The Hideaway Inn

The Hideaway Inn (2020) Philip William Stover (Seasons of New Hope)

Vince Amato heading to New Hope for an investment. To make money after everything in New York went down in flames. He may be built and fit and wear bespoke suits, but inside he seems to still be Skinny Vinny, the bullied boy who was once in love with his neighbor, Tack.

it’s clear I made a mistake coming back. This place didn’t protect me then and I don’t need to protect it now. Let FunTyme Inc. turn the whole village into a parking lot for all I care. I can almost smell the hot asphalt.

Wow.

I really didn’t care for Vince.

At first I felt bad for him, because he had been bullied at school. But from what the story described it didn’t match the level of hostility he felt towards the town.

And he’d made his name and his fortune in New York. So why would he even care?

Except, of course, that he screwed that up by literally screwing a client.

Meanwhile, Tack–the guy he’d crushed on in high school, has clearly changed–and for the better–and Vince is a dick to him for most of the book.

And then when the Big Misunderstanding comes, Tack feels like he has to apologize to Vince? Seriously?

I mean, the story opens with him being rude to a freaking bus driver for dog’s sake. It’s hard to have a lot of compassion for someone that stoops that low.

That said, there were some positives in the book. Mostly Tack and his kid, Jules. The bits with Vince were just a little too toxic to be really enjoyable.

Also, the cover really does not match the tone of the book. It’s not a bad cover, but Vince is fairly hostile and negative for so much of the story it feels kind of the opposite of the cover.

Publisher : Carina Adores
Rating: 6/10

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