A Long Way Back Unfinished Business, Book 2
LGBT, Gay Romance
Independently published
October 1, 2020
314
A serious accident may have left Tay’s body broken, but he’s determined to live an independent life at any cost. Except he’s barely coping. Alone and isolated in London, his only solace comes from the pain numbing drugs he’s become addicted to.
Ink’s on the run. He keeps his head low, but London streets don’t feel safe. The only way to stay under the radar is to keep moving and not let anyone or anything get close. But the stray mutt that’s latched onto Ink has other ideas.
A chance encounter and Ink’s bungled attempt to free himself from his four-legged companion leads to the offer of a job as a live-in helper. Tay’s moody and difficult, but he’s also scared and vulnerable, and Ink finds himself saying yes when he should be saying no.
Can Tay and Ink find a clear path on the road towards true love? Or will their broken lives prove to be one roadblock too many?
This is the second book in the Unfinished Business series but can be read as a standalone.
This story has dark elements and possible triggers for some—bullying, death of a minor, violence, terrorism and drug addiction.
Available at Amazon.
Reviewed By Sherry Perkins
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
“Never tell anyone who you are.”—A Long Way Back
In many ways, “A Long Way Back,” is a continuation of “The Making of Jonty Bloom,” which is Book 1 in the Unfinished Business Novels. However, with only the occasional reference to and appearance of Jonty, “A Long Way Back” isa standalone story and a satisfying summation of Book 1, nonetheless.
This is a dual point-of-view story between the main protagonists, Tay and Ink. Tay has a problem. He’s become addicted to the pain medicines he’d been taking following a rather serious and debilitating injury.Compounding the problem is that he’s fiercely independent. Now,he’s depending on his parents, both of whom are trying to help Tay find a live-in companion, allowing him to live an independent life once more.
Ink is a man with a past, one that comes back to find him in a most unpleasant way but not before he has a chance meeting with Tay. The meeting ultimately leads to Ink misrepresenting himself to Tay as a certified companion so he can get off living on the streets.
In very short order, a relationship grows between them, except first there is a fair amount of exposition. That was fine but I found the conversational banter between the two men during Tay’s interview with Ink for a companion infinitely more engaging. Although their connection is meant to feel more organic, for me it seemed a bit forced. I imagine Elborg’s intention was to demonstrate how quickly bonds can form in the setting of trauma and that’s certainly been a strong format in her other books. I think I tend to be a little more critical, I think, when there is a subplot involving medicine/nursing (or soldiers, policemen, firemen) since that’s me and my family..
Elsborg is a prolific, successful writer, and she has an Amazon author biography that truly made me laugh—be sure to read it.
Also, I don’t typically comment on cover design but the cover for “A Long Way Back” is effective and is true to the story content. A good cover design makes for a nice transition to the story. Read “A Long Way Back,” you might find a way to connect to Elsborg’s characters and who they are.