Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940161556931 |
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| Publisher: | Riptide Publishing |
| Publication date: | 08/06/2018 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | NOOK Book |
| Sales rank: | 390,096 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
The Long Way Around
4.3 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
3 reviews.
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An absolutely lovely friends to lovers story, Quinn Anderson crafts this one perfectly. Watching these two besties recognize their attraction, and then slowly come together is so compelling... just wonderful.
As Quinn Anderson fans can attest, she writes a fantastic love scene and these two guys are great together (gah, that first scene in the car is so hot!).
There's way more to The Long Way Around than just friends to lovers, we get a deeply personal look at both men and the issues they're facing. Between family stresses and other problems, this is a novel which will touch your heart.
I couldn't get over the start of the road trip though, when they're planning their stops. I think they had a magic car because they go from from Pittsburgh to NYC in 4 hours. Then another 4 Hours from NYC to DC. Even better is "if we drive all day we can get to New Orleans" hahaha - I wish!
Quinn Anderson does a good job of balancing funny, silly moments with the more thoughtful stuff and I enjoyed this one completely.
a copy of The Long Way Around was provided by NetGalley for the purpose of my review
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I’m partial to friends-to-lovers stories anyway, but with the added bonus of a road trip- I couldn’t resist The Long Way Around. I’ve read this author before and found her casual style easy to sink into. That effortless rhythm and balance between dialogue and narrative was present in this novel, making it an easy, enjoyable read.
Despite being opposites in many ways, Sam and Wes have a long-standing friendship that’s never crossed any physical lines. Their close bond was palpable throughout the novel and I really liked how steady and supportive their friendship was. I also liked the way the author approached the friendship morphing into more. The steady shift in the ways they saw each other over the course of the road trip felt natural and regularly reinforced just how deep their friendship was. Oddly enough, it took me a while to really feel that chemistry between the two friends despite them generating plenty of heat when they hooked up. It did get there, and I really loved the ending- like eyes welled up with tears over the sweetness of their connection- but it wasn’t as pervasive as I expect in a friends-to-lovers romance.
The rest of the plot was a bit up and down for me. The road trip storyline played out well, highlighting some of the best, unexpected parts of a journey with a friend. I wasn’t quite as smitten with the idea of Wesley’s secret being the main source of angst in the book. Not to minimize Wesley’s struggles, but it always felt a bit off- like it was drug out to add mystery and conflict to what was otherwise a mostly fun, light-hearted story. Additionally, the resolution ended up being a little bit rushed. After all the build-up, and multiple discussions, the way and speed in which that conflict wrapped surprised me. So, yes, I encountered a few speed bumps (pun entirely intended) while reading The Long Way Around, but overall I liked Wesley and Sam, thought they made a cute couple, and enjoyed seeing their story play out as they traversed the country. I definitely would recommend this title to readers who don’t mind some angst but are in the mood for a sweet friends-to-lovers romance and a road trip across the US.
*eARC received via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
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Sam Cooper and Wesley Reed have been friends since freshman year of college despite being completely different in personality. They’re so close that people often mistake them for a couple or assume they’ve at least slept together. But honestly, they’re just friends — at least they are until a road trip across the country leaves both Sam and Wesley with feelings and an attraction they’ve never really experienced before. I’m a huge fan of friends to lovers so I adored The Long Way Around and Quinn Anderson has quickly become one of my favorite writers with her engaging stories, sigh worthy romances, and her perfectly flawed but still likable characters.
I enjoyed both Sam and Wesley but I felt particularly connected to Sam since we share a lot of the same introverted tendencies. He’s nervous about attending his sister’s wedding because he’s been estranged from his parents for the past year after calling off his engagement last minute. But Wesley has Sam’s back and he knows that Sam would regret missing the wedding so he proposes the road trip idea. Wesley is really the perfect friend because he truly understands Sam and appreciates him for the way he is. Though Sam and Wesley have so much history as friends, I appreciated that Anderson didn’t rely on that prior history to short the reader on experiences. Instead I felt like they were learning each other all over again and we got to go along for the ride.
While Sam and Wesley may have thought the other was attractive, they’ve never acted on anything and really have just been friends. But as unexpected feelings develop they’re both thrown for a loop, left wondering what in the world is happening. But once these two give into their feelings they’re on fire and the chemistry was amazing! I think Sam and Wesley’s first kiss might have been one of the sexiest first kisses I’ve ever read purely because of the tension and anticipation. I loved every part of their relationship as it grew and changed, even the harder parts that barely survived Wesley’s hidden demons. The Long Way Around certainly had some heavier subject matter then what I’ve come to expect from Anderson but I loved the depth it added to the story and I hope to see more like it in the future.
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