Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Winter Solstice in St. Nacho’s

AUTHOR: Z.A. Maxfield

SERIES: The St. Nacho’s Series #5

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 296 pages

RELEASE DATE: December 21, 2020

BLURB:

Can a winter solstice miracle bring Luke and Tug a second chance at love, or will Tug’s dangerous addiction destroy their happiness forever?

Librarian Luke believes “Everything is possible at the library.” He cheerfully provides his patrons with whatever they need, even if that means administering Naloxone when they overdose in the library bathroom.

Tug’s a heroin addict. He’s in the grip of a powerful addiction. He has no self-esteem. He sees no way out. When old crush Luke offers help, Tug’s willing to see what he can get out of the deal. But there’s a terrible cost to exploring his painful past and claiming his second chance.

Miracles happen for the men of St. Nacho’s. Will Tug seize a new life and the chance to be with Luke? Or will he give in to the siren’s song of a drug he can’t resist?

REVIEW:

Winter Solstice in St. Nacho’s is another strong addition to Z.A. Maxfield’s novels set in the small California town of Santo Ignacio – colloquially, St. Nacho’s. I love the vibrant residents, the scenery, and the continued theme of the mystical pull St. Nacho’s seems to have on those passing through. 

Luke is a bibliophile who is lucky to work as a librarian – his dream job. It’s at his library that he saves the life of a young man he finds unconscious after he overdoses on heroin in the bathroom. He discovers that the drug user is an old friend of the family, Thuong, whom Luke used to tutor. For this reason, Luke doesn’t wash his hands of Thuong; he contacts his cousin and her wife, a behavioral health specialist and a doctor specializing in addiction recovery, respectively, to locate an appropriate recovery facility. Since one is not readily available, Luke elects to take Thuong (now known as Tug) to a fleabag motel for a few days of detox. It’s harrowing, gruesome, and eye opening to Luke and to myself. Tug is dishonest at one point, and it breaks something in Luke who wants to believe in Tug even though he knows to never trust an addict. Luke feels so betrayed he doesn’t know if he can now trust others or even trust his own judgement. 

His time with Tug changes Luke in positive ways, too, however. He takes time to consider his perspective on the stigma placed upon addicts, and gives thought to working with social programs to be part of the solution. 

“What was so clear to me now was that the stigma and shame we put on addicts simply compounded the probability of a poor outcome. Judgment had no place within the context of the cure.” 

I personally appreciate the author challenging her readers with this viewpoint, and with giving us perspective on the ins and outs of recovery.  

It isn’t until halfway through the book when the setting changes from near Sacramento to the coastal town of St Nacho’s. After several months in rehab, Tug is ready to move on and decides on a sober house in St. Nacho’s where he can make amends with a former friend. Tug appeared in a pivotal role in Ms. Maxfield’s A Much Younger Man. He was the homeless friend of busker, Beck, and stole all of his tips to buy drugs and later ran off with Beck’s very expensive guitar and all his gear. While he relocates and settles into his new home, it’s fascinating to watch Tug’s growth and the difficult decisions he must make so he can deal with uncertainty and emotional discomfort with strength. 

I was uncomfortable about a major decision Luke made that could’ve jeopardized Tug’s recovery. Yes, it was the best decision for Luke and brought him peace and contentment, but it could’ve sent Tug spiraling out of control irrevocably. It seemed out of character for Luke, particularly when he was so invested in Tug’s recovery and well-being. 

There are a host of delightful side characters: Cooper, Shawn, Beck, and Linden make cameo appearances in St. Nacho’s; Luke’s parents are fantastic to both Luke and Tug; and Luke’s cousin, her wife, and a rehab doctor are paramount to Tug’s recovery. Worthy of special mention is the incomparable Minerva, St. Nacho’s resident psychic, Tug’s friend, and the manager of his sober house. She provides valuable guidance to both Tug and Luke individually. 

Ms. Maxfield has written two series based in the quirky, coastal town: St. Nacho’s, with books from 2008 – 2011, and the 2020 series, Men of St. Nacho’s. Considering Tug is a spinoff character from the first book in the new series, I’m puzzled why this book had been incorporated into the old series which was written quite a while ago. Regardless, both series are very good and past characters routinely pop up in newer books. It’s rewarding to revisit old favorites. Winter Solstice in St. Nacho’s has a bit of a different feel since the men don’t meet in St. Nacho’s and the first half of the book is set elsewhere. It’s a nice change and imparts a fresh take on both series. I happily recommend this book and feel it stands well on its own, too. 

RATING: 

BUY LINK: 

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