Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov

Title: Skybound by Aleksandr Voinov
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Genre: M/M, Historical, Romance
Length: 44 pages/Word count: 13,300
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Love soars.

Germany, 1945. The Third Reich is on its knees as Allied forces bomb Berlin to break the last resistance. Yet on an airfield near Berlin, the battle is far from over for a young mechanic, Felix, who’s attached to a squadron of fighter pilots. He’s especially attached to fighter ace Baldur Vogt, a man he admires and secretly loves. But there’s no room for love at the end of the world, never mind in Nazi Germany.

When Baldur narrowly cheats death, Felix pulls him from his plane, and the pilot makes his riskiest move yet. He takes a few days’ leave to recover, and he takes Felix with him. Away from the pressures of the airfield, their bond deepens, and Baldur shows Felix the kind of brotherhood he’d only ever dreamed of before.

But there’s no escaping the war, and when they return, Baldur joins the fray again in the skies over Berlin. As the Allies close in on the airfield where Felix waits for his lover, Baldur must face the truth that he is no longer the only one in mortal danger.

The Review:

Aleksandr Voinov’s Skybound is a poignant romance that is set in Germany during the final days of World War II. Felix and Baldur Vogt discover a love that flourishes despite the hopelessness that surrounds them as the war comes to its inevitable and tragic end.

Felix and Baldur Vogt are sympathetic and appealing protagonists. Told in first person from Felix’s perspective, the reader experiences firsthand the conflicted emotions he feels for pilot Baldur Vogt. Felix’s hesitation and uncertainty are palpable yet he does not let his fears hold him back. There is depth and substance to his character and he is full of surprises.

Baldur is charming, self-assured and confident. The more experienced of the two, Baldur orchestrates the opportunity for them to spend time alone together. The transition from friends to lovers is an unhurried delicate dance with neither man willing to rush their relationship.

Skybound is rich in historical detail and Aleksandr Voinov brings both the characters and the setting vibrantly to life. The romance between Felix and Baldur is intense, emotional and breathtaking. It is a beautifully written romance that will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.