Review: The Long and Winding Road (Bear, Otter and the Kid #4) by T.J. Klune

Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole—those who make us who we are.

And here, at the end, Bear and Otter will be tested like they’ve never been before.

There’s a knock at the door from a little girl who has nowhere else to go.

There’s a phone ringing, bringing news they do not expect.

There’s a brother returning home after learning how to stand on his own.

As these moments converge, all of their lives will change forever.

Beginning in Bear, Otter, and the Kid, and continuing in Who We Are and The Art of Breathing, TJ Klune has told a saga of family and brotherhood, of love and sacrifice. In this final chapter, the events of the past pave the long and winding road toward a future no one could have imagined.


Just remember, though: it’s not about the destination. It’s about the long and winding road that took us there.

And I will remember that road always.

I am going to go completely out of character here and keep this review short. Why? I don’t think you need me to ramble on about how much this series has meant to me or how much I love Otter first and everyone else after him. I adore the hell out of these strangers from Seafare who crept in so quietly with their laughter and love that will remain etched like an epitaph on my hopeless romantic heart forever.

This book was laid out wonderfully to give the reader closure featuring Past, Present and Future. We get the past, which we know but we get new insights into it all like what went on with Ty and his addiction and how Bear and Otter dealt with the turmoil of making sure the Kid came back whole. We saw them deal with Dom during that time and everything else we missed while Ty told us his story.

We got a lot of Bear and Ty through the series, which totally makes sense but honestly, I wanted more of Otter than the short bits we got at the end of books one and two with his perspective through epilogues. Otter has always been it for me followed by Dom because, he’s totally Otter lite and then Bear and Ty. I can’t explain it but Otter is amazing to me as he is to everyone who loves him and I love that we got Otter focused AF in this book because if anyone deserves more on page time, it’s Otter.

The present part of this book was stunning. We know about the knock at the door of the Green Monstrosity at the end of The Art of Breathing and that Izzie shows up. We know who Bear and Otter are and what they do for people in need but this not only focused on what they do for others but on what they do for themselves and that is starting a family of their own. Now, yeah they have a family with Anna, Creed, Ty, Dom and the rest of the family they have made but Otter and Bear decide to have babies and it’s the most wonderful thing in the world.

Goodness. I promised I would keep this short and I will.

The past will haunt you, the present will tear you up and make you tear up but it’s always followed by the laughs and laughter through tears is always my favorite emotion. The future will give you hope and make you want oh so much more from the series but I will say that this book, it’s enough and it’s so much more than I ever thought we’d get.

Bear, Otter and the Kid holds such a special place in my heart. Hell, it even got me to write a poem ala the Kid for book two as a review, but it’s one of those series, one of those stories with such memorable characters that remain in your heart forever because you can’t let them go. From epic poems, letters of goodbye, shitty things happening to good people, angst beyond the angst should happen to a redheaded reader, awkward long hugs, some of the best speeches ever, revenge seeking seagulls and a love or two that makes your heart long for more, this will be one of my favorite series…ever.

Though, The Long and Winding Road, was classic Death by Klune for me, every tear was worth it and I humbly thank the author for giving us this gift.




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