Footprints

by Clare London

Anti-terrorist operatives Evan Riley and Adam Nolan couldn't be less alike. Evan is easygoing, sharp-witted, and sociable, while Adam is the gifted and cooly controlled leader of the operation. But as their team spends nine straight months in a safe house on the coast, Evan sees much more in Adam. For Adam, the sea holds bitter, shocking memories that haunt his days and nights. But despite his stubborn refusal to allow himself to live, Evan is determined to be the one to help Adam face his personal demons and the idea of a future together.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Gay, Military Fiction, LGBT, Action

55 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2009

About the author

Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home, she juggles her writing with her other day job as an accountant. She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with award-winning novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters.

Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter 3 stage and plenty of other projects in mind . . . she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fuelled family home.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!

Clare also writes as Stella Shaw and launched a new series of rent boy romances in 2021.

Reviews

[Meep · Rating 2 out of 5]

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Interesting but not very engaging. Needs more to the characters to have any impact. The narrating has a detached quality about it. We're told the reason for Adam's aloofness but the story is too short to deal with that trauma.

[ElaineY · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have liked this if it weren't so short. I enjoyed the previous Clare London I read - Sparks Fly - and this was nothing close. It was so short to the point I wondered why bother to write it. Sorry, not to be mean but that was exactly how I felt when I reached the last page. It was, like "What --? You gotta be kidding! That's it?"

The entire story revolves around these guys who're at some beach hanging out after their mission. Adam spends the entire story hiding away from the rest as he struggles with guilt over his failure to save someone (I can't even remember who, now). Nolan is in love with him, not sure if Adam feels the same or is even gay and he goes to look for him, worried about him being alone. He finds Adam, they resolve the "are you gay, do you want me" issue and the story ends. It'll take you about ten minutes to read. There's no relationship development, no character development, no suspense.

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to reading True Colors as I know from Sparks Fly that Clare London could become one of my favorite MM contemporary non-suspense writers...but I'll stay away from her short stories.

[Jimmy Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short was interesting while it lasted. Clare London is a great writer and this had definite potential... I like the way she wove in the memories with the present day things and Evan Riley is a very neat character. The other of the pair - Adam Nolan - just kind of got on my nerves. He was partially described as being a strong character, but given the first chance that focused directly on him, he turned into kind of a weakling. I understand anxiety attacks, I understand PTSD. Her attempts at working it into the plot, though, just rang too hollow. It would have been best if she'd left that part out and found another prime reason for tension and conflict.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, this short m/m romance about two guys who are part of a counter-terrorism team never fully engaged me – maybe it was the somewhat reserved first person narrative?

[Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this story structured really interestly enjoyed that about it quite a bit. I did think it was very light in characterization and the plot was pretty thin still it was a good, quick read.

[Mara Ismine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly dreamy post-action story told partially in flash backs. I'm going to be drawn back to this one to read again when I'm not expecting explosions at least once a chapter, and that four star rating may well go up to five.

[Elisa Rolle]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HE1KO2/?...

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story that unfortunately was just not my cup of tea, certainly not this stellar authors fault, just not my thing.

[Daniel]

Lots of it makes no sense. “That’s true” is not a thing you say when you don’t want conversation to continue. “This bomb is going to blow any minute! Now, let me tell you a story.”

I gave up at that point and had already done some skimming. Not rating because I didn’t finish but I also don’t recommend it.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good writing. Very complex characters. I liked the bond between them. It should, however, have been explained more since it was so short. I'm left with some questions I didn't get the answer to.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A re-released short that might be feeling its age a bit. A fine free read, but nothing super memorable.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. London paints a picture with words. I was completely drawn into the story and into the emotions of the main characters. Even though this is a short story, it feels fully formed. The connection between Evan and Adam was moving and beautiful. Highly recommended.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the moody-broody-ness of the this story. I felt like I was totally wrapped up inside the characters and the narration. Very nice.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4
It wasn't bad, but it was a bit confusing with all the flashbacks.