Scan barcode
A review by moonmisandrist
The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love romance stories but I am cursed to be super picky about them and get the ick, as the youth say, quite easily. I knew this book was would be great, as my best friend has never led me astray, yet I couldn't fathom how good it would be.
It's hard to explain why it worked so well, it just had all the right moving parts. Jack, who works as a private investigator but ONLY for women clients, and Oliver, a disabled solider returning to society and trying to find a purpose. You just love to see two people, both with their own flaws, learning to be friends, to trust each other as they try to get by in the world AND of course, falling in love while doing so.
I don't think a story about two men falling in love needs to pay much attention to women, all I ask is that it's not cruel to them. Well as Soldier's Scoundrel is a perfect novel, it takes it time to portray the women so wonderfully and as complete human beings (and yes, supports women's wrongs!) - while not taking away any development from the two leads.
The romance between Jack and Oliver is so believable and it was so fun to watch them work together and come together as a couple by the end. Jack's calm and collected exterior falling apart as he fusses over Oliver was so cute and tender. Oliver getting flustered when Jack's criminal mouth flirts with him is such a fun dynamic. I really appreciated how real Oliver felt as a character - war is hell on the body and mind, and the author doesn't make light of the injuries to his body and soul he returns with. My own shitty knee ached along with his - damn someone invent elevators already in his world!!! I appreciated that his disability was always present and consistent, even taken into account during sex, but never slowed down the story or the character.
Everything in the story works and is believable. The mystery is fun, the romance is soft and sweet and spicy, the journey is a hell of a ride, and the happy end is earned (and still believable, even in the setting)!
It's hard to explain why it worked so well, it just had all the right moving parts. Jack, who works as a private investigator but ONLY for women clients, and Oliver, a disabled solider returning to society and trying to find a purpose. You just love to see two people, both with their own flaws, learning to be friends, to trust each other as they try to get by in the world AND of course, falling in love while doing so.
I don't think a story about two men falling in love needs to pay much attention to women, all I ask is that it's not cruel to them. Well as Soldier's Scoundrel is a perfect novel, it takes it time to portray the women so wonderfully and as complete human beings (and yes, supports women's wrongs!) - while not taking away any development from the two leads.
The romance between Jack and Oliver is so believable and it was so fun to watch them work together and come together as a couple by the end. Jack's calm and collected exterior falling apart as he fusses over Oliver was so cute and tender. Oliver getting flustered when Jack's criminal mouth flirts with him is such a fun dynamic. I really appreciated how real Oliver felt as a character - war is hell on the body and mind, and the author doesn't make light of the injuries to his body and soul he returns with. My own shitty knee ached along with his - damn someone invent elevators already in his world!!! I appreciated that his disability was always present and consistent, even taken into account during sex, but never slowed down the story or the character.
Everything in the story works and is believable. The mystery is fun, the romance is soft and sweet and spicy, the journey is a hell of a ride, and the happy end is earned (and still believable, even in the setting)!