A wrong turn could lead to Mr. Right.Sam Cooper is the definition of an introvert: shy, bookish, and the sort to think a wild Friday night involves ordering takeout. He enjoys his quiet life, but after a bad breakup, he’s been yearning for a change of scenery. Luckily, his best friend and former college roommate has the solution.Wesley Reed—a jokester and expert Sam-handler—proposes an epic road … Sam-handler—proposes an epic road trip to a wedding across the country. They’re both between jobs and boyfriends. Why not hit the open road and make some memories?
Stuck in close quarters for the first time since their dorm days, they’re both surprised at the heat that springs up between them. As best friends, they’ve shared so much over the years, so why does sharing a hotel room—and occasionally a bed—make them want more? Chemistry this smoldering is hard to ignore, but there are road blocks to their romance. Wesley’s keeping a secret, and Sam can’t rely on Wesley to drag him out of his comfort zone forever. If they’re not careful, their relationship may take the ultimate wrong turn.
Word count: 80,200; page count: 300
more
Loved it!
Balancing humor and a love story with a serious problem is tricky, but for me, Anderson succeeded beautifully. There’s more telling rather than showing emotions than is ideal, and one tap at the fourth wall, but as a whole, this story works particularly in the use of tropes, more like road signs rather than templates: every one of those approaching left me anxious, only to end up then smiling in relief. These guys are so sweet, so motivated. So in love even before they’re aware of it. I liked that Anderson spells out Sam’s reasoning so carefully, and doesn’t shy away from Wesley’s struggle. I liked their use of google and Instagram, and all the assumptions. I really enjoyed this one.
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.
4 stars- 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*