Reviewed by Tori (Vicki)
TITLE: The Past Comes Home 
SERIES: Ames Bridge #2
AUTHOR: Silvia Violet
PUBLISHER: Silvia Violet Books
LENGTH: 228 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 3rd, 2017
BLURB:
Twenty years ago, Paxton Marshall realized he liked boys, in particular his brother’s best friend, Brad. Pax now runs a successful art gallery, but he’s never found anyone who stirs his heart the way Brad did.
Brad Watson is back in town for his twentieth high school reunion. However, the celebration of long-ago days is the last thing on his mind. He’s there for one reason: to finally tell Pax how he feels.
Pax is shocked to learn Brad is not only gay but also interested in him. Dating a man in Ames Bridge isn’t as simple as it sound, though. In order to make a relationship work, both men will have to bolster their courage and alter their expectations.
REVIEW:
The Past Comes Home continues the series set in the small town of Ames Bridge North Carolina. In the first book we met Cal and Beck, and were introduced to the somewhat homophobic residents of the town. We also met Pax, the owner of an art gallery and paint your own pottery store. Pax has grown up gay in this town, and has had to deal with the nasty residents, as well as the supporting ones, most of his life. He did move away for a bit, but after his brother dies and his mother has a stroke, he comes home and opens his business.
Brad shook off the dirt of Ames Bride as soon as he could and never looked back. Until his best friend Rob dies, and Brad goes home for the funeral. Where he is reminded of his nearly life long crush on Pax, Rob’s younger brother. The two do talk after Rob’s funeral, but it isn’t the time or place, so Rob goes home to Chicago, meaning to get back in touch with Pax, but he never does. Until two years later, when it’s time to go home for his 20th high school reunion. This seems like the time to come out to the town, to Pax, and see what happens.
Brad asks Pax to meet him for lunch and catch up. Pax has no idea Brad is gay and just assumes it’s nothing more than two old friends having lunch. He is quite surprised and confused to pick up on some flirting from Brad! The two chat a bit at Pax’s gallery, then eventually make it out to lunch, where they fall back in to their old friendship, and begin to reconnect after all this time. Then Brad drops a bombshell, he is gay too!
This story takes place over just a couple of days, and is a sweet beginning of a relationship between Brad and Pax. There is a surprising amount of drama in those few days, mostly due to the homophobic few people in town. This causes the relationship between them to be stressed, and we get a bit of the old will-they-won’t-they as the two try to sort themselves out. This is almost an insta-love story, except for the fact they have known each other for over 20 years! It did feel a bit rushed at times, Brad doesn’t always make rational decisions, and both of them overreact frequently.
I liked this story, it starts off on a sad note, and I was hooked by these two guys immediately. I loved Pax, he was such a sweetie, and totally deserved to get his man. Brad was a little harder for me to like, he was ok, but at times was too flip-floppy for my taste. I wanted him to commit one way or the other, sooner than he did. But that is what creates the drama in the story. That and the big issue of them not communicating. Maybe it’s just be being an old married woman, but I do get tired of reading about men that don’t freaking talk to each other! I wanted to grab them both by their shirt collars and shake them until they talked! That was a huge issue for me in the first book as well, and what made these books a little too similar in plot. Although I liked the characters in this one much more. There are several nice and hot sex scenes, and a couple of very sweet bonding scenes between Pax and Brad as well. Now I want pie and iced cookies!
I have read most of Silvia Violet’s books, and have enjoyed them. She writes a wide range of stories, paranormal, contemporary, historical, and all are solid. She writes some great characters, and some super yummy sex scenes! If you are looking for a sweet story set in a small town, with a bit of drama, then give this book a try. I liked it!
RATING: 
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