L. A. Witt

Joshua and Chris had been best friends growing up. just before they each left for their church missions…going in different directions...Joshua disappears and is presumed dead, Chris is beyond devastated…so much so that he never goes on his mission and leaves the church. When Chris leaves the mission and his church it also meant leaving his family.... or more so his family leaving and forsaking him. At any rate, when Chris lost his faith, he lost everything. So what is a guy to do when the long-lost best friend, the reason for your five years of heartache, just comes waltzing back into your life? Chris is floored, but deliriously happy, but also equally angry that Joshua could just take off without a word, at least without a single, solitary word to him. Weren't they best friends? Weren't they beginning to feel more? I really felt bad for Chris, but I also completely understood Joshua, who is now calling himself Julien. Julien not only took off, but he joined the French Foreign Legion and now has returned as a soldier, and even has a little French accent. That is a lot to wrap your head around, but even though Chris gets his digs in for taking off on him, he is still has a huge attraction…they both do…but now they are no longer inexperienced, scared kids...now they are experienced men…and they are nothing short of hot together. Wish I could say that Julien and Chris put all their issues behind them and rode off into the sunset, but it didn't happen because...you guessed it...the church is back rearing its head again into their lives. This time it has come between Julien and his dying father. They have to deal with an ungodlike totally unlikeable awful Bishop who gets more of a thrill out of causing more pain for the family than actually helping them. I cheered when he gets his in the end. This a typical L.A. Witt novel. It has a great storyline that keeps the reader captivated until the very end. The story may offend a few people, but in reality, it appears to be very well researched, and you know that sometimes the truth is just not necessarily all that pretty.… (meer)

This is the third book of the trilogy and also a fairly short one wrapping up the "Cover Me" trilogy. It brings us back to Andrew the cop, and Nick, the paramedic, who now that everything has settled down have been having problems in their relationship. They are both suffering from PTSD and their respective traumas and there has been a lot of resentments directed at each other compounded by the intense irrational emotion common to trauma. It has produced a complete inability to process their emotions or to have a complete or meaningful conversation. In spite of understanding what they were feeling, I also felt a fair amount annoyance with each of them. Nick is pulling away. There’s a lot going on in his head and he doesn’t know what to do with it and he can’t talk to Andrew about it, so he just wants to give up. Andrew has just as much going on internally as Nick does with his nightmares and the constant reminder of the event leading up to this time in his life his along with his ongoing surgeries and physical therapy. Andrew and Nick both began to annoy me. Andrew seemed to be the most invested one in working on their problems and spent a good bit of time trying to convince Nick that they shouldn’t just give up and walk away, but every time Andrew tries to repair their relationship by talking about it; Nick says “well what if it doesn’t help”?... only to have Andrew respond, “Do you have any better ideas”? I wanted to yell "Well, No, Andrew, he doesn’t. If he had even one bloody idea, he wouldn’t be so hot to walk away!!! Now let's examine Nick. When Jesse strangled him in book #1, I think the lack of oxygen must have killed a few important brain cells because trauma or not, he's just not making any sense whatsoever. “I feel trapped and obligated to stay with you because you took a bullet for me and I resent you, but I also love you and have been pushing you away because I’m afraid of losing you”. Really??? Talk about contradiction!! Somewhere toward the end of the story they finally manage to have something that resembles a conversation that promises a HEA because at least they agree that they need therapy both alone and together. I totally agree. I liked this trilogy and I absolutely love L.A. Witt but I believe I may be in need of some therapy after listening to these two:)… (meer)

The cover picture is a little sad. I was happy to see that the story didn't follow that same trend. Adrian is a blackjack dealer for one of the big casinos in Las Vegas, as well as a dancer at one of the strip clubs nearby. On his way back to his car after work, he passes yet another man begging on the street in front of the Bellagio fountain. He almost continues to walk by, but there is something different about this man that catches his attention, so he goes back. The man is well dressed... well dressed in a suit no less, and on his feet...expensive shoes...so what is he doing on the street? His broken his expression nearly does Adrian in. Adrian offers him dinner at one of the nearby buffets and eventually is accepted by the man. During dinner the two men begin to talk. The homeless man is Max, from California who has gotten himself into a desperate, seemingly hopeless situation. He had lost everything and made the decision to take what little money he had left and blow it all in Vegas...then take a handful of pills and put an end to it all...all his misery...all his mistakes. He stops just in time, but all his money is gone, his job is gone, leaving him with nothing. He is surprised by the kindness of a complete stranger...then he recognizes Adrian as the dealer at whose table he lost all his money. What must this young man think of him? Finally, he shoves his pride to the background and accepts the help that Adrian offers. I don't think many...if anyone, would invite a total stranger into their home like Adrian did...but it worked well for the storyline. He was lucky that Max was a really good guy. Things happened fast between the two guys but it's a short book...less than 200 pages. Adrian and Max get way more than either of them thought they were going to, and I got more than I expected out of this story...but that shouldn't have been a surprise...it is L.A. Witt.… (meer)