Review: Arms of Winter – Donya Lynn

After spending four months recovering from a brutal beating for being gay, Sam Winter is medically discharged from the Army and sent home. Upon returning to his family horse farm in Kentucky, he faces a father who condemns him, a mother who’s in denial about his homosexuality, and an uncertain future. The one thing he is certain about is his feelings for his best friend, Cooper Brown, who Sam has secretly been attracted to since high school.

For years, Cooper has harbored his own secret attraction toward Sam and is finally ready to tell him. During a camping trip to their childhood stomping grounds, all their secrets are revealed and their bonds of friendship are expanded in ways neither thought possible. Love is finally within reach. When Sam’s father catches them together, an explosive confrontation results, and Sam’s and Cooper’s fates are decided in one harsh moment of truth.

Series:
Release Date:  June 30, 2012
Publisher:  Silver Publishing
Source:  Provided by Author
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

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.