Title: His Man
Series: Wounded Souls Novella
Author: Leah Sharelle
Genre: M/M Ex-Military Romance
Release Date: December 27, 2018
FORD
Ford had a pretty good life.
He was part of a former elite commando team, a talented computer genius, and a member of the Wounded Souls MC. He had a real family with his brothers, their women, and kids. Life was good. Well, it would be except for one big sexy issue—a tall helicopter pilot with a mouth and body made for sin. Lucky didn’t know it yet, but Ford was coming for him.
LUCKY
After the horrific shooting at the FOB while on deployment, Lucky took the medical discharge the army offered and ran back to the only place he was accepted just as himself. The Wounded Souls MC. After years of being a part-time member, he was now out of the army and healed, ready to do his bit. The only obstacle in his way was in the form of the club’s computer expert and go-to babysitter. His only hope of staying away from Ford and out of his bed was Lucky’s fiancée. But one look at his former lover had Lucky thinking maybe it was time to dig deep for some courage and finally reveal his true feelings, not only to his blood family but to the man who’d captured his heart and refused to give it back.
Did he want it back? Could he finally stand up to his powerful family and admit he wanted to be Ford’s man?
3 Stars
Jaymie: I was excited to read this book, there are not really all that many MM MC books and it’s one of my favorite themes/sub genres. I’ve really been craving a story with two very Alpha MC’s.
Mari: And I've been in a grittier, darker kind of read mood lately.
Unfortunately, His Man didn't quite live up to my expectations.
Jaymie: Nor mine, I want to be able to feel as if it’s authentic, it shouldn’t feel contrived or forced. If it’s the author’s first foray into MM then I’ll obviously give them some leeway, after all, it’s not easy switching like that. I expect though that they should be comfortable with what they are writing as well as sensitive to it.
"I received nothing but encouragement and support from them when I came out. They were shocked—it wasn’t like I played with dolls or wore pink when I was a kid—so when I figured it out in my late teens, early twenties, instead of freaking out, they sat down with me, and we discussed it. Even my older brothers never gave me shit except in a joking manner. Support from my family was the key to me being happy in my own skin. I joined the army just like any regular guy, and just like normal guys, I liked to shoot guns and blow shit up." Ford
Mari: There's a lot of wrong with that statement. Is it insinuating that if a kid likes to play with dolls or wears pink they’re automatically gay? I'm sure there are a lot of kids that would never touch a doll with a ten-foot pole or dress in all the rainbow colors, and are still gay, as well as straight men who like to embrace their feminine side. Plus, not all guys like to shoot guns and blow shit up, straight or not.
Jaymie: I agree, I am not comfortable with an out gay character referring to joining the Army and being interested in combat training, weapons and the like as being a “Normal guy”. To me, that insinuates that being gay is NOT NORMAL.
Mari: Being gay doesn't mean being femme and liking to dress in pretty things, although there are some guys that are like that, they come in all kind of packages, some shinier and with more sense of style than others, but all with the common denominator that they like other guys. That doesn't make them 'not normal' or 'not regular' guys.
Another thing that I didn't quite get was why Bryce just wouldn't turn his back on his horrid fiancée and his so-called family, they never really accepted him, not when he was in the army and even less when he joined the Wounded Souls. He thinks and claims several times throughout the story that his real family are his brothers at the Club and yet, he keeps coming as soon as his parents beckon him and he even saddles himself with a woman who is only after his money and position just to keep his parents happy, making Ford, the man he's supposedly in love with, miserable.
Jaymie: Yes, he has the support of his club, the Club President and all those who he considers his real family. Why is it so hard for him to admit to himself that he wants to be with Ford?
Mari: And don't get me started with Ford. He's determined to turn over a new leaf and forget about Lucky, and then after months of being subjected to Lucky parading his fiancée in front of him, Lucky just has to tell Ford he loves him and everything is all fine and dandy? No. At least make him work for it. The fact that they're both men doesn't mean that they don't have to put more of an effort to make things right.
Jaymie: Lucky knew how much it must’ve hurt Ford to see him with Ava, that no one liked her. He should’ve worked harder to be forgiven by Ford.
Mari: It's not all bad, I loved the Club's dynamics and that sense of brotherhood. I loved that they all rallied to help and be there for the others when they were needed. It was great seeing that they were all a big, happy family. Ford was lovely with all the kids and I enjoyed seeing how much he contributed to the MC.
Jaymie: Ford's interactions with Shiloh were some of my favorites. I love big tough men who turn into saps around kids.
Mari: I will add that while I found Shiloh adorable, the whole thing with Darf was a bit OTT.
Jaymie: I know! I wasn’t sure if it was going to turn into something sinister or paranormal or if there would be some huge twist of betrayal. Still, it provided the story with a touch of something different, I guess.
Mari & Jaymie: All in all, we believe the point of a story like this is about accepting yourself and who you love. It’s about accepting that you are “normal”, you just happen to love someone of the same sex. So, while the book had potential, it fell short in this aspect for us. We can't say His Man was great, there were many things that didn't work for us, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't entertaining or that others might find it more enjoyable than we did.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for our reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
I love the idea of being in love. Since my early teens when I first discovered Silhouette Desire novels my life has been all about reading. I would find myself re-writing scenes if I wasn't happy with them and hiding them under my bed. That led me to writing love stories of my own. They all ended up under the bed and are still there, and there they will stay. I don't do angst, in fact it drives me crazy.
I am a mum of three beautiful girls, Australian, and have what most say is a weird sense of humor.
I spend my free time doing movie, Sons of Anarchy, and Friends marathons. And reading.
I love Pina Colada's and getting caught in the rain..... there's that weird humor.
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