Review: The Barman and the SEAL
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 30, 2013
If you have never known anyone with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, count yourself lucky. It's a living hell. At any time you can be thrust out of reality and back into the nightmare with which your mind can't deal. Travis Baranski of 'The Barman and the SEAL' by R.J. Scott, is a man trying to overcome unimaginable horrors, coping the best he can. Thankfully, Travis has a place to go which provides physical therapy for his body and counseling for his mind. Even with all that, most of the healing is up to him.By being incapacitated, Travis feels like he's let his family down, especially his ex-military father and generations of Baranski men before him, but nothing could be further from the truth. Travis has the support of his entire family whose only wish is for him to recover and get his life back to a reasonable semblance of order. Before Travis meets Avery, he's completely lost in a world of his own, a dreadful, frightening one where the simplest thing can set him off and out of control. Avery gives him the patience and understanding he needs, as well as his love. Even then Travis hesitates, wondering if he will ever get well enough to love Avery the way the man deserves to be loved.Avery Gideon is a kind, understanding guy. Even though his family, particularly his father, has rejected Avery, he didn't let it stop him. Fortunately, he's reconnected with his younger brother, Jon. Jon and his new wife, Clare, come to Ellery to get away from their father who wants them separated and is making life miserable for them. Avery vows to keep them safe there with him in Ellery. The first time he meets Travis, he is having a PTSD episode. Avery doesn't react negatively; he doesn't see Travis as someone to be avoided. On the contrary, he sees a man who needs support, a friend to help him while he crawls out of the mire and back to life. Avery sees someone who has served his country and is wounded in body and mind, someone who deserves his respect. Avery shows Travis an immense amount of patience and understanding. He listens as Travis purges the poison out of his system and, after they fall in love, he still doesn't rush him, but convinces Travis that he can do it; he can love Avery with all his heart both emotionally and physically.Avery and Travis were an odd pair to me. I couldn't quite see how it would work between them, but as I got to know them, they won me over. It was good to visit Ellery Mountain again and see the residents there I've grown to know and love, each adding their special flavor to the mix. At the rate their Friday night get-together is growing, they're going to need a bigger place to meet. It's all good though, a place where friendship reigns and fun is had by all. Thanks, R.J., for again tackling the PTSD issue and, as always, giving us hope and a happy ending.Originally reviewed at Rainbow Book Reviews.