About a quarter of the way through this book, I started hate-reading this book. And that’s because the main character said of the love interest “I can’t help toying with his insecurity”. If you think I can sympathise with a character who thinks this, you got another think coming.

Up until then, the main character had just been sort of frustratingly arsehole-ish, but that had mostly been understandable since he had experienced some form of trauma at the hands of the potential love interest (or so I thought, but more on that later).

And then that line.

I just don’t see how I can get past a line like that and come to even like the protagonist, let alone love him. But that is exactly what this book required me to do.

Most of my review notes, understandably, centre around just how much of a dickhead Vince was, and just how much better Tack deserved. But I’m not going to say Tack was an angel in all this - obviously how he treated Vince impacted on him fairly severely - but in the story being told in the present, he all but was.

But anyway, I was all set-up and ready to sympathise with Vince on finding out just what Tack had done to him. And then I did find out. And.

And.

There is, of course, no telling what will deeply impact on a person and how they’ll take it, sure, but I have to say I was expecting a little more than what I got. As I understood it, Tack is busy dealing with a combination of internalised homophobia and a massive arsehole of a father. Vince, as a young kid might, insisted that Tack had to feel comfortable with himself. Tack did not, Tack got a girlfriend, Tack stood aside and didn’t speak up when Vince was being bullied. (This last part is the only thing that I can sort of sympathise with Vince on, but Vince’s complete inability to even try empathise, over fifteen years on? I got stuck on that.)

But Vince and Tack never even really had anything beyond friendship. That’s what gets me. To all intents and purposes, this is an unrequited love on Vince’s part, and yet he takes it all in so deeply as to become even more of an arsehole to Tack than Tack ever was to him.

Vince has some excellent grudge-holding abilities.

It’s that grudge that leads him to be unable to forgive Tack for what he did years ago, on first meeting, and then treat him like shit throughout, until he does apologise (necessarily, obviously). At which point, Vince forgives him but never apologises himself for being such a dickhead. They get together and Vince never apologises. What this book gets right is that what you might do and who you might hurt while closeted is not excusable because you are closeted. What it gets wrong is, I think, refusing to treat any such shitty behaviour after the fact as inexcusable.

And then, like a car crash you can see coming about fifty miles off, the angst comes.

It’s not really spoilery to say that the angst centres on Vince’s desire to flip the hotel (it’s in the blurb). But what really annoyed me about it was how it’s on Tack to initiate the big get-back-together. Vince is all ready to run off and sell the hotel and never fucking apologise. It’s Tack who starts it. It’s Tack who forgives Vince so easily.

And all throughout, Vince has still not really apologised.

I don’t know how much of the commentary on toxic masculinity was intended (probably only about half to two-thirds of what I took from it), but in the end, it turned out a very good one.

If only I hadn’t been so pissed off for the majority of it.

While I did enjoy this story overall, there were some things that brought it down for me. It's a great second chance love story where both Vince and Tack learn and grow over the span of the story, but Vince really makes himself unlikable from the start. Yes, he was absolutely shaped by the events of the past and that should definitely be acknowledged, but there were times when his actions or thoughts almost bordered on mean spirited. It was also a little hard to believe Tack had no idea the pain he'd caused, some amount of being oblivious, especially as a teen, can be expected, but it was a little outside the realm.

That being said it's still an enjoyable story and I still liked the reading experience overall. It was a good story with substance, there were just some aspects that could have used refining to make it even better.

Hideaway Inn is a fabulous second chance romance by Philip William Stover. I love it from the start, and found myself having to read it in one sitting.

From the first page, I was hooked by Vinnie and Tack's story. Vinnie is in town for two seconds when he's reunited with his former crush, Tack. And from there it just gets better!

Their story starts with some awkward times and sweet humor. This employee/boss and former neighbor romance is full of charm, as well as broken hearts and pain. Their past is slowly revealed, in a wonderful manner.

Tack and Vinnie's relationship is fabulous; everything I could want in a second chance romance. But it's Jules and the way their parents treat them that had me loving this child. Tack and his ex wife are raising Jules to be whoever they want to be. I enjoy the way their concerns are addressed, as well as their love.

My favorite part has to be Vinnie's fear of Mrs Waddles. If that doesn't make you fall in love with him, I don't know what will.

My favorite quote is "...you can't run from who you are. Trust me, that only leads to misery." Well said, and easily relatable.

This is a story of putting the past behind you, dropping all pretenses, and finding love. The author excels in illustrating the importance of not hiding oneself behind a mask hiding one's true self. It's written with compassion and care, as well as in an inspirational manner.

I enjoy the writing style a lot. Told in alternating first person pov, the reader gets an up close look as secrets are unveiled and dreams change. The reader is also privy to the motivation behind the lies and deception.

For me, reading The Hideaway Inn is like getting a warm hug. The writing just soothes me and I couldn't put it down. I love every second of this Philip Wiliiam Stover slow burn, second chance romance.

I feel bad about this, because representation matters, and the more LGBTQIA+ romance books out there the better, but I felt this could've been so much more. I don't like shooting down writers' hard work.

I would've liked to see more of Vince and Tack as teens to show why Vince has such a chip on his shoulder, and to show how Tack evolved. Instead Vince is just a total jerk, when he's not being completely insecure, making me forget the gorgeous "power top/dom" he's supposed to be. And Evie, now Tack's ex-wife--I would've liked to have seen her taken to task for her past behavior. We got a glimpse of her shitty behavior towards Vince in high school and that was it. She contributed to Vince feeling heartbroken while covering up her own lesbianism. I would've liked them to face off and come to terms.

It has been two decades since I visited New Hope so I can't speak to what the community's like now, but I felt a lot of the characters were one-dimensional, but I know without tacking on an extra 50 pages or so, it is what it is. We'll see how the series evolves.

For kids who were unpopular in high school, returning to your hometown should only be under a flag of success with your head held high. Returning with your tail tucked between your legs and still flying the rainbow coloured flag is not how Vince Amato wanted to return. He's made a success of himself in the "big city" NY. A couple of questionable career limiting moves later and a risky business deal, he seems to have lost it all. His only hope to rise from the ashes and return to NYC is to flip a hotel/restaurant.

This story has all the marks of a Hallmark Christmas Movie special... if Hallmark actually acknowledged LGBT lifestyles. A story filled with painful childhood memories, it sets up for a re-look at history from an adult point of view. Vince blows into New Hope with a large chip on his shoulder and his plans going awry from the start of the trip. As the story progresses, with his growth and reconnecting with his true self, he start becoming a more likeable character. His interactions are all predictable with his high school crush, Tack.

The plot of this story is rather idealistic and a dream people have that are usually infeasible. Still, it came together nicely with it's rosy coloured glasses look at leaving behind the fast pace lifestyle to live in an organic, locally sourced slower pace farm-life existence.

What made this story good for me was Tack and his patience. Tack has grown up. He's made peace with his father, ex-lover and is working towards a life that he wants. His hard work including a child and co-parenting is realistic. It showcases the hardships of the common man in America. His interactions with Vince are patient, loving and understanding. As a character, he brings out the best in everyone and this is what makes him so likeable. He shows his vulnerability to Vince in hopes of rekindling their feelings and develop into something more.

The romance blooming between Tack and Vince are expected with no surprises. Even the "tiff" is expected and resolves sweetly into a happily after. This feel good romance is recommended to mm readers who love second chance themes.

An ARC of this novel was sent to me by NetGalley for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is amazing! It's a gorgeously written book with dynamic characters and a great storyline.

there is a lot i enjoyed about the hideaway inn, but one thing i didn't like, and one that created this super visceral reaction from me, was the fact that no one in the freaking town of new hope called vince by the name he asked to be called. even people who had transitioned and had changed their identities called him vinny, when he expressly asked to be called vince.

did no one pick up on the absolute hypocrisy of that?? i have spent most of my life correcting people's pronunciation of my name. and i have never felt smaller when people just refuse to say it right. i understand the occasional mistake or slip. but there are people who i consistently have to correct and who consistently fail to make the correction and what that says about our dynamic to me is that they don't respect me.

no one in this town respects vince. they think that whatever changes he's made in his big city life are wrong and they know better and he is really vinny and should reject vince. and that is such a load of bullshit. are some of his attitudes completely wrong. yes!! yes, they are.

but also could people in this town be gentler and show him some basic respect and not be so freaking aggressive with this small town, we know best and the big city crap you have to bring to the table is all bad?? i just have such a problem with this. and maybe it's because all of this hits so close to home...the way people say my name, the fact that i live in a small town after living in a big city and guess what...unlike what the books will tell you, small towns suck!! i hate living in a small town. i want to live in the city every single day of my life. but i live here because i can afford it because i chose a career in publishing and i wanted a place to raise three kids. and as much as i hate this small town for me, it is a good place to raise kids.

anyway, reading the hideaway inn made me all sorts of angry and defensive and upset, but it's definitely a me thing, i think. i haven't read other reviews so i'm not sure how others are reacting to it. i still liked the story of these two guys reconnecting years after a confusing high school experience. i just wish that some different choices had been made about how everyone in the stupid town of new hope acted. because oh man, i hate when everyone else but the main character knows best. it's the fucking worst.

yeah characters need to grow and whatever during the course of a book, but like this was basically everyone in town pushing vince to be who he was before and discounting everything he could bring to the table now. and like the time away had evolved them into some superior beings. like that's just bullshit. they were wrong in the past, and there's no way they were suddenly this perfect queer paradise. i just, i like to see growth and understanding happen in a more balanced way. and i find it very difficult to be in the main pov and always feel like the character i'm supposed to be rooting for is always wrong. that isn't enjoyable for me.

**the hideaway inn will publish on may 27, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press (carina adores) in exchange for my honest review.

I seem to be on a roll of reading great new-to-me authors and I’m loving it! This author doesn’t have a huge library, only a few more books before this one. But I’ll definitely be checking out what he already has out there.

Although I read a ton of romance and have read plenty of M/M romance, I don’t believe I’ve ever read any by a male author. I knew that was problematic, but with the books I always already have on tap I haven’t delved into getting recommendations for a male written gay romance. I’m so glad this one came across my email because I enjoyed it immensely.

Vince has a huge chip on his shoulder, with good reason. His formative years were rough. While he always seemed to know who he was, others didn’t accept that fact and made his life a series of bad incidents. While he was still at home and going to school, he still refused to change who he was. But as soon as he left for college he started to transform himself. He never wanted to be hurt again…physically or emotionally. He thought the best way to attain that goal was to never let anyone see the real him again. He even changed the way he spoke.

While Tack was the person to break Vince’s heart all those years ago, he didn’t do it out of hostility. Tack was going through his own thing, trying to hide his true self, and couldn’t see outside of his own fears. There’s a great line in the story about Tack not being able to tell the difference between what was expected of him from others and what he expected from himself. Don’t all teenagers have that issue? In fact, don’t people of all ages struggle with this very thing? Tack takes a very different path than Vince. Instead of putting up shields, he starts to take his down.

There were times I couldn’t stand Vince, but I understood him all too well. Because Vince had so many walls up and wasn’t confronting those old demons, there was no way for Tack to know why Vince’s moods would swing. When Vince finally lets it all out, doesn’t let the past get swept under the rug anymore, and calls Tack out on some past behavior, it’s a truly beautiful scene. I was crying and had hope peeking in that these two could find their way to each other.

I appreciate that the author included some they/their/them pronounced characters (my second book in a row with this inclusion! Yay! The world is progressing) and had some slips by the other characters along the way. We’re all still learning, but everyone in this story was open to learning. They knew slips and mistakes would be made, especially when emotions were high. They apologized and corrected themselves and it was lovely.

The only negative in this story for me was the secret keeping. I’m finding more and more that these plot points bother me. It wasn’t too bad in this one and many people enjoy the suspense of “when will they find out about___”, but it makes me too tense. I guess I’m turning into a fuddy-duddy.

I’m looking forward to more in this series (love the inclusive/safe town!) and by this author.

This book was fine. I felt like the author was trying a bit too hard, though. The characters were overall underdeveloped, and there were a few plot points brought up that were then just left unfinished. I enjoyed the second-chance romance aspect of Tack and Vince's relationship, but the pacing seemed off. I felt like more could have been brought to that aspect. There was an event that was mentioned when they both supposedly realized their feelings for each other, but that scene wasn't written out. It just seemed like a missed opportunity to just glaze over that.
I would probably read something else by Philip William Stover, but I don't think I would necessarily recommend this book to friends.

This is such a sweet romance with an amazing message. Vince and Tack have such a great connection and I loved seeing them slowly open up to each other and let their guard down. Especially Vince who has been hurt so much in the past that he has completely changed himself and his lifestyle so he can be tougher. I also really loved the setting of New Hope and how inclusive and welcoming it is. There is a lot of really great representation in this book and I am so happy that books like this exist. Also, can we talk about how this book gave me the biggest goat cheese craving. The Hideaway Inn is a farm to table restaurant and it seemed like almost every recipe Tack made had goat cheese in it. If you are looking for a sweet and heartwarming small town romance than I highly recommend this one to you. The fact that it is queer and has a lot of diversity is like an amazing bonus to an already great story.

Please be prepared to watch me shamelessly gush; why, you ask?
Because it has been a long time since I have fallen this completely into a love story- actually, I don't think I ever have but from the moment I met Vince and Tack I had to know where they were going because I fell directly in love with them both.
Was everything unresolved going to become settled and harmonious?
Could two people who were victims of timing and misunderstanding and regret find their happiness years later, regardless of the water still churning under their bridge?
What stands out to me in Philip William Stover's 'The Hideaway Inn' is so much more than the sparkling writing and strong dialogue and delicious plot trajectory; all of that is there in spades but what had me bawling on and off throughout the length of this beautiful, uniquely lovely story was the inclusiveness that Stover so masterfully weaves.
Inclusiveness for those whose gender identification is fluid but also for the people who love them and are trying so hard to use the pronouns that make them comfortable and that it is ok when they falter, as long as they continue to make that loving effort. Inclusiveness for those who want to see a love like theirs on paper and feel represented by characters who are strong and sincere and beautiful inside and out, even managing to include the very underrepresented category of bi-sexual characters into the fold in a way that was beautifully understanding and respectful..
This beautiful book had it all; you do not want to miss this 5 star read.

Overall this was a sweet second chance romance between Vince and Tack that I enjoyed reading. I loved the setting and the side characters and see a lot of potential for more books set in New Hope.

Things I liked:
- Tack, kind of hard not to love the guy despite his teenage attitude, though he’s clearly trying to make amends and is trying to raise his kid right.
- The diverse queer rep!
- The town of New Hope, probably my favorite part of the book. The scene was set very well and I can easily picture the quaint, rainbow covered town. I loved the cast of side characters, especially Jules and Paul the goat. I would love to read more romances set in this town, especially Kevin and Evan’s story.
Things I didn’t like as much:
- The pacing of the book felt a little off. The build up to Vince and Tack reconnecting took a big chunk of the book and once they were finally together I felt like we only got a chapter or two of them just being happy together. I wanted to see them spending time together, planning the restaurant and visiting the farm with Jules instead just being told they did that. It was harder to buy Vince’s change of heart without actually seeing it happen.
- Vince in general. Obviously you aren’t meant to like this character right off the bat but I wish I could have felt a little more sympathy for him. And I would have loved to actually read about his changing attitude towards Tack and New Hope instead of just being told his attitude changed.

3.75 stars

The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover


I haven’t read a lot of small town romances, so this was a nice treat. Big city hotshot Vince returns to his hometown after purchasing the dilapidated Hideaway Inn. He plans to renovate it over the summer and then sell the place to a big conglomerate. He plans to have everything wrapped up by Labor Day.

Vince didn’t plan on running into Tack, the farm boy who used to live next door. They had a… complicated friendship, but Tack was a popular athlete with a girlfriend, and “Skinny Vinny” was an outcast.

Vince also didn’t plan on hiring Tack to be the chef for the inn’s restaurant, but an unexpected vacancy doesn’t leave him with a lot of options.

Vince certainly didn’t plan on developing feelings for Tack, especially since this complicates his vision of the inn being a summer project to flip and then leave.

This was a sweet book, but it was difficult for me to like Vince because he spent most of the book being so mean and rude to everyone—even Tack, who drops almost everything to help him. He’s callous and dismissive and doesn’t acknowledge people’s help because he’s too stubborn.

On one level, I can understand how Vince’s personality developed: he spent his adolescence being bullied, and so he took it upon himself to build up his body physically, but he also hardened his heart so that he wouldn’t have to ever be vulnerable again. The skinny boy who loved poetry turned into the ruthless businessman who takes what he wants and doesn’t think about the repercussions. Along those lines, Vince hasn’t really had any serious relationships; he favors a series of hookups instead.

Tack, on the other hand, has also changed over the years. He’s acknowledged his bisexuality and he’s thought about what he could have done differently with Vince when they were teens. Tack was patient and kind, even when Vince acted like a jerk to him. Tack was such a sweetheart, and with amazing cooking skills like that, he was such a catch.

I did like the slow burn element to the romance. It’s clear that the lingering attraction is still there, but it takes both of them forever to get around to acknowledging it. But when they do, they have amazing chemistry and they work so well together.

As one would expect from this setup, Vince needs to have a dark moment where he realizes how horrible he was and that he needs to change his awful ways. And he does indeed hit a low point, but it would have been nice to see it sting a bit more—make him work for that HEA.

I received a copy of this book from Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things I loved about this book was the small town of New Hope. Almost all of the secondary characters are part of the LGBTQ community, and so we are treated to a variety of personalities who help strengthen the narrative.

Another thing that I liked was the descriptions of food. Tack is still in culinary school, but the meals he puts together are spectacular and made me so hungry. I definitely want one of those black bean burgers that’s supposed to be almost as good as a steak!

I would recommend The Hideaway Inn. This book is fairly light in tone, with minimal angst. There’s a renovation project going on, so of course there are going to be tons of humorous mishaps. Vince and Tack worked so well together when Vince finally got around to lowering his defenses. I’m always on the lookout for more ownvoices authors in m/m romance, so reading this book was a special treat. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Stover in the future.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly May New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached).

I am such a fan off small town MM romances, so I was really excited for The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover. This is a second chance romance strong in LGBTQ inclusiveness and self acceptance.

In the end I didn't love this book as much as I expected but I did enjoy it. It felt like a lot of the MM small town romances out there but nothing that really made me fall in love and stand out among the rest. I struggled a little with the writing it seemed abrupt at times and didn't always flow. Both Vince and Tack were frustrating to me. Vince because he was so focused on the past he couldn't see how Tack had changed and Tack for the fact it took him so long to realize how much he had hurt Vince in high school. Some of the other characters seemed a bit forced but the star for me was Tack's child Jules. They were a breath of fresh air and I really liked the way they were allowed to be whoever they wanted to be.

Even thought I didn't love this one I would definitely be open to reading more from Philip William Stover in the future and see how his writing grows.

I enjoyed reading this passionate, thoughtful love story. I was cheering Tack and Vince on and loving the cutie pie Jules.

The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover is the first in his Seasons of New Hope series. The story follows Vince, a former nerd and outcast, as he returns to his hometown to flip and inn. As soon as he gets to town he runs in to Tack, the boy that was both the highlight and torment of his young life. Tack's all grown up with a child of his own, and a dream to become a chef rather than continue to work on his father's farm. Vince reluctantly hires Tack as the chef at the inn, just to make sure the place looks profitable to some investors. But will he want to sell after spending a summer with the boy that got away?
The beginning of this book immediately pulled me in with a good "meet/return cute" where Tack has to literally save Vince from the side of a road. The sparks fly as Vince is still holding a grudge from high school, and Tack only wants to get the chance to show he's changed. For the first half of the book we get some excellent slow burn sexual tension between the two main characters as they work together and are forced to confront the past. I loved that Tack had matured since Vince left town, to the point where he was able to admit how wrong he had been and clearly see how poorly his friends had treated Vince. Tack's regret for letting Vince go on thinking he had never been attracted him was exactly the kind of emotion I want to see in a second chance romance.
What did not work for me was the way Vince acted for over half of the book. He was rude to just about everyone and even went so far as to insult a former mentor. Stover tries to explain away this behavior because of the previous hurt that had been inflicted in high school. While I agree this kind of behavior makes sense for someone that had been treated so poorly it did not make for a likable character. Vince was very concerned about his body as well has how he presented himself, this made him seem shallow and less developed than Tack. I also didn't like that the central conflict was clear from the beginning and could have easily been explained away with a brief conversation.
I did enjoy the story line Stover developed around Tack's child and it was the first time I had read such a good portrayal of modern parenting. Tackling topics of gender and identity are never easy, and I was impressed that such a new author handled it so well. In the end I enjoyed the book even if the last 20% or so felt a bit too rushed for my taste. I felt like Stover spent less time with these two together on page than he did describing the day to day workings of the inn. That's why this gets a 3 out of 5 for me. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a light summery romance with a little bit of steam.

I love second chance romance books. That being said I didn’t care for Vince. I thought he was an awful person. Which is why I wasn’t rooting for them as a couple and why I lost interest in the story. I almost didn’t finish it. I liked all the other characters.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Returning to his childhood home, Vince Amato, who has undergone a personal and physical transformation, finds himself being rescued by Tack O’Leary, an old school friend.

Immediately, we're introduced to intense chemistry, which Vince is reluctant to embrace, having being previously burnt. As the story develops, readers can expect character growth and a strong focus on personal identity and acceptance. Along the way, readers can also enjoy a vast range of diverse and wonderful characters, cementing a very clear expectation of what to expect in the reverse small-town of New Hope.

While the plot is a little cookie-cutter at times, there's enough depth and developed conflict to ensure an element of originality. The main characters are a mix of sweet and fabulous, and frustrating. The latter is important for character development and also ensures characters are appropriately flawed.

With solid writing, Philip William Stover has created a fun series with a diverse group of characters. If you enjoy low-angst drama with a good balance of heat and sweet, be sure to check out The Hideaway Inn.

This is an enjoyable second chance romance set in a small US rural town. I liked the chemistry and interaction between the main characters. Vince, who was bullied for being gay and a ‘weakling’ as a child, has spent his years away from his hometown re-creating himself. Having spent hours at the gym in his new home in New York, he gives the impression of being a macho stud. Despite his business successes, he feels the need to return home to snap up a ‘sure thing’ and develop this run-down inn to make an outstanding profit. His childhood and unrequited crush, Tack, has also changed over the intervening years. He has a few surprises in store for Vince as the two old friends reacquaint themselves and work together.

There’s also a diverse group of secondary characters. They’re all likeable and contribute an important role in the story. New Hope is certainly a welcoming and all-embracing town now and, along with Tack, the inhabitants welcome Vince and help him overcome the bad memories of his past.

The main focus of the story is the rekindling of the friendship between Vince and Tack. It takes them a while to work through their various issues and regrets, but they do connect on an emotional and physical level. The scene with their first kiss is lovely. The fact that Vince intends to make a profit and move back to New York at the end of the summer is never far away and this causes some angst for the reader, and to some extent Vince, especially as the weeks roll on and he considers a ‘what if?’ scenario.

This is a well-written feel-good story of redemption. Although written in first person, present tense—not my favourite—I like the author’s writing style. It’s a sweet story and quite steamy in places. There are a few aspects that were not entirely believable and I found myself questioning why Vince would return to his hometown, but overall it is an entertaining read. I hope we see more of this couple in the next story in the series.