Trusteau and Hardigan live and love for many years to come. The story ends with a bitter-sweet ending. If you read this book, my suggestion is this: Skip the last two chapters. Often it is best to set a story end naturally, and it does at the second-to-the-last chapter. It's as though the author felt compelled to tie up the loose strings at the end. My only complaint, which also has been indicated in other reviews, is that the ending falls terribly flat. There are only two intimate scenes in the entire book and both are generally only alluded to, yet the love and respect burn to the soul. It is a love story yet filled with restraint.

This is a character driven story yet is mostly action. Hardigan is big and strong and fearless.on the surface.while carrying deep inside the realities of death and loss. Trusty at times is the lovable puppy-dog who worships at the feet of the Skipper. However, as their relationship develops from respect to admiration to “father/son” to “brothers” to hidden lovers, the tension grows ever stronger. Both have the honor code of Navy pilots to uphold, both in the air in bed. “Skipper” is the true leader: strong, wise and willing and able to do whatever it takes to get the job done. “Trusty” becomes the epitome of the Greatest Generation: courageous, humble and true to his country. Trusteau on the other hand is aware of his gayness but, because of the time period is at first unable to define it. Trusteau is the young ensign who is assigned to the older and far more experienced Hardigan, who has never even considered his lack of interest in women as anything other than simple disinterest. On the m/m side of the equation, this is far more of a 'growing-to-love' story than just a romance. The knowledge of the author is obviously first-hand. The energy and testosterone are palpable. You feel like you are actually in the planes with the pilots and can smell the hot oil deep in the guts of an aircraft carrier. And yet it is a seriously engaging story of two men who find each other and fall deeply in love: the old-fashioned way. It is mostly a WWII story taking place in the battles of Tarawa, Kwajalein and Truk.

'Wingmen' is not a true m/m romance by today's standards. This can hold its own with the best of Naval Air Battle books. By contrast, it shows how far writing has sunk from the days when books were actually edited and screened before being published. Written before such low expectations have become the norm, 'Wingmen' soars above 99% of what is out there today. Written in 1979, this novel stands alone in the m/m genre.

Wingmen ensan case