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Shadow Unit #1

Broken Soldier

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Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller are dedicated soldiers working covert ops for Shadow Unit -- a joint UK/US anti-terrorism task force.

Partners in the field and out, they had been through hell together for the last four years and made it through standing side by side. But when their latest undercover op to bring down an arms dealer plunges them into a world of drugs, sex and violence, Shawn must literally get in bed with the enemy in order to complete the mission. And Connor is forced to watch, helpless, as his partner is broken into pieces.

Will love be enough to put them both back together or will this be their final mission?

WARNING: Contains scenes of drug use, graphic sex and realistic situations

ebook

First published March 5, 2016

28 people are currently reading
138 people want to read

About the author

Jamie Lynn Miller

24 books60 followers
Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing male/male fanfiction stories for nearly fifteen years and decided to take the plunge and go pro in 2008. She's a romantic at heart, and her stories reflect the desire we all have to find "the one", persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending.

Jamie has a degree in Fine Arts and has spent the last thirteen years working as a Graphic Designer. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today, with her husband and their furry, four-footed "children".

Besides writing, Jamie enjoys traveling, softball, reading, science fiction, hanging out with friends, and just being creative.

She is eternally thankful for all of the love and support her husband has given her over the years with her writing and other endeavors.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Tamika♥RBF MOOD♥.
1,224 reviews146 followers
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May 21, 2016


DNF @ 58%.

Listen, I can put up with alot. I had so many issues with this story, but I tried to make until the halfway mark.

The hideous cover. I knew it was ugly when I said yes, but not only the cover the guys DO NOT match the experience listed in their appearance. FFS, Shawn was a Navy Seal for 10 years, and then in the CIA for 4 years. Yet you have two guys who look nothing liked the experiences that they've went through. Big no no, and then the drugs on the cover. Oh goodness, you could have left it off with the camo green. No, no way for me. Where is the background and extended information on this op? I mean, the guy Jae is an alleged warlord, drug abuser/runner, arms dealer, and a complete tosser. Let's throw that out there. It was so under - prepared on both ends. If i'm the bad guy, I'm doing all type of test for new people that comes into my circle. A flimsy background check isn't enough. He's just willing to accept new people in the folds. Or even if he's two busy, his number two should be on it. Don't worry Jae, K'wan only concern is to partake in the festivities from what is seen.



At this point in my review, I'm exhausted talking about them, but it got on my nerves about the amount of b.s. and absurdity in this story until the point I've read. MacDonald. This is Connor and Shawn's boss who is running this op, and letting things go all willy nilly. They are recovering from a team mates death at the expense of the old commander. MacDonald is the replacement but he ain't doing nothing. Yet when it comes down to the actual mission and the checking in on his underlings MacDonald drops the ball. I mean, FFS he's doing Heroin. I've never been an undercover anything, but I know things happen and you gotta roll with the punches. But this is amazing. Shawn never done drugs and he's addicted, because why not? He's snorting H, and justifiying it for the mission, while Connor gets to play bouncer and rolls his eyes every time he sees Shawn high and used up like a $2 hoe! I'm done and out, and still ragey pissed and it's 2 days after I quit the book.


Profile Image for Martin.
807 reviews602 followers
May 11, 2016
I LOVED this book.

The beginnings were a bit odd. I mean, a black ops team called 'Shadow Unit' with specialist soldiers from the British Special Forces and the Navy SEALs going undercover at a gay sex club in Kuala Lumpur to expose an illegal arms dealing operation? This sounded so far-fetched and like a lame excuse for lots of sex...

Still, the two MCs and established couple Shawn and Connor totally made this work!
Shawn is a Navy SEAL. He's a handsome dark-haired American with a muscled tanned body - just the type of guy gay club owner (and suspected arms dealer) Jae Chan loves to keep as a boy toy.

The Shadow Unit's mission is to infiltrate the club and find out what's going on beneath the raunchy surface - with Connor starting to work as a security guard there and Shawn making sure to catch Chan's attention, hoping he'd fit the mold of the guy's boy toy preferences.

Chan quickly takes a liking to the hot American and keeps him close by, enabling Shawn to spy on his illegal operations.

Little does Shawn know that Chan uses drugs to keep his boys willing and at bay - while Shawn’s partner and boyfriend Connor has to watch his lover not only get sexually abused by the brutal Chan but also addicted to hard drugs. As Connor had to watch his previous lover Mark die in the line of duty, witnessing Shawn's struggles is too much for him to bear, wanting to abandon the assignment.

Shawn is unwilling to risk his mission, though, certain he's strong enough to fight his addiction and the drugs' side effects until his mission is over and he can finally fall apart.

Wow. Just wow.
This story was pretty intense. I've never read anything with a drug addiction theme, but I found this to be very well researched and believable, although I hope no real undercover spy needs to go through shit like this...

5 stars for Shawn and Connor. They're a real dream team ;-)
Another favorite!
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,999 reviews438 followers
August 26, 2018
Hmmm, there's an awful lot of "just run with it" to be had when reading this book.

As it's only novella length, I think the author did pretty good to get as much background and scene setting on without it feeling like an info dump.

But, having said that, a big pinch of salt is needed throughout as things go somewhat off the rails and the mission gets deadly serious.

#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Alona.
676 reviews11 followers
May 31, 2016
Well... It was better then I feared it will be, but it could have been so much more.

I'm a sucker for the combination of dark+HEA!
Love it!

Here, the potential for dark was so high, the blurb just called me.
But the author did not take the "dark" deep enough into "the darkness".
I wanted to be on the edge of my seat, I wanted to be scared for Shawn, I wanted to feel Connor's worry for his partner, I NEEDED Jae to be more of a monster...

Bottom line- the characters needed more depth and "edginess" in order for me to reach the last page and sigh with a smile of satisfaction on my face.
Profile Image for Raj.
750 reviews64 followers
March 28, 2016
This book is an accurate portrayal of how far one man sinks into depravity to save the lives of many at the risk of his life & his relationship with a soldier he calls his lover.Definitely worth reading.Beware though this is quite a dark read.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,456 reviews31 followers
April 24, 2016
When two members of an international shadow agency are asked to go undercover to stop an arms deal, neither Shawn or Connor knows quite how far undercover they will need to go.

There has been a proliferation of dark ops books in the past few years and this one doesn’t necessarily stand out. I like the idea of long-term life partners who complete dangerous missions together but there isn’t enough character development here for me to really attach to either man. There are a few more women in this story than most, but they are still in supporting roles.

The storyline is more unusual, but the rape and heroin scenes felt more than a little melodramatic and sensationalist.

Ultimately, this is a simple, easy action read. I didn’t hate it, but it is already blurring into hundreds of very similar dark ops stories for me.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
Profile Image for Stephanie   GooglyEyes.
1,264 reviews32 followers
August 22, 2018
3.75

Man, that was an intense ride.
Was a bot OtT? Sure, but it's action book about a group of ex-soldiers and the likes going undercover to bring down terrorists, it's almost expected to be.

Conner and Shawn are teammates and recent partners, as in a couple, not just PIC's. Their relationship is tested when Shawn has to go undercover to try and be Jae Chan's "boy toy" to get inside information.

Shawn swiftly becomes an addict, as Jae intends, and it's really quite intense and really sad to watch. I'm not sure how many times one has to do heroine to become so addicted, even with the withdrawal symptoms..but for Shawn, it happens within days. I'm not sure I find that believable or not, but what do I know? I've not been an addict in..ever.
Anyways... I did NOT want to put this book down. I thought it was a great beginning to a series and I adore Shawn and Conner. I will definitely continue on with the other books.
Profile Image for Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine).
1,192 reviews34 followers
August 22, 2023
Their eyes met and Connor remembered the last thing Shawn had said to him, right before he walked out the door an hour ago.
“No matter what goes on between me and Chan, it’s you I’ll be thinking of.”
— Connor Finley and Shawn Weller

Warnings: drug use, organised crime, dubcon

Jesus Christ. Jamie Lynn Miller use your warnings. There are mixed levels of consent for drug use and sexual contact. These are heavy drugs cocaine and heroin.

While I quite liked this, it is not for everyone. This is extremely heavy going at points. It has drug use and addiction (cocaine and heroin), something akin to prostitution, murder and explicit sex. I like the characters, Connor is a wonderful boyfriend he's fierce and unrepentant in his want to keep Shawn as safe as possible given the circumstances. Shawn is stronger than he knows, courageous and willing to do what needs to done, even if that means putting his body and sanity on the line. And fighting to do what is right. Their dynamic is very human. It changes with the plot, they have disagreements, moments of softness, anxiety and joy. Connor and Shawn are written in such a way that they know exactly what the other needs, the first smexy scene with them is surprising at first given the plot but a brilliant choice in terms of characterisation. It is essentially Connor showing/teaching Shawn exactly what he is about to walk into with the antagonist of the book, Chan. Jae Chan is a very good choice for a novella like this, he has no redeeming features. Pure, cold evil. Do I wish he had another dimension? Yeah. But with the word limitations in play, I would definitely rather those words used for the ending we got, than extra characterisation for Chan. The plot has some degree of predictability but the style in which it is written is likable enough. That said prepare for a massive aside about one of my fave hangups.

I need to make a note on the use of language and vernacular in Broken Soldier (and the Shadow Unit more widely). Despite Connor being British and Shawn, American Jamie Lynn Miller chooses to use the same American linguistics for them both. So Connor is using Americanisms and American English (o, z). Quite frankly it is a minor thing but I have been truly ruined on this by Enemies Like You by Annika Martin and Joanna Chambers. Their protagonists Kit and Will are British and American respectively, Martin and Chambers use the correct spellings and slang. So British Kit's are written in British English (ou, s). while American Will's chapters are written in American English (o, z). This minor detail makes such a big difference to characterisation. I'm not going to lie and say it would be easy for a single author to write a half-American English, half-British English novella but the results are memorable and well worth it, in my opinion at least. Kit is one of my fave characters, my love of him has never deteriorated and honestly, it is partially this linguistic detail that makes Enemies Like You so memorable. Honestly, if you like Jamie Lynn Miller you will probably like that too, and it is a helluva lot less rough than this.

The armory loomed along the far wall with racks of rifles and handguns and boxes of grenades – both smoke and explosive – and an entire crate of ammunition. Shadow Unit, like a Boy Scout troop on steroids, always arrived prepared. — Connor Finley

A representative gif:
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Profile Image for Deanna.
2,745 reviews65 followers
January 28, 2017
I hate this cover, the models, the drugs, everything. I would pass it by in a brick & mortar store.

I have a criminal justice background. I found the lack of protection of the under-cover operative by his boss unacceptable. Yet the book dragged me into the story and I had to finish it. I had to know that Shawn would survive without being completely emotionally destroyed. Not an easy read for me.

First time I have read this author's stories. Please edit, especially verb tenses matching.
Profile Image for Ang -PNR Book Lover Reviews.
1,808 reviews145 followers
May 7, 2016
Broken Soldier
by Jamie Lynn Miller

Dang! What a ride that was. I still not sure what I can and cannot write.

Two military soldiers, in a relationship but they are undercover and they are in seep, so deep one can not breathe!

Drugs, sex and more.

Connor and Shawn were great characters, they have a lot to get through!

Can they? What happens when you play with the devil?

It was a rough, emotional ride!
Profile Image for Veronica of V's Reads.
1,528 reviews44 followers
October 12, 2016
This is a dark contemporary spy novel that features a M/M love story, hard drug use, deep cover, dubious consent, death, and destruction with a happy ending.

Connor Finley and Shawn Weller are operatives in Shadow Unit, a inter-national cadre of soldiers and infiltration specialists (think ex-CIA/MI5) that go in and "get the job done" against mega-badguys. They are also covert lovers, having built a friendship over the course of years, and now being a committed couple for the past five months. The current mark is Jae Chan, an arms dealer operating out of Kuala Lumpur. Jae likes his men drugged out and biddable, as Shawn discovers as soon as he's able to catch Jae's roving eye in a gay entertainment club run by Jae. Connor's hired on as club security, but Shawn's the one who's in the most danger.

If you take a gander at the cover, you'll see cut lines of drugs. Expect Shawn to be pushed into taking both cocaine and heroin in order to maintain his cover, and get close enough to Jae to get the necessary evidence. Also, Jae's going to use Shawn rather horribly, and Shawn's guilt over both betraying his lover, and getting dependent upon the drugs, is a tough journey to experience. You may also notice the title is: BROKEN SOLDIER, because Shawn gets REALLY messed up in the process of maintaining this covert-op. I've never read a book with so much hard drug use, and it wasn't pleasant, from a voyeuristic standpoint. I'm a gal who got raised in the "Just Say No" era, so I'm not fascinated by drug-culture. I did feel as if the experiences were described with an eye to reality, and nothing about this situation with Shawn is positive. He's trying to romance a scumbag drug-dealing arm-dealing bully, and he knows his life is constantly on the line.

Connor has to watch from afar, and provide as much back-up as he can to Shawn without tipping off Jae's many bodyguards. Meanwhile, seeing Shawn be used and abused make him furious--and he's really worried about the seemingly constant drug use he witnesses. Will Shawn make it through this mission intact? Will Connor blow their cover to save Shawn?

I'll tell you, it was a bit harrowing. There's a good build-up of suspense, with death on the menu. The climax wasn't nearly the end of the book--because we still needed to see Shawn get off the junk. If anything, this book obliterated any hint of desire I may have ever harbored for heroin. Ugh. Yuck! That said, the walk-back from the edge that Shawn experiences in Connor's loving embrace was very tender.

This is a work of fiction, and I know that reality is likely not as convenient as the set-up in this book, but the situations felt authentic, and interesting. The emotional dilemmas and hard choices within reflect a seedy subculture that I'm sure exists, to some degree, somewhere. I liked the strong love between Connor and Shawn, and I'm looking forward to following their dangerous adventures.
Profile Image for Tammy.
54 reviews3 followers
May 1, 2016
Blog Post: http://lovebytesreviews.com/2016/04/2...
Broken Soldier is all about two dedicated soldiers Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller. Connor and Shawn have worked together for the last four years working covert ops for Shadow Unit- a joint UK/US anti-terrorism task force and for the last five months their relationship has moved from friends/co-workers to lovers.
Connor and Shawn have been assigned to take down an arms dealer the only problem with that is the fact that Shawn has to literally get into bed with the enemy. To make sure the arms dealer doesn’t suspect anything Shawn has to take over the position of boyfriend/submissive of Yong Jae Chan, the local Chinese Triad leader. Yong prefers to go by “Jae”, Jae is just about the most ruthless arms/drug dealer in the Philippines. Whilst Shawn is cosying up to Jae, Connor has to get himself hired as a bouncer in Jae’s club, Club Pelangi, the top gay club in Chinatown. This turns out to be a far easier job than anyone thought and by the end of their first visit to Club Pelangi both Connor and Shawn are in their respective undercover positions.
The heartbreaking things Shawn has to do to gather the information to bring down Jae are not for the faint of heart. He has to partake in the drugs that are always on offer, although Jae uses them to control his “boyfriends” they are generally always there! Shawn also has to pretend to enjoy participating in sex with not only Jae but anyone Jae wants to see Shawn with. It doesn’t take long for Shawn to become addicted to heroin, always looking for his next fix and admittedly using it as a way to escape from what he is essentially being forced to do for the “job”.
While Shawn is falling further under the influence of the lifestyle of being an arms/drug dealer’s boyfriend, Connor has to watch him knowing exactly what Shawn is having to do to stay alive and knowing there isn’t a thing he can do to help him. In the end it comes down to whether Connor and Shawn can overcome their respective demons and come out the other end still together and still very much in love with each other!
If you’re a lover of military, gay romance story’s then this is definitely the one book you have to read but be warned this book is not a fluffy love story. This is a look at the dark side of life, there is a lot of drugs, alcohol, murder and rape so if you are sensitive to these topics please, just be aware that this book is full of them.
Profile Image for JustJen "Miss Conduct".
2,387 reviews156 followers
September 27, 2016

3.5 star review by The Blogger Girls.

This is most definitely a case of don’t judge a book by its cover. it is not a very good depiction of these guys and I felt definitely do them any justice. Shawn and Conner are a part of Shadow Unit, which is made up of elite men and women from various organizations and different countries. Shawn is a big Texan, I believe, who was a Navy SEAL, and Connor is British. They have been partners in the Unit for a while now and are also together though they’ve kept their relationship a secret from the rest of their team.

When the team gets the call that there is an opportunity to stop a major arms deal, they quickly devise a plan to go undercover in order to get the information needed to stop the sale and take everyone down. With an unbelievably extremely small amount of preparation, the guys go in. Connor is to become an employee at a club, and since he fits the bill of the club owner, Jae’s, penchant for American boy toys, Shawn is chosen to catch Jae’s eye and take the place of his current plaything in hopes of getting close to the needed information. All of this happens quickly as well with little to know trouble.

Once the guys are in place, things quickly get hairy. Shawn is forced to take drugs in order to keep up appearances and maintain his cover as an American looking to party. He must submit to Jae’s harsh treatment and offer of drugs and partying to put up a good front, all while Connor watches from the sidelines. It is clear that Jae uses the drugs as a means of controlling his play things, and Shawn is quickly falling under the spell of the drugs. Things get worse before they get better, but Conner is there when Shawn needs him and basically saves him in more ways than one.

You definitely have to suspend beliefs here for a number of things that seem highly unlikely. But, it was interesting and exciting with quite a bit of action that kept my interest. I especially liked getting to see Shawn’s recovery and that it was something both he and Connor had to struggle with. Between the dangerous partnership on the team, and their commitment outside of it, these guys had a bond that was easy to see and was truly what helped get them through. I wasn’t totally wowed by this story, but I enjoyed many aspects and eagerly jumped into the next installment.
Profile Image for Christi Snow.
Author 69 books738 followers
May 20, 2016
My Review:
There is a product warning in the story description. Please take note of it, because this is not a light, happy read. It's dark and gritty, but it's definitely worth reading because the love between Connor and Shawn is so pure and good...it makes the difficulties they go through in this book all the more beautiful...because in the end they have one another (that's not a spoiler because you knew this was a romance going in, right? hehe)

This story isn't easy. Both Shawn and Connor work on a Special Ops International task force. In this story, they are trying to take down a very powerful man who has his hand in drugs, prostitution, and arms dealing. They both go in undercover....Connor working in the man's club as security; Shawn in the man's life as his lover. The real issue that they don't see coming before they go in is that Jai (the bad guy they're trying to take down) controls his lovers with drugs. Shawn is quickly in way over his head and quickly becoming addicted to heroin. Connor can't do anything but standby and watch. To do anything else endangers their mission and Shawn's very life. It's proven really early on that Jai will kill anyone and everyone that crosses him. Shawn is in a VERY dangerous situation...in many different ways.

The story is rough to read. Connor is doing everything he can to help Shawn, but there's just so little that he can really do. And Shawn is getting more and more messed up every single day he's undercover. It's a highly emotional, angst-filled read...the kind I really love. The undercover operation covers about 2/3 of the book and then the last 1/3 of the book is Shawn trying to recover, with Connor's help.

It's a story of extremes, but even in the midst of all the really ugly, there are flashbacks about the love between these two men that get Shawn through it all...and keeps the reader believing in just how strong their love really is despite the horrible situation they are both in right now.

Every once in a while I like a darker twist in my reading. This book served that desire beautifully. It is a dark read, but hope and love stay the focus of the story all the way through and I loved that about it. I highly recommend this book...just make sure you heed the warnings if you have trigger issues.
Profile Image for Carra.
1,733 reviews31 followers
May 24, 2016
Whoever thought up the phrase "light reading" sure did not have Broken Soldier in mind. With subject matter that is frankly a bit disturbing and characters who you will immediately become invested in, this is a serious, dramatic read that will take you into some very dark corners and tear you up a bit while you're there.

As the story begins, our lead characters, Connor and Shawn, are headed undercover into what we already expect to be a very shady situation. The book's synopsis already lets us know there's drugs, sex and arms dealing...but what you'll also find is the destruction of not just one but two men along the way. The story fully dragged me into the depths of their situation to the point where I was deeply troubled about the circumstances Connor and Shawn-particularly Shawn-were in. Honestly, if these types of undercover operations happen in the real world, I would find it utterly unconscionable that this would occur and be condoned.

The writing and storyline really grabs a hold of you and immerses you in this world. I can't see anyone reading this and not being disturbed by what happens to Shawn as things spiral out of control for him. In addition, the way it affected Connor had my heart aching. While the op itself was full of suspense and drama, the aftermath as Shawn has to heal from what he went through is emotional, heart-wrenching and shows what not only an addict has to go through to get clean (even for a short stint of drug use), but how that also affects someone who loves them.

Both Shawn and Connor become broken by what happens, and they both help each other to overcome the consequences. Watching as events unfold had me riveted to the book, and suffering a bit of a book hangover once I was done.

4.5 disturbed stars for Broken Soldier. I'd recommend this to M/M romance fans who prefer their subject matter on the darker, more dramatic side. This is strictly for readers 18+ due to adult language, drug use and other illegal activities, and explicit M/M sexual content. This is the first time I've read one of this author's books, and I've now added her entire backlist to my TBR list...fantastic work!
Profile Image for Lynnette Hartwig.
419 reviews9 followers
April 22, 2016
Warning: Dark Read, Drug Use

This book was quite amazing despite it being a dark read. I don’t read these type of books on a regular basis but every once in a while the blurb catches my eye and I just have to read it. This was one of those.

This story was exceptional in its writing and in its plot. The author was able to make it a very convincing story and I couldn’t wait to read what came next. I can’t believe this is the first book I’ve read by this author. I immediate had a connection with Conner and Shawn and sometimes I cried for the situation Shawn was going through. Conner was clearly the rock that Shawn depends on and I was glad that Shawn had someone to hold and help him through the dark times. Jamie Lynn Miller was able to take this type of a story make it believable and most of all have an HEA in the end. This was an excellent book and would definitely recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book to read for Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Gina Grant.
Author 11 books51 followers
May 5, 2016
Broken Soldier is an awesome book. In fact, the four and five star reviews are rolling in. And they all agree it's a dark read. But in some ways it's not. Far be it for me to disagree with all the reviewers, but it's really a light story with dark elements. No, wait! It's a dark story with light elements. My point is, don't let the “dark” scare you away. It has enough happy moments that it'll be satisfying even if you’re like me and doesn't usually enjoy darker stories. It has balance. It's not unmitigated misery from start to finish. It showcases brave heroes doing heroic things. And seeing their commitments through for the greater good. The light moments are all the more sweet for the contrast with the dark. I loved reading Broken Soldier. Thanks for an awesome read, Jamie.
Profile Image for Shelly.
Author 3 books8 followers
May 7, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. Miller does a great job of creating the characters who are in a committed relationship but using flashbacks to understand what pulled them together. Not only does she use the flashbacks, but she uses them at ideal times when it seems most relevant. What I also find interesting in this book is the way she explains the effects of heroin and how easily it is to get addicted to the drug. Even the strongest person gets addicted to it's power.
2,922 reviews15 followers
September 9, 2017
Too much sex, not enough story. Could not relate to the characters.
Profile Image for Anne Barwell.
Author 23 books108 followers
September 5, 2018
I liked the characters in this story, and appreciated that the Shadow Unit team was made up of a mix of men and women, and that the women kicked arse as well as the men. I thought the action scenes were well written, and the author does a great job in raising the tension of Shawn’s undercover mission. The story isn’t a light read, but I think that is one of its strengths. I also liked the way in which Shawn and Connor’s relationship up to the present is told through flashbacks, and how Shawn uses those flashbacks. I thought Connor’s helplessness and despair watching Shawn sink lower and lower came across very well.

However, I did have a few issues with the way ‘the mission comes first’ was taken to the extreme. In saying that, though, I thought the way in which the resulting addiction was dealt with felt very realistic. I also liked the way in which Shawn convinces himself that he is on top of the addiction, and yet it still comes across that deep down he knows he’s in trouble.

The bad guy is a total arsehole, and I really felt for Shawn having to pretend he wanted to be with him. Ick. And while I loved Shawn, Connor and the other members of their team, I had reservations about their commanding officer, especially considering the team had already lost one of its members in a previous mission. I had to dispel my disbelief that he would allow things to get as far as they did with the drugs.

All in all, I did found this story to be a good read, although there is a little too much sex for my taste, and I’d like to see where further adventures take these characters.

I’d recommend Broken Soldier to readers who like a dark story with interesting characters, and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your reading seat.
Profile Image for John-Torleif  Harris.
2,725 reviews12 followers
June 6, 2017
I know that I shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I freely admit that I often do. This was one such book where I liked the blurb and kept seeing it being suggested, but the models used on the cover looked so awkward and a bit ridiculous that I just passed it by. Then I saw it offered in the Big Gay Giveaway and I figured, why not?

This is the first book that I've read by Jamie Lynn Miller, but it certainly won't be my last. I have a feeling that the actual procedural portions of this story relate as closely to reality as most TV police dramas, but it was fun, fast paced, and always entertaining. Shawn's determination to do his duty in the face of knowing that he was losing himself to the heroin being forced on him was heartbreaking. I loved that he had Connor to keep him centered and sane both during the op and afterward.

While I still think that the covers are ridiculous, I fully intend to buy and read the rest of the books in this series.
Profile Image for Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews.
2,698 reviews138 followers
August 3, 2018
Oh My God! Broken Soldier is remarkable, riveting, and memorable!

This is not just a case of a soldier being broken, it is also a book that will break it's reader. Seriously, I can't even explain how excruciating this was for me to read. But, I couldn't stop. I needed to know what was going to happen.

I am in awe of Jamie Lynn Miller's ability to create such an emotional and gut-wrenching story. I spent the whole time reading crying, and stressed out of my mind. That said, I am thrilled to have discovered this book, and this series.

Two soldiers, sent to work undercover, in a mission that just might kill them. (And Me!) Their mission is excruciating on their relationship, and on the soldiers themselves.

Jamie Lynn Miller has wowed me with this first book in the Shadow Unit Series and I can't wait to jump into the next book!
Profile Image for Sue Milkovich.
1,732 reviews16 followers
September 17, 2022
COPY THAT!!!

This is a Soldier story. Book #1 in this SHADOW UNIT Series. Connor and Shawn are part of Shadow Unit. It's Soldiers basically black ops. They are a specialized team of the absolute BEST. Their relationship is relatively new and still unknown to the Unit. This mission takes them to a place where recovery is more than any expect. This Book was hard to read in spots but I couldn't put it down. Is it true? I hope not but in this day and age you never can be sure. This has a happily ever after but who knows what the next mission will be. I loved these characters and their dedication. I can't wait to read the next. I admire the way JAMIE LYNN MILLER puts you in the story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Garth Mailman.
2,536 reviews10 followers
April 20, 2018
An M+M Novel and once more I wonder at why female authors seem to have such a fascination with male on male sexual practices. And again I question the use of profanity. Until reading this tome the idea that undercover black ops would include male prostitution hadn’t occurred to me. Given the military’s stance of gays this would seem to be a glaring double-standard were it true. I know this is fiction but to have attracted such immediate attention in a gay club this pair must have been spectacular physical specimens. The description that warns of copious amounts of drug use, sex, and violence does not overplay its hand. The book ends with an extended make-out scene.
Profile Image for Anja.
1,261 reviews8 followers
December 8, 2018
I liked this story quite a lot, because the author has a very good way to put down words to let the characters shine though they literally are miserable in their current situations. So to keep his cover up to bring down a cartel Shawn is forced to do and let things be done to him that can break him to the point of no return. Will Connor be there in time to save him from the worst? And what will happen afterwards? I didn't expect a story like this but it's a good one - filled with determination, strenght, loyality and curage...
Profile Image for Angelica Holmes.
567 reviews1 follower
September 29, 2021
Not my usual read however....

I'll start out this review by saying normally I'm a reader who likes boy meets boy, craziness ensues everyone lives happily ever after.

This is not that kinda book. This is quite a dark and angnst filled story of two men who are together in the military, going through a lot, and trying to get their HEA.

That being said, it is still a good Story that pulls at your heart strings for what the guys go through. I do warn it contains Drugs and drug induced sex scenes so please be cautious if thats not your thing.
Profile Image for RE Reader.
1,297 reviews3 followers
December 5, 2022
I read these books as a boxed set, and I kind of ran out of steam before the end and began skimming. I thought the tension between the men was interesting, and their romance was nice (if not a little boring). The first book was my least favorite, for sure, but the others did get stronger --BUT the main issue was jumping around (and jumping from main plot point to the next plot point) and a lack of character depth.

I just think Miller's style isn't to my taste.
Profile Image for Sheila Schwartz.
1,721 reviews5 followers
September 29, 2021
Chemically alive

My heart was stuttering, my breath short and my head careening at what is expected of the Shadow Soldiers! Amazing characters and the struggle to end all struggles!
Profile Image for Mollien Fote Osterman.
722 reviews11 followers
May 21, 2016
Title: Broken Soldier
Author:.lulu.com/
Publisher: Lulu
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Genre(s):
Page Count:
Heat Level: 4.5 flames out of 5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller are dedicated soldiers working covert ops for Shadow Unit - a joint UK/US anti-terrorism task force.

Partners in the field and out, they had been through hell together for the last four years and made it through standing side by side. But when their latest undercover op to bring down an arms dealer plunges them into a world of drugs, sex and violence, Shawn must literally get in bed with the enemy in order to complete the mission. And Connor is forced to watch, helpless, as his partner is broken into pieces.

Will love be enough to put them both back together or will this be their final mission?

WARNING: Contains scenes of drug use, graphic sex and realistic situations


Review:
This was a high action intense, graphic book. After reading it I was emotionally exhausted, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. The plot of this story is an elite team of men and women working undercover. This mission has Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller going deep undercover. So deep that Shawn almost pays the ultimate price. Connor, Shawn’s partner on the job and romantically, fights to keep his lover safe. The chemistry between these two is scorching hot, and the author beautifully conveys how much these two soldiers mean to one another. The pacing of this story is full throttle. Shawn pulls out all the stops to take down their mark. The ending was moving. The characters in this book were inspirational.
PLOT: 5 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 5 Stars
PACING: 5 Stars
ENDING: 5 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars


Review Copy of Broken Soldier provided by the Lulu Publishing for an honest Review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club
description  description
Profile Image for Natosha Wilson.
1,274 reviews15 followers
April 19, 2016
I have read quite a few of Jamie Lnn Millers book and have loved each of them but I have to be honest and say this has to be my favorite one so far.

This story was so realistic that it was easy to forget that it was just a fictional story and was more like reading about what happened in someone's real life.

When I say it was realistic I really felt that Connor and Shawn having to go undercover for this mission to bring down Jae and his associates felt real. I could picture all of the things that Shawn went thru with this mission from having to do things he normally would never consider such as doing drugs to having to sleep with Jae even when it occurred in front of his true partner, Connor. I could also feel the pain that Shawn had to go through with withdrawals from the drugs to the pain he felt for doing all the things he had to do durning the mission that he was not proud of and how he felt like he was not strong or courageous even though in my eyes he was more so then most would have been in his situation.

Connor was a true rock through all of it. He was there for Shawn every step of the way and gave him strength when Shawn did not feel that he had any. Even with this being a mission and having to do the things that Shawn had to do, most men would hold that against their partner but Connor is not like that and never blamed or held it against Shawn for the things he had to do or endure through the whole process. Even when it ate at him having to watch Shawn out himself thru everything he still loves him and believed in him. And I believe that if it had not of been for Connor, Shawn would have let himself been swept away in everything that was happening. Connor was his strength and kept him fighting thru it all till the very end.

Jamie Lynn Miller did a superb job on this book and I have to say that this book is at the top of my list on my favorite books that I have read recently. I know that this book will stay with me for a while and I will not forget it any time soon. Amazing book and a must read.

Was given this book by inked rainbow reads for an honest review
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