All Man by GA Hauser

Story: 8
Presentation: 9
Total: 17
Publisher: Phaze
GLBT Contemporary m/m
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Blurb: Physical therapist Chase Arlington comes to Wright Patterson Air Force Base thinking his skills could be better used to serve the men who fought for his country. Career Staff Sergeant Gary Wilson lives day to day, deeply in the closet, passing the time until his transfer to Al Taji Air Base. When Gary meets Chase, the attraction is instantaneous, and grows fast.


When Gary reports for duty in Iraq, he leaves behind a distraught Chase and the looming worry of a dreaded phone call. Chase does his best not to imagine anything happening to the man he loves, holding out hope for the day Gary comes home.

Sometimes it takes every ounce of strength you possess to convince the one you love that no matter what, you are still the man you were, all man, and nothing less.

Review: What I loved – the attention to detail, the vivid descriptions, the wonderful characters and the highs and lows of the story. There wasn’t a slow point or a boring moment. Fresh dialog and great action. The story in engrossing and each chapter adds another layer to this complicated…yet at the core of who they are, a simple couple.

What could be hard about meeting a man you’re attracted to and acting on those desires? (okay there are several hot hard scenes. The sex was smoking’) In the case of Chase and Gary, plenty of hurdles lie in the path to their happily ever after. Job, family, friends, a past for each of them, and personal fears. All these elements are present but blend perfectly for a story rife with tension, both sexual and in regards to the plot and the development of their relationship.

There were aspects that were drawn out perfectly, like while Chase is waiting for word from Gary in Iraq and issues surrounding Gary’s family and his fear of living openly. Love for Gary and Chase is practically instantaneous. And they profess their love for each other from the beginning. This lessens some of the anticipation for those stirrings, but the story is still strong with outside forces working to wedge into their relationship.

I do have a couple of slight issues. We’re introduced to many characters in the beginning of the book. With a Gary, Barry, Jerry all in a scene, it was a bit confusing because the names sound so similar. Most of the early characters have little play in the story by the end as the story shifts from interaction and focusing on friends to being about family.

Encapsulating the story on a whole, All Man is a great book that you can’t put down once you start reading.