Unconditional Surrender

by Cat Grant (Editor), E.M. Lynley, Cassandra Carr

Strong. Sexy. Sizzling.

There's nothing like a man in uniform, and sixteen of today's hottest gay romance authors are celebrating military heroes and the men brave enough to love them.

These brand-new novellas feature all branches of the service and offer something for every reader. Almost 300,000 never before published words!

Kerry Adrienne – Cruise Control
One Maserati brings Parker and Blake together, but will Blake slow down and discover the important things aren’t in the fast lane?

Annabeth Albert – Resilient Heart
When a wounded soldier is forced to accept help from his former best friend, both men discover the true strength of their entwined hearts.

Keira Andrews – Arctic Fire
Can an army captain who can’t forget Afghanistan make new memories with a ranger in the Arctic?

Brit Blaise – Storm Out
An Army Ranger suffering from PTSD finds coming out the biggest storm he's ever faced.

Cassandra Carr – Civilian Master
Clay's home for some R&R after a Special Ops mission goes terribly wrong. Can Flynn help him find his true self?

Lia Davis – His Guarded Heart
Being Senator Beckett’s bodyguard while staying out of his bed becomes Judd’s biggest challenge as passion ignites between the men.

Sasha Devlin – Hometown Hero
Sparks fly when injured Marine Colin returns home ...and ends up in the arms of the man he left behind.

Rhi Etzweiler – Blood & Peyote
“I almost did it, Api. I had the Glock in my mouth and my finger on the trigger.”

Lucy Felthouse – Desert Heat
Their love is forbidden by rules, religion and risk. Yet they still can’t resist.

Amelia C. Gormley – The Initiation
Being Fowler Vale’s houseboy may open more doors than Bryce ever dreamed possible.

Cat Grant – The Only One Who Cares
Committed couple David and Josh have overcome years of struggle to arrive at their happily-ever-after. But what happens when fate has one last killer right hook in store?

EM Lynley – Irresistible Forces
DADT kept them apart, but old flames reignite as Logan and Brody succumb to irresistible forces.

L.A. Witt – Flight Risk
Sex with a co-worker is all fun and games until your friendship crashes and burns…

Genres: M M Romance, Anthologies, Military Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, BDSM, War

904 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2014

About the author

If you're looking for epic sci-fi, fantasy, or historicals, that's not me. Contemporary all the way, baby!

However, if you're looking for down to earth, complicated characters dealing with real-world problems (and the occasional comfort read!), I might just fit the bill. :)

My Books:

Courtland Chronicles (m/m & m/m/f)
By Chance
Strictly Business
Complications
The Arrangement
Triad

Allegro Vivace (m/m)
Sonata Appassionata (m/m)

Icon Men (all m/m)
The First Real Thing (2012 EPIC Award Winner - Erotica)
Appearing Nightly
A Fool for You

Habanera (Originally titled Entangled Trio - 2012 EPIC Award Finalist - Erotica) (m/m/f)

Once a Marine (m/m)

Power Play (with Rachel Haimowitz) (m/m BDSM)
Power Play: Resistance
Power Play: Awakening

Irresistible Attraction (all m/m)
Priceless
Doubtless
Fearless
Flawless (2014 EPIC Award Finalist - Short Fiction)

Forthcoming:

The Only One Who Knows (with LA Witt) - January 2014

The Only One Who Matters (with LA Witt) - March 2014

Black Dog (Bannon's Gym #1) - April 2014

Takedown (Bannon's Gym #2) - July 2014

Guarded (with LA Witt) (work in progress)

Reviews

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite finished yet! Will review all and rate when done.

Cruise Control:

Resiliant Hearts: 5 hurt/healing/comfort wrapped up in romantic love story stars! Loved it!

Artic Fire: 4 hard core angst with lots of comfort and a glorious HEA stars.

Storm Out:

Civilian Master: 2 this was kind of a hot mess stars.

His Guarded Heart:

Hometown Hero:

Blood & Peyote:

Desert Heat:

The Houseboy: Initiation:

The Only One Who Cares:

Irresistible Forces:

Flight Risk: 2 I really didn't buy into this relationship stars.

[*P*u*r*p*l*e* Masochist]

A M/M Military bundle *_*!!!


YES, YES & YES!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthologies are always a mixed bag with some you like and some you don't, and they often average out at about a 3 for me. But I really felt like this one swayed on the higher end. Of course, there were some stories I didn't like (you can't win 'em all) and as my ratings show I really didn't like them, but the others were all above a 3.5 with even a few 5 star ratings, which I can be stingy with. A great M/M anthology, and certainly a must read for those who love their military men!

Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne - 2 stars This didn't work for me so much. Blake was an ass. Lust is one thing but their 'feelings' came out of nowhere. Three days?!! That's a little much and I just wasn't buying it.

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert (disability, reunited) - 5 stars Wonderful story. Addressed some important issues without beating a dead horse or sounding preachy. The premise and set-up were great, and Mackey was fabulous. This quote sums it up perfectly: "This was them--scars and mistakes and wasted time and bright future."

Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews - 4 stars Lovely story about a man having difficulty finding himself after returning from war. I loved the change in nationality, with a Canadian MC instead of American. I loved the Arctic and seeing it through Kin's eyes. Very interesting, and a sweet and believable HFN. Would love a follow up to see how the guys are faring perhaps Kin's coming out?!?

Storm Out by Brit Blaise (PTSD) - 1.5 stars This story was a very odd jumble. First you have Sam, who blurts out his life story to a stranger including some really fucked up abusive shit. It loses it's effect when presented in such a manor, and just seemed like a cheap shot at sympathy. Then you have Cowboy. At first he seemed like a rugged outdoors-man hermit keeping away from everyone... but no, he's a rich boy out with his gran-daddy's expensive gear for a night. Oh yeah, with PTSD. Can't forget to throw that in there. Then the whole odd poachers thing Cowboy's whole family acting like Gramps is senile and they all have to fly out to Ohio to save him... um, he's a fucking adult, and the strange reunion at the end Sam is illiterate with a 2nd grade education yet managed to get his GED in 3 months?!? left me glad this was over.

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr (BDSM, reunited) - 3.75 stars This was sweet and sexy, and I liked it. Some of the spanking could have flowed better, there wasn't quite enough lead in and it felt a little awkward at first for me. Longer would have been better, to show what was going on during the large gap the 11 months when Clay finished his tour but the time jump ended up working and I liked how the Epilogue finished things off.

His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis (romantic suspense) - 1 star I don't know if this is bad per se, I just couldn't care less. We barely meet these guys, are told they've met before in a work capacity but have no prior attraction, yet then they jump into bed together when not only Beau's, but his daughter's life as well, is in the balance. I stopped a quarter of the way through. Add in the grammatical errors and I just wasn't interested in finishing.

Hometown Hero by Sasha Devlin (friends-to-lovers) - 4.25 stars I really loved the first half of this. It took me a few pages to figure out who was who and what was going on, but basically JJ has had a crush on Colin (who is his best friend, April's, older brother) for forever. Colin is just returning from overseas, and we get to see a sexy, confident Colin seduce a shy and bumbling JJ. The thing that dropped it down from a 5 star for me was that the resolution was a little too quick and easy Colin's public display in front of the town. I liked the added drama of 1) their sexin interrupted by some issues Colin's wounds and 2) Colin messing up the morning after leaving with a simple note since his Dad was watching but I wanted those 2 things to be hashed out so I could witness the HEA instead of just alluding to it. Still really good, just needed more flushing out.

Blood & Peyote by Rhi Etzweiler - 1.5 stars I couldn't get into this one. It was confusing initially of who people were. Apisi seemed to have been out in the woods watching wolf's for a year, yet his CO calls him about Char and everyone is keeping an eye on him... so, are they still on active duty or not? I dunno, anyway. I was interested in Apisi and Char's relationship, but all the talk of Char's runes and rune magic and uhg, I just couldn't do it anymore. And Chartreuse? I'm pretty sure that's a female strippers name. DNF.

Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse (inter-racial) - 4 stars I really enjoyed this story. It had great pacing, and I believed the emotions from both Hugh and Rustam (may seem a little quick for some people but technically they had been working together for 3 months already so it was believable to me.) This story is also very different from the rest of the stories in this anthology, for a few reasons. Firstly, the love story takes place between a British soldier and Afgan interpreter. Secondly, it sheds light on the important issue of interpreters who risk their lives to help soldiers. This danger was touched on, although I couldn't help but think of John Oliver's Last Week Tonight episode on this subject which talks of the bureaucratic nightmare that interpreters have gaining American citizenship after their service. This aspect wasn't touched on really, and maybe Britain does a better job of it, but either way it did bring light to some unsung heroes which I thought was great. Ended a tad abrubtly with a good HFN, although I would have preferred a little more or at least an epilogue.

The Houseboy: Initiation by Amelia C. Gormley (May-December, BDSM) - 5 stars This story will not be for everyone, but holy shit was it for me! Hot DAMN! Be forewarned, it's dirty and rough and there's degradation and humiliation and lot and lots of sex... "It hadn't been pleasant. It had been perfect, and he knew he'd never be the same." Hard to describe but I'm really raelly hoping Bryce and Vale's story will continue. This is not BDSM-light, and I loved every second of it! Now admittedly, there isn't much military to this one except that Vale and his friends are vets. I didn't mind, it was a nice change of pace, but I figured I should give a warning.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant (pre-existing relationship) - 4.5 stars I tend to avoid books with characters who have a pre-exisiting relationship, so I was pleasantly surprised with this. Good characters with a solid relationship that while dealing with some issues, is not on the rocks. We got good background without feeling like we missed the first book in a series (although I would like to read the story where Josh and David meet that takes place in The Only One Who Knows). And a nice secondary plot that really worked, was sweet, and all around enjoyable!

Irresistible Forces by EM Lynley (war prisoner) - 4.5 stars Very good, and very well rounded story about two rangers finding each other again after 6 years. I loved this, great characters, and very natural. It did slow down a bit for me in the last few chapters though. I appreciate how well-rounded and thorough it was, covering all the bases until we got our HEA. But honestly, I think I would have preferred it ended a little earlier with a solid HFN moving toward HEA to maintain the intensity. After their time in the bathhouse and on leave would have been good. I appreciate the realism of Logan's delayed breakdown, but everything following dragged a bit.

Flight Risk by L.A. Witt (friends-to-lovers) - 3.80 I liked this one, and it was a solid end to a great anthology. It addressed the serious issue of chronic pain from an interesting perspective. I really liked the way things went initially with these guys. They did address the issues that occurred Tex being a dick and I thought it was a very sweet HFN with a good change of pace from the usual romance where sometimes it seems like sex is everything Tex had been a dick because he was afraid Bennett would be scared off by the chronic back pain and the fact that it frequently prevented Tex from having sex. I will say that I wish Tex had addressed more treatment options. I get that he can't take painkillers because he's flying, but especially in japan there must be a host of alternative medicine options.

Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this bundle for an honest review from EM Lynley**

Oh how I love a man in uniform, 2 men even better. While with every bundle of books there are always a few that are just not quite as strong as the others, but none of the books in this bundle take away from the overall greatness of this grouping. This is an overall 4.5 star bundle but I round up for goodreads since they do not do half stars.

I will tell you to have tissue ready as several of the stories will bring a tear or two. Some will make you laugh, a few will make you want to grab the MCs by the ear and give them a good talking to. Em I am looking at you.

Kerry Andrews's “Cruise Control"- This story made me laugh and cry. Family drama and healing what a lovely story.

Annabeth Albert's “Resilient Heart"- Oh this story tugged at my heart strings. Wounded warrior overcoming disability and the man who will not give up on him.(Tissues might be needed)

Keira Andrews's “Arctic Fire” - This story oh it was lovely. It is set in Canada and does a great job of representing the way of life of the First People. Strong, tough, and caring.

Brit Blaise's “Storm Out" - This is one of those stories that stay with you, and make you want for a longer series. So many great characters to build on. I loved this family and the healing of the MC from a lost young man to a strong man ready to take on the world.

Cassandra Carr's “Civilian Master” - This one is tricky, I really enjoy BDSM for the most part, however short stories just do not give the characters long enough to grow and establish the trust I feel is needed to truly explore the subject. However, this story is well written and I did enjoy it.

Lia Davis's “His Guarded Heart" - This story started slowly but once it got going it was wonderful. The two MCs are strong, smart and oh so in love.

Sasha Devlin's "Hometown Hero" - Some times the greatest heroes are the ones that stay home. This story celebrates those that keep the home fires going, who watch the 6 of those who go off to war. We forget the battles they fight everyday, while the their loved ones fight to keep us safe.

Rhi Etzweiler's “Blood & Peyote” - This was the one story in the bundle I had the most trouble with, however I knew that going into the story just by the title. Any kind of drug use (yes even peyote) bugs me in books and the story itself was good but some of the subject matter bothered me.

Lucy Felthouse's “Desert Heat” - This HFN story better have a follow up that is all I am saying. I really enjoyed the two MCs of this book.

Amelia C. Gormley's “The Houseboy: Initiation” - This is another one of those stories I wish was just a little longer to really explore the subject matter. I did enjoy the story overall. It was a little weaker than some of the stories but does not take away from the overall bundle.

Cat Grant's "The Only One Who Cares" - Oh Cat how you love to play with my heart. This lovely story is also one that shows the strengths of those who are left at home. It was so well done. Thank you for this story.

EM Lynley's “Irresistible Forces” - This is a tissue needed story; however you are going to laugh also. Em always plays with my emotions and makes me feel.

L.A. Witt's “Flight Risk” - This one was good but not the best L.A. Witt story I have read. I did like it but I wish it was longer and more flushed out. It also be that I read all 900 pages of this book bundle in one day and was just tired by the time I got to the end of it.

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would probably take forever and a day to review this bundle properly. Seeing as I have a life, I’m going to make this as brief as possible.

Here's the happity-haps:

There are 13 stories in this bundle.

4 of them I happily, and enthusiastically, grant a solid 5 Star rating.

RESILIENT HEART by Annabeth Albert
This story dealt heavily with PTSD. It was a beautiful, but extremely emotional read - tissues are a must! Probably the best written story of the lot!

ARCTIC FIRE by Keira Andrews
My personal favourite story! It had a great couple, enjoyable getting-to-know-you banter, awesome pop culture references, a dude who spoke in acronyms, the Aurora Borealis (I have a thing about it - call it an obsession, whatever), and a heart-stopping action scene that had me panicking. Not to mention, a brilliant scenic backdrop - The Arctic Tundra - which was written so impeccably, that it felt like a fricken visceral reading experience.

HOMETOWN HERO by Sasha Devlin
Fun and angst free – which was much needed after some of the intensity of the other stories.

IRRESISTIBLE FORCES by E.M. Lynley
Two words - AMAZING CHEMISTRY!

************
I smacked a further 3 stories in the face with my DNF stamp.

STORM OUT by Brit Blaise
Didn’t connect.

BLOOD & PEYOTE by Rhi Etzweiler
Just.. no!

THE HOUSEBOY: INITIATION by Amelia C. Gormley
Some readers will LOVE this one but it simply wasn’t my kink.

*************
My OCD tendencies refused to let me read The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant because it is the third story featuring the two MC's - *adds yet another two books to my ever-growing to-read pile*

All the rest were thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to exploring the other works of many of these authors!

Was this worth the $0.99 I paid for it… HELL YES , it was.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of novellas has a little something for anyone who loves M/M romance and/or military men. Many of the stories are of active duty professional soldiers, in all branches of the military, but there are some with retired veterans, as well.

First Connection stories:
LA Witt, EM Lynley, Kiera Andrews, and Lucy Felthouse all offer stories of first connection between men active in duty with fellow soldiers. Witt’s FLIGHT RISK showcases two gay airmen: Pilot Bennett McKinley and RIO Aaron Austin as they begin a tenuous partnership. Aaron had a bad ejection a few years back, and still suffers the pain of severe spine trauma. He’s been interested in Bennett for a long time, but afraid to commit to anything with the state of his injury—and the requirement of no pain meds within 72 hours of flight time. Bennett wants more than a hook-up, but will Aaron be fit for that kind of duty? (Spoiler: yes.)

Lynley’s IRRESISTIBLE FORCES Army Ranger Brody Mitchell is retrieving three fellow Rangers being held captive by Taliban forces. How could he know that one of them was Logan Flynn, his Battle Buddy in Ranger school? Brody harbored more than friendship back then—but can they connect now? Logan is devastated by the loss of his fellow Rangers—and reconnecting with Brody, the man who lives in his fantasies, is earth-shattering too. As Logan recovers from his physical and emotional injuries Brody helps, and then pulls back, afraid he’ll out himself. Even in a post-DADT army, it’s dangerous to be gay. On leave, however, their connection rekindles and it’s steamy, not just because of the bathhouse…

Andrews' ARCTIC FIRE homes in on national guard activities in Canada. Captain Jack Turner suffers for the deceit he made which killed his fellow soldier and lover in Iraq. On assignment to inspect the Norther Rqngers back inCanada, he meets Ranger Kin Carsen, an Inuk man who is proud of his heritage, even if he knows his family would reject him for his sexuality. On a scouting trip to tour the Artic Station, a blizzard descends trapping these strangers in a cocoon of sensuality. Kin reaches out for the connection he'd denied himself for years--and the result is a more fulfilling experience than he could have wished for.

Felthouse’s DESERT HEAT gives us British Army Captain Hugh Wilkes, wrapping up operations in Afghanistan and his translator, Rustam Balkhi, an Afghan native who put his college education in England on hold to help build peace in his homeland. The attraction is fierce, but the mission is imperative—get out safely. This may be easier said than done for Balkhi; his fellow interpreters are often targets for insurgents for assisting the “Infidels.” While both Wilkes and Balkhi struggle to keep their desires in check, the connection they make is too overwhelming. It’s a complex pairing, and an interesting story.

Home, but not really...
Brit Blaise's STORM OUT puts PTSD-riddled John "Cowboy" Kale on a hero's path to saving Sam Dooley. On medical leave, Cowboy sets up a sort-of vision quest to find his center on his family's estate in Alaska, he encounters a guide battered and left for dead in a white-out. The hunters he'd led poached a musk ox from Cowboy's land--and if that doesn't get Cowboy riled, Sam's honesty about his dismal upbringing sure does. Poor Sam has been left in the cold more than once, and Cowboy's finally ready to face his fears over coming out to his family and his fellow soldiers.

Kerry Adrienne's CRUISE CONTROL shows hoe two men can connect in the worst of circumstances. Former soldier Blake Best struggles for acceptance in this family--well, what remains of it. His late father was a raging homophobe and his sister carries in this ignoble tradition. Shame that Blake and his sis are co-owners of Best Pharma. En route to a board meeting in Atlanta, Blake's Mazarati breaks down and the nearest service station can't repair the vehicle for days. Of course, the garage owner and chief mechanic, former airman Parker Montieth, offers to drive Blake to his meetings--wanting nothing in return. Parker had been heading to Atlanta anyway to meet some bankers for a business loan. Encountering Blake's sister's hate is more than Parker had bargained for, especially as he and Balke hadn't even share a kiss. But that unquestioned acceptance is all it takes for Blake to find the happiness he'd always lacked with a virtual stranger.

Life-Building Partnerships:
Rhi Etzweiler’s BLOOD AND PEYOTE was an excellent look at post-combat frailty and the need for compassionate care. Apisi Howling and Chartreuse Beaudrou are battle buddies/mission partners. Their last mission went FUBAR and left both men in dire situations. Apisi is a First Nations man—with Medicine Man training from his tribe. When not on active duty, he seeks to return to the earth, curating natural resources projects for DNR conservation. He and Char have a deep connection, though they were never physical with each other in the field. Char goes missing one day—only to turn up in Apisi’s truck. Apisi takes Char home, and they work through the pain and suffering of their losses together, with the help of some peyote, some rune and native mysticism and some well-applied TLC.

Anabeth Alberts' RESILIENT HEART really explores the dynamics of recovery from combat injury--both for an amputee and his teammate and partner. Xander and Mackey were lovers on the down-low since enlistment. Xander only wanted Mackey, but Mackey (being bi) was more open. On mission, their dynamics went even further closeted, but Xander's injury clarified everything for Mackey: he'd love any part of Xander which survived. As an amputee, Xander's unwilling to accept Mackey's love--he wasn't good enough whole, and he won't accept his guilt-tinged affection, now. Their struggles had such angst and guilt, and love and faith. A fantastically real story.

Cat Grant’s THE ONE WHO CARES looks at family building in the post-combat couple. David and Josh are Navy SEALs. Well, Josh is. David was too injured in his last mission to return to active duty, so he is seeking training as a therapist—specializing in treating enlisted men with emotional issues. Josh is returning to his group and will participate in active missions. They are a married couple awaiting a child by adoption. While David struggles with his own career losses, he build a support group for soldiers in need. He assists with the local shelter for abused children of soldiers, which is how he first meets Cassie, a pregnant 19 y/o girl. Her boyfriend is enlisted, on psych leave, and is becoming more than a threat. Josh is on a mission and the escalation of violence toward Cassie sends her on the run, so David takes her in. In the end, we get a whole lot of good feels. I MAY have shed a tear on this one…

Kinky Missions:
Looking for some BDSM? CIVILIAN MASTER by Cassandra Carr and THE HOUSEBOY: INITIATION by Amelia C Gormley will not disappoint.

CIVILIAN MASTER: Army Ranger Clay Benson is headed home after a failed mission. He’s on six weeks of forced vacay, and has it in mind to try out some of this BDSM stuff he’s heard so much about. Perhaps some punishment will clear the horrors from his mind. He’s also anxious to reconnect to the one person he regrets leaving behind: his BFF Flynn. How could he have suspected the “supposedly straight” Flynn would be the biggest Dom in a local D/s club? Or, that Flynn was gay? It’s a steamy, albeit short, training for Clay—but one he doesn’t forget. Especially when Flynn is so willing to keep Clay in his life…forever.

THE HOUSEBOY: INITIATION: Okay—THIS story is NOT for the BDSM squeamish! Bryce is eighteen and kicked out of his home for being gay. He’s rescued by a sympathetic man who puts Bryce into the path of veteran Fowler Vale. Vale is willing to keep Bryce, and pay for his college education, for…nothing. Well, not nothing. Bryce has to run Vale’s errands and cook meals, keep the house tidy, etc. No sex, however, is part of this arrangement. It drives the virginal Bryce a bit mad, actually. He kinda likes the idea of a Daddy. And, his fantasies, well, is XXXXX a thing, or do they stop at three X’s? ’Cause I think Bryce added an extra X when he learned Vale was a Leatherman. And, I KNOW they added another X when Vale made all Bryce’s fantasies come true. Holy smokes.

Reconnection stories:
HOMETOWN HERO by Sasha Devlin brings local war hero, Colin Shellford, to his longtime crush, Jeremiah “JJ” Josten, in the quiet Nashville suburbs. Colin has never shared his sexuality with his family or fellow soldiers. Before he enlisted, he knew his sister’s gay friend, JJ, had a crush on him. JJ is a stalwart community member; always looking to help out veterans and homeless animals. He even wrote letters—weekly—to Colin while he was away from home, catching him up on all the goings-on of their community. Colin savored each and every one of those letters, plus the gossipy updates on JJ from his sister. Now retiring from active duty Colin’s prepared to claim JJ as a partner. Much to JJ’s complete surprise. It’s a funny, touching story.

HIS GUARDED HEART by Lia Davis. Agent Judd Wolfe may no longer be in the active service, but his skills are still valuable in Homeland Security. Especially when he’s tasked with guarding his former JAG attorney, Senator Beau Beckett, from an assassination attempt. Beau is bisexual, but hasn’t been with a man since long before his wife died and he assumed care for their infant daughter. The swaggering Judd catches his eye, just as he had years before, and now they are both single. But not for long…

[Kendra T · Rating 5 out of 5]

A copy of this book was received by the authors in exchange for an honest review

HOLY COW!!!! First of all, this book is a MONSTER! Approximately 900 pages is HUGE. And yet? I wanted more! Some of the stories just made me want to know more about the characters and want it to keep going. Just the mere volume of writing, along with the great quality of writing, is worth the price. They could have gotten away with charging a lot more for this. It is such a great value!

As for the work itself, like any anthology, some stories were better than others, but they were all pretty dang good with some stories just downright amazing. So many topics were covered: active duty soldiers, retired soldiers, PTSD, injuries, reacclimation to civilian life, Afghanistan, the Arctic, in the closet, out and married. It was so nice to see so many different aspects of romance in the military world.

Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne--I really enjoyed this story about Blake (a retired soldier) and Parker (a mechanic). They wouldn't likely meet in ordinary circumstances but being thrust together and helping each other out led to a nice friendship and eventual relationship. It was a sweet start to the book.

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert--Such a heartbreaking story with PTSD as a major theme. Xander thinks that Mackey, his friend with benefits, is only there to help him out of pity and Xander is not handling his injury and return home very well. Xander's struggle was well written and made my heart break for him.

Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews--A story in the Arctic? So cool! I hadn't read one with that setting before so this felt fresh and new to me. Captain Jack goes out to scope out an area in the Arctic and has a great connection with his tour guide, Kin. I do wish I had more with this couple and more of an epilogue to know how they were able to make everything work (Kin is in the closet at home).

Storm Out by Brit Blaise--This story had a lot of promise but I was disappointed in how it ended. Sam (a tour guide) and Cowboy (a soldier who is on forced leave) meet when Sam is left in a snow storm by poachers and luckily comes across Cowboy's tent. The story takes them back to where Cowboy lives and eventually travels to find the poachers where they live. Cowboy is struggling to figure out what he is going to do for his future. The story ends rather questionably. Do they stay together? I have no idea. But we are told that they have a cameo in a different book...a m/f romance book that I am not likely going to read, so I am disappointed in not having a follow up on them.

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr--Ahhh--Clay and Flynn. Former best friends who had the hots for each other in high school but never said anything because they didn't want to lose their friendship. Clay then goes into the Army and loses touch. A few years later, Clay comes home and decides he wants to try the Dom/sub scene and who does he find? His dream Dom, Flynn. They were so great together. I really enjoyed this story.

His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis--I admit that I ended this story liking Senator Beau and Agent Judd together...but I had a hard time understanding how the heck they ended up together in the end. Judd claims that he had never been able to stand the Senator but 10 minutes in the same room with him and all of a sudden he can't live without him. The story moved too fast to be believable.

Hometown Hero by Sasha Devlin--JJ has had a crush on his best friend's brother, Colin, for years. He picks him up from the airport after returning home from war and they finally connect. I liked these two together. JJ's insecurities made him adorable and Colin was a likable character. I would love to see more of these guys together.

Blood & Peyote bu Rhi Etzweiler--Apisi and Char were buddies who were separated when Char asked for space. Char has been in a bad place but didn't want to bring Apisi down. Realizing that Apisi could be what he needed and then working to bring that together was nice.

Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse--Hugh is in Afghanistan and meets an interpreter, Rustam, who knocks his socks off. It was a cute story of two guys meeting in a place where not much great happens and being able to make something grow from it. It was nice to hear something good in Afghanistan, even if there was awful stuff (war) mixed in.

The Houseboy: Initiation by Amelia C. Gormley I admit that this one was not my cup of tea. It was a story of Bryce, an 18 year old virgin who needs a place to live. He finds a place living with a retired veteran, Vale, who agrees to help him pay for school and room/board with no sex until he finishes college. Bryce finds Vale's erotic books and makes note of all the things he wants to try (bareback, BDSM, gang bang). Vale decides that rather than have Bryce go out and find it with idiots, he will arrange for it to happen for him. So far so good, but I just felt that it went a little too far over the top for me. It was totally hot, but the further it went, the more I got turned off by it.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant--David and Josh are a married couple who used to serve together. David is out due to an injury and working towards getting his degree in psychology to be a therapist, Josh is still active duty. There was a lot to this story and it was FABULOUS! This one had me in tears at one point and was so beautiful. Loved this one.

Irresistable Forces by EM Lynley--Another story I absolutely loved. Logan and Brody were training buddies years ago who had a chemistry and desire to be together but never acted on it. They then went their separate ways. They come together again when Brody's Special Forces team is brought in to rescue some soldiers who were captured. Logan ends up being the sole survivor of the captured group and they rekindle their friendship. This story had some touching moments and made me want more of these guys.

Flight Risk by LA Witt--Wow. Another interesting topic. Aaron and Bennett are Fighter Pilots and Aaron hurt his back and has constant pain. This was a story of two friends/co-workers who finally come together to have one night, but then Aaron has difficulty advancing any relationship because everyone leaves because his pain is so bad. So sweet. Loved this one too.

See? Amazing stories. Definitely a 5 star read all together. I would definitely recommend taking your time to read this and absorb the individual stories. It is very much worth it.

[Tyra Berger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic bundle and well worth the read. There are several stories in here that I would love to see the characters revisited in full length novels. These were great teasers that whet my appetite and left me wanting more. Like with most anthologies some stories are stronger than others and the stories where the MC's had some sort of history worked better for me. The variety that you get with this bundle is incredible from all the different branches of the military, some active and some retired, some dealing with wounds and/or PTSD, there is truly something for everyone.


Cruise Control - Kerry Adrienne
So I am pretty sure that everyone that reads this story will start out thinking that Blake is an ass! He does redeem himself a bit but I had a hard time rooting for him. Parker is wonderful but so lonely it made my heart ache.


Resilient Heart - Annabeth Albert
This one was definitely one where I wanted to know more. Xander has basically given up after he is injured, he is angry and scared and lashes out at everyone. But Mackay won't let him give up. Real emotions and their consequences made this a hard read but so worth it.

Arctic Fire - Kiera Andrews
This was a bit of a slow start for me but once the story got going it was over too soon. I would love to see a sequel that deals with the base opening and how Jack and Kin make their relationship work.

Storm Out - Brit Blaise
Because of the short length of these stories there isn't a lot of room for secondary characters but this one had my favorite. Cowboy's grandfather Boss was a fun character that really brought a lot to this story. I will definitely be seeking out more of the books in the series that this novella is a part of.

Civilian Master - Cassandra Carr
When I read through the blurbs for each story this is the one that jumped out at me and once again Cassandra Carr did not disappoint. Clay's need to submit reads very real. I loved the way that Flynn took him in hand but also made sure that Clay knew what he was getting into before anything started. I would love to see how their relationship grows and all the ways that Flynn brings Clay to submission.

His Guarded Heart - Lia Davis
Really loved this story from beginning to way too soon ending. Unfortunately when you are dealing with stories of this length whenever there are errors they really stand out, and this story had quite a few editing errors. Aside form that the characters were engaging and the action made for a quick read. I would love to read more about Beau and Judd and of course Angel.

Hometown Hero - Sasha Devin
JJ and Colin were adorable. This was a sweet short read that I enjoyed immensely.

Blood & Peyote - Rhi Etzweiler
I found this story interesting but a little hard to follow with the mix of, I think, Norse and American Indian rituals. This kind of information needed more than the pages it was allowed. It was beautifully written but hard to understand.

Desert Heat - Lucy Felthouse
Work romances are hard but trying to start a romance in the middle of a war zone is even harder. This was a nice story of two men possibly finding something more.

The Houseboy: Initiation - Amelia C Gormley
Wow. This one was very different from the other stories in this anthology. Intense is the first word that comes to mind Well written but a little rough for my tastes.

The Only One Who Cares - Cat Grant
Wonderful story of an established couple who are dealing with some major life changes. Navy SEALs and diapers!

Irresistible Forces - Em Lynley
This was a new author for me but one I will most definitely be on the look out for more. Emotional and very satisfying!

Flight Risk - LA Witt
Good story but it would have been so much better if it had been longer. It need just a bit more to feel fully flushed out. I hope to read more for these characters.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this book in exchange for an honest review, many thanks to the authors for believing in their work and being brave enough to do this.
As the daughter of a returned serviceman, I understand the difficulties that surround coming home from the horrors of war. These authors have created stories for us to gain an understanding of the pressure of returning to a place that should bring love and comfort.
They have written of the bond between brothers in arms. Each tale opens a different window on the pressures and sacrifices that serving your country demands. As an anthology this bundle works well. There are differing viewpoints, differing service branches, and countries. Some stories are written in country while some are homecoming stories. None are too short, to give us background and allow us to connect with the characters. All are romance stories: the kind we like to read with men finding and loving someone, the kind where we get our HEA or our HFN.
While some of these authors were new to me and some were well loved, they all offered their take on the military man and falling in love. This is a value for money book. Great stories, perfect length to enjoy a story-a-day, full of emotion and love. If you get a chance give this one a go.

Cruise Control – Kerry Adrienne
Just a sweet instalove story. Opposites attract and we get our HEA.

RESILIENT HEART Annabeth Albert
Break your heart more likely. Wounded and recovering all while re-establishing a relationship that was for their eyes only.

ARCTIC FIRE Keira Andrew
Finding love on the Arctic Tundra after the horrors of the sand and war. Carson finds a warm heart to fuel his fire with Kin.

STORM OUT Brit Blaise
From the mountains of Kandahar to a white out in Alaska. Cowboy finds someone to help heal his loneliness. Sam finds a family where he had none.

CIVILIAN MASTER Cassandra Carr
Clay an Army Ranger uncovers his submissive side. Flynn is a Dom and stayed home while his friend joined the army. What happens when their worlds collide on Clay’s forced R & R? And yes I want more of this story!

HIS GUARDED HEART Lia Davis
A protection detail gets complicated. Judd is on his last chance to make things right; Beau is being is being stalked- just like his late wife. These two have a history…and an opportunity for love.

HOMETOWN HERO Sasha Devlin
JJ, out and proud offers to collect Colin, just home from service, from the bus station. A long held lust after his best friend’s brother has JJ hoping Colin is looking for someone too. The unexpected welcome and coming home is beautiful. Hero’s abound in this sweet tale.

BLOOD & PEYOTE Rhi Etzweiler
Char is battling PTSD and finding it hard to be home. Api is there for him, just like he was in country. Both men are suffering but traditional medicine and love can help. This is hauntingly beautiful.


DESERT HEAT Lucy Felthouse
Afghanistan from a British perspective. Inter-racial/cultural/religious romance. Nicely done

THE HOUSEBOY: INITIATION Amelia C. Gormley
And what an initiation it is. This is a surprising story. I enjoyed Bryce’s explorations of what his need was. Juxtaposed with the considerate and yet fierce Vale and his role in Bryce’s deflowering.

THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES Cat Grant
Becoming a family is sometimes about putting others first. For David and Josh their kindness to a stranger gives them just what they desired.

IRRESISTIBLE FORCES EM Lynley
Rescuing the man he knew from six years ago brings up many things for Flynn. Logan is trapped in his mind and in need of a friend. However, it may lead to something they both need. Great writing.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchased for $0.99! Yay!!!

Cruise Control - 4 stars, Blake and Parker
I enjoyed their story, but it just ended. I guess we just assume they get their HEA and move on.


Resilient Heart - 5 stars, Mackey and Xander
Excellent story with well-written angst. I would LOVE to read more of their story.


Arctic Fire - 5 stars, Kin and Jack
So, so good. The HFN was great. Very hopeful. Pretty angsty read, but a wonderful story. I would love to read more about Kin and Jack.


Storm Out - 5 stars, Cowboy and Sam
I want more of them!!! So good. A bit of angst. I would love to read the rest of their story though.


Civilian Master - 4 stars, Flynn and Clay
I liked this one. I didn't feel like I knew the characters as well as the previous stories, though. The BDSM was hot, but the "honey" nickname threw me a bit, and I'm not sure why. Overall, good story.


His Guarded Heart - 3.5 stars, 4 for story, 3 for editing issues, Judd and Beau
I'm a total sucker for military/ body guard/ PI MM stories, so even though there were quite a few editing issues and some missed words here and there, I still enjoyed this story.


Hometown Hero - 4 stars, Colin and JJ
Cute, fluffy story. Minor angst. I don't feel like I got to know the characters as well as I did in previous stories. JJ was a bit of a mess with his self-doubt and lack of understanding where Colin was concerned.


Desert Heat - 5 stars, Wilkes and Balkhi
This one was SO good. I want more of their story. The author ends the story as HFN, but I would love to see their HEA. I've been waiting for one of these stories to take place in a combat zone, and although there wasn't a lot of action, I still got two hot men risking it all while on duty. Loved this one!


The Houseboy: Initiation - 4.5 stars, Bryce and Vale
Holy BDSM, Batman! Having read a plethora of BDSM books, I was not shocked or appalled by the story, but this one is definitely not for everyone.


The Only One Who Cares - 5 stars, Josh and David
I KNEW these two sounded familiar. This is the continuation of LA Witt and Cat Grant's "The Only One Who Knows". Great HEA ending for Josh and David. Minor angst. Josh leaving definitely made me tear up. I was so worried that something horrible was going to happen to him while he was deployed. Thank goodness that didn't happen. I missed these two and it was nice to see them again.


Irresistible Forces - 5 stars, Flynn and Brody
I really enjoyed this one. I felt like I really got to know these two men. Their love story was real, and angsty, and hot. Great HEA, too.


Flight Risk - 5 stars, Aaron and Bennett
I am such a fan of LA Witt's stories. I absolutely loved this short story and would love to read more! This was nice, super hot, and with minimal angst.

....

Overall, 5 stars. I'm such a sucker for MM military romance. This was just as good as I hoped it would be.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC* given to me by Lia Davis in return for an honest review.
If you think men being in love with other men is wrong, then this collection of stories is not for you. If you agree that love is love, then read on!
In this collection of short stories by multiple authors, we are introduced to men who are either serving or have served in the Armed Forces and are also in love with one of their service buddies. Almost all of the stories dealt with a soldier who was injured, either physically, emotionally or mentally- ie: PTSD.
Each story was different, and all but one of them was stellar. Some of the stories dealt with men who were currently serving, while other stories dealt with men who were vets.
One of the stories about an injured soldier was so moving that I found myself crying at the end, and I don't cry easily.
The main focus of this collection was overcoming all odds to be with the one you love. After a while, I even forgot I was reading about all men, since love is the same in any gender.
I highly recommend picking up this bundle, especially if you enjoy reading stories with happy endings!

[Phuong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unconditional Surrender is a m/m bundle of 13 stories by multi-authors about military men who must overcome both physical and mental adversity to be with the person they want and love. This bundle contained two of my favorite things: m/m romance and military heroes. Who could ask for anything more? The authors did an amazing job writing powerful, emotional and heartfelt stories that captured my attention and created characters that I connected with immediately. This bundle featured some of my favorite authors such as Cassandra Carr, Annabeth Alberts, Lucy Felthouse, Cat Grant and L.A. Witt while introducing me to authors for the first time and would read again. Readers will get to enjoy different couplings, situations and heat level in the sex scenes. I loved them all for different reasons and have even expressed interest in wanting more stories for some of these guys. I would recommend this bundle to anyone who likes this genre.

Note: I received an advanced reader copy for an honest review

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Edit: 3/30/16 - added review for The Only One Who Cares)

(Edit: 8/29/15 - decided to try Civilian Master and updated review for it)

3 stars overall for the anthology (there are one and-a-half I didn't read which are not included in the average).

Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne - 2.5 stars. Two guys meet and fall in love over two days, and have sex after one day. I found it a little unbelievable how Blake just happens to be in a position to help out Parker with his financial problems, and the grandmother just happens to be lucid the one minute Blake is in the room. I did like that this small southern town actually has some open-minded people in it and isn't just full of bigots like you tend to find in m/m books. But, yeah, just a few too many "just happens" moments for me to really get into this one.

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert - 3.5 stars. I thought the depiction of PTSD and depression here was done very well and I could really get into Xander's head space with little trouble. I wanted more detail on his injuries and recovery, but the focus was more on Xander's depression than anything else. Mackey was sweet without being mushy and I liked how devoted he was to Xander.

Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews - 4 stars. Two guys bonding over Star Wars (the real Star Wars, TYVM) and hypothermia? Somehow, it works. I would call this insta-like, rather than insta-love. There's an undeniable connection between Jack and Kin, but neither of them are spewing platitudes after the week is over. The atmosphere in this book is amazing, I felt like I was in the Arctic, and it really helped to give a sense of desolation to these two lonely men while also lending an intimacy to the week they spend together that would be missing if set anywhere else in the world. They both have loses in their past that weigh heavily on them, and they're able to find solace in each other. I found Capt. Jack Turner's name distracting. Capt. Jack Sparrow, Will Turner. Was it just me? The end also felt a little rushed. I've had some of this author's books on my sample list for awhile and I'm eager now to see what she can do with a full length novel.

Storm Out by Brit Blaise - 2 stars. I have this thing about characters named Cowboy. It's not something anyone calls themselves, especially cowboys. It just makes them seem douchey. At least we learn his actual name, and I was able to substitute that. Cowboy's PTSD was touched on, but just like the by-the-numbers romance, it was mostly telling and not showing. I felt no connection to either character. The plot about the poachers was interesting enough but also didn't really hold my interest. There were a few too many commas and some missing words here and there but nothing too distracting.

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr - BDSM. I did skim it to see if it might be something I could read. What I skimmed didn't seem too intense but that was just the very beginning while they're discussing who's going to do what and actually WENT OVER CONSENT - Thank you! I don't know if I'm just stumbling across the BDSM and D/s in the wrong books, but it's worrisome how often consent either isn't discussed or is outright ignored, so that was a very nice thing to see! But it's just not my genre. Skipping. [Updated 8/29/15 I was feeling adventurous this morning and decided to give this one a try. I actually really liked all the background stuff with the characters, and that Flynn made everything crystal clear to Clay about who was doing what and when. Clay has some issues with PTSD that would be best worked out in a therapist's office than in a club. Maybe Flynn eventually tells him that, but I only got to the halfway point - Clay's second, technically third, visit to the club before I stopped again. It looked like things were going to escalate and go even more out of my comfort zone than they already were. I just don't get the whole pain thing. Sorry. 4 stars for what I did read though.]

His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis - 1 star. Could not get into this one and skimmed it. Even then, there were too many typos and missing words. We're given bare bones background on the MCs and supposed to believe they fall for each other in a day. Add on top of that the unprofessional professional trope and a super contrived plot, and I was bound to be annoyed.

Hometown Hero by Sasha Devlin - 3 stars. Friends to lovers. JJ's best friend's older brother, who he's had a crush on for years, comes home from the war after 10 years. They've each secretly (or not-so-secretly) pined for each other but because of the age difference (JJ was 17 and Colin was 24 when they first met - mentioning this here because it takes awhile for their ages to be mentioned in the story and I sat through half of it really worried that 18-yr old Colin was perving on an 11-yr old JJ) Colin never made a move before. This moves pretty fast, but since they did know each other prior, it didn't bother me quite as much as it would if they were just meeting for the first time. There is a "big misunderstanding" but it's resolved pretty quickly. There were a lot of missing words, or extra words, and this really could've used a second pair of eyes to find all those errors as some of them made it hard to follow what was going on.

Blood & Peyote by Rhi Etweiler - 1.5 stars. Oh boy, where do I start? First, I thought the beginning was well-done. It drew me into the story and made me want to read more. Unfortunately, there was no real follow up to Char wanting to kill himself. It's mentioned a few times but there's no talk about counseling or anything. Instead, Apisi takes him to his cabin and they have sex. And there's some sort of ceremony involved, for reasons? Um... ok. It's great they worked out their relationship issues, but that was the last thing on my mind. Then I was endlessly confused about where this was supposed to be taking place and what tribe of Native Americans Apisi belonged to and if Char also belonged to them or was just a guy Apisi met in the service. Turns out Apisi is Kainai, which Wiki tells me are from Alberta, Canada. Peyote is grown in Mexico and southern Texas. I'm baffled about the connection or how/why Apisi has it? I was expecting this to take place in the deserts around Texas or even New Mexico or Arizona, but it opened in the woods? Nothing was really explained. I admit I'm not well-versed in Native American history, so I don't know if the Kainai actually do use peyote in their ceremonies, or if the author is just appropriating stereotypes. If anyone has knowledge on this, I'd appreciate it. Then there were a lot of strange word choices and confusion as to which "he/his" any particular sentence or paragraph is referring to. Big fail on the editing there.

Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse - 3 stars. The story kind of dissolves into sexy times once the two MCs get together, but I liked the slow burn of this one otherwise, and getting a peek at life in the camps in Afghanistan. The ending felt rushed, again, mostly due to the sex taking a big chunk of it, but otherwise I liked this one.

The Houseboy: Initiation by Amelia C Gormley - BDSM with a daddy kink - skipping.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant - This is the follow up to The Only One Who Knows and The Only One Who Matters. I finally got to read them, and so was finally able to read this and officially finish this anthology. I'm glad I waited, because I doubt this would've made as much sense if I had read it first.

It was nice to see more of Josh and David. Josh is finishing up two years of non-combat duty and getting ready to go back out on the field. He's come a long way but he's still got some things to work through. David's doing clinic hours as an intern for his psychology degree and helping vets with PTSD. They're thinking about adopting and just going about their lives. It was on the super predictable side though and, once again, the ending resolution was rather convenient.

Full review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Irresistible Forces by EM Lynley - 3.5 stars. This is one I wish was longer because it has the backbone for a good story if given more pages to develop. This story does a better job of balancing the sex scenes with the story, but there could have been more focus on all the days and months that summarized in a paragraph or two to make room for those sex scenes. Hence why I wish it was longer. I wanted more of the story we weren't getting to read. There were a couple of misused or missing words that made it hard to follow the sentence in places. But now I have a craving for French toast, so I'm going to go make some. :)

Flight Risk by L. A. Witt - 3.5. It was fun going back to Okinawa. I couldn't remember if we met these characters in "Conduct Unbecoming" or not (I haven't read the second in that series yet) but it didn't matter. This is its own story and doesn't rely on having read those books. I also would have liked this one to be longer because I was interested in seeing these guys in their relationship and how they would work around Aaron's disability (he has chronic back pain). I'm not sure how believable it is that they'd still have him flying jets in his condition but there is at least a plausible explanation given for it. I'd have liked to spend more time with the rest of the pilots too since they were a lot of fun the little we saw of them. There are a few typos in this one too, a couple of them confusing enough to make me stop and try to figure out what the sentence should be saying.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my honest review I was given a copy of Unconditional Surrender for free. Below are my individual reviews for each story.


First off let me say that as someone with a military family, I was intrigued to read this anthology. However, five stories into it and I was a bit disappointed by the prevailing attitude that service to our country nets our soldiers with nothing but a host of problems. Not everyone that enters the service exits mentally or physically injured. And yes, while service to the country changes a person, I don't always think it is for the worst. There is a major theme of guilt and PTSD throughout, that really didn't sit well with me


Cruise Control by Kerry Andrienne– I don't really care for the insta-love trope, but this was a sweet story. I couldn't really see where Blake's time in the service had changed him any except for the fact that he had anger issues. He was rude and crude and selfish. I just didn't like the character. I liked Parker right off the bat, though, and while he had no combat experience, he still had PTSD issues that were explained away as Survivor's guilt. I enjoyed the writer's prose and flow and will seek out more their works.

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert – I really liked this story. In this instance, I can see the trauma and how it led to PTSD. The story was realistic and tragic and yet hopeful, too. One of the best ones, I think, so far. Xander just about broke my heart and Mackey, well, let's just say I felt more for Xander than I did Mackey. I liked both men and would love to see more from this verse. I loved this author's voice and will definitely look for more of her works.

Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews– This was cute. Insta-love, but I loved how it was set in the Arctic and the semi-slow build. I liked the different services and would have loved to see more of both the characters and the story. Again, PTSD plays a role in this story and Turner definitely needs to do some work to be worthy of Kin, in my opinion. I liked this author's style and will most likely seek out more of their works.

Storm Out by Brit Blaise– Again, I can see how the PTSD plays into the story here, but I just didn't like the 2nd MC. I loved the story revolving around Cowboy and his family. Would have loved to see more of them all. Despite not liking Sam or his grandfather, I will check into more of this author's work.

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr – I didn't like this one, but has more to do with the BDSM aspect than the writing. I have strong ties to the Lifestyle and this interpretation of it didn't sit well with me. To each their own when playing I say, so others might like it. While I understand the feeling of survivor's guilt that Clay has, I don't understand the need to be punished this way. Using Flynn as a catalyst for his punishments involving BDSM was just irritating to me. That Flynn takes him up on it, disappointed me. In spite of the personal issues, I liked this author's style and might check out other works as long as they don't involve BDSM.

His Guarded Heart by Lia Davis – Not bad. I enjoyed the mystery/protection aspects, but the insta-love just kinda killed me. Despite the fact the characters knew one another in the past, it seemed to be an antagonistic thing, then suddenly they were in love.

Hometown Hero by Sasha Devlin– I really enjoyed this one. Sweet pining and not quite insta-love. I would have loved to see more of JJ's work. More of both men and this verse to be honest. Too short, but I liked it.

Blood & Peyote by Rhi Etzweiler– This one was okay, I just couldn't really connect with the characters much. I was confused most of the time about what was going on, and it kinda felt like I was on a drug trip myselk.

Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse– Again, an okay story, I just didn't feel the characters. Might try this one again on the re-read, because I liked the set up.

House Boy: Initiation by Amelia C. Gormley – Wow. I am kinda stunned speechless at this one. And that's a wonderful thing because it hit a bunch of my buttons, both good and bad. This, in my opinion, is how to tell a good story, especially one dealing with BDSM. The timing and pacing fit for the characters and ages. It was an excellently told and fantastically rendered Old Guard tale. That said, humiliation isn't one of my things, but I get it here. It works in context with the story. I really liked how the situation was updated to incorporate some of the newer trends of the Lifestyle while still giving the feeling of the attitudes of the Old Guard way of BDSM. I also loved how the Bryce stood up for himself in his desires and that Vale was man enough to at least warn him that the reality probably wouldn't match the fantasy.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant – I liked this story, despite the bashing of the VA and the services. I realize that the story was about David and Josh but the addition of Alex and his involvement with Cassie played a big part in it. I really liked the idea of a therapist with experience in the military helping veterans, but his entire attitude was kinda off putting. Seemed like to me that David himself needed counseling to adjust to his issues with his own military service. Carol was off putting and shouldn't have been working with children, in my opinion. The open adoption of Cassie's baby was super sweet. Grant is a new author to me and I think I would like to see more of their work.

Irresistible Forces by EM Lynley – Loved this one! Again, one of the best I think in my opinion. I loved the opening scenes where Brody and his team are there to rescue the captured soldiers. The emotions displayed were realistic and I loved the slow burn in-spite of the character's knowing one another previously, especially since this was both pre and post DADT. I definitely want more of this author's work.

Flight Risk by LA Witt - Loved this one! I liked how the service was shown here, doing everything it could to help Tex with his disability. The guys were guys here and I adored how they acted with one another. The nicknames and just the speaking was spot on. I loved how McKinney stuck with Tex in-spite of his attitude and hot/cold feelings. I also loved the setting at Kadena. I definitely want more of this author's works.

All in all, I enjoyed reading the anthology.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unconditional Surrender – An M/M Military Bundle contains 13 brand new novellas by popular M/M authors. Overall, the novellas are excellent, and I was happily surprised that there were only a few minor exceptions that did not speak to me. The continuous theme threading through each separate story is gay men in the military, but otherwise anything goes! The characters and plot lines run the gamut, from active duty to veterans, those open or in the closet, suffering from PTSD or newly interested in BDSM. Each story feels fresh and new, not repetitive. And they are all hot – I am talking off the charts chemistry!

Instead of discussing each novella individually, I thought I would briefly touch on my three favorite stories. These are the novellas that touched me the most, really stayed with me, and felt like they went above and beyond the typical short story. Note – I have listed them in the order they appear in the bundle, not in any other particular order.

First off is Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews. I loved Jack and Kin! The plot was intriguing, and the story was not only sweet but also well written. There was lots of character development for a novella, which allowed for amazing depth, and I became completely invested in the story. It also didn’t hurt that Jack and Kin had incredible chemistry!

“As the pleasure built, Jack didn’t feel any pain, and there was something glorious about being splayed so wantonly with Kin kneeling before him still fully dressed in his uniform.”

Honestly, even though this is a short story, it is still one of the best M/M romances I have read!

Civilian Master by Cassandra Carr was a departure from my normal reading, and a bit out of my comfort zone, but I still loved every second! I have not read much BDSM, but it was very well done and enhanced Clay and Flynn’s relationship. This was another story that felt more like a full book with excellent background and character development. If you need any other incentive than the beauty of the writing, have I mentioned the hotness that is Clay and Flynn?! The steam factor was insane, and you might just need a few minutes to cool down after this read!

My third top choice is Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse, which completely lives up to its “hot” title! Hugh Wilkes is on active duty in Afghanistan, and quickly develops feelings for his new interpreter, Rustam Balkhi.

“How in god’s name was thinking about his interpreter going to help him sleep? The hard yet not too bulky body, soulful eyes, quick wit and sexy smile were going to have the opposite effect, plus causing many other problems besides.”

Once again, this was a steamy short story with tons of emotional heft and great writing.

Unconditional Surrender – An M/M Military Bundle is not to be missed! M/M readers will love it! ~ Alicia, 4 stars overall

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Unconditional Surrender – An M/M Military Bundle contains 13 never published novellas by popular M/M authors. I am a big fan of M/M romance and these novellas did not disappoint me. The overall theme of the bundle are stories about gay men in the military—active duty, retired, young, old, injured or recovering. Most of the stories revolved around the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) and the ability to be “out” as a gay man and still serve your country. Each story involves great characters and they are fresh and new—no repetition of theme, other than the military background. There’s something for everyone—even an introduction to BDSM. Did I mention that they’re all sexy hot, too?

While I’m not going to review every novella, I would like to elaborate on two of the stories that I enjoyed the most. The first is The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant. This is the story of married couple, David and Josh, US Navy SEALs. David is trying to come to grips with his forced medical retirement and Josh is dealing with the trauma he suffered during their last mission. Both men love each other unconditionally, but need to get over their fear—fear of being left behind, fear of moving forward, fear of not coming back. I truly enjoyed this story as it delved deeper into David and Josh’s relationship and, as they move forward into their new normal, how each of them is trying to recover and get back to being the men they were prior to injury and trauma.

In Irresistible Forces by EM Lynley, we meet Logan and Brody, US Army Special Forces. Logan and Brody were buddies back during their training, but haven’t seen each other for six years. Afraid to act on their attraction during the years of DADT, Logan and Brody are reunited by a chance rescue mission. Will they finally admit their feelings and allow themselves to love each other? I loved this story about unrequited love, a love that’s been simmering for 6 years.

As a straight, married, woman, I cannot imagine how painful, heartbreaking and challenging it is for gay men and women to not allow themselves to admit or act on their love for one another—especially in the restrictive military environment. While all of the novellas are somewhat idealistic, I found myself rooting for all the characters to choose love and live happily ever after. ~ Missy, 4 stars

[Jilrene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - some big hits and just a couple that didn't make me gush. :D

Cruise Control is sweet.

Resilient Heart brings the feels. Really.

Artic Fire: an interesting solution to get the guys their possibility of an HEA. I liked it.

Storm Out is ok. Didn’t really make me care.

Now, Civilian Master, on the other hand. Oh. My. Gosh. Loved it! I would definitely like to see more of Clay and Flynn.

His Guarded Heart was disappointing. Too many word errors. Wrong tense, sometimes the wrong word entirely, and a few misspellings. The story was ok.

I liked Hometown Hero. A few editing issues that threw me out of the story, but not bad. Colin and JJ are cute.

Blood & Peyote is different. Completely different from anything else I've read. Sometimes that difference lost me. The story is about healing, and very deep. I did like it, very much.

Desert Heat is lovely. The story felt real. No fairytale HEA for Wilkes and Balkhi. They have a plan, though. I definitely want more stories for these two. They still have so many obstacles to overcome.

Well, I have to admit The Houseboy: Initiation is not my kink. I did enjoy reading Bryce's story. I liked Vale, too. He's pretty hot. Are there more stories with these two? just because it isn’t MY kink doesn’t mean I didn’t like it ;)

I love The Only One Who Cares. David and Josh dug right into my heart. I liked that it wasn't easy and they have to work at their relationship. Cassie is awesome, too. Love the ending. ;) Another couple from this anthology I would like to see again.

Wow. Love Logan and Brody in Irresistible Forces. But, I'm a little disappointed in a couple things. I-75 isn't in California. Also, there were several minor typos. Overall, the story is wonderful.

Flight Risk is not a warm fuzzy kind of read. The guys are fly boys after all. I thought Tex was a complete ass in the beginning. He finally grew on me. I understand the kind of pain his back gives him. And, yes, that can make anyone an ass. Thankfully, Roid Rage is a stubborn mutt with a major crush. ;)


Overall, a very satisfying read. I highly recommend this anthology.

[Kristy Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a copy of this book from one of the authors, Brit Blaise, in return for a fair and honest review.*

due to the length of the review
( there is a review for every story) I am only postimg the overall impression.

to see review in full visit:
http://wp.me/p4WOaj-4f

Overall Impression:

4.5 * – I loved it - This bundle offered a variety of different stories and styles. There is a story in here that will appeal to everyone. I am seriously hoping a few of these are teasers and we can expect their stories appearing in full length novels soon. So here's a secret. Until Oct 21st you can purchade this on Amazon for only .99$ after it is only $2.99. In my opinion you are getting A STEAL. Regardless of the short stories your are being gifted the work of so many talented authors. You will not be dissapointed with this purchase at all GO BUY IT.

[AliciaJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was a pretty long anthology, with 13 stories in total. There were several by authors I hadn't read before, like Resiliant Heart by Annabeth Albert and Storm Out by Brit Blaise. Both of these were wonderful surprises, with engaging characters that pulled me into their stories right away. I think my absolute favorite was Flight Risk by L.A. Witt, a wonderful and moving story that nearly made me cry. There was also one that I really didn't like and that I really wish hadn't been included in the anthology. Amelia Gormley's The Houseboy Initiation didn't seem like it fit in with the theme at all, and I honestly didn't like the story itself. But all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the books. A solid good read.

[Niki Driscoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome group of stories based on m/m relationships between active, retired and traumatically and emotional scared military men. Even with the Do Not Ask being in place, it is still hard for Alpha types to come out to their piers. There are several different themes in this great group of tales and they are sure to entertain everyone who enjoys a good m/m story and hot men in and out of uniform. Even though the bases of the stories seem to be about the relationships between the men, it had an underlying storyline giving you a glimpse of the thoughts, feelings, emotions and fears these brave men go through to be true to themselves. Great read, if you love m/m and men in uniform be sure to pick it up.

[Vanessa theJeepDiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unconditional Surrender is a great bundle set of gay romance featuring men of the military. Thirteen authors have come together to bring readers a sexy story from a variety of some of my favorite troupes. There is a little something for everyone in here. The romances range from sweet to so erotic they will make you blush. There were even a couple of new to me authors. The mixed bag doesn’t stop there. Some of the stories are definite happily ever afters while others are more happy for now with a teaser from the author that makes me think readers will definitely see more from those sexy heroes.

[Lizzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two words - BUY IT.
A great series - and way too cheap, both for the cause it's raising money for and the talent of the writers who've contributed. loved it and it's introduced me to some new favorite writers - what a great way to get to know them. It would be unfair to pick out any names - as there is so much talent crammed in to the anthology - safe to say you won't regret it, if there isn't at least one set of characters you fall in love with - you're very hard to please.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was provided to me through the DBML Program in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology about military men, many of whom are dealing with PTSD, and I only found a few that I would not rate highly. But here’s a word of caution -- this is a long book (according to Amazon it’s 910 pages print length!) -- it took me a week to read it and I usually read a book a day so be prepared to invest some time. However, it was so enjoyable that it was well worth taking the time to read it. Here’s my breakdown of the stories:

Cruise Control - Kerry Adrienne
A wonderful story about a rich guy whose Masseratti breaks down near a small town in rural Georgia. Blake is disgusted with this life, his sister and his job, but is trying to get to Atlanta to an important business meeting to please his sister, his partner in the business they inherited from their father. She’s controlling and manipulative and Blake loathes her but feels obligated to get there. The mechanic who’s qualified to do the work is Parker who also needs to get to Atlanta for the weekend so against his better judgment he offers Blake a place to stay and a ride on Saturday morning, during which the two become friendly and an attraction develops.

While in Atlanta, Blake confronts his sister and ends up quitting his job, offering to let her buy him out. That night, sharing a hotel room with Parker, there’s more than just sleep going on. Parker was in Atlanta to meet with a loan officer to get enough money to save his grandparents’ home and business. Though he’s about to inherit it all, it’s important to him to preserve it for them, even with his grandfather now dead and his grandmother confined to a nursing home. A quick visit there on the way back from Atlanta, endears Blake to her and vice versa. And Blake’s feelings for Parker are confirmed when Parker’s grandmother passes away, and it’s Blake who’s there for Parker, offering him love and support. 4 stars

Resilient Heart– Annabeth Albert
I loved this story! Xander – partial amputee, depressed, and suffering from PTSD is finally about to be discharged from Walter Reed Army Hospital when his longtime friend with benefits, and the man he secretly loves, Mackey, shows up. The story tells the poignant tale of Xander’s journey back to emotional and physical health as well as the story of how the two men come back from what could have been a total breakup to finally admit and show their love for each other. Mackey is there for Xander in more ways than just giving him a ride home and it’s wonderful to watch the strength of his love carry Xander through some very dark times. 5 stars

Arctic Fire-- Kiera Andrews
Very nice story about Captain Jack Turner who is suffering from PTSD and Canadian Ranger Kin Carsen who is assigned to help Jack on his mission to scout out the area for the possibility of establishing an Army base. Stranded by a blizzard, the heat the two generate could melt the snow. – 4 stars

Storm Out --Brit Blaise
This story missed the mark for me. It was a bit too choppy, especially in the second half. Cowboy, suffering from PTSD, is in Alaska visiting his grandfather when he comes upon a man who’s been stranded by poachers. Sam was guiding hunters when they suddenly abandoned him after illegally killing a muskox on Cowboy’s grandfather’s property. The two eventually get together despite the differences in their education and backgrounds and they finally find the poachers (in Ohio!) with the help of some of Cowboy’s Army Ranger teammates who happen to know someone living nearby. I liked it, but it was as if the author chopped back a full length novel to fit the requirements for a short story anthology and something was lost along the way. 3 stars

Civilian Master-- Cassandra Carr
I loved this story about Clay, an Army Ranger, who left home 8 years before without saying goodbye to his best friend, Flynn. Recuperating from a mission during which several teammates were killed, he returns to his home town and finds his way to a BDSM club, knowing in his heart he’s a submissive and hoping that he can find a Dom who will help him meet his needs. What he finds is Flynn, now a Dom, and he initially flees but later gives in and asks Flynn’s help. Flynn has never stopped loving him and regrets that he never told Clay about it and the fact that he’s gay. I just loved the love between these two guys and enjoyed this BDSM story very much. 5 stars.

His Guarded Heart-- Lia Davis
This is the story of Judd, former soldier, now member of Federal Protection Service, assigned to guard Senator Beau Beckett. Apparently the two men knew each other in the past and saw each other as adversaries but that’s not happening now. It’s a quick jump into bed and eternal love. I didn’t think the story had much depth. It seemed choppy at best and the typos were so numerous and distracting that it was hard to read. My favorite typo was when “Judd rose to hoover over him…” making me wonder if he was going to have sex or give him a blow job. 2 stars

Hometown Hero-- Sasha Devlin
This was an amazing story about a returning hero, Colin Shellford, and Jeremiah Josten, aka JJ, a very quiet and unassuming geek who has a heart of gold. JJ has had a crush on Colin since he was a child but Colin was away in the Army for 15 years and is only home now because of an injury. Though Colin’s ready to declare that he’s gay, and pretty much willing to do anything to win JJ’s heart, JJ can’t comprehend that and believes Colin only wants him as a one night stand. The story unfolds sweetly with the tables turning and Colin declaring JJ the hero in front of the whole town. I loved it. 5 stars.

Blood & Peyote – Rhi Etzweiler –
Apisi (Api) and Chartreuse (Char) were battle buddies when their National Guard unit was deployed but haven’t seen each other in year. Char has been hiding out, nursing his psychological wounds after their squad took a hit from an IED and he can’t seem to find his way back emotionally. He seeks out Api as a last resort for his mental health, knowing that Api, in training to be a Medicine Man for the Blood Nation, may be able to help him in more ways than one. To be honest, I had a very difficult time following the story and I’m not even sure if my synopsis is correct. I found the setup to be choppy and between the strange names for the MCs and the piecemeal way the author fed us information, it did not hold my interest at all. 2 stars.

Desert Heat -- Lucy Felthouse
Captain Hugh Wilkes, a British soldier stationed in Afghanistan, has about six months left over here when he’s given a new assignment—one that will be fairly safe but require that he have an interpreter in his unit. Rustam Balkhi is assigned to him and from the moment they meet, there’s a definite attraction. They don’t act on it quickly, however, it’s a slow burn instead, but the two finally find a way to be together and plan to stay with each other when they return to England. 3.5 stars.

The Houseboy: Initiation -- Amelia C. Gormley
I loved this story – Fowler Vale, a big, older leather daddy hires Bryce as his houseboy. Bryce had been accepted at Brown University but was kicked out of his home. Fowler is more than happy to help him by offering him a room and tuition, but he doesn’t want sex in exchange, and that upsets Bryce because he’s ready to have his cherry popped. This story has a BDSM theme and it was one of my favorite of the anthology. Naturally submissive, Bryce finally gets his wish, and it happens in a spectacular way with Fowler and his friends. Bryce learns that hurt and humiliation, not for its own pleasure, but for the pleasure of his Dom is something he’s always craved. The two get their HEA or HFN, and I would really love to read more about them in the future. 5 stars.

The Only One Who Cares-- Cat Grant
David and Josh were both SEALS when they met at BUD-S training, but David was Josh’s instructor. Wounded in the only mission on which they both participated, David was medically discharged but Josh stayed in. Now David is finishing his mandatory experience to become a licensed psychologist and working with returning vets who are suffering from PTSD. Through a series of bizarre circumstances, David ends up helping the girlfriend of one of the vets, a young woman who is fleeing from the soldier who is verbally and physically abusive, and she’s 8 months pregnant. This was a great story, not only about the vets who return every day with PTSD, but also the human interest in the families they affect, and the romance between Josh and David, who are in a stable, married relationship was outstanding. And the happy ending they got was somewhat expected but made me happy, nevertheless. 4 stars.

Irresistible Forces-- E.M. Lynley
A great story about Army Ranger Brody Mitchell’s unexpected reunion with his boot camp battle buddy, Logan Flynn, when Brody and his unit recapture soldiers who had been taken hostage by the Taliban. Logan is injured but alive and the chemistry between the two seems to be just as present now as it was six years ago. Neither ever acknowledged the attraction, but it’s definitely there, and it isn’t until much later, when Logan has been sent stateside for medical and psychiatric evaluation and Brody has taken his unexpected leave in the states, that the two finally get together. But a delayed PTSD reaction separates the men again before they can cement plans for their future and Brody is sent back overseas. Thanks to the therapy he receives, Logan improves and finds new life as a Ranger trainer and Brody surprises him with a change in career plans for himself as well—a change that leads to their HEA. Wonderful story with very likeable characters. 4.5 stars

Flight Risk-- L.A. Witt
A look at the impact of both physical and emotional pain, this story is about two men stationed on an aircraft carrier, one a pilot and one a navigator (I think – not sure of the terminology). They’ve been friends for years and Fighter Pilot Bennett McKinney has had a major crush on Tex, aka Lieutenant Commander Aaron Austin for almost that entire time. After a night out with the guys, Tex accompanies McKinney to a local gay bar but they never make it inside. It seems that Tex has also been harboring an attraction to McKinney, and he acts on it in the alley outside the bar. The guys end up in bed together that night but when McKinney wakes up, Tex is gone. And not only is he gone, but he’s hostile on Monday morning, leading McKinney to wonder what happened.

The back and forth of emotions occurs a few times, and it seems that it’s because Aaron lives with constant back pain, which started when he had to eject from his plane in the past. He can’t take meds or else he’ll be grounded and he can’t have surgery for the same reason so he’s not willing to compromise. It’s for this reason that he also won’t start a long-term relationship with anyone. Since everyone always got tired of living with him in the past, he has no hope for the future. But McKinney persists, and eventually the guys work their way to the promise of a brighter future together. 4 stars

[Tsubaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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This collection included stories by some of my favourite authors and now I've added a few more names to that list. Like many anthologies, there were a few stories I liked more than others. Overall though, this was pretty close to an all-star lineup and included a pretty complete selection of characters and scenarios.

I love emotionally charged love stories that aren't downright depressing and this book had just that. Rather than a brief mention of all the stories in here, I'm going to just focus on the ones that stood out to me the most.

Starting with my favourite of the entire collection:

Resilient Heart by Annabeth Albert - While serving together, Xander and Mackey were nothing more than roommates with benefits. Or so they believed until an IED took out the truck Xander was riding on, leaving him critically injured and everyone else dead. Mackey (who was riding in a different truck at the time), after watching Xander being taken away bloody and broken, realized that he couldn't keep lying to himself any longer. He gave up a post in Hawaii to stay close to Xander as he recovered.

This story oozed heartbreak. And miscommunication. Neither characters were willing to admit to their feelings until the bomb nearly killed Xander. Xander's convinced that Mackey's attentions was nothing more than misplaced guilt and refused to believe the other man's confessions. Now it's up to Mackey to prove to Xander that he wasn't acting on survivor's guilt and that they could still have a future together despite everything.

For a relatively short novella, there was an amazing amount of character depth. Xander had a ton of issues he had to deal with ranging from depression to PTSD to actually trusting Mackey. As for Mackey… there was the whole disastrously abrupt parting (pre IED bombing) with Xander to work past and the guilt. It's fair to say that I loved Mackey. For all his faults, he never gave up on Xander. That with the way Xander acted half the time really was quite an amazing feat. But really, both characters were amazing.

There really wasn't anything about this story I didn't absolutely love. If ever there was a story that just screamed to me, this was it. Xander accepting the challenge of fighting against his depression was beautifully portrayed. I think the point in the story that really struck home for me was when Xander realized that if he committed suicide, Mackey would have offed himself. That… was a lot more powerful in the context of the scene. Still. I loved pretty much everything about this story.

Other notable stories:

Cruise Control by Kerry Adrienne - Blake left the army and took over half of his father's company with his sister owning the other half. Unfortunately, on his way to a business meeting, his Maserati broke down. Parker owns the garage that Blake's car was brought to and seeing as he needed a part replacement, Blake was stranded. Until Parker offered the man a lift to Atlanta in time for the meeting since he had business in Atlanta as well. The two form an unlikely connection in the short time they had known one another.

This one's a little tricky because while I loved the characters and story, it wasn't long enough to properly develop either. We got to know Parker pretty well, but Blake remained withdrawn. Even though he opened up to Parker enough to talk a bit about his past, it still felt like there was a lot missing from his character. But he did pick up the slack and stayed by Parker when the other man's world came crashing down. Despite having only known the guy for a few days.

I guess a part of what I had issues with was the timeframe. Their relationship development lasted all of 3 days… way too short a time for lifelong commitments. Still, as a cute, sweet, everything will work out in the end, kind of story, it was very enjoyable. A sequel set a few months/year later just to see how far they've come along since would definitely be nice too.

The Only One Who Cares by Cat Grant - David served nearly 20 years as a SEAL before a gunshot to the leg forced him into medical retirement. Now he's working as a therapist to help other vets deal with their issues while coping with his own. The most prominent being the loss of his own military career. Not to mention the worrying for his husband, Josh, who is still actively serving as a SEAL. David met Cassie, whose boyfriend, Alex, he knew from the group therapy sessions he headed, when she most needed help and protection.

This was definitely one of those heartwarming/feel good stories about people who genuinely wish to help those around them. While Josh was making a difference and serving his country, David was helping those who needed protection back home. We saw Josh's side of the story, but it was really the look into the other side was war that I found most enlightening. The whole, what happens around, or even after a soldier serves.

It wasn't as dramatic as I expected and stayed mostly lighthearted. I do kind of wish the story had been expanded more though as there was quite a bit that was left unsaid. I bring this up mostly because Josh and David's past together in the military was hinted at, but never truly explained. And I want to know what exactly happened. Anyways, the parts that were touched on, was wonderfully portrayed. The characters were very real. Though David was definitely my favourite. It couldn't be easy facing the horrors of war, come out relatively intact, and go on wanting to help other vets that are suffering from PTSD. That is strength of character.

Irresistible Forces by E.M. Lynley - Set in the middle of the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, two teams of Rangers were sent out to locate and retrieve another team that had been captured. The only survivor of the captives turned out to be Logan, Ranger buddy to Brody of the rescue team. Although 6 years had passed since they last saw one another, the attraction between was strong as ever. But even with DADT gone, both were still too afraid to act on their feelings.

This was one of those stories that I liked, but really can't quantify just how much I liked it… The characters were okay, but didn't particularly stand out on their own. It was really only when Brody and Logan were together that they both seemed to actually come alive. Which was a little off because the two spent most of the story (and their lives) apart… what with being separated after finishing training, assigned to different teams, and being separated once again right after reuniting.

It was really quite nerve wracking actually. By the half way point I was dying for some semblance of relationship development. I think it's fair to say that the story was less about Brody and Logan's personal relationship together and more of a realistic glimpse into the lives of soldiers. It's also interesting to see strong characters who don't fear death, physical harm, enemy gunfire, and whatnot, absolutely petrified by love. Or unconventional love as the case may be. It really speaks volumes about the conservative, political nature of the military. Don't get me wrong though, there was development. And quite nice ones too… eventually. Patience is a virtue and a very rewarding one at that in this case.

Overall, I'd say all the stories were very well thought out and nicely written, but there were a few editing issues here and there. Still wildly enjoyable though. And I'm willing to bet there's probably something in here that'll speak (or scream) to everyone who gives this collection a chance.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In turn for my honest review I was given a copy of Unconditional Surrender. Below are my individual reviews for each story, but overall this book as a solid four stars. I will be looking for more from several of these authors and I highly recommend this book if you love M/M love.

Cruise Control – I have not really believed in insta-love but Cruise Control was sweet. Parker and Blake need a little bit more room to tell their story. A lot happened to these two men in two days.
Resilient Heart – I really like this story. I could feel the bond between Xander and Mackey. Their struggles and triumphs were so real.
Arctic Fire – This story was so complete. It didn’t fill rushed and I got lost in the story. Realistic and sweet romance.
Storm Out – I couldn’t get into this story. The writing was great and all, I just couldn’t connect with the two MCs.
Civilian Master – I love second chance romances. This story is hot, it seemed fast, but both guys were building on a love they shared from years before.
His Guarded Heart – Quick, erotic, good story. Wish it was longer, so the story could’ve had a little more time to develop, but it was good.
Hometown Hero – I loved, loved this story! Sweet, hot, and so romantic.
Blood & Peyote – I couldn’t connect to the MC’s, the story was good and the writing was good but I couldn’t get into it.
Desert Heat – After reading a story where the MC has an English accent, I can’t help but think with an English accent LOL The story was good.
House Boy: Initiation – Holy Hot Erotic Mess! This story is far out of my normal reads but it was great and I couldn’t stop reading.
The Only One Who Cares – Such a sweet love story, about family. A nice surprise to find in this anthology and I will be looking for my by this author.
Irresistible Forces – As I stated before I love second chance romance. This story was written like a novel, a lot of detail and strong MCs. Job well done.
Flight Risk – I must confess LA Witt is one of my favorite authors, but it’s stories like this one that has made her one of my must read authors.

[Heidi Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tend to shy away from reviewing anthologies. It can be hard to really get across the meanings of the bundles with out ending up with a 500 page review. So I am not going to review each story by itself. As far as the short stories are concerned, I really like this one. It focuses mainly on servicemen who were wounded or suffer from PTSD, or have some kind of trouble. There is only one story that didn't fit this. I originally picked this up because it included a story by one of my favorite m/m romance authors, EM Lynley. I enjoyed most of the stories. I believe it may be hard for some readers because of the subject matter. Short stories are a hard place to explore BDSM, and a few of the stories deal with this. There are heart warming stories of a soldier taking care of another after losing an arm, stories of friends from high school reconnecting after the service man returns to the hometown. There are a few stories that focus on Alaska as the setting. I have reread this book three times so far, so for me, this is a very good bargain. I loved the honesty the lovers explore, the need for another person to help them feel whole. Some of the stories will make the tears come, some are humorous, but they are all sexy and very different from each other. That was a big point for me. I would not have loved it if there were just a dozen stories telling the same thing over and over. This bundle's stories are extremely varied making it an excellent read. But hurry, because this bundle is only available through the end of the year. I think it is well worth exploring and the men are very sexy! Hoorah!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

reviewers choice award

I cannot say enough good about Unconditional Surrender box set. I did not find one author that stood out more than the others why you ask? Because every single story was amazing! I really just could not put this book down, I was frantically turning pages wanting more. There is great connection between characters. Amazing chemistry that sizzles, and to top it off stories that touched my heart. Some are about accepting what happens after war. How it changes you emotionally and physically some are just about accepting yourself just as you are. Others are just plain sweet stories. I love to say this part, all are well written and amazing I know I keep saying amazing right? Well seriously they are. The flow is great, I even cried specially during Storm Out… all I can say is pick this bundle up you will not be sorry. I am so glad I got the chance to read such well written emotionally charged stories. These stories will stay in my heart for a long time to come.


Five Shooting Stars

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is boxed set has 13 wonderful authors who got together to write a boxed set with gay romance, all of them are M/M romance. I am a fan of several of the authors in this set, and was asked to review this set. Each story in this set is different but they are all great books. They all stress the importance of love and how if you love each other you can overcome any odds to be with the person you love.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Lia Davis.
If you believe that love is love no matter who they fall in love with then this Military Bundle is for you. These short stories are about Military men who are active or inactive that are dealing for problems from servicing; physical and/or mentally. In having to deal with the problems they fall in love. These are great stories by 11 wonderful authors.

I recommend this Unconditional Surrender-An M/M Military Bundle if you enjoy happy endings (no matter who you fall in love with)!

Outstanding job ladies!

[Rhoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an ARC from Cassandra Carr. My review can be found here: http://ilovexpassion.tumblr.com/post/...

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in Progress
An emotional set that reminds me how grateful I am for the sacrifices made by those who serve.

Kerry Adrienne - Cruise Control
5 Stars
Opposites attract when unexpected circumstances bring two men together and they discover that they have more in common than either suspected. An entertaining story about learning to let go of expectations and living in the moment.

Annabeth Albert - Resilient Heart
5 Stars
Mackey and Xander have a chance to turn their undercover encounters into a meaningful relationship after Xander is injured by an IED. In order to embrace their future they must each face the mistakes in their past. A dramatic and well written love story.

Keira Andrews - Arctic Fire
4 Stars

Brit Blaise - Storm Out
4 Stars

Cassandra Carr - Civilian Master
5 Stars

Lia Davis - His Guarded Heart
4 Stars
When Judd is assigned to protect Beau from the threat of assassination, their rocky past immediately makes a challenging situation worse. When the sparks begin to fly between them, all bets are off. While the writing contained numerous grammatical errors, I enjoyed the story line.

Sasha Devlin - Hometown Hero
5 Stars

Rhi Etzweiler - Blood & Peyote
5 stars
Char and Apisi are two halves of a whole, but their traumatic experiences while serving in Afghanistan have driven them apart. Neither is successful in dealing with their PTSD alone, but by combining Apisi's sacred Kainai rituals with Char's rune magic, they just might have a chance.

Lucy Felthouse - Desert Heat
5 stars
While serving his last tour in Afghanistan, Wilkes meets Balkhi, an Afghan interpreter and is immediately attracted to the dynamic man. Despite the challenges of religious and cultural differences, the attraction is mutual and they can't help but take a chance on love. DESERT HEAT is a lovely romance with a well developed story line.

Amelia C. Gormley - The Houseboy: Initiation
1 Star
A hard core BDSM erotica depicting consensual non-consensuality between a submissive new to the lifestyle, his Dom, and multiple tops who just happen to be veterans. This is a terrible representation of the lifestyle, and I noticed so many red flags during this extended scene that I couldn't begin to list them all. Honestly, I'm disappointed that this story was included in the anthology.

Cat Grant - The Only One Who Cares

EM Lynley - Irresistible Forces
5 Stars

L.A. Witt - Flight Risk