Semper Fi by Keira Andrews

Hey everyone,

Hopefully you are all liking the new blog design and are enjoying the holiday season. As I currently work in retail I realise how hectic it can be this time of year so it’s always nice when you can relax, put your feet up and read a good book. Semper Fi is a historical m/m romance that I’ve had my eye on for a while and I finally got around to reading it this week.

The book:

The war is over. The battle for love has just begun.

As Marines, Cal and Jim depended on each other to survive bloodshed and despair in the Pacific. Relieved to put the horrors of war behind him, Jim went home to his apple orchard and a quiet life with his wife and children. Knowing Jim could never return his forbidden feelings, Cal hoped time and an ocean between them would dull the yearning for his best friend.

But when Jim’s wife dies, Cal returns to help. He doesn’t know a thing about apple farming—or children—but he’s determined to be there for Jim, even as the painful torch he carries blazes back to life. Jim is grateful for his friend’s support as he struggles with buried emotions and dark wartime memories. Then Jim begins to see Cal in a new light, and their relationship deepens in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?

My Thoughts:

If you want a love against all odds love story Keira Andrews should be your go to author. Semper Fi tells the epic love story of Cal and Jim, two men brought together by the horrors of the Second World War when they both joined the Marines. I think my favourite aspect to this book was the dual timeline between Cal and Jim’s experiences in the Marines and also the time they spent together after the war on Jim’s farm, Clover Grove. While in the Marines they became best friends as well as brothers in arms; they helped each other survive the war despite all the pain and suffering they witnessed.

“We’ll never forget. I wonder every day why the hell I’m here and they’re not. Sometimes I close my eyes and all I can see are their faces”.

Although I love reading the scenes depicting their time in the military, as it showed the full progression of their relationship, the scenes at Clover Grove in the beginning were particularly poignant. Watching Cal, who acknowledges his feelings for men, try and resist his ‘straight’ best-friend as he helps him adjust  after his wife’s death was heartbreaking. I loved how Cal constantly put Jim first, even if that meant staying away from him.

“He wanted to take Jim’s hand, but resisted, simply stepping in close instead. ‘We could have something good. We do have something good. We always have. But it can be more. Just remember that”.

Jim is an incredibly sweet character and watching him struggle between his feelings for Cal and the opinions of society was both beautiful and heartbreaking. To me it felt like these two were made for each other, they completed one another and it was a natural progression from friends to lovers. Although I would highly, highly recommend this book I do feel I should give a slight warning due to the time period it is set in. Semper Fi does contain some graphic and potentially disturbing description of fighting between the American and the Japanese during the World War Two so perhaps avoid if these are triggers for you.

This is an incredible historical male on male romance and I would recommend it to anyone, whether you're a fan of this sub-genre or not. Also a final thought you should check out the other works by this author, as they are all amazing. Now that’s enough from me so...

My rating:

Happy reading and see you next time!