Hiking the Appalachian Trail seems like a great idea when Anders' boyfriend comes up with the idea, but when his boyfriend flakes on him, Anders starts to see the journey as a time to prove himself and get rid of his manipulative lover. Thomas makes heavy duty hiking seem appealing even to a couch potato like myself.

Anders' boyfriend Joel suggests spending the summer together hiking the Appalachian Trail starting in Georgia and getting as close to Maine, the end of the trail, as they can before they have to go back to school at the University of Northern Florida.

Anders, who hasn't done much camping and hiking, is apprehensive about the trip, even more so when Joel flakes on him as Anders is standing in the parking lot leading to the start of the trail with his backpack and other gear firmly in place. Incensed, Anders decides to hike as far and as long as he can since he's there and ready to go.

Very quickly, Anders finds that he's in over his head. Thankfully, Kevin Winters takes Anders under his wing and hikes with him, smoothing his way, since Kevin had walked the Trail north to south the previous year. Nicknamed Sourdough because of the starter and flour he carries, Kevin guides Anders through the first few grueling days until they become hiking partners, meeting and greeting other hikers along the way.

Kevin, however, has his own, darker reason for hiking the Trail. Having just watched his father die a painful death due to lupus, Kevin himself has been diagnosed with the disease. Hiking long haul trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail, Kevin is running away from his mother and sister, the family bakery in California, and his diagnosis. His hike is his bucket list, he thinks.

Read the rest of my review at All About Romance: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=9972 ( )