Guarding His Heart, Beth Laycock

This was...difficult for me.  With such a short book I generally hope the conflict is simple, the romance is well-founded, and the ending is wrapped up nicely as either an HEA or an HFN because it's the start of a series.  Sadly, this book just didn't measure up in anything except the romantic conclusion.  That's honestly the only reason it's a 3 star and not a 2 star book for me.

My biggest issue was the plot regarding Jake.  Virtually nothing happened until just about the end of the story and the reveal was a huge letdown.  I understand that the answer needed to be simple so it could end by the time the book was over, but I'll be honest here and just say that it was an incredible disappointment.  The movement and flow of the plot was virtually non-existent and what happened to Jake felt like a cop out because the author ran out of time.  That whole thing needed a re-write.  If this were turned into a novel it could have really grown into what it promised and I would have been much happier.

With Tristan and Lane I felt there was a bit of chemistry and a couple very sweet moments, but nothing that spelled out an intense romance.  The PTSD thing was handled poorly, the unnecessary stuff with the separation and the team member and the concerns with the roommate was too much for such a short story, the chemistry was there but the actual romantic growth needed attention.  There was really a lot of potential but suffered from no clear path for their relationship to move toward.

The premise was all kinds of interesting, but the carry-through was lacking and the characters were uninspiring.  Lane was in his head for so much of the story and felt incredibly juvenile.  The liberties taken with military procedures went a bit far, but I would have been willing to overlook that if there were actually some purpose served by the setting rather than it being a consequence of the premise.  Overall this story needs a re-write and a critical (in a critique way, not criticism) beta reader to catch the many instances of the story not fulfilling its own brief.  I loved the sentiments at the end of the story between Lane and Tristan, their kitchen moment of passion, the roommate, and Tristan's line about tantrums and an audience.  I wish there had been more of a solid story to give those things the support they needed and that the plot was more balanced.  There is immense potential here and I'd be absolutely in for a reworked version of the story if it ever came around.

*$1.99 on Amazon

He'd risk his life to find his brother. But he never expected to risk his heart as well.
Three months since his brother, Jake, went MIA, Lane Matthews is tired of waiting for answers. With a little help, he arranges a posting to Jeddah for his first overseas deployment—the perfect opportunity to find his brother.

Life in a foreign land isn't quite like he imagined and neither are his duties. But when he meets his housemate, Tristan, while it may be memorable, it's not one of Lane's finest moments.

Tristan threatens to throw him way off course, and falling for the hot straight soldier is definitely not in his plans. But as tensions rise and the truth about Jake is revealed, will Lane's heart follow orders or will all be lost like grains of sand swept away in a desert?