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Until the World Stops
Their plan was perfect…until the world stopped.
After the Navy boots him out, Tristan is screwed. Without an honorable discharge or a college degree, his job prospects are grim. If only he knew a service member who was willing to get married, make Tristan a dependent, and transfer his GI Bill. Such as, say, a former coworker who’s single, gay, and wants his family off his back about his refusal to settle down…and who maybe feels guilty for his role in Tristan losing his career.
Casey has never liked Tristan, but the plan is irresistible. In fact, it’s perfect. Now Tristan has health insurance and a place to live, and he’s going to school. Meanwhile, Casey’s conscience is assuaged, and he’s still sleeping his way through town while his family is none the wiser. The guys stay out of each other’s way, and it’s all good.
Right up until a pandemic locks everything down.
Suddenly it’s just Casey and Tristan…and maybe that’s not such a bad thing. In a time when they’re both desperate for strength, support, and human contact, they find them in the most unexpected each other.
But when feelings come into play, is it something real? Or just two lonely men making the best of terrifying times? And how in the world do Casey and Tristan tell the difference?
Until the World Stops is a 72,000-word standalone gay romance.
COVID-19
A note from the
As the events of 2020 have unfolded, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve debated when and how to incorporate that reality into my work. It’s not something I want to make light of or capitalize on, but it has become a part of our lives, and one that doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. There comes a point when—if I’m to write about life—I need to write about the ugly parts too. For that matter, writing is how I process the world around me, and as time has gone on, I’ve found myself needing the catharsis of looking this reality in the eye and putting it into words as best I can.
Most importantly, however, this is a time when we all need hope and even moments of peace. While pure escapism is important to me, so too is finding that hope and peace when everything feels so bleak.
So it’s with that in mind that I give you a couple of guys finding a little bit of light when all the world feels dark.
After the Navy boots him out, Tristan is screwed. Without an honorable discharge or a college degree, his job prospects are grim. If only he knew a service member who was willing to get married, make Tristan a dependent, and transfer his GI Bill. Such as, say, a former coworker who’s single, gay, and wants his family off his back about his refusal to settle down…and who maybe feels guilty for his role in Tristan losing his career.
Casey has never liked Tristan, but the plan is irresistible. In fact, it’s perfect. Now Tristan has health insurance and a place to live, and he’s going to school. Meanwhile, Casey’s conscience is assuaged, and he’s still sleeping his way through town while his family is none the wiser. The guys stay out of each other’s way, and it’s all good.
Right up until a pandemic locks everything down.
Suddenly it’s just Casey and Tristan…and maybe that’s not such a bad thing. In a time when they’re both desperate for strength, support, and human contact, they find them in the most unexpected each other.
But when feelings come into play, is it something real? Or just two lonely men making the best of terrifying times? And how in the world do Casey and Tristan tell the difference?
Until the World Stops is a 72,000-word standalone gay romance.
COVID-19
A note from the
As the events of 2020 have unfolded, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve debated when and how to incorporate that reality into my work. It’s not something I want to make light of or capitalize on, but it has become a part of our lives, and one that doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. There comes a point when—if I’m to write about life—I need to write about the ugly parts too. For that matter, writing is how I process the world around me, and as time has gone on, I’ve found myself needing the catharsis of looking this reality in the eye and putting it into words as best I can.
Most importantly, however, this is a time when we all need hope and even moments of peace. While pure escapism is important to me, so too is finding that hope and peace when everything feels so bleak.
So it’s with that in mind that I give you a couple of guys finding a little bit of light when all the world feels dark.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2020
183 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
L.A. Witt
218 books2,724 followersL.A. Witt and her husband have been exiled from Spain and sent to live in Maine because rhymes are fun. She now divides her time between writing, assuring people she is aware that Maine is cold, wondering where to put her next tattoo, and trying to reason with a surly Maine coon. Rumor has it her arch nemesis, Lauren Gallagher, is also somewhere in the wilds of New England, which is why L.A. is also spending a portion of her time training a team of spec ops lobsters.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
Authors Ann Gallagher and Lori A. Witt have been asked to assist in lobster training, but they "have books to write" and "need to focus on our careers" and "don't you think this rivalry has gotten a little out of hand?" They're probably just helping Lauren raise her army of squirrels trained to ride moose into battle.
Visit her website at http://www.gallagherwitt.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
August 31, 2021
uhm, this was fine. not awful, but also not especially great. the story was extremely repetitive; i swear i had to read Casey’s thoughts about the chief’s wife hating her husband about forty times even though we never actually meet her nn.
also, there was no real resolution to anything? the story just… ended? which was kind of annoying. i didn’t really buy the relationship, either. 2.5 stars rounded down.
also, there was no real resolution to anything? the story just… ended? which was kind of annoying. i didn’t really buy the relationship, either. 2.5 stars rounded down.
November 10, 2020
This was the first story set in the pandemic that I have read. I thought the author hit a sweet spot, between not being too angsty, and not trivializing, including a romance but making it grounded in the situation.
This is a fake to real relationship. Casey feels really guilty because he was responsible for a fellow sailor's political activism becoming known to the brass, who then discharged Tristan for his behavior. The discharge is unfair - but there's nothing Casey can do to change it. What he can do is try to make up for it. The roughest part of Tristan's discharge is losing all the Navy benefits he was counting on, and without them he's dead broke. Casey, who is being pressured by his mother to settle down, realizes that if he and Tristan get married, Tristan gets almost the same benefits, as his spouse. It would fix the injustice, stick it to the Navy in a subtle way for their prejudice, keep Tristan from total poverty, and get his own mother off his back.
A few years down the road, once Tristan gets his degree and has options, they can get a divorce and move on. Problem solved. Conscience clear. (Mom may not be happy, but it's years down the road.)
What Casey doesn't take into account is that while he supports Tristan's rights, and even his ideas, they don't get along well personally. And when COVID hits, they're suddenly trapped together under lock-down, with finances getting tight, and personal and family risks looming. And as casual hook-ups suddenly become a really bad idea, having a hot roommate they're married to, but not having sex with, becomes a challenge for both of them.
This felt like a very realistic story (if you accept the marriage at the beginning.) The author's own experiences clearly color the details of the narrative, and lend it authenticity. The relationship built in plausible ways, with a point of tension that made sense.
COVID is going to come into play in our stories, as we move forward. This was a very solid entry into romances tackling this tricky setting.
This is a fake to real relationship. Casey feels really guilty because he was responsible for a fellow sailor's political activism becoming known to the brass, who then discharged Tristan for his behavior. The discharge is unfair - but there's nothing Casey can do to change it. What he can do is try to make up for it. The roughest part of Tristan's discharge is losing all the Navy benefits he was counting on, and without them he's dead broke. Casey, who is being pressured by his mother to settle down, realizes that if he and Tristan get married, Tristan gets almost the same benefits, as his spouse. It would fix the injustice, stick it to the Navy in a subtle way for their prejudice, keep Tristan from total poverty, and get his own mother off his back.
A few years down the road, once Tristan gets his degree and has options, they can get a divorce and move on. Problem solved. Conscience clear. (Mom may not be happy, but it's years down the road.)
What Casey doesn't take into account is that while he supports Tristan's rights, and even his ideas, they don't get along well personally. And when COVID hits, they're suddenly trapped together under lock-down, with finances getting tight, and personal and family risks looming. And as casual hook-ups suddenly become a really bad idea, having a hot roommate they're married to, but not having sex with, becomes a challenge for both of them.
This felt like a very realistic story (if you accept the marriage at the beginning.) The author's own experiences clearly color the details of the narrative, and lend it authenticity. The relationship built in plausible ways, with a point of tension that made sense.
COVID is going to come into play in our stories, as we move forward. This was a very solid entry into romances tackling this tricky setting.
May 14, 2024
It's 2019, and Tristan and Casey are in the Navy, and stationed in Maine. The job is not going well for Tristan, who doesn’t think he fits well with the Navy or any other branch of the military. He’s an immature hot head and doesn’t like or want to take orders. To put the icing on the cake he's made some stupid comments on Facebook about giving his opinions of those in command. Now he’s about to be discharged without the word “honorable” anywhere on his discharge papers.
Casey, who was Tristan’s superior, should’ve dealt with the issue himself, but it was passed over him. Now Tristan is not only going to lose his job, but also his health insurance, and now will have no place to live. He more than likely won’t be able to get a decent job without that honorable discharge. We know that things are going to get worse here...if that is even possible... because even though they can hardly tolerate one another, Casey suggests a "marriage of convenience" because he feels guilty about Tristan being let out like this. Really??? He figures that if Tristan is his dependent, he can transfer his GI Bill to Tristan so he can go to college and share his benefits. How Casey benefits from all this NOT in the least clear, other than getting his mother off his back if she thinks he's married, and it will alleviate his guilt...but a marriage in name only seems a horrible, terrible, mistake going somewhere to happen.
Then it moves forward a year and we find that Casey and Tristan absolutely loathe one another, but they are still living together as husbands. It's now 2020 and the pandemic is just starting to break out in the United States...but their home is a cold war zone. Casey is miserable and resentful of Tristan for them being in this situation. He does everything possible to keep from going home after work. He despises his superiors which has now cost Tristan yet another job, and his anger is hurting any chances for getting another one any time soon. Actually, Tristan is growing increasingly uncomfortable about his complete dependency on Casey. It really was almost impossible to figure out why these two would even consider doing any of this to begin with?
I checked to be sure that this was actually written by MY wonderfully talented, L.A. Witt...it was, but the entire thing is not only unacceptable but totally UNBELIEVABLE. I know it was supposed to be about how the pandemic changed everyone's life, but I just didn't see what these two did to have made any difference or helped the situation...they just made their lives a disaster. I found the entire story depressing. I NEVER imagined I'd ever give this author anything less than a 4 or 5-star rating...but guess there's a first time for everything...I just didn't get any of this.
Casey, who was Tristan’s superior, should’ve dealt with the issue himself, but it was passed over him. Now Tristan is not only going to lose his job, but also his health insurance, and now will have no place to live. He more than likely won’t be able to get a decent job without that honorable discharge. We know that things are going to get worse here...if that is even possible... because even though they can hardly tolerate one another, Casey suggests a "marriage of convenience" because he feels guilty about Tristan being let out like this. Really??? He figures that if Tristan is his dependent, he can transfer his GI Bill to Tristan so he can go to college and share his benefits. How Casey benefits from all this NOT in the least clear, other than getting his mother off his back if she thinks he's married, and it will alleviate his guilt...but a marriage in name only seems a horrible, terrible, mistake going somewhere to happen.
Then it moves forward a year and we find that Casey and Tristan absolutely loathe one another, but they are still living together as husbands. It's now 2020 and the pandemic is just starting to break out in the United States...but their home is a cold war zone. Casey is miserable and resentful of Tristan for them being in this situation. He does everything possible to keep from going home after work. He despises his superiors which has now cost Tristan yet another job, and his anger is hurting any chances for getting another one any time soon. Actually, Tristan is growing increasingly uncomfortable about his complete dependency on Casey. It really was almost impossible to figure out why these two would even consider doing any of this to begin with?
I checked to be sure that this was actually written by MY wonderfully talented, L.A. Witt...it was, but the entire thing is not only unacceptable but totally UNBELIEVABLE. I know it was supposed to be about how the pandemic changed everyone's life, but I just didn't see what these two did to have made any difference or helped the situation...they just made their lives a disaster. I found the entire story depressing. I NEVER imagined I'd ever give this author anything less than a 4 or 5-star rating...but guess there's a first time for everything...I just didn't get any of this.
December 13, 2020
I've given this a B at AAR
I’ve read a number of discussions over the past few months about how to address COVID-19 in the romance genre. Do authors ignore it and write as if it hadn’t happened – effectively setting their books in a contemporary AU? Or do they incorporate it somehow? It’s a tricky question – for many readers, reference to the pandemic is the last thing they want to read in a genre they read in order to escape; others want more realism. I tend towards the latter, but I can completely understand that there are those for whom a romance set during lockdown will have little or no appeal.
Anyway. When I saw that L.A. Witt had written a book featuring a couple who got together for the sake of expediency and ended up locked down together, I decided to pick it up. I generally enjoy her books and this was no exception; she writes insightfully about the confusion experienced in the early part of the year when rumours about the virus were just surfacing and then about the growing sense of helplessness people began to feel as the it began to take hold in their communities. Panic buying, virus-deniers, conspiracy theorists, they all get a bit of page time.
Until the World Stops employs the marriage-of-convenience trope (which is a personal favourite) and you don’t get many contemporary romances that use it; it’s a tricky premise to pull off in the modern era, but reasons for this one seem fairly plausible.
After making a Facebook post that ticks off his superiors, Master-at-Arms (MA2) Tristan Holloway is booted out of the Navy with nothing – his pension, medical insurance and GI Bill are all stripped from him. In two months he’ll be out on his ear and the lack of the word “honourable” in front of “discharge” means it will be incredibly difficult for him to find a job. Even though MA1 Casey Parker doesn’t like Tristan very much – thinks he’s always been an insubordinate little shit – he feels partially responsible for Tristan’s situation; he’d tried to quietly to talk to him about the inadvisability of what he ‘d written, but he should have known they’d lose their tempers, and when the yelling got the attention of one of their superiors… it was all over. Casey felt responsible for Tristan being disciplined, but discovering that he’s losing everything makes him feel even more guilty; he’d expected Tristan to be demoted, not thrown out – which is why he responds to a drunken Tristan’s idea of finding himself a “Military Sugar Daddy” with the suggestion that Tristan should marry him. Casey can sign over his GI Bill so Tristan can get his degree, and as a military dependent Tristan will have health insurance and somewhere to live. They can stick it out until Tristan finishes college, then divorce quietly afterwards, and in the interim, they’re just roommates and can continue with their lives as usual. Besides, Casey being married will at long last get his mother off his back about finding a boyfriend and settling down. They agree to think it over for a few weeks, and make a decision at the end of the month.
Skip forward fifteen months to March 2020 and the ‘roomies’ thing Tristan and Casey had envisaged isn’t going so well. Casey finds every excuse he can not to go home each night, usually spending the night in an hotel room with a hook-up, and Tristan is always relieved when Casey isn’t home. They avoid each other as much as they can – their one point of commonality a cat they’ve adopted – but the air of resentment lying between them is so thick it could be cut with a knife. Casey believes that marrying Tristan is starting to hurt his career, and because Tristan’s work hours (he’s a bouncer at a club) have been getting cut lately, it means money is tighter than usual and Casey isn’t pleased about having to rein in his spending. Tristan hates becoming more dependent on Casey than he already is. So things are already strained when the news of a deadly new virus starts to dominate the news cycle and things start to shut down. Casey is still going into the office at the Navy base at Providence Point, but Tristan’s work dries up completely and he’s laid off, causing the rift between them to widen.
As the situation worsens, and options for getting out of the house dwindle to nothing, Tristan and Casey are stuck spending their free time at home, getting on each other’s nerves. It’s only a matter of time before all the stress and uncertainty come to a head, and Casey blows up at Tristan – but with no other option but to continue living under the same roof, he’s forced to take a good look at his attitude and admit he over-reacted, take a deep breath and apologise. After this, their relationship starts to improve, and as they start relying on each other for social interaction, they find that they actually enjoy spending time together. And from friendship, it’s a sort step to a friends-with-benefits arrangement – and then to more. The trouble is – how can either of them be sure that what they’re feeling is real and not just a result of their enforced proximity?
I enjoyed the book in spite of a few niggles. The chemistry between the leads crackles from the start, even when they don’t like each other, the love scenes are steamy and well written, and there are some lovely moments of domesticity along the way. Also well done is the depiction of the emotional impact of the lack of social interaction, the worry over family members, and frustration with those who don’t take the situation seriously. I also appreciated that Ms. Witt addresses the power differential in the relationship – the large financial disparity and Tristan’s fear of being completely dependent on Casey – rather than just hand-waving it away. On the downside, the characters aren’t quite as well fleshed-out as I’d have liked, and there is some overly-repetitive internal monologuing; both those things knocked my grade down a bit.
A snapshot of life at the beginning of the pandemic, Until the World Stops picks up on many of the attitudes that prevailed and continue to prevail during these really uncertain times. The romantic HEA is of course somewhat bittersweet as we’re not out of the woods yet, but I enjoyed watching Tristan and Casey navigate their way through their backwards relationship and come to the realisation that they can face anything if they can face it together.
I’ve read a number of discussions over the past few months about how to address COVID-19 in the romance genre. Do authors ignore it and write as if it hadn’t happened – effectively setting their books in a contemporary AU? Or do they incorporate it somehow? It’s a tricky question – for many readers, reference to the pandemic is the last thing they want to read in a genre they read in order to escape; others want more realism. I tend towards the latter, but I can completely understand that there are those for whom a romance set during lockdown will have little or no appeal.
Anyway. When I saw that L.A. Witt had written a book featuring a couple who got together for the sake of expediency and ended up locked down together, I decided to pick it up. I generally enjoy her books and this was no exception; she writes insightfully about the confusion experienced in the early part of the year when rumours about the virus were just surfacing and then about the growing sense of helplessness people began to feel as the it began to take hold in their communities. Panic buying, virus-deniers, conspiracy theorists, they all get a bit of page time.
Until the World Stops employs the marriage-of-convenience trope (which is a personal favourite) and you don’t get many contemporary romances that use it; it’s a tricky premise to pull off in the modern era, but reasons for this one seem fairly plausible.
After making a Facebook post that ticks off his superiors, Master-at-Arms (MA2) Tristan Holloway is booted out of the Navy with nothing – his pension, medical insurance and GI Bill are all stripped from him. In two months he’ll be out on his ear and the lack of the word “honourable” in front of “discharge” means it will be incredibly difficult for him to find a job. Even though MA1 Casey Parker doesn’t like Tristan very much – thinks he’s always been an insubordinate little shit – he feels partially responsible for Tristan’s situation; he’d tried to quietly to talk to him about the inadvisability of what he ‘d written, but he should have known they’d lose their tempers, and when the yelling got the attention of one of their superiors… it was all over. Casey felt responsible for Tristan being disciplined, but discovering that he’s losing everything makes him feel even more guilty; he’d expected Tristan to be demoted, not thrown out – which is why he responds to a drunken Tristan’s idea of finding himself a “Military Sugar Daddy” with the suggestion that Tristan should marry him. Casey can sign over his GI Bill so Tristan can get his degree, and as a military dependent Tristan will have health insurance and somewhere to live. They can stick it out until Tristan finishes college, then divorce quietly afterwards, and in the interim, they’re just roommates and can continue with their lives as usual. Besides, Casey being married will at long last get his mother off his back about finding a boyfriend and settling down. They agree to think it over for a few weeks, and make a decision at the end of the month.
Skip forward fifteen months to March 2020 and the ‘roomies’ thing Tristan and Casey had envisaged isn’t going so well. Casey finds every excuse he can not to go home each night, usually spending the night in an hotel room with a hook-up, and Tristan is always relieved when Casey isn’t home. They avoid each other as much as they can – their one point of commonality a cat they’ve adopted – but the air of resentment lying between them is so thick it could be cut with a knife. Casey believes that marrying Tristan is starting to hurt his career, and because Tristan’s work hours (he’s a bouncer at a club) have been getting cut lately, it means money is tighter than usual and Casey isn’t pleased about having to rein in his spending. Tristan hates becoming more dependent on Casey than he already is. So things are already strained when the news of a deadly new virus starts to dominate the news cycle and things start to shut down. Casey is still going into the office at the Navy base at Providence Point, but Tristan’s work dries up completely and he’s laid off, causing the rift between them to widen.
As the situation worsens, and options for getting out of the house dwindle to nothing, Tristan and Casey are stuck spending their free time at home, getting on each other’s nerves. It’s only a matter of time before all the stress and uncertainty come to a head, and Casey blows up at Tristan – but with no other option but to continue living under the same roof, he’s forced to take a good look at his attitude and admit he over-reacted, take a deep breath and apologise. After this, their relationship starts to improve, and as they start relying on each other for social interaction, they find that they actually enjoy spending time together. And from friendship, it’s a sort step to a friends-with-benefits arrangement – and then to more. The trouble is – how can either of them be sure that what they’re feeling is real and not just a result of their enforced proximity?
I enjoyed the book in spite of a few niggles. The chemistry between the leads crackles from the start, even when they don’t like each other, the love scenes are steamy and well written, and there are some lovely moments of domesticity along the way. Also well done is the depiction of the emotional impact of the lack of social interaction, the worry over family members, and frustration with those who don’t take the situation seriously. I also appreciated that Ms. Witt addresses the power differential in the relationship – the large financial disparity and Tristan’s fear of being completely dependent on Casey – rather than just hand-waving it away. On the downside, the characters aren’t quite as well fleshed-out as I’d have liked, and there is some overly-repetitive internal monologuing; both those things knocked my grade down a bit.
A snapshot of life at the beginning of the pandemic, Until the World Stops picks up on many of the attitudes that prevailed and continue to prevail during these really uncertain times. The romantic HEA is of course somewhat bittersweet as we’re not out of the woods yet, but I enjoyed watching Tristan and Casey navigate their way through their backwards relationship and come to the realisation that they can face anything if they can face it together.
February 22, 2021
Marriage of convenience of pleasure?
An interesting twist on the military world and pandemic paranoia as two guys who worked together fight back at the Navy, past experience, new found love, and isolation to form a more perfect union in times of change and turmoil.
Chaos changes plans and leadership may not be fair on land or ship. The leader has to maintain control, but also care for the people he supervises and their actions. Crisis in the world, in families, in the Navy, with friends, and at home can apply pressure and fear to everything within range.
Partners and married couples have it the worst. Things and plans become complicated. Sick family members force decisions. Tempers flare and things can escalate quickly beyond reason. Yet one kiss can reset the whole dynamic of the game. Or one cat can tilt the bed. Opening up to discuss the thoughts and feelings on both sides can clear the air for more kisses. And joint custody of the cat.
An interesting twist on the military world and pandemic paranoia as two guys who worked together fight back at the Navy, past experience, new found love, and isolation to form a more perfect union in times of change and turmoil.
Chaos changes plans and leadership may not be fair on land or ship. The leader has to maintain control, but also care for the people he supervises and their actions. Crisis in the world, in families, in the Navy, with friends, and at home can apply pressure and fear to everything within range.
Partners and married couples have it the worst. Things and plans become complicated. Sick family members force decisions. Tempers flare and things can escalate quickly beyond reason. Yet one kiss can reset the whole dynamic of the game. Or one cat can tilt the bed. Opening up to discuss the thoughts and feelings on both sides can clear the air for more kisses. And joint custody of the cat.
Read
October 9, 2020Available October 28.
To reiterate the author's note from the blurb:
As the events of 2020 have unfolded, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve debated when and how to incorporate that reality into my work. It’s not something I want to make light of or capitalize on, but it has become a part of our lives, and one that doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. There comes a point when—if I’m to write about life—I need to write about the ugly parts too. For that matter, writing is how I process the world around me, and as time has gone on, I’ve found myself needing the catharsis of looking this reality in the eye and putting it into words as best I can.
Most importantly, however, this is a time when we all need hope and even moments of peace. While pure escapism is important to me, so too is finding that hope and peace when everything feels so bleak.
So it’s with that in mind that I give you a couple of guys finding a little bit of light when all the world feels dark.
To reiterate the author's note from the blurb:
As the events of 2020 have unfolded, in particular the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve debated when and how to incorporate that reality into my work. It’s not something I want to make light of or capitalize on, but it has become a part of our lives, and one that doesn’t look to be going anywhere any time soon. There comes a point when—if I’m to write about life—I need to write about the ugly parts too. For that matter, writing is how I process the world around me, and as time has gone on, I’ve found myself needing the catharsis of looking this reality in the eye and putting it into words as best I can.
Most importantly, however, this is a time when we all need hope and even moments of peace. While pure escapism is important to me, so too is finding that hope and peace when everything feels so bleak.
So it’s with that in mind that I give you a couple of guys finding a little bit of light when all the world feels dark.
June 10, 2023
[3.25] a marriage of convenience coupled with the pandemic strain of forced proximity (and yes, i’m talking about the COVID pandemic). might be too soon to read something that rings this true about the suffocating haze of uncertainty and frustration of bogus information, but if you’re able and willing, maybe give it a go 😊
March 18, 2021
So, this is a romance set very specifically during last year, the actual 2020, with all its real events. It's not the first Covid-19 lockdown romance I've read (the first was the excellent París puede esperar, which was actually written and set very early during the pandemic), but it's the first I've seen in English. I was fine with that aspect of it, but your mileage may vary. In my case, I'm in a bit of a privileged position, in that both the country I live in and the one I come from have mostly done ok, and I haven't lost anyone close to me (or at least, I haven't so far -I really don't want to jinx myself). My job also allows me to perfectly well work from home, so that hasn't been an issue either. If any of these elements had been different, I probably would have found this too anxiety-inducing.
Anyway, what the setting creates is forced proximity, a classic romance trope, which combines with another classic, the marriage of convenience -in this case between a Navy guy and his former coworker, who has been kicked out due to a supposedly political post of Facebook. Casey feels some guilt about the incident, so he offers Tristan to get married so that he still has access to things like medical coverage, and can get a degree. They've been living like roommates who don't particularly like each other when lockdown kicks in.
This was mostly quite successful. I thought Witt did the slow change in feelings between them quite well, and I liked how gradual it was. What didn't work so well was the obligatory dark moment near the end. Tristan's conflicted feelings about being totally dependent on Casey for everything (he has even lost his part-time job and there's nothing hiring) suddenly kick in and get huge. That, I'm afraid, wasn't as successfully done. I mean, it made logical sense that a situation that is as one-sided as this there could be a worry of what happens if Tristan doesn't give Casey what he needs, and since they're now lovers, that includes sex. But somehow I didn't quite buy it, that this particular character was feeling that way.
This was a B- for me.
Anyway, what the setting creates is forced proximity, a classic romance trope, which combines with another classic, the marriage of convenience -in this case between a Navy guy and his former coworker, who has been kicked out due to a supposedly political post of Facebook. Casey feels some guilt about the incident, so he offers Tristan to get married so that he still has access to things like medical coverage, and can get a degree. They've been living like roommates who don't particularly like each other when lockdown kicks in.
This was mostly quite successful. I thought Witt did the slow change in feelings between them quite well, and I liked how gradual it was. What didn't work so well was the obligatory dark moment near the end. Tristan's conflicted feelings about being totally dependent on Casey for everything (he has even lost his part-time job and there's nothing hiring) suddenly kick in and get huge. That, I'm afraid, wasn't as successfully done. I mean, it made logical sense that a situation that is as one-sided as this there could be a worry of what happens if Tristan doesn't give Casey what he needs, and since they're now lovers, that includes sex. But somehow I didn't quite buy it, that this particular character was feeling that way.
This was a B- for me.
April 9, 2021
Darum geht's:
Tristan und Casey können sich nicht ausstehen und so ist es kein Wunder, dass Casey an der Situation beteiligt ist, die zu Tristans Entlassung aus der Army führt. Dadurch bekommt Tristan keine Veteranenversorgung und hat keine Krankenversicherung - eine Katastrophe, denn darauf hatte er fest gebaut. Casey bietet Tristan eine Scheinehe und damit Army-Versorgung als Angehöriger an, um sein schlechtes Gewissen zu beruhigen und auch das ewige Gemecker seiner Mutter, endlich sesshaft zu werden, abzustellen. Alles scheint perfekt, doch dann kommt Corona und beide sitzen zusammen zuhause herum.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
Tristan und Casey können sich nicht ausstehen und so ist es kein Wunder, dass Casey an der Situation beteiligt ist, die zu Tristans Entlassung aus der Army führt. Dadurch bekommt Tristan keine Veteranenversorgung und hat keine Krankenversicherung - eine Katastrophe, denn darauf hatte er fest gebaut. Casey bietet Tristan eine Scheinehe und damit Army-Versorgung als Angehöriger an, um sein schlechtes Gewissen zu beruhigen und auch das ewige Gemecker seiner Mutter, endlich sesshaft zu werden, abzustellen. Alles scheint perfekt, doch dann kommt Corona und beide sitzen zusammen zuhause herum.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
September 2, 2024
It’s very weird to read a book that happens during the pandemic but surprisingly this is only the 2nd book I read that happens during that time, still it was a good read and entertaining enough that I finished it in one sitting.
This is the ultimate marriage of convenience book with a good side of very forced proximity. These two idiots passed from annoying acquaintances to husbands/roommates that resented each other to lovers.
We have a somewhat realistic 3rd act break up with a nice conversation about consent and a somehow rushed reconciliation but I’m not even mad about it.
I just wished we had an epilogue to see what Casey decided to do about the 20 years.
This is the ultimate marriage of convenience book with a good side of very forced proximity. These two idiots passed from annoying acquaintances to husbands/roommates that resented each other to lovers.
We have a somewhat realistic 3rd act break up with a nice conversation about consent and a somehow rushed reconciliation but I’m not even mad about it.
I just wished we had an epilogue to see what Casey decided to do about the 20 years.
November 24, 2020
I haven’t had much luck with this author but I enjoyed this one more than most. It is really a book about the pandemic, though and I found that pretty hard to take. It kind of felt like a series of scenes about the pandemic with some loving moments in between. And I don’t really want to read about Covid. That said, I think she did a pretty good job of developing a love story set right now and I finished it which is pretty special these days.
Read
March 14, 2023Je ne vais pas résumer le roman, déjà très (trop) largement fait en quatrième de couverture, dommage.
Ce roman m'a fait vaguement penser au film Nos cœurs meurtris, vu assez récemment (et assez agréable d'ailleurs, les deux acteurs matchant assez bien, mais ce n'est pas le propos ici), avec la pandémie qui vient jouer les trouble-fête.
C'est plutôt bien écrit, L.A. Witt connait son boulot, assez fluide, l'alternance des points de vue nous permet de suivre le cheminement de chacun des deux hommes, même si c'est malgré tout un tantinet longuet et poussif, trop de questionnements et d'introspection, déjà qu'on est en plein confinement.
J'ai compris le questionnement de Tristan à un moment, totalement dépendant de Casey, qui finit par se demander s'il n'est finalement qu'une opportunité, que ce qui finit par se passer entre eux ne se passe que parce qu'ils n'ont pas vraiment d'autres solutions... par contre, y a un truc assez simple qui existe, ça s'appelle la communication les gars. Heureusement que Casey a un sursaut et apprend à se servir de sa langue (oui, bon, okay, il sait s'en servir quand il veut) et qu'il met tout sur la table sinon, ça partait sacrément en sucette.
J'ai eu toutefois un sentiment d'inachevé, j'aurais vraiment voulu un épilogue, au moins pour en savoir plus sur les conséquences de la rébellion de Casey auprès de sa hiérarchie, là, je trouve que la fin est assez brusque, dommage.
Ce roman m'a fait vaguement penser au film Nos cœurs meurtris, vu assez récemment (et assez agréable d'ailleurs, les deux acteurs matchant assez bien, mais ce n'est pas le propos ici), avec la pandémie qui vient jouer les trouble-fête.
C'est plutôt bien écrit, L.A. Witt connait son boulot, assez fluide, l'alternance des points de vue nous permet de suivre le cheminement de chacun des deux hommes, même si c'est malgré tout un tantinet longuet et poussif, trop de questionnements et d'introspection, déjà qu'on est en plein confinement.
J'ai compris le questionnement de Tristan à un moment, totalement dépendant de Casey, qui finit par se demander s'il n'est finalement qu'une opportunité, que ce qui finit par se passer entre eux ne se passe que parce qu'ils n'ont pas vraiment d'autres solutions... par contre, y a un truc assez simple qui existe, ça s'appelle la communication les gars. Heureusement que Casey a un sursaut et apprend à se servir de sa langue (oui, bon, okay, il sait s'en servir quand il veut) et qu'il met tout sur la table sinon, ça partait sacrément en sucette.
J'ai eu toutefois un sentiment d'inachevé, j'aurais vraiment voulu un épilogue, au moins pour en savoir plus sur les conséquences de la rébellion de Casey auprès de sa hiérarchie, là, je trouve que la fin est assez brusque, dommage.
November 30, 2022
Drat. I didn’t have enough time with these characters. 3.75
I really enjoyed Casey and Jake and can see them working out and I wish we’d have another book of them dealing with everything in the future as it all felt a tad unresolved.
You could really feel how the author was trying to deal with Covid themselves which is completely understandable!
This gets rounded up to four stars partially due to
- kitty cat loving
“He dutifully took care of our cat and treated her like the fluffy little goddess she was.” (P. 28)
- the storyline I enjoyed in general from fauxnemies to grateful roommates to resentful roomies to lovers and husbands not only by law but by heart
“For God’s sake, if I was going to marry a hot man I didn’t like, did he have to be adorable too?” (P. 47)
- showing what real life dates can be like and how special just sharing a takeaway can be with the right person
- and the beautifully romantic speech which I often roll my eyes or cringe at but truly loved here!
NSFW infos:
- two out gay men (military background and enrollment)
- similar size both vers
- solid 69-ing
I really enjoyed Casey and Jake and can see them working out and I wish we’d have another book of them dealing with everything in the future as it all felt a tad unresolved.
You could really feel how the author was trying to deal with Covid themselves which is completely understandable!
This gets rounded up to four stars partially due to
- kitty cat loving
“He dutifully took care of our cat and treated her like the fluffy little goddess she was.” (P. 28)
- the storyline I enjoyed in general from fauxnemies to grateful roommates to resentful roomies to lovers and husbands not only by law but by heart
“For God’s sake, if I was going to marry a hot man I didn’t like, did he have to be adorable too?” (P. 47)
- showing what real life dates can be like and how special just sharing a takeaway can be with the right person
- and the beautifully romantic speech which I often roll my eyes or cringe at but truly loved here!
NSFW infos:
- two out gay men (military background and enrollment)
- similar size both vers
- solid 69-ing
November 23, 2020
DNF at 56%.
It's just not that interesting, and it's definitely one of those books where having both POVs adds nothing to the story - "I'm mad he's not working" "I'm not working and I know he's mad about it" - honestly it's just them repeating things to the audience.
The first half felt like I was back in March, and it was just maybe a little too soon for me to relive it? Especially now since we're having a resurgence. And at 56%, it's JUST NOW picking up. It's a no for me
It's just not that interesting, and it's definitely one of those books where having both POVs adds nothing to the story - "I'm mad he's not working" "I'm not working and I know he's mad about it" - honestly it's just them repeating things to the audience.
The first half felt like I was back in March, and it was just maybe a little too soon for me to relive it? Especially now since we're having a resurgence. And at 56%, it's JUST NOW picking up. It's a no for me
November 25, 2024
Probably closer to 3.5 but I’ll round up due to Michael Ferrauiolo’s brilliant, as always, narration. It’s kinda weird to have listened to this one year into the pandemic because it brought back those real intense feelings of the first couple of months. Don’t get me wrong, I still am basically a hermit, but there isn’t that immense sense of dread for me anymore (probably because me and everyone I know is a hermit lol)
June 14, 2021
I love the way LA Witt can slowly form a character and a dynamic with tiny touches - like a paintbrush on canvas. This story builds slowly with the men making an impulsive decision - unaware the world is about to change on them. I adored the slow growth of affection through seemingly insignificant interactions building into something neither of them could deny.
An impactful tale which will stay with me for a long time. Highly enjoyable and memorable and the audio performed by Michael Ferraiuolo is brilliant and makes the author's world sparkle into magnificence.
An impactful tale which will stay with me for a long time. Highly enjoyable and memorable and the audio performed by Michael Ferraiuolo is brilliant and makes the author's world sparkle into magnificence.
October 28, 2020
Love in the time of Covid
The first pandemic-set romance I’ve read. I was definitely wary, but the use of the pandemic was done well and sensitively. Marriage of convenience is the perfect trope for quarantine, and a relationship between two Navy men, one of whom has other-than-honorably discharged for political reasons, allows the politics of Covid to be raised as well. Though Casey and Tristan are presumably still in their Maine duplex with their cat, I’m quietly confident that they’ll make it.
The first pandemic-set romance I’ve read. I was definitely wary, but the use of the pandemic was done well and sensitively. Marriage of convenience is the perfect trope for quarantine, and a relationship between two Navy men, one of whom has other-than-honorably discharged for political reasons, allows the politics of Covid to be raised as well. Though Casey and Tristan are presumably still in their Maine duplex with their cat, I’m quietly confident that they’ll make it.
October 24, 2024
I was excited by the concept but sadly the execution was lacking
November 1, 2020
I think I would have liked this book better if Covid wasn't real.
One thing I like about Witt's writing is that her books are usually well thought out, that's not always the case with books in this genre. I know she will never add a dog that the characters never walk or feed. She will give her characters real jobs and real troubles. Sometimes it can get a bit too meticulous and repetitive, especially since she usually writes alternate POVs.
One thing I like about Witt's writing is that her books are usually well thought out, that's not always the case with books in this genre. I know she will never add a dog that the characters never walk or feed. She will give her characters real jobs and real troubles. Sometimes it can get a bit too meticulous and repetitive, especially since she usually writes alternate POVs.
December 2, 2020
I couldn’t handle this. While this pandemic rages completely unchecked with millions dying and our governments doing essentially nothing this was too soon, too close to home. I am sad because I usually love this author, but this wasn’t it.
November 29, 2020
Very preachy in your sections
I love a good close proximity or marriage of convenience storyline....so had the makings to be awesome. However reality is this is the most emotionless "romance" I've read in a long time. There is some physical attractionn but man was the dynamic between Tristan and Casey dull. Maybe the pandemic atmosphere made it dull? It was certainly a realistic picture of pandemic thoughts and fears. The downside is that it is more about the pandemic than a romance...A LOT more. It reads tedious and honestly both characters can be odd. It also gets preachy about things...almost lost me with a 3 or 4 page rant about Disneyland at 40%. Military life is also on the list of preachy no-good.
So no, can't recommend unless looking for a picture of pandemic awareness. Perhaps a bonus chapter or novella after pandemic showing a bit of the lighter side of their relationship.
I love a good close proximity or marriage of convenience storyline....so had the makings to be awesome. However reality is this is the most emotionless "romance" I've read in a long time. There is some physical attractionn but man was the dynamic between Tristan and Casey dull. Maybe the pandemic atmosphere made it dull? It was certainly a realistic picture of pandemic thoughts and fears. The downside is that it is more about the pandemic than a romance...A LOT more. It reads tedious and honestly both characters can be odd. It also gets preachy about things...almost lost me with a 3 or 4 page rant about Disneyland at 40%. Military life is also on the list of preachy no-good.
So no, can't recommend unless looking for a picture of pandemic awareness. Perhaps a bonus chapter or novella after pandemic showing a bit of the lighter side of their relationship.
October 29, 2020
It was ok
So LA Witt writes some good, some great, some intense books, and I have maybe 15 or so on my shelf. This was not that.
There was a lot of reiterating of the same thoughts and facts within each first person character, let alone between their 2 points of view. Yes, they’ve done a thing, yes there is a pandemic, yes it colours their view, yes it changes things. Some of the writing around that is so evocative...the emptiness, peacefulness. Other times it’s the repetition (maybe in their minds? But if u can skip the first year of their marriage, you can skip the repeat).
Loved how it was set in current US pandemic times, but felt the characters were super flat, no background, no sense of person apart from what one character thought of the other, or one character thought to themselves. This did get better, but it’s like more than 50% in.
Did like towards the end Casey saying things to superiors, and to Tristan. But the repetition to get there!!!
I had been looking forward to how romance writers would tackle the pandemic and BLM demonstrations, the upheaval. This was so-so. Thanks LA Witt for giving it a go though, xx
Please do not think I am dissing any Covid related protocols in this book, it’s not that. I am all over that, and happy the author keeps pushing those. I live in Perth, Western Australia; we never had and still do not have any community spread, our ill came from cruise ships & working ships in our ports or offshore and overseas returnees quarantined in hotels. (I took my shoes off at the door, straight to laundry and Pine-o-cleaned my keys, my atm card, my handbag. Then washed my hands. Every. Single. Time. for about 2 months). However, we did the initial closing, distancing, measured response, measured re-opening and we still as of 29/10/20 no have a hard border closure to the rest of Australia, the world, and we give our Premier an 80% rating for keeping us safe. Go Mark McGowan!
Please stay safe everyone, take care of yourself, yours, and others, even if they are insufferable arseholes. Because in a Pandemic we ARE all in it together.
So LA Witt writes some good, some great, some intense books, and I have maybe 15 or so on my shelf. This was not that.
There was a lot of reiterating of the same thoughts and facts within each first person character, let alone between their 2 points of view. Yes, they’ve done a thing, yes there is a pandemic, yes it colours their view, yes it changes things. Some of the writing around that is so evocative...the emptiness, peacefulness. Other times it’s the repetition (maybe in their minds? But if u can skip the first year of their marriage, you can skip the repeat).
Loved how it was set in current US pandemic times, but felt the characters were super flat, no background, no sense of person apart from what one character thought of the other, or one character thought to themselves. This did get better, but it’s like more than 50% in.
Did like towards the end Casey saying things to superiors, and to Tristan. But the repetition to get there!!!
I had been looking forward to how romance writers would tackle the pandemic and BLM demonstrations, the upheaval. This was so-so. Thanks LA Witt for giving it a go though, xx
Please do not think I am dissing any Covid related protocols in this book, it’s not that. I am all over that, and happy the author keeps pushing those. I live in Perth, Western Australia; we never had and still do not have any community spread, our ill came from cruise ships & working ships in our ports or offshore and overseas returnees quarantined in hotels. (I took my shoes off at the door, straight to laundry and Pine-o-cleaned my keys, my atm card, my handbag. Then washed my hands. Every. Single. Time. for about 2 months). However, we did the initial closing, distancing, measured response, measured re-opening and we still as of 29/10/20 no have a hard border closure to the rest of Australia, the world, and we give our Premier an 80% rating for keeping us safe. Go Mark McGowan!
Please stay safe everyone, take care of yourself, yours, and others, even if they are insufferable arseholes. Because in a Pandemic we ARE all in it together.
November 3, 2020
At the beginning of the book there is a content warning for Covid-19. I ignored it. I mean, we were all there. Yeah, be ready for it. It is pretty intense looking back at what life was like in those early days. It was definitely triggering for me to remember all those feelings, and L.A. really captured them and brought them to life.
Tristan and Casey have a wonderful slow burn relationship, and I really loved seeing them figure each other out.
Tristan and Casey have a wonderful slow burn relationship, and I really loved seeing them figure each other out.
March 5, 2021
Tristan und Casey sind eine Scheinehe eingegangen, obwohl sie sich nicht leiden können. Die Wohnsituation stellt sich auch als komplizierter heraus, als die beiden zunächst angenommen hatten.
Dann kommt die Corona Pandemie.
Ich bin ein wenig unentschlossen, wie ich die Geschichte bewerten soll. Einerseits stört es mich ein wenig, dass über 50% des Buches fast ausschließlich gedankliche Monologe sind, die sich entweder darum drehen, wie groß die gegenseitige Abneigung der beiden ist, wie schwierig die finanzielle Situation ist, Dating Apps oder Corona. Einerseits ist es nachvollziehbar, denn es sind die Themen, die die beiden Männer beschäftigen und ihr Privatleben bestimmen. Aber irgendwie fühlt es sich wie eine nicht enden wollende Einleitung an.
Ab dem „Einkauf“ ist irgendwie der Knoten geplatzt, da beginnt die Geschichte wirklich.
Insgesamt habe ich „Bis die Welt zum Stillstand kommt“ gerne gelesen und mich gut unterhalten gefühlt.
Dann kommt die Corona Pandemie.
Ich bin ein wenig unentschlossen, wie ich die Geschichte bewerten soll. Einerseits stört es mich ein wenig, dass über 50% des Buches fast ausschließlich gedankliche Monologe sind, die sich entweder darum drehen, wie groß die gegenseitige Abneigung der beiden ist, wie schwierig die finanzielle Situation ist, Dating Apps oder Corona. Einerseits ist es nachvollziehbar, denn es sind die Themen, die die beiden Männer beschäftigen und ihr Privatleben bestimmen. Aber irgendwie fühlt es sich wie eine nicht enden wollende Einleitung an.
Ab dem „Einkauf“ ist irgendwie der Knoten geplatzt, da beginnt die Geschichte wirklich.
Insgesamt habe ich „Bis die Welt zum Stillstand kommt“ gerne gelesen und mich gut unterhalten gefühlt.
October 30, 2020
So well done
I didn't think I'd be able to enjoy a book with the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop, when we're still in the middle of it. That said, LA Witt has managed to write something that will not only stand as a snapshot of life at the start of the pandemic, as well as something that everyone who lived through it will be able to see their own reactions in and examine them.
The other thing I really love about this is the thoughtful way the idea of power differentials is examined and discussed; there is a massive economic power imbalance between these guys and it's nice to see this explored instead of ignored.
Probably my favourite LA Witt in a while, well worth a read
I didn't think I'd be able to enjoy a book with the COVID-19 pandemic as a backdrop, when we're still in the middle of it. That said, LA Witt has managed to write something that will not only stand as a snapshot of life at the start of the pandemic, as well as something that everyone who lived through it will be able to see their own reactions in and examine them.
The other thing I really love about this is the thoughtful way the idea of power differentials is examined and discussed; there is a massive economic power imbalance between these guys and it's nice to see this explored instead of ignored.
Probably my favourite LA Witt in a while, well worth a read
January 13, 2021
Enemies to lovers with a fake husband trope, this gay military romance set during COVID pandemic has a realistic contemporary political flair with a bit of a Catch-22 vibe. (It’s neither a heroic/warrior to the rescue hero or a post-trauma uniform recovery story.). The gruff antagonists were interesting together (if a bit contrived), and enjoyable to watch some chemistry grow.
April 25, 2021
4.5 stars!
This review and much more can be found at Love Bytes Reviews
Tristan is getting the boot from the Navy without his honorable discharge. He’s pissed over Command over a FB post and as a consequence, he’s going to lose all his benefits, his job and he is pretty much screwed. Casey, his supervisor, feels guilty because he and Tristan got into it over the post which pulled Command into it and results in Tristan paying a very high price.
While out for a beer, Casey cooks up the idea of them getting married and he can transfer the GI Bill benefits to Tristan so he can get his degree and he can also have insurance as a dependent. He’s keen to stick it to the Navy for what he sees as a pretty unfair punishment. So they agree to the plan.
After more than a year of living together, Casey and Tristan aren’t exactly friends, but they are co-habiting without too many problems. But then the COVID hits. Tristan’s hours get cut from his low-paying job and they are forced to spend a lot more time together. As things go on, they are forced to figure out a new way of living together. And since they don’t feel comfortable being around anyone else, they eventually fall into a roommates with benefits relationship. But as time goes on, Tristan begins to really feel the imbalance of the relationship – he’s totally dependent on Casey and he feels like the only thing he can control is access to his body. But when things come to a head – both personally and at work, Casey has to decide what he really wants.
This is the first romance story I’ve seen that fully incorporates the current state of affairs of the world in it. I was a little apprehensive at first, but I really thought it was handled beautifully. All the nuances of how this has played out over the last year are surfaced in the story. The forced proximity and fake marriage/marriage of convenience were certainly well-played 😉 The sort of slow burn, discovery of feelings over the course of the quarantine were realistic. My observation is that people are either being drawn closer or cracks that might have existed but were tolerable when people kind of lived their own lives erupted into major fissures during COVID. Thankfully these guys had compassion for themselves and for each other while they dealt with the craziness. I loved how Tristan stood up for himself even when he really didn’t have much other than his integrity to his name. And obviously Casey is a more compassionate guy than he seemed to be or he wouldn’t have suggested the arrangement to start with. It’s a story of slowly growing feelings over time that I really enjoyed. They didn’t just jump into things together and when the chips were down, they really came through for each other. Definitely recommended.
As usual, Michael Ferraiuolo provided another great performance. There are quite a few voices in this story and a wide range of emotions. All were distinctive and well done. I swear I would listen to him read the phone book 🙂 Bravo and well done!
This review and much more can be found at Love Bytes Reviews
Tristan is getting the boot from the Navy without his honorable discharge. He’s pissed over Command over a FB post and as a consequence, he’s going to lose all his benefits, his job and he is pretty much screwed. Casey, his supervisor, feels guilty because he and Tristan got into it over the post which pulled Command into it and results in Tristan paying a very high price.
While out for a beer, Casey cooks up the idea of them getting married and he can transfer the GI Bill benefits to Tristan so he can get his degree and he can also have insurance as a dependent. He’s keen to stick it to the Navy for what he sees as a pretty unfair punishment. So they agree to the plan.
After more than a year of living together, Casey and Tristan aren’t exactly friends, but they are co-habiting without too many problems. But then the COVID hits. Tristan’s hours get cut from his low-paying job and they are forced to spend a lot more time together. As things go on, they are forced to figure out a new way of living together. And since they don’t feel comfortable being around anyone else, they eventually fall into a roommates with benefits relationship. But as time goes on, Tristan begins to really feel the imbalance of the relationship – he’s totally dependent on Casey and he feels like the only thing he can control is access to his body. But when things come to a head – both personally and at work, Casey has to decide what he really wants.
This is the first romance story I’ve seen that fully incorporates the current state of affairs of the world in it. I was a little apprehensive at first, but I really thought it was handled beautifully. All the nuances of how this has played out over the last year are surfaced in the story. The forced proximity and fake marriage/marriage of convenience were certainly well-played 😉 The sort of slow burn, discovery of feelings over the course of the quarantine were realistic. My observation is that people are either being drawn closer or cracks that might have existed but were tolerable when people kind of lived their own lives erupted into major fissures during COVID. Thankfully these guys had compassion for themselves and for each other while they dealt with the craziness. I loved how Tristan stood up for himself even when he really didn’t have much other than his integrity to his name. And obviously Casey is a more compassionate guy than he seemed to be or he wouldn’t have suggested the arrangement to start with. It’s a story of slowly growing feelings over time that I really enjoyed. They didn’t just jump into things together and when the chips were down, they really came through for each other. Definitely recommended.
As usual, Michael Ferraiuolo provided another great performance. There are quite a few voices in this story and a wide range of emotions. All were distinctive and well done. I swear I would listen to him read the phone book 🙂 Bravo and well done!
November 20, 2020
Casey and Tristan worked together in the Navy, until a social media post of Tristan's gets him booted with an other-than-honourable discharge, which will take away his health insurance and rights to the GI Bill. Casey feels guilty for his role in Tristan losing his career, so he offers a plan - they get married, just on paper. Tristan will then keep his health insurance as a military dependent, and Casey will transfer his GI Bill to him. This deal helps Casey keep his mother off his back about being single and destined to die alone, as well as getting him access to a better military allowance for housing. They'll stay married long enough for Tristan to finish his degree and find a job, then they'll divorce. In the meantime, they'll just be roommates and stay out of each other's way. Sounds great, in the abstract. In practice though, it turns out the be a whole different thing. They hadn't counted on a worldwide pandemic turning their lives upside down. Now Tristan has been laid off, and now he's totally dependent on Casey's single military income. They didn't really get along with each other before their marriage, and now, just over a year into it, they're living almost completely separate lives under the same roof, and now because they both become increasingly concerned about the seriousness of COVID, they're basically each other's social bubble.
Unlike a lot of couples though, the forced closeness that lockdown and social distancing has brought upon them leads to attraction, and yes, some friction, but also a clearer understanding by each of who the other actually is, and it turns out that's exactly who each has been looking for, whether they were aware of it or not. They've done the whole relationship thing backwards - marriage, then getting to know each other, then falling in love. But the HEA is right where it should be.
Witt is spot-on with observations of the pandemic playing out. As it unfolded and each MC dealt with what they were seeing and what they were feeling about it, I was transported back to how I experienced the Early Days. When I bought 4 large packages of toilet paper, was I panic-buying, or was I preparing for the inevitable supply chain delays after everyone else panic-bought? These thoughts were real, and it was eerie to see the characters process them as I had. This was handled with finesse, and felt very true to real-life without hewing to one political side or the other. Very well done.
Unlike a lot of couples though, the forced closeness that lockdown and social distancing has brought upon them leads to attraction, and yes, some friction, but also a clearer understanding by each of who the other actually is, and it turns out that's exactly who each has been looking for, whether they were aware of it or not. They've done the whole relationship thing backwards - marriage, then getting to know each other, then falling in love. But the HEA is right where it should be.
Witt is spot-on with observations of the pandemic playing out. As it unfolded and each MC dealt with what they were seeing and what they were feeling about it, I was transported back to how I experienced the Early Days. When I bought 4 large packages of toilet paper, was I panic-buying, or was I preparing for the inevitable supply chain delays after everyone else panic-bought? These thoughts were real, and it was eerie to see the characters process them as I had. This was handled with finesse, and felt very true to real-life without hewing to one political side or the other. Very well done.
June 5, 2021
**********Contains Spoilers**********
I enjoyed this book and totally love LA Witt as an author. I think I would’ve given this book 5 stars if the world wasn’t currently still going through the COVID-19 Pandemic which this book is about so hits a bit close to home. This book is about Casey and Tristan, they’re both in the Navy until Tristan gets the boot for a certain political Facebook post, gets discharged from the Navy without any of his benefits. Casey takes Tristan out for drinks, even though they don’t like each other and after a few too many Tristan suggests that he needs to find a Sugar D*ddy who is in the Navy so he can marry them so he can get their GI bill transferred to him so he can go to college now he’s no longer in the Navy. Casey feeling guilty for Tristan’s situation since he was Tristan’s superior asks Tristan why don’t they just get married so Tristan be eligible to receive Casey’s benefits. They end up getting married, which is far from perfect, they hate being near each other and have both been struggling with living together. Not long after they’ve been married COVID-19 hits, so they’re in lockdown together so they slowly get to know each other properly and one thing leads to another and they end up together as they’re both starved for human touch/intimacy during lockdown. This book describes the fear and uncertainty they both feel during the lockdown, which is totally authentic. Even though I live on the other side of the World from the States, we still had lockdown but only for a short time which is nowhere as bad as the rest of the world. We still felt the uncertainty of not being able to purchase certain items from the supermarket and whether or not the Pandemic will get worse. Fingers crossed it doesn’t but who knows with this new strain of COVID-19 and that we’re coming winter soon. Yes, Casey and Tristan have a lot working against them, including having to deal with Tristan losing his new job during the Pandemic so he’s completely dependent on Casey for everything so he starts questioning whether or not he can say no to Casey or not. I’d definitely recommend this book and author to anyone.
I enjoyed this book and totally love LA Witt as an author. I think I would’ve given this book 5 stars if the world wasn’t currently still going through the COVID-19 Pandemic which this book is about so hits a bit close to home. This book is about Casey and Tristan, they’re both in the Navy until Tristan gets the boot for a certain political Facebook post, gets discharged from the Navy without any of his benefits. Casey takes Tristan out for drinks, even though they don’t like each other and after a few too many Tristan suggests that he needs to find a Sugar D*ddy who is in the Navy so he can marry them so he can get their GI bill transferred to him so he can go to college now he’s no longer in the Navy. Casey feeling guilty for Tristan’s situation since he was Tristan’s superior asks Tristan why don’t they just get married so Tristan be eligible to receive Casey’s benefits. They end up getting married, which is far from perfect, they hate being near each other and have both been struggling with living together. Not long after they’ve been married COVID-19 hits, so they’re in lockdown together so they slowly get to know each other properly and one thing leads to another and they end up together as they’re both starved for human touch/intimacy during lockdown. This book describes the fear and uncertainty they both feel during the lockdown, which is totally authentic. Even though I live on the other side of the World from the States, we still had lockdown but only for a short time which is nowhere as bad as the rest of the world. We still felt the uncertainty of not being able to purchase certain items from the supermarket and whether or not the Pandemic will get worse. Fingers crossed it doesn’t but who knows with this new strain of COVID-19 and that we’re coming winter soon. Yes, Casey and Tristan have a lot working against them, including having to deal with Tristan losing his new job during the Pandemic so he’s completely dependent on Casey for everything so he starts questioning whether or not he can say no to Casey or not. I’d definitely recommend this book and author to anyone.
September 15, 2022
4 stars for the story B
5 stars for the narration by Michael Ferraiuolo A
B+ overall
First off, Michael Ferraiuolo's narration here is just about perfect. I found his voice calming to listen to with nothing that took me out of the story. His character voices, even secondary characters, are distinct. I always knew who was talking in any scene. He injects just the right emotions in his voice; the humor, sadness, anger, passion, and uncertainty all felt absolutely real. I highly recommend this on audio.
What I love most about the story is a chance to revisit that uncertain early days of the pandemic with little distance and insight. This book was written in 2020, so no vaccines were available and no resolution to the lockdown in sight. Even two years later I've forgotten some of the emotions and the confusion of those first 6 months- the daily death tolls, the videos on how to wash your hands or your groceries, or how long to leave your Amazon packages in the garage before touching. The struggle to find masks. And then all the crazy conspiracy theories. I remember when I found out my brother and sister-in-law had caught COVID early in the pandemic and me bursting into tears because they both had risks factors. I was so scared and could do anything for them. (They were fine, thankfully.)
All these emotions are well represented in this book, along with the journeys of Casey and Tristan, who find themself in lockdown together even though they've barely tolerated each other for 18 months. The quietly building romance is sweet and believable.
Another interesting aspect of the book is the author's unflinching treatment of the Navy, with it's power politics and political biases. It's an eye opener, for sure.
5 stars for the narration by Michael Ferraiuolo A
B+ overall
First off, Michael Ferraiuolo's narration here is just about perfect. I found his voice calming to listen to with nothing that took me out of the story. His character voices, even secondary characters, are distinct. I always knew who was talking in any scene. He injects just the right emotions in his voice; the humor, sadness, anger, passion, and uncertainty all felt absolutely real. I highly recommend this on audio.
What I love most about the story is a chance to revisit that uncertain early days of the pandemic with little distance and insight. This book was written in 2020, so no vaccines were available and no resolution to the lockdown in sight. Even two years later I've forgotten some of the emotions and the confusion of those first 6 months- the daily death tolls, the videos on how to wash your hands or your groceries, or how long to leave your Amazon packages in the garage before touching. The struggle to find masks. And then all the crazy conspiracy theories. I remember when I found out my brother and sister-in-law had caught COVID early in the pandemic and me bursting into tears because they both had risks factors. I was so scared and could do anything for them. (They were fine, thankfully.)
All these emotions are well represented in this book, along with the journeys of Casey and Tristan, who find themself in lockdown together even though they've barely tolerated each other for 18 months. The quietly building romance is sweet and believable.
Another interesting aspect of the book is the author's unflinching treatment of the Navy, with it's power politics and political biases. It's an eye opener, for sure.
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