Review: A gripping story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2014
Aftermath has everything I want in a book.  There’s psychological analysis, there’s a slow build between the MCs,  there’s a baddy, there’s family and real life problems, there’s sexy time, there’s unexpected turns, there’s power plays, and there’s love against all odds.Another thing I love about Aftermath is that it’s different.  There’s barely any romance, no cute-meet and no courting.  What we get instead is two people thrown into hell together and then pushed to their limits.“In captivity, they had patched each other up as best they could.  They’d been each other’s nurse, doctor, shoulder to cry on, and punching bag.  Because it’d be a lie to say Austin and Cam got along from the beginning.  They still butted heads, especially with Austin’s newfound anger and Cam’s short fuse, but they made it work somehow.Austin hoped they’d be able to patch up each other’s emotional wounds, too, even if it was going to take years.”This story made sense to me: these men endured horrors together and cultivated a believable trust in one another.  You see how it happens and you understand their reasoning.  Thankfully, unlike many books I’ve been reading recently, there’s actual plot and detail all the way through – none of this starting off swell business and then the middle of the book becomes slow and tedious, and the ending simply closes neatly.  In Aftermath, there’s a constant focus on the small details, the moments where their care for each other blossoms.  You see how they forge a bond...“In a moment of defeat and despair, Austin leaned back and sought out Cam’s shoulder to rest his head on.  All curled up, he felt small and weak.  The thought didn’t cross him mind, but it was Cam’s bad shoulder.  However, Cam didn’t say a word; instead he silently encouraged Austin to lean on him, take comfort from him for once, and rested his cheek on the top of Austin’s head.”And there's these little nuggets of truth:“Friends could leave, wives and husbands could divorce, passion could fade, but the love you felt for your child was forever.”So yeah, I’m totally pumped that Outcome (Aftermath #2) is in the pipeline.  Gimme more Cara Dee, gimme more!