Good to read that this pilot is OK.
Part of the RAF pre-takeoff brief for SEP aircraft was how an EFATO would be handled, especially with regard to a minimum turnback altitude. But the prime aim was to land into wind in a safe area. A turnback was a last option, even though as QFIs we were required to practice turnbacks at least one per month.
We had one runway at our base field with poor EFATO options so we tended to accept up to maximum cross wind limits rather than use it.