Review:

This book, set in the period immediately after World War Two, deals with the downfall of a naïve young man, and his eventual redemption by a handsome young Royal Navy rating. I have memories of a time, rather later, when I used to occasionally travel on a ferry with naval ratings going on liberty. In their sexy uniforms, chain-smoking their duty-free cigarettes, they brought about longings in me that I hardly understood then.

Richard Peters perfectly captures the potent sexual aura of young sailors in that era, also the sexual connotations of cigarette smoking in those days.

Of all his books I've read, this is the most uncompromisingly erotic. The encounters on shipboard and in North Africa are strong stuff, but it's never gratuitous. That, I think, is part of the secret of Peters' books. While he withholds no physical details, the sex is absolutely relevant to the storyline. Together with excellent character development of the characters, and a humorous touch, that makes for an absorbing and very stimulating read.

In essence, this is actually a romance, and I don't think I'm giving too much away if I say that, as so often, Richard Peters delivers a happy ending, and this is faithful to the feel-good nature of the book.

J.C May 2015

Times were not the same in 1950, the language was not the same. Richard Peters captures the post-war era with clarity. His descrip-tion of forbidden, homosexual behaviour is stunning.

An amusing side note, especially for American readers, is the use of the word "fag" for a cigarette. Some readers may enjoy the description of what the characters do with "fags"!