John Wilshire is an intriguing author. At first I thought, mmm, interesting, one of these m/m novels written by a man, someone who's served in the British Army for 22 years. But no, the name is called a "pen name and fictional persona" in the Amazon blurb. The author has decided to use what to all intents and purposes is a completely male name. I don't think I've come across that before among the many authors I've now read in this sub-genre. To use a pen name that is both a male and female name is common enough and I'm a bit cynical about why one would attempt some ambiguity like that. But that's a long way from taking on a male persona. More power to her though. She has her reasons.

Wiltshire has created two unforgettable characters - in Ben and Nikolas - and adventures - surviving a plane crash into a lake in Siberia and a band of brutal, dehumanised gulag escapees - it's not your usual romance novel setting.

But holy cow, crikey! the MCs love affair is possibly the most powerfully written of all the relationships I've lived through since I took up this hobby a few years ago, ie reading romance. The cut and thrust of their duelling personalities, the pull and push of their tender and not so tender love making, their care for each other and their courage in coming to the other's aid. It's non-stop - how they live entirely for each other even while they are busy in the world, with their "projects". Whew!

Unfortunately, my library didn't have #2 in the series, so I jumped from #1 to #3, and while I'll read #2 as soon as it comes my way, I was surprised how seamless it was to pick up Ben and Nikolas's story. Their relationship has come so far since the first book.

They'd known each other four years by the time book #1 started, at Nikolas and his wife Philippa's country house, with those memorable scenes of them horseback riding. Nikolas was so aloof and arrogant, with flashes of cruelty.

Now Ben has excavated the man from within the calculated, opaque and mysterious Nikolas persona. Nikolas is in love with Ben! It was always true but he was never going to reveal it. Also we see Nikolas fall back to his Alexei persona to lead survivors away from the extreme terror of their Siberian nightmare.

OMG, Gary Furlong! Heard him many times but here! he is beyond good in bringing Nikolas and Ben to life. ( )