⭐⭐⭐★
Truths and lies; self-searching and self-assurance; prejudices and support -- this book covers a lot of ground hinging on 44 hours that the two leading ladies spend terrifyingly lost in a dense forest.
Jennifer Andrews has no love lost for her new colleague, Ellaine Baxter, for the simple reason that Ellaine broke Jennifer's best friend's heart. Their mutual dislike doesn't go unnoticed and the company sends the two off for a team building conference. An hour away from their destination, Jennifer's need to pee is uncontrollable and they stop. Ellaine snarks that if Jennifer doesn't hurry back, she'll leave without her. Jennifer takes away the car keys and decides to mess with Ellaine a bit by pretending to be lost. Ellaine falls for the prank and before too long the two realise that they're really lost.
They end up spending 44 hours without food and water with just each other for company. Despite being scared and tired, they learn a lot about each other and their relationship undergoes a sea change. A change which not everyone in their lives is happy about or can even accept.
Jennifer and Ellaine are thoroughly engaging ladies. During their sojourn in the forest, Ellaine emerges as completely charming, considerate, cheerful and dauntless. Jennifer proves to be a peron who is willing to listen with open-mindedness and rolls with the punches. When they're back in the 'real world' Jennifer shapes up to be brave and Ellaine is her perfect complement.
The dialogues, secondary cast and conflict are believable. The sex scenes, par for course with Jay, are excellent. Jennifer's sister, Angela, is definitely a person we'd love to have in our lives on our side. Maternal homophobia is a recurring theme in Jay's books and in this one too that is the entire source of conflict.
We enjoyed this one.
⭐⭐⭐★
