The year is 1980. Gay soldiers desiring to serve their country must do it with extreme caution. One step out of the closet and they risk a dishonorable discharge. Many forgo their social life to live their profession. First Lieutenant Brett Walker is but one example of such a person. Until one evening he spies a flier on the wall of the Berlin U-Bahn for a bar called Club David. For the first time in his twenty-six years, Brett chances a visit to a gay bar to see a drag queen show. His daring move sets in motion the events that will alter his life completely and forever.
Jakob Haas leaves the Navy Seals for the CIA. He finds it too difficult to live a lie with his brothers in the Navy. He chooses a place where he believes it will be easier to hide his true self even though he understands being gay in the agency is prohibited. His plan works until given his assignment as Lieutenant Walker’s trainer.
In Berlin Book 1, The personal side of the story is not about the details of how the two interact behind closed doors, but is a story of why they interact the way they do. Brett and Jakob discover their emotions and their bodies after years of denial and self control. When two such men fall in love, there is no holding back while making up for lost time.
Some reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the better gay spy books I've read. It also contains a lot of historical information about East/West Berlin that I found very interesting.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
I highly recommend reading the entire series. The author was successful in keeping reader interested in the characters and their stories. Berlin during the Cold War years is a character on its own, especially for those of us who remember the times and know the city then and now.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am so glad I found Jon Swank's books - he is a great writer who really has made a significant contribution to gay literature by creating likeable, believable, three-dimensional Human characters who happen to be gay. I was in the military in Germany around the time period Mr. Swank sets his Berlin stories and I have been very moved by the accurate way he describes both the place and the time. The story really brought back vividly how it was for me and my (many) gay and lesbian friends in the service, especially the fear and the paranoia of being 'outed' - which meant losing one's career and often dreams. It was for many of us a lonely and difficult time. Swank's characters are so real to me: they could have been people I worked with myself. I also found myself enjoying their stories and being held in suspense and interest as the plot developed. I hope Mr. Swank continues to write and that his books find their way to a large audience. He definitely has a story worth reading.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best action/adventure author that just happens to have gay MCs.
I love this series from Jon Swank. His military knowledge and information from his time in service makes the story all the more authentic and interesting to read.
His characters are very relatable and you just can't help but root for them to succeed. Some are carried over into the next story even if they aren't a main character so start with book one and work your way through. For me they start to feel like someone you actually know because their personalities are so well thought out.
Are you tired of M/M stories written to titillate bored women that just want to read about two men getting it on with a little story thrown in to break up the sex scenes?
Read this series because they have it all. Great characters on realistic missions and the stories actually get you invested in the outcome. You won't regret it. Happy reading.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gay romance, spy thriller, nasty villains--It has it all.
I'm a huge history buff so the cover picture and name caught my attention first. Of course, it helped that it was currently free on Amazon so I have to be honest. But even a free book has to be worth my time and this one definitely was! The two main characters, Brett, and "Country" are each in a different branch of the military. Each man is wholly closeted due to the strict censure of gay men in the military. Brett is in the Air Force and Country opens the book as a Navy Seal but switches to the CIA. This book explains their reasons for staying in the service and thus the forced closet. Editorial comment: The US sure wasn't very kind or generous to our service men and women who happened to be gay or lesbian. Now back to the regularly scheduled review: This story covers a lot of territory in that it gives us a much more detailed picture of East Berlin vs West Berlin. It is a spy story ala John Le Carre and the other cold war writers but adds the gay men as MCs. I really can't say enough about how I was drawn into their story and became buried in their lives. I was up till almost 2AM because I had to finish it! If you love history, you'll love the Berlin series but MORE IMPORTANT if you love gay romance, you are going to adore the story of Brett and Country. Don't pass this one up. You'd be sorry if you did.