The Arms of Winter

by Donya Lynne

[Cocktails and Books]

I'm not generally one who likes to read M/M romances, but I have to say this was one that quickly drew you into the characters and wouldn't let you go.

Sam and Cooper have been best friends for eight years. Six of those years, Sam spent in the Army as a sniper. But he's home now after being medically discharged due to a beating he took after it was revealed that he was gay. Sam's trying to piece his life back together and he's hoping his best friend will still have his back when he finds out what happened and that Sam loves him. Cooper has been in love with since high school. He never said anything, but now he's hoping he can come clean with Sam and that just maybe those feelings are returned.

Sam is a character that immediately pulls at your heartstrings. Not only does he get beaten badly by those in his unit after discovering his sexuality, he comes home to dealing with prejudices by his parents. The poor man has pretty much had his foundation torn to the ground and wonders what he should do next. When he discovers that Cooper himself is gay and has strong feelings for him, you could feel his emotions leap off the page at finally being accepted for who he was.

I liked Cooper, in that strong, silent cowboy kind of way. He was a calming influence on Sam. And I loved that he immediately wanted to share his life with Sam, not willing to wait another minute to finally have what he's wanted forever.

This is a short read, but one that truly draws you into the prejudices facing the couple and how they worked together to overcome them.