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Hell Dogs Squadron #1
Touch and Go
Navy F/A-18 pilot Lt. Cameron Bradshaw juggles a second government job in addition to his military commitments. He's a psychic finder for a mysterious agency known as Division P. Just as he is beginning another assignment for Division P, he is the victim of a nearly lethal motorcycle accident. If not for the talents of a gifted healer by the name of Dr. Mason Flynn, it is doubtful the Lt. would have survived. As the slow process of recovery begins, Mason Flynn is drawn to the injured pilot. A mix of shared psychic talents and physical attraction is slowly binding them together. But when Cam's roommate is murdered, the pilot's life may be in danger yet again.
50 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 22, 2023
My rating is based on judging the book as it was intended: it's part 1 of a trilogy, it ends with a cliffhanger, the romance and suspense plotlines barely get started and it absolutely isn't meant to be read or judged as a one off.
I really enjoy the way this author tackles military romances and I love that the military MCs are always written very well and the military stuff is detailed enough to make the scenarios seem realistic (I have no clue if everything is 100% correct or not). I also adore hurt-comfort scenarios and this book was basically a series of hurt-comfort scenes so I should have been happy with it.
All of these ingredients are things I normally love but the lack of emotion or UST in the writing made it feel bland. Mason is attracted to Cam but he's more interested in being Cam's caregiver and healer than forming an actual relationship with him. But Cam's even worse because he's not gay and he's not attracted to Mason - he just likes being taken care of and how willing Mason is to help alleviate his pain and deal with his other issues. Randomly, the author has Cam reveal that he's done stuff with other guys and that's followed by . The whole thing was weirdly paced and the lack of UST and emotion meant I felt zero chemistry between them. You know those books where the author has the MCs unable to function because they're so overcome with lust over the other person? That's one extreme and this book was the other extreme - zero chemistry, zero attraction, zero romance. I did enjoy the hurt-comfort scenarios but they did get repetitive after a while and the lack of genuine emotion from Cam towards Mason made the experience feel bland.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the clever way the author wove in the suspense plotline. It's not a big focus for the characters because they're busy dealing with Cam's health issues but the author cleverly drops hints throughout the book that something dangerous is happening and that Cam is a target due to one of his Division P jobs. What's really cool is that Cam and Mason spend the majority of the book having no clue that Cam is in danger at all. The situations they encounter along the way are interpreted by them as being random unconnected incidents. Readers know there's something shady happening due to some outside POV scenes but even those are kept vague so the suspense nicely builds during the book and we end things on a cliffhanger and knowing that Cam is still in danger but having no clear understanding of why they're after him or who 'they' are.
I also liked the way the author wove in Cam and Mason's superpowers and had them play important roles throughout the story. There are enough details provided about how Cam and Mason's powers work for that part to be interesting but like with the other plotlines, we only get as much information as the author wants us to have at this point.
I do wish the author had included a bit more suspense stuff because the constant stream of hurt/comfort scenes got boring after awhile. But I loved the pacing of the suspense plotline and I liked the cliffhanger at the end. I wasn't impressed with the romance development in this one (since I felt there was barely any romance due to Cam's lack of feelings towards Mason) but since there are two more books to go, I'm hoping the author's choices regarding the romance in this one were deliberate and I'll love the next two installments. Onwards I go!
I really enjoy the way this author tackles military romances and I love that the military MCs are always written very well and the military stuff is detailed enough to make the scenarios seem realistic (I have no clue if everything is 100% correct or not). I also adore hurt-comfort scenarios and this book was basically a series of hurt-comfort scenes so I should have been happy with it.
All of these ingredients are things I normally love but the lack of emotion or UST in the writing made it feel bland. Mason is attracted to Cam but he's more interested in being Cam's caregiver and healer than forming an actual relationship with him. But Cam's even worse because he's not gay and he's not attracted to Mason - he just likes being taken care of and how willing Mason is to help alleviate his pain and deal with his other issues. Randomly, the author has Cam reveal that he's done stuff with other guys and that's followed by . The whole thing was weirdly paced and the lack of UST and emotion meant I felt zero chemistry between them. You know those books where the author has the MCs unable to function because they're so overcome with lust over the other person? That's one extreme and this book was the other extreme - zero chemistry, zero attraction, zero romance. I did enjoy the hurt-comfort scenarios but they did get repetitive after a while and the lack of genuine emotion from Cam towards Mason made the experience feel bland.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the clever way the author wove in the suspense plotline. It's not a big focus for the characters because they're busy dealing with Cam's health issues but the author cleverly drops hints throughout the book that something dangerous is happening and that Cam is a target due to one of his Division P jobs. What's really cool is that Cam and Mason spend the majority of the book having no clue that Cam is in danger at all. The situations they encounter along the way are interpreted by them as being random unconnected incidents. Readers know there's something shady happening due to some outside POV scenes but even those are kept vague so the suspense nicely builds during the book and we end things on a cliffhanger and knowing that Cam is still in danger but having no clear understanding of why they're after him or who 'they' are.
I also liked the way the author wove in Cam and Mason's superpowers and had them play important roles throughout the story. There are enough details provided about how Cam and Mason's powers work for that part to be interesting but like with the other plotlines, we only get as much information as the author wants us to have at this point.
I do wish the author had included a bit more suspense stuff because the constant stream of hurt/comfort scenes got boring after awhile. But I loved the pacing of the suspense plotline and I liked the cliffhanger at the end. I wasn't impressed with the romance development in this one (since I felt there was barely any romance due to Cam's lack of feelings towards Mason) but since there are two more books to go, I'm hoping the author's choices regarding the romance in this one were deliberate and I'll love the next two installments. Onwards I go!
February 20, 2010
Pilot and adrenaline junkie Cameron Bradshaw is having a pretty bad day. He’s been dragged into meeting after meeting, had some crappy flight landings, and to top it all off, he gets hit by a speeding truck, which then flees the scene. Thankfully Dr. Mason Flynn witnesses the accident and acts quickly enough to save Cameron’s life, working tirelessly to ensure Cameron doesn’t die from his extensive injuries until more help can arrive. Even then, Mason can’t shake the attachment he feels with the severely injured military man and continues to check up on Cameron as much as possible.
Cam has somewhat of a double life. He flies jets as his day job and occasionally uses his psychic powers to “find” lost items. As these forays are far and few between, he largely tries to ignore his psychic prowess yet has difficultly being around others and especially in large crowds. Having met so few others with his similar ability, Cameron is shocked when he discovers that the “healing” he feels is actually Mason’s healing “Talent”; the doctor’s own psi energy helping to heal Cameron’s injuries and keep the pain from overwhelming the injured man. Mason’s talents are unique and focused to the point that only he seems to be able to manage Cameron’s tremendous pain and help the man heal.
The majority of the story is used in Cameron’s initial injury, his hospital stay and the few days once he’s released. As this is the first in a series, there is only a hint of mystery surrounding a new suspicious project Cameron was assigned to, suggesting that both Cameron’s accident and his roommate’s death are related. The remaining time is spent on Mason and Cameron’s unexpected bond and initial attraction. The mutual discovery of their unique abilities adds a layer of connection between the men but their association is very tenuous, at best.
Both Cameron and Mason are intriguing characters with enough depth and warmth to give just a glimpse but already they start to take shape and grow as individual characters. Their attraction is endearing, as Cameron is the more hesitant of the two, having only had occasional furtive liaisons with nameless, faceless men. Mason is more outgoing, clearly caring and devoted without tipping over the line of too involved with someone he just met. Together the men are likable and engaging in their brief acquaintance.
For all that this is a fun, quick read not everything worked as well. Unfortunately Cameron is almost a gay for you cliché, self described as a straight man and explaining his attraction to Mason as some sort of psychic connection where gender becomes unimportant. Hopefully in subsequent offerings this will be untrue. Additionally the chance meeting of two psychic men, each with an extremely rare talent, was a bit over the top but thankfully the dialogue and pace is easy and quick which allowed for a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. This is required for various parts of the book, including the sinister counterparts with a conspiracy tone to their secret meetings.
Overall this short beginning to the series was enough to catch my interest and leave me wanting to read what happens next. The attraction and possible relationship between the men had warmth and genuine caring, all without gratuitous sex scenes. Discounting the various editing errors that didn’t detract from the story, the author offered just enough romance and action to whet the appetite and I await the next offering. If you like sexy men mixed with a bit of action/adventure, this will deliver for you.
Cam has somewhat of a double life. He flies jets as his day job and occasionally uses his psychic powers to “find” lost items. As these forays are far and few between, he largely tries to ignore his psychic prowess yet has difficultly being around others and especially in large crowds. Having met so few others with his similar ability, Cameron is shocked when he discovers that the “healing” he feels is actually Mason’s healing “Talent”; the doctor’s own psi energy helping to heal Cameron’s injuries and keep the pain from overwhelming the injured man. Mason’s talents are unique and focused to the point that only he seems to be able to manage Cameron’s tremendous pain and help the man heal.
The majority of the story is used in Cameron’s initial injury, his hospital stay and the few days once he’s released. As this is the first in a series, there is only a hint of mystery surrounding a new suspicious project Cameron was assigned to, suggesting that both Cameron’s accident and his roommate’s death are related. The remaining time is spent on Mason and Cameron’s unexpected bond and initial attraction. The mutual discovery of their unique abilities adds a layer of connection between the men but their association is very tenuous, at best.
Both Cameron and Mason are intriguing characters with enough depth and warmth to give just a glimpse but already they start to take shape and grow as individual characters. Their attraction is endearing, as Cameron is the more hesitant of the two, having only had occasional furtive liaisons with nameless, faceless men. Mason is more outgoing, clearly caring and devoted without tipping over the line of too involved with someone he just met. Together the men are likable and engaging in their brief acquaintance.
For all that this is a fun, quick read not everything worked as well. Unfortunately Cameron is almost a gay for you cliché, self described as a straight man and explaining his attraction to Mason as some sort of psychic connection where gender becomes unimportant. Hopefully in subsequent offerings this will be untrue. Additionally the chance meeting of two psychic men, each with an extremely rare talent, was a bit over the top but thankfully the dialogue and pace is easy and quick which allowed for a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. This is required for various parts of the book, including the sinister counterparts with a conspiracy tone to their secret meetings.
Overall this short beginning to the series was enough to catch my interest and leave me wanting to read what happens next. The attraction and possible relationship between the men had warmth and genuine caring, all without gratuitous sex scenes. Discounting the various editing errors that didn’t detract from the story, the author offered just enough romance and action to whet the appetite and I await the next offering. If you like sexy men mixed with a bit of action/adventure, this will deliver for you.
November 20, 2011
I actually was pleasantly surprised by how much happened in this short read. I came away thinking I had taken part in a longer story, and definitely am looking forward to more in this series!
I especially liked the paranormal aspect, adn the fact that they needed 'touch', in an inherintly untouchable profession such as black ops, and/or the military, etc.
Enjoyed, and look forward to more...
I especially liked the paranormal aspect, adn the fact that they needed 'touch', in an inherintly untouchable profession such as black ops, and/or the military, etc.
Enjoyed, and look forward to more...
December 29, 2020
Well, this is an interesting beginning. I liked the idea and it could lead to something really good.
But the romance? yikes! I mean, I liked Mason until he was inappropriately thinking about kissing senseless a man who not only he didn't know, but who also was laying in a hospital bed. And, after that, he had sex with his patient (Cam was under his care, that makes him his patient in any way you want to look at it) and who was doped up to the gills. That's beyond creepy in my book :(
This would have been a lot better if the author hadn't rushed the sex. Build the relationship, and let the characters come together in a situation in which one of them is not in such an unbalanced position, for God's sake! And yes, I know that there are people who will complain to the author if there is no sex on a book *rolls her eyes* Nothing wrong with wanting hot sex scenes, but if you want them even regardless of plot or characterization, go and read erotica, not a mystery. /rant
Anyway, these are short, and, as I said before, the idea is interesting, so I'll finish them, hoping for less creepy-factor.
But the romance? yikes! I mean, I liked Mason until he was inappropriately thinking about kissing senseless a man who not only he didn't know, but who also was laying in a hospital bed. And, after that, he had sex with his patient (Cam was under his care, that makes him his patient in any way you want to look at it) and who was doped up to the gills. That's beyond creepy in my book :(
This would have been a lot better if the author hadn't rushed the sex. Build the relationship, and let the characters come together in a situation in which one of them is not in such an unbalanced position, for God's sake! And yes, I know that there are people who will complain to the author if there is no sex on a book *rolls her eyes* Nothing wrong with wanting hot sex scenes, but if you want them even regardless of plot or characterization, go and read erotica, not a mystery. /rant
Anyway, these are short, and, as I said before, the idea is interesting, so I'll finish them, hoping for less creepy-factor.
April 8, 2010
I enjoyed this action dominated romance. The characters don't get much time or opportunity to get very romantic, but they do manage to get hot and sweaty on horizontal surfaces reasonably often.
It is difficult to review the three parts separately because they are not really complete stories individually. So I am going to review them as a group. The first part came closest to being a stand-alone story, although the ending was neither Happy Ever After nor Happy For Now.
Taken as a single novel in three parts it was a good tale with a nice helping of action and the addition of psi powers with limits and drawbacks. The Gay-For-You career Navy officer, Cam, was a bit of a stretch, but the psi powers gave him a good excuse for easy acceptance.
The Government Agency employing the psi talents was a pleasant change from the normal extremes of evil-exploiters or angelic-philanthropists. The talents are treated well because they don't function reliably if they are mis-treated - something that was found out the hard way, but the lessons were learned.
It is difficult to review the three parts separately because they are not really complete stories individually. So I am going to review them as a group. The first part came closest to being a stand-alone story, although the ending was neither Happy Ever After nor Happy For Now.
Taken as a single novel in three parts it was a good tale with a nice helping of action and the addition of psi powers with limits and drawbacks. The Gay-For-You career Navy officer, Cam, was a bit of a stretch, but the psi powers gave him a good excuse for easy acceptance.
The Government Agency employing the psi talents was a pleasant change from the normal extremes of evil-exploiters or angelic-philanthropists. The talents are treated well because they don't function reliably if they are mis-treated - something that was found out the hard way, but the lessons were learned.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2011
Jess, and you need this before the balance series. A good story. Get start to a story that seems to be at least 6 sips long.
November 27, 2010
What to say ? Unexepected, great entertainment, wonderful writing, loved it!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews