S.E.X. Review~ Aviophobia by Serena Yates

Richard Abbott finally overcomes his debilitating fear of flying, boards Flight HA1710 bound for Chicago, and when it crashes discovers that aviophobia isn’t the worst of it...

All his life Richard has been afraid of flying. He has no idea what caused it, but nothing and no one will convince him to get on a plane of any size. His job as a member of a major bank’s IT department in London does not require him to fly—until he gets promoted. If he wants to keep his job, he has no choice but to deal with his worst nightmare.

Camden Marsh is a certified life coach who enjoys helping people redefine their priorities and their life. He is on his way to Chicago to attend an international conference for coaches and trainers when he begins a discussion with the extremely nervous man sitting next to him.

They have barely begun to explore their mutual interest when Flight HA1710 crashes and everything comes to a screeching stop.

Aviophobia by Serena Yates was a nice addition to the Flight HA 1710 series. This book is a standalone and need not be read in conjunction with the other books. Richard suffers from aviophobia yet he must fly transcontinental to Chicago for business. On the flight he meets Camden, a life coach by profession. The men begin to talk awaiting the take-off delay and Richard opens up about his fears—Camden sympathetic to his condition. Unfortunately Richard’s fears come to fruition when the flight crashes in Ireland. After a few days in the hospital the two men are discharged and elect to stay together for convenience and friendship.

I enjoyed Ms. Yates portrayal of Richard’s and Camden’s personalities. The insta-connection was born out of a traumatic bonding which soon melded into care and love.

Although the aviophobia was explained and Richard fought through it, the deep-seated explanation of his condition was never divulged or eluded to.

Additionally, I would have liked to see more of Camden’s life coach skills utilized. The synopsis led me to believe that facet would be an integral part of the story but sadly I found it lacking.

None-the-less, a nice story with lovely characters.

A three handcuff review

2015 ©Evelise Archer All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. No portion of this work may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the author.

S.E.X Review~ Fallout by Meredith Russell

Can missing a fatal flight be the wake up call Harrison needs? 

When Harrison Kelley is banned from getting on Flight HA1710, it seems to be the perfect ending to a crappy couple of days. Not only did he wreck a wedding, but he’s drunk way too much and been on the receiving end of the groom’s brother’s fists. Being escorted out of the airport by security was just the icing on the wedding cake.

Elijah Pettifer has lusted after Harrison from afar for years but Harrison never sees him as anything more than a friend. If he ever saw him at all. While attempting to defend what little honor Harrison has left, Elijah gets caught up in the wave of chaos surrounding his teenage crush. But missing his flight home because of Harrison’s mess might just be the luckiest thing to ever happen to him.

With a 24 hour ban imposed by the airport, and having only each other for company, the two men grow closer. But will the fate of the airplane they should have been on be the push Harrison needs to walk away from the toxic relationship of his past? And can Elijah make Harrison see exactly what he’s been missing out on because of it?

A wonderful addition to the Flight HA1710 series, Fallout by Meredith Russell was so much more. Fallout was particularly interesting because the main characters, who were supposed to be on the flight, were not—yet they are an important part of the story.

Harrison, Elijah and a group of friends had traveled to England for the wedding of school chum Antony—the man Harrison has been having an on again-off again affair with for many years.

Harrison’s life is in a tailspin and things take an even more turn for the worse when the wedding party, including Antony’s new wife discover they have spent the pre-wedding together. For Harrison, the backlash was pure hell as all his friends and the married couple blame him for Antony’s transgressions. What Harrison discovers is a true friend in Elijah, the boy, now man, who has pined for him since high school.

Fallout was a romance story of friendship and betrayal, of finding yourself and your self-worth. It was not a tale of star-crossed lovers who find each other and fall into bed. That very description is what makes Fallout all the more of a beautifully written story—one filled with passion and sensuality.

Ms. Russell wove a tale of life’s adventures, of- you can’t recreate the past, but you can take the good from it and move forward.

Harrison and Elijah are both beautiful souls finding their way through life and love and Ms. Russell has given them the platform to do it together. Beautifully written, Fallout touched this reader’s heart.

Book provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

S.E.X. Review~ Flashbulb by Clare London

Blythe Harris was taking his first flight to the USA and hopefully a whole new client base for his bespoke upholstery business. An adventure for him, he was both nervous and excited to attract the attention of a handsome steward. Things might have gone further – if Flight HA1710 hadn’t failed. 

Marc Stafford is a self-confessed player, and he used his charm to seduce his cute passenger. But in the aftermath of the crash, he’s struggling to recover his confidence. The TV declares him a hero for saving passengers, but at night his nightmares trigger painful flashbulb memories of the crash.

In an Irish hospital, Bly realises that although his broken leg will recover, his career may not. And in Chicago, Marc can’t face returning to work. Neither of them can shake off the memory of their brief, sexy encounter. Both of them need to be with someone who understands exactly what they’ve been through. And on a middle ground they can make all their own.

Usually the main characters in a book have something in common. They both work in some sort of law enforcement, they’re both some sort of paranormal- but what if the only thing they had in common was the very thing that could have driven them apart- they both are survivors of a plane crash? This concept is the very thing that Clare London did in her new book, Flashbulb, Flight HA1710 #3- and succeeded beautifully.

Bly and Marc were in the ill-fated flight HA1710 when it crashed in Ireland. Worlds apart in their lives- a quick airplane bathroom tryst left them both yearning and intrigued until separated after the crash.

Ms. London delivered an agonizing yet heartwarming tale of survivor’s guilt and PTSD- demonstrating the necessity to find meaning in what surrounds us and the tenacity of the human spirit.

The struggles Ms. London depicted were valid as PTSD comes from many experiences and the niggling of guilt when you feel you just could have done more were extremely realistic.

The author’s characterization of Marc and Bly were warm and tender as each man came to terms with his own misgivings and attempted to find their way back to each other, even when they were together.

Beautifully written—when life throws a curve ball, embrace it for its positivity and not the “woo is me” attitude.

Book provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review

S.E.X. Review~ Velocity by Sara York

When everything falls apart, can Phil and Davin put it back together? 

The crash of Flight HA1710 brings life into focus for Phil Stewart. Before meeting Davin Tierney, love seemed only a myth to Phil, but one night in New York City changed everything, giving him something he didn’t even know existed. But Phil wasn’t comfortable saying I love you. During the crash, Davin suffers a brain injury, leaving him in a coma. Phil wonders how love can be so cruel to give him Davin and then take him away so suddenly. 

Davin never intended to give Phil a second look, but Phil broke through barriers and made amazing overtures before stalling on the word love. The crash changes everything, and he’s no longer willing to play it safe, but can Phil actually change from the playboy Davin first met? 

Velocity by Sara York was gripping and drama-filled—the second book in the new Flight HA1710 series . Traveling on the ill-fated flight Davin and Phil are severely injured and separated at the crash site. Reunited in Ulster, the quiet Irishman and the one-time loose American realize life is too short and decide to fly back to the United States to marry before settling down in Ireland.

The emotional turmoil radiated throughout the book as Ms. York delivered angst-filled dialogue and clear and concise descriptions. Ms. York fluidly transported the reader into Phil’s and Davin’s emotionally driven psyche as the two men came to terms with survivors’ guilt and debilitating fear.

Much more than a story of an ill-fated plane crash, Velocity is the tale of  the magnitude in which we speed by in our lives, never thinking we’ll get the best, but when it hits—the speed in which we must grab hold and take a wonderful ride on the coaster of life.

Ms. York—you have outdone yourself.

Definite S.E.X.

A five handcuff review