Hell Dogs Squadron 1: Touch and Go

Title:
Author: AR Moler
Publisher:
Genre: M/M Contemporary Paranormal Romance
Length: 50 pages
Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

A guest review by Jenre

THE BLURB

Navy F/A-18 pilot Lt. Cameron Bradshaw juggles a second government job in addition to his military commitments. He’s a psychic finder for a mysterious agency known as Division P. Just as he is beginning another assignment for Division P, he is the victim of a nearly lethal motorcycle accident.

If not for the talents of a gifted healer by the name of Dr. Mason Flynn, it is doubtful the Lt. would have survived. As the slow process of recovery begins, Mason Flynn is drawn to the injured pilot. A mix of shared psychic talents and physical attraction is slowly binding them together. But when Cam’s roommate is murdered, the pilot’s life may be in danger yet again.

THE REVIEW

This story by new-to-me author AR Moler takes a contemporary setting and then adds a slight paranormal twist. Cam is a navy pilot who also works for a mysterious government agency: Division P. Cam has some ‘psi’ ability in that he can sense the emotions of others and can also find people or objects. He’s called into P division when a piece of highly classified military weaponry goes missing whilst being transported. He’s told that they don’t need his abilities as yet but to be on stand by in case he needs to be called in. Later that day Cam is knocked off his motorcycle by a hit and run driver. The man in the car behind Cam is Mason, an orthopaedic surgeon. Mason is also a psi, although he has never told anyone of his ability to heal by channelling his energies. Mason uses his ability to save Cam’s life and the two men form a bond.

There are two themes which run through this short story. Firstly there is the relationship which builds between the gay Mason and the straight- but has fooled around with men in the past – Cam. I felt that the author did a wonderful job of showing the pain and disorientation that Cam felt when he came around from the accident as well as the difficulties that single men with no family have after being released into the care of well-meaning but haphazard friends. Although Cam and Mason haven’t known each other for long, I felt that the lack of help from his friends, coupled with Cam not wanting to take his pain medicine because it preventing him from erecting barriers to shut out the emotions coming from other people, meant that it was believable that Cam would allow Mason to look after him while he recovered. I have to admit I found Mason a little too good to be true. He’s the perfect doctor: selfless, caring, sticking rigidly to procedure and tutting over the sloppy work of his colleague. Having said that I liked the way that he was open with Cam about his attraction and it’s rather difficult to dislike a character who seems to be without flaw.

The second theme in the book is the attempt on Cam’s life and the subsequent murder of Cam’s roommate. The main focus is on the feelings and emotions of the two men as they react to these disturbing and painful incidents rather than solving the mystery at this point.  In fact this area is left wide open at the end of the story with only a couple of scenes between two shady characters and a minor relevlation as the story ends to give us clues as to who may be responsible.  This story is part of a trilogy, so I am assuming that the second story will focus on the mystery to a greater extent as it was only touched on lightly in this story so as to give room to the budding romance between Cam and Mason.

Overall I enjoyed Touch and Go. There was a nice contrast in pacing between the initial motorcycle incident and then the beginnings of Cam’s slow recovery. I felt that the two men complemented each other and their tentative relationship is one which I shall look forward to following in the remaining two books of the trilogy. Overall, I’d recommend this book for those who are looking to start a new set of shorts and who like gay for you stories.