Marine With Benefits
Author: Heather Long
Release Date: July 18, 2013
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company
Always A Marine Book 16, 1NS
ISBN: #978-1613335604
Genre: Military Romance, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
Reviewer: B.
About the Book:
She’s his best friend’s sister…
From cradle to grave, Derek and Keith grew up together, enlisted, served, and rose through the ranks together. When Keith died in the field, the last thing he asked for was Derek to keep watch over his sister. But every time Derek is around Kara, he wants to touch her. A promise stands between them and he refuses to seduce his best friend’s baby sister. Determined to get her out of his mind, he signs up for a one-night stand.
He’s the one she wants…
Ever since Kara ran into a shirtless Derek, she’s known he was the one. He promised to bring her brother home and he was there for her at his funeral. But he remains unattainable, no matter their chemistry. Frustrated, she takes a girlfriend’s advice and signs up for a one-night stand.
The last person they expected…
Dressed to kill, Kara doesn’t know whether to scream or cry when Derek turns out to be her date. He’s furious that she’d sign up for a night of sex with a perfect stranger, but together their reunion is combustible and neither can deny the power of their attraction.
He may have been her brother’s best friend, but she wants him to be her Marine with Benefits.
What I’m Talking About…
Having found a career and a life she loves as a physical therapist helping returning members of the military to heal from their wounds, Kara Childs doesn’t ask a lot 
for herself. But, after several friends sing the praises of the 1Night Stand dating service, she decides that a night of no-strings pleasure is exactly what she needs to drive the object of her unrequited affections from her heart.
Newly discharged and about to start a job in the same rehabilitation facility as the sister of his dearest childhood friend, Derek Green has a promise to keep and some willpower to shore up before announcing his presence to the woman who’s always held his heart. Forced to admit that his ongoing attempts to keep his mind off of Kara have been completely unsuccessful, he turns to Madame Eve to arrange a night of uncomplicated, anonymous sex in order to take the edge off his lust. Of course, with Madame Eve working her magic, the night ahead will be anything but what they expect.
Rather than telling a story of members of the military on assignment, Marine with Benefits focuses on the lives of the survivors at home and the necessity of dealing with loss while honoring the memory and sacrifice of those who serve. Although they are individually living with varying degrees of each, the sense of duty and love Kara and Derek have for her brother is a strong theme of the story. They both feel a certain amount of guilt in their struggle to move on, but the gift of being able to go after what they need and want eventually takes precedence, as I believe it should.
One of my favorite things about this story was how clearly I could envision Kara and Derek. Kara is independent and beautiful, and stands up to Derek perfectly when he’s out of line. She knows the risk in pursuing what she wants, and she’s willing to test it for one night of pleasure on her terms. Although Derek is initially more conflicted, once he accepts that Kara is a grown woman, and unwilling to be an obligation, his resistance doesn’t stand a chance (not that he has much where she’s concerned). Derek is sweet, if a little misguided in his intentions, but he’s passionate and fueled by the liberation that can only come from years of denial that’s finally been unleashed. These two are a perfect match, and when they get together, sparks definitely fly.
Marine with Benefits is yet another enjoyable erotic military short by Ms. Long, who clearly has a knack for writing this genre. Though the ending is somewhat more convenient than the previous story in the Always a Marine series I read, A Marine Affair, it is still a tender and very sexy tale. Kara and Derek are both strong, well-written characters, and their journey through the past and misconceptions they share was a good one. I especially liked that Kara is so self-aware, and that she is more than capable of meeting the storms that Derek has the potential to bring with him. Overall, Marine with Benefits is a good choice for any fan of military erotic romance. This series seems like a solid one, and I’m looking forward to reading more titles in the near future.
Liked it a lot – recommend (B+)
Purchase Info:
Marine with Benefits
Reviews in the Series:
A Marine and a Gentleman
A Marine Affair
Haha, this cracks me up! It’s a book from the novella series you suggested to me. 😀 That was great timing! I checked Goodreads and I had one of the 1 Nigh Stand novellas on my list already…I can’t believe I overlooked the fact that it’s a HUGE series and they are all novellas. SMH. Oh well. Great review! I don’t think I’ve read any type of book that was based around someone in the military. I should really check these out. 🙂