elisa_rolle (elisa_rolle) wrote,
elisa_rolle
elisa_rolle

Basic Training by Marquesate

The only regret I have upon finishing this one is that it took me so long to read it. Actually, I’m ashamed cause I really liked the previous military romance I read by Marquesate, so I knew this one was probably as good as well, but there are so many books out every month, that I tend to read new to me authors, and let the ones I have already read got behind. Well, don’t do my same mistake and if you haven’t the chance, read Basic Training.

The main strength of the novel is the balance between manliness and romance, military and love story: never once the author forgot these were soldiers she was writing about, but at the same time, the romance was “romantic” (sorry the double similar words but they fit).

Aside from the military theme, that already part of a romance tradition, the author also ventured in another classical romance theme, the May/December romance, or better the young/older lovers: Platoon Sergeant Col 'Bulldog' Wilson is 35 years old, while new recruits Chris Thompson is 21 years old. Of course the age difference is part of the plot, with Col wondering if Chris is not searching a substitute father in him, even considering the bad relationship Chris has with his own father, but the author managed to shorten it with a clever expedient: Chris never hid his sexuality, since he was a teenager, arriving even to tick of the “homosexual” square in his enlisting papers, and so at 21 he hasn’t maybe much sexual experience on the field, but he had plenty of time to be self-conscious about his sexuality and desires; Col instead has always repressed his feelings, and at 35 he has never been with a man before, and he still needs to arrive to pact with his own sexual needs, let alone feelings.

It will be a long path for Col and Chris, another thing I liked of the story, we followed them for years, not just during the heat of the passion, but a path with a very romantic happily ever after at the end.

Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: MLR Press (October 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1608204618
ISBN-13: 978-1608204618
Amazon: Basic Training
Amazon Kindle: Basic Training

Updates: http://www.goodreads.com/user/updates_rss/2156728?key=011e4dd0a1ff993d8c2322e691d6229ed9bbf74b


This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/3937174.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.
Tags: author: marquesate, genre: contemporary, length: novel, review, theme: may december, theme: military
Subscribe

  • The History of Rainbow Awards: 2013

    2013 Rainbow Awards: 390 books, 170 judges Winners Best LGBT Cover - Illustration: Evolution by Lissa Kasey, cover art by Paul Richmond Amazon:…

  • J. Tullos Hennig (born September 26)

    With inveterate fascination in the myths and histories of other worlds and times, J Tullos Hennig has also managed a few professions in this…

  • Lou Harper (born September 25)

    Under a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was…

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Comments allowed for friends only

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    default userpic

    Your reply will be screened

    Your IP address will be recorded 

  • 0 comments