Wintering with George

With George #2

by Mary Calmes

George Hunt is certain that spending time with his boyfriend’s family over the holidays will be a disaster. How can it not? For starters, he knows nothing about families, never having had one, as for the rest…talk about pressure. What if he messes up, says the wrong thing, and ends up losing the most important person in his life? Dr. Kurt Butler is his miracle; George can’t afford any missteps. But if he’s careful and does everything right, perhaps they’ll see his good qualities instead of the lethal ones.

Sometimes, though, fate lets you put your best foot forward, and George gets to show off how handy he is to have around when bullets start flying. If he can keep everyone alive long enough to do some wintering, maybe he’ll discover that a family is something worth having after all.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Military Fiction, Christmas, Crime

126 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2024

About the author

Mary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a six-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.

Reviews

[Achim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Mary Calmes is Mary Calmes is Mary Calmes, no need to add more. Even more so because it's from the Kage/Harcourt universe, so you like it or not and if it's morally dubious ... again: it's Mary Calmes and she gets away with it.

[Ed Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this and can’t wait to read the final book in the series.

[Leaundra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved seeing them again in a longer story.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, George's instincts were spot on and lives were saved!

This story had it all! Bad guys go bye-bye and there are dogs... and a cat... and kids... and of course, there is George! What's not to love about George? According to Kurt, absolutely nothing... he is perfect just the way he is!

I don't mean to be pushing, but I would be highly disappointed if we didn't get our wedding sometime in the very near future... just sayin'!!!

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was book 2 in Mary Calmes’ With George series. In the first book, Just George, Hannah Kage introduces George to a man named Kurt Butler. That was a super short novella where at the end, the men decide they like each other and are going to spend time together to see where it goes. Nothing more than a kiss is exchanged between the two.

I was looking forward to see how their relationship was developing and moving forward with this follow up. However, much to my dismay, I come to find out that George and Kurt have now been together for two years. They basically live together and this is a Christmas story built around George letting Kurt’s sister and her family. I wanted to experience them falling in love! I felt cheated.

Nevertheless, I kept reading. It was a good story. I enjoyed meeting Kurt’s family and seeing George coming to accept that he now has a family after so many years of being alone. Of course there’s an incident where George has to step in and save the day with his impressive military skills. For the most part, that was good. I didn’t like how it was resolved. That happened off page and we’re just told how it happened.

All in all, it was a nice love story with some action thrown in. I’d recommend it if you’re a fan of Mary Calmes’ A Matter of Time series since George is Hannah’s bodyguard. Jory is mentioned once, but no other characters from that are in this book. I did notice that Ms. Calmes seems to be bringing in characters from her Torus series in the last two books I’ve read. That bothers me since I have no interest in that series. But apparently that’s the thing these days - authors making all their characters from all their books appear in every series they write. I wish they’d stop doing that. Not everyone is interested in every series an author writes.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far-fetched? Over the top? Highly improbable? Why is he so perfect? Real people aren't like that! Listen y'alls, this is what Mary Calmes does. And that is why we read her. Five stars!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh George, the sweet socially awkward lethal special ops captain. You can’t help but love George. Having been raised in the system with no idea or concept of family or love, people just end up hurting and leaving you, his relationship with Kurt, a psychiatrist, is now two years old and still George struggles with the idea of Kurt wanting him. He loves him but has no idea how to say the words.

George has agreed to spend Christmas with Kurt’s family and it’s stressing him out. It doesn’t help that he is deployed a couple of weeks before on a dangerous mission and hopes to hell that he gets back in time.

He does, and that’s when all hell breaks loose.

Mary Calmes is a one click author for me and all roads usually lead back to Jory and Sam from a Matter of Time, one of my all time fav series, and this book leads back to Jory’s fried chicken!

We first met Kurt when he was in college in Steamroller and he met George in Just George when he was a bodyguard looking after Sam and Jory’s feisty daughter Hannah. I adore crossover books!

I laughed when they all agreed that they would not watch Die Hard on Christmas Eve after what they had been through!

A fast paced fun book which I recommend you read and I agree with George, wintering is perfect. For so many people Christmas and New Year exhausts them, they feel the pressure to make everything perfect and don’t allow themselves time to relax, enjoy and appreciate, to winter.

[Alexis Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced and crazy good

George saves the day again. Coming off a mission and traveling to Portland to meet Kurt's family, George is in full blown protection mode. This turns out to be a good thing for Kurt's family. Even better for George, though, is finding out just how great having a family is.

KU, contemporary, book in a series, military men, winter holiday

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I didn't mean to burn through this without stopping, but here we are.

While it's got a bit more depth if you know who mentioned people are, you could read this without having read the Marshals and associated series, and still enjoy a neat story of a closed-off man realizing where he actually is emotionally (while fighting bad guys).

[farmwifetwo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a Mary Calmes. Anyone feel like the were reading Acrobat

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

George and Kurt are great. There’s lots of drama and crazy stuff going on throughout this book. But love the family dynamics throughout it too. Thanks to my younger sister for recommending this series to me. Wonderful throughout the whole series. 💜💜💜

[Carole Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[llv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars

This was a much more complete story than the first book. I felt the connection between the MCs more. I also liked the interactions with Kurt's family. Overall, an enjoyable read.

[Denise White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love George so much and Kurt is perfect for him. The plot was good story flow loved the family off to the wedding book.

[Kaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy sigh

This book was such a lovely surprise. I love getting to see more of George and Kurt. Seeing some of my fav characters through George’s eyes is always a treat. So good and will for sure be a reread.

[Ivka_s_knihou · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*... Pripomnelo mi to, ze se musim vratit ke vsem tem jejim ex-military chlapcum.

[Sanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

Wintering with George is not a standalone but the sequel to Just George in With George Series and it all ties in with multiple series with this author. HEA. MM Contemporary Romance. Military. Crime. Suspense. Action. Holidays/Christmas stories. Short Reads.

1POV, 1st person, past tense.
This kindle edition 126 pages, January 28, 2024.

It's so great to start a year by getting even a short new read by a top favourite author!
This story didn't feel short. Thankfully. I enjoyed it a lot 😍 There was action, suspense, family and - romance! Oh Kurt, well done on that front! George was enchanted ...

Recommended to fans.

[Ethel Nesson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced! Heart pumping!

What a way to meet Kurt’s family! Just off the plane from deployment George is tired, hurt and hungry, but still a specially trained soldier. Hang on to your hats as these two passionate men and their dogs protect and care for their family!!!

[Heather York · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Hunt truly is the star of this holiday novella. Obviously he was the main focus of Just George as well but we also had Hannah Kage and as she is nearly as a big of a trouble magnet as her father, Jory Kage, she has an unwitting tendency to draw the readers attention away from anything else around her😉. That's not a bad thing, as a matter of fact it was a brilliant way for us to get sucked into George's journey.

I got sidetracked there. Let's talk George Hunt and the man who owns his heart, Dr. Kurt Butler in Wintering George . . .

George and Kurt are just as great together in their established relationship as they were when they first were thrown together in Just George. George is returning from an unexpected mission, who am I kidding😉, all his missions are unexpected that just comes with the territory but he does it so well and he has a routine to unwind, to readjust, to regroup his mind and body after the action. Unfortunately as there was the typical SNAFU that comes with his profession he is unable to have his routine and has to fly straight to Kurt's family holiday. Despite not being able to let his mind and body come down as needed he is still the gentleman with the family meets but he also has the presence of mind to spot trouble as they near the family's home.

That's all the details you're getting from me as I don't want to spoil any of the possible mayhem that ensues. I will say it's not the family holiday that Kurt's sister and family planned but in the end it's the holiday they probably all needed the most. I know it sounds cryptic but no spoilers from me so cryptic is what you are getting😉.

George may not be a trouble magnet like the earlier mentioned Jory and Hannah Kage are but he does seem to have a knack of being in the wrong place, wrong time or perhaps more accurately stated: right place, right time considering his expertise in the area of mayhem.

For those who are looking for a heartwarming Xmassy tale, then don't be put off by the mayhem label because Wintering George definitely leaves you full of all the loving holiday feels. For those(like me) who enjoy a little danger to combat all the happy happy, Wintering is perfect for you too because there is a perfect blend of sweet and salty in this novella. If you only like reading about Christmas in December(possibly July for Xmas in July) then be sure and bookmark this tale so it doesn't get lost in 2024's additions to you TBR list.

One last note: if wondering, you don't have to read Just George first, Mary Calmes does a lovely job referencing how George and Kurt met so you won't be lost but I know I'm glad I read it, I just think I have a deeper heartfelt connection to both men having read it but it's not a must.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great continuation of George and Kurt’s relationship

Rating: 4.5🌈

Wintering with George , the second book in the With George series by Mary Calmes, is hard to be defined as a standalone series as its main characters are supported by and has its foundation knowledge based in two of this author’s most popular series (see list below).

However, Wintering with George is set two years after the events of the first novel and Calmes is able to give George and Kurt’s relationship a depth only time makes realistic. There’s still plenty of struggles and doubts, especially when George is still being unexpectedly called to duty for missions he can’t talk about.

That strain feels raw and the fear real. This is when the one person POV becomes intuitive because Calmes narrative has to include Kurt’s complex feelings, but from George’s perspective. That’s a difficult thing as Kurt has a tendency to want to psychoanalyze events and knows the boundaries where they should stop. It’s a great dynamic that we need to see more of.

It’s time to meet Kurt’s small family. Another great background story here and that turns into the main narrative going forward.

There’s plenty of action. Dogs and George’s cat, Bub. Kids to break up the adult action and add to the heartwarming atmosphere. Calmes has the best elements down pat here.

Except one.

We really need one more book to complete the trilogy and series. I hope we get it. This is too good to leave at two stories.

A definite recommendation!

Love this.

With George:
- [x] Just George #1
- [x] Wintering with George #2

Connected Series:
A Matter of Time - 6 books
Marshals - 6 books

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wintering with George is a longer sequel novella(?) to Just George. Set two years after the incidents of that short story, it's a first person POV of George coming back to the States to meet up with his partner Karl visiting Karl's family just in time for the holidays. After a black ops that turned into a flustercluck but eventually turned was successful, George lands at Portland, Oregon tired and and running on about 4 days of little to no sleep. He's reunited with Karl and is introduced to Karl's sister, Thom, her husband Brad. They get back to the family home and immediately George notices things are wrong- there's a running car just next to the driveway, an unknown SUV in the driveway, and another car next to it. It appears to be some kind of home invasion to George, who automatically and heroically defuses the situation. But then when he reaches out to friends, he's told to take the family and hide for a few days. There's a nasty piece of work out for the family and until it's fixed, they need to disappear for their safety. So the family winters with George and learns to relax and find each other again.

There are brief mentions of characters in other series by this author, which kind of reminds us they're all interconnected. Not bad. A little heavy on info dumping scenes; literally people talking and passing information instead of showing what's going on..

Three stars.

[Fritz42 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anytime there is a story about George from Just George and A Matter of Time series - George is Hannah Kage's bodyguard - I am definitely going to read it.

This one doesn't disappoint. From almost the beginning, George and his security skills come to the forefront in a situation Kurt's family find themselves in. The fact that he has just gotten off a deployment, hasn't gotten any sleep or eaten any food, and is meeting Kurt's family for the first time complicates matter. But then, this is George, and no complications get in his way of protecting those he loves. I do love seeing George in action.

But what makes this one extra special is the depths of his feelings for Kurt, how that has changed him - for the better, I might add - and how he reacts to them. Still waters do run so deep.

Having more stories about George will always be welcomed.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one better than the first one. I liked the first one because I was in the mood for something I didn’t have to think about overmuch, and the same held for this one. But by this one George and Kurt are already in an established, two year old relationship. So there was nothing weird to me about their interactions based on them only having met the same day the way there was in the first book, where the speed of their relationship development…never mind, it didn’t develop. It just sprang into life fully established, like Athena springing from Zeus’ head. By two years later, clearly they were right about their feelings and about each other, and clearly I was right to have gone with it at the end of book one, so congrats to me! This book deals with George meeting Kurt’s family for the first time. It may have been a bit longer than the first book as well. I enjoyed it. And didn’t think too deeply about it, again. These probably go down better with less thought applied. Just enjoy.

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short holiday story filled with family love and... thwarting a potential kidnapping, theft, and murder. Leave it to George. Always on guard and ready to engage an enemy--even in his personal life. I love this character. Typical Mary Calmes's style, but one I happen to love.

Poor George is on the way home from a deployment a few days before Christmas. His boyfriend Kurt and Kurt's sister and her husband all meet him at the airport and as they are pulling into the sister's driveway George spots a suspicious van and a lookout car. He quickly loads his service revolver and jumps into action, managing to stop a kidnapping and once more getting shot as he saves the family from the bad guys. And that's just the beginning.

I enjoyed watching George get his great awakening to the fact that he now has a family and that Kurt is all-in with him in a forever sort of way. Definitely a must read for those who read book one.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish it was Longer

I love Mary Calmes' books, she is one of my favorite authors. I especially love the Matter of Time series and all the offshoots from it, like the character George. You really have to read the first book about George to fully appreciate this one. This was a fast read, hence my title but unlike other Unlimited books, I purchase Calmes' books so I can reread them. I have reread the Matter of Time books many many times. Thanks for the wonderful characters, Mary!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wondeful!

What a joy to spend more time with Kurt and George! Mary Calmes has such wonderful character development you do not feel cheated by a shorter story. We really get to see more of George’s motivations and what’s holding him back from completely committing to the man he loves. Kurt is such a great partner for George, he is totally committed and knows George loves him but has some demons to overcome. As always loved the family and of course want more. But I was so grateful to have another story about George and Kurt it feels like a gift!

[Amanda Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The names. Ugh!!!

Ok. The storyline was interesting enough to keep you reading, and the people were relatable, BUT MY LORD what was with these names????!!!!. They were so unsexy and unlikeable I could not see them in writing and not cringe. A child named Dennis? Any time after 1988? A husband named Brad? That and Kevin are the male versions of Karen's! George? Only in the British Royalty. I am 56 and I have never met a person named George except in a nursing home. Kurt is generally the name of the jock or office jerk. Just messed the whole vibe to be honest.

[Chetana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️

I just felt we missed out on a lot by not having a novella between these 2 books. There's 2 years worth of relationship and character growth we have missed out on and I think I should have at least completed reading the Marshals series before I read this as a lot of the characters from that series were mentioned. I don't think I can read A Matter of Time series anymore because of reasons that will spoil it but Marshals I had a liking for.

If nothing else this series has spurred me to read the Marshals series again.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love George when he appears as Hannah’s bodyguard throughout the Chicagoverse stories. He is such a wonderful character. In this book we get George and his boyfriend Kurt two years into their relationship. Although it is obvious Kurt is in it for the long haul George fears he might change his mind if Kurt finds out what George is really like. George is full of self-doubts for such a capable and well-respected man. Although this book is short it has romance, action, and suspense. Declan Winters narrates the audiobook, and I highly recommend this version of the book.

[Khatirana Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The usual 5 stars story ...

Missy Mary, this is getting boring...I can never give your books less than 5 stars 😂😂😂 I love your stories so much it's crazy. The little mentions here and there of beloved characters from previous books (Hanna, Jory Sutter, etc) was such a lovely touch! Now I have to read them again (for the millionth time I have to admit lol) So yes, absolutely recommend, well it's a Mary Calmes story so what do you expect me to say?