Afraid to Fly (Anchor Point)

Afraid to Fly, (Anchor Point 2), L.A. Witt 

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  romance, LGBTQIA

I loved, just loved, Just Drive, book 1 in this series, and was hoping for more of the same.
I love LA Witt’s writing, and was ready for another hot and sensual, tender but real romance. Sadly though I just didn’t feel it here....
I did love the sneak peeks of Sean and Paul from book one though, that they were getting ready to marry. terrific to know that they lasted, that they were getting their HEA.

So why wasn’t this one another winner for me? Well, as a chronic pain sufferer I know how debilitating and depressing pain can be, and the need to mask the effects if you don’t want to be a down on everyone and every outing. Clint though, his pain was so intense I really didn’t see how he could keep it so hidden. I could see why he wanted to, he’s a career Serviceman, and a bit longer and he can retire gracefully, on a much better pension, and sadly that extra money is needed when you have health issues.
I just felt his pain was overshadowing his whole life though, it was literally running it, where he had to plan what he could do to hide how much he was hurting. I know only too well that sort of pain isn’t going to go away, isn’t going to get better, and it just seemed a bit too depressing knowing his life didn’t have an upside.

Even when he met and got together with Travis they seemed to just have a HFN, and I wondered – all the fears he has for their future, would he be proved right?
There wasn’t any way I could see that things would change, and I felt a bit left in limbo as far as the future for them and his fears went.

Travis too, his issue with the kids and his ex, I needed to know if he would get to see them, how they would take his news etc. There was a tiny little bit of light at the end but its very ambiguous.
I so felt for his problems, and wondered – does that really happen? Where something so traumatic happens that it affects people that badly, gives them PTSD and yet they can’t even discuss it with a Service sanctioned counsellor?
Way to leave your staff in limbo.
Pretty disgusting and yet as with so many jobs the Services depend on fitness both mentally and physically and both these guys had so much to hide to keep their jobs, after they’d sacrificed so much for their country. Made me think for a bit about real life, how these kind of situations work.
As a drone pilot I could see how people like Travis would get sneered at if they had issues with what happened, safe behind the lines, and yet the effects of what they do are the same as those pilots who drop bombs from a plane and then are miles away when the blast hits.
Tough one, and I guess Forces life isn’t built for sympathy and understanding, more Take-it-like-a-Man stuff – even for the women :-( US and UK seem to have the same attitude here.

I think its that eternal down-ness of their problems, the way nothing seemed to be resolvable that made this book an Ok-but-once-only read for me, it was too grim, bleak and unremitting.
I need some light at the end of the tunnel and TBH I just couldn’t see it.

Sadly  I could believe that Travis would get tired of Clint’s issues, love - even the strongest - doesn’t stop people getting frustrated, however much they understand the causes. Pain like that doesn’t get better, only worse, unless there’s some kind of new medical treatment out, and nothing like that was suggested for Clint.
Likewise Travis’ mental stress, without being able to discuss the cause with a trained counsellor how could he get past it, stop the nightmares, avoid the triggers, and would Clint in time decide the lack of sleep was exacerbating his pain, that they just couldn’t be together?
See, that’s a real issue for me, I just can’t see how they can get the happy future I want them to have, without some interventions...just understanding and sympathising with your partner isn’t enough to stop the problems, and keep both happy.

A few hints on what could happen in the future to benefit, surgery perhaps for Clint, some psychotherapy and counselling for Travis, a way to move forward with a slightly easier life, and this could have been a story I loved as much as the first, but as it is though its the usual perfectly written story with believable characters and situations, its just too bleak, dark, grim for me. Real life has that, I want something positive when I'm reading, some hope for a HEA for characters.
 
Stars: two, a real shock for me, a two star LA Witt story, but this one just didn’t work for me.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.............. (1 John 4:18)

I really, really enjoyed this because it is a story of how perfect love drives fear away.

I read the first book in this series and felt that it was so-so but this was totally different and I am so pleased that I didn't give up on this series.

In this story we have two middle aged men who are both dealing with life and brokenness. Painful pasts, traumatic experiences and ongoing health challenges have marred the lives of both men. When Travis and Curtis first meet they are attracted to each other but Curtis has a boyfriend and Travis doesn't appear to be gay. In one evening they each realise that Travis is gay, Curtis is bi and the so called boyfriend is a non-starter. They are both single, the attraction is live and the pieces fall into place very quickly. Curtis quickly dusts his drunken ex off his shoulders and both men are good to go.

They tentatively reach out to each other and bang! We have lift off!

Or do we?

In strides fear and there are lots of issues. There are the physical injuries and pain. There are traumatic events and ongoing PTSD. There are painful relationships from the past which have echoes in the present. Both men have children and Curtis doesn't get to see his often and then there is the issue of disclosure.

Each man fears that if he reveals his pain and fears, if he reveals his weaknesses and trauma, that the other man will then head for the hills and disappear. But courage comes in and slowly they take steps to reveal who they are and support each other.

I loved this because it is just so real and also beautifully moving. It is a story about a journey towards love and life, and how love can overcome hurdles and difficulties but only if we have the courage to allow this.

A perfect love can overcome fear and Travis and Curtis come to understand this.

I loved the way each man allowed himself to be vulnerable to the other and the way they gave each other support and courage and care. I also liked the fact that they weren't perfect. They were bruised and battered but still hopeful. It is refreshing to read a story with older men and real life problems.

This was also a real step up from the last story which felt the same as every other romance. This felt different, so much deeper and a story that quietly grabbed me, held my attention and took me in a journey through a difficult terrain and eventually I sailed into a safe harbour and exhaled.

It is a beautiful story and one that will stay with me.

Many thanks to Riptide Publishing for letting me have this book via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I really liked the first book in this series. Just Drive was the perfect introduction to Anchor Point. I was hoping that the second book would be just as strong and Afraid to Fly did not disappoint.

Readers met Travis in Just Drive. He was and still is Paul's best friend, which is great because readers also got to check in on Paul and Sean. ;) Paul returned the favor of being Travis' sounding board and boy did he have his work cut out for him. The cards were stacked against Travis and Clint. Travis put up his own walls because of a tragic relationship in his past. Clint couldn't afford to give his ex-wife any more reasons to keep him away from his kids. He was also shouldering a lot of unnecessary guilt because he was ordered not to talk to anyone about the events that led to his PTSD. Once again L.A. Witt made the impossible probable. She really made these two work for it though.

I'm really enjoying seeing how these couples face what they've been through head-on. They make mistakes and come close to losing even more than they've already lost. They're men who put their life on the line and are used to having each others' back, but find it hard to depend on anyone or show any weakness. I can't wait to see what's next in Anchor Point.

I received Afraid to Fly in exchange for a fair and honest review.