Niles has been waiting for the day the academy decided to replace him. His educational background falls short of the school’s usual demands, but a revered maestro? It doesn’t make sense. Why would such a prominent figure want to teach high school music?
Fearing for his job and envious of the other man’s career, Niles doesn’t give the maestro a warm welcome, but their feud doesn’t last when Niles learns the respectable musician is struggling with a mountain of problems and would prefer to be anywhere but Timber Creek.
As the truth about August’s troubled life surfaces, so too does a secret he has carried for decades. As a self-proclaimed repressed bisexual, August rarely allows himself the freedom to explore his sexuality, but an undeniable attraction to Timber Creek’s music teacher threatens to test his resolve. He can’t afford to fall for Niles. He has a life and responsibilities outside Timber Creek.
The minute his obligations are fulfilled, he’s out the door.
Unless he finds a reason to stay…
Comment: Last year I had read another book by this author, of which this one is the sequel. Well, it is a sequential story but with different protagonists. I was quite taken by a secondary character in that first book and that was mainly why I felt interest in reading the story where he would be the protagonist, thus why I've picked up this book now.
Niles Edwidge is a music teacher at a private school and he enjoys his work,as well as the quiet life he has but it is true he sometimes feels lonely, especially since his best friend happens to also be his ex and he is now happy with someone else. Although over this and still very much glad he still has a friend who understands him, he can't help but feel the snub of knowing he is the only teacher who doesn't have a PhD. He knows he is a good teacher but past regrets still affect him, which is why he feels even worse when a renowned maestro comes to the school with his prodigious daughter in two, so that she can enroll at a school for the first time after life changing surgeries following a cancer battle. Niles thinks Augusts is there to show everyone how Niles is lacking, and when they first meet that is the impression he gets, but... could it be that they have way more in common besides the love for music?
This book confirmed the overall impression I had of this author's style, meaning that it offers a lot of angst and inner reflections, which I tend to like, but the "outside" world around the characters kind of drags and the tension and the pining don't seem to be enough to sustain the less vibrant sections. Basically, I like many things but there are times where the story feels a little boring.
Perhaps the issue for me is the pace. I do like it that the author takes time to set up things, establish situations, emotions and such, but there does seem to exist a certain distance between what is going on and how the characters deal with things. I know this sounds contradictory, after all a slow burn or a stronger relationship development takes time to be seen as solid, but I kind of wish Niles and August had been more demonstrative of what they were thinking sooner. The sexual tension between them was too slow.
The plot is simple, the two man have to adjust to a new situation while dealing with personal feelings and notions of what they see as their weaknesses, and August also has the detail of having to help his daughter, with whom he has a complicated relationship. Regarding this, I think the evolution of things went as well as it could, and when the story is almost over, it was nice to see he and his daughter were getting along better and that she felt he would be there for her.
The romance was a little too slow like I said, but it did have interesting moments, especially since August wasn't immediately certain about pursuing something with Niles at first. It was sweet how he was more and more into it the longer they knew each other. The HEA is also cute and preceded of a romantic and public declaration and I've finished the novel believing that their relationship would be a solid one, considering the steps taken by them so that they could be together.
The falling in love process wasn't as impressive for me, though. I think the self doubts and the negative aspects of their personalities were given way more focus than the actual romance, or the sexual tension and it made for an angsty, yes, but also slightly annoying path. There were times where some things felt repetitive and I wanted a bit more passion from them. I mean, they are in their 40s, so obviously they are mature adults, but I wouldn't have minded some more obvious letting go of their emotions.
My favorite part was the music content. I don't play music, have no knowledge of it, but I loved the references to pieces, to the process of studying and improving the skills while playing an instrument and how to play classical music. I could understand Niles' feelings of inadequacy, of inferiority when it came to not play as he once dreamed he could, but I still loved how competent he was, especially when compared to so many people out there (like me) who has no ability in this field whatsoever.
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