farther he runsRating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links: 
 Amazon | All Romance | Amazon UK
Length: Novel 


Tanner Dorsey has just returned from active duty in the Marines, on a mission where he had no communication with home for a year. When he finally was able to check in, Tanner learned that one of his best friends, Chris, was killed in a rafting accident nine months ago and the other, Finn, was seriously injured in the same accident and is still recovering. Finn, Tanner, and Chris had been best friends for years, as close as brothers. Tanner’s feelings for Finn have been stronger than friendship for a while, but he is afraid of messing things up between them by sharing the truth, especially with both men still raw over Chris’ death.

Finn has spent months recovering from the accident and his subsequent coma. After years in the Marines and being in peak physical condition, Finn has had to relearn the most basic tasks and is still not as strong as he once was. Between self doubts and anxieties about his own weakness, as well as his sadness over Chris’ death, Finn has shut pretty much everyone out, even his closest friends with whom he co-owns Kick Adventures. But when Tanner returns, Finn finally has the comfort of his best friend, a man who understands everything about Finn, as well as a man whom he secretly loves.

Finn and Tanner take some time to spend alone in Finn’s seaside cabin. It is a chance for them to reconnect, for Finn to work on getting stronger and continuing to heal, for Tanner to mentally recover from his recent military duties, and for both men to deal with their grief over Chris’ death. The bond between the two of them continues to grow stronger as they spend the days and weeks together, and the attraction both men feel for one another gets even more intense. The sexual interest and dominant tendencies Finn thought were forever lost come roaring back and perfectly fit with Tanner’s more submissive side. Now Finn and Tanner must decide if they can be brave enough to share their feelings and take a chance on something more than friendship between them. And once they do, they must figure out how to navigate a future where Tanner is soon due back on active duty.

The Farther He Runs is the third book in Lynda Aicher’s Kick series and my favorite one so far. The stories all focus on a group of men who own Kick Adventures. Most of them are former military and many of them are Doms. Finn has been a character in the background of the first two books. Chris’ death and Finn’s injuries are a major story thread that ties the series together, but this is the first time we actually really meet him. So I think you could probably read this one as a standalone, but I think having the history of the accident and how it affects the other guys would enhance your reading of this book.

I will admit at first the book was a little on the slow side, or at least a little on the intense, darker end, as we start off really feeling Finn and Tanner’s grief. These men are so torn apart by losing Chris, and Finn has been suffering alone for a while. Tanner blames himself for not being there for Finn and these guys are just really struggling. But once they get away to the cabin and start spending time healing, the story really picks up. The chemistry and connection between the men is great from the start. They have been best friends for years, and along with Chris, the men have been inseparable. Aicher does a really nice job letting us feel the intense bonds of their friendship and their closeness, while at the same time seeing how their feelings having changed to become more romantic and sexual. The story is super hot, with some mild Dom/sub play. Nothing too intense, but enough to add some light kink to the story. I also appreciated that while it does take some time for the guys to admit their feelings, this part of the conflict doesn’t drag on endlessly, and the later parts of the book are more focused on the future plans than on getting the guys to open up about their attraction to one another.

So I really enjoyed this story and thought it was a great addition to the series. I am not sure what more Aicher has planned for the Kick crew, but I am really liking this series and hope there is more to come.

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