Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Starlight

SERIES:  Down the Shore

AUTHOR:  Evie McGlynn

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:   258 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 13, 2023

BLURB:

Liam
I joined Doctors Without Borders to help save lives and almost lost my own. The only reason I’m alive is because of Marco D’Angelo. My journey to full recovery isn’t smooth, but I’m determined to get stronger and continue to help others in need. When an opportunity arises to help Marco and his team, I grab it with both hands. I’d like to grab Marco with both hands, but he’s put up a wall between us that seems insurmountable. I’m not sure if I’ll break through his wall or break my own heart.
Marco
I left the Navy SEALs to start my life with the man I loved. But he was taken from me in the most brutal way imaginable. Now it’s strictly hookups for me. I am not going through that pain ever again. Liam is a complication I can’t afford. He smart and sassy. He challenges me at every turn and manages to make me smile when no else has been able to. And even though I push him away, I can’t seem to walk away.

REVIEW:

Note:  This is the second book in this series and overlaps with the timeline of the first book.  There are major spoilers for book 1.

Liam is Sean O’Neil’s younger brother.  He’s a nurse practitioner who volunteered with Médecins Sans Frontières in Syria.  While there,  he was kidnapped and beaten.  Just as he was about to be killed, he was rescued by a special rescue team headed by Marco D’Angelo – a family friend of Sean’s boyfriend Jeremy.  While recovering, Marco was there every time Liam woke up in the hospital.

When Liam returns to the states, he has a lot of recovering to do – not just physically but mentally and emotionally.  He’s dealing with PTSD and other issues.  Marco does his best to avoid Liam because he realizes he’s something special and Marco isn’t going down that path again.  The last time he did, it nearly destroyed him along with the man he loved.  Sadly Marco has a lot of trauma too – only he’s not working on getting better 🙁

Liam and Marco dance around each other for a while but then they start a “friend with benefits” type of arrangement.  Marco is clear that he doesn’t do relationship and that he can’t to the “boyfriend” thing.  Then there is the little issue of Tony, Marco’s brother and the head of the security business wanting Liam to join the team as the PRN Medic.  Liam wants to do it – Marco doesn’t want him in danger again.  Liam is a grown man though and he can decide for himself.  Marco also trains Liam in self-defense, so he really doesn’t have a very good excuse for keeping Liam out of things.

Marco of course gets hurt and Liam takes care of him. They continue to get closer and spend holidays and special days together.  Then Marco gets scared that he’s allowed Liam to get too close.  So he sets out to make sure Liam knows where they stand – in a really really cruel way.  Nobody is happy.  Marco has just blown the best thing that has ever happened to him.

This is another good book from this author. This story is told from dual first person POVs which was helpful.  Marco and Liam are perfect for each other. Too bad Marco has his head up his a$$.  He didn’t get the help that he needed even though he was quick to point Liam in that direction.  Marco so a lot of bad stuff as a seal, but this mental health was NOT good.  He was still seeing bad stuff – saving kids from human trafficking and he still wasn’t taking care of himself.  The rest of the team has Liam and Tony’s back.  They all do their best to get Marco to do the right thing and get his head on straight.  The only niggle I had was Liam forgiving him too easily.  The author did a great job of writing about PTSD, the nightmares of surviving the suicide of a loved one, the helplessness of watching someone fall apart and the strength it takes to recover from trauma.  Marco was damaged and he really should have done more work on himself before he started anything with Liam.  He needed to apologize and make it right for a long time to come.  That said, I’m really looking forward to the next book.  Recommended.

RATING:

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