Whoa! Fluffy romance, this is not. What I got instead was an adventure, suspense, and a gripping love story that had both men struggling with who they were as individuals and how they might (or might not!) fit together as lovers. It’s not the first time they try this either, they’ve been there, done that, and split up before. Yet there is an undeniable attraction between them, a need to be together, and an ability to work as a team that would have them at the top of their profession –diving for treasure – if they could only manage not to destroy each other in the process. As a result, ‘Diving Deep’ is a journey filled with emotional distress, dangerous escapades above and below the water, and a thrilling race for success and fame that had me turning the pages as fast as possible.

Lee is a dive-boat captain and survives on a combination of commercial runs and private charters. The need for repair money drives him to take on a few risky clients here and there, and his need to forget his lover’s daredevil antics while on dives makes him drink way more alcohol than is responsible when a clear head is required the next day. Then his lover walks away after one too many risks and drunken escapade, and Lee dives into the bottle even more deeply than before.

Bobby is an excellent wreck diver, but he, too, is an adrenaline junkie. He gets his kicks underwater and tempts fate on a regular basis, but the one thing he can’t stand is watching Lee drink his life away. So he leaves. Not that it helps – he can’t forget Lee, he can’t stop loving him, and when he calls with an offer to participate in discovering one of the most amazing finds ever, Bobby can’t resist. Especially since Lee promises him he is dry and will not touch a drop of alcohol while they work together to discover a missing ship at the bottom of the Atlantic.

The chemistry between Lee and Bobby is off the charts. And that is without any physical shenanigans. Just watching them work together, get reacquainted, and chase a historical legend was breathtaking. The longer they are together the more the old attraction begins to sizzle, but Bobby is not ready to give in and trust again – not after everything they have already been through. As the hunt for treasure gets increasingly exciting, their personal conflict comes to a head, and the sparks fly in every direction. What a ride and what a hard-earned happy ending!

If you like thrilling, suspenseful adventure stories, if you enjoy watching two men come together – or try to - who have the potential to either love wholly or utterly destroy each other, and if you’re looking for an exciting read that has the potential to mesmerize you, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It left me spellbound and holding my breath more than once.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )