Ally Blue (1964–2022)

More than a romance, Ally Blue's Long the Mile is a beautiful journey of self discovery. While this holiday-themed romance is not a light-hearted read, it is not bleak or depressing. It is a realistic and thought-provoking story that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting as Judah Jackson and Toby Simonsen find love despite their rather dire circumstances.

Although Judah is no stranger to hardship, he is ill-prepared for the difficulties he encounters following his release from prison. Unable to show more find a job and evicted from his apartment, Judah's salvation comes from an unlikely source: Toby, the homeless man he briefly encountered and easily dismissed months earlier. With Toby's assistance, Judah is soon safely navigating the homeless world he now inhabits and their friendship unexpectedly takes a romantic turn. But when one of the men finally finds employment the future of their relationship is in jeopardy.

Long the Mile is told from both Judah and Toby's perspectives and this helps to provide incredible insight into both characters and their current situations. They are a fascinating study in contrasts with vastly different personalities and diverse backgrounds. Despite his difficulties, Toby remains outgoing, optimistic and compassionate. Judah is a loner and at first, he is quite wary and distrustful. Toby is pretty much an open book but Judah is reluctant to reveal any of his past.

Firmly based in reality, Long the Mile is a well-written novella that has a great deal of depth and substance. Ally Blue deftly handles sensitive topics with ease and the resulting story is incredibly poignant. An enlightening and refreshingly honest read that I highly recommend. show less

Ally Blue has a gift for writing gay romances that revolve around healing. “Easy,” “Untamed Hearts,” and “Willow Bend” all had characters going through very difficult times who are hesitant to start relationships again. But, love wins out eventually! Forgotten Song is another successful novel in this vein.

This novel has a darker undercurrent than previous works. Eric Green has had a horrible life. So horrible in fact, that if I didn’t watch so many true crime shows I would’ve show more found it hard to believe that so much could happen to one person. But it can and does. His body has many visible scars, but his heart has even more. Eric survived a brutal assault and ran from his old life. Ben first encounters Eric outside a bar his band performs at. Eric is, surprisingly, winning a fist fight against a much larger opponent. But underneath that bravado, he’s panic-stricken. Ben convinces Eric to come home with him after seeing how bad off he is. There is an attraction between them, but Eric is damaged and afraid he can’t give Ben what he needs – and deserves.

What made this novel really special was that the author didn’t discount the horrors in Eric’s life with a trite “true love conquers all at first sight”. The two men struggle with Eric’s demons for most of the novel. Abuse cannot be overcome simply by a loving, patient partner. Professional help and time are also necessary. Eric slowly opens up to Ben, telling him more of what has made him so skittish. There is sex in the novel, but not as much as in some of Blue’s other books. But those scenes are very tender as readers finally understand how much it costs Eric to open up to another person. There is a subplot to the story about how Eric’s life truly is in danger from someone (I won’t spoil it here) and that provides a good counterpoint to their romance. And again, the author doesn’t shy away from a dark tone. Neither man escapes the trouble unscathed, making the story seem more realistic.

Overall, this was a very good novel which balances tears with laughter as only Ally Blue can. Sacrifices are necessary for the happily ever after, and it makes their love all the more poignant. Highly recommended. show less

I liked the idea of this but I felt the story couldn't decide whether to lampoon shape-shifting and M/M erotica or take itself seriously. Some of the dialog and events were just ridiculously silly. The sex was okay but I had a hard time picturing it and frankly, something going in the urethra doesn't sound erotic, it sounds painful.

But I have to say, having read a book with octopus sex actually came in handy on Christmas. We were playing a silly, raunchy, adult game and somehow marine animal show more sex came up. I was able to say truthfully that I had read such a story. It at least got a laugh. show less

3.5 Stars

I've not made it a secret that I really don't mind, and sometimes love, revisiting established couples, and this was actually a great look at Declan and Simon a few years later. It is still full of genius, topical, fantastic humor, where I literally burst out laughing throughout reading this - mostly due to Simon's reactionary thoughts and both the intentional and unintentional compromising situations he gets himself into.

Again, despite the gawd awful, fade to black (yes, I'm show more indignant), this showcased how strong Simon and Declan are despite the new roadblocks they hit in their lives, but thankfully not in their relationship. There's also a huge appreciation for all of their friends. Fran and Roger in their crazy awesomeness. Lisa and Abe in their devout loyalty. Add in Simon's tactless, wacky family and genius assistant, and this really makes for a fun read.

So overall, I liked this more than [b:Tigers and Devils|6430659|Tigers and Devils (Tigers and Devils #1)|Sean Kennedy|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1350519754s/6430659.jpg|6513774]. Through some terrific comedy, it was relatable, it was smart, and it made me go awwwww, as these two realize what's really important, and of course come out the other side all the better to tackle the next challenge that comes their way. show less