A Long Way Home (The Fallout Series Book 3) by Becky Doughty

A Long Way Home is the third book in The Fallout Series by Becky Doughty. Like the others in this series, it can be read as a standalone, but characters from the other books play supporting roles in this tale of a girl who fears she's wandered too far from home to ever make it back.

On the run, Savannah Clark lives her life as a modern-day bohemian, hiding her identity behind her beaded scarves and swirling skirts. Marek and the Gypsies, a troupe of dancers and musicians, follow the Renaissance and Medieval Faire circuits, never staying in one place for very long. Her disguise, however, doesn't fool those who know and love her best, nor does it completely hide the evidence of how difficult living in fear can be.

But an unexpected encounter with Jordan Ransome, her first love, tears open old wounds, and tragic news from home brings Savannah face to face with her worst fears. Will she run again, tethered to the lies she's come to believe about herself and those she left behind, or can she trust her heart enough to embrace the girl she once was as the woman she has become?

Trigger Warning: A Long Way Home touches on some heavy subjects, such as sexual domination and manipulation, date rape, physical abuse and teen pregnancy.

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I love this Fallout series and I LOVED this book.  I think this one may be my favorite of the series.  Maybe.  Ugh, I don't know.  They have all been really good. Becky Doughty is so fabulous.  She really knows how to write a story that engages you from the very beginning and holds on to you until the very last sentence.  There is so much emotion and struggle in her books.  I have to constantly tell myself to slow down and enjoy the ride because I get so caught up in the story and end up reading faster and faster.

This isn't your typical fluff romance story.  (I happen to love typical fluff romance stories, so don't get me wrong)  There are a lot of heavy subjects going on in this book and yet I never felt overwhelmed or overly burdened as a reader.  Maybe because there was always hope there.  I could feel the love and support of the other characters and it felt good.

When Savannah literally runs into Jordan, you can feel the intensity of the situation although as a reader, you don't really understand completely what is happening.  The story unfolds in both real time and through flashbacks and the full story doesn't even come together until the very last part of the book.  It was a fabulous ride.  Perfect pacing.  Intense and emotional.  So, so good!

If you haven't had a chance to read any books in this series, you should start with All the Way to Heaven.  I think these novels can stand alone, but you will feel more of a connection to the secondary characters if you read them in order.

Content:  As stated above, this book contains heavy subjects.  Sexual domination and manipulation, physical abuse, date rape, teen pregnancy.  There is mild swearing.  The sexual situations are not described in great detail but you definitely get a clear view of what happened.