The Long Game
Rachel Reid, Carina Press(2022)
I cried like a baby in the middle of the book as the story arc built up. It was truly a special reading experience as I don't remember the last time I cried over a book. For the record, I spent my first day of 2026 crying really a lot. The sadness was on the level of the Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines.
Ilya's emotional pain and his own battle against it were so extreme, lonely, and relatable that I even feel hesitant to watch Season 2 of the TV series coming out in 2027. However, their love for each other felt so powerful that my heart ached for them at the same time.
Towards the end, it felt a bit cliché and like a repetitive emotional rollercoaster (similar to her first book), but I have a soft spot for happy endings, so I loved it. Also, I want to mention that the realistic therapist scenes and words made his mental health journey very convincing. It made me root for their happiness even more.