Going the Distance
by Christa Cervone
This is the second book in the series and I have to say it was every bit as good as the first.
It was bursting at the seams with everything that you could possibly want.
If angst, pain and relationship is what you are looking for then this series is the one for you.
Emotionally I found the story challenging, it made me stare in disbelief at my kindle and had me reaching for tissues on so many occasions, difficult situations beautifully written with total control and accuracy. Simply put the handling of some delicate subject matter was astonishing.
Gabriel and Salem start this book going through a tough time but despite the time they were apart, I had no doubt that they would make it. The love between them was just exquisite.
We learn more about the relationship between Gabriel and Jase, two brothers that have experienced more than they should have in their few short years. Life has treated them to the worst that it has to offer.
It was heart breaking to read what they had been through but it gives their story perspective and that is a major strength of the whole book, its perspective. It exudes poignancy and encourages empathy and those are emotions that we should all find comfort in being able to display.
The writing style was absolutely to my liking, it gave me the opportunity to see things from Gabriel’s point of view which is what this book is all about, as I said previously- this is Gabriel’s story, the tale of his life, his loves and his fight for his future.
I had one tiny niggle though, it was the need to have Salem’s story told in a mix of both 1st and 3rd person, I found that it made the whole experience a little difficult to get a handle on as the story progressed but I have to say that as awkward as it was at times I eventually got why the author had elected to use this tactic as it actually began to make sense, it just sometimes forced me to apply a little too much consideration to content the text while reading.
The peripheral characters were central to the storyline much of the time and not just filler, I especially liked Frankie and the relationship that he had with Gabriel.
This man was everything a guy could want from someone that was not only his mentor, but his saving grace, his reason for putting one foot in front of each other for so long and for being the rounded, contributing individual that Gabriel had become, he owes Frankie his life but Frankie had given both his time and love freely for a boy that he considered his son.
I have to say that the book and the series were fabulously written and ones that I will probably return to again, they were both exemplary works that deserve to be considered as first class.