The Royal Marine

The Royal Marine (2017) Dahlia Donovan (The Sin Bin)

Wyatt’s partner, Hamish, is set up with Graham and Freddie’s friend Akash. Except that the rugby players are also trying to set Akash up with Scottie. This does not go well for Scottie.

Although this is Hamish and Akash’s story, a major thread is watching Scottie start to spiral out of control.

Over the years, Akash’s sisters had often complained about men refusing to gracefully accept rejection. He’d always wondered if they exaggerated. Scottie clearly proved their point.

As with the previous stories, the conflict is all from the outside–in this case Hamish’s job, and some minor conflict with Akash’s family (of Akash’s own making, really). I highly prefer outside conflict to Stupid Misunderstandings in my stories, so that was another good thing.

And as I said, we see Scottie spiraling, but also get our first glimpses of why his friends put up with him.

Scottie has the same anger that she had, with the same reasons for it.”

“And you couldn’t help her, so you want to help him?” Wyatt heaved an exaggeratedly loud and long sigh. “Do we have to? Is he worth it?”

Another thing about this story is it takes a look at the difficulties of having a partner who regularly goes into danger.

Akash twisted violently away from him, trying to block the words with his body. If he didn’t hear it, everything would still be completely fine.

Another continuity problem. We meet Alice and Alex, however, they are far more higher functioning in this story than they are in later stories.

When Alex had come in one afternoon with a busted lip, Akash forced him into the kitchen and cleaned him up. The story of their not-so-pleasant stepfather came tumbling out of the young man. With the help of several of his friends, they managed to get the twins into their own place not far from the bakery.

They run the front of the house while Akash bakes. That’s not something the twins of later stories could manage.

Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing

Rating: 7.5/10

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