Latakia
Wow. That's what I said when I finished this book. I just sat there and said, "Wow." It was that good. Really good. Really, really, really good. J.F. Smith: Look up.
That's all I say right now. More later.
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Update 4/2/13
I take a lot of notes while I read. It's partially a way of venting when I'm irritated and partially so that I know what to put in my reviews. For a standard book, I often have a couple of dozen notes. For this book, two and a half times to three times the size of the average book I had nine. That's because the book was so good, I was so engrossed I didn't even think to stop to take notes.
In retrospect, there were a number of nit-picky things that in other books I would have remembered immediately, but I just didn't keep them in mind until I went back through my notes.
Here's what I got:
Matt has to have PTSD from the initial incident and he certainly exhibits the signs at first. But then later he doesn't have nightmares and he says and believes he's fine. He doesn't need any help with it. I call bullshit. No normal person would come out of that fine. I can understand people who don't like shrinks, but having someone to talk to when he isn't allowed to talk about it with anyone he knows, would be necessary. He could always ask for a therapist with high clearance. There are also meds for PTSD, although they don't work that well.
In the mission that happens after Matt is rescued, he does something wrong: runs the wrong way. They mention it to him but it's in the middle of telling him how great he is. He never apologize even though it almost got someone killed and got him kidnapped again. There was a reason he did, and it should have been explained. The team should have wanted to tell him, too, because it freaked them out.
The relationship between the two guys is slow and beautiful and believable and there is no instalove. There isn't even really insta-attraction.
Hate the goatee. HATE it. It doesn't fit his personality, either. I think they put it on to make him seem less innocent.
Matt is too sweet, to the point that at times he's TSTL, especially with Brian. Of course, that's part of his appeal and why everyone loves him, but still.
He is accepted too easily and fully to be realistic. I don't believe they never had any other civilian on a mission be brave.
It was weird that the first time Matt and Travis sleep together they only sleep.
Travis is way too okay with PDAs from the beginning for someone who would lose everything just from being seen.
One of the SEALs leaves his house and leaves the gun cabinet not only unlocked but open with weapons out. No way.
The pacing was excellent, the romance beautiful and its pace was good, too, there was suspense and danger and enough "oh my god, don't die!" and caring and such that I was satisfied.
Ocean water around Virginia apparently gets warm. Our ocean doesn't vary more than ten degrees between summer and winter. That was fascinating.
(big spoiler)Anyone who can't swim should not be on a boat without wearing a life jacket. Period. In fact, on smaller boats, most people should wear a life jacket. Navy SEALs, no, but definitely someone who can't swim.
pretty big spoiler: After basically drowning, Matt is good to go. Travis tries to get him to go home, but he refuses and is fine. He should go to a hospital. His lungs would still have water in them and he would hurt.
"All near-drowning patients should be checked by a doctor. Even though the person may revive quickly at the scene, lung complications are common. Fluid and body chemical (electrolyte) imbalances may develop..."
--Medline plus
There were a few places where someone's feelings or expressions were described that the POV person couldn't know. I wasn't sure if this was a brief change to universal narrator or poor editing (since usually it could be written like, "appearing nervous" or whatever) but either way it's annoying.
I loved how he didn't make some improbably way for Matt to join them on another mission and yet the second half had its share of suspense and danger.
But I loved it. None of that bothered me more than a few seconds. Will someone please explain to me how I, an ultra-liberal feminist loved this book about a bunch of testosterone-y military men? Why one of my favorite characters was the most un-PC, sexist, obnoxious ass whose jokes are really not okay, even if he doesn't really mean them? That tells me this book was very well written. The man conned me. :)
The characterization was excellent. I love these two, well three if you count Petey. In fact, I loved every character. I love that Brian was an ass but he did show some compassion and was only 95% a jerk. I really want there to be a sequel, although I don't know how it would work.
When I finished the book, after I said "wow," I got up, got a beverage, used the restroom, and went back and reread my favorite parts. Even now I'm annoyed I borrowed it and can't read those parts anymore. I loved this book. It's on my favorites shelf. If you like thrillers, or action, or military/naval stuff, the SEALS, hot sweaty smart and brave guys, or believable romances between two (perfect) men read this now. Thank you Penelope for pushing me to read it sooner rather than later.
Six stars rounded down to five because that's apparently all they'll let me do.