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Beyond Duty #1
Beyond Duty
The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell didn’t come soon enough for Gunther "Gunny" Duchene and Macalister "Mac" Jones, career US Marines who met at boot camp in the 1990s. They’ve been somewhere between best friends and lovers in peacetime and wartime both, but as the clock ticks toward Mac’s and Gunny’s retirements, the guys have much more to worry about than coming out.
Whether their relationship will survive outside of the closet they’ve had to shove it into for over two decades is a big question mark. After all, Gunny questions why a hot military man like Mac--who could get any guy he wanted, including a younger, sexier one--would want him. But as Gunny and Mac navigate emotional waters as choppy as any they saw on duty, they just might learn Semper Fi applies to more than their careers.
This edition is the expanded novel of the short story Beyond Duty which has been included in this novel. However it has been edited and changed to 3rd person POV.
Whether their relationship will survive outside of the closet they’ve had to shove it into for over two decades is a big question mark. After all, Gunny questions why a hot military man like Mac--who could get any guy he wanted, including a younger, sexier one--would want him. But as Gunny and Mac navigate emotional waters as choppy as any they saw on duty, they just might learn Semper Fi applies to more than their careers.
This edition is the expanded novel of the short story Beyond Duty which has been included in this novel. However it has been edited and changed to 3rd person POV.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 1, 2013
27 people are currently reading
1105 people want to read
About the author
S.J.D. Peterson
52 books1,018 followersIt's been an amazing journey since DSP first contracted Lorcan's Desire in January 2011. I've published 2 free reads with the M/M Romance group, my back list is growing, met some great people and have made some amazing friends.
I'm still in shock that I'm listed among the many talented authors at Dreamspinner Press! The little voice in the back of my head is screaming, "You are so out of your league."
Shhhhh I won't tell them if you don't :)
You can call me Jo, everyone does :)
I'm still in shock that I'm listed among the many talented authors at Dreamspinner Press! The little voice in the back of my head is screaming, "You are so out of your league."
Shhhhh I won't tell them if you don't :)
You can call me Jo, everyone does :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
June 19, 2018
5 HUGE STARS ~ EXCELLENT, AMAZING and just SO DAMN GOOD!!! …I can’t even begin to explain just how much I loved this book… Two growly Alpha Males who also happen to be Marines, this book made me SooOoo HAPPY!
![Mac and Gunny 2_thumb[1]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380427919i/855703.jpg)
SJD Peterson has done it yet again and WOWED me with two characters that so completely took over my heart and mind for the duration… these two strong alpha males are men you will not forget in a hurry. Her writing and characterisation always seems to draw me in and I connect with them, I suppose some authors just touch us more than others, but for me she brings her characters to life and creates unforgettable men, people I want to know… and in my mind they become real, as far as I am concerned that is a gift and SJD Peterson has it in spades!
At the heart of Beyond Duty, the story of Mac and Gunny, is friendship, but most of all love, its very being… is love, soul deep, unconditional, undisputable, passionate, heart-warming… A love that cannot and will not be diminished by any stupid laws and bigotry, a love that has lasted for over 22 years… I felt it, touched it, and basked in it. I want to be part of their lives, I want phone calls and emails on how they are doing, I just don’t want to be parted from them, because the love they have for each other truly touched me and left me starry eyed… YES, I fell utterly and totally head over heels for Mac and Gunny.
Every aspect of their lives and relationship had for so long not only been dictated by the Military, but also the ridiculous and unfair DADT Law, (quite frankly I have no idea how it ever came to be, it sounds like some rule in a kids playground game!) now with the reprieve of the law and their retirement imminent their very existence and everything they have known for the last 22 years is thrown into uncertainty.
Throughout Gunny’s career as a Gunnery Sergeant he was a man in control, fierce and in charge, yet with Mac all he wanted was to let go of it all and give that control and power over to the only man he ever trusted implicitly. Mac made him fly, forget and find that place inside him where only peace existed, and Ohhh how he yearned to please his lover… give that part of him that no one else had ever seen, he belonged to Mac, loved him, and was scared shitless that with their retirement looming Mac would no longer need Gunny and that prospect was more than he could bare, he trusted Mac with his life but the doubt churning up his insides was clouding his judgement and he was afraid to tell Mac exactly how he felt.
Retirement for Mac was the promise of endless days and nights together, to spend the rest of his life with his best friend, lover and boy, just the thought of it made him heady… his excitement for their future together involved marriage, and their retirement ceremony in the company of family and friends was just the beginning of wanting to make a commitment to the man that had had his heart from their first day at boot camp. All he needed to do now was let Gunny in on his plans.
These two men complement each other in every way, whilst they are both cocky, big hard ass Marines, full of banter that had me laughing out loud, they are also sensitive, caring and considerate and I like that SJD showed this vulnerable side of two men that could put anyone in their place with just a glance. Mac is a larger than life character, a possessive growly marine, a joker, full of life, enthusiasm and optimistic about the future, but he is also a realist, he is aware of the bigotry of others but hiding his love for his big brute of a man, is no longer an option… public displays of affection is what he wants, well that and a lifetime of morning cuddles and blowjobs! Gunny is more reserved, a worrier, both of them have been in the closet for 22 years and coming out to family and friends fills him with trepidation, especially when the realisation of their true feelings for the past 22 years has only just hit him head on, but Mac as always, is there to ground him and take away his self-inflicted torment.
For the most part though Mac and Gunny act like a couple of overgrown school boys and I loved this side to their relationship, Mac and his pouting and Gunny with his grumpiness only endeared them to me more… they are human with all the faults and frailties that come with it, and they have the kind of love that some of us can only dream of but it wasn’t an easy road for them, coming out to their parents, their own emotional struggles, dealing with Mac’s arse of a brother and Gunny’s indifferent parents all combined to make their relationship stronger and if possible their love only became more intense and believe me together they were combustible and just left me in a puddle of lust, tingling from head to toe, two alpha males and lots of hard and heavy sex, hell… I was growling!
These two had me laughing, crying, but mostly damn happy and… they got their HEA, Mac’s declaration of love for Gunny had me blubbering along with the speech at the retirement ceremony, and the end… not only was I crying ugly tears at the beautiful ending but I also felt bereft, I didn’t want to leave them, I wanted MORE!!! SJD Peterson has left us with an opening and I am hoping it is the possibility of Mac and Gunny exploring the BDSM side to their relationship that has only so far been skirted on, I will beg if I have to!
For more reviews check out our blog Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
![Mac and Gunny 2_thumb[1]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kpQdZnwuxZg/UfuM23leK8I/AAAAAAAAELA/VvqjGWJTiQY/s1600-h/Mac%252520and%252520Gunny%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D%25255B4%25255D.jpg)
SJD Peterson has done it yet again and WOWED me with two characters that so completely took over my heart and mind for the duration… these two strong alpha males are men you will not forget in a hurry. Her writing and characterisation always seems to draw me in and I connect with them, I suppose some authors just touch us more than others, but for me she brings her characters to life and creates unforgettable men, people I want to know… and in my mind they become real, as far as I am concerned that is a gift and SJD Peterson has it in spades!
At the heart of Beyond Duty, the story of Mac and Gunny, is friendship, but most of all love, its very being… is love, soul deep, unconditional, undisputable, passionate, heart-warming… A love that cannot and will not be diminished by any stupid laws and bigotry, a love that has lasted for over 22 years… I felt it, touched it, and basked in it. I want to be part of their lives, I want phone calls and emails on how they are doing, I just don’t want to be parted from them, because the love they have for each other truly touched me and left me starry eyed… YES, I fell utterly and totally head over heels for Mac and Gunny.
Every aspect of their lives and relationship had for so long not only been dictated by the Military, but also the ridiculous and unfair DADT Law, (quite frankly I have no idea how it ever came to be, it sounds like some rule in a kids playground game!) now with the reprieve of the law and their retirement imminent their very existence and everything they have known for the last 22 years is thrown into uncertainty.
Throughout Gunny’s career as a Gunnery Sergeant he was a man in control, fierce and in charge, yet with Mac all he wanted was to let go of it all and give that control and power over to the only man he ever trusted implicitly. Mac made him fly, forget and find that place inside him where only peace existed, and Ohhh how he yearned to please his lover… give that part of him that no one else had ever seen, he belonged to Mac, loved him, and was scared shitless that with their retirement looming Mac would no longer need Gunny and that prospect was more than he could bare, he trusted Mac with his life but the doubt churning up his insides was clouding his judgement and he was afraid to tell Mac exactly how he felt.
Retirement for Mac was the promise of endless days and nights together, to spend the rest of his life with his best friend, lover and boy, just the thought of it made him heady… his excitement for their future together involved marriage, and their retirement ceremony in the company of family and friends was just the beginning of wanting to make a commitment to the man that had had his heart from their first day at boot camp. All he needed to do now was let Gunny in on his plans.
These two men complement each other in every way, whilst they are both cocky, big hard ass Marines, full of banter that had me laughing out loud, they are also sensitive, caring and considerate and I like that SJD showed this vulnerable side of two men that could put anyone in their place with just a glance. Mac is a larger than life character, a possessive growly marine, a joker, full of life, enthusiasm and optimistic about the future, but he is also a realist, he is aware of the bigotry of others but hiding his love for his big brute of a man, is no longer an option… public displays of affection is what he wants, well that and a lifetime of morning cuddles and blowjobs! Gunny is more reserved, a worrier, both of them have been in the closet for 22 years and coming out to family and friends fills him with trepidation, especially when the realisation of their true feelings for the past 22 years has only just hit him head on, but Mac as always, is there to ground him and take away his self-inflicted torment.
For the most part though Mac and Gunny act like a couple of overgrown school boys and I loved this side to their relationship, Mac and his pouting and Gunny with his grumpiness only endeared them to me more… they are human with all the faults and frailties that come with it, and they have the kind of love that some of us can only dream of but it wasn’t an easy road for them, coming out to their parents, their own emotional struggles, dealing with Mac’s arse of a brother and Gunny’s indifferent parents all combined to make their relationship stronger and if possible their love only became more intense and believe me together they were combustible and just left me in a puddle of lust, tingling from head to toe, two alpha males and lots of hard and heavy sex, hell… I was growling!
These two had me laughing, crying, but mostly damn happy and… they got their HEA, Mac’s declaration of love for Gunny had me blubbering along with the speech at the retirement ceremony, and the end… not only was I crying ugly tears at the beautiful ending but I also felt bereft, I didn’t want to leave them, I wanted MORE!!! SJD Peterson has left us with an opening and I am hoping it is the possibility of Mac and Gunny exploring the BDSM side to their relationship that has only so far been skirted on, I will beg if I have to!
For more reviews check out our blog Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews
September 1, 2016
When I saw this book for review in the audio edition, I HAD to try it. I feel like "Beyond Duty" is somewhat of a must read if you like M/M military books. I mean, two career Marines getting together? All that manliness and testosterone?! YUM! And some mild kink never hurt anyone, nuh uh.
Let's get right to it. I'm historically not a fan of established couples, and this book is basically an established couple story. Gunny and Mac have been exclusive for years, and though their relationship title was never established, they were essentially 100% a couple for a very long time. One of the problems that I had with this story was that I found Gunny and Mac's relationship to be a bit... boring. Without the excitement of a new relationship, I struggled a bit to get into the two guys as a couple. However, at the same time, I found their devotion and understanding of one another to be very touching.
Kink-wise, I was pretty "meh". I always like a good power play, but I was a little take it or leave it here. I think it made some of the sex scenes super hot, but there are a LOT of sex scenes in this book, and they began to feel a little rote for me after a time.
The story was an interesting one, and I liked learning about Gunny and Mac's families and their personal issues, as well as the "coming out in the military" plot. Though I found the story to be a little ambitious in terms of the amount of things that it covered, as well as a little slow, I liked it overall and found it to be mostly entertaining.
Now for my review of the audio. The narrator, Jonathan Young, did a decent job of the audio, even though I didn't love his voices for the MCs. They were a little over-exaggerated and growly for my tastes, and not in a particularly sexy way. However, I found him to be easy listening, and I would listen to another book by this narrator again.
I think that if you like established couple stories, military stories, and some light kink, you should certainly check this one out. Though it wasn't a stand-out for me, I can see why it is a favorite of many readers.
*Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
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June 8, 2013Mac & Gunny had so much more to tell. Their short story has now become a full length novel.
July 2, 2014
Yes! I have finally read this book. And let me tell you all, this book is amazing! I am not into BDSM. Normally it creeps me out to no end, especially when the characters are violent or unloving. It happens a lot. But this book has shown me how good BDSM can be and it was incredible. I read the LIAW story a few months ago and from that point I wanted more Gunny and Mac. Well we definitely got more, and I could not be happier.
Gunny and Mac are best friends, lovers and marines. As you can imagine that would be... problematic. But now DADT is being reversed it's time for them to come out, and after a misunderstanding and a couple of blips in the road, they can! Gunny, in the beginning, worried about Mac wanting someone younger. But they are so in love. It was so lovely and wonderful. They are best friends and have so much love for each other. It's incredible to read.
I loved how they went from engaged in the beginning, to starting to form a real relationship. It wasn't always a solid relationship. They started off as friends with benefits. But after a teeny white lie they only slept with each other. And when they came close to retirement, they became an official, out, couple. I love Mac and Gunny as a couple. They are just so adorable.
I had a few favourite scenes in this book, and for most, this book will be a tearjerker. There were the scenes with Mac and Gunny's parents, the wedding, and my personal favourite, the ceremony where Mac and Gunny come out.
The author has left it open, but it does not need a sequel. If you loved the short story this would be a must. I honestly do not know what I would have done had this not been released. It has just made me so, so happy. I really did fall in love with this couple, their story and just this! The book has left me with a smile on my face and I am so happy I got to read this.
Gunny and Mac are best friends, lovers and marines. As you can imagine that would be... problematic. But now DADT is being reversed it's time for them to come out, and after a misunderstanding and a couple of blips in the road, they can! Gunny, in the beginning, worried about Mac wanting someone younger. But they are so in love. It was so lovely and wonderful. They are best friends and have so much love for each other. It's incredible to read.
I loved how they went from engaged in the beginning, to starting to form a real relationship. It wasn't always a solid relationship. They started off as friends with benefits. But after a teeny white lie they only slept with each other. And when they came close to retirement, they became an official, out, couple. I love Mac and Gunny as a couple. They are just so adorable.
I had a few favourite scenes in this book, and for most, this book will be a tearjerker. There were the scenes with Mac and Gunny's parents, the wedding, and my personal favourite, the ceremony where Mac and Gunny come out.
“Finally, to the one person who truly understands me the most. Who shares my burden and my heart and has made my sacrifice bearable.” Mac turned to Gunny and held his gaze, speaking directly to him. “To my best friend, my lover, and my future husband, who is the epitome of strength, honor, and courage. If anyone questions as to whether a gay man can serve and bring honor to the Corps, they only have to look to Gunther Duchene to erase any and all doubt.” Tears burned at the back of Mac’s eyes, and he blinked them away. Mac gently ran his fingers along Gunny’s cheek. “Thank you. I love you very much.” Ignoring the gasps, applause, and cheers, Mac leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Gunny’s warm lips and whispered, “Semper fi.”
The author has left it open, but it does not need a sequel. If you loved the short story this would be a must. I honestly do not know what I would have done had this not been released. It has just made me so, so happy. I really did fall in love with this couple, their story and just this! The book has left me with a smile on my face and I am so happy I got to read this.
December 14, 2014
4.25 smokin stars
Loved:
two alpha males, and Marines at that
Gunny, Mac, AND Gunny & Mac
Mac's mom
the commitment between the men
the sexlicious scenes
the BDSM, which had strong emotional undertones and was very well done
the fact that the MCs were in their early 40s, had been together for 22 years, and were still hot for each other (and I generally prefer the meet and burn vs. established couples)
The only thing that bothered me was the guys settling for a commitment ceremony in their state when in 2011, they could have gone to a number of nearby states and had a "legal" marriage. I still got teary-eyed at the end though.
Loved:
two alpha males, and Marines at that
Gunny, Mac, AND Gunny & Mac
Mac's mom
the commitment between the men
the sexlicious scenes
the BDSM, which had strong emotional undertones and was very well done
the fact that the MCs were in their early 40s, had been together for 22 years, and were still hot for each other (and I generally prefer the meet and burn vs. established couples)
The only thing that bothered me was the guys settling for a commitment ceremony in their state when in 2011, they could have gone to a number of nearby states and had a "legal" marriage. I still got teary-eyed at the end though.
September 2, 2015
OK Guys, this will be an easy review. 5 Wonderful Golden Stars
and let's have a look at those dancing girls shall we?? 
All I can say is I loved it. My review for the short story that Jo did last year went something like this...''Absolutely loved this one 5 stars and
Freebie from the 2012 'Love Is Always Write' event here on Goodreads, and as I haven't read a Jo Peterson tale I didn't like, downloaded it and well, am sooo glad I did!! Gunny and Mac are two long serving Marines pre DADT, and have obviously kept their relationship a secret, in fact they've kept the secret so well that they are shortly due to retire with no-one any the wiser.
This little novella is about how Gunny thinks Mac will react to the imminent repealing of DADT, and his fears that Mac will leave him for a younger man. Happy Ending...(view spoiler) Loved it.''
This edition also includes the short story above, and picks up the new story from there. We discover that Mac and Gunny are going to 'out' themselves at Mac's retirement ceremony in a few months and announce that they are getting married, but until then and when Gunny also retires, Mac has to play at being a house mom...needless to say, he gets bored stiff after 2 days!! We get to meet his parents who are wonderful and his useless, drunken, worthless (yes, I could carry on but I won't) bigot of a brother who shall remain nameless cos I don't want to sully this review by uttering his name
. As Mac and Gunny haven't come 'out' to either set of parents, they have that to look forward to...needless to say, things don't go as planned.That's as far as I'm taking this review. You'll have to discover for yourselves what happens later in the book.....what happens at the retirement ceremony, when their friends discover that the couple are actually a couple, do their opinions of Mac and Gunny change, and finally is there a wedding to look forward to?? All this and more will be revealed in this book, and I'm expecting Jo to bring out a sequel just to let us know how the guys are getting on in their retirement....pretty please
??As you could tell from my updates, there is a helluva lot of humour in this book, there are also some weepy moments especially but all I can say in conclusion is, in the words of one of my favourite former Marines Leroy Jethro Gibbs Semper Fi, guys, Semper Fi and many thanks Jo. x
August 9, 2013
This was sweet, too sweet for me. I have a problem. I can handle sweet but when I read M/M I don't want that much sweet!
I would have rated this book 2 stars, but I liked Mac as a character, so I am bumping it up one more star.
In this book pretty much nothing happens except them having sex, and talking about coming out of closet and doing so.
With both of them being Marines, (Gunny sub, Mac dom, but the bdsm part is very light and rare), I expected sth more than sweet.
I understand the part of story, the problem of being gay in army, but honestly I would have loved more details in that part and less them f*cking each other every minute.
I wanted to give up lots of times because the story was kinda slow and not holding my interest. But every time I wanted to do so they started having sex again, and me being slutish wanted to see will there be more rougher bdsm this time.... well it wasn't :(
I just expected more something....
I would have rated this book 2 stars, but I liked Mac as a character, so I am bumping it up one more star.
In this book pretty much nothing happens except them having sex, and talking about coming out of closet and doing so.
With both of them being Marines, (Gunny sub, Mac dom, but the bdsm part is very light and rare), I expected sth more than sweet.
I understand the part of story, the problem of being gay in army, but honestly I would have loved more details in that part and less them f*cking each other every minute.
I wanted to give up lots of times because the story was kinda slow and not holding my interest. But every time I wanted to do so they started having sex again, and me being slutish wanted to see will there be more rougher bdsm this time.... well it wasn't :(
I just expected more something....
August 9, 2013
The original short story Beyond Duty was part of the Love Is Always Write event. Ever since I saw the photo prompt I couldn't take my eyes from those guys.
I'm really sorry (okay, I'm not :-) but I can't review Beyond Duty without posting the photo of those glorious guys again. They are miles away from hundreds of twenty and something years old guys who are the usual MC's in many M/M romances.
They are mature men, + 40 alpha males, experienced, big hard ass marines. They have lived a life you can see in the lines on their faces.
Gunny and Mac are career US Marines who met at boot camp in the 1990s. For 22 years they’ve been best friends and lovers. Dictated by the Military and the stupid Don't Ask Don't Tell law they lived deep in the closet, couldn't stand up for their love. Now with the reprieve of the law and their upcoming retirement they have the chance to change their life forever, be together as husbands and lovers without fear. We follow the men as they try to adjust to their new life together outside of the service, a life where they will no longer be bound to hide who they are and what they are to each other.
“Whatever description you put on what we have doesn’t matter; we were, and still are, a couple. I’ve always loved you. Twenty-two years I’ve loved you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my best friend, my boy, my lover, and my husband.”
I loved every word of the book. Jo's writing style drew me in, I could see the characters, lived, suffered and jumped for joy with them. I couldn't put the book down!
I cried when I read Mac's speech during their ceremony ending their military careers.
“President Obama has signed into law the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ This new law arrives as my career in the Corps comes to an end and as such comes too late for Gunny and I to be a part of, but I’d like to say to the leaders I leave behind, remember that your Marines are family. Teach them the family traditions: who we are; what we have done; what makes us different. Communicate. Make sure they get the word. Be open to their ideas. Treat them with respect. Help them to grow into the Marines they want to be. Whether black or white, male or female, active or reserve, gay, bisexual, or straight, we are all Marines. What we share in common goes deeper than any superficial differences.“
I wholeheartedly wish that from now on gay men and women who serve in the military will be able to live their lives in openness without the fear of dishonorable discharge.
Jo, thank your for this awesome book. I hope Mac and Gunny have still much more to tell. :)
August 5, 2013
Review of the full length novelBeyond Duty based upon Jo Peterson's short story Beyond Duty. There is no need to have read the short before reading this book.
When we got our first glimpse of Mac and Gunny in the short story, it was from Gunny's POV. This full length story takes what started there and runs with it. We get the story from both Gunny and Mac's perspectives. It starts on the eve of their retirement from the Marines after 20 plus years of service during the era of Don't Ask Don't Tell. It also happens to be the day Pres. Obama announces the repeal of that law. We follow the men as they try to adjust to their new life together outside of the service, a life where they will no longer be bound to hide what they are to each other.
The love these two bad ass Marines share is beautiful and they support each other unconditionally. Their chemistry is off the charts hot and their banter is laugh out loud funny. Even though the two men have been together exclusively for the past 10 years, not having been able to spend long periods of time together during their tenure in the service they are really starting their life together and discovering new aspects of their relationship (Gunny never knew Mac was such a cuddler). A lot of the story centers around making a decision about coming out. While their families know they are the best of friends, they have never been open about their sexuality. Mac is all for coming out and making a statement at their retirement ceremony, while Gunny, who already has a strained relationship with his family, is not so sure.
There is a D/s relationship between the men in the bedroom, but that is not the main part of their relationship and I don't think anyone wondering about reading the book for that issue should be put off. There are some hints that Gunny would like to explore his kinks a bit further but there is nothing hardcore about the BDSM aspects of the book.
There is a lot that happens at the end of the book and a few threads that are put out there and left open (hopefully for another book!). While I found the last interaction between Gunny and his family to be a bit rushed, I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book wrapped up. I would love to see another book about these men.
When we got our first glimpse of Mac and Gunny in the short story, it was from Gunny's POV. This full length story takes what started there and runs with it. We get the story from both Gunny and Mac's perspectives. It starts on the eve of their retirement from the Marines after 20 plus years of service during the era of Don't Ask Don't Tell. It also happens to be the day Pres. Obama announces the repeal of that law. We follow the men as they try to adjust to their new life together outside of the service, a life where they will no longer be bound to hide what they are to each other.
The love these two bad ass Marines share is beautiful and they support each other unconditionally. Their chemistry is off the charts hot and their banter is laugh out loud funny. Even though the two men have been together exclusively for the past 10 years, not having been able to spend long periods of time together during their tenure in the service they are really starting their life together and discovering new aspects of their relationship (Gunny never knew Mac was such a cuddler). A lot of the story centers around making a decision about coming out. While their families know they are the best of friends, they have never been open about their sexuality. Mac is all for coming out and making a statement at their retirement ceremony, while Gunny, who already has a strained relationship with his family, is not so sure.
There is a D/s relationship between the men in the bedroom, but that is not the main part of their relationship and I don't think anyone wondering about reading the book for that issue should be put off. There are some hints that Gunny would like to explore his kinks a bit further but there is nothing hardcore about the BDSM aspects of the book.
There is a lot that happens at the end of the book and a few threads that are put out there and left open (hopefully for another book!). While I found the last interaction between Gunny and his family to be a bit rushed, I thoroughly enjoyed the way the book wrapped up. I would love to see another book about these men.
August 15, 2013
I loved loved loved this story!! Two big, muscle bound, badass military men, forced to hide their relationship now entering into retirement and the end of DADT. Mac and Gunny have been together for 20+ years as best friends and lovers. Gunny is at home waiting for Mac to meet him and is afraid what their future is, will Mac want to have other lovers now that he doesn't have to hide the fact that he is gay? Will Gunny have to start dating after all these years loving Mac? Will they live as a couple, best friends, casual lovers?
I loved their relationship, how they complimented each other. Their easy communication and how they knew instinctively what each other needed. Their sexual relationship was hot and passionate and the light BDSM was enough to be hot and not turn me off.
I want more of these two men! Give me more!!!
March 22, 2016
2.5 stars rouded up to 3 for this emotional military romance
I enjoyed reading Beyond Duty, as I always love military men as main characters. And I really liked the whole setting: two military men that are lover since more than 20 years and are getting close to retirement shortly before the Don't ask, don't tell Repeal Act will been put into action. The book is focussing on Mac and Gunny figuring out their feeling for each other, as retirement life is acutally making an relationship in the open possible for them.
I really wanted to connect with both of them, but somehow I was missing more background information about how they became lovers and about their time in the Marines. I love flashbackes in these kind of stores and I think that this story might have worked better with some of them.
I felt bored quite a few times, but I still liked the story enough to keep on reading. I also had the feeling that the light BDSM element wasn't necessary in this story - or that it might have needed a stronger focus in order to work out better. It felt kind of odd to me.
And I have to say that the end of the story was way too soppy in my eyes; it kind of destroyed the credibility! I'm rounding up the stars to 3, because I liked the general setting of the story and because I'm feeling generous tonight!
I enjoyed reading Beyond Duty, as I always love military men as main characters. And I really liked the whole setting: two military men that are lover since more than 20 years and are getting close to retirement shortly before the Don't ask, don't tell Repeal Act will been put into action. The book is focussing on Mac and Gunny figuring out their feeling for each other, as retirement life is acutally making an relationship in the open possible for them.
I really wanted to connect with both of them, but somehow I was missing more background information about how they became lovers and about their time in the Marines. I love flashbackes in these kind of stores and I think that this story might have worked better with some of them.
I felt bored quite a few times, but I still liked the story enough to keep on reading. I also had the feeling that the light BDSM element wasn't necessary in this story - or that it might have needed a stronger focus in order to work out better. It felt kind of odd to me.
And I have to say that the end of the story was way too soppy in my eyes; it kind of destroyed the credibility! I'm rounding up the stars to 3, because I liked the general setting of the story and because I'm feeling generous tonight!
November 11, 2013
What a great story. I like established relationships and watching the couple deal with life issues together. Even though they never said they were a couple at first, they lived it everyday in actions and feelings.
The D/s was just right for me. I am not into hard core and this was written in such a way that I think both fans of BDSM and those who don't prefer it will still enjoy the story.
Mac's family, minus the loser brother, was great...Gunny's family was horrible...but the ending of the story brought a lot of the family issues together, tied up some of the loose ends, and ended on a positive note.
Hard to say what I liked most about this story...it is just really well written, none of the angst is overly drawn out, and Gunny and Mac are two guys that I would love to be friends with.
The D/s was just right for me. I am not into hard core and this was written in such a way that I think both fans of BDSM and those who don't prefer it will still enjoy the story.
Mac's family, minus the loser brother, was great...Gunny's family was horrible...but the ending of the story brought a lot of the family issues together, tied up some of the loose ends, and ended on a positive note.
Hard to say what I liked most about this story...it is just really well written, none of the angst is overly drawn out, and Gunny and Mac are two guys that I would love to be friends with.
February 6, 2015
This is one of my favorites! The second read was as great as I remembered. Now on to the sequel.
August 3, 2016
** 10 Stars ! ** Intense and dedicated, these men gave their life to the Marine Corps, and to each other. * Facing retirement, each man's insecurities and hesitations come forward. A Sergeant, Elite Scout Sniper in the Marine Corps Special Forces, Mac is coming home.
Home to Gunther, a Master Gunnery Sergeant just finishing up his last months of service.
Both are 42, 6', 200 lbs. of lean, mean Marine perfection. Their relationship has been a secret to everyone due to DADT, Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Now that is being repealed, they can finally feel free of their hidden nature. As always, talking to each other works, as it clears away doubts and fears. Together, a team of two, a solid pair, devoted, fierce and loving,
they face retirement head on. This is magnificently written, with a beautiful flow that is effortless to read. Holy heavens, the sex here is off the charts erotic, power-filled, loving, hot, and immersing in every way. The one BDSM scene is so well done, so caring, and absorbing, plus it gives us insight into the men's needs. There is astounding sex throughout the whole book.
We do have conflict with the DADT policy being stressful, public opinions of gays, rejection by people. Meanwhile the men must come out to family, which is difficult. I loved this story and the deep devotion these two men had for one another.
Breathtaking !
These men and this story will stay with me.
I highly recommend it ! ENJOY !
============================
Home to Gunther, a Master Gunnery Sergeant just finishing up his last months of service.
Both are 42, 6', 200 lbs. of lean, mean Marine perfection. Their relationship has been a secret to everyone due to DADT, Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Now that is being repealed, they can finally feel free of their hidden nature. As always, talking to each other works, as it clears away doubts and fears. Together, a team of two, a solid pair, devoted, fierce and loving,
they face retirement head on. This is magnificently written, with a beautiful flow that is effortless to read. Holy heavens, the sex here is off the charts erotic, power-filled, loving, hot, and immersing in every way. The one BDSM scene is so well done, so caring, and absorbing, plus it gives us insight into the men's needs. There is astounding sex throughout the whole book.
We do have conflict with the DADT policy being stressful, public opinions of gays, rejection by people. Meanwhile the men must come out to family, which is difficult. I loved this story and the deep devotion these two men had for one another.
Breathtaking !
These men and this story will stay with me.
I highly recommend it ! ENJOY !
============================
June 9, 2015
This is an expanded version of the short story Beyond Duty.
Don't Ask Don't Tell is months away from being repealed but it comes too late for Mac and Gunny. After more than 20 years in the Marine Corps they're about to retire. The book is about their relationship as they learn how to handle life after retirement and life out of the closet.
I was a little disappointed that BDSM didn't play a bigger part in their relationship. I was expecting lots of whips and bondage after reading the short story but aside from the first scene (which is the scene that's in the short story) it was practically nonexistent.
Other than that, I loved this book and Mac and Gunny. They were hot like burning and so sweet together.
Don't Ask Don't Tell is months away from being repealed but it comes too late for Mac and Gunny. After more than 20 years in the Marine Corps they're about to retire. The book is about their relationship as they learn how to handle life after retirement and life out of the closet.
I was a little disappointed that BDSM didn't play a bigger part in their relationship. I was expecting lots of whips and bondage after reading the short story but aside from the first scene (which is the scene that's in the short story) it was practically nonexistent.
Other than that, I loved this book and Mac and Gunny. They were hot like burning and so sweet together.
April 9, 2015
I happened to pick up a small freebie, which was spurred by a prompt a few years ago, and swiftly fell in love with the little golden nugget of a novella. Then to my gleeful surprise, I found out there was a full story that continued from where the initial story finished. Beyond Duty .5 became Beyond Duty 1.0. Apparently, their story was not done. *happy dance* I was ecstatic. I couldn’t wait to see what came next. I inhaled it. When I sat down to gush over my review, I stopped in my tracks.
Another team member reviewed this story about 18 months ago. I remember commenting on it, feeling sad for her disappointment. Yet, it got lost in the overwhelming sea of stories…and I completely forgot about it. When a friend doesn’t click with a story, I tend to push it down in the pile. Our time is precious and who wants to waste it on a less than stellar read? Not me. I realized, I need to be more careful and read for me. Because the truth of the matter is…we all process stories differently. What rocks my world isn’t necessarily going to rock yours. What ticks me off may not even faze you. And isn’t that the beauty of books?
Books are beautiful, unique and extraordinary…and personal. Yep, that’s right, I said personal. So please don’t forget this; what works for you might not work for me and vice versa. What we do here, or at least what I do, is ramble about how a book made me feel, what I enjoyed and what I didn’t. You may very well feel differently. That is okay. Honestly, it’s pretty cool. Case in point, Beyond Duty. While Sue missed the love train, I had a front row seat.
Here’s a second look, another perspective on Gunny and Mac’s story.
I tend to seek out love stories that start from the beginning, mainly because I crave the ‘fall’. I can’t think of too many established couples that I adore, but after my time with Gunny and Mac I’m going to look harder for more.
Both marines are nearing their retirement. Twenty-two hard earned years, and they are ready to hang up their BDU’s. Both Gunny and Mac appear to be single to the outside world, but behind closed doors it’s an entirely different matter. They connected immediately when they enlisted as greenhorns and the bond was lock tight.
As they prepare to change paths, the future almost becomes paralyzing. How will they navigate these unknown waters? What will become of their relationship? It may have started hot and heavy and continued out of convenience (or maybe not) but it quickly burned into something more essential. From best friends, with steamy benefits, to partners their relationship is the core of their lives.
The mild and tender BDSM inclusion was fitting for the boys. BDSM is typically not my thang, but I loved its place here. The challenges they face with friends, family, and fellow jarheads are aplenty. The confrontations were handled with class and the ceremony battles for one of my top five all time favorite scenes in any book. I adored how intimate their passion was and holy hell, the sex was HOT.
What was even better was the way they knew one another. They perfected silent communication and expected the others reaction and emotion before it happened. Ohhh, and they were funny too! The comic relief that slowly releases the pressure-cooker of stress from their career choices balanced the tough times. I am acutely aware of how service personnel bear an absurd amount of stress that civilian nine-to-fivers cannot fathom. Stress relief is crucial to hold all the pieces together. *sigh* I absolutely adored a line in reference to that. I strongly believe a solid partner and a firm foundation at home is necessary as well. Gunny and Mac have built their home securely with years of love, trust and fierce passion. Their future is going to be awesome!
Both men were marvelous, the writing was stellar, and their story blew me away. I don’t know if it will hit your buttons, but it sure nailed mine.
*4.5 ohmyohmyohmy stars*
Another team member reviewed this story about 18 months ago. I remember commenting on it, feeling sad for her disappointment. Yet, it got lost in the overwhelming sea of stories…and I completely forgot about it. When a friend doesn’t click with a story, I tend to push it down in the pile. Our time is precious and who wants to waste it on a less than stellar read? Not me. I realized, I need to be more careful and read for me. Because the truth of the matter is…we all process stories differently. What rocks my world isn’t necessarily going to rock yours. What ticks me off may not even faze you. And isn’t that the beauty of books?
Books are beautiful, unique and extraordinary…and personal. Yep, that’s right, I said personal. So please don’t forget this; what works for you might not work for me and vice versa. What we do here, or at least what I do, is ramble about how a book made me feel, what I enjoyed and what I didn’t. You may very well feel differently. That is okay. Honestly, it’s pretty cool. Case in point, Beyond Duty. While Sue missed the love train, I had a front row seat.
Here’s a second look, another perspective on Gunny and Mac’s story.
I tend to seek out love stories that start from the beginning, mainly because I crave the ‘fall’. I can’t think of too many established couples that I adore, but after my time with Gunny and Mac I’m going to look harder for more.
Both marines are nearing their retirement. Twenty-two hard earned years, and they are ready to hang up their BDU’s. Both Gunny and Mac appear to be single to the outside world, but behind closed doors it’s an entirely different matter. They connected immediately when they enlisted as greenhorns and the bond was lock tight.
As they prepare to change paths, the future almost becomes paralyzing. How will they navigate these unknown waters? What will become of their relationship? It may have started hot and heavy and continued out of convenience (or maybe not) but it quickly burned into something more essential. From best friends, with steamy benefits, to partners their relationship is the core of their lives.
The mild and tender BDSM inclusion was fitting for the boys. BDSM is typically not my thang, but I loved its place here. The challenges they face with friends, family, and fellow jarheads are aplenty. The confrontations were handled with class and the ceremony battles for one of my top five all time favorite scenes in any book. I adored how intimate their passion was and holy hell, the sex was HOT.
What was even better was the way they knew one another. They perfected silent communication and expected the others reaction and emotion before it happened. Ohhh, and they were funny too! The comic relief that slowly releases the pressure-cooker of stress from their career choices balanced the tough times. I am acutely aware of how service personnel bear an absurd amount of stress that civilian nine-to-fivers cannot fathom. Stress relief is crucial to hold all the pieces together. *sigh* I absolutely adored a line in reference to that. I strongly believe a solid partner and a firm foundation at home is necessary as well. Gunny and Mac have built their home securely with years of love, trust and fierce passion. Their future is going to be awesome!
Both men were marvelous, the writing was stellar, and their story blew me away. I don’t know if it will hit your buttons, but it sure nailed mine.
*4.5 ohmyohmyohmy stars*
September 14, 2013
This was so good.
I'm laughing because I kept thinking that I had read this before, uhm, yes because it started out as a freebie which I had read before and loved. This is the expanded version of that and so very worth reading the repeated bits to get to the new story because both are fantastic.
Smoking hot marines, Mac and Gunny, best friends and lovers for ten years have come to a crossroads because both men are retiring from service and DADT is being repealed. This has caused them to be a bit uncertain just where their relationship is heading. Did I say smoking hot? I loved this read. I hope we see more of these men, I want to know what happens next.
I'm laughing because I kept thinking that I had read this before, uhm, yes because it started out as a freebie which I had read before and loved. This is the expanded version of that and so very worth reading the repeated bits to get to the new story because both are fantastic.
Smoking hot marines, Mac and Gunny, best friends and lovers for ten years have come to a crossroads because both men are retiring from service and DADT is being repealed. This has caused them to be a bit uncertain just where their relationship is heading. Did I say smoking hot? I loved this read. I hope we see more of these men, I want to know what happens next.
September 21, 2013
I'm afraid I've missed the Beyond Duty Love Train. Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, but I certainly didn't love it. It just seemed to casually drift into the land of "Meh, that was fine". I didn't feel connected to the characters or the story... and I hate that.
Here's the thing, I've got a serious kink for military books.
I adore imagining great big dudes in fatigues. I love these men (and women) who dedicate their lives for the greater good and I undoubtedly love the idea of army dudes getting it on. Right? Right. So first and foremost this book has a lot of 'hot-damn-gotta-have-you-right-the-f*ck-NOW!' man love that filled about half the pages of the book. There certainly were no complaints there.
There's a little bit of mild BDSM which is portrayed in a very gentle and loving way; a comforting give and take depiction of power play and their understanding and trust in each other. Marvelous.
Then Beyond Duty took me out of my lovely military kinkfest daydreams and put me into the minds of two intelligent, committed, brave, honourable men who made the Corps their career; and as a result willingly sacrificed their happiness because of it. You see, the story begins just before the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)" (the (abhorrent) official United States policy on homosexuals working in the military).
This is where things got real for me.
Beyond Duty went, well, beyond it's duty(!) as a seemingly light and enjoyable story. There was a lot to consider; workplace discrimination, acceptance from family and friends, future financial security and the fear of the Great Unknown that creeps up on retirees. How are our two Hunks of Spunks who've spent 22 adult years of their lives in The Closet supposed to maneuver themselves through this minefield?
Read it and see.
Hoards of people have written dazzling tributes to this story and their characters. I'm glad for them, it just didn't dazzle me.
Here's the thing, I've got a serious kink for military books.
I adore imagining great big dudes in fatigues. I love these men (and women) who dedicate their lives for the greater good and I undoubtedly love the idea of army dudes getting it on. Right? Right. So first and foremost this book has a lot of 'hot-damn-gotta-have-you-right-the-f*ck-NOW!' man love that filled about half the pages of the book. There certainly were no complaints there.
There's a little bit of mild BDSM which is portrayed in a very gentle and loving way; a comforting give and take depiction of power play and their understanding and trust in each other. Marvelous.
Then Beyond Duty took me out of my lovely military kinkfest daydreams and put me into the minds of two intelligent, committed, brave, honourable men who made the Corps their career; and as a result willingly sacrificed their happiness because of it. You see, the story begins just before the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)" (the (abhorrent) official United States policy on homosexuals working in the military).
This is where things got real for me.
Beyond Duty went, well, beyond it's duty(!) as a seemingly light and enjoyable story. There was a lot to consider; workplace discrimination, acceptance from family and friends, future financial security and the fear of the Great Unknown that creeps up on retirees. How are our two Hunks of Spunks who've spent 22 adult years of their lives in The Closet supposed to maneuver themselves through this minefield?
Read it and see.
Hoards of people have written dazzling tributes to this story and their characters. I'm glad for them, it just didn't dazzle me.
July 18, 2013
Holy hell. The original Beyond Duty was awesome, especially as a free story for Love Has No Boundaries. SJD Peterson has done one better. She's taken Mac and Gunny and turned their story into a full length novel.
You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll get excited (in more ways than one). Mac and Gunny are an awesome couple. What happens with family, with friends, with the military when they finally decide to come out is beautiful.
The speech at the ceremony where they are going to leave the military after two decades is epic.
Thank you for this story, Jo. It's going to be the best one yet.
You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll get excited (in more ways than one). Mac and Gunny are an awesome couple. What happens with family, with friends, with the military when they finally decide to come out is beautiful.
The speech at the ceremony where they are going to leave the military after two decades is epic.
Thank you for this story, Jo. It's going to be the best one yet.
August 1, 2014
Great book!!
The story of Mac and Gunny, two guys who have been committed to each other for years while serving in the USMC. I loved the way they 'knew' each other. There was just a little bit of angst added to the story, but not too much.
The intimacy between these two was off the charts! I could have read another 100 pages without blinking an eye. Anyone would be lucky to be a part of a relationship like the one between Mac and Gunny.
As a side note...I loved Mac's parents. Gunny's parents...not so much! But loved the story all the same!
The story of Mac and Gunny, two guys who have been committed to each other for years while serving in the USMC. I loved the way they 'knew' each other. There was just a little bit of angst added to the story, but not too much.
The intimacy between these two was off the charts! I could have read another 100 pages without blinking an eye. Anyone would be lucky to be a part of a relationship like the one between Mac and Gunny.
As a side note...I loved Mac's parents. Gunny's parents...not so much! But loved the story all the same!
June 7, 2017
This is a tale of an established couple who for the first time in 22 yrs are finally able to think about being open about their relationship. There was some internal, emotional angst as they try to navigate and plan for their new life together, especially as they hit a few speed bumps as they reveal their secret.
Overall a great story showing the fierce desire, love and loyalty these two had for each other.
Overall a great story showing the fierce desire, love and loyalty these two had for each other.
September 25, 2013
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love.
I first met and fell in love with Macalister Jones (Mac) and Gunther Duchene (Gunny) in their free short story of the same name. The short story was perfect, but these guys had so much more to show us, and I’m thankful they were able to tell it here.
Mac and Gunny met in boot camp, became friends and then lovers. After a few years, they became exclusive, but still remained more best friends with benefits, having to continue hiding under DADT. Now, some 22 years after they met, they are facing retirement from the military which is coinciding with Obama’s signing of the repeal of DADT.
Both men are a little worried about the changes this could bring to their relationship. Both are terrified of losing each other, but Gunny seems to be having the most trouble, thinking the younger Mac will want to take the opportunity of freedom to find someone younger and new. These guys are super hot, both alpha marines, and even though Gunny outranks Mac and they are the same size and build, Mac is the more dominant of the two. This leads to a very hot d/s scene that, quite frankly, I wish there was more of.
Mac is quite the cheeky fellow, and while very cocky, there is never any question, in my mind, about his feelings for Gunny. He is playful and fun at times, super hot dominant male at others. These two were made for each other in every way. They share so much and always seem to know exactly what the other needs.
As their retirement ceremony draws near, they deal with coming out to family and friends, as well as their fellow marines. Gunny’s coming out to his parents about broke my heart. This has its ups and downs, but it is something they feel needs to be dealt with before their ceremony. Another thing they struggle with is what they will do with themselves once they are officially retired. Mac is worried he will get bored quickly and get himself into trouble, so they are trying to figure out the next stage of their lives as well.
I had almost forgotten how much I loved these guys, but it came flooding back the moment I started reading this. It is just as wonderfully written as the free short story, captivating and fun, sexy and sweet. There are some moments of sadness mixed in with a lot of hot sex, but through it all, their love shines through, and I don’t think I could ever get enough of them. Ms. Peterson has delivered another fabulous story with these guys, and I will always hold onto the hope that we will still see them again.
August 31, 2013
This was a good read. The story flowed very easily. These were men in love. Big Marines that liked to cuddle. I seemed to be involved in their lives. I could feel their love, knew how they would react, knew what they would say. Just a very good read. The BDSM was very light and used when needed. The story mainly focused on their relationship and how they handled their life coming to term with retirement and the ending of Don't Ask Don't Tell.
January 2, 2016
Two months prior to his retirement after twenty-two years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Gunny Duchene is floored to see that Obama is about to sign a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Twenty-two years too late for Gunny to be able to be out and proud with the love of his life, fellow Marine, Macalister Jones.
Mac's retiring in two months as well, in fact they're celebrating their retirement ceremony together, and Mac has big plans that have grown bigger with the realization that they will be able to be honest about being together for the first time as they say good-bye to active duty in their beloved Corps.
The story chronicles the emotions both men face about their impending retirement, facing their families about their relationship, and finally facing the Corps that made them the men they are today as a couple. Jonathan Young gives a solid performance with the narration of both the emotional times and the sexy times.
Told especially well from both Gunny and Mac's POV I enjoyed this thoroughly.
This is definitely a solid story featuring an established couple, a lot of very hot sex, quite a bit of quiet romance, and a surprising amount of feels.
RECOMMENDED!
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
August 5, 2013
Well damn!!! This was absolutely awesome!! I would have preferred it a little longer, but it wrapped up
really well all around. Gunny and Mac...oh boy! Hot, alpha, badass marines, sharing a love going back
22 years and ready to retire at the dawn of the DADT repeal. I am impressed by how tight the writing was.
I've complained about other Peterson books, but this was a revelation! The characters were very nicely
developed, the erotic scenes was freaking hot, and there was some very light BDSM in the picture. Highly recommend
to all fans of hardcore macho men who aren't scared to show emotion in and out of the bedroom. Loved it!
really well all around. Gunny and Mac...oh boy! Hot, alpha, badass marines, sharing a love going back
22 years and ready to retire at the dawn of the DADT repeal. I am impressed by how tight the writing was.
I've complained about other Peterson books, but this was a revelation! The characters were very nicely
developed, the erotic scenes was freaking hot, and there was some very light BDSM in the picture. Highly recommend
to all fans of hardcore macho men who aren't scared to show emotion in and out of the bedroom. Loved it!
May 26, 2015
I wanted to read a military book for Memorial Day weekend. Loved this, Mac and Gunny are two of my favorite marines.
The story was great.
The sex was hot as hell.
The love between them was incredible.
If I'm gonna read anything with BDSM, for me there has to be an emotional aspect between the couple, this one has it perfectly. Not heavy on the BDSM, but enough to make me want more, so onto book 2. Then ont the Guards of Folsom series.
The story was great.
The sex was hot as hell.
The love between them was incredible.
If I'm gonna read anything with BDSM, for me there has to be an emotional aspect between the couple, this one has it perfectly. Not heavy on the BDSM, but enough to make me want more, so onto book 2. Then ont the Guards of Folsom series.
Read
May 31, 2015Audible
DNF @30%
Way too erotic for me. If it's not a sex scene, it's a conversation about sex or horny thoughts. And I crave a good story instead. Can't be bothered to carry on.
***No rating***
DNF @30%
Way too erotic for me. If it's not a sex scene, it's a conversation about sex or horny thoughts. And I crave a good story instead. Can't be bothered to carry on.
***No rating***
December 23, 2022
I had quite the journey with this book(s). The premise of it instantly appealed to me - two big military MCs who are in their early 40s and have been together for decades and are as devoted to their military careers as they are to each other. Excellent! Every aspect of this was right up my alley so I rushed a bit when getting this book to read. It turns out that I clicked on the wrong book on GR and I accidentally got the original novella version, which has the same title but a different cover and is only 28 pages. I decided to still read the novella, I loved it, went to GR to review it and imagine how THRILLED I was when I discovered that I'd made a mistake and there was a FULL LENGTH VERSION of this book!! So of course, I got the full length version and settled in for what I hoped would be something even better than the novella.
Well...I ended up being really disappointed. The author essentially took the novella, added a few scenes from Mac's POV, did minor edits and used that as the first 25% of the full length novel. The rest of the story (ie the new stuff) was boring and repetitive. It felt as if the author had used up most of her good ideas in the novella because barely anything interesting happens and the interesting stuff that does happen is stretched out to the point where I could tell the author was trying to hit a word count target in order to justify selling this as a full length novel.
It's really ironic that I had loved every aspect of the novella, yet each of those aspects was handled poorly in this full length version:
There's a big deal made out of Gunny and Mac never having made solid post-retirement plans and this is a source of angst for both of them, in particular for Mac, who starts retirement 4 months before Gunny. We get multiple scenes of Mac being bored, complaining about being bored, Gunny reassuring him that they'll find him something to do, but we don't actually see Mac or Gunny figuring things out. Instead, Mac announces out of the blue near the end of the book that he's going to build a greenhouse so he can garden all year round. Did readers know before this that Mac is an avid gardener? Nope. It was never mentioned. What about what Mac will do with his time when he's not gardening? It's not discussed. What about poor Gunny - what will he be doing to occupy his time? Nope, we're not gonna discuss that either.
There are also multiple scenes during which Gunny and Mac come out as a) being gay and b) having been a gay couple for 2 decades to various people. Some of these scenes were interesting and others weren't. My favorite one was at the bar when Mac gets extremely drunk and ends up accidentally outing himself and Gunny. The reactions of the various side characters was interesting and the entire scene at the bar from start to finish was well done.
A coming-out that wasn't well done was when Mac and Gunny go to visit Mac's parents. The author describes nearly every detail of their weekend visit (what they eat, how often they secretly have sex, random chit-chats with Mac's mom etc) but due to a ridiculously manufactured sequence of events, Mac's dad isn't available for them to have the Big Talk until right before Mac and Gunny have to leave at the end of the weekend. Why did we have to suffer through page after page of boring weekend-hanging-out-stuff if the coming out discussion only happens at the end???
Lastly, I didn't like how the author dealt with Gunny's family and their homophobia. Throughout 99% of the book, Gunny doesn't get along with his parents (initially it's not due to homophobia since they don't know that Gunny is gay but it's due to a family issue related to his sister's death years ago). His parents make excuses when Gunny wants to visit them with Mac to have a similar 'coming-out-weekend' thing. They don't attend Gunny's retirement ceremony. Lastly, they don't reply when Gunny invites them to his and Mac's wedding. His parents do end up coming around at the very end but this didn't work for me because it meant that many of the happy moments in Gunny's life (retirement, wedding) had a depressed atmosphere hanging over them. I did like the situation with Gunny's parents but I wish the author had implemented it differently. If Gunny had parted ways with his parents long ago and had written them off mentally and if Mac's parents had been treating Gunny as a son for years, it would have been fine. There would have been some sadness but Mac's parents being at those events would have allowed the tone to stay relatively cheerful. Instead, Gunny is devastated every single time his parents refuse to interact with him and it made those scenes very depressing.
Another thing I disliked was that the writing style bored me. One problem was that some of the dialog was terrible and didn't match the MCs usual speech patterns. Their bantering was done very well but anytime they discussed anything serious, both of them started speaking in oddly stilted and formal patterns and used language that didn't fit them. Another issue was connected to the author's desperate attempt to stretch this book out as long as it would go: not only were a lot of unnecessary details/conversations/actions described but the author would often repeat the same thing multiple times in a row, using slightly different wording.
Connected to the writing issues was also a massive plot hole that bothered me throughout. In the novella, the major source of conflict between the MCs is due to them never having properly discussed their relationship status over the last two decades and Gunny honestly believing that Mac will leave him once DADT is repealed and they retire because he has no idea how Mac really feels about him. This was hilarious and also completely in character for both of these jarheads. But in the full length version, the author emphasizes over and over again how well the MCs can read each other's emotions and how they can't hide how they feel from the other person. In particular, Mac seems to be very finely tuned into Gunny's emotions and he always knows when Gunny's struggling. In addition, we see multiple scenes where these two do things like effortlessly steering conversations away from turning into arguments. All of this is meant to show how well these two guys communicate. Which was great...except that means the entire massive conflict about their relationship status which took place in the first 25% of the novel MAKES NO SENSE.
Lastly, I was disappointed by the author's approach to the MCs sexual relationship in the full length version. The novella has a note that the story came about from a request that the author received and the request specifically asked for a BDSM dynamic. So the author went all in and gave these two MCs a very interesting BDSM relationship (Mac is the dom and Gunny is the sub), which was demonstrated by the intense solo BDSM scene (which included ) that the novella features. Unfortunately, that solo scene ends up being the only BDSM scene in the full length version as well. Not only are there are no additional hardcore BDSM scenes, but there aren't any BDSM kinks present in the rest of the story. Mac and Gunny often talk about different kinks and there are frequent discussions of them wanting to visit a BDSM club at some point in the future - but no actual on-page BDSM stuff happens. There isn't even a tiny bit of bondage or a little bit of spanking - NOTHING.
There's even a small section where Gunny talks about being confused about his submissive tendencies and how much of a bizarre contrast that is to his day-job of being a huge, tough Marine who has done multiple tours of duty and now spends his days yelling at/training recruits. This was really interesting and I wish the author had done something with it...but like with the majority of the other BDSM content, it was pushed aside. I don't know if the author isn't a fan of BDSM and just included that solo scene for the request-maker of the initial novella or if she had no idea what direction to take things in. But that was another major disappointment.
Overall, I prefer the 28 page novella to this full length version, which sounds ridiculous but IMO, the best content was in the novella. Asides from not getting Mac's POV in that version, there's nothing else that added to the MCs romance. I know other readers opinions will differ because they probably enjoyed seeing the retirement ceremony and the wedding but I'm not a fan of sappy scenes like that so I was fine not getting either in the short novella.
Well...I ended up being really disappointed. The author essentially took the novella, added a few scenes from Mac's POV, did minor edits and used that as the first 25% of the full length novel. The rest of the story (ie the new stuff) was boring and repetitive. It felt as if the author had used up most of her good ideas in the novella because barely anything interesting happens and the interesting stuff that does happen is stretched out to the point where I could tell the author was trying to hit a word count target in order to justify selling this as a full length novel.
It's really ironic that I had loved every aspect of the novella, yet each of those aspects was handled poorly in this full length version:
There's a big deal made out of Gunny and Mac never having made solid post-retirement plans and this is a source of angst for both of them, in particular for Mac, who starts retirement 4 months before Gunny. We get multiple scenes of Mac being bored, complaining about being bored, Gunny reassuring him that they'll find him something to do, but we don't actually see Mac or Gunny figuring things out. Instead, Mac announces out of the blue near the end of the book that he's going to build a greenhouse so he can garden all year round. Did readers know before this that Mac is an avid gardener? Nope. It was never mentioned. What about what Mac will do with his time when he's not gardening? It's not discussed. What about poor Gunny - what will he be doing to occupy his time? Nope, we're not gonna discuss that either.
There are also multiple scenes during which Gunny and Mac come out as a) being gay and b) having been a gay couple for 2 decades to various people. Some of these scenes were interesting and others weren't. My favorite one was at the bar when Mac gets extremely drunk and ends up accidentally outing himself and Gunny. The reactions of the various side characters was interesting and the entire scene at the bar from start to finish was well done.
A coming-out that wasn't well done was when Mac and Gunny go to visit Mac's parents. The author describes nearly every detail of their weekend visit (what they eat, how often they secretly have sex, random chit-chats with Mac's mom etc) but due to a ridiculously manufactured sequence of events, Mac's dad isn't available for them to have the Big Talk until right before Mac and Gunny have to leave at the end of the weekend. Why did we have to suffer through page after page of boring weekend-hanging-out-stuff if the coming out discussion only happens at the end???
Lastly, I didn't like how the author dealt with Gunny's family and their homophobia. Throughout 99% of the book, Gunny doesn't get along with his parents (initially it's not due to homophobia since they don't know that Gunny is gay but it's due to a family issue related to his sister's death years ago). His parents make excuses when Gunny wants to visit them with Mac to have a similar 'coming-out-weekend' thing. They don't attend Gunny's retirement ceremony. Lastly, they don't reply when Gunny invites them to his and Mac's wedding. His parents do end up coming around at the very end but this didn't work for me because it meant that many of the happy moments in Gunny's life (retirement, wedding) had a depressed atmosphere hanging over them. I did like the situation with Gunny's parents but I wish the author had implemented it differently. If Gunny had parted ways with his parents long ago and had written them off mentally and if Mac's parents had been treating Gunny as a son for years, it would have been fine. There would have been some sadness but Mac's parents being at those events would have allowed the tone to stay relatively cheerful. Instead, Gunny is devastated every single time his parents refuse to interact with him and it made those scenes very depressing.
Another thing I disliked was that the writing style bored me. One problem was that some of the dialog was terrible and didn't match the MCs usual speech patterns. Their bantering was done very well but anytime they discussed anything serious, both of them started speaking in oddly stilted and formal patterns and used language that didn't fit them. Another issue was connected to the author's desperate attempt to stretch this book out as long as it would go: not only were a lot of unnecessary details/conversations/actions described but the author would often repeat the same thing multiple times in a row, using slightly different wording.
Connected to the writing issues was also a massive plot hole that bothered me throughout. In the novella, the major source of conflict between the MCs is due to them never having properly discussed their relationship status over the last two decades and Gunny honestly believing that Mac will leave him once DADT is repealed and they retire because he has no idea how Mac really feels about him. This was hilarious and also completely in character for both of these jarheads. But in the full length version, the author emphasizes over and over again how well the MCs can read each other's emotions and how they can't hide how they feel from the other person. In particular, Mac seems to be very finely tuned into Gunny's emotions and he always knows when Gunny's struggling. In addition, we see multiple scenes where these two do things like effortlessly steering conversations away from turning into arguments. All of this is meant to show how well these two guys communicate. Which was great...except that means the entire massive conflict about their relationship status which took place in the first 25% of the novel MAKES NO SENSE.
Lastly, I was disappointed by the author's approach to the MCs sexual relationship in the full length version. The novella has a note that the story came about from a request that the author received and the request specifically asked for a BDSM dynamic. So the author went all in and gave these two MCs a very interesting BDSM relationship (Mac is the dom and Gunny is the sub), which was demonstrated by the intense solo BDSM scene (which included ) that the novella features. Unfortunately, that solo scene ends up being the only BDSM scene in the full length version as well. Not only are there are no additional hardcore BDSM scenes, but there aren't any BDSM kinks present in the rest of the story. Mac and Gunny often talk about different kinks and there are frequent discussions of them wanting to visit a BDSM club at some point in the future - but no actual on-page BDSM stuff happens. There isn't even a tiny bit of bondage or a little bit of spanking - NOTHING.
There's even a small section where Gunny talks about being confused about his submissive tendencies and how much of a bizarre contrast that is to his day-job of being a huge, tough Marine who has done multiple tours of duty and now spends his days yelling at/training recruits. This was really interesting and I wish the author had done something with it...but like with the majority of the other BDSM content, it was pushed aside. I don't know if the author isn't a fan of BDSM and just included that solo scene for the request-maker of the initial novella or if she had no idea what direction to take things in. But that was another major disappointment.
Overall, I prefer the 28 page novella to this full length version, which sounds ridiculous but IMO, the best content was in the novella. Asides from not getting Mac's POV in that version, there's nothing else that added to the MCs romance. I know other readers opinions will differ because they probably enjoyed seeing the retirement ceremony and the wedding but I'm not a fan of sappy scenes like that so I was fine not getting either in the short novella.
July 5, 2014
I wanted to love this expanded version of the short story written for the Love Is Always Write event but I didn't. I gave the short story 5 stars when I first read it and still consider it excellent, so what went wrong? :long sigh: I don't know.
I think there was just too much exposition about the minutiae of this couple's daily lives and not enough of a meaty story to hold my interest for 212 pages. There was also too much sex, if you can imagine that. I got bored and I skimmed through much of the second half. I'm sad, because it could've been so much better.
One thing that bothered me a lot was the overuse of words other than "said" as in "he said". There was a lot of "he gruffed" (which I didn't even know you could conjugate gruff into a verb until today), amongst other things. There was also a lot of "he muttered lowly" or "he gruffed lowly", which bothered the heck out of me. Muttering IS talking low! Very unnecessary.
I did notice that I'm in the minority on this stance, so it's probably just me and my odd quirks.
I think there was just too much exposition about the minutiae of this couple's daily lives and not enough of a meaty story to hold my interest for 212 pages. There was also too much sex, if you can imagine that. I got bored and I skimmed through much of the second half. I'm sad, because it could've been so much better.
One thing that bothered me a lot was the overuse of words other than "said" as in "he said". There was a lot of "he gruffed" (which I didn't even know you could conjugate gruff into a verb until today), amongst other things. There was also a lot of "he muttered lowly" or "he gruffed lowly", which bothered the heck out of me. Muttering IS talking low! Very unnecessary.
I did notice that I'm in the minority on this stance, so it's probably just me and my odd quirks.
August 3, 2013
Love it. Love how caring Mac is and how sensitive Gunny is. Love everything about them. Mac was so sure about what he wanted, right off the bat, and that really made me smile. Mac's speech gave me tears. The ending made me cry again. I love that this made me want them more than ever. I also love that there isn't more. I don't know if I can explain it, but it feels right to leave it here, despite me wanting more with them.
I wish I had time for more reflection, but I'm being called away. Just know, this was a great read.
I wish I had time for more reflection, but I'm being called away. Just know, this was a great read.
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