Treading Water (Forgotten Soldier #2) by Jessie G – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

After devoting eighteen years of his life to the US Navy, Petty Officer First Class Shane Parker is struggling with the very real possibility of becoming unnecessary. If he doesn’t make Chief Petty Officer before his twenty—and it doesn’t seem likely that he will—he’ll be retired from active service and placed on the Fleet Reserve list until his mooring lines are officially cut forever. While it would all be very honorable and ceremonial, he simply wasn’t civilian material.

Before even swearing-in, Julian Brand knew he wasn’t cut out to be a soldier, but refusing wasn’t an option. Generations of Brand man made careers in the military and the expectation of every Brand son was to follow in those prestigious footsteps. Though the prospect of being rolled back hindered his every step, he survived Battle Stations and did his time. Six years out of uniform and Julian still struggles to find familial acceptance as he fights to live life on his terms.

On the surface, they couldn’t be more different, but when Jared Ramos calls, neither are capable of refusing. If they can find a way to work together, they might be able to save a friend and each other in the process.

After some initial confusion about the opening, I found Treading Water (Forgotten Soldier #2) by Jessie G to be a heartwarming and wonderful story about love, recovery and family. I haven’t read the first story so the beginning pages about Jared, Aiden and The Ramos Foundation threw me. At first I thought I’d fallen into the wrong story and had to read the blurb again to remember who I was supposed to be reading about. But once that initial setup about the foundation was laid, I settled into the story of Julian Brand, Petty Officer First Class Shane Parker and Julian’s cousin Sean, who’s been severely injured in a naval carrier accident. Sean, who is het btw, is a huge part of this story. He is the glue that brings the two men together in the first place and his love for them as his brothers and family as well as theirs for him makes such an incredible foundation for this story that everything else that follows seems right and happily complete.

Told from multiple perspectives (Shane, Julian, and Sean’s) Treading Water progresses as each man works through the different issues holding them back in life, each man’s fears, issues from the pasts, or in Sean’s case, his injuries and fears about what they mean to him as a man. Their interactions with each other is funny, tender, realistic and loving. The care that this author has written into the story flows off the page and into your heart. And finally, when each man makes that breakthrough, whether it’s Sean in the barbershop (bring out the tissues), or Shane and Julian realizing their love for each other and making that final step towards HEA, you’ll be cheering them on.

Now I suppose I’ll have to go back and pick up that first story.

And honestly, Jessie G has me intrigued about Jared and Aiden as well.

Until then I absolutely recommend Treading Water. It’s well-written, heartwarming and oh so wonderful. Pick it up and get started today.

Cover art is ok. I like the model but would have wished for more about the storyline. I mean it takes place in Key West!!!!

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Book Details

Kindle Edition, 168 pages
Published July 17th 2017
ASINB073ZQ4T5P
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesForgotten Soldier #2

Title: Treading Water

Series: Forgotten Soldier #2

Author: Jessie G

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: July 18, 2017

Before even swearing-in, Julian Brand knew he wasn’t cut out to be a soldier, but refusing wasn’t an option. Generations of Brand man made careers in the military and the expectation of every Brand son was to follow in those prestigious footsteps. Though the prospect of being rolled back dodged his every step, somehow he made it through boot camp and did his time. Six years after not reenlisting, Julian still struggles to find familial acceptance as he fights to live life on his terms.

On the surface, they couldn’t be more different, but when Jared Ramos calls, neither are capable of refusing. If they can find a way to work together, they might be able to save a wounded warrior and each other in the process.

NOTE: The first story in this series is a 6K word short story originally written for an anthology. While it’s a different couple, I’m happy to provide that to reviewers as they have a brief appearance in the new book and are central characters to this benefit series.

Donation Page: https://donate.garysinisefoundation.org/jessiegbooks

10% of royalties earned from this and future books in the Forgotten Soldier series will benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation, but I’m not content to stop there. I’ve set up a fundraising page directly on the Foundation’s website and I’m asking for your help in reaching (and maybe surpassing) my goal. Every donation of $10 equals 1 entry to win signed books. If you donate more than that, every multiple of 10 will be an additional entry (so $20 = 2 entries and so forth).

1 Grand Prize Winner will receive all my paperbacks signed (8 books)

4 Runner Up Winners will win a signed copy of Treading Water

Like many readers, the dream of being a writer has been with me a long time. After three decades of trying, I’d begun to doubt. Thanks to social media, I followed my favorite authors hoping to glean some words of wisdom as I pounded out half-formed ideas with alarming regularity. Two repetitive themes emerged: to be a great writer you must read a lot and your butt must be in the chair every day like it’s a job. The more you write, the easier it will be to write and the better you will be at writing. I took that advice to heart and write every day. With three series in the works and a full schedule of releases planned for the next two years, it’s been amazing to have made this dream my reality.

I am a firm believer in marriage equality, love at first sight, power dynamics, and happily ever after. I’m a lover of strong secondary characters, and series filled with families—biological or chosen. All are themes you’ll find throughout my books.