Review: Lots of angst in a 95 page novella
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 18, 2014
ACHING FOR YOU by A.C. Nixon is a 95 page contemporary military romance.  This novella is apparently a continuation of another book by the same author, but the book description is confusing as it reads, "This 33,500-word novella continues where Aching for You ended, but can be enjoyed on its own"....well, it's obviously not a continuation of itself...so it must be a continuation of a different title....  As for standing on its own, I have to marginally disagree-- The opening scene left me wondering what on earth was going on.  We learn that Gunnery Sergent Joseph Sanders is determined to win his woman back (Veronica [Ronnie] Mills), that he's never going to let her go again, that he's learned from his mistakes (OK, evidently a previous book's story)....and throughout the novella, Joe keeps making this same mistake...over and over and over.I wanted to smack him upside the head.I get it.  He's a hot-headed Marine.  He's a Spec Ops Warrior.  [and my FAVORITE HEROES are alpha male military men-- I've read MANY in this genre.]  He's been badly hurt in the past (superb back-story and life experience that has made him who he is and defines how and why he reacts the way he does).  But so has Ronnie.  She's got good reason to fall in love with Joe (the scenes where he refuses to let *anyone* dis her melted me!)....and very good reason to be hurt when he responds like a Neanderthal.  Joe and Ronnie are mad at each other more not.I couldn't quite fathom WHY, exactly, they claimed to be in love...?  I assume the falling-in-love stuff happened in the previous book to which this supposed 'stand alone' is the sequel.  I hope it happened; I sure didn't see it here.What's with misspelling (the correct) Sergeant as Sargent (the phonetic spelling)?This novella has strong themes of commitment, consequences, angst, jealousy, family ties, romantic love, trust, and forgiveness.  Significant elements of Dom/sub.Sensuality level: spicy bordering on steamingLanguage: rated RSadly, I'm not all that jazzed about reading more from this author.  It just didn't grab me and demand an emotional reaction-- I wanted to care that these two found resolutions to their problems and had some hope for a happy future...but just couldn't get there.  Maybe it was her distractions with Ares?  Maybe it was the comparably shallow points of view?  Not sure.  It just fell short.  Recommended with reservations.