t read like a debut author, I felt like it was a good go and I hope there’s some tweaking with the next novel. If the book continues to move in a (Too many plots) kind of read, I’m not sure this author is for me.

[aNneMarLi - Chatterbooks Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asshole heroes are a turn on for me. Add up a strong, feisty heroine who do not take orders from men and rather orders them, who knows what she wants and who definitely raises the girl power flag and I am drenched. Dripping...panties soaked only to realize it melted in no time. Commanders In Briefs is that book for me. The author had no qualms in throwing a hero with asshole painted in the forehead, bold, underlined, all caps you wanted to kick in the shin then french kiss at the same time ass grabbed afterwards and a heroine you wanna slap in the ass cheering for more girl power and "You can do more girl! Don't hold back! Be who you are! I am living vicariously through you!

When I learned about this book months ago, you bet your ass I had my eyebrows raised because Kristy who? Kidding, definitely kidding because for those who knew me knows exactly how I have a soft spot for new authors. And you bet your ass I was raising my hands and feet just to have a chance reading this book. I might have begged the PA and the author to give it to me stat because I am soo excited I could not wait for the release day. And I am ecstatic that I made the right choice reading it and supporting Kristy because she did not disappoint. For a first timer, Kristy made me in awe. For a first timer, this woman rocked my world. The journey I had with Commander In Briefs, evoked a lot of emotions in me. So to Kristy, A BIG FUCK YOU TO YOU! I was a mess at work, a wrong move in my part when I chose to finish it.

The first thought that came to my mind the moment Commander In Briefs landed my kindle was, Jessica (Kristy's PA) never mentioned it being an encyclopedia. I should run because there's no way I can finish it without getting bored. But hooray! How I wish it's longer than this, I needed another volume of an encyclopedia because I want more of this book. It doesn't mean I wasn't satisfied but more like, I don't want this book to end. It was an incredible journey, one I had the pleasure of reading and won't mind rereading until I can get my next Kristy fix.You cannot blame me. Commander In Briefs is nothing I ever expected. The tone, suggests a love triangle and as much I wanna say I am a glutton for punishment I wasn't in the mood to have my heart broken this time. Menage, well? Try me and I am up even for may be a RH. ;) But I am so glad I rooted for this book until the very end, because as I said the book was not I expect it to be. It was EVERYTHING I thought it would be and MORE.

Commander In Briefs is a journey unlike no other. With an asshole hero and a strong heroine, I had a blast. I was drawn into the story, hooked and engrossed the moment I read the first line. Lo and behold, aside from the blurb that caught my interest, it was what fueled me to go on further with my reading. Theo and Anniston aren't your ideal best friends/ friends with benefits hero and heroine. I love their dynamics and I love the thought of them together. The character they portrayed was easy to get into that I had no hard time riding in their journey. Their chemistry was off the charts hot, hence several ruined panties. The author did not hold back with their scenes. She did not even hold back with their characters. Anniston may seem too much but no, she's not. She's the "it" heroine for me. I love her to death and being paired up with Theo, my asshole lover ;) , I was in heaven for all things' goodness and delish treats. If there's such as thing as "asshole coma" I sure was in that state reading this book. I was given with not just the scorching scenes but with laugh out loud moments and all things only asshole Theo can do. But hold up, remember this, asshole Theo is not just fuckable Theo. Hell! He is the sweetest and lovable asshole! Together, they are as explosive as fireworks gracing us in the night sky. I love the love they felt for each other, with their antics, Lordy my journey was one hell a crazy ride!

Now, I mentioned love triangle. Made no mistake as this story is not. In fact it was far beyond a love story involving a man and a woman romantically. If you get to read this book, the journey is quite different but I assure you there was so much love involved. For what it is, I need you to read it. See for yourself what I am gushing about.Anniston was a Commander in her own ways. What she did was honorable enough for her earn a badge of honor. What she did made me love her even more. If there's top list of heroines, she easily earned the number 1 spot. I adored her because beneath her strong nature, lies a perfectly imperfect woman. Through her, I met Cade, the one I thought would break the love and friendship built and cemented over the years between Theo and Anniston. Cade, had my heart and really at first I want him for Ans. He's an enigma to me , but in the end I realized one thing. He is really not meant to be Ans lover but I still love him like any hot blooded woman will do. Aside from Cade, I met more men that made my journey even more interesting. They did it for me. I may have teared up several times and my heart sure did almost burst with so many emotions. Each have brought a different meaning to this journey, each and one the same goal --- family, belongingness and love.

In totality, I highly recommend this book. If you're as crazy as me who loves asshole heroes and strong heroine, then this book is for you. I would love for you to read, savor and devour it. There's no doubt you'll love it as much as I did. Commander In Briefs was addicting and hard to put down. It was easy to get into and the love story, their journey, was one I am glad I rooted until the very end. For a debut, this book is brilliant! Kristy was so clever weaving this tale of family, friendship and love. Her excellent writing and stellar imagination was on point. I love the heart she poured into this gem because you can clearly feel it as it seeped through its pages. And that EPILOGUE!!! Holee-mother-fucking mess it made me, snotty crying like a baby. It was AMAZING and pretty much paved what await's us to the next books Kristy is planning to write.

Great job Kristy! Now, get your ass back to writing! I need Cade in my life!

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update: 16th June 2019
4.5 stars (instead of 3.5)
I don't do rereads... But after reading 'Pitcher' I couldn't help myself. Getting my next fix of Ans and Theo. I love these guys and it's almost impossible to let them go. I loved that I could reread how the legendary bromance of Cade and Theo starts. And I thoroughly enjoyed this reread. Still needing more!

And reading it a second time, the change of events doesn't bother me at all. Actually it goes quite with the flow. No idea why it bothered me in the first place.
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Original review:

Commander in Briefs was my first book by Kristy Marie and I had no idea what I got myself into. I dove in, not even reading the blurb, even though it sounds intriguing. The blurb gives you a really good sense of what is about to come for you if you give this book a chance.

I really had a good time reading it. However I'm not quite sure how to rate it. Compared to other books I've read I would say it's more like a 3.5 star book. Why? Mostly because the story takes a big turn (even though you could have sensed it coming) and I suddenly got the feeling I'm reading a totally different book as the one I started. That was a thing that didn't really sit well with me. However, with this turn the book got a little more suspenseful.

"Three thousand, seven hundred, and seventy-nine. That is how many days I have known I love you."

Anniston is a great heroine. She is strong, witty, self-confident, beautiful inside out and has a big mouth. She's not taking shit from others and says/takes what she wants. So yes, she's indeed a good commander! Sometimes her boldness feels like she covers her self-consciousness but I think this might be a totally normal thing. That makes her even more real.

"But, I can promise you that I will never stop trying to be the man you deserve. I have always loved you."

Theo is an easy lovable a-class a-hole . Man, he really marked his territory well. From time to time it got a little annoying, his a-hole behavior. He cares deeply for Ans and even though he's a star baseball player he's got complexes he tries to cover with his bold a-hole behavior.

"Let me love you like you love me. Let me be your biggest fan."

And I have really no idea why Ans put up with this. Well, actually I do. Because she loves him an he loves her so deeply that it hurts. They really are good together and have a great chemistry. Right from the beginning you could feel these two where made for each other. They are pushing and playing each other's buttons like no other could do. That leads to a lot of hot sex scenes that made me blush.

"Be my teammate in this game of life."

A thing that surprised me was the fact that the book was not only written in the POV of Ans and Theo but of Cade as well. I'm not really used to read a love story with more than two POVs. Not really sure if I like it here or not. It might fit. And I might have fallen for Cade so that I'm really looking forward reading his story/book soon!

Commander in Briefs is a witty, hot, hilarious love story that touches your heart.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Dri ✰ · Rating 1 out of 5]

★1 star!!!★

Esse livro me trouxe tantos sentimentos ruins e eu só terminei a leitura porque queria saber qual seria o final.

Pra mim, Theo e seu comportamento infantil, egoísta e idiota estragou completamente todo o livro!
Não consegui ver conexão emocional nenhuma entre ele e a Anniston. Onde o amor deveria trazer o melhor de cada um, aqui pareceu trazer a tona o pior dos personagens.
Algumas cenas de sexo dos dois beirou o ridículo e eu simplesmente comecei a pular essas partes.

Meu ódio pelo Theo começou desde o prologo, pensei que com o desenrolar da trama talvez eu sentiria alguma simpatia, no entanto continuei odiando e sentindo nojo da maioria das suas atitudes.
As “marcações de território” foram totalmente desnecessárias e grotescas.

Achei a Anniston forçada, irritante, exagerada e infantil, mas claro que não ganha o troféu de infantilidade, esse prêmio é completamente do Theo. (Já disse que odeio ele?)
Não senti empatia nenhuma por ela, principalmente pelo fato dela não dar a mínima sobre a forma como Theo a tratava, porque pra mim, quem ama cuida, valoriza e acima de tudo RESPEITA... e não vi isso acontecer aqui. Entendo que pelo fato de anos e anos de amizade você se acostuma com o comportamento da pessoa e releva, mas mesmo assim, ao meu ver, não foi nada legal.

Acho que a única coisa nesse livro que ganhou meu coração foi o Cade e os vets. <3 E é pra eles que dou essa 1 estrela.
Porque sinceramente, a história toda é uma bagunça, os dois personagens principais infantis, chatos e sem carisma.


Outra coisa que me incomodou aqui foi que, o livro todo é narrado em povs alternados entre três personagens, o que eu não soube distinguir, já que a narrativa feminina e masculina ficaram iguais. Os do Theo principalmente, se não tivesse o nome dele no início do capítulo, não falaria que era um pov masculino.

Resimindo, leitura nada agradável e mais uma vez a curiosidade me “matou”.
Porque ao finalizar cada leitura, mesmo que eu não tenha gostado eu procuro refletir e extrair algo de positivo da história ou dos personagens e esse livro aqui não me trouxe nada. Porque pra mim, não vi crescimento e amadurecimento nenhum na Anniston ou Theo.

PS: Sorry pelo desabafo, mas a raiva que ainda estou sentindo precisava sair de alguma maneira, rs.

[KceeReads]

THIS BOOK. THIS FCKIN BOOK!!!

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead



"My rhythm falters as visions of Chase plowing my girl taunt me. Well, she's not technically mine but.....it's on my to-do list. Let's just say everyone in our little hometown knows that Anniston McCallister is mine. No exceptions"

This is the H's internal thoughts WHILE HE'S HAVING SEX WITH ANOTHER WOMAN!!!! Oh and he'd TAKEN THE h's VIRGINITY A FEW YEARS BEFORE!!!!!! It's on his to do list people!!!!!!!!!!! Wth??!!!!!

[Maida (Medley of Books)]

RATING: DNF @25%

Commander in Briefs has the makings of a great read, however unfortunately it falls short in its execution. While I am a huge fan of friends to lovers romances, in this I couldn't connect to either protagonists. Both Theo and Anniston have potential to become dynamic characters, but their immature personalities and actions—for two individuals who are supposed to be in their late twenties—render them off-putting rather than likeable. Their relationship (if it can be called that) is a tangled web of sex, buried emotions and the push-and-pull drama, making the romance almost insignificant in its banality.

Admittedly since I did not read much, I will refrain from talking about Cade. On a positive note, Ms. Marie's writing is decent enough and with a good sense of flow that perhaps I'll give her another try in the future.

Overall, while the foundation of this read is promising, there are one too many factors that keep Commander in Briefs from being enjoyable.



~ARC provided by PA on behalf of the author in exchange for an honest review~



Posted: November 20, 2017

[Michelle Krystel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc provided by author for honest review. When my girl Jess message me about Commander In Briefs I asked her to send the blurb right away. Just by the title I was interested, then I read the blurb. Let me tell you how I was itching to read this book. Now that I just finished it wow, Kristy you blew my expectations away, from what I thought. I knew it was going to be good. But damn girl it was one of the best book I have read this year! I freaken couldn't stop reading it. I was hooked. And Cade omg Cade omg I freaken loved him from start. The man is just a God. Looks and all. Theo had grow on me but he did. And Hayes omg he's just so damn funny. Annistin she is my idol and hero. Thank you Kristy I moved it can't wait for Cades book!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.

At first I saw this book and was a little daunted by the amount of pages. However, that didn’t matter the book was so well written I wish it could’ve gone on forever.

Omg this book, I loved all the characters. Anniston is a bad ass woman who knows what she wants and doesn’t take no for an answer. Theo is kind of a jerk, but it works for him in a way.

Cade was my favorite character in the book and can’t wait till he gets his own story. This is definitely a must read.
Thank you Kristy and Jessica for sending this to me!

[Dora Koutsoukou]

I couldn’t connect with either Anniston or Theo, and their friends-with-benefits relationship didn’t excite me at all.
They were sexually together on Mondays and Thursdays and all other days of the were were fair game.
No, thank you.
Dnf @ 10%

[Ｋａｔｅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the title, the blurb & several Instagram book teasers, I started Commander in Briefs with an “idea in mind” of what I was about to read - a military romance with a possible ménage.

What I read however was kinda this, but also way MORE than this & at the same time nothing really like it at all. (Full confession: this threw me for a hot minute, until I got my head in the game, and ignored all of my preconceived notions.)

For me, it’s a combination of a few genres: mostly sports romance, meets starting over, meets second chances, meets post-military.

The story hits the ground running, giving you what you need to begin to understand the motivation of both Anniston & Theo, before quickly moving into “present day”.

Both leads are larger than life, with their
personalities unapologetically beans-to-the-wall, particularly when it comes to pushing each other’s buttons.

All of this makes for a quick & sparring dialogue & not always your usual standard romance outcomes - which makes a great change. For me, this was true to not just who Anniston & Theo are as people, but to how their relationship works for them.

Anniston’s “handling” of Theo had me chucking many times, until their undeniable chemistry turned their little clashes scorching... and suddenly I was no longer laughing. #FansSelfJustThinkingAboutIt

And then... enter Cade.

This new dynamic / plot development is both simple & complex, but isn’t easy to explain as I don’t do spoiler reviews. I will say however, that if Anniston & Theo’s antics were entertaining, Cade & Theo’s were alpha-gold.

From here, we learn so much more about each of them, what drives them & why they make the choices they do. We’re introduced to a rich cast of supporting characters, and the story again takes a deeper turn.

A full of all the feels and then some read, I really liked that no character was “totally shiny”. Many of them had challenges to battle as well as a few of life’s dings and dents, all of which makes them much more complex and realistic, and easier to relate to as people not characters.

Congratulations to Kristy Marie on her debut novel.

*I was provided an ARC of this book, with no expectation on the part of the author that they would receive a positive review in exchange. My review reflects my genuine opinion of this book.*

[Liber_Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

*** ARC GENEROUSLY PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ***

2.5 Stars

First of all, I just noticed - The Synopsis has Changed. This is better. But, kind of gives away the entire plot of the book.

Secondly, this Book was Weird. Not bad, but I can't explain it. I will try with Pros and Cons

Pros [What I liked about the Book]

- Grammar and Writing : This was a Debut book, and there were no grammatical errors. I Highly appreciate it. Most first books have terrible grammar. This was quite good.

- The General idea of the Book

- Good Side characters. Nice introduction of the secondary characters for the future books.


Cons [Problems I had with the Book]

- I read about this comment in another review and I completely agree : It seems that since this was the first book by the author, she seemed to want to attract romance audience of all kinda tropes. This book is filled with about 5-6 different tropes - friends to lovers, sports romance, military romance, love triangle, friends with benefits, and badass female character. YOU SHOULD NOT DO THAT. This book was hardly a sports romance, barely a military romance, there was no need for the kinda love triangle.

- No Character Development : There was literally no character development. Theo was an asshole in the beginning, he was an asshole at the end. Everybody just accepted that "Theo is just an asshole". There was no character development in the main Female MC or other side characters. They were the same from the beginning till the end.

- I was not a fan of the main female MC for the following reasons:

+ Too badass for me. She was funny, but she was a bit too much.
+ She acted like a Mom - For instance, Theo ate Cade's all cookies. Anniston comes down, scolds Theo and sends him to his room, and then tells Cade that she will bake him new batch. Calls each guy as "My Cade did that", "My Theo is pouting and making a mess", "My xyz has finally started to open "
+ Was not a big fan of "Butt slapping someone who is not your boyfriend" and her method of making the soldiers feel beautiful (where she brought Cade as a Demo)
+ This girl is so freaking magical unicorn, EVERY GUY WANTS HER.

- If the author had removed the love triangle aspect and the kidnapping and the make no sense fighting at the end, and re-edited the book, this book had a lot of potential.

- Sex between the main characters didn't make much sense to me. The author didn't have to add a "kink" too.

- Romance books need to have a little simplicity, where we, the readers, get to know and understand the characters by the end of the book. The little moments and the simple way the two characters fall in love and grow as a character, and make each other better, is MORE THAN ENOUGH.

WE, THE READERS, don't need much to please us. Please keep it simple the next time.

The author does have a lot of potential. I can see she has great ideas. But not all ideas need to go in one book.

[Cami · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

I am going to warn you right now….. THIS is not an easy book to read. First of all had I not read the prequel book PITCHER, I think there is a strong possibility that I would have DNF’d this book. The relationship between the H & h is all kinds of messed up BUT reading the prequel and continuing to read this book puts things in better perspective.

This book is different from anything I have read but it is not for everyone. There are times it is seriously messed up!!

I know, I am sounding as if I have a split personality but this book will make you feel that way. You will go back & forth on your opinion of characters in this book as your emotions are toyed with time & time again.

There is so much going on in this story. It is almost as if there are 3 different stories going on.

I personally do not mind a lot of sex in a book and I even like erotica but this book will test you on how much you can take in one book. That being said it is well worth the read since seriously there is so much other going on that will pull at your heart strings

[Birjis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous. This book has a talent to consume you. The plot is simple and familiar. The book is entertaining and clearly is humorous.

Theo and Anniston have been best friends since their early teens and slowly started to fall in love, both of them hiding their feelings for each other. Best friends then turned to friends with benefits until one day Anniston saves Cade. There is a would-be love triangle, but thankfully that didn't happen! A third party entry is the push needed for Theo and Anniston to admit their feelings.
The story is told in triple POV's - Theo, Anniston and Cade. I think Cade's POV was unnescessary. Since the author has written a story for Cade, I would like him to be mysterious.
I love the proposing! Couldn't expect anything different from Theo and Anniston!

This book is of sports romance. It is merry and enlivening.

If you need to sooth your soul after a good cry, I highly recommend this book. Then again I'll recommend it even if you're happy, angry or horny. Enjoy! ^^

[Claire Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent debut novel. This was as close to perfect as you can get. The storyline was well thought out. The writing was on point and the characters were completely adorable. Thank you Kristy for writing a book whereby both the main characters had disabilities. I have first hand experience of them, being the mum to 3 registered disabled children so to see that projected into words was amazing. Theo is such a cocky but loveable asshole. He is funny, sexy and so alpha. He is pretty much perfect as a leading male. Anniston is my new girl crush. She has so much fight and she grew so much in this book. Not to spoil the story but the ending was fitting. Would buy anything this author does in future as this standard of writing is rarely seen. Can not wait for Cade's book.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

.

So there is bad, there is awful, and then there is this piece of crap. I mean this is God awful bad and the male lead (I refuse to call him a hero) is horrible. He is the most screwed up one I have ever read, and I read billy romances regularly. He is my least favorite male lead ever, a guy who seems to think (along with his friends and family etc) that he is a decent person. All while he is doing the snarkiest, sleaziest, douchiness things ever. The book starts with the same theme we’ve seen many times. Best friends forever, she is in live with him and has waited for him, he is screwing everything that walks. She asks him to take her her virginity; he agrees. Here’s where is diverges from most other of a similar trope. While she is still putting her clothes on, he actually answers the phone and makes plans plans to go hang out with another girl (hat he will probably screw). I went ahead and read a little further in case it was a miscommunication, but nope. The next page finds the book getting even worse... How is that possible you ask? It’s skips ahead three years, and he is screwing a girl. He answers the phone, during sex, to the “heroine”. You know, the one in love with him, and she can tell he’s having sex. He asks her to say stuff to get him off. It’s awful. She is in love with this guy, and he treats her like a whore. She mentions being with another guy and he has a mental freak out, then he has this thought... And yes this is all still while he is screwing another girl.
“My rhythm falters as visions of Chase plowing my girl taunt me. Well, she’s not technically mine but… it’s on my to-do list. Let’s just say everyone in our little hometown knows that Anniston McCallister is mine. No exceptions.”
This is beyond awful. He knows he wants to be with her and he is basically planning it for later while he screws more women and makes her be a part of his sex life with the other women. She “loves him,” so she lets herself be so weak that we cannot even respect her a little. She becomes a giant slut, constantly screwing guys around him to get and keep his attention. It’s disgusting, I cannot stand books where the heroine changes herself like this. Some people say well at least she isn’t celibate, waiting on him. But I don’t see it that way, it’s just as bad: because HE’S the one in control either way. Have her go out into the world and date a few guys she likes or something, but don’t have her change her entire personality because of him or to be with him. There have been books where I couldn’t really really root for the couple. Then there is this mess, where I cannot even stomach the idea. I categorically do not want them together. I skipped ahead just in case this was actually about another “hero” but nope she gets with him. Why, just why? I wish I could scrub my brain of this.

[Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Commander in Briefs was the story of Anniston and Theo who are best friends since the sixth grade, they do everything together. The story starts out with Anniston begging Theo to take her virginity. After some consideration he finally gives in, and proceeds to make the biggest mistake of his life which seven years later he continues to pay since Anniston placed him firmly in the friends with benefits category. I have to admit that these two have a really unconventional relationship but I was having so much fun that I was totally ok with it since they both knew the deal. Now Cade enters the picture. Anniston finds him freezing on her property and takes him home to care for. Cade turns out to be a Veteran who is homeless and suffering from PTSD. Anniston decides to keep him which makes Theo lose his mind for her safety and when he finally meets Cade he's determined to make sure Cade knows she belongs to him. Theo's idea of this is marking her just like a dog lol. I was having a great time with the story at this point. Theo goes away again since he's a professional baseball player and Anniston now adds 6 more men to her group. Ok this is her new passion and she wants to help homeless vets? I'm still ok with it. But unfortunately around the 50% mark the story went downhill and was a complete mess. It seems as if the author had all these ideas going through her head and put them into the story. As another reviewer states she had friends to lover, military men, sports, kidnapping, sex trafficking, attempted dog theft, undercover agents, I was honestly waiting for the Vampires to appear. At this point Anniston started to get on my nerves. I didn't like her touch therapy which she was totally unqualified for and it seemed more like torture to the poor guys. So why did I continue to read this story? I think this author has potential. The writing was really good and I enjoyed her story telling. I think she needs to stick to one idea. This wasn't the type of story to add in the kidnapping and sex trafficking ring. It seemed to come out of left field and it was weird. I did love Theo. He was a totally jerk but I loved that about him. I also loved Cade and I do plan to read his book. I will give this author another try since this was her first novel. I just hope she has a better story planned and that more isn't better.