Between Duty and Desire : Mantalk Book

Brock was in the army when his buddy, Rob, stepped set off an IUD and got killed. The last thing he heard was Rob asking Brock to promise to take care of Callie, Rob’s wife, and make sure she didn’t isolate herself in her grief. And so, after his own recovery in the hospitla., Brock heads for Callie’s beach house and attempts to do what he promised. And Callie has become isolated, but Brock is determined to pull her out of it. He doesn’t expect to be completely and totally charmed (and attracted) to his friend’s wife. As he helps her to move on the chemistry sizzles between them and it’s inevitable that Brock and Callie will end up in bed together. But Callie just wants an outlet for her sexual frustration and to move on sexually. She’s not ready for love or a relationship...and frankly, neither is Brock. He’s scheduled to leave in a matter of weeks. But are they just fooling themselves that it’s all no-strings and casual?

First thing I want to say is that I didn’t love how Brock felt he had to pull Callie back from an introvert lifestyle. There’s nothing wrong with being an introvert and it’s not something that one needs to change (not that you could). I think maybe the author got confused between introvert and anti-social (or maybe isolated in grief). But Brock drags her to bars, social gatherings and what not and my introvert self just cringed at that kind of torture. She didn’t want to, but she didn’t seem to mind it so much either. There’s definitely a difference between grief-stricken and alone and just not wanting to go out all the time. So maybe Callie isn’t really an introvert or maybe she’s just willing to pretend (or maybe it doesn’t drain her as much as it does me).

I have always struggled with stories where a beloved spouse has died and the hero/heroine is moving on with our new hero/heroine. It always leaves me feeling like maybe the new love is second best or something. I know that’s not how it is in real life, but it is what it is. And this one was kinda the same. Although I really did appreciate the fact that Callie was in a healthful state of wanting to move on and recognizing that just because she wanted to have sex, didn’t mean she didn’t love her husband. She was ready to try to have guilt-free stringless-sex with Brock. She struggled because apparently sex with Brock was better than it was wit her husband and that’s where she felt the guilt, but I felt like it was normal and actually didn’t mind it. I didn’t necessarily care for Brock’s POV. He looks at his best friend’s wife and has lustful stirrings. He doesn’t struggle with the guilt so much. In fact, he wants to take her to bed without a commitment as soon as he sees her. Even when he agrees to have no-strings sex with Callie, he doesn’t struggle with any guilt at all. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t sit right with me. Now Callie and Brock really do have some super steamy sex. That was great. Their chemistry comes right off the page and I give the author a lot of credit for that. And it’s especially nice that these two became such good friends before diving into their lust...and then it’s only later they realize it’s more...after they’ve had time to think about it and let it all settle. That felt right too. So a good book, but again, because of the theme, not likely to ever be a favorite of mine.