Anita Kelly has this innate ability to write queer romances that wreck you and then build you back up into something better. From the rugged setting of the Pacific Crest Trail to Lex and Ben's blooming relationship, you get to watch everything develop in what feels like real time. While there's plenty of steam, this is more than a romance novel. It's more a coming of age story as Lex learns to accept himself as he is and Ben realizes what he truly wants in life. They subvert common tropes like the third act break-up in an excellent manner and also include some of the best epistolary romance I've read in awhile. It's a grueling tale much like the trail, but it's worth every tear.

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*