Honestly, I never read this book. I requested it and downloaded it but was hit with a massive season of depression where I couldn't read anything at all. Thankfully I am on the mend and do indeed plan to read the books I had requested. I am thankful for the opportunity for advanced reader copies. I do love reading.

Sam Cooper and Wesley Reed have been best friends since college. Though Sam is more bookish and reserved, and Wesley is outgoing and social, the two fit together so well and count on one other in their lives. Sam’s sister is getting married in Montana, but Sam is worried about attending — last year he cancelled his wedding at the last minute and things have been awkward with his family ever since. So Wesley offers to come for moral support and suggests a two-week, cross-country road trip to get there.

The guys get a chance to explore many different cities, trying new foods and having adventures as they travel the country. Being together non-stop for the first time since college also brings the two closer. In fact, what was friendship begins to turn to attraction for both Sam and Wesley. But the men are worried that acting on their feelings may ruin the friendship they have, and their bond is incredibly important to both of them. But eventually neither man is able to deny his attraction any more and the two act on their feelings. Rather than tear them apart, the romance between them just enhances their relationship.

However, the guys do face some roadblocks once the trip is over. Sam must face his family and his fears about seeing them again. And Wesley has a major secret he has been keeping that will have a big effect on his future. Wesley has been there for Sam as he deals with his family, and Sam is determined to be there for Wesley in return. But the question they now face is whether being together is the best thing for them, or if their new relationship will be over just as it starts.

As many of you guys know, I am a huge road trip story fan, so I was eager to check this book out. I think Anderson does a really nice job with the road trip aspect of the story and nicely combines the adventures the guys have along the way with the growing attraction their close proximity brings to light. For the most part, the guys are in a new city each day and we get to follow along as they explore and discover interesting things about the places they go. Things are a teeny bit repetitive with the driving, checking in, going out, etc., each day, but for the most part I found it a lot of fun to follow along with their adventures, especially to places I haven’t been.

The attraction the grows between them feels very natural and organic. It felt very believable to me the way these long time friends evolved into more, and I enjoyed their excitement as they experienced their newfound attraction to one another. It clear from the start that Sam and Wesley care deeply for one another and count on each other for support. So their evolution into love just felt like an extension of the close bond they already shared. The story explores the idea that perhaps these men are too dependent on one another, that they are not standing on their own two feet when needed because they are always there to take care of one another. It plays out in small ways with Sam, but a much bigger one as Wesley shares his secret. Sam wants to be there to support Wesley, but he also knows that Wesley has to overcome his hurdles without Sam being too much of a crutch. At times the way these guys negotiated this dynamic felt a little clunky and confusing, but overall I think things tie up well.

So this is an entertaining road trip story with a strong friends to lovers element. I can recommend this one for sure, especially if you are fan of either of these tropes.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I read this book some time ago and did not really connect with the characters or story.

I love friends to lovers romances so I was excited to read The Long Way Around and while I did like the story at times I felt it moved too slow and got bogged down with the same arguments over and over. The fact the two heroes had been best friends since college and were both gay but had never considered a relationship was interesting and watching them realize that their feeling had changed was at times heartbreaking and at others exciting. Overall, The Long Way Around was an enjoyable story with a lot of emotion.

Between jobs Sam Cooper, a shy and somewhat introverted man and his best friend Wesley Reed, an outgoing, fun loving man decide to take an epic road trip to Sam’s sister’s wedding. Being around each other 24 hours a day things heat up between them leaving them conflicted and trying to decide if sex is worth ruining their friendship.

While I like both Sam and Wesley, I felt their characters were written a bit too much in their respective places. Sam overly introverted and Wesley way over the top. The stops along the way made the book interesting although honestly I feel they wasted time going to places so close to where they lived since they could have done those in a weekend trip, but that was to set up the major conflict towards the end. Wesley has a problem and I felt that once it was out in the open it wasn’t treated with the seriousness it deserved. To be honest the whole I idea of Wesley wanting to do this trip to run away from his problems was a big laughable because what he’s dealing with isn’t something you can run away from.

While I enjoyed the characters, the plot seemed rambling at times making the book difficult to read for any length of time. However, I do appreciate the relationship aspect of this book and the fact that they were both willing to put in the work to make it happen.

I really liked and enjoyed this one. I was hooked right away and couldn't get enough of the characters and there story. Can't wait to read more.

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.

I read this book a long time ago and never reviewed it. I don't know what happened... probably just life. So looking through my books to review, I saw this and thought I needed to still read it. Low and behold, I'd already read it!

And totally forgot what it was about.

I guess I'm not the only one. It's not that this was not good. After a while, I started to remember all the things I liked about it. Friends to lovers. Road tripping. UST. The sweetness of Sam. So I know I enjoyed it, it just didn't stick to me as a really memorable story.

2.75 Stars

I’m constantly on the lookout for the perfect friends-to-lovers road trip book. And, I’m admittedly picky about them. It’s hard to measure up to the great ones—I’ve read a couple of great ones that have set the bar pretty high—but that won’t stop me from looking! It’s gotta be tough for an author to create that perfect balance of epic friendship with a side of simmering sexual tension and believable chemistry. When it works, it’s undeniable. And, when it doesn’t, it can be such a bummer. Quinn Anderson’s The Long Way Around was a mixed bag for me. Some things worked quite well, whereas other elements fell flat. It unfortunately wasn’t the amazing friends-to-lovers read I was hoping for, but it did have some enjoyable moments.

One of the things that worked really well was the portrayal of Sam and Wesley’s friendship and the transition into their deeper feelings. There is no question that these two guys mean the world to each other, and I love how supportive they are of one another. Anderson does a good job of showing both the depth of their bond and also, as the story progresses and the relationship starts to morph into something else, what they each stand to lose if things don’t work out. And, I liked how that relationship transition played out. The twinges of attraction and the strong physical pull they start feeling for each other take them both by surprise. It feels very real and natural, not to mention undeniable, but it’s also realistic how much their fear of ruining the friendship comes up. The friendship is equally important to both guys, and they just don’t know if it’s worth exploring anything else if it means that friendship would be at stake.

I mentioned that my reaction to the story was mixed…There were times when the dialogue and some of their interactions seemed over-the-top or immature. In fact, where the writing in general didn’t seem up to the standard of other things I’ve read by this author. But, then there were also times where the emotion or sentiment was so perfectly written. I absolutely loved this line, from a scene where Sam is trying to decipher what it is exactly that he’s newly feeling for Wesley…

“It was bigger than lust, deeper than longing, and so raw he was scared to poke at it too much.”

And, this line, that so perfectly captures part of the appeal of this trope:

“No. Sam had fallen in love with Wesley over the course of thousands of days, hundreds of shared memories, and an immeasurable number of small but priceless moments.”

Then the story itself had its ups and downs. There was some funny dialogue, and the guys actually did have fabulous chemistry and were very sexy together. But, the author employed an inner monologue device in the narrative that absolutely drove me crazy. I also quite enjoyed the actual road trip moments. There were some fun stops and cool mentions along the way. But, it was pretty obvious from very early on what Wesley’s big secret was going to turn out to be, and I had a bit of an issue with how it was handled. I don’t feel like his situation was given the seriousness or sensitivity that it deserved, and, as a result, I found myself having less and less patience with the book throughout the second half.

So, yeah…a bit of a rollercoaster. It was ok. I liked it but definitely didn’t love it like I hoped to. There seemed to be a fairly equal measure of things I enjoyed and things that, for whatever reason, didn’t gel with me. Different strokes for different folks, though…YMMV.

Reviewed by Jules

Quinn Anderson knows how to write something sweet and fun and The Long Way Around was no exception. Sam and Wesley were the perfect friends to lover's book that I needed to read!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is a sweet, new adult friends-to-lovers romance. It is the story of college BFFs Sam and Wesley and the two-week road trip they take to Sam’s sister’s wedding. One year after graduating from college, Sam and Wesley find themselves unemployed and somewhat directionless. But the road trip introduces an intimacy that neither Sam or Wesley is ready for.

I liked both Sam and Wesley. Introverted Sam feels older and slightly more grounded than the more extroverted Wesley, but Sam lacks confidence and struggles socially. Wesley feels more like an ordinary 23-year-old. Wesley and Sam complement each other, and I love the shared history between them. I love the way Sam and Wesley’s relationship develops during the road trip as the two men start to relate to each other more as adults than college kids. There is a lovely buildup of tension between these two that leads to some very hot scenes.

I think the plot is the weakness of the story. The first part of the road trip is too familiar and the tropes are quite tired. I’ve read at least a couple of stories with similar storylines in the past few months. The last third of the book takes a darker turn but -without any spoilers- the big issue that is introduced is perceived and dealt with in a very American way that felt more than a little over-the-top to me as a British reader. Sadly, the plot doesn’t feel very cohesive as it jolts from road trip to BIG ISSUE to epilogue.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 Road Trip Stars

The first two words of the novel were Williamsport, Pennsylvania – shout out to my neck of the woods! The next thing that hooked me was the premise of taking the long way around to Montana from Pennsylvania. Bear in mind, I began reading this novel while on a cross-country drive back home to Pennsylvania from New Mexico. Three solid days of 13+ hours per day to get home, so that part of the premise resonated within me.

Sam just lost his internship and his sister is getting married, so he has no excuses to miss the big event. Having turned runaway groom on his college sweetheart, Sam hasn't been back home to Montana since the scandalous event.

Wesley and Sam have been besties since college, with Wesley being the shoulder to cry on after Sam's life-changing decision to leave his ex at the altar. Wesley is a free-spirit, knowing Sam is beyond reluctant to go home, suggesting they go on a road trip.

Now, this is where I had a difficult time connecting with the novel, taking me five attempts to read a book by one of my favorite authors. The road trip's vibe was giddy, lighthearted, yet moody at the same time. I found a good bulk of the novel to be tedious, dragged down by a ton of inane scenes and details in a quest to add a slow-burn vibe, which had me losing interest. I'm a great lover of slow-burn, but there were too many pages to support such a light plot. I feel badly for saying such, but I stuck it out and soldiered forth, finding the last third to be more emotionally connecting.

Favorite scene of the entire book – the mutual tug in the car.

Never one who employs spoilers, this is information I wish I had had, so I'm adding it anyway. The Long Way Around contains alcoholism themes. This gave me a whiplash effect, after 3/4 of the novel being lighthearted, to be dropped into something so heavy. But more so, and this is on me, I found it triggering. As the survivor of a 20-year marriage to an alcoholic, Sam waiting at the hotel, terrified, thinking he would have to call the police or check the hospitals, since Wesley hadn't come back yet, I had to take a step away. I'd been in that situation innumerable times, and I couldn't handle reading it. I'd love to say this part was out of nowhere, or resolved too easily, but I'm just happy someone, even if it was in fiction, got to have the happy ending.

This was the epitome of slow-burn romance, featuring two best friends who finally found their way to one another, after taking The Long Way Around.

Recommended to MM contemporary romance readers and fans of the author.

I'm a huge fan of road trips books and when you throw in some friends to lovers it's a great mix for me. This was enjoyable while I was reading it. I gave it three stars meaning I liked it but it didn't wow me. I didn't write my review right away though (which I totally should have) and now when I look this over I realize I can't remember anything about this book. Like nothing. I had to read other people's review to jog my memory and even after that I only can remember one plot point. So.....an average book but one that didn't stand out to me.

One of my favorite themes: two friends falling in love with each other - that's exactly what we get with The Long Way Around!! :)

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading Sam and Wesley's story. Both are likable and, in their own way, very relatable characters.

Wesley and Sam have been best friends since freshman year of college and like true best friends have always been there for one another. When Sam is needed at his sister's wedding, without a second thought Wesley drops everything and takes his friend on a road trip across the country. Isn't that the sweetest thing?! I've always dreamt of doing just that with a best friend, minus the wedding ;) Not a big fan of those...

The Long Way Around is one of the sweetest romances, an emotional journey and -- friendship at its best! Sam and Wes are wonderful characters and the writing was highly enjoyable.

ALSO:

ROAD TRIP!

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

The Long Way Around is friends to lovers with an epic road trip to Montana, where Sam's sister is getting married. Sam and Wesley are best friends and out of jobs and boyfriends at the time, which makes it perfect time for road trip to Montana through all the major sites such as NYC, Washington DC, small towns, and New Orleans. At least Wesley is convinced of that, Sam's more unsure if he wants to go - mostly because he doesn't want to face his relatives in the wedding. Cool premise, right? Road trip, close quarters, and best friends sounds really good, especially with contrast between introvert Sam and outgoing Wesley, and oh boy do they have chemistry sizzling between them!

However, there was just a little bit too much telling for my taste, especially when it came to the destinations on the road trip. There was usually just a side note what Sam and Wesley had done, like a list with boxes to tick, but not actually taking the reader there with them. The focus of the story is the relationship and those moments that drove it forward, and everything else was skimmed over; it was disappointing because I was waiting for the road trip and all the destinations. However, Sam and Wesley's friendship and development of deeper feelings was extremely well done. A believable transition, and I never doubted their feelings for each other as they cared for each other very much. It felt natural, especially the pondering if it was worth possibly ruining their friendship that was so important for both of them.

Most problematic for me was Wesley's secret. It was easy enough to guess, but that wasn't the problem for me. It is just something I'm not comfortable with, and if I had known The Long Way Around tried tackling the subject, I most likely would have skipped it. Besides that, Wesley's secret wasn't handled with the care and seriousness it needed.

All in all, I feel like The Long Way Around is an okay read - it didn't wow me, but it wasn't bad either. I think the problem was that it had too much going on: the road trip, emerging relationship, Wesley's secret, and Sam and Wesley's futures (both between jobs, future uncertain). A little less stuff and more focus on few aspects would have done wonders for the story. Anyway, it's not a bad book - it might entirely be about finding the right reader for the story. I wasn't swept off my feet, but it was enjoyable enough, and if you find the blurb irresistible, you should give it a go.

I really love friends-to-lover romances, and that’s what we get here when best friends Sam and Wes go on a road trip together. While I liked this book, I can’t say that I completely loved it. I think the whole “opposites attract” aspect worked well. Sam is more of an introvert, so Wes gets him out and enjoying life, while Sam keeps Wes from going too far off the deep end.

However, there is a secret that Wes is keeping. I think it becomes fairly clear as the book goes on, and it’s not anything relationship related, so no worries about that. I feel like it was handled fairly well, but the end of the book seemed to push things to a “better place” a bit too quick for me. It just didn’t seem entirely realistic. Granted, I did appreciate that both Sam and Wes grew up a lot throughout the book and came to the realizations of what they did and did not want in life, and in love, and I do think the guys were a good match! So in all, not a bad read!

Road trips, friends to lovers and secrets... what's not to love ;) Although I had a couple of minor little issues with The Long Way Around, I still loved the story.

On the surface, Sam and Wes seemed polar opposites, but that's what made their relationship work. Wes gave Sam the strength to face his fears and make the trip to his sister's wedding. Sam gave Wes the strength to face his deepest fear and come to terms with it.

So what were my issues? That's a fair question... Wes' secret wasn't a minor one. To be honest, it should have been something that Sam picked up on a lot sooner than he did - even though I didn't. I only say that because Sam and Wes were pretty much inseparable. I can't really say a lot more because I don't want to give anything away. Like I said, it was minor in the total scheme of things. It was important though and it shaped the way things worked out for both Sam and Wes.

This isn't my first Quinn Anderson book and even though I've had mixed feelings about a couple of others, I'm sure it won't be my last. ;)

From the very first page, The Long Way Around caught my attention. I instantly fell in love with the mood of this story by Quinn Anderson.

The book starts with Sam who is unemployed, and uninspired to look for a job at the moment. His best friend, Wesley, is also between jobs. Sam’s sister is getting married, but Sam is afraid to attend, knowing his parents are mad at him. Wesley convinces him to take a road trip, with the wedding as their final destination. What Wesley doesn’t tell Sam, is his reason for suggesting this trip.

As we meet these men, they have been best friends for years and have an extremely close bond. Wesley wants to spend time with his best friend again, trying to relive some of their college days, while hoping to keep Sam from learning his secret.

As they start out on their two week road trip, they never expect what will happen. But, as they share hotel rooms, get drunk together, and more, new feelings start to arise for both men.

I absolutely love and adore Sam and Wesley. Sam’s shy, introverted, and often socializes only at Wesley’s request. He’s a character I can relate to a lot as I appreciate such a well developed personality with these traits. Wesley’s an extrovert who is always on the go and looking for a party. He is basically the fun and exciting friend.

As friends for the past 5 years, they have balanced one another out. Sam helps Wesley from floating away and Wesley helps Sam to occasionally fly a little.

At its core, The Long Way Around, is about two best friends finding true love with one another. Then about half way through the book, Wesley’s secret is exposed and the book takes on a whole new tone. Suddenly their relationship is not the complete issue at hand. The serious and heavy topic is so damn well written, with a clear knowledge and understanding of the problem. And dealing with Wesley’s revelation becomes the basis for the second half of this love story.

In addition to their new romantic feelings, they need to find out who they are without each other. They are relying on each other so much that it has ultimately become unhealthy. This part of their story is exquisitely handled.

The road trip includes some wonderful local flavor and adventures. I appreciate how well written it is, making for a fantastic background to this story.

I am grateful to have discovered The Long Way Around. Quinn Anderson has created a slow-burn, friends to lover’s romance that is emotional, thoughtful and impressive, in a completely unexpected manner.

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.

4 Stars!

I really like friends to lovers stories and I really enjoy them when a road-trip is thrown into the mix.

Sam and Wes are quite different which made them a great match. Where Wes is playful and outgoing Sam is kind of nerdy and would rather stay home. Sam is still dealing with the fallout of a bad breakup and is ready to move on. His sister begs him to attend her wedding but after his breakup he's afraid to face his family again considering his breakup affected them all in different ways and he doesn't want to deal with the aftermath. Wes is in limbo with jobs and his life has hit some rough patches that he has been keeping close to the chest. Being the wild side to this friendship he plans a 2-week road trip to get Sam to his sisters wedding. After some convincing both men head off for an adventure that will bring to light an attraction that neither saw coming. Wes finds it harder to hide his secret with them being in such close quarters and soon he can't hide it anymore. The trip is not all fun and games and issues arise and new feelings are discovered.

Their journey was not smooth. It was full of bumps and curvy turns. But every bump and turn was necessary in order for them both to move on. They found love, acceptance, and help when they both needed it the most. They had great chemistry as friends that only grew stronger when their friendship transitioned into a romantic relationship.

The story is a little slow to start and it took me a minute to get into it, but once I did I was completely invested in it.

It was a really enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Happy reading dolls! xx

An enjoyable friends-to-lovers romance that I couldn't put down!

Friends-to-lovers romance is always a bit of a hit and miss for me (and it's nothing compared to the incredibleness that is enemies-to-lovers), but I can say that I quite liked Quinn Anderson's take on this classic trope.

Sam is a nerdy introvert who prefers to keep to himself. Wesley is an outgoing extrovert who loves hanging out with people. They're been best friends for years and they set off across the country on a road trip to Sam's sister's wedding. Sam and Wesley's romantic chemistry was both sweet and hot -- there were times their friendship was loving and platonic, and then a few pages later, the sexual tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife.

This story also has a lot of heart as Sam battles some personal demons. Sam and Wesley aren't 3D characters: they have real feelings and thoughts and motivations, and you can't help but connect to them. Especially Sam <3

I highly recommend this gem! If you're looking for a sweet m/m book with a well deserved (and hard-fought) HEA, then look no further.