Blurb:
All their lives, Finn and Nate have been inseparable, sharing everything, and when a childhood accident left Finn broken, Nate stood by his side as all his other friends left. After all their years together, there’s one secret Finn still hasn’t revealed: he has been in love with Nate since they were eight years old. Hiding his feelings for twenty-one years—terrified of what might happen if Nate ever found out—has been difficult, but losing his best friend would be worse than living with a bad case of unrequited love. Unfortunately for Finn, Nate doesn’t make it easy.
Nate believes there are some things that just have to be done before your thirtieth birthday. As a gift to Finn, he plans an adventure to check off a list of thirty things to experience before hitting that milestone. Starting in Crawfordsville, Indiana, they tour the country, trying new things and meeting interesting new people. Nate’s having the time of his life, but he can tell Finn is holding something back. As the days count down, navigating the back roads suddenly seems easier than figuring out where their relationship is heading.
One thing’s for certain. There will be no turning back.
Where To Buy:
Dreamspinner Press || Barnes and Noble || Amazon || Kobo
Review:
I have mixed feelings on this book. First of all, I adored Ms. Ashwood’s writing style. Even with the story-specific thing I wasn’t a fan of, I still loved the emotions she brought out and the overall story of Finn and Nate falling in love. Plus I adored going on the road trip adventure with them. It was described in ways that made me fee like I was there with them. I also loved the cameos in this book!
Finn overcame some serious obstacles in his life. He was refreshingly realistic about his limitations and strove for independence where he could. I truly wish he would have communicated with Nate more. Especially after they got together. He kept jumping to conclusions and assuming he knew how Nate felt. It created unnecessary drama and angst. Finn would have been able to enjoy parts of the trip far more if he had. I adored how excited Finn got at most of the stops and adventures. His joy was infectious and you couldn’t help but smile as you read. All of his emotions came through clearly in the story.
We only get to see Nat through Finn’s eyes. However he’s such a sweetheart you connect with him immediately. You could see how he takes care of Finn and treasures Finn throughout their journey. I enjoyed watching Nate get more secure in his feelings and relationship with Finn. Nate has a fun sense of humor and is someone you’d want as a friend.
The tension between these two is so thick at the beginning of the story. You could see the sparks as Finn tried to figure out if he was reading the signs wrong or not. Once Finn finally talked with Nate about where things were going and how they truly feel you could tell they were going to make the relationship last long term. The story ends on the sweet spot between a happy for now and a happily ever after. I’d read the heck out of a sequel. I enjoyed Finn and Nate and want more of them. I’d love to see them back at home and in everyday routine. Plus I want to see them married with the dog, the white picket fence, and 2.5 kids. Mostly, I just want to see them happy and in love.
Stars:
Four
About Cate:
Cate discovered her love for books of all kinds early on, but romance is where her heart truly lies. She is addicted to the happily ever afters and the journey the characters take to get there. Currently residing in White Rock, B.C, Cate loves living just a stone’s throw from the ocean. When she’s not writing, she can be found consuming coffee at an alarming rate while wrangling her children, her husband, and their two cats.
Author Contact:
Cate loves to hear from readers. You can contact her at cateashwood@gmail.com or on her website http://www.cateashwood.com. If you’d like to get up-to-date information, exclusive excerpts and content, and giveaways, be sure to sign up for Cate’s Newsletter.
Molly Lolly 