Second chance romances get me every time!

This story begins as two young men try to discover who they are one summer in high school. Tack was the popular guy at school, on all the teams and had the cheerleader girlfriend… Vinny was the new kid who did his own thing and didn’t fit in with any of the groups at school. When they meet along the fence that separated their two properties they find a connection. Too bad that Tack isn’t ready to take this bond any further at this time.

15 years later, Vince (Vinny) has returned to the small town of his youth to flip an investment property… he has changed. No longer the scared wierdo, he is uber masculine and a successful businessman. He plans on staying for the summer to make a quick buck on his flip… but when Tuck re-enters his life and has changed too, he finds his heart is the one that flips!

This was. Beautiful story of letting the past go, seeing through others eyes and being able to accept yourself order to find true happiness play centre field. I loved the sunshine/ grump pairing of Tuck and Vince. Both characters had to find themselves in order to accept the love of another.

As alway, Carina Press delivers the happily ever after I crave! I cute read that I totally recommend!

The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover is scheduled to release May 26th, 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harlequin and the Harlequin Publicity Team. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Blog link: https://pinkcowlandreads.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-hideaway-inn.html

#TheHideawayInn #PhilipWilliamStover #NetGalley #pinkcowlandreads

If you’re looking for a good MM romance novel that you can sink your teeth into during our current ‘staycation’, then grab a copy of this new book. I identified with Vince’s journey a lot: New Yorker returning to the small town that he grew up in, carrying a lot of pain from the abuse he received for being gay. He’s done a lot to put it all behind him – perhaps a little too much. Of course, the first person he runs into is Tack, the boy next door who was the object of his teen affection. They had a strong connection but there was never the opportunity to take it further.

I like how well-rounded the characters are for a story like this. Lots of baggage to overcome, hangups about each other that they have to work past, plus broader issues around bullying, toxic masculinity, gender identities and pride. I also have a real soft spot a ‘second chance’ love story, so this book was right up my street. I think Tack was a little too amazing to be believable at times, but maybe that says more about how low my expectations are about people.

Either way, I was delighted when I discovered that this queer book may be the first in a series. Stover weaves a blissfully feel-good story, packed with missed opportunities, throbbing desire and a host of delightful supporting characters. Perfect for an indulgent weekend read this spring.

*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

5 stars

From the first couple of chapters of The Hideaway Inn, I disliked Vince. From the attitude and to the way he ridiculed Tack, Vince gave me bad vibes all the way through and for a good portion of the book, I rolled my eyes at his immature thoughts and the unbearable way he treated everyone around him. I understood from the author's note why Vince behaved the way he did, but the storytelling didn't build enough of a character for him to forgive for his cruelty. Vince and Tack's relationship in the past confused me since there didn't seem to be much of a friendship there. The timeline also confused me since there isn't much but impression. Rather than sell me on a Vince who was heartbroken, all I got was an infatuated boy. I didn't enjoy this book at all and I am saddened by this fact.

I so wanted to like The Hideaway Inn by new-to-me author Philip William Stover, but it was hard for me to get through.

Vince was a shockingly unlikable character. He physically made me cringe, and I didn't enjoy anything about him. He felt toxic, and I wasn't rooting for the couple to get together. I think he had too many unresolved issues and wasn't emotionally ready for a relationship. I wanted him in therapy rather than in a romance book.

I also struggled with the writing. It felt stilted and forced. I missed that easy flow that I get with some of my favorite authors. In addition, some of the side characters felt like props and plot devices more than fully realized characters, especially Evie, the ex-wife. I wanted more depth from them.

Overall, I had to force myself to finish. Not a great read for me, unfortunately.

I liked the overall story, especially the concept of New Hope. It brought back fond memories of Saugatuck, MI for me, the first LGBTQ friendly town I visited as a teen. Vince really grew as a character, too. Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5* A decent tale of the place you came from maybe being the place you belong, but...

... I think the way in which Vinny/Vince was portrayed from the start painted him a little too black and opportunistic and selfish for me to be able to like him easily. Tack, on the other hand, seemed to be a good old local boy, willing to help out at the drop of a hat, a talented chef who's finding it an upward struggle to achieve his dreams and a better life, and, too, there was a whole host of colourful LGBTQ characters that added to this tale.

It is mainly a feelgood tale but for me, because I knew about Vinny's - 'Call me Vince' motivations going in, it put a little pall on the tale, but not a huge one, as it soon became clear that he was conflicted by his interactions with the people helping him achieve his aims, and he felt bad about deceiving them.

I couldn't quite 'see' New Hope in the America that I've seen, via social media and the media, since late 2016. I would love to believe that somewhere as accepting and open and free exists, but maybe that's a bit of a pipe dream now. I did get the tiniest hint of 'tries too hard' in this book, with the adult transwoman and her (self described) 'butch Indian in a wheelchair' wife, the gender fluid child, the older feminist lesbian, Tack's ex-wife, the older ex-city types male couple running a ranch, and finally, Tack's old-fashioned, 'real men' father who he'd apparently outed himself to, who didn't reject him but also didn't openly talk about his orientation. Were that such a place existed, eh?

If you're a foodie, you'll be salivating at some of Tack's dishes and I actually wished there was a small recipe booklet included at the end of the tale, as the dishes sounded amazing.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

I enjoyed this second chance story of two men who were at cross purposes in high school for many reasons, but years later discover things are now quite different. Vince has very mixed motivations, and secrets and misunderstandings between him and Tack almost derail everything, but true love finds a way.

2.5 rounded up to 3

"It's not you, it's me."

How many times has that line been used in books or in real life to convey a person's incompatibility with a love interest? There's typically nothing wrong with the other person, and there most certainly is someone out there who can better appreciate their qualities.

That's exactly how I feel about The Hideaway Inn, and my feelings have me conflicted. Honestly, I couldn't put it down; I had to continue reading because I hoped for redemption. Unfortunately, it didn't get there for me.

At face value, I appreciate the queer rep. However, there was a lot that left me unsatisfied.

Vince was very much unlikable. While I could emphasize with the struggles he went through in high school, I couldn't forgive the person he became as an adult, a stereotypical, macho "power top". He would be the perfect villain in another story. Here, his character doesn't work as the main character and love interest of the other MC, Tack.

It seemed everyone too easily forgave Vince's flaws, when they should have at least called him out on his behavior. In my opinion, he deserved to be kicked out of New Hope.

I also disliked Tack, in the beginning. Unlike Vince, he did redeem himself as the story progressed, but then I felt sorry for him. I felt bad that he was so attached to being in a relationship with Vince that he completely overlooked Vince's personality. The connection/romance/sex all felt forced. I wasn't able to believe these two belonged together.

Warning, potential spoilers ahead.

A few things that stuck out and/or made me uncomfortable:

I was confused about the age of Vincent and Tack. I think it's mentioned that Tack is thirty-five, which would make Vince the same age? I thought they acted much younger, more immature than thirty-five. I would put them at least ten years younger based on their actions and attitudes. Tack is by far the more mature of the two, though.

The reader is told that Vince and Tack had a connection brewing back in high school, but we're never shown that. We get very bare bones glimpses into their interactions back then, but I never felt like they were more than acquaintances because they happened to be neighbors.

We're also told that Vince and Tack suddenly want to be a family with Jules. Jules is a cool kid, no doubt, but I was uncomfortable with the inclusion of them as what I felt was basically a plot devise, something to "prove" to the reader that Vince had changed. Jules felt like a tool to show that Vince and Tack belonged together. There wasn't enough progression of the relationship between Vince and Jules for me to believe they would work as a family.

That brings me to Evie, another throwaway character popped in to tell the reader SOME THINGS. I needed more time with Evie to believe she played an important role. I felt like she was just there to be a potential conflict in the beginning and to be the womb for Jules, with no other real reason for her existence. Also, the reader is told she said something ugly to Vince and then it's never brought up again. It was hard for me to accept that Vince didn't hold a grudge against Evie, that Evie didn't show any remorse or attempt to apologize to Vince, or that Evie didn't mention this interaction to Tack.

I appreciated that New Hope was a queer mecca in this story, where all types of queer people are represented. However, a lot of the characters' queerness felt forced and not authentic at all.

In short, I know there are readers who will enjoy this story but, unfortunately, The Hideaway Inn and I are not compatible.

I've been waiting for months to see what Carina Adores' first releases would be like and wasn't disappointed! Such a happy and sweet romance that I loved spending time in. It was almost sad when the book ended despite the lovely ending because I wanted to live vicariously through these characters a little longer, haha.

Hideaway Inn is a sweet, meaningful tale about Tack and Vince, a great story of second chances and reignited relationship. I loved the passion between Tack and Vince. The small town acceptance and love in their area was a great part of the story. A romantic sweet read.

DNF.
I wish publishers would label books written in 1st person present tense. I get that it is a trend, but I find it trying at the best of times, and I honestly cannot handle it at the moment. I’m writing this as a review because I know I am not the only reader who has a problem with that particular way of writing, and while I respect an author’s choice to write a book any way they want, it’s just not for me.

Vince has spent a lot of time recreating himself. He was bullied when he was a kid then let down by a person he thought was a close friend. He fled “New Hope” as soon as he could and became a strong man, physically and emotionally. At least, that’s what he thought before he headed back to flip an old, run-down Inn. Vince figures that he can get in and out of New Hope after a few months… unscathed by his old life and old connections.

When Vince returns to New Hope he immediately runs into the “friend” from his youth that broke his heart. Tack – sweet, funny, built and suddenly rescuing Vince from the side of the road. Things didn’t end well between them and Vince has tried to put all his feelings behind him, but seeing Tack is much more than he bargained for.

When Vince finally gets to the Hideaway Inn, things are much worse than he expected. He finds himself without a chef and quickly discovers his only option is … Tack. Tack has changed much more than Vince would have ever thought was possible. He’s been married, and divorced.. .and even has a 6-year-old named Jules who uses they/them pronouns and is marvelous.

Working together at first is difficult for Vince. He doesn’t want to be attracted to Tack, nor does he want to like him. But, as they spend more time together, Tack finally manages to work in time to apologize for how he treated Vince when they were younger. He admits to the things he did wrong, the things he has spent his adult life trying to change for other kids. He wears down Vince’s protective walls and they become close.

Of course, there are issues… Vince neglects to tell Tack about his ultimate plan to flip the inn and make a profit and possibly secure himself a new fancy job in the city. What if he has changed his mind? What if there’s a possibility of him learning to love life in New Hope…. Where he’s on the verge of creating an “us” with Tack and Jules? What if Tack finds out about the flipping plans before Vince has a chance to figure it all out?

This isn’t an unfamiliar plot for a gay romance, but it’s well written and I really liked the dynamic of Vince and Tack’s child. The way that Tack has tried to raise his child with an open mind and a loving environment is a great demonstration that he has changed. It shows that in some ways, it’s Vince who hasn’t been able to move past what happened in their youth.

This book touches briefly on bullying in Vince’s youth, but it’s not an angst-ridden story. Enjoy this one while you’re in isolation! All the writing about the outdoors and farms made me feel like I’d been on a refreshing trip!

I was so very excited to read this novel. It looked perfect for these times: a cozy romance, one of second chances. What I got was more angsty than cozy. What I got was more do-over than romance. In short, this felt forced.

I felt the author pushing the characters to behave how he wanted them to behave rather than letting them do their own thing. Had they done their own thing, though, there wouldn't have been a novel because one MC would have told the other MC off early on.

So, the MC's...one I did not like at all. He was not a good man. Sure, the author lays out the reasons he had for acting ultra-straight, but I didn't like him. I don't see how anyone could like him, let alone his love interest. Why he thought this jerk was worth pursuing, I don't know. I didn't even want them to get together!

So, forced chemistry and want leads to very little that made me want to see these guys together in the end. Still, I read it. Although has it not been for an ARC review, I would not have finished it.

It's a shame, I always look forward to new-to-me authors and especially those who are men writing MM romance.

My rec? Stay somewhere else.

The Hideaway Inn (Seasons of New Hope #1) by Philip William Stover is a 5 star read. It’s an extraordinary gay m/m romance novel that deserves to be read and reread.

In choosing The Hideaway Inn to initiate their new monthly series, Harlequin-Carina Adores has set a high bar to meet for all those books that follow.

The Hideaway Inn is one of the best character driven novels I’ve read in a very long time. The principal characters, Vince Amato and Tack O’Leary, are wonderful. And practically everyone else in the diverse set of characters Stover has created is just as captivating.

As the story opens, Vince is returning to New Hope, PA where, as a gay teenager, he’d been badly bullied. It’s now his intention to flip the town’s decaying Hideaway Inn, make a bundle of cash, and get back to Manhattan as quickly as he can. His plans immediately go awry as the first two sentences of the book explain:

“This isn’t New Hope,” Vince tells the bus driver. “No, it’s Pittstown. Last stop”

Stepping off the bus into a sea of mud during a drenching rain storm, the last person Vince expected to see was Tack O’Leary, his high school crush. In fact Vince had previously decided, “I’ll make sure I don’t see Tack again while I’m in New Hope. I’ll avoid him with the same enthusiasm I avoid porta potties at outdoor music festivals.’

But not only does Tack rescue Vince from the storm, Tack and his extraordinary child, James/Jules, continue to rescue Vince time and time again.

There are so many wonderful lines in this novel. Lines such as Tack’s when he says, “Vince, for being the smartest person I know, sometimes your logic is pretty messed up. Don’t you understand? In school you were your own person and that’s what’s important to me.” Being honest with yourself is an important theme of this book.

And, for me at least, there was an introduction to Shinrin-yoku (森林浴), which literally means forest bathing. The term originated in Japan in the early 1980s and is regarded by many as a form of nature therapy.  It absolutely works for Vince and Tack.

As I finished the story, I knew I really want to see more of these people. I hope the author will decide to develop a full series with Vince, Tack, their families and friends.

This is the first book written by Stover I’ve read. It definitely won’t be the last.

I received an Advance Review Copy of ‘The Hideaway Inn’ from NetGalley and Harlequin - Carina Press in exchange for an honest review. #TheHideawayInn #NetGalley