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Ellison #1
On Your Six
Elliot Shaw is exactly the son his father—the four-star General—built him to be. Controlled. Precise. The best. When he arrives at the Army's Special Forces Selection, he has one objective in mind: finish first. He cannot afford to get distracted.
Enter Hudson Hale.
Hudson is everything Elliot has been trained to suppress. He loves openly, rarely thinks before he speaks, and goes after what he wants. He shouldn't be Elliot's type. More importantly, he shouldn't be Elliot's anything.
But when a single reckless kiss on an overnight assignment turns into six years of stolen weekends, their discipline fails in increments. Through deployments, a wedding, a funeral, and a war zone, Elliot and Hudson keep finding their way back to each other—only to part again as if it means nothing.
It almost works. Except pretending has a price—and sooner or later, somebody has to pay.
On Your Six is a medium spice, dual-POV M/M romance with rivals-to-lovers energy and a hard-earned HEA.
Content warnings: parental emotional abuse, grief (parental death), explicit sexual content.
Enter Hudson Hale.
Hudson is everything Elliot has been trained to suppress. He loves openly, rarely thinks before he speaks, and goes after what he wants. He shouldn't be Elliot's type. More importantly, he shouldn't be Elliot's anything.
But when a single reckless kiss on an overnight assignment turns into six years of stolen weekends, their discipline fails in increments. Through deployments, a wedding, a funeral, and a war zone, Elliot and Hudson keep finding their way back to each other—only to part again as if it means nothing.
It almost works. Except pretending has a price—and sooner or later, somebody has to pay.
On Your Six is a medium spice, dual-POV M/M romance with rivals-to-lovers energy and a hard-earned HEA.
Content warnings: parental emotional abuse, grief (parental death), explicit sexual content.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2026
About the author
Eleonora Larsen
1 book160 followers**Come find me on Instagram. My inbox is always open!**
Eleonora Larsen writes angsty and heartfelt MM romances that will leave you a little teary-eyed.
She has a Master's in English, which she mostly uses to argue with herself about dangling modifiers and comma placement. She hasn't voluntarily picked up a classic since finishing her degree, but can plow through contemporary romances with incredible speed. For the plot, obviously.
Eleonora lives in Scandinavia, where the weather is almost always bad but the romance community is thriving regardless.
Eleonora Larsen writes angsty and heartfelt MM romances that will leave you a little teary-eyed.
She has a Master's in English, which she mostly uses to argue with herself about dangling modifiers and comma placement. She hasn't voluntarily picked up a classic since finishing her degree, but can plow through contemporary romances with incredible speed. For the plot, obviously.
Eleonora lives in Scandinavia, where the weather is almost always bad but the romance community is thriving regardless.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 418 reviews
July 27, 2026
I enjoyed this so much! I dont know if you could say that this broke any barriers in the romance genre, but I think what it did, it did well and was in such an enjoyably entertaining package that I just had a great time with it. And this being a debut is such an impressive effort and I am excited to see what Larsen writes next!
Hudson Hale, is young, talented and brash and after rounds of testing and evaluations has finally made it through to the Selection, a military training program where those successful are assigned to the best and most esteemed military postings and Hudson wants to come out of the program on top. The biggest barrier to Hudsons ambitions come in the form of the serious, stoic and handsome Elliot Shaw, who with the looming expectations of his father Major General Shaw is equally driven to come out on top.
What starts initially as a rivalry, evolves into a successful partnership, and it’s not long before the draw to each other evolves into something more physical. But Hudson has never been attracted to men before, and they’re getting posted to other ends of the country in a matter of weeks, so whatever exists between them has to end when the program does, right?
I am always a little hesitant about going into military romances because I am not in to them being super patriotic but I cant deny that they are a fun sandbox for adventure and drama. I enjoyed that although this was a military romance, the elements of war and violence were never really the point and a vast majority of its role was to have the boys out in remote wilderness performing field exercises together, facilitating an initial rivalry and as a literary device to keep Hudson and Elliot apart from each other over the course of the book.
The yearning and pining over the years between Hudson and Elliot was delightful and felt very true to the characters, their internal motivations and the barriers present to their relationship. I enjoyed the use of the bi-awakening trope here, mainly in how much of a non-issue it ended up being. I was also under the impression that elements of internalised homophobia were going to be a much bigger plot point and was happy to find that outside of a little sexual awakening, it barely featured as an element at all.
It’s worth being aware that the story spans six years from them meeting at Selection and into their careers and they spend significant portions of that time not together and with varying degrees of contact. As such there is mentions to both characters having intimate experiences with other people, however, except for one brief instance its kept off page. I thought that the intimate interactions Elliot and Hudson had with other people was a device used well to facilitate their character growth, the evolution of their relationship and the importance of the role they had in each other’s life.
While the chemistry between them was hot, I did on a few occasions have to suspend a degree of reality when it came to them hooking up in the field and their general hygiene. I have had the dubious pleasure of having first hand conversations about hygiene practices employed by army guys during field exercises and lets just say that I doubt the reality would be anyway near as hot as it is here lol.
Brief mention that this story does also deal with the content of a terminal cancer diagnosis in a parent, so please be gentle with yourself if this is a sensitive topic.
This was just a delightful little romance that I was happy to escape into and I can see myself coming back for a reread into the future.
Hudson's brain told him to say something real, something that mattered, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. What was he supposed to say? Don't go? Stay in touch? I think I might be in love with you even though that makes no fucking sense?
No. He couldn’t do that. That was never the deal. Besides, Hudson didn't fit into the future The General had mapped out for Shaw—and Shaw wasn't going to choose differently. That much had always been clear, and Hudson wasn’t setting himself up for heartbreak.
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Hudson Hale, is young, talented and brash and after rounds of testing and evaluations has finally made it through to the Selection, a military training program where those successful are assigned to the best and most esteemed military postings and Hudson wants to come out of the program on top. The biggest barrier to Hudsons ambitions come in the form of the serious, stoic and handsome Elliot Shaw, who with the looming expectations of his father Major General Shaw is equally driven to come out on top.
What starts initially as a rivalry, evolves into a successful partnership, and it’s not long before the draw to each other evolves into something more physical. But Hudson has never been attracted to men before, and they’re getting posted to other ends of the country in a matter of weeks, so whatever exists between them has to end when the program does, right?
I am always a little hesitant about going into military romances because I am not in to them being super patriotic but I cant deny that they are a fun sandbox for adventure and drama. I enjoyed that although this was a military romance, the elements of war and violence were never really the point and a vast majority of its role was to have the boys out in remote wilderness performing field exercises together, facilitating an initial rivalry and as a literary device to keep Hudson and Elliot apart from each other over the course of the book.
The yearning and pining over the years between Hudson and Elliot was delightful and felt very true to the characters, their internal motivations and the barriers present to their relationship. I enjoyed the use of the bi-awakening trope here, mainly in how much of a non-issue it ended up being. I was also under the impression that elements of internalised homophobia were going to be a much bigger plot point and was happy to find that outside of a little sexual awakening, it barely featured as an element at all.
It’s worth being aware that the story spans six years from them meeting at Selection and into their careers and they spend significant portions of that time not together and with varying degrees of contact. As such there is mentions to both characters having intimate experiences with other people, however, except for one brief instance its kept off page. I thought that the intimate interactions Elliot and Hudson had with other people was a device used well to facilitate their character growth, the evolution of their relationship and the importance of the role they had in each other’s life.
While the chemistry between them was hot, I did on a few occasions have to suspend a degree of reality when it came to them hooking up in the field and their general hygiene. I have had the dubious pleasure of having first hand conversations about hygiene practices employed by army guys during field exercises and lets just say that I doubt the reality would be anyway near as hot as it is here lol.
Brief mention that this story does also deal with the content of a terminal cancer diagnosis in a parent, so please be gentle with yourself if this is a sensitive topic.
This was just a delightful little romance that I was happy to escape into and I can see myself coming back for a reread into the future.
Hudson's brain told him to say something real, something that mattered, but his mouth wouldn't cooperate. What was he supposed to say? Don't go? Stay in touch? I think I might be in love with you even though that makes no fucking sense?
No. He couldn’t do that. That was never the deal. Besides, Hudson didn't fit into the future The General had mapped out for Shaw—and Shaw wasn't going to choose differently. That much had always been clear, and Hudson wasn’t setting himself up for heartbreak.
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July 31, 2026
I have so many thoughts but I'll try to keep this short. (Now that I finished my review I see I did not succeed, sorry).
The main reason why this "romance" didn't work for me was its inconsistent approach to the characters, their relationship and the military background.
Characters:
Hudson and Elliot were the best in their field, tough soldiers, trained for excellence. You can't give me two MCs who have given their all to be the best, who assess every risk and threat in their professional setting, can't afford to slip for one second but then throw all caution to the wind because of their supposedly irresistible attraction to fuck in storage rooms? I didn't buy it.
Relationship:
After the first part of the book we get time jumps, +1 year later, +1 year later, +1 year later, and these didn't help to convince me of a growing connection between Hudson and Elliot. They are apart for years, hook up with other people left and right (good for them!) because they don't think they'd ever meet again (hello social media and cell phones?), but when they sporadically, unexpectedly meet, feelings start to show up (via fucking, because they do not talk about this thing between them, obviously). THEN they start texting (yay! Cell phones!), and Hudson continues to hook up with other people because he thinks Elliott won't come out to his father.. yeah that sounded like such a flimsy excuse to me. He KNEW Elliot by then. We even have to go along with Hudson connecting with someone (Marco) on his leave with whom he stays every night for weeks because it's easy and feels right AND have to watch them having sex on page?!?? And later Hudson lays all the blame for why they couldn't have been together on Elliot? Lovely, scared Elliot? (I know he is a high profile soldier but come on, how could I not love him??).
Military background:
I don't know anything about the military, fights, strategy and war aside from what we hear on the news daily.
But. Using the military background to create tension and conflict between the characters, using their deployments to strategically separate them and make them fear for each others lives (and their friends' lives) and not acknowledging AT ALL what psychological impact being deployed in war zones, in Afghanistan and Syria might have on these soldiers? Overlooking all the ugly, awful and devastating circumstances of war to write a "will they, won't they" between soldiers doesn't feel right to me. At all.
There were other small issues I had (like: "The cabin was warm from the stove but the air still carried the cold of the mountains." I'm sorry, but... what? How?), the fact that the plot was very predictable (Elliott being needed because he spoke French? Yeah everyone knew what would happen..) or how the author decided to abandon issues they had created earlier because otherwise they would have gotten inconvenient (somebody threatened he knew they were hooking up, but when they started hooking up for real that person suddenly wasn't mentioned anymore?) ....but this review is already too long.
Oh one last thing, though.
Hudson gets back home from his latest war deployment, Elliot (it's his pov in this chapter) and Hudson's sister and Hudson's mom are waiting for Hudson at arrivals. His mom leaves to get coffees (?). Hudson arrives. Hugs Elliot. Hugs his sister. They leave. WHAT???? My son isn't a soldier on deployment (thank god) but nevertheless when he comes home (like, 3 times a year) I hug him for what feels like forever, what do you mean Hudson's loving mother just left to get coffee before even seeing him, and then the author forgot about her?!?!? Give her her much needed hug now that her son is back home, safe! Please and thank you.
The main reason why this "romance" didn't work for me was its inconsistent approach to the characters, their relationship and the military background.
Characters:
Hudson and Elliot were the best in their field, tough soldiers, trained for excellence. You can't give me two MCs who have given their all to be the best, who assess every risk and threat in their professional setting, can't afford to slip for one second but then throw all caution to the wind because of their supposedly irresistible attraction to fuck in storage rooms? I didn't buy it.
Relationship:
After the first part of the book we get time jumps, +1 year later, +1 year later, +1 year later, and these didn't help to convince me of a growing connection between Hudson and Elliot. They are apart for years, hook up with other people left and right (good for them!) because they don't think they'd ever meet again (hello social media and cell phones?), but when they sporadically, unexpectedly meet, feelings start to show up (via fucking, because they do not talk about this thing between them, obviously). THEN they start texting (yay! Cell phones!), and Hudson continues to hook up with other people because he thinks Elliott won't come out to his father.. yeah that sounded like such a flimsy excuse to me. He KNEW Elliot by then. We even have to go along with Hudson connecting with someone (Marco) on his leave with whom he stays every night for weeks because it's easy and feels right AND have to watch them having sex on page?!?? And later Hudson lays all the blame for why they couldn't have been together on Elliot? Lovely, scared Elliot? (I know he is a high profile soldier but come on, how could I not love him??).
Military background:
I don't know anything about the military, fights, strategy and war aside from what we hear on the news daily.
But. Using the military background to create tension and conflict between the characters, using their deployments to strategically separate them and make them fear for each others lives (and their friends' lives) and not acknowledging AT ALL what psychological impact being deployed in war zones, in Afghanistan and Syria might have on these soldiers? Overlooking all the ugly, awful and devastating circumstances of war to write a "will they, won't they" between soldiers doesn't feel right to me. At all.
There were other small issues I had (like: "The cabin was warm from the stove but the air still carried the cold of the mountains." I'm sorry, but... what? How?), the fact that the plot was very predictable (Elliott being needed because he spoke French? Yeah everyone knew what would happen..) or how the author decided to abandon issues they had created earlier because otherwise they would have gotten inconvenient (somebody threatened he knew they were hooking up, but when they started hooking up for real that person suddenly wasn't mentioned anymore?) ....but this review is already too long.
Oh one last thing, though.
Hudson gets back home from his latest war deployment, Elliot (it's his pov in this chapter) and Hudson's sister and Hudson's mom are waiting for Hudson at arrivals. His mom leaves to get coffees (?). Hudson arrives. Hugs Elliot. Hugs his sister. They leave. WHAT???? My son isn't a soldier on deployment (thank god) but nevertheless when he comes home (like, 3 times a year) I hug him for what feels like forever, what do you mean Hudson's loving mother just left to get coffee before even seeing him, and then the author forgot about her?!?!? Give her her much needed hug now that her son is back home, safe! Please and thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2026
I'd been hearing about this book for weeks, and I finally had to check it out after a friend wouldn't stop raving about it. This is a sweet, heartfelt military romance that gives you all the mushy feelings.
The forced proximity works really well here. You can feel the tension between Elliott and Hudson immediately, even before you understand exactly what that tension is. I loved watching their relationship develop. The way they slowly revealed theirselves to each other felt natural. The intimate scenes were tender and so sweet.
Watching Elliot’s soft side slowly emerge after a life of being told vulnerability is weakness was really satisfying. He's just such a gentle soul at heart.
The side characters are just as lovable. Reed is the absolute sweetest friend and the best dad. I love how he accepts everyone for who they are despite all their quirks.
As a debut novel, the writing style is great. I really enjoyed the minimal internal dialogue. However, a couple of things felt slightly unrealistic for the situation. The near death experiences felt like they should have caused a little emotional turmoil for our characters, but it seems like it’s brushed over quite quickly like it’s just a casual inconvenience. Also, the avoidance of the relationship developing further started to feel slightly forced after a while, as if there wasn't actually a strong enough reason for it to be occurring so long.
Despite those small critiques, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am definitely planning to continue the series to see where it goes.
The forced proximity works really well here. You can feel the tension between Elliott and Hudson immediately, even before you understand exactly what that tension is. I loved watching their relationship develop. The way they slowly revealed theirselves to each other felt natural. The intimate scenes were tender and so sweet.
Watching Elliot’s soft side slowly emerge after a life of being told vulnerability is weakness was really satisfying. He's just such a gentle soul at heart.
The side characters are just as lovable. Reed is the absolute sweetest friend and the best dad. I love how he accepts everyone for who they are despite all their quirks.
As a debut novel, the writing style is great. I really enjoyed the minimal internal dialogue. However, a couple of things felt slightly unrealistic for the situation. The near death experiences felt like they should have caused a little emotional turmoil for our characters, but it seems like it’s brushed over quite quickly like it’s just a casual inconvenience. Also, the avoidance of the relationship developing further started to feel slightly forced after a while, as if there wasn't actually a strong enough reason for it to be occurring so long.
Despite those small critiques, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am definitely planning to continue the series to see where it goes.
August 13, 2026
5⭐️ I loved everything about this book. The angst, the slow burn, the drawn-out, years-long push/pull between Hudson and Elliot. The romance was so sweet and the spice was great.
I even loved the side characters, especially Hudson’s sister Taylor!
The story sort of reminds me of Long Way Home by Nicky James.
I didn’t realize there was going to be a book 2.
This is definitely an author I will read again.
I even loved the side characters, especially Hudson’s sister Taylor!
The story sort of reminds me of Long Way Home by Nicky James.
I didn’t realize there was going to be a book 2.
This is definitely an author I will read again.
July 19, 2026
I could not get enough of this forbidden romance between selection recruits Elliot Shaw and Hudson Hale. These two have immediate chemistry but due to their position as military recruits their entanglement is nothing short of forbidden and could ruin their careers. This premise was what initially piqued my interest and I was blown away with the characterization and slow burn romance between Hale and Shaw.
Hale and Shaw are opposites in every way; Shaw is closed off, stern and quiet, while Hale is boisterous, extroverted and constantly cracking jokes. Their dynamic makes them the perfect pairing and the more they are forced to interact their apparent chemistry only becomes too much to ignore.
Overall I love this story, I read it in one sitting and I am so glad there will be a sequel because I cannot wait to explore the next phase in their relationship.
Hale and Shaw are opposites in every way; Shaw is closed off, stern and quiet, while Hale is boisterous, extroverted and constantly cracking jokes. Their dynamic makes them the perfect pairing and the more they are forced to interact their apparent chemistry only becomes too much to ignore.
Overall I love this story, I read it in one sitting and I am so glad there will be a sequel because I cannot wait to explore the next phase in their relationship.
won-t-read-bc-nopes
July 30, 2026The Nopes for me is the story spans 6 years of off/on encounters, including what sounds like fabulous pining/yearning, but both are with other people during all that time. Big no for me, but, if you like reality in your romance, this sounds otherwise wonderful. Read the lovely @Evie's review for the deets: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
@Drache (Angelika)’s review confirmed definite Nope. There is a relationship and on page sex with another character later in the story for one MC (who blames the other for that not working out? WHAT?! 😡🧐). Eww. Very much No.
Have at it, people who are far more sex-positive than me! 🫣😁💕
@Drache (Angelika)’s review confirmed definite Nope. There is a relationship and on page sex with another character later in the story for one MC (who blames the other for that not working out? WHAT?! 😡🧐). Eww. Very much No.
Have at it, people who are far more sex-positive than me! 🫣😁💕
September 15, 2026
Я залишилась задоволеною. Це той вид читання, який і не перевантажує, і залишає приємний післясмак. Авторка не замахується на геніальні військові стратегії, але при цьому читач відчуває усю цю військову атмосферу. Герої чудові, стосунки прекрасні, драма виправдана, секс пристрасний, а сюжет без просідань та зайвої води. Рекомендую
September 18, 2026
I absolutely loved this, couldn't put it down, finished it within like...12 hours or so, more or less.
Hudson and Elliot were prefect together, they had explosive chemistry and their interactions just burned off the page.
This story is told in 3 parts, with the first part taking part over 3 months while they're in training - a final training type thing? I don't know - before they're assigned to places in the actual army. Or specialization in the army? It's not entirely clear and I don't really care, the military aspect of this is more secondary than anything, which is fine with me. In reality the military is doing a lot of shitty things in the world, so in fiction and with pretty vague details one can just imagine an idealized world where our MC's are not ordered to carry out any atrocities and if they were, they would refuse - like they could in real life but don't *ahem* - and not commit things like...war crimes.
SOOOO anyway, the military stuff is more background for their love story. They have to do grueling things during training and they're partnered a lot during those 3 months, and it doesn't take long for them to start doing more while they're there.
It's so explosive, their chemistry, and their secret rendevous were so so hot. I saw a complaint about them getting hot and heavy and sneaking around and I had to laugh. Like...this is a Romance book. We're following a romance, and I'm absolutely sure - especially during Don't Ask, Don't Tell - that queer men DID find ways to sneak around and have sex in the military. It's perfectly fine for these two to do that, especially when it's so hot and fun to read.
Them having to make sure they're not caught or else potentially get kicked out of the military? High stakes shit, but them not being able to stay away from each other despite knowing the risk? That was so incredibly hot.
They truly fall in love during that time together over 3 months, and so to me their separation and subsequent meetings didn't feel like we need a ton to "build up their relationship" when we got all of that in the first part.
Seeing them still have that connection after all that time was fun, and sexy. Their first time meeting after 3 years apart when they agree to have sex and Elliot just goes for it with Hudson? Kissing him passionately mid-sentence? Hot AF.
I didn't like that they were with others in the 6 years they're not truly together, but the fact that we never saw any of it was good and they weren't together so that's fine. Seeing none of it on page and them being separated for so long.
Once they reconnected after 3 years, I kind of wish them with anyone else would have stopped, but to be fair, they're only with each other a one weekend a year later and then it's 2 years before they see each other again, so...2 times after that 3 months in 6 whole years? It's okay they were with others even though I would have preferred they weren't.
Also, I agree that the Marco bit was unnecessary. Although seeing complaints that there was sex on page made me go huh?? Where? We get a vague description of Hudson with him, but mostly him just thinking it's the first time he's able to enjoy sex outside of being with Elliot and not be putting on a show. And then a vague description another time of them starting sex and just once sentence of Marco enjoying what they did a lot.
Literally his time with Marco starts and ends in like...3 or 4 pages? Literally Elliot calls and Hudson forgets all about him, essentially. Tells Elliot about liking him before he's even broke up with Marco.
I mean, we should have gotten a thought from Hudson that he broke up with him - I'm assuming he did? In the week before he had to go back to his army tour because he and Elliot see each other a month into both of them on assignment and they get to it pretty damn fast, and Marco is never seen or heard from again. So...one assumes they broke up but it would have been nice to get that confirmation.
I didn't hate it enough to take anything off for it, though.
Marco was so inconsequential a character that his arc took place over 3 damn pages. He and Hudson date for like 3 weeks. Also I don't remember anywhere Hudson blaming Elliot for...not having more with him...or something? Don't know where that came from. I'm like...did I read the same book as some of these people? Because huh?
Anyway, yeah - they're with others during those 6 years in part 2, but they don't see each other for the first 3 and then are only with each other 2 times in 2 years. They text starting at that 3 year mark, but we don't see much of their conversations and we're told most of the time they don't get to deep with them. They keep in touch, though. So yeah, if you're able to get past that and all I detailed above, you'll love this.
I love knowing there's going to be a part 2, I can't wait for more Elliot and Hudson. They got a really strong HFN and now I'd love to see them get a HEA. Maybe ending with Hudson not on active duty anymore? That'd be preferable. Maybe still in the military just not going into danger all the time.
I absolutely can't wait, I couldn't put this down and can't wait for more, these two stole my heart.
Until then! ❤️
Hudson and Elliot were prefect together, they had explosive chemistry and their interactions just burned off the page.
This story is told in 3 parts, with the first part taking part over 3 months while they're in training - a final training type thing? I don't know - before they're assigned to places in the actual army. Or specialization in the army? It's not entirely clear and I don't really care, the military aspect of this is more secondary than anything, which is fine with me. In reality the military is doing a lot of shitty things in the world, so in fiction and with pretty vague details one can just imagine an idealized world where our MC's are not ordered to carry out any atrocities and if they were, they would refuse - like they could in real life but don't *ahem* - and not commit things like...war crimes.
SOOOO anyway, the military stuff is more background for their love story. They have to do grueling things during training and they're partnered a lot during those 3 months, and it doesn't take long for them to start doing more while they're there.
It's so explosive, their chemistry, and their secret rendevous were so so hot. I saw a complaint about them getting hot and heavy and sneaking around and I had to laugh. Like...this is a Romance book. We're following a romance, and I'm absolutely sure - especially during Don't Ask, Don't Tell - that queer men DID find ways to sneak around and have sex in the military. It's perfectly fine for these two to do that, especially when it's so hot and fun to read.
Them having to make sure they're not caught or else potentially get kicked out of the military? High stakes shit, but them not being able to stay away from each other despite knowing the risk? That was so incredibly hot.
They truly fall in love during that time together over 3 months, and so to me their separation and subsequent meetings didn't feel like we need a ton to "build up their relationship" when we got all of that in the first part.
Seeing them still have that connection after all that time was fun, and sexy. Their first time meeting after 3 years apart when they agree to have sex and Elliot just goes for it with Hudson? Kissing him passionately mid-sentence? Hot AF.
I didn't like that they were with others in the 6 years they're not truly together, but the fact that we never saw any of it was good and they weren't together so that's fine. Seeing none of it on page and them being separated for so long.
Once they reconnected after 3 years, I kind of wish them with anyone else would have stopped, but to be fair, they're only with each other a one weekend a year later and then it's 2 years before they see each other again, so...2 times after that 3 months in 6 whole years? It's okay they were with others even though I would have preferred they weren't.
Also, I agree that the Marco bit was unnecessary. Although seeing complaints that there was sex on page made me go huh?? Where? We get a vague description of Hudson with him, but mostly him just thinking it's the first time he's able to enjoy sex outside of being with Elliot and not be putting on a show. And then a vague description another time of them starting sex and just once sentence of Marco enjoying what they did a lot.
Literally his time with Marco starts and ends in like...3 or 4 pages? Literally Elliot calls and Hudson forgets all about him, essentially. Tells Elliot about liking him before he's even broke up with Marco.
I mean, we should have gotten a thought from Hudson that he broke up with him - I'm assuming he did? In the week before he had to go back to his army tour because he and Elliot see each other a month into both of them on assignment and they get to it pretty damn fast, and Marco is never seen or heard from again. So...one assumes they broke up but it would have been nice to get that confirmation.
I didn't hate it enough to take anything off for it, though.
Marco was so inconsequential a character that his arc took place over 3 damn pages. He and Hudson date for like 3 weeks. Also I don't remember anywhere Hudson blaming Elliot for...not having more with him...or something? Don't know where that came from. I'm like...did I read the same book as some of these people? Because huh?
Anyway, yeah - they're with others during those 6 years in part 2, but they don't see each other for the first 3 and then are only with each other 2 times in 2 years. They text starting at that 3 year mark, but we don't see much of their conversations and we're told most of the time they don't get to deep with them. They keep in touch, though. So yeah, if you're able to get past that and all I detailed above, you'll love this.
I love knowing there's going to be a part 2, I can't wait for more Elliot and Hudson. They got a really strong HFN and now I'd love to see them get a HEA. Maybe ending with Hudson not on active duty anymore? That'd be preferable. Maybe still in the military just not going into danger all the time.
I absolutely can't wait, I couldn't put this down and can't wait for more, these two stole my heart.
Until then! ❤️
July 8, 2026
Oh wow! Another debut that rocked me! The push and pull between the MCs was so intense. I was truly emotional! Definitely a hard earned and well deserved HEA!
September 9, 2026
6/5 ⭐
My kind of book❤️. This is genuinely one of the best mm books I have read in a while. I am so happy that I came across a random redditor's review of this gem and decided to give this a try. Also Elliot and Hudson reminded me so much of hollanov ❤️
My kind of book❤️. This is genuinely one of the best mm books I have read in a while. I am so happy that I came across a random redditor's review of this gem and decided to give this a try. Also Elliot and Hudson reminded me so much of hollanov ❤️
August 28, 2026
On Your Six by Eleonora Larsen drops readers right into it. Special Forces Selection. Which means competition, tension, aches and pains, and perhaps a storage room hookup or two. Selection screens 30 of the military’s best of the best for 12 weeks. At the end of it all? There will be 20 eligible for the most elite, badass military assignments. This is where Elliot Shaw and Hudson Hale meet and compete. This is where we meet them!
I have to start by saying I could see these characters so clearly. Right from the jump. Hudson’s piercing blue eyes, grin, and easy confidence paired up alongside Shaw’s “almost smile”, silence, and controlled intensity oh-so perfectly. The way they matched up, riled each other up, and eventually and a little begrudgingly respected each other kept me locked in with a smile on my face. I loved the energy! They worked so well together. Oh, boy did they work! Shaw and Hudson throw some heat. I could see and feel the spark between them. Like the first match between them on the mats? The looks, lingering touches, and body to body action made my toes curl! Very hot. But these men are in the midst of the hardest physical and mental examination and rivalry they’ll ever face. Is this pull of attraction between them worth the risk? Risk of being found out. Risk of distraction. Risk of getting hurt. YES! Yes, I tell you.
“There was no softness to it, no exploration, only Shaw’s mouth on his, demanding and possessive and holy shit Hudson’s brain was shirt-circuiting.”
One ingredient that really added to the magnetic pull between these two was the awareness of each other. From body movements to breathing to just always knowing where the other stood in the rankings. They saw each other. Knew each other! Or wanted to know each other more. Like Shaw knew Hale was going to talk his ear off on watch. As Shaw put it, Hale was always “inserting himself into Elliot’s operational space”. Ha! Hale couldn’t help himself. He had to keep pushing to see if he could crack Shaw’s control. Shaw “didn’t let himself exist in moments without calculating next steps, assessing risks, planning exit strategies.” But how could he have planned for Hudson Hale? Whoops…I can Hudson-Shaw talk for days. Let me pull myself together here.
After 3 months of Selection, the book breaks down into chapters titled "years since Selection". We jump from a wedding one year to a visit another year to simply beautiful and brutal moments of heartbreak and joy. I adored every single one of these moments and meetups over the years. My heart leaped, broke, laughed, and cried. Because we get to view these men in different ways and stages in life as they grow and discover what they want. The want is palpable. You’ll feel it! BUT they both needed to learn to fight for what they wanted in this world. I won’t get too much into their backgrounds. You need to feel that yourself. Just know that Elliot needed to fight for HIS dreams and desires. And Hudson had to see that not everyone leaves. He’s worth fighting and staying for!
Okay, my final full-of-love point here—I swear! Is my favorite element of this story. It’s the risk factor. And I’m not talking life or death. Or maybe I am. Life can change in an instant. No one knows that more than a soldier. We should all know that truth though. So go live your life. Go after what you want. Learn what and who you want. Don’t wait. Don’t just exist—go live! It’s scary, I know. Hell, even these elite badasses know how scary risking your heart on love can be. Come see if Hudson and Shaw step up and risk it all for each other.
I highly recommend this one. Hudson and Shaw’s journey will make your heart happy. These pages are full of fun side characters, huge humor, meaning, sexy growls, and tactical maneuvering. :)
I haven’t written a full review in a while, so please forgive this messy attempt at one. I just needed to give these guys some love.
A couple more points of LOVE.
(Apparently, I’ve been hanging out with Hudson too much. I can’t shut up!)
I love this line…
“Getting out of bed would require a coordinated effort from multiple body parts that currently wanted nothing to do with each other.”
I LOVE how Hudson beams whenever he makes Shaw laugh. Which isn't easy!
*sigh* Yup, as you can tell, I have it bad for these two.
READ THIS BOOK.
June 29, 2026
✨ ARC review ✨
🩶 On Your Six by Eleonora Larsen 🩶
"Does it ever get exhausting? Living up to someone else's expectations?" he asked into the dark. "Every single day."
OH. MY. GOD. 😭 i was NOT expecting this to be such an emotional read but i shed alllll the tears!! i want to say congrats to the author on their debut and i am excited to see what they have planned for the future! here’s the thing about me: i do not usually enjoy military settings when reading. but when a friend suggested that i check this one out, i knew i had to, since we have similar taste in books. WHEW. im soooo glad i listened, because im telling you.. i was just blown away. what a beautiful love story.
On Your Six revolves around Elliot (Shaw), our controlled MC who has his life planned out for him and Hudson (Hale), our more outgoing MC who could honestly probably have a conversation with a wall HAHAHA. they both begin to question themselves after they meet during Selection and start to become close. one thing leads to another and the secret hookups begin 🤭 but what happens when they are both forced to go their separate ways? does it even matter? was it really that serious? i mean, according to Shaw, they aren’t a couple, so probably not. unless…. 👀
the book follows the MCs through the years after Selection, which i absolutely loved. we get to see how they change, how they deal with life, and how they undeniably always find a way back to each other. i won’t go into much detail, because hellooooo ya gotta read the book for yourself!! but there were times i wanted to scream at them to get their shit together, and other times i wanted to cry because i understood why it was so hard for them to accept certain things. like Elliot. he grew so much by the end of the book. btw, he SCARED ME. DONT EVER DO THAT AGAIN. SERIOUSLY.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this was a SIX STAR read for me! there was absolutely nothing i didn’t like about it, and honestly i wish i had more of these two 🥰
some tidbits:
🩶 rivals to lovers
🩶 amazing side characters (im talking to you, Reed and Taylor 🥹)
🩶 the best banter
🩶 THE YEARNING
🩶 forced proximity
🩶 daddy issues 😅
🩶 bi awakening
🩶 THE TATTOO!! 😭
🩶 On Your Six by Eleonora Larsen 🩶
"Does it ever get exhausting? Living up to someone else's expectations?" he asked into the dark. "Every single day."
OH. MY. GOD. 😭 i was NOT expecting this to be such an emotional read but i shed alllll the tears!! i want to say congrats to the author on their debut and i am excited to see what they have planned for the future! here’s the thing about me: i do not usually enjoy military settings when reading. but when a friend suggested that i check this one out, i knew i had to, since we have similar taste in books. WHEW. im soooo glad i listened, because im telling you.. i was just blown away. what a beautiful love story.
On Your Six revolves around Elliot (Shaw), our controlled MC who has his life planned out for him and Hudson (Hale), our more outgoing MC who could honestly probably have a conversation with a wall HAHAHA. they both begin to question themselves after they meet during Selection and start to become close. one thing leads to another and the secret hookups begin 🤭 but what happens when they are both forced to go their separate ways? does it even matter? was it really that serious? i mean, according to Shaw, they aren’t a couple, so probably not. unless…. 👀
the book follows the MCs through the years after Selection, which i absolutely loved. we get to see how they change, how they deal with life, and how they undeniably always find a way back to each other. i won’t go into much detail, because hellooooo ya gotta read the book for yourself!! but there were times i wanted to scream at them to get their shit together, and other times i wanted to cry because i understood why it was so hard for them to accept certain things. like Elliot. he grew so much by the end of the book. btw, he SCARED ME. DONT EVER DO THAT AGAIN. SERIOUSLY.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this was a SIX STAR read for me! there was absolutely nothing i didn’t like about it, and honestly i wish i had more of these two 🥰
some tidbits:
🩶 rivals to lovers
🩶 amazing side characters (im talking to you, Reed and Taylor 🥹)
🩶 the best banter
🩶 THE YEARNING
🩶 forced proximity
🩶 daddy issues 😅
🩶 bi awakening
🩶 THE TATTOO!! 😭
August 24, 2026
AI slop
July 11, 2026
This is why I read books- emotional and captivating
Absolutely loved the characters and storyline
Absolutely loved the characters and storyline
Review of advance copy received from Author
5⭐️ Det tog kun 3 dage at læse den her bog, da jeg bare ikke kunne lægge den fra mig. Var opslugt af karakterene, følte med dem hele vejen igennem, både det gode og det dårlig🥺
Og lad os ikke glemme the yearning mellem de to
hovedkaraktere, ja tak😩
Og lad os ikke glemme the yearning mellem de to
hovedkaraktere, ja tak😩
August 15, 2026
Reads like AI. Why is there no real detail about anything. Characters. Scenery. Training. Locations. All that is problematic enough but the plot? Ugh just no.
August 27, 2026
DNF at 70%. The book started off strong with great tension, but I just couldn't root for their romance in the end, so I'm jumping ship before it completely ruins the impression.
The author's writing style is clean and mercifully free of endless, boring internal monologues, though I do think the pacing could've moved along a bit faster.
That said, aside from the romance, there isn't really a driving main plot. The boot camp, the different military postings—they're all just window dressing and forced-proximity or forced-separation tools to service the love story. And once the romance itself failed to click for me, the whole thing just felt way too thin.
Up to the 70% mark, Elliot still hasn't pushed back against his dictatorial father at all, so I've completely lost patience with this plot point, too.
And let's be honest: in an era where you can communicate 24/7/365, if two people care that little about each other and take four whole years just to exchange contact info through a third party, that isn't a romance. That doesn't even qualify as friends-with-benefits.
Let's call it quits on this forced performance—I'm officially checked out.
The author's writing style is clean and mercifully free of endless, boring internal monologues, though I do think the pacing could've moved along a bit faster.
That said, aside from the romance, there isn't really a driving main plot. The boot camp, the different military postings—they're all just window dressing and forced-proximity or forced-separation tools to service the love story. And once the romance itself failed to click for me, the whole thing just felt way too thin.
Up to the 70% mark, Elliot still hasn't pushed back against his dictatorial father at all, so I've completely lost patience with this plot point, too.
And let's be honest: in an era where you can communicate 24/7/365, if two people care that little about each other and take four whole years just to exchange contact info through a third party, that isn't a romance. That doesn't even qualify as friends-with-benefits.
Let's call it quits on this forced performance—I'm officially checked out.
September 12, 2026
I absolutely LOVED this book. All of it. The military aspect. The rivalry. The heat. The secrecy. The heart-gripping, life-altering scenes where they nearly died. I was completely invested in every single part of their story.
And that HEA ending?! Chef’s kiss. AMAZING. ❤️🔥
And that HEA ending?! Chef’s kiss. AMAZING. ❤️🔥
October 10, 2026
Heated Rivarly but make it military👀 a nice story overall, quite enjoyed this one💕
July 6, 2026
Just what I needed!
Lately mm books are repetitive and this was such a nice change from the rest! I absolutely LOVED Elliot and Hudson. They had such a sweet and intense connection that was shown through every page of this book. I cannot wait to see more from this author.
Lately mm books are repetitive and this was such a nice change from the rest! I absolutely LOVED Elliot and Hudson. They had such a sweet and intense connection that was shown through every page of this book. I cannot wait to see more from this author.
July 19, 2026
4.5 stars
October 1, 2026
This was not a slow burn or medium heat. This was very hot and fast to sex sloooow to the relationship.
There were parts I loved but many parts I scratched my head on. All the side relationships and almost THE BIG MISUNDERSTANDING took place like an MF book 🙄. Luckily that was resolved semi-quickly but it was annoying just the same. It did NOT need to be there for a plot point.. hence 4 stars. ⭐️ Plus, I just felt like there was something missing.
This was good and I guess there will be a sequel? Not sure why because it seems like you’d just mess up their relationship with a book 2. The father was left a bit unfinished but I kinda prefer that than giving him redemption. He’s an epic asshole. He needs to stay that way 🤣🤣🤣
Anyway… worth the read.
There were parts I loved but many parts I scratched my head on. All the side relationships and almost THE BIG MISUNDERSTANDING took place like an MF book 🙄. Luckily that was resolved semi-quickly but it was annoying just the same. It did NOT need to be there for a plot point.. hence 4 stars. ⭐️ Plus, I just felt like there was something missing.
This was good and I guess there will be a sequel? Not sure why because it seems like you’d just mess up their relationship with a book 2. The father was left a bit unfinished but I kinda prefer that than giving him redemption. He’s an epic asshole. He needs to stay that way 🤣🤣🤣
Anyway… worth the read.
July 21, 2026
Wow...this book was such an unexpected surprise. I first saw it on Instagram and was immediately intrigued by the gorgeous cover and the fact that it was a military romance. I had no idea I was going to love it as much as I did. This story completely hooked me from beginning to end with its riveting plot, painfully good slow burn, bi awakening, and incredibly emotional love story.
Hudson and Elliott meet during Army Special Forces training and form an instant connection. Hudson has always considered himself straight, but for the first time in his life, he finds himself undeniably attracted to another man. As they're repeatedly paired together throughout training, their bond deepens into something neither of them can ignore. But with military policies threatening both of their careers if their relationship is discovered, they have no choice but to keep their feelings hidden. The TENSION between these two was everything- and was writtten so well- I couldn't get enough!
The emotional journey these two go on absolutely wrecked me. It was heartbreaking to watch them part ways at the end of selection with no resolution (just a handshake?!), only to reconnect and then drift apart again over the course of six years. I loved how their lives seemed to run in parallel—constantly circling each other without quite intersecting—as they each wrestled with their feelings and questioned whether a future together was ever really possible.
Elliott's character arc was especially moving. Watching him struggle between living the life his father expected of him and choosing the life that truly made him happy was beautifully done. Seeing him slowly let down his walls and decide that Hudson was worth the risk made every bit of the slow burn worthwhile. And Hudson? He was the ultimate golden retriever hero. I loved how he could see through Elliott's serious, stoic exterior and understand the man underneath. His unwavering patience, kindness, and love for Elliott made him impossible not to adore.
The supporting cast was just as memorable. Reed was the absolute best wingman—accepting, supportive, and always cheering them on in their relationship. And Major Okafor's conversation with Elliott had me completely in my feelings.
Part Three had me on the edge of my seat, and the payoff was everything I hoped it would be. The ending delivered such a beautiful, hard-earned HEA. My only complaint is that I wanted a longer epilogue because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Hudson and Elliott.
If you love heartfelt MM romances with emotional depth, compelling suspense, unforgettable characters, and a romance that truly earns its happily ever after, don't sleep on this one.
Tropes:
Military romance
Friends to lovers
Slow burn
Bi awakening
Forbidden romance
Second chances
Forced proximity
Emotional angst
Found family
HEA
Hudson and Elliott meet during Army Special Forces training and form an instant connection. Hudson has always considered himself straight, but for the first time in his life, he finds himself undeniably attracted to another man. As they're repeatedly paired together throughout training, their bond deepens into something neither of them can ignore. But with military policies threatening both of their careers if their relationship is discovered, they have no choice but to keep their feelings hidden. The TENSION between these two was everything- and was writtten so well- I couldn't get enough!
The emotional journey these two go on absolutely wrecked me. It was heartbreaking to watch them part ways at the end of selection with no resolution (just a handshake?!), only to reconnect and then drift apart again over the course of six years. I loved how their lives seemed to run in parallel—constantly circling each other without quite intersecting—as they each wrestled with their feelings and questioned whether a future together was ever really possible.
Elliott's character arc was especially moving. Watching him struggle between living the life his father expected of him and choosing the life that truly made him happy was beautifully done. Seeing him slowly let down his walls and decide that Hudson was worth the risk made every bit of the slow burn worthwhile. And Hudson? He was the ultimate golden retriever hero. I loved how he could see through Elliott's serious, stoic exterior and understand the man underneath. His unwavering patience, kindness, and love for Elliott made him impossible not to adore.
The supporting cast was just as memorable. Reed was the absolute best wingman—accepting, supportive, and always cheering them on in their relationship. And Major Okafor's conversation with Elliott had me completely in my feelings.
Part Three had me on the edge of my seat, and the payoff was everything I hoped it would be. The ending delivered such a beautiful, hard-earned HEA. My only complaint is that I wanted a longer epilogue because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Hudson and Elliott.
If you love heartfelt MM romances with emotional depth, compelling suspense, unforgettable characters, and a romance that truly earns its happily ever after, don't sleep on this one.
Tropes:
Military romance
Friends to lovers
Slow burn
Bi awakening
Forbidden romance
Second chances
Forced proximity
Emotional angst
Found family
HEA
September 28, 2026
I’m not entirely convinced by how realistic the portrayal of military life was, and there were a few things I didn’t love, while some of the plot twists were pretty predictable. But I still had a great time reading it because honestly, what could be better than two idiots in love convincing themselves and everyone around them that it’s just a hookup while pining for each other for YEARS?
July 3, 2026
Not finished yet but I'm very much enjoying. The sex scenes have the rare quality of being hot without being cringey.
August 7, 2026
Contender for top read of the year??
August 22, 2026
Egads! Taylor, Hudson's sister, is a gross character. It's not cool, it's not cute. It's wrong in this genre especially to have a character like this. Treating her brother's uncertainty about his sexuality like it's some kind of social science experiment. This book was going well until this insensitive ick factor was put on page.
It goes down hill from Taylor. It's also very Heated Rivalry-esque. Like HR fanfic.
The author loves efficient. He moved efficiently. They moved efficiently. Economically.
And the pages of filler. Plus they are apart for far t o o long.
Why didn't they communicate with a mobile phone instead of the self purgatory they put themselves into? I love some pining but this was crazy. Years of pining. But they don't catch up or try. Reed, their mutual friend, mentioned it, there is such a thing as phones and phone sex, guys.
It goes down hill from Taylor. It's also very Heated Rivalry-esque. Like HR fanfic.
The author loves efficient. He moved efficiently. They moved efficiently. Economically.
And the pages of filler. Plus they are apart for far t o o long.
Why didn't they communicate with a mobile phone instead of the self purgatory they put themselves into? I love some pining but this was crazy. Years of pining. But they don't catch up or try. Reed, their mutual friend, mentioned it, there is such a thing as phones and phone sex, guys.
August 14, 2026
For a book that claims to not be written with ai it sure reads like ChatGPT made it!
August 23, 2026
Wow, okay. I ate this shit up. Like genuinely devoured this book with a breathlessness that I haven't felt in a hot minute. I also haven't read a good military MM in forever, and I used to be really into them before I understood how cartoonishly evil the military industrial complex actually is. But anyway, systemic critiques aside, this book was incredible.
We meet two (I think?) Army Rangers who are at Selection - which is basically them being put through their paces to get choice assignments. Hudson Hale is wise-cracking, likeable and competitive, while Elliot Shaw is serious, contained and determined - and also the son of a famous general with all the burdens this entails. These two get paired up for various tasks and while Elliot, who is queer but very closeted, cannot stand Hudson at first, he eventually acknowledges that he is pretty attracted to him. Hudson starts out straight and it takes him a while to realize what is happening between them. I wouldn't quite call it enemies to lovers, but they aren't exactly friends either. When it happens though, their chemistry is electric and their very different personalities makes for excellent banter and tension. They embark on this like forbidden secret affair in a very high risk environment and it is delicious. But it has a clear expiration date when they are sent off to opposite sides of the country, and at the time, neither man really understands the significance of their relationship.
The rest of the book unfolds with them apart more than together, with neither of them able to shake the other, and then having these brief intersecting moments that become more and more significant as the years go on. It's a classic idiots in love story, where both of them are so obviously falling but neither will admit it. They yearn for YEARS. Again, delicious.
I won't say a lot about the end, we get some brief, but really harrowing action and an aching, satisfying conclusion with the promise of more. It was a beautifully crafted story with two distinct and sympathetic characters and it hit every mark I look for in a romance. Brownie points for the author stating explicitly that no AI was used in the creation of the book - I actively look for this now. Anyway, I could not recommend it more and am very eagerly awaiting book 2.
We meet two (I think?) Army Rangers who are at Selection - which is basically them being put through their paces to get choice assignments. Hudson Hale is wise-cracking, likeable and competitive, while Elliot Shaw is serious, contained and determined - and also the son of a famous general with all the burdens this entails. These two get paired up for various tasks and while Elliot, who is queer but very closeted, cannot stand Hudson at first, he eventually acknowledges that he is pretty attracted to him. Hudson starts out straight and it takes him a while to realize what is happening between them. I wouldn't quite call it enemies to lovers, but they aren't exactly friends either. When it happens though, their chemistry is electric and their very different personalities makes for excellent banter and tension. They embark on this like forbidden secret affair in a very high risk environment and it is delicious. But it has a clear expiration date when they are sent off to opposite sides of the country, and at the time, neither man really understands the significance of their relationship.
The rest of the book unfolds with them apart more than together, with neither of them able to shake the other, and then having these brief intersecting moments that become more and more significant as the years go on. It's a classic idiots in love story, where both of them are so obviously falling but neither will admit it. They yearn for YEARS. Again, delicious.
I won't say a lot about the end, we get some brief, but really harrowing action and an aching, satisfying conclusion with the promise of more. It was a beautifully crafted story with two distinct and sympathetic characters and it hit every mark I look for in a romance. Brownie points for the author stating explicitly that no AI was used in the creation of the book - I actively look for this now. Anyway, I could not recommend it more and am very eagerly awaiting book 2.
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