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Away From Keyboard #1

Breaking His Code

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"I'm a SEAL, angel. We never leave anyone behind."

West is alone. Drifting. Battling his demons every night when the fallen haunt his dreams.

When a ghost from his past comes calling, he can't answer, and the pain threatens to tear him apart.

His Krav Maga studio is in trouble, and his only reprieve from the darkness? His online gaming sessions.

Cam was an explosives expert in Afghanistan until one wrong move left her scarred for life.

Now she hides behind her keyboard—and her cane—until the guy she's been flirting with online convinces her to give him a chance in the real world.

Timing is everything, and caught between looming threats and the first stirrings of love, Cam bolts so she doesn't have to admit she's broken.

Can West convince her that broken is beautiful?

Breaking His Code is the start of the best-selling Away From Keyboard military romance series.

Each book is a complete standalone featuring found family, beautifully broken men and women, and emotions so real, you'll be reaching for the tissues.

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 24, 2017

1677 people are currently reading
1482 people want to read

About the author

Patricia D. Eddy

82 books880 followers
Patricia D. Eddy is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes romance for the beautifully broken.

Fueled by coffee, wine, and Doctor Who episodes on repeat, she brings damaged heroes and heroines together to find their happy ever afters in many different worlds. From military to paranormal to BDSM, her characters are unstoppable forces colliding with such heat, sparks always fly.

Add Patricia's latest releases to your TBR list now!
Rogue Operator (Gone Rogue #5) by Patricia D. Eddy and Trusting His Instincts (Away From Keyboard #11) by Patricia D. Eddy

Patricia makes her home in Seattle with her husband and very spoiled cats, and when she’s not writing, she loves working on home improvement projects, especially if they involve power tools.

Her Away From Keyboard series will always be her first love, because that’s where she realized the characters in her head were telling their own stories—and she was just writing them down.

You can find Patricia all over the web:

Website: https://patriciadeddy.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/patriciadeddyauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/patriciadeddy
Twitter: https://twitter.com/patriciadeddy
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/patri...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Patricia-D.-Ed...


Sign up for Patricia's newsletter to receive a free romantic suspense short story! https://patriciadeddy.com/mailinglist

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,975 reviews25.3k followers
February 12, 2025
Breaking His Code is book one in the Away From Keyboard series by Patricia Eddy. I have previously read most of this series. Each book can be read as a stand alone. But I never did go back and read this one even though I’ve owned it for awhile now! Finally I did and really enjoyed it. This is West and Camilla’s book.



Camilla Delgado has been out of the service for ten years. She was an explosives expert but a terrible explosion ended her career and left her injured. Now she uses a cane and is a coder for a security firm owned by her previous commanding officer. Camilla spends her days behind a keyboard and trying to manage her pain. She has established a friendship with a gaming partner. They game or talk nearly every day. But then he tells her he wants to meet in person.

West Sampson retired from active duty six years ago after being seriously injured. Now he owns a Krav Maga studio but with a new trendy fitness center right across the street, his studio is struggling. At the same time, he has developed feelings for the woman he has been talking to constantly and gaming with online the last few months. He desperately wants to meet her and take their friendship to a higher level. But their first meeting doesn’t go well, at all! How can he convince her that he sees her as a sexy strong woman, not the way she thinks he does?



Both West and Cam’s lives are at a stressful point. Cam has a crazy deadline on a huge install they are doing that will send the business into a much higher level. But something keeps going wrong with her code. And she can’t figure out what. West doesn’t know what to do to come up with the money he needs to start a new program at his business. But a voice from his past gives him an option, one he’s not sure he can take.

As these two try to navigate their own lives, they are also trying to figure out if they can be more to each other. This was a fairly quick read and I’m so glad I finally went back to be properly introduced to these two. I have really loved the books I’ve read in this series and highly recommend them all.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

Profile Image for Radd Reader.
993 reviews601 followers
February 4, 2019
Overview:
West & Cam. Standalone but part of a series with recurring characters. Dual POV. Instant attraction but a little bit of a slow burn.

Camilla (Cam)
Cam is a software developer at a security firm and loves the competitive side of gaming, where she has connected with West. She was injured while in the Army and now that she is out of the military, she finds friendship and camaraderie with an online community of vets.

West
Retired SEAL, he now owns his own dojo. But, due to competition right across the street, he is finding it hard to keep his business open. He has some guilt over the way his last mission ended.

Story
West and Cam meet via an online forum for vets, start gaming together and over the course of 6 weeks they build a solid friendship. West asks Cam out for coffee and although Cam has a bit of a “freak out” during their coffee, their attraction just can’t keep them apart.

The story has a tiny bit of suspense and the two main characters are suffering from some PTSD due to their military experiences. They have hot and steamy bedroom scenes when they do get together. I felt like some of the “misunderstandings” were just a way to create drama. They could have been avoided with honest communication.

There were a few unresolved issues, but they weren’t critical to the outcome of the story so it was ok. The book moves along well and the secondary characters add some depth to the story. This is a drama (not a light, upbeat story) and most of the characters in the book face some really difficult issues. There is no OW/OM drama and no cheating. This has a HEA, but no epilogue. Overall, a good start to the series.
Profile Image for Alex (HEABookNerd).
2,382 reviews
August 7, 2021
Sadly BREAKING HIS CODE just didn’t work for me and I’m going to keep this review fairly short because this book really frustrated me and I just want to move on. This was so angsty and so much was going on and I felt like the relationship between West and Cam just felt like it was in the background.

Additionally, Cam really annoyed me because she spends the whole book commiserating over the fact that everyone always leaves her but in reality she pushes everyone away. I understand that a lot of it comes from a dysfunctional childhood and later her injuries from being in the military but that doesn’t change the fact that Cam was terrible to West and her best friend, Lucas. She treats them both like crap and while she does realize it in the very end, I feel like Cam probably needs some serious therapy before she can really handle a relationship.

Overall, this was not for me but if you love angsty romances with wounded and damaged characters then this might work better for you.


Content Warning: Warfare trauma, PTSD, survivor's guilt, nightmares; chronic pain and physical impairment
Profile Image for Carvanz.
2,354 reviews890 followers
April 20, 2019
Cam and West meet on a forum for military vets and began to game together, teasing each other, and basically getting to know one another.

When West asks her to meet him for coffee, she agrees despite her misgivings and then freaks completely out and makes a mess of the whole thing. West isn’t sure what’s going on or what he said or did to cause her to run.

description

Cam is a strong independent heroine, she has survived a lot and suffered through more. Her past has left her broken both physically and emotionally and she refuses to depend on anyone. That attitude eventually causes fissures in every one of her relationships.

description

West has his own nightmares even as his current situation is making it impossible to fulfill his dreams. With financial issues at the core of his problems, he looks for alternative methods of easing the burden. When one of his decisions lands him in a firefight, he realizes he may never see the woman he loves again.

description

While this is definitely a romance, it’s also filled with all kinds of angst that Cam and West both must deal with separately in their lives. There isn’t a lot of Cam and West time as we see them both struggling to fix the problems they face. West’s was pretty straight forward but Cam’s included a much trickier problem and one that landed us with a bit of a twist.

description

I had a hard time connecting with these characters as a couple due to too little time actually getting to see them together. I loved what I saw of West and would’ve been ecstatic if the problem Cam was facing would have allowed him and his friend Ryker to step in and assist with bringing down the bad guys. Unfortunately, this felt like two stories. Cam’s definitely took over the bulk of the book with her relationships with both her best friend as well as the man that once saved her life.

Despite that, this is very well written with a fast pace and excellent secondary characters that were well developed. There was so much potential for it to really take off but it seemed to bog down around Cam’s job and her other issues. Perhaps I was expecting something different as this was my first book by this author. However, it really shines when it comes to the military angle, PTSD, some veteran issues, and running code for security software. I’ve heard great things about some of the other books in this series and I do intend to move forward.

Dual POV
Safe
Triggers

Profile Image for Cat H.
1,948 reviews218 followers
September 28, 2023
3.5 stars.
This was so emotionally heavy…
It felt like a big trauma dump the entire book, and don’t get me wrong here, I liked the book. I thought it was pretty well written, and I liked the characters and all their flaws.
But it was missing the ‘romance’ part of the romance for me.
Like. The sex barely even registered, even with it happening multiple times, because I was still waiting for their relationship to feel..I don’t know, locked in?

I just think there is usually a moment or an ‘act’ if you will, in most romance books, where the relationship the characters are developing feels like it clicks. And that’s the moment they are truly a couple and not just dating, ya know?
Maybe that doesn’t make sense. But it’s something I felt like this book was missing, and that abrupt ending did not help matters.

🤷🏻‍♀️It was a good book. I really enjoyed seeing the realistic (at least it seems like that to me) struggles of a veteran living with physical disabilities and the mental strain of the trauma they endured while serving.
But the romance just wasn’t quite enough for my tastes.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
3,579 reviews317 followers
December 3, 2023
I really liked this audiobook. Two great narrators. And I loved the main characters a lot. This was a free "stuff your earbuds" book and I WILL be reading more by this author!

Can's struggle to be vulnerable is tough. And I would have liked to see more growth for her.

There are a lot of things that kinda feel unresolved like her relationship with her family, their future as the hero continues to do some scary stuff, his company, her boss, the antagonist, etc. all that being this book down and not the most satisfying. It is the first of the series so maybe stuff gets resolved elsewhere.

Safety deets
- no other people and we don't really hear about their past partners or experience
- on the low side side of explicit.
- consent is good
- we barely get to see them together and I hope they keep working things out.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,511 reviews85 followers
December 19, 2019
This was more computer code and bad guy and drama than a romance.
Profile Image for Diane.
2,758 reviews21 followers
July 22, 2017
Characters with complex vulnerabilities always grab me by the heart while they draw me right into their story and that's exactly what happened with Cat, West, Royce and several other principal characters in this 5 star read. Cam is a computer programmer in business with her former CO Royce, and when she's not working 12 hour days writing code she's in online chat forums providing much needed morale support for her fellow vets. She's desperately longing for a connection outside of her workaholic existence but she's got physical and emotional scars that seem in surmountable. As tensions rise in both areas of her life there are sudden complications that threaten both her job, her security and the life of someone very dear to her. Part character study and part romantic suspense, I was fully engaged in this story from the first chapter to the last and I recommend it to computer geeks, romantic suspense fans and those who thrive on a gritty heroine who risks it all on a chance for a better tomorrow. I read a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.
Profile Image for May.
1,636 reviews20 followers
August 24, 2019
While I had problems with the book, I love the premise of wounded vets, programmers, gamers and mercenaries. The action was odd, the sex scenes were odd. But I’m still willing to read more in the series to see if the author can make this work.
Profile Image for Gina.
2,055 reviews63 followers
October 19, 2020
I liked this a lot more than my rating suggests. Patricia D. Eddy nails veteran and coding issues - way to go with the research! - and turns this into a fun but surprisingly dark romantic plot. I'll definitely be reading more by this new to me author. Yet, at only 192 pages, I needed a bit more for a full buy in. I liked the romance, but because the main couple spend about 6 weeks interacting online before meeting in person which we don't see, I wanted more relationship development. We get to experience Cam (short for Camilla) interact more with other veterans on a website she runs called VetNet, than we do with West, hero/romantic lead. Then, because the plot leads them to spending several week apart before the end, I wanted more once they got back together. Overall, a good story and I'm excited about a new author, but I couldn't rate this one higher.
Profile Image for Kaity.
1,935 reviews24 followers
December 30, 2019
2 stars if that. This book was a struggle, even though it is short it took me forever to get through and the payout wasn't worth. I am a little bummed it had such high potential but I was let down.

Cam and her secrets that I spent the whole book waiting to know and I will admit I was shocked at what they were, not what I was expecting. I was shocked at how West and her some how talked over all their secrets in one chapter and none of it shocked them at all.

Overall, its a no from me dawg....
1,577 reviews55 followers
May 27, 2018
This was good. I enjoyed this. 2.5 stars. Cam was a great character with a complex backstory and kind disposition. The backstories of all the characters though were emotionally intense. I did find myself a bit confused with what was happening. The author showed rather than told but I think there should've been a bit more explanation about what was going on. I didn't quite understand the situation with Royce or with Lucas. Still, this was a great story and I felt emotionally invested in the characters and their search for happiness. I mostly liked the relationship between West and Cam, although their lack of communication at times irritated me. I did like that they tried to open up to each other. But I kind of felt that there was too much happening in this book. There was the emotional aspect, the tech plot line, the backstories - it was just too much. I think there either needs to be more development or less plot complications. Still it was a nice little read.
Profile Image for Carolina Colleene.
Author 2 books53 followers
September 7, 2019
Language: R (92+ swears, 27+ "f"); Mature Content: R (oral and vaginal sex, sexting); Violence: PG13+ (war memories and PTSD)
I liked the story well enough, and I'm curious to see how Cam and West get through everything, but I didn't want to subject myself to even skim over any more sex scenes. There were three scenes I skipped through before even being halfway through the book, so I put it down. The story wasn't unique or engaging enough for me to have to know how the happily ever after comes about.
Profile Image for Big Joe  Rossi.
1,776 reviews50 followers
December 5, 2019
3.5 stars

Good book about two veterans dealing with PTSD and scars, both emotion and physical, of their time in service. Both home, working. They meets online through online gaming. Grow close and when West asks to meet Cam and her scars get nervous.

Slowly they grow closer, but for every two steps forward there seems to be a step back. When things start happening with her job as a coder she enlist his help and soon lives may be at risk.

Sorry this isnt a great review I read this in Sept but im reviewing it in Dec due to live interfering.
Profile Image for Jen_C.
1,112 reviews56 followers
May 30, 2024
3 DEPRESSING stars.

Nobody is happy. 😢
I'm not a gamer or computer geek so I don't get some of this stuff and find it boring. Lots of characters to keep track of. Lots of BAD attitudes and some cringy scenes. This may not be a good book for me.
Profile Image for Gloriamarie.
723 reviews
Read
November 15, 2018
The author reminds me to state that I have received this book in exchange for an honest review.

She also says, “This has not been proofread yet. There may be the occasional spelling or grammar error. Before the book is released, it will have a full, professional proofread.” I find this statement disappointing. If authors want a favor from me or want me to spend my money on their books, it seems to me that there is an implied contract that what they offer will be in readable condition. At the very least that means it is has been proofread, not merely spellchecked. I feel quite strongly about this.



Going in… Happy to report that despite my fears about the proofreading, I found not a single thing to distress me on that point.

Something that jolts me out of a story is the mention of a name or an event without any context. This happened to me when I read “Royce is late.” Who is Royce, why does it matter if he is late. I found my mind circling back to that instead of concentrating on what I was reading. Three pages later, I still have no idea who Royce is, but West is introduced as a former SEAL and gaming partner. Why not simply insert something that identifies Royce? I am guessing he is her business partner but I don’t like to guess because guesses lead to misunderstandings.



There are several references to Cam’s cane and pain, but no reason is offered until well into the first chapter and she signs onto something called VetNet, which I personally have never heard of but eventually deduce that it is social media for veterans. Is Cam a veteran? I assume so, but I don’t like to make assumptions because assumptions lead to misunderstandings.

Must admit to a certain bemusement over the coffeehouse scene in Chapter Two. At last, I learn she was in the army. She and West “met” on VetNet, have been gaming for a few weeks and now they are meeting for a coffee date. Another customer makes a loud noise, it startles Cam, she drops her coffee mug, splashing coffee all over herself, and falls off her chair when she attempts to pick up a broken piece of the cup. She is so embarrassed she fakes a work emergency and leaves, determined never to see West again, despite her instant and strong physical attraction to him. 

I don’t understand why she is so embarrassed. We are told that she is, but surely a combat veteran has endured worse things than stained clothing. In fact, we know Cam has because of all the references to her cane and her pain so why not offer an explanation for this embarrassment? Just doesn’t seem real to me.

And I still have no idea who Royce is.

Having completed Chapter Three, I have learned that Royce is Cam’s boss. I’ve also learned that Cam, Royce, and West all have PTSD and the reason Cam was so freaked out by the coffee stains and falling off her chair is that she doesn’t wish to appear weak. To which my reaction is that while I am not a Vet, I have known plenty of people with PTSD who have met together in groups and they all cut each other some slack, just as Cam sits slack for HuskyFan on VetNets, which I learned is not an actual thing but a social media thing Cam created.

 All the explanations seem to sneak in and in the meantime, I am constantly jolted out of the story thinking, “well, why didn’t you just say that when you first mentioned so and so." As in, my boss, Royce, is late. As in VetNet the social media thingie I started, we support each other. As I, I can’t appear weak just because I live in constant pain. Honestly, leaving out such details makes the story confusing to follow.

By Chapter Five, the story is flowing better. I have a much better sense of who people are now and I am not continuing to be jolted out of the story muttering “huh?”

However, in one scene West has gone to Cam’s apartment, bringing Thai and beer. Cam has a positive thought about his beard stubble. I personally hate beard stubble. For one thing, I do not find beard burn a turn on. For another beard stubble feels to me like a failure to commit. Either shave or grow a beard, make up your mind, fella.



There are a lot of hurting people in this book they all seem to talk around their hurt instead of engaging in conversation about it. While I suppose it lends itself to the drama of the story, in some cases it feels forced. 

Let’s take Cam as an example. Eddy makes it clear that Cam is active in therapy and a support group in VetNet. Ten years in therapy and she is still in the same place, has not made progress, hasn’t resolved her issues, and still has this idea that she can’t appear weak? I really can’t say more because “Spoilers, sweetie,” channeling River Song there for a moment.

Cam’s issues with Royce actively hurt her. 

Now, I get it that PTSD is not something that just goes away. I am aware that some issues are lifelong. But many of us have PTSD and we have been able to resolve many of the worst of our symptoms.



There is one scene toward the end of the book that I simply can’t believe could ever be real. But again channeling River Song, “Spoilers, sweetie!” If a person has what West has at the end of the book, I fail to understand how he could have done what he did with Cam without some very negative results. Just sayin’. 



On the whole, I am glad I read it, especially as it was free. I will give the author a great deal of credit for avoiding a serious mistake that too many romance authors writing about PTSD have made. Eddy understands that the love of a good woman, a good friend, or a good man will not cure anyone’s PTSD and that PTSD is much more complicated than that. On behalf of all with PTSD, thank you.



Something I really enjoyed is that even secondary characters are well-developed with personalities and problems just like real people. I did guess quite early on who the bad guy was, but then that’s pretty much why I gave up reading mysteries because it’s not much fun when I figure it out so early. 

I’ve never read anything by this author before, but I’d be willing to.

Thank you for the introduction to your work, Ms. Eddy.
Profile Image for Tammy Bulcao.
918 reviews10 followers
January 10, 2020
An Amazing Story!💜


An emotional roller coaster and I never wanted to get off.
I love these characters and I’m excited to listen to the entire series. I love that there are so many important issues that are addressed. It’s an exciting page turner!!
The narration was really good!!
This is book 1 but is a standalone.
I highly recommend this book/series.

Sisters Spotlight 💜
Profile Image for Lenore Kosinski.
2,389 reviews64 followers
September 30, 2019
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/09/...

4.5 stars — I came for the latina heroine (for my diversity challenge), I stayed for the awesome narrators, relatively accurate coding references, amazing female software developer, and patient hero.

First, the narrators: Both narrators are new to me, and I enjoyed them both. I LOVED Ms. Zimmerman in particular, she added so much emotion and depth, she easily got me crying at the challenging parts. She was also killer on the different voices for different characters. Mr. Williams had great pacing, but slightly less emotion variance for West. And while his different voices weren’t quite as good as Ms. Zimmerman’s, I thankfully enjoyed his female voices (which can be a sticking point with male narrators).

Oh man, for such a short novel, these characters really packed a punch. I felt the most for Camilla, which is odd because she was riddled with flaws that usually make me want to smack them. She allowed so much of her past to influence all her present day interactions…and while we all do that to a degree, she was doing it to her detriment. She had such a fear of abandonment, that she really kept people at arm’s length. And she did make me growl at her on multiple occasions, particularly with her conflicts with Lucas (sp?) and West. But something about the way that Ms. Eddy wrote her had me understanding her, and still empathizing with her struggles. She was so smart and badass, but her stranglehold on her independence almost lost her some great people.

I LOVED that she was this kickass female programmer, and I appreciated that the coding references were actually not that bad…usually I roll my eyes. I also really loved that we got such an in depth look at quite a few different “aftermath”s of military service. I loved how she participated on the vet net board, trying to help other vets and make sure they knew they were not alone. It really gave a great glimpse into what they go through when they return.

West was pretty awesome too, but I will admit that I didn’t feel like I got to know him quite as well. I loved how persistent he was in his pursuit of Cam. I loved that he could be soooo patient with her, but he also didn’t allow her to walk all over him. He was very forthright. And I appreciated his very real struggles of trying to make his Dojo work, and I LOVED what he was trying to do with its expansion.

And their chemistry was pretty solid, from friendship to steamy. I almost wish we’d gotten more time with them together though…I felt like we got 2 strong separate stories, but I wanted to see how they made their lives work together too.

Lots of great secondary characters, and I can see how this one is shaping into a series. I will definitely be putting more of them on my wishlist. I will admit that I saw the “bad” guy fairly early on, and as my hubby put it: why can’t the heroine have been reading this book? She would have seen it right away! 😉 I really loved how that all shaped up in the end.

So yeah. Gotta love it when you ask for recs, and it turns out SOLID.
Profile Image for Yanli.
222 reviews
July 24, 2017
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed so much of this reading, it was fast, fresh, and quite interesting, and especially very realistic, but with a touch of excitement and suspense, of the kind of reading that I love. Each of the characters has the own problems, trying to heal their own battle wounds, even the villain came to my heart, although the protagonist exasperated me sometimes with her attitude of "I can take care of myself, and do not need your help", she took a little while to accept that everyone needs help if they want to have a second chance.

This is a book I recommend very much, and I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do.
Thank you very much Patricia for this reading, and I look forward to the next book.

Recibí este libro a cambio de una crítica honesta. Es una lectura bastante rápida, una vez que comienzas no puedes parar, es interesante y muy realista, con un toque de emoción y suspenso, como los que me gustan a mi, cada uno de los personajes tienen sus propios problemas, tratando de lidiar con sus heridas de batalla, incluso el villano me llego al corazón, aunque la protagonista me exasperó un poco con su actitud de "yo puedo cuidarme sola, y no necesito tu ayuda", tardó un poquito en aceptar que todos necesitamos ayuda si queremos tener una segunda oportunidad.

Este es un libro que recomiendo muchísimo, y espero que lo disfruten tanto como yo.

Muchísimas gracias Patricia por esta lectura, y espero con ansias el siguiente libro.


Profile Image for Paranormal Tendencies.
254 reviews20 followers
July 25, 2017
Cam: former army explosives specialist. Discharged after an explosion left her with nerve damage on the left side of her body. Now works for her former CO as a programmer for his security firm.
West: former Navy Seal. Retired after one mission that went south and members of his team died. Now owns a gym specializing in PT for amputees and disabled vets.
Both members of the online forum vetnet where they “met”. They now have weekly video game nights and are slowly progressing towards more. But Cam feels like her past will keep her from being available to anyone. Hopefully she can work through her issues because West is smokin hot!
I have not known anyone with PTSD. So for me, reading about these characters and their emotional struggles was fascinating. Though I couldn’t fully understand their pain, I was still very caught up in the drama. Had Cam not had PTSD, I would have wanted to reach into the book and smack her around for being so ridiculously stubborn and selfish. But knowing that made me go a bit easier on this fictional character. Instead I just watched the drama unfold and cringed at her reactions to West. It was frustrating to see her struggle with her confidence. But all of this just goes to show how well written this story was. If the book were bad, I wouldn’t care so much.
This was definitely a book out of my normal comfort zone genre, but I am glad I read it. I enjoyed the story a lot and definitely recommend it! 4 stars for Breaking His Code
Profile Image for Booklover Judy Lynn.
1,620 reviews29 followers
November 30, 2021
This was my first book by this author and the first book in the series. It can be read as a standalone. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Both Cam and West have scars from their time in the service. I think the author does an excellent job describing some of the PTSD things the characters are experiencing. Cam also has some scars from her dysfunctional childhood. They both have a lot going in in their personal lives that they are each dealing with separately outside of their relationship with each other. I felt like the book didn't give me enough of their love story. We see how they meet, we experience their physical intimacy with open door bedroom scenes, but I never felt like I got to see them fall in love. The author explains the trust issues Cam has and her reluctance to accept help from anyone. The book covers how Cam and West finally bare their secrets to each other and admit they are in love with each other. I just never felt that love between them.
Overall, this book has a lot of moving storylines with various relationships and work drama the characters experience. However, I felt like the romance was secondary to absolutely everything else. There was just too much missing for me in this one.
Profile Image for Lisa Cummings.
44 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2019
This wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t particularly good either. It filled a few hours and that’s about it. I just finished it and I already know it will be forgotten rather quickly.

The story had a lot of potential, but the characters spent most of the book pushing each other away. The suspense part of the story wasn’t suspenseful at all. I know who did it before I even completely understood what they did.

For such a forgettable book, there was a lot going on. This was like reading 4 stories at once and the only real thread that sort of tied them together was Cam. There was a story about Cam and Royce, a story about Cam and Lucas, a story about Cam and West, and an allegedly suspense story about Cam and Oversight (her computer program). The romance part was really in the background and seemed like it just got thrown in as an afterthought. Cam and West spent more time away from each other that honestly, I can’t figure out when they actually fell in love. There is also an unraveled thread just hanging there between Cam and her parents, but it doesn’t bother me because the book didn’t draw me in enough to actually care. Like I said, not bad but completely forgettable.
Profile Image for Darbin O’Gill.
623 reviews9 followers
April 27, 2023
Two independent stories where the characters also happen to fall in love. This isn't your usual romance. Setting aside all the representation, I, as a pick-me-woke girl could handle. I could say confidently this reads as either a misfocused romance or a piece of fiction with a b plot romance line. Still the tether between the stories is the romance and how it pushes their independent character development **chef's kiss** WOW.

I would recommend to all those toO cool for romance girlies that really just need to get their heads out of their behinds. Great gateway read!
Profile Image for Chalice.
3,641 reviews110 followers
December 12, 2022
The couple: West and Cam

Romance trope: hacker; romantic suspense
Series: Away From Keyboard
Length: 190 pages

Plot: West and Cam met online where they play first-person shooter games together. But West has been falling in love with the programmer and he finally convinces her to meet in person. Their first date doesn't go well, though, according to Cam, and she's cautious about meeting again. West will keep chipping away at her doubts, but he's having problems of his own. Cam's work starts heating up as well, and their relationship might be over before it even starts.

Commentary: I read another book in this series about West's friend (the one that recruited him for a mission - On His Six) and I really liked it, so I thought I'd give this one a try. I liked this one! Not as much as the other, but still. The only thing that bothered me (and this is a personal preference and I feel this way about all books, not just this one) is that there was too much push/pull. About the third time she pushed him away, I was done giving her any slack. In or out.

Next book in the series: In Her Sights
Profile Image for Carol.
1,381 reviews262 followers
tbr-already-own
January 29, 2020
(included with "Recipe for Danger": A Collection of Military Romantic Suspense Books)
Profile Image for Ghoulicious.
13 reviews4 followers
February 26, 2025
So much potential and angst. But where did the plot go. They jumped right into it 20% of the book and the heat wasn’t there. There was no built up.
Urgh. So much potential aaaaaaa
Profile Image for Ashley.
Author 3 books24 followers
May 2, 2021
Great book

Cam and West are beautifully broken. I love their interactions and saw so much of myself in these characters. This is a great story, with well built characters, and is definitely worth the read!
Profile Image for Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase .
4,732 reviews175 followers
December 19, 2019
If you want a story that has you on the edge of your seat from the opening page - look no further. The story of Cam and West not only had intrigue and deception but it also had strong characters that the reader cannot help but fall in love with. Then the author throws in sub-characters that are so interesting that their story is needed ASAP - I am so glad i already have the next book in the series on my kindle. A job well done - Patricia Eddy - stand up and take a bow.

Merged review:

Breaking His Code - If you want a story that has you on the edge of your seat from the opening page - look no further. The story of Cam and West not only had intrigue and deception but it also had strong characters that the reader cannot help but fall in love with. Then the author throws in sub-characters that are so interesting that their story is needed ASAP - I am so glad i already have the next book in the series on my kindle. A job well done - Patricia Eddy - stand up and take a bow.
In Her Sights - I cannot get enough of this series!! Inara and Royce are two completely broken individuals that need each other to piece themselves back together. But can you support another person while you yourself keep falling apart? Highly emotional and highly captivating. I think I have found me new go to series to re-read!!
On His Six - Wow - this is my first book by this author and it will not be my last. From the opening gut wrenching chapter right up to the very end this story had me on the edge of my seat. It is filled with romance, suspense and heart wrenching angst. Ryker and Wren need to go from hell back to reality in order to find love in the end. I must now read more in this series.
Second Sight - If you are looking for a book that sucks you in from the opening pages and locks you down to the very last page - look no further. Once again Patricia D. Eddy creates a world filled with intrigue, emotion and angst. Broken characters that can only be put back together again with love and understanding is a small glimpse of the entire Away from the keyboard series. Dax and Evianna are perfect for each other and I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us.
By Lethal Force - This book deserves more than 5 stars!! After an argument, Joey and Fords engagement is on the line - Joey cannot continue without Ford trusting her enough to share what is happening on deployments. The night she walks away leads to a night of torture and despair, leaving only a shell of the person she once was. Walking away is the only thing she can do. But 20 years later their paths cross once again and this time Ford is there to help save her from her captors. But can old feelings come back to the surface when Joey feels so broken? Can Ford put her back together while he saves them both? This book had me on the edge of my seat form the opening pages. It had me yelling and crying all within the same chapter. Two broken souls that rip your heart out and leave you feeling battled and bruised. With beautifully written characters and a plot that kills you then puts you back together again this was an awesome book. Patricia D. Eddy stand up and take a bow - job well done.
Fighting For Valor - I wish I could give this more than 5 stars. The reader almost gets two books for the price of one. They get the before and after version of Ripper. The before is the extremely tortured, lost and broken soul who literally dies right in front of your eyes. After being drugged and brutally abused Ripper can not only remember who he is but at the same times knows in his heart that he is doing something wrong. But finally he is saved and rescued. Part two is what is left when he returns to the states...a broken, shattered man who cannot come to grips with his new reality. Plagued with episodes of PTSD, Ripper feels he left one hell behind and was taken to another one. That is until he meets Cara, who in her own right has equally troubling battles and hurdles to overcome. What happens when two broken souls come together? Can they save each other while they try to heal? This book had my emotions all over the place. From disgust at the brutality of Ripper's abuse, to tears when he is still lost and broken after he was saved, to a feeling of peace when Cara and Ripper find each other. All of the characters were so well written. Everyone's battles were easily connected and the brotherhood and family sense was heartwarming. I think this story was the best so far in the series!! Job well done Patricia D. Eddy!!
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