4 Stars

This was one of the best in showcasing friends evolving to lovers, hitting all the emotional stops on desire, want, longing, and the trauma war wrecks on those who’re lucky to survive.

Jase has been in love with Carey for forever, falling hard when he was the medic for Carey’s Marine contingent. They’ve been through a lot, mainly Carey losing his leg in an explosion, but also Jase’s continued guilt and PTSD from his remaining time served.

Despite different life projectories, these two remain the best of friends, sharing a rare bond forged literally in fire, and they continue to take the time to visit and reconnect. Underlying their deep friendship has always been a strong attraction that they've mostly ignored or brushed aside, basically because Carey insists he’s straight. Or is he?

Be aware this jumps back and forth in time. There’s also a lot of denial and some might not appreciate what Carey puts Jase through, as he remains adamant that his attraction to his friend could never move beyond a fleeting indulgence of lust.

However, where this excels at is how strong the bond is between Jase and Carey. Both men do hesitate about ruining the friendship but when push comes to shove, the blatant and repeated situations that showcase their undeniable hot connection to each other can no longer be ignored. Unf.

This was obviously pretty darn hot and sexy, while never failing on the varied emotional struggles these men faced and are facing. Mostly with no unnecessary angst, Jase and Carey’s win with each other was definitely wholly satisfying.