The Hideaway Inn is a character-driven LGBT romance that follows Vince Amato. We learn that as a child, Vince was bullied quite severely because of his sexuality. The moment he graduated, he blew town, and during his years away, completely reinvented himself from the skinny, frightened kid he used to be to a domineering muscular power alpha.
Now he’s back, but only because he recently purchased an inn called The Hideaway Inn. He plans to renovate the inn, flip it, make a gigantic profit, and then return to his life in the city. But what he didn’t count on was his childhood crush, Tack, a charming farm boy who broke Vince’s heart in high school. We also learn that Tack stood by and did nothing during Vince’s bullying.
But Tack has changed, and he’s determined to win Vince’s heart. But Tack unaware of Vince’s plans to sell the inn. So the question is: can Tack win Vince’s heart and cause him to change his mind?
This was a sweet, tender, and endearing novel about redemption and second chances. I really enjoyed getting to know these two characters and enjoyed how they both grew throughout the pages of the book. Character development was certainly among The Hideaway Inn’s list of shining accomplishments, and the author really brings them to life here, letting all of them thrive in their complexity, both haunted by the ghosts of their past. I loved the tension and chemistry between our two main characters, and they both tried to figure out how they fit into the other’s life.
I really, really cared about these two guys making it to a happy ending and thought the journey that takes them there is an utterly remarkable read. This is the kind of book that makes you laugh, makes you sad, and even makes you pine for lost love and lost opportunities. I thought that this is a beautifully rendered contemporary story of love and friendship, with all of its exhilaration, disappointments, and mistakes, and if you’re in the mood for a sweet and cozy read, then The Hideaway Inn is surely worth checking out.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.