Broken Boundaries

by Evangeline Anderson

Broken Boundaries Evangeline Anderson Chaz is the youngest recruit the Academy has ever seen. Godlike reflexes and hawk eyes make him a natural gunner assigned to fly the futuristic ship with technology so advanced it's still classified. But it takes a two-man crew and Chaz, the lone wolf, must have a partner. On his first day he meets Ferron, the most dangerous man at the Academy. The ice blue eyes and scarred face of the older cadet aren't enough to scare Chaz. Nor are the rumors that Ferron killed his last partner. But when he finds out they are to be a team, his anxiety starts to mount. Tension climbs to a breaking point when Ferron informs him that in order to fly the Needle he and Chaz must have their bodies pressed together in a dance of sensual intimacy that makes the sexually straight Chaz angry and uncomfortable. Ferron must master Chaz completely and break down his physical and emotional boundaries. The only thing that will keep them alive is their partnership-any space between them means certain death.

Genres: M M Romance, Science Fiction, Romance, Gay For You, Erotica, Military Fiction, Fantasy

ebook

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Evangeline Anderson is a registered MRI tech who would rather be writing. And yes, she is nerdy enough to have a bumper sticker that says “I’d rather be writing.” Honk if you see her! She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

Reviews

[Julio Genao · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 20 percent.

silly, and juvenile, and shouty. lots of emo douchebaggery and magic peen syndrome.

i really liked the premise, and hated everything else. i likened it to degrassi junior high—IN SPAAAACE.

there's, like, a roving gang of shouty homophobes in it and everything.

it was like 'grease' but with killer space-lobsters and less sophisticated characterization.

big ol' pile of dafuqery, then.

you'd do well to avoid it, unless you don't necessarily need your leisure reading to make any sense whatsoever.

i hereby invoke and affirm Anne-Marie's Maxim:

"what if i died reading this shitty book [with space lobsters in it]?'

[L-D · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I just upped this review by a star. Why? The more I talk about it the more I realize that I actually DO like it in a "Spaceballs" vs. "Star Wars" kind of way! It actually has very good entertainment and conversation value! Added to my "guilty pleasures" shelf ;)
*************************************************************************************

Okay - this is the third book I've read by Evangeline Anderson and I've figured out her M.O.. For some reason, she can't write about gay relationships without putting in some absurd reason for two men to get together. This might be the last book I read from her because it bothers me that, while I like the GFY genre in general, she almost forces the straight guys into these situations, kicking and screaming.

Exhibit A: The Assignment was about two best friends and partners that have to go undercover at a gay resort to bust a drug ring. While they are there of course they have to make out in front of people and then "practice" in their room so they'll be more comfortable together. It even goes so far as to force them to have sex in front of other people in order to not break their cover. Okaaaaay.

Exhibit B: Str8te Boys. This could've been a real cute story between two roommates and best friends that fall in love, but no - why not add an extremely competitive game of "gay chicken". Seriously? It's not obvious that your roommate is totally into you when he challenges you to gay chicken? And it's not obvious that you are a latent because you challenge him back whenever you get a chance?

And finally the third strike and honestly - this one is the most ridiculous of all....

Exhibit C: Broken Boundaries. Chaz Brighton is accepted to the Space Academy and wants to be a Needle Gunner. The Needle is the name for this top secret fighter craft. So far so good. He is partnered up with the best Needle pilot at the academy - brooding, good-looking cadet Eric "The Falcon" Ferron. Again - I'm totally with her on this. Two flight partners can fall in love because they're training together right? But nooooo - Ms. Anderson has to FORCE them together by concocting a totally ridiculous reason that they have to get physical. Apparently, Gunners and their Pilots are connected by a high-tech neural net that synchs them together. But wait, there's more, the connection intensifies when they are, um, physically connected. And I'm not talking about cuddling. So yes indeed, they fly naked and the pilot manhandles the gunner to strengthen their connection. No! I'm serious! I cannot make this shit up!! So Chaz is straight and apparently so was Eric when they started at the academy but circumstances being what they are.... it's basically F or die a horrible scorched-metal explosive death.

The sad part is, Ms. Anderson is a decent writer, her characters are likable, and her storylines all have promise. But the fact that the situations that get her characters physical are all SO contrived just irritates me. How about just having two characters that fall in love despite all odds? It was almost like watching some kind of spoof. Like the movie Zombie Strippers (yes, this is a real movie and yes, I've seen it) - the whole thing was just so ridiculous I had to laugh and roll my eyes the whole way through.

I recommend this book for gay men who are so far in the closet it will take a backhoe to dig them out. Because apparently the only time having gay sex is okay is if you are saving the Earth against lobster aliens (oh, yeah, in case i forgot to mention - lobster aliens). Your Honor, I rest my case.

[Nazanin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Told in single POV, 3rd person, it can be read as a standalone. It’s full angsty and an emotional sci-fi story but rest assured not much science here. The plot is not something strong and deep, it should be read as entertainment (and still proceed with caution). Ferron was caring and always took care of his partner. As much as I liked him I can’t say the same for Chaz. His insecurity was too much and exhausting so long as I couldn’t put up with him anymore. After some time his reason became blah blah blah… I found him annoying. Overall, it was good (not great), and hope you like it!

[Karel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I keep waiting for this to happen the whole book. The whole 'God!/nope, just me' joke is getting old, stale, and downright moldy. But that's not all that's getting old with E.A's books.

I will write a review on all three arcs of the story.



1. The STRAIGHT MAN



I am not gay! I am not gay! I am not gay!

And then go on and repeat it for something like 200 pages because you're certainly not getting an erection while getting close and personal to a guy; you did not have an orgasm while giving a guy a blowjob; you definitely did NOT long to let him hump your brains out.

Nope, nope, nope.

Barring all the signs so obvious that a moron could have noticed it, continue to insist that you're straight, even after someone tells you that scientifically speaking, everyone who's a pilot, is gay. You know what they say: Repeat it enough and it'll be the truth.



2. THE RAPE



I'm not even going to put this in a spoiler tag because you can see it coming from like, Chapter One, and so doesn't merit the effort of using an actual spoiler tag.

So yeah, cheap rape ploy that borderlines on ridiculous. And this book has a lot of ridiculous in it.

Let's see, humanity's last line of defense against invading aliens is a group of spaceships manned by people who are having sex while they drive. In fact, if one of them turns out to be a prude and they DON'T have sex while they drive, we'll be taken over by crustacean monsters called Lobsters.

Are you feeling safer already? Well, are you?

This isn't the first book of EA's that I've read about this whole sex-or-die thing either. Slave Boy had one. In 'til Kingdom Come had another, and even a medieval equivalent of the joystick driving.

Honestly, I don't mind rape. What I do mind is that EA feels the need to justify it all. Rape is ugly. It should be ugly, and not choke full of attempts to dress it up nicely in a ball gown. TKC had a rape scene where the MC is 'forced' to do it, and the MC in this one is also 'forced' to do it, thus justifying that it's actually not rape at all lol but to save the world.

Seriously, man up and stop making excuses.




3. The MAKE UP

So after the rape... Naturally, our MC is distraught. He kind of forgets the whole 'we had to do this OR ELSE' factor about the whole thing, wigs out, and basically ditches the other MC, thereby prompting a lot of angst.



So then the really cookie-cutter, 2D, ridiculously cartoon villain corners him, nearly kills the other MC and suddenly he sees the light



and they live HEA.




Verdict:

Do I really need to add this part? Okay, I'll just leave you with this note: Buy this if you really feel you need to read something like this.

[JenMcJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This book was really hot. The scifi plot was interesting and unique but had a few plot issues that distracted me as I questioned them.

The futuristic space fighter is very advanced and requires a two man team to be extremely close in order to fly it at maximum efficiency. The government has found a way to find the people best suited to not only fly the machine but to each other as well. The government is never wrong and they don't take into consideration the emotional upheavel such revelations may present to those chosen for the program

Much of this story is centered on a theory that the tests reveal outright homosexual biological imperatives or latent tendencies. For each of those participating in the flying program full m/m bonding is a necessary requirement to succeed...however even that far in the future there is still a Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, rampant homophobia on the ship that goes completely unchecked and no physcological support for those chosen...had a hard time with this part of the plot.

Chaz is left completely rocked by the idea that not only is the government telling him he is gay, but apparently they are right (at least toward his partner - GFY) then throw his roll of submissive in the partnership and bam, one very confused and frightened kid. He left his homeworld, his parents, his girlfriend and a chance at West Point for the progrm without any knowledge of what is ultimately expected and struggles pretty realistically with the reality of his situation.

Ferron/Falcon is already several years into his training when his partner is lost to him. He has his own emotional issues to deal with after the sudden loss but he is now matched to a new partner. His new partner is nothing if not reluctant to face his true nature. Falcon is left to figure out how best to break all the barriers and boundaries down between them.

The building relationship between Ferron and Chaz is very touching and well done. Chaz's inner monologue about submission, homosexuality and what makes a man felt very real to me. I was sucked in and struggled right along with Chaz to accept the role that really would make him happy even as it made him miserable and ashamed to get there. Most of the time, the sexual interaction is somewhat forced on Chaz and he accepts with great reluctance only to continually find that he likes it. Outside characters really make their journey much more difficult then it might have been but also in the end help them admit the true full nature of their relationship

I marked this down to 4 stars because there were some unanswered question about the partnerships that didn't quite make sense to me. I am not going to go into them in this review because maybe they won't occur to other readers...but if you find some, feel free to come back and comment so we can discuss.

[Kassa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a science fiction based story about training young men to be excellent fighter pilots against the possible threat of the return of space aliens called Lobsters that threaten the Earth’s existence. Sound familiar? Well it should, the plot is incredibly similar Ender’s Game except the pilots are forced to be gay. Considering this author is well known for her gay for you stereotypes, she certainly stays true to form with that in this particular twist. There are additional problems from the characters to the themes, to the not so subtle it’s wrong to be gay sentiment woven throughout the story. While there is a heavy yaoi element to the characters and their sexual connection, nothing can make up for the poor plot and uneven writing.

As I’ve said if you’ve read Ender’s Game, you’ll understand the plot of this story except the pilot and gunners have to be naked and having sex to actually be great at flying. Unfortunately whereas the former is a well deserved classic, this particular offering suffers from trying to incorporate too many elements and ultimately being unsuccessful at most. Starting with the plot, which is unoriginal and unimaginative, there is no additional explanation or understanding of the choices the author makes. For example, the implication is given that all the pilots and gunners chosen have latent homosexual desires, which make it possible for these men to engage in the various sexual acts that are deemed necessary for survival and great flying. However, several characters are depicted as never having homosexual desires and simply want to return to Earth to forget their actions. So either every single man chosen is a closet homosexual, which is clearly not true, or these men are all forced to be gay to save the world. Let’s just say that’s not exactly the rationalization that works in a science fiction based romance, neither would it work if it was the opposite and gay men were forced to be straight.

Furthermore the author tries to explain that this connection is acceptable because it happens so rarely, yet this rare connection is debatable as Ferron is paired up with no fewer than at least three partners within the span of this story. Additionally the pairing of Landrews and Sanderson is described several times as lacking any emotional connection and based purely on wanting to succeed within the Military rankings, thus showing that your “match” isn’t necessarily the person you are perfectly matched with in all ways. So again, not only is the necessity to be naked and having sex while flying is never explained but even the weak and transparent explanation offered to soothe the fragile “latent’s” chaotic emotions is ridiculous.

Unfortunately the character of Chaz swallows all of these rationalizations, and other things, while going meekly along with the program. He repeatedly questions his acceptance of the program, how the Needlers are run, the need for actual naked and sexual contact and the need for all men to be gay within the program, yet accepts sweeping blanket statements such as "the more intimately I touch you, the better the connection, and the more effective we are as a team. Make sense." Unfortunately this doesn’t make sense, neither as a plot device nor Chaz’s easy acceptance of such. At the same time he’s struggling with new feelings and exploring the gay for you and only you trope that seems to dominate the book. Chaz only desires Ferron and needs him, but he’s caught up on not being gay and thus can’t give in fully to Ferron.

Putting aside the problematic plot and focusing on the character of Chaz, he clearly shows classic yaoi characteristics with his back and forth desire and fear of actual sex. He practices heavy self denial and uses a pseudo-BDSM rationalization to give up any personal responsibility and accept his actual desires. His sexual encounters with Ferron tend to be heavily yaoi influenced as well with his outward refusal but inwardly wanting the older man to simply make the choice for him. His final acceptance of his sexuality and ability to own up to his feelings is classic, yet unfortunately never worked for me. I can see the yaoi influence for sure so perhaps some fans will enjoy it but even that can’t make up for the uneven writing from corny and porno to actual solid and tight writing.

Additional characters such as the multiple villain counterpoints in this book made the melodrama stretch pretty thin. From the closeted homophobe character of Burns who mocks the Needlers for being "faggots" to the openly hostile character of Landrews that constantly attacks Chaz as "latent" for not being openly and proudly gay; there is no shortage of tension and created conflict for the intrepid and confused hero of the story. Add in the taciturn character of Ferron who offers little in the way of understanding and furthering emotional progression, and it’s little wonder that Chaz has no personal growth at all during the course of the story. If he weren’t forced into a physical homosexual gay situation, Chaz would still happily be with his girlfriend. His change from homophobic to homosexual requires no introspection and emotional growth on his part, merely the domination of another man.

This of course leads to a controversial aspect of the book – the actual rape scene. With the yaoi influence during the sexual encounters, I wasn’t bothered so much by the yes/no flip flopping Chaz was spouting. However, the actual rape scene was not (IMO) a classic yaoi sex scene and furthermore it was simply what it was – a rape. Chaz does not want to be penetrated and Ferron’s weak and ridiculous excuse that it has to be done to save the world from the Lobster Queen in no way had Chaz secretly wanting that sex. Perhaps in another setting between just the two of them when Chaz’s fears were overcome gradually, he probably would have wanted the sex. But to ream the poor man’s ass without benefit of lube to save the world is simply rape and it has no place in this story or a romance.

Neither does the outrageous and corny porno like scene of a "suck off challenge" between Landrews and Sanderson and Ferron and Chaz. Of course Chaz has to prove his homosexuality by seeing which man can bring their partner to orgasm first so both Chaz and Landrews drop to their knees happily in the middle of a crowded lounge and go to town. The purpose of this scene is clearly to progress Chaz faster towards his acceptance of the ultimate necessary sex, yet is frustratingly obvious while being uninteresting to read.

The rape bothered me some as it was unnecessary, but really the worst sin this author did was give a poor plot with unevenly paced writing that went from interesting and descriptive to corny and ridiculous. The weak rationalizations and obvious anti-gay sentiment makes this a failure even considering the yaoi elements. Furthermore the author herself markets this as an m/m romance and nowhere refutes that statement. The characters repeatedly state they are not gay, they’re just "taking care of each other" and are gay for you leaving these tropes as overdone and worn thin within the context of the poorly constructed plot. This was especially unfortunate as the author is clearly talented and creative with hints of strong, descriptive writing. However between the character, plot, and writing problems this book wasn’t enjoyable to read nor did it satisfy as a romance for me.

[Fiona Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5...Upped by 1/2 point upon re-read.

And the award for the most inventive use of a spacecraft goes to.......

Kind of like a cross between Independence Day (for brainless fun), Top Gun (same with the two macho enemy studs)and the very good sci-fi novel Ender's Game for scenario. Add the fuck to live aspect and it is really is kind of irresistible!

[Macky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time round for this quirky sexy sci fi story by Evangeline Anderson and however far fetched and WTF!! this book gets at times ... I couldn't give a flying you know what!!

Its got sizzling, palpable sexual tension, which always ticks my boxes, fantastic chemistry, its hot as hell and I adore brooding Ferron and skittish Chaz with a passion. At first glance this is just another chunk of space erotica with a kinky excuse to get the two guys, one of whom thinks he's straight, into doing the nasty ( space pilots with a * cough* ...difference! ) but the more you get into the book and having now read it a second time, for me it turns out to be a really lovely, romantic in its own way, love story in the GFY catagory and at times its really poignant and deals with serious matters there is an attempted rape and an off page rape that some readers may take exception to . I guess you either like it or you don't, Ive seen mixed reviews for this one but personally I love it!

I've read most of Evangeline's m/m books and I have to be honest I've found them all highly enjoyable and have rated them high for the pure enjoyment factor. They might not be everyone's cup of tea but they're mine and I'll always be happy to pick any of them up for a re-read.

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review later, I'm conflicted...

Later: I am still conflicted. Ironically when I performed a search for the book, I found there's a book with the same title that talks about betrayed relationships and that's the core of what Chaz, the young protagonist of the book, feels for some time. This is not the first dubious consent story I've read - here I think it's really non-consensual. The problem is that I hated both Ferron and Chaz while it was happening.

This is a gay-for-you story and Chaz (and maybe a little bit Ferron too) makes it clear that he's not into guys, but with Ferron it's different. I am not extremely fond of gay-for-you, but I can find it enjoyable. And this book was incredibly entertaining and hot. I prefer tighter writing styles, this book could have spared me some adjectives, but like the two other books by Evangeline Anderson that I've read I couldn't put it down. Trainwreck effect? Probably. Maybe I hate myself a bit for liking this book too much when it made me uncomfortable.

Back to the rape issue. The scene in the spaceship where Ferron forces himself on Chaz was hard to deal with because it was raw, there was no real doubt in Chaz's mind, he didn't want it and no matter what was happening he didn't feel Ferron was justified in what he did. If I could have placed all the blame on Ferron, I would have felt better. But no! I should have felt sympathy for Chaz but there was something in his attitude, in his continuous denial of his attraction for Ferron, that made me feel betrayed, because he should have made up his mind and surrendered to Ferron at that moment, when things were bad, but no, he resisted. He broke my comfort bubble and made me feel a little dirty too.

I'm confused. On one hand I found Chaz's attitude immature and sometimes even a little bit offensive. On the other hand he was disrespected. It's a book that I would have no problems to recommend, but it left me with a bitter taste. It's just me, I know.

[ayanami · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just plain ridiculous. Having sex while piloting a spacecraft and shooting aliens in a life-or-death situation? The fact that having sex while you're doing these things is supposed to make you a better pilot/gunner? And don't forget the 'I'm only raping you so we can save the world!' which is made even more ridiculous by the fact that the character being raped actually improves his marksmanship while he's being violated.

Reading the synopsis, I thought I'd stumbled upon an interesting sci-fi concept (and to the author's credit, I still think it's an interesting idea; I just don't think it was done well or believably in this particular story), but the whole thing reads like an excuse for the characters to get it on. None of the actual science made any sense to me and all the explanations and conflicts (not to mention the cookie-cutter antagonists) just felt like they were thrown in for the sole purpose of getting the main character to break down and finally submit. The romance never felt believable so when he does finally have consensual sex, it felt more like he had been manipulated into it, and I don't believe the happy ending either.

[Unapologetic_Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evangeline Anderson takes the conventional space romance one step further.

Chaz Brighton wants to be a Needle gunner and attends the Lunar Academy of Excellence. During his first tour he runs into Eric Ferron being taunted for being "a faggot". Of course, Ferron does not take this lightly and Chaz is intrigued and wants to know more about this tall, dark and scarred Needle pilot. One thing Chaz finds out that shocks him is that Ferron killed his last partner. Another thing he finds out is how the Needle is piloted and why the Needlers are thought of as gay.

During the course of their relationship Chaz learns to except the ways Needlers have to address each other socially and personally. Inside the SIM Chaz feels his partner open his uniform and run his hands down his body. Chaz is shocked but sees he does not miss a shot. For complete neural net connection, they too must be completely joined. But Chaz refuses to EVER do that. He's not gay.

I loved LOVED watching the development of this relationship. The pain of hearing the truth behind the death of Ferron's last partner made you ache. The slow melt of Chaz accepting his true self was exceptional. Evangeline Anderson is the master of D/s relationships and if you love a futuristic spin then this is the book for you.

[Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable m/m sci-fi 'gay for you' novel. Cadet Needle pilot Ferron and gunner Chaz Brighton need to establish a 'really, really' close relationship in order to fly their craft.

' - get real, Chaz. Don't you mean he made you face the fact of what you are? Nobody can make you gay or straight. Ferron just made you acknowledge it for the first time.'

[Nichole (DirrtyH) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evangeline Anderson is a writer that's kind of hit or miss for me. This was definitely a hit. In fact, I think it's my favorite of the stuff I've read from her. I loved this book.

I'm having a hard time rating this though. I think I'm going to give it 4.5 stars. I think the only thing keeping it from being 5 stars is just that I don't like Anderson's particular brand of "gay for you", though it was a lot tamer in this book than in most of her stuff.

But this was a great, well written erotic sci fi story that used the fantasy element perfectly to create a situation that wouldn't happen in real life, which I think is the whole point of sci fi. You can explore parts of the human psyche or human experience that you can't explore in strictly realistic fiction because you can put your characters in settings and situations that you wouldn't find in the real world. It puts a whole new spin on everything and makes traditional themes feel fresh, and Anderson did a really great job of that with this story, seamlessly weaving an erotic gay love story with a sci fi adventure that captures the imagination.

Be warned, there is some actual rape (not just "dubious consent") in this book. Some people may be turned off by this, but I think it worked for the story.

I loved these characters and I loved the setting she created. I hope she writes some more stories set in this world, I think there's a ton of potential here.

[Ale Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simplemente deslumbrante...

Nuevamente Evangeline Anderson nos deslumbra con una de sus novelas en uno de los géneros que es reconocida como maestra.
Rompiendo los límites es la mezcla perfecta entre ciencia ficción, erotismo y amor al 100%.
Chaz Brighton y Eric Ferron son la pareja perfecta, no solo por la simple atracción que hay entre ellos sino por la manera de enfrentarse a la vida y a sus sentimientos, cruzando los más diversos obstáculos.
Una novela francamente imperdible para los amantes del género y para los no tanto también.

Relectura 2020: Creo que esta novela tiene uno de los besos más lindos entre sus personajes y realmente es un romance que se da poco a poco con pequeñas situaciones que recién cerca del final se desarrollan completamente. Los toques de ciencia ficción actúan como acompañantes de la relación en aumento de los protagonistas.

[MostlyDelores · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

I think she shouldn't write m/m anymore. I could suspend my disbelief about the "we need to fuck to fly the ship" technology, but the shrill, hysterical homophobia and self-hatred seems out of date in 2012, never mind decades into the future when this is supposed to be set.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars and an instant favorite.

What’s not to love about this insanely entertaining space romp? Okay, so maybe the non-con sex had me stumbling for a bit, but it saved the world after all, so you gotta bite the bullet, right?

Chaz Brighton is an aspiring young cadet arriving at the famous Space Academy – lovingly called the ‘shithouse’ by its cadets – in the moon’s orbit. Cadets are trained to become engineers, gunners or pilots for the Earth Fleet in order to protect mankind from the imminent threat of an alien attack – aliens that are sarcastically called ‘Lobsters’ because of their lobster like appearance.

Yeah, don’t take the story too seriously. As said above, it’s a space romp, LOL

Chaz wants to become a gunner flying an advanced warship, called Needle, with his partner and pilot, but first he needs to find out if he’s eligible for the Needle program at all. Most cadets get sent off to become engineers after all. Only elite soldiers will become Needlers!
Chaz slowly starts to question his wish when he begins to learn more about the top secret Needle technology and how these advanced spaceships actually work:

Gunner and pilot find themselves inside a neural net that covers their nude bodies, connecting both men with each other – skin on skin- to navigate the spaceship – and shoot alien warships with incredible speed. And the closer the physical connection, the better the spaceship’s navigation works.

You may figure out the rest yourselves ;-)



This story is simply hilarious! It’s sexy, unique, totally awkward and strangely innovative.
In one word: Awesome! It entertained me 100%. I also loved the quirky side characters, some being evil homophobes, clichéd queens, twins who start and finish each others' sentences like in a kid’s movie. It was hilarious!

But does that alone make it a 5 star read? Certainly not.

Chaz Brighton and Eric Ferron are amazing characters that you simply want to follow on their journey through this complete craziness. It’s like you get to see two handsome, likable young men from a contemporary m/m romance being thrown into a space opera where they just find out what’s going on and what’s expected of them, with their feelings and attitudes being absolutely realistic and touching. Their time together was not only moving, but also dramatic and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I can totally recommend this story, even though by 89% I found myself yelling at my kindle:
“Will you FINALLY let him fuck you to save the Earth!!!!”
That’s definitely a first in my books.

A true favorite.

[Zombetha Vexation · Rating 4 out of 5]

Umm...I have to say I'm kinda falling in love with reading Evangeline Anderson's books, not because they are good, because they are not, but, because they are like little, long-lasting, happy pills. I read one, and for days afterward, while performing ordinary tasks - tying my shoes, pouring a cup of coffee, cleaning a dish - I will burst into spontaneous grins and chuckles as some ridiculously silly plot point or phrase will pop into my head. And that is after I've calmed down, while actually reading the book, the giggling can be a bit distracting to others, and I have to be careful of things like falling off my bed or chair from laughing so hard.

This book did not disappoint. It was extremely silly and highly enjoyable. Look, I made a list!

#1. In this book, SET IN SPACE, space is taboo, and I mean this in every possible way...The word "space" is, I think, never used in the book, because at the Moonside Shithouse, the final frontier is known to all, and repeatedly referred to as, "the deep dark", because, let's face it, this phrase immediately makes ME think of sexins, you? There is also no such thing as personal space, as it is imperative to grope your partner and colleagues at all times. Ya know, so that two minds may become as one once plunged (teehee, yes I am 12) into the "the deep dark".

#2. Not wanting to have anal sex in public = not being comfortable with your budding homosexuality. I think we can all agree, same...I mean, only being able to tolerate 24/7 groping, casual hand jobs, and blow jobs in a room full of your peers? Your manifest homophobia offends me.

#3. There are no stereotypes of any sort portrayed in this book. (cough, EVERYONE!)

#4. Lastly, EVERYTHING. Just kidding, what I really mean is the entire premise of the book, not that I didn't know what it was going in...I know I concentrate better at difficult tasks that tax my hand-eye coordination with a penis in me, and best when I'm experiencing simultaneous orgasm with the operator of the penis, I mean spaceship. I'm just saying.

[Emanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the one of the most ridiculous yet highly original ways I've read for making two "straight" men make out and the author deserves an award for it. 

We're somewhere in space, where the aircrafts (Needles) designed to defend Earth from another attack from the Lobsters - don't ask - are operated by two men strapped together. Naked. Why? Because "skin-to-skin contact increases the bond between partners and translates into a tighter neural connection in the Needle." I mean... *stands up and claps*

I can't even keep a straight face writing it, it is as silly and eye-rolling-y as it sounds so you just have to really go with it and don't question anything and you will be rewarded with a surprisingly entertaining - and at times a bit emotional - read. I was rolling my eyes from the very beginning but it wasn't long before I became low-key obsessed with this book.

The pairing of two strong, masculine yet emotionally deprived characters, set in the close confines of a space academy room works wonders for the story as the tension is building slowly and beautifully. I didn't expect the angle of self-hate for discovering your true self and needs and desires; it added a lot more depth and 'heaviness' to what could really easily be a very silly plot. And don't get me wrong, there are points, for example, where oral sex is described as just another way to strengthen the bond, but hey, you won't hear me complain about it!

I would have like for the space/sci fi elements of the book to me a bit more prominent, but I guess this was all about these two men finding their way around and with each other. And every time that happened, it was just so bloody hot. It had been a long time since I read an M/M book that got me so, ermm, excited so again, can't complain.

Overall I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting and I would definitely recommend; especially if Anderson is a new author for you as she was for me. I'll definitely be reading more of her books and will try to ignore the really bad formatting of her e-books.

[Ro · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a sci-fi, this had some interesting points. I thought the Lobsters were silly, the Needles were interesting, and the atmosphere fairly homophobic. It isn't really explained to the Needlers in advance what is required, and I felt Chaz was very confused. His beginning relationship with Fallon was making headway, but then it lost a lot for me because I think Ferron raped Chaz, enough to tear him and make him bleed. Despite repeated "no" from Chaz, and making it painful and savage because he was angry, even knowing it was Chaz' first time. Remorse later wasn't enough for me, and it did feel like Stockholm syndrome. I was floored at the audacity of Fallon, coming to Chaz' room after, to "take care of him". What did he expect was going to happen? Chaz welcoming him with open arms? Evangeline Anderson is the queen of "save the world" sex, but this one, just didn't like it.

[Literatures Movies]

Read some of the reviews, does not look like something I would enjoy. *shrugs*

[Valentina Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thing I thought when I started reading was Starship Troopers. I love that movie and the storyline was dangerously headed in that direction(I mean Lobsters-Bugs?). The next thing was Independence Day, but that's just because I love movies just as much as books.
Then the story started to heat up, and man did it heat up! There's basically no sex until the very end, but every chapter is loaded with sexual tension and it was so beautifully written that I couldn't put the book down.
The concept of the shared consciousness was brilliant, as well as the whole secrecy behind it. But what I liked the most was the constant resistance despite such obvious attraction. For me it was a rather realistic way of describing that particular situation where Chaz was forced to do something he obviously didn't want, but still wanted. I know, it's a bit confusing, but when you're reading it, it's everything but confusing.
Some parts were probably rushed, maybe even unrealistic a bit, but the way it was written allows you to just appreciate the words and the story and to not linger on such details.
Please someone tell me there is a sequel? Because I'm in love with this world!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. I am a sucker for the "Gay for You" scenario and Evangeline pulled it off beautifully. There was just the right amount of angst, sexual tension and yummy sex. I liked both heroes right from that start and really wanted them to have their HEA. Can't wait to read more of her books.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book probably has one of the raunchiest covers I've ever seen. Unfortunately it's one of those books where the model(s) on the cover does not fit the characters in the story.

This is space sci-fi story that features a fighter spaceship gunner trainee, Chaz, who is paired up with a pilot, Ferron. The pretty ridiculous wrench thrown into the plot is that the pilot and gunner needs to have their nude bodies as physically close as possible in order to form a strong connection to achieve their objectives.

The problem here is that Chaz is "straight", so the whole book was basically about his struggle to adapt to the new lifestyle that requires him to spend every single moment with his partner, Ferron, as possible, including showering together and sleeping in the same bed.

Something which seemed peculiar to me is that Ferron kept being described as lean and broad. I have a very hard time picturing someone who's lean yet broad. Can someone show me a picture of someone like that?

Plot-wise, it's actually interesting for the most part if you can ignore the absurd premise. However Chaz's denial of him being possible bisexual or gay until almost the end of the book annoyed me somewhat because it was getting repetitive by the end. The story did not even have that much of erotica unlike other books with absurd plots because of Chaz's character.

Four Stars!

[P-san~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, yes for most of it, but no thanks for some parts of it.
I'm a little baffled, to be honest.

The no-consent scene was well managed from a feelings point of view, I mean Chaz had every right to feel betrayed and hurt, but to make it all go away because Farron almost died? Yeah, I have conflicting opinions on that, I get he saved Earth, so it was "for the greater good" but that doesn't mean it was ok. I also get that Farron regrets it but, I mean, you still did it bro, it still happened.
I ended up skimming through the end as I didn't really want to DNF when I was so close to the end.

Still, the story was very interesting (it would have been a solid four starts for two-thirds of the book), especially how the Needles worked, but it's a pity for the ending.

[RestlessPages]

"Your reaction is understandable. Because you're never going to get as close to one of your other friends as you and I are going to get. We're going to sleep in the same bed, shower at the same time, eat, sleep and breathe each other until your boundaries are completely stripped away, Green eyes, because that's the only way to guarantee you're thinking of the target that's about to shoot our Needle down instead of me standing behind you whispering in your ear."

"I'm not talking about hearts and flowers and walking on the beach and candlelight dinners. Relationship, partnership - call it whatever you want but for better or worse we're stuck with it. We both signed the papers and they put us together. And I promise you, Newbie, nothing but death is going to tear us apart."

Chaz Brighton wants to be a Needle gunner, but when he arrives at Lunar Academy stationed on Mars, he discovers the secret behind how the Needle is piloted. He is drawn to a tall, dark and scarred Needle pilot Ferron, who soon enough becomes his new partner. But Chaz struggles to accept what being qualified to be a Needler means for him, as well as to learn and adapt to the way Needlers do things socially and privately.

"Do you know what will get you killed quicker than anything else when you're out in space?" he asked, his breath brushing through the loose curls at the side of Chaz's neck.
"I know what's gonna get you killed. Get off me, man!" Chaz felt ready to panic now. This son of a bitch Ferron had him and obviously didn't intend to let him go. Worse, the proximity of the other man's lean muscular form seemed to be doing something strange to Chaz's body. Something wrong and unnatural.
"Boundaries," Ferron continued, as though Chaz wasn't rigid in his arms demanding to be released. "Your personal boundaries are more likely to get you killed than any of the targets or even the Saudeber ship cluster. Because if you can't let go of your boundaries, you can't do your job. How many targets do you think you've missed since I put my arms around you?"

I loved the concept and the characters, and I found this author's writing style engaging. Dialogue flows naturally and the tension that builds up slowly made me swallow this book within 24 hours.

Chaz's internalized homophobia is so deeply rooted and his denial is drawn-out until the very end of the book, and while I thought this was quite realistic, I personally found it difficult to read (this book is big on dub-con, so be warned). What helped me push through was how Ferron, despite his intimidating appearance, was as gentle and patient with Chaz as their circumstances allowed him to be. Considering that, I wasn't prepared for a non-con (even though now I feel like I should have been, considering the tone of the epilogue) that happened at the culmination of the story, which was followed by third act breakup. I was a little let down by it, honestly, as I thought the author was teasing us for so long towards Chaz's acceptance of his sexuality (and even that acceptance ended up being dub-con in a way). If the non-consent situation was going to happen anyway, it might as well have happened earlier in the book.

Still, despite not being a fan of dub/non-con, I still enjoyed many parts of this. There's also a little bit of praise and handtimacy (descriptions of hands or intimacy involving hands - if you've read some of my older reviews, you know what I'm talking about) which are one of favorite things to read.

Would I recommend it? Yes, but I'd definitely warn you that dub-con & non-con are in the core of this story.
°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*
*General Notes*
-sci-fi, set in space, fighting aliens, Needle starship, pilot x his gunner
-erotic novella
-Not sure about characters' age, but I'd take a guess that Chaz is 18 ("the youngest recruit the Academy has ever seen" - I sure hope he's not younger than 18) and Eric is 4 years older than him.
-forced proximity, only one bed trope...
-third act breakup
-CWs: homophobic slurs, internalized homophobia, dub-con between MC and LI, off-page rape of a side-character (in the past), described suicide of a side-character (in the past), attempted rape of MC (stopped before it happened), non-con between MC and LI...

*Intimacy Notes*
-Top/bottom/verse: strict? Chaz bottoms and Ferron tops; Ferron is willing to bottom, but it doesn't happen as both MCs prefer keeping strict roles.
-Kinks/sex notes: dub-con & non-con; handjobs, BJs, fingering, edging, exhibitionism, 69, cockwarming (in mouth), "just a tip" situation, rimming...
-Other:
・some praise and handtimacy
・nicknames: Green Eyes, Newbie, babe...
・"Don't touch him. He is off limits." situation

[⚣Michaelle⚣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars

A M/M Romance Group Team Spin Spellapalooza Challenge read. (Go Team 6 - Living In Spin!!!)

See my updates for the handful of comments I had while reading.

A couple more points:

✐ I think this book would have scored another half star higher if it weren't for the blatant dismissal of any possibility for the characters to be bisexual. From Landers' sneering "latent homo" comments (from a character who readily admits he's gay) to every other denigrating male sexual identity slur spouted by some of the other characters it was all just too much macho posturing. Which, yeah, an all male military setting so it's par for the course but what kept irritating me was that it continually read as "either/or" - a cadet either was gay or he was straight...with no room in the middle for "both." Bisexuality is still a thing that exists. (Well, maybe not in this version of Earth, in this possible future...but a comment or two that explains that distinction and takes that option offline would not have been remiss. Just sayin'.)

✐ Seriously, I can't get the image of this neural net style connection taking place of the "drift" in Pacific Rim. Sometimes I wish I had a fortune because I'd totally make a porno version with the characters' "handshakes" happening with cocks in asses. Because, yes. That would be hot. (The other production would be to revive Firefly...which I'd do first so that I could use the ROI to make the porn, of course.)

✐ I'm glad I took the chance to read this. I've made it a personal challenge to test my hard-limits and stretch my boundaries. I'm guerilla-style level of anti-noncon, and even some dub-con makes me twitch. The prologue of this was pushing it for me but since I was assured by a friend who'd read it that it was more dub-con and that it wasn't what I was going to expect so I decided to read it. It wasn't, but that didn't make it easier for me. I can't imagine a situation where my saying no wouldn't matter because of life/death circumstances - and I had to take a step back and realize I maybe should try. Who knows what people are forced to do in combat, to save their own skins and to protect those they love? When I looked at it that way - as 'What was I willing to endure to keep my family alive?' well, I had a bit of an epiphany. So, in this case it's still non-con (to me) but one that was necessary for the story.

(Honestly, it was either take a breather and sort my head out or get all worked up over how it was eventually push aside so their twu wuv would endure and OMFG that made me think of Luke and Laura and how I never, ever watched General Hospital after that whole "I raped you so you'd realize you love me" thing and I don't even think I was a teen yet and knew that was so very fucking wrong.)

So yeah, go me for pushing through that. It helped that all the build up, hand jobs, blow jobs and UST had me on edge and that sex was really hot. Plus, I'm still a Cover Whore and OMFG would you look at the hotness of that image? Jeezus.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Broken Boundries by Evangeline Anderson is a bit of a weird one for me. There were definitely some bits that I liked, but lots of the book just drove me a little bat shit. I am willing to whip out my big ole suspension of disbelief undies for a good story, but unfortunately some of the world building and details of the ship flying were a little over the top. I liked some of the tension between the characters and the whole I don’t wanna be different thing, but the way some of the sexual stuff was dealt with and the non con just got on my goat. So, some good, some bad. Parts were definitely a guilty pleasure. Definitely an author I’ve enjoyed, but this one was just not my cuppa tea.
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2010/04/...

This is a guilty pleasure. A re read when I'm grumpy. Like today!

[Kukko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Main Characters: Eric Ferron – The Falcon & Chaz Brightone – Green Eyes
Key Themes: Grief, Homophobia, H/C
Location: Outer Space

Eric and Chaz are space pilots at an academy orbiting the moon. Despite still being students, they are strangely the first line of defense against aliens. You would think that Earth would put forward its best and brightest to defense itself....but who am I to judge!

This story confused me. I wasn’t sure if I should take it seriously ...lobster-shaped aliens and a space craft that would only function properly if its pilots were naked and in the throes of an orgasm.

One MC took his homophobia way too seriously. I got so irritated I almost gave up on the story. It didn't help that the story seemed a bit repetitive.

[Natsroshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really had hard time rating this book.
The futuristic set is really interresting. The characters are likeable but following Chaz's mind was like taking a tour in a rollercoaster. Most of the time, I enjoy it. But at some point I couldn't understand his reactions: when too much things have already happened and he still can't made up his mind, he was getting on my nerves. It may be harsh, but I couldn't feel for him anymore.
The writing got hooked and overall I liked the romance.
I got a big issue with one thing: how can they have a perfect connection if it is forced and painful? (those who have already read it may understand what I'm talking about.)
For me, it's a real 3.5 stars.

[❂ Endless · Rating 3 out of 5]

The word "Ludicrous" comes to mind, quite often actually.

I liked both the MCs, Ferron more than Chaz and no I did not find Chaz annoying. I understood where they were both coming from and didn't have anything against their inner struggles.

I liked the romance, the premise....The story had my attention even though it was predictable through and through.

But, "Ludicrous"! And it goes up to the epitome of ludicrousness when the MCs battle the queen ship. To think one can concentrate flying a space ship and hitting targets in the "state" the MCs were in is just..."Ludicrous"!