Reviewed by Astros
Title: Hard Road Back
Author: Andrew Grey
Heroes: Martin & Scarborough
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Length: 186 pages
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Rancher Martin Jamuson has a deep understanding of horses. He just wishes his instincts extended to his best friend, Scarborough Croughton, and the changes in their feelings toward each other. Martin may be the only friend Scarborough has in their small town, but Scarborough is a man of secrets, an outsider who’s made his own way and believes he can only rely on himself when the chips are down. Still, when he needs help with a horse, he naturally comes to Martin.
As they work together, Martin becomes more determined than ever to show Scarborough he’s someone he can trust… maybe someone he can love. Even if it risks their friendship, both men know the possibility for more between them deserves to be explored. But when Scarborough’s past reemerges, it threatens his home, horses, career, and even their lives. If they hope to survive the road before them, they’ll have to walk it together… and maybe make the leap from cautious friends to lovers along the way.
Review:
Hard Road Back is a book about two best friends, Martin and Scarborough. It becomes clear right from the beginning that their feelings for each other are complicated. So, the interesting stuff begins when Martin offers to accompany Scarborough on a sort of road trip (I say sort of because I don’t want to spoil). As short as the book is, this felt like a slow burn to me, which I loved. This book has two of my favorite tropes, friends to lovers and the bed-sharing thing (might not really be a trope). Need I say more? It was a fairly quick read and I appreciated the distraction. What I thought was going to be a light-hearted read, which it was for the most part, there definitely were some heavy moments. Scarborough’s past keeps catching up to him and then there’s his dad who he hasn’t talked to in years. This part of the book is, for lack of a better word, darker but I think it was done really well. I liked how Martin was always supportive and caring, which brings me to their relationship. They are sooo cute together. *blushes* They are perfect for each other, I loved how they interacted, the dialogue, and overall it was really interesting to get to know these characters.
The only reason this book is a 3 star for me is the writing style. I cannot pinpoint what it was, there wasn’t anything that threw me off, but I think I just tend to vibe with writing styles that are a little bit different than this one. I’m by no means an expert so I definitely recommend this book. It’ll be worth your time.
Some other things I liked:
- How supportive of everything Martin’s parents were
- There is a horse named Storm here
- Martin and Scarborough’s pet names for each other
- The Cover
Overall Impression: It was good
*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*
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