Rustic Memory (Lily G’s Review)

Title: Rustic Memory (Rustic #2)
Author: Nic Starr
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 26, 2016
Genre(s): Contemporary
Page Count: 159
Reviewed by: Lily G Blunt
Heat Level: 2 flames out of 5
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Tyler Samuels had his reasons for leaving the country town where he grew up. He moved to the city, established a home and a career, and found love. Now Ty is in his early thirties, and as his life takes another tragic turn, he finds himself returning to the place he first ran from.

Mac McGrath has lived in Armidale all his life. He loves his family and his job as an electrician, running the family business. The only thing missing in his life is a relationship. When Ty, his teenage crush, arrives back in town, maybe he has found someone to love at last.

What starts as friends with benefits quickly turns to more for Mac, but Ty will need to let go of his memories if he is to learn to love again. But can Mac wait that long?

The Rustic series continues in this second installment with Ty Samuels taking over the pub/hotel from Joey and Adam. This is a beautiful story and my heart went out to Ty from the start. He’d suffered the loss of two previous loves and was hoping to make a new start by returning to his hometown of Armidale. He soon meets up with a gorgeous electrician.  Mac turns out to be the younger brother of a friend who used to hang around with them as kids. Ty hasn’t seen him in years, but  likes how Mac has matured nicely with age. They hit it off, make out, and then the two men play a game of will they or won’t they commit to a relationship. Mac wants them to become an item, but Ty blows hot and cold because of his previous heartaches and loss. He’s too frightened to give in to his feelings and maybe get hurt all over again.

As with all Nic’s character pairings, their situation and interaction grabs you from the start and you are soon willing them to sort themselves out. They spend some good times together as friends and also as friends with benefits, but Ty holds back from taking that final step for most of the story.

Mac is a great guy. He wants to settle down and have a meaningful relationship with Ty. Fortunately, Mac is patient and considerate, willing to wait for his boyhood crush to accept that he has feelings for him. And finally, an unexpected incident opens Ty’s eyes and heart to what he could be missing and it’s all wound up pretty swiftly after that. As always with many stories, I would have liked more scenes with the guys as a couple and see how they are together as their relationship grows.

I enjoyed the more somber tone and gentle pace of this story. Having said that, this is not a gloomy tale. Nic’s writing holds your attention and draws you in. Overall, it’s still a feel-good romance with a happy ending. There are only a couple of sex scenes in this story, but they are memorable!

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