Review by Shelley

TITLE: Tuck & Cover
AUTHOR: SJD Peterson
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
BLURB:
2nd Edition
Battle Buddy 

At nineteen, Shane Tucker joins the army. Tucker is gay but not ready to be open about it, and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell seems like a convenient way to avoid dealing with his sexuality.

The army suits Tucker; he does well from the beginning. Then, during boot camp, he’s assigned a “battle buddy,” Owen Bradford. Owen is a walking, talking wet dream with no concept of personal space. Tucker only survives the constant temptation by venting to his diary.

Two years later, Tucker—now in the Army Ranger program—is paired up with Owen once again. Getting through training while ignoring the sexual tension between him and his battle buddy might be the biggest test of Tucker’s military career.

Tuck & Cover

You may have read Tuck’s diary entries, but they don’t tell the whole story. Tuck will argue the point, but he definitely got a few details wrong—not that I blame him. He was, if you remember, a little sexually frustrated at the time. He probably wasn’t thinking straight. I’ll never get tired of teasing him about that. Anyway, here’s what really happened.

Rangers lead the way! – Owen

First Editions published by Silver Publishing, March 2012 (Battle Buddy) and November 2012 (Tuck & Cover)

REVIEW:

If I say Hubba-Hubba and do the eye-brow waggle thing with glazed eyes and a lecherous grin?  Would that clue you in on how hot this book is or would I just sound and look like a dork? Doesn’t matter, I did it anyway because I am a dork – a hot and flustered dork, but a dork none the less.

Tuck & Cover is the sequel to Buddy Battle where the gorgeous but innocent and virginal Shane Tucker shares his thoughts and writes about his Army training from basics through to becoming a Ranger. His winning narration tells of an illicit burning desire for his annoying badass battle buddy, Owen Bradford. It is an ode to the sexual torment and sizzling chemistry induced by a walking wet dream. Believe me when I say – he’s totally justified in his craving … TOTALLY! Owen is HOT!

When Owen reads Tuck’s memoires of that time he decides to write his own, clarifying a few things for us because not all was as Tuck saw it. Owen’s cocky like that; he’s the kind of guy who has to have the last word, the last laugh and he does it with a sexy wink and a smile; sending my (and Tuck’s) libido into overdrive. Now we get to hear Owen’s version of events; the uber cocky, confident bad ass, sex on legs Owen Bradford is not as unaffected as Tuck thinks he is. To say the attraction is mutual is an understatement. Owen is on fire for Tuck, and it’s so much fun knowing how sexually tormented and determined he was to get Tuck into his bed.

“Who better to handle a badass Ranger than another badass Ranger?”

Who better indeed! When these two powerhouses meet, the walls shake and the windows rattle. Literally! … Rawrrr! These guys are seriously fierce and super uber sexy while wrestling for that Top spot. This is what sells this story for me; the chemistry and execution is remarkable. The first person narration is an easy task, considering it’s not my favourite format but this works well.

This is purely the Owen and Tucker show, their training and career is secondary to the relationship and the don’t-ask-don’t–tell questions are not an issue … yet.  There is a build-up and anticipation to the ‘what next’ question which will probably be explored in the next instalment of the Ranger series; hopefully giving the story line a much needed touch of angst and action. I’d like to see the overly stated badass claim put to the test, and not just in the bedroom – although more of that would be nice too. As clear as the narration is from both Battle Buddy and Tuck & Cover, beyond the laughs and general … *coughs*…. enjoyment of being in these characters’ heads, I failed to make that all important emotional connection with these guys, there is just a glimmer of it at the end,which proves enough to keep me invested.

I look forward to exploring that later in the next instalment to see how they face life on a mission and conduct their secret affair.

Definitely a recommended series and one I’ll be watching out for.

Shelley’s Rating:

BUY LINK: Dreamspinner Press  ||  Book Store

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