The Long Way Home

It was really hard to like the main character, I'm from the Pacific Northwest so obviously live in a different world. I just couldn't understand allowing yourself to be controlled like that and all the back and forth was just getting ridiculous.

Unfortunately, the characters didn't make sense to me. Obnoxious characters got forgiveness for no reason and the hero and heroine were not likable at all. The story could have flowed better but it was disjointed.

Jacqueline is a socialite who is stuck in an engagement with a man she doesn't love. The match was made by her parents (who are wealthy - new money - looking to make a match with old money/influence). After something 'big' happens; She finds herself back with a man she adores as both a friend and a lover - Mike. He is a pro hockey player and is also a 'player'.
This story is about how Jacqueline works to break from her overbearing/domineering parents and works to developing her relationship (and eventually making a firm commitment) with Mike.
In the process, Jacqueline meets various heroes (in both male and female versions) as well as anti-heroes (in both genders as well).

This story has been played out before - but this story had a bit of a twist. I didn't like either character. Jacqueline is old enough to be able to make up her own mind and break free from her parents' influence. She attempts to save Mike from her father's nefarious threats, but her choice should be to suck it up - and get a job away from her family. She makes several bad choices. Including drinking very heavily when things get rough. This doesn't endear the heroine to me at all. She gets a lot of financial and emotional support a long the way. People do a lot of financial and emotional heavy lifting for this girl. Being pretty seems to be her main asset.

Mike is also not a super likeable character. He is sexy and works incredibly hard to get Jacqueline to make a commitment. But he also makes some pretty bad choices that makes me wonder how committed he truly is to Jacqueline.

They seem to chase each other in circles, rotate, then do it again. It's not heartbreaking. It's annoying.
I rooted more for the pseudo-antagonist, Daniela. And the other hockey players. I soon started to not care about whether the H & h would get together....

I got whiplash from the characters oscillating from flying to foreign countries to be with each other/playing out romantic story lines from movies -- to jumping into bed/relationships with other people without a second thought.

Sorry - it wasn't a book for me....I want a strong, kind, smart, sexy, honest and steadfast heroine who gets paired up with a strong, sexy, kind, honest, steadfast hero.

I'm not sure what to do with this. I got excited because it was about a New York Ranger, but there's no hockey in the book. Then he ends up on a different team. My main issue is just that I didn't feel connected to the female character. The way the book is set up, there are 2 male possibilities for her, and the author makes the second one seem almost better than the first. The first one has fidelity issues. I guess it's more realistic? For someone's life... Not mine. There were a few good moments, but it was disjointed and utterly lackluster. I was left disappointed.

Tara Brown (as Erin Leigh) writes a captivating story of finding oneself and finding one's way to love.
Genre: Romantic Fiction, 18+ due to graphic situations & some language
Of Note: The Long Way is a twisty engaging story with a surprises, drama, romance. Tara Brown's stories are often fairly fanciful (i.e. not very realistic) page turners. It is not a singular story about love or family or self and yet is about all of that. Like life, the tale can give you a bit of whiplash, at times too much happens, and you aren't really sure what will happen around the corner. There are times when I get a little irritated with certain characters and behaviors, but I think that is partially what keeps the reader moving through the book and not stuck on one possible outcome.
Best Quote:
If you like this, Try: Erin Leigh's (Tara Brown's) other books or Books by R.S. Grey

***SPOILERS****

This book was drama from the beginning to the near end. J.D. reminded me of one of those abused battered married women. She hates her circumstances but can't seem to leave because they think they will lose everything. I could not fault her for that. Don't get me wrong, I did want to slap her quite a few times for her choices. At the end I was happy that she decided to take 6 months to find herself. Mike on the other hand.....

I loved Mike from the beginning. He was J.D.'s rock. He was there for her loved, and tried to be her savior. But he fell short on a couple things which I wish the author didn't add in. He didn't wait very long at grand central station when she finally got the courage to stand up to her family. He didn't give her enough reaction time when he ruined her wedding. But what really made me mad was he could not be celibate for her for 6 months. To me that's disgraceful and pathetic. If you truly love somebody you wouldn't do that. And she forgave him so easily. Maybe I am a vengeful and spiteful person but I could not trust someone with my heart if they could be celibate if I asked. That deterred me away from him. I was no longer rooting for him. My new fave man was Luce...

Luce was perfect for J.D. and he really liked her. Why couldn't she pick him?!? They had so much in common and enjoyed each others company. He was handsome, young, and rich. He was the complete package.

The author did a great job with the writing and kept me on my toes. I could not put my kindle down.

Horrible plot, the characters were all awful people, including JD and France, in fact, they were the worst of all. She is extremely spoiled, fickle and weak. What a doormat! He is dumb, immature and promiscuous. They really don't makes any sense. First she is this drug addict, vapid creature whose mind revolves around shopping and designer brands. Then she is so "passionately" interested in wine and vineyards, arts and antiques, that in 2 months she becomes this great connoisseur... He is obsessed with this girl but doesn't fight for her. When she leaves, he just keeps having sex with any girl that crosses his path. He cheats on her and she is ok with it?She doesn't know what she wants, she goes from loving Mike passionately to considering him as just a friend as she gets interested in Luc, then she wants to be alone to "discover herself" Then she picks Luc although Mike is the "love of her life " and Mike knows it and comes to her at the place she is supposed to rendezvous with Luc? Come on!! I wasn't sure if they where going to stay together and faithful for a week, let alone "forever". I really regret the time I wasted reading this awful book.

I loved this heartfelt read!! I hated her family (except her sister) and was frustrated by the circumstances. Thank goodness for Muriel! Yes, I could have done without some of the fanfare that dragged it out, but it did put me on edge. In reality though, I see the validity. We don't always see the handwriting on the wall, and we don't know what we've got till it's gone, always second guessing our choices and wondering if the grass is greener on the other side.

Give it a shot! I'm glad I did!! The only thing better would have been for it to include actual hockey games and more hockey references.

Adult material. Good story. Had me hooked waiting to see the path she would take at each turn. However, I find it hard to believe she didn't walk away from her dad's manipulative control long ago. I also find it hard to believe that any father would be so awful and have no love at all for his daughter that he would drug her, make her get abortion, force her to marry a man who hit her and cheated on her, and set her up to be committed. Run, don't walk, away from that!!!! Good ending though. Mike loves her so much and always did!

They met in high school. He was a scholarship kid surrounded by blue bloods. He hated it. They became best friends. She had obligations to her family to marry another blue blood. Jack and France were in love but parted ways for her to be with her new fiancé. She caught her fiancé having sex with a nineteen year old in her bed. She left and drove to see France in North Carolina.

The book was in Jack's POV and editing was good.

Jack's selfishness and Mike's sluttiness got on my nerves. They both seemed a little vacuous to me.

Tara Brown is a phenomenal writer. She will run you through every gamete of emotion there is and leave you breathless on the other side. Her characters are so real. She does have a penchant to throw in a few vivid sex scenes so beware, but her books are so worth it.

First off J.D's mom is a complete b****! "Nonsense. You will and you will correct whatever you've done to make him stray. Stop taking your pills and get pregnant before he too starts to doubt this. Come for tea tomorrow." Mike sweet Jesus he cares for her and honestly I'd do him in a heartbeat, "What are you doing? I didn't get why the eff you're getting married in the first place, Phil's a douche and now this?" He really does care for his girl, even though she's not really his, but that's just technicalities, "Jack, stop this okay. You're taking drugs with alcohol and numbers off dudes you don't know. This isn't you anymore. Is he hurting you? I'll kill him. I'm cool with prison, I got a lot of fans in there. We won the cup last year, I'm golden." Mike makes bad situations funny, "Not the first time a drunk girl tried to get my pants off. Course it was the first time a girl called me sexy lumberjack France. Now drink up. I haven't heard that outta your mouth in a while." I really want a guy like Mike, "Come on, baby. I'll take you home and you can straighten this whole thing out with Phil. We'll get you sorted out. You can stay with me. If Phil comes and grovels I'll kick the shit out of him. It'll be fun. Willy told me you were upset. He said Phil was cheating." Of course I loved the book, I love all of Tara's books even if I want to kill her with all her cliffhangers luckily this one didn't have one. This book messes with your emotions like hardcore and you just want to scream at the characters to make up their damn minds. Oh and J.D's mom does soften up after an event happens so I was totally pleased with that.

Oh good Lord this book drove me crazy in all the right ways. What a messed up family Jack has, her father is a pure jerk. The rich can really be jerks. In comes hot and sexy NHL player France, that has known Jack since they were teens. She is a dutiful daughter doing all the things expected of her, including an arranged marriage her dad set up. She however runs to Frances place... read the book to get all crazy emotional leads right up until the end!!

This was such a delightful storyline and I enjoyed it so much!
The characters were exceptionally well written, especially the two main characters in this love story, their romance sizzled. I think this author writes an exceptional love story and I look forward to reading more from her.
Definitely a five star rating for this book.

I received this copy for my honest review.

I loved this whole story!!! I screamed and laughed and cried all threw this book. My heart cried out for J.D. from the very start Who would want what she had to do? I caught my self mad at her and Mike so many times LOL but I love how their friendship stayed in tact threw thick and thin. To me that is how love works and should be. This is an amazing addition to the Tara Brown collection!! Must read...Adult only!!

This was a heartfelt book I loved ever moments and didn't want it to end !!! I laughed I cried and got angry!! I love when a book has many emotions in it!! Would love to read more books by this Author !!

This author is brilliant at writing about real relationships. Even though the characters in this story had money and social standing she still captured the essence of two people fighting through life towards one another. Loved this one as always!

The author tends to start her novels with rather unlikable characters doin unpleasant things. While this is part of the plan and the characters turn their lives around in the course of the story, it makes for tough slogging in the early part of the book. With each of two of her novels, I almost quit because of this.

I have, however enjoyed the character development, plot twists and heart warming turns of events once I got into each book.

In love. With the book yes, but even so more with Tara Brown. I have loved everything of hers that I have read. That being said, it was a bit of a rollercoaster! Will she leave? Will she stay? Who will she chose? Who is the right choice? At the end of it all, I still loved the book. As always, I'd love to read more about these characters!

Yes it's true about the long way home. she been threw so much and all because of her family and there so called old blood and new blood . She learn to be herself and strong and to not give up. This is the sweetest story so far

I has now just finished 3 books byErin and I have Loved each of them! She is an Amazing storyteller who adds just enough spice to make the story one you can't put down! Don't miss Any of her books!!

Loved the happy ending, however...I have whiplash from all the back and forth and craziness that happened! Not necessarily believable storyline...I feel like it would have been better without some of the "drama"...

Before I start this, I have to say writing a book is an extremely hard process, and finishing, let alone publishing a book is a huge accomplishment, HOWEVER the heroine in this book is so fickle it makes me crazy. She wants him one second, the next his friend might be her soul mate. It makes her look weak. I wanted her to stand up to her parents and get her HEA but th whole book kept dragging on. The side relationships could have all been eliminated had she womaned up and told her hero what she wanted. She just dragged him along until it was convent for her. Not impressed.

Great story. There were several times I teared up while reading some particularly tense parts. The story is both heartbreaking and redeeming, and takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. Couldn't stop reading once started.

I loved over this book. It was a little confusing at times, but I loved the on and off again relationship with JD and France. Towards the end it gets really good and I could certainly picture all the moments!

I usually enjoy Erin Leigh's writing, but she lost me on this one. The hero and heroine were both fairly unlikeable, and I never did buy them as a couple in love, even at the end. Even the peripheral characters are mostly horrible people.

Lots of rich people drama throughout, so the book reads like an 80s mini-series, and I don't mean that as a compliment!

This is a stand alone book, I was given an ARC for an honest review.

Here goes,
The story revolves around a female lead Jack. And 3 wealthy men. One her fiancé, her dad and the other a hockey player. She is used to society expecting her to live by their rules and die by their rules. The Long way home is about Jack finding herself, finding what fits her and how to cope by herself. She wants independence, and to find herself.

The story flows well, I was confused at first but it all pulls together. I was sad to see it end, I wanted more. I love Tara Browns writing style. She goes from dark and dangerous to commentary romance in a flash. She amazes me.

5 star for me :).

I'll be honest, this book and I have a very frustrating relationship. Which all things considered is much like the main character, Jack- J.D- Jackie, Jacqueline- (whatever she is being called at the time) relationship with France. Or Mike, or Michael. Honestly not sure what the obsession is with the name changing? During the first half I was rooting for France but then I realized he was wrong for her. There were parts where I was mentally shaking the main character, or wished I could slap her! The ending wasn't very satisfying.

I loved this book! It was an u poo and down emotional rollercoaster but so worth it in the end! The author wrote it beautifully and told Jacks story well. I loved all the characters and the roles they played in the plot.