Rating: 3.5 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel


Noah is a former Navy SEAL who left the service after being blackmailed with photos of him hooking up with another man. Noah is so deepin the closet, he may as well be in Narnia, and thanks to his upbringing, he’s ashamed. Now Noah works on the security detail of a container ship and he’s an unhappy man.

Mason is an ex-Marine working for the FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force. Unlike Noah, he’s openly gay. Mason has become obsessed with a series of bombings, one of which killed his brother-in-law, and believes there is a new terrorist group out there. Unfortunately, he’s the only one who believes that. He’s exhausted and is planning to fly to Vermont to visit a…ahem…friend for the weekend, but winds up in an airport bar after his flight is cancelled.

While he’s having a drink, Mason notices a handsome man at a table in the corner, and that man is about to get into a fight with four other guys. Deciding he can’t let the man (who he refers to as “Navy” because he’s obviously military) take on such an unfair battle, Mason jumps to his defense. After it’s broken up, Mason and Noah share a drink and realize they’ve met before…on the battlefield. Noah’s flight is also cancelled and as Mason lives close by, he invites Noah over to his place to spend the night, rather than making him have to stay in an airport hotel.

What follows is Noah and Mason’s journey through personal issues and dangerous situations. Can Noah get over his fear of actually being gay and wanting Mason? And can Mason survive an attempt to stifle his investigation into the bombings?

I’m a sucker for books about ex-military men. They’re almost always big and buff, but also tortured in some way, and I love to watch them find their way to love and happiness. In His Sights certainly fit that bill…especially in the tortured department. Between Noah and Mason, I felt an actual weight on my chest. However, that weight was occasionally tough on me and I had a difficult time getting through the book.

I found myself feeling a disconnect with both men. It’s not that they weren’t likable, I just didn’t feel drawn to them. In fact, occasionally I was annoyed and frustrated with them…especially Noah. Yes, he was raised to believe that being gay was wrong and that really messed with him. I got his fear over being blackmailed as well, but his absolute refusal to admit his sexuality began to grate on me. It had a negative effect on his relationship (friendship or otherwise) with Mason, and it was unpleasant to say the least. He did something toward the beginning that made me want to write him off completely. His “Am I or aren’t I? Should I stay or should I go” attitude got to be somewhat tiring.

Mason’s pain was just deep, but I felt a little more patient with him. His obsession was personal. Not only had he lost his brother-in-law, but his faith in the system was put to the test. He was forced to watch all his hard work be shut away, and he was accused of being a loose cannon. I got a great sense of his loneliness. His sister was overwhelmed by her grief, and while he had his team, they were separated over their controversial findings. Hell, he was on his way to finally scratch a sexual itch and he even became deprived of that. I understood how Mason became attached to Noah. In fact, I would contend it wasn’t necessarily Noah himself, but a need for some contact and comfort.

Together, I wasn’t very convinced of the chemistry between Noah and Mason. Sexually, they were smoking hot. The sex scenes were…well…wow. The author certainly has a knack. There was a lot of sex going on, but I didn’t feel it was overwhelming or gratuitous. I got the impression they needed to cling to the other without acknowledging they were falling in love. Still, sex aside, I didn’t feel any real connection between them, nor to them. I didn’t feel vested in their relationship. Certainly, I rooted for them, but I felt my mind wandering a bit during the times they weren’t in bed.

When it came to the mystery aspect of the book, I was interested, but it began to feel a little tedious. I knew, eventually, the plot would connect Noah and Mason’s individual situations. However, I think it took a little too long was resolved a little too quickly. It seemed that things were finally coming together and getting a little interesting, and then…bang…it was over. I am impressed that I didn’t have a clue who the big bad was or even their motivation. That was excellent because it’s not often I don’t figure out the whodunnit before the big reveal.

All in all, In His Sights was a story that didn’t quite reach the potential it had. It was a good book, and I’m so sorry I didn’t love it the way I wanted. However, it has a good foundation, and it seems as if it’s the first book in an upcoming series. If that’s the case, I would not hesitate to read future installments. I’m am going to recommend it based on that alone. If you’re a fan of military stories, angst, and with some mystery and action thrown in, In His Sights, might be right up your alley.