Reviewed by Donna
TITLE: So Far Gone
AUTHOR: Avril Ashton
PUBLISHER: Sinner’s Haven Publishing
LENGTH: 130 Pages
BLURB:
One night? Feels like three years…
Jacob Donnelly wants something new. Something different. Which is why he’s got a one-way ticket to New York and his bags packed. One last night out to the bar finds him in a sexy stranger’s bed, giving in to an explosive chemistry Jacob had been searching for, but never found. Until now. It’s too bad he’s leaving town, although once he finds out his one night stand’s true identity, Jacob can’t get away fast enough.
Cash Warner made a mistake. It doesn’t matter that he’d never felt anything like the fire generated between him and Jacob. He doesn’t plan to ever see his one-night hookup ever again. Except he does. When the reality of what they’d done fully sets in, Jacob flees, leaving Cash struggling with how to deal with the bitter taste of betrayal he can’t escape. Because even with Jacob gone for years, Cash can’t stop wanting more of that one night. Fate conspires against them once again, bringing Jacob home after tragedy strikes, and they’ll find it near impossible to keep their distance despite being committed to other people.
REVIEW:
I’m happy to admit that I’m big Avril Ashton fan. The woman popped my m/m cherry with her Brooklyn Sinners series and I’ve been addicted to her writing ever since. If someone asked me to describe Avril’s writing in three words I’d choose often-violent, always-angsty and so-goddamn-hot-I-need-to-stop-to-take-a-cold-shower. (See how I managed to convey so much in only three words? It’s a gift.) But this is the first time I’ve read an Avril Ashton book that isn’t part of the Sinners series or part of her Fantasies Thr33 (ménage) series and as much as I love her writing I was sort of clinging to a thread of hope that just maybe/possibly/I know she never would but, did she write a book with just a touch less angst? I wasn’t asking for fluff, I’m not completely delusional, but just not ending up curled in a corner singing about “my favourite things” would be nice. What on earth was I thinking? Of course she was not going to spare my overly sensitive feelings.
The story begins with what is intended to be a one night only hookup between our two main characters Cash and Jacob. It’s Jacob’s last night in town, he’s planning on moving to New York the next day so despite the amazingly hot sex and surprisingly strong connection he feels with Cash, Jacob sneaks out of the hotel room at dawn to go spend his final day with his brother. And you know what, that is it. 20% of the story is all we get before some of the worst damn angst I’ve read in a while just filled up my throat and left me on the verge of tears for the rest of the book.
Plot wise it is really hard to say more without giving away what happens but because the blurb sort of mentions it I will say that the story does skip forward three years at one point, which sometimes annoys me but with this book it works out fine. It is at this point, three years later, that Jacob finally returns home from New York and encounters Cash once again.
What struck me most about this book is that the situation Cash and Jacob find themselves in, the reason they can’t find their way to be together for so long, just feels totally believable. One screwed up twist of fate and two men who want to be together are kept apart for three years, more barriers popping up between them as time goes on. Usually when I read stories that take a similar path I think – well why didn’t you just do this, or do that. If they really wanted to be together then they would be. But not with this book. Even getting both characters perspectives, understanding what both men wanted I couldn’t see how it would be able to happen. How they could untangle their lives to find their happily ever after.
Well, actually, that’s not completely true. I had a horrible sinking feeling from early on exactly what it would take for these men to get together and to be honest I think this may be the first book I’ve ever read where I think I would have been ok with the two MCs not ending up together. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted them together. But! They both have partners who are absolutely in love with them, and the author didn’t take the easy way by creating horrible, cheating partners who we don’t give a shit about. Both of those other men are men who deserve their own HEA and I hurt just as much for them as for the main characters.
I should probably add, for those of you who aren’t mad Avril Ashton fans (it’s ok, there’s still time for you) Avril never writes cheating. So despite how all the above sounds you can rest assured that, aside from one sneaky kiss between Jacob and Cash, there is no cheating in this book. It’s Cash and Jacobs’ love for the other two men that manages to keep them apart.
There are a few spots in the book where the story would suddenly be in a new scene without any sort of break and I ended up confused. For example Jacob is with his lawyer then his boyfriend, Vito, is there and it took me a moment to realize that he isn’t actually with the lawyer anymore but back in his hotel room. But that could have just been because I had an arc copy. And to tell the truth, it wasn’t that big a deal. The only reason I mention it is if you read this book, now you’ll know what’s going on when you get to that bit. This book is Avril Ashton’s first self-published work so I figure, if that’s my only complaint, she did a brilliant job.
As far as I’m aware this is a stand alone story but I’m hoping if enough people beg loud enough and long enough then just maybe Vito will get his own happily ever after in his own story. I’m oddly attached to the poor guy. See, this is what always happens with Avril Ashton’s books. Despite needing to self medicate with copious amounts of alcohol to calm my frazzled nerves, I just want more!
RATING: 
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