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My Review:Title: The Farther He Runs
Author: Lynda Aicher
Series: Kick #3
Published by: Loveswept
Release Date: December 6, 2016
Format: eARC
Pages: 224
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Romance, Military Romance
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »
Source: NetGalley
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2022 Backlist Reader Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 COYER Spring, Lenoreo's 2022 Diversity Reading Challenge, Lenoreo's 2022 Netgalley and Edelweiss Challenge
Find it: Goodreads
My rating:
Blurb:In an explosive novel of long-awaited release from the award-winning author of The Deeper He Hurts, two emotionally exposed Marines learn to lean on each other—and discover the courage to act on their innermost needs.
After years away from home, Tanner Dorsey is back and sorting through feelings that have him in a stranglehold. The hardened Marine will do anything for a fallen comrade, so when an accident leaves Finn Kelley fighting for his life, Tanner’s eager to be there for him. In fact, Tanner’s ready and willing to do anything Finn asks—especially if it means finally acting on the sexual tension that’s always kept him craving more.
Finn senses it too—when he brushes against Tanner’s stubbled jaw, when he inhales the scent of the T-shirt that clings to Tanner’s body like a second skin. Now that he’s more vulnerable than ever, Finn knows the time is right to take control, even if it means risking the heart and soul of their friendship. The bond they share goes beyond desire; it’s a bond of brotherhood, forged under conditions few could imagine. But once they cross that line, there will be no more secrets. No more boundaries. And no turning back.
The Farther He Runs is intended for mature audiences and includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
2.5 stars — If this hadn’t been a NetGalley ARC, I would have DNF’d it. It’s not a bad book per say, but it is NOT a Lenore book. I am SUPER picky about my military books…and this one wouldn’t have made the cut. But this was from my early days of requesting when I wasn’t as selective.
You know a book isn’t right for you when it’s not exactly long, but you find yourself forcing yourself to push through and read and get to the end. Our heroes were both marines (one current, one former), and there was a lot of what strikes me personally as toxic masculinity to their personalities. I get that there’s a reason for the way the military breaks down people to try to keep them alive, but I feel like the price is too high. Add on to that that multiple times it felt like the characters were excusing the slurs and such that they faced while they served, as just being part of the deal, well…yeah, no. And maybe I’m just sensitive and reading too much into it, I fully accept that.
I did appreciate that our characters showed emotions with one another, you could feel their bond and see them grieve. It was more than I was expecting. I even appreciated how they knew one another well enough to know what buttons to push to help each other heal — when to press, when to try another tact. Through this, I found that their chemistry was pretty great, because it *wasn’t* just sexual. You really felt how much they loved one another, and I bought how fast their relationship moved since they had such a strong friendship bond.
I wasn’t expecting the BDSM angle, but that was fine. I’m picky about that too, and this one was pretty light on structure and such. Probably because it was a friends to lovers, so there was already an inherent trust there? Honestly, I only read about BDSM, so it’s not like I know what I’m talking about.
I guess the other thing that bothered me was the emphasis placed on Tanner being part Korean. I’ve been trying to be more aware of how BIPOC characters are written, and I have to admit this tweaked me. It *felt* like a white person writing a POC. But, that could be just me. Though there was definitely a racist moment when Tanner was grateful he got his white father’s genes in the penis size department. NO. Just no.
Fuck, I’m going to have to round down now. I keep finding less than things.
So, last thing…I had a REALLY hard time tracking who the POV was in this book. I don’t know how you’d fix it, and I can’t for the life of me remember how other author’s do it right, but I just know this author didn’t nail it.
*sigh* Well, they can’t all be matches right?
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