The Long Slide Home by Kate McMurray

Title: The Long Slide Home
Series: The Rainbow League #3
Author: Kate McMurray
Genre: Contemporary/Sports
Length: Novel (204 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (14 Aug 2015)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Nate and Carlos have been the best of friends since their childhood playing baseball together in the Bronx. For the past few years, Nate’s been in love with Carlos, though he’s never acted on it and Carlos has never given any indication that he returns Nate’s feelings. Nate has finally given up, determined to move on and find someone else, especially now that Carlos has shacked up with his boyfriend, Aiden.

Carlos doesn’t understand why Nate has suddenly gotten weird, acting cold and distant at team practice for the Rainbow League. But if that’s how things are going to be, Carlos is done trying to figure Nate out. But then Aiden reveals he has a violent side, and Carlos needs his best friend’s support.

On top of that, he starts to realize his feelings for Nate might not be limited to friendship. But in the aftermath of his relationship with Aiden, and with Nate having problems of his own, the timing is all wrong to make a real relationship work.

As emotions run high, both have a hard time figuring out what is real and what is just convenient.

ISBN: 978-1-63216-972-3

Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6741

Reviewer: Prime

Review: I was really looking to reading this book and it did not disappoint. Let me give you some background: this is the third book in Kate McMurray’s wonderful series, The Rainbow League which is set around a group of friends who play in New York’s Rainbow League, playing baseball. Truthfully, the books could probably be standalone stories which focus on a different romantic couple. However, there is a lot of interaction from minor character who also become main characters in their own stories, and since I just love this series, I think it all needs to be read.

The Long Slide Home is probably the perfect example of what I was just trying to explain. The MCs of this book are Carlos and Nate, long time besties whose relationship has undergone a number of subtle changes over the last few years. Their back story was gently simmering in the back ground of books 1 and 2, which happens over the said few years.

Now Carlos and Nate have their own story and I was so damn excited to read it!

Its great meeting up with our favourite couples from the past and catching up with those guys – the characters are rich and deeply developed. Now that it’s Carlos and Nate’s time to shine they have been developed even more, despite the fact that a number of the broad facts were already known. Namely, we knew 1) Nate was falling in love with his BFF, 2) Carlos was completely oblivious and he was crushing on baseballer from another team, Aiden, who he subsequently went with, 3) Nate is very much loved by Carlos’s family, who took him in during his difficult childhood, and, 4) the guys love baseball.

All of these points that I made are looked into much further. We get to see Nate’s headspace and how he has reacted to his best friend/the man he loves being in a relationship with a man Nate could not bring himself to like.

I liked that we also got to have a peek into Nate’s past, his actual biological family and his connection with Carlos’s crazy, big and loving family. Carlos’s frame of mind is also interesting – he seems to be either in denial or completely oblivious about everything to do with his boyfriend, Aiden, and Nate. Aiden has successfully kept the friends apart for at least half the time him and Carlos together.

Sadly, it seems that it is Nate that is more heartsick and can actually see what is happening. I particularly love Nate’s character and while the violence that Carlos faces is all too in life, its Nate I have empathy for, who will do anything to save Carlos.

Interestingly, Aiden, who always came across as a smooth asshole we get to see more of. Seeing how manipulative and possessive he was to Carlos sent warning to bells to Nate, but everyone else did not seem to notice. I found that interesting but I figure that’s because the guy’s character is so slick and slimy. Part of me is somewhat interested in Aiden going through a journey of healing and treatment (I hope that isn’t too much of a spoiler).

At first there seems no end to the issues that Carlos and Nate must face both individually and together. But for me, who has seen their story bubbling along from the start, it is satisfying to finally see their story come to a head.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *