I know none of my friends liked this but for 99p I'll take a risk.

More than a romance, Ally Blue's Long the Mile is a beautiful journey of self discovery. While this holiday-themed romance is not a light-hearted read, it is not bleak or depressing. It is a realistic and thought-provoking story that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting as Judah Jackson and Toby Simonsen find love despite their rather dire circumstances.

Although Judah is no stranger to hardship, he is ill-prepared for the difficulties he encounters following his release from prison. Unable to find a job and evicted from his apartment, Judah's salvation comes from an unlikely source: Toby, the homeless man he briefly encountered and easily dismissed months earlier. With Toby's assistance, Judah is soon safely navigating the homeless world he now inhabits and their friendship unexpectedly takes a romantic turn. But when one of the men finally finds employment the future of their relationship is in jeopardy.

Long the Mile is told from both Judah and Toby's perspectives and this helps to provide incredible insight into both characters and their current situations. They are a fascinating study in contrasts with vastly different personalities and diverse backgrounds. Despite his difficulties, Toby remains outgoing, optimistic and compassionate. Judah is a loner and at first, he is quite wary and distrustful. Toby is pretty much an open book but Judah is reluctant to reveal any of his past.

Firmly based in reality, Long the Mile is a well-written novella that has a great deal of depth and substance. Ally Blue deftly handles sensitive topics with ease and the resulting story is incredibly poignant. An enlightening and refreshingly honest read that I highly recommend. ( )

A cursory glimpse at life on the streets for two formerly successful men illustrates both the steady eroding of pride and the human spirit as well as the importance of friendship - especially when one is down and out. What it doesn't show is the array of avenues open to former convicts and street people who are seeking help.

When inside trader Judah Jackson gets out of prison with a set of clothes and three hundred dollars cash, he's optimistic that he'll be able to get a job and remake himself in a short period of time. He's contemptuous of homeless Toby Simonsen who hits him up for money, and Judah rebuffs the man.

However, after weeks of being turned away by former friends and being attacked by a gang, Judah is grateful to see Toby who steps in and saves him. Toby brings Judah to a soup kitchen and shelter run by a kindly priest, Fr. Bill. As Toby teaches Judah the tricks of living on the street and he starts to acclimate himself, they become lovers.

Then Toby, who once was the manager of a small upscale hotel, gets a job as manager of a fashionable bed and breakfast, and they move into the place. But since he has nothing to do during the day while Toby is working, Judah finds his self-respect declining and his dependence on Toby stifling.

Coming to terms with homelessness, loss of identity, and the necessity of reinventing themselves are imperative for all who find themselves out of work during difficult economic times. This novella believably outlines the eroding of self, but doesn't give these two intelligent men enough credit for discovering the many programs available to them.

Read the rest of my review at All About Romance: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=9964 ( )