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Mangrove Stories #2
Quiet Nights
Mangrove Stories It’s a lovely little life Kelly Seaton leads. He’s got his own landscaping business, a nice little house, and his best friend, Cosimo Renaldi, and Coz’s goofball family who have adopted Kelly as their own. Sure, it’s a little lonely at night, but it’s a sweet deal, and Kelly can’t chance ruining it by letting on that he wants more—has always wanted more—with Coz. Then Kelly’s past comes to town, bringing bad memories and hurt feelings that start to break Kelly down, and Coz just doesn’t understand why Kelly won’t let him be the support and strength that Kelly’s always been for him. They’ve already been through war, Coz’s devastating injury, and starting new careers in Mangrove, Florida. Why shouldn’t they face their chaotic pasts and build their future of quiet nights… together?
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2015
44 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Mary Calmes
130 books5,025 followersMary 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
February 4, 2015
Exhibit A: Dani's Emotional Trajectory While Reading a Mary Calmes Book
Hells, YEAH, beyotch, this is gonna be good!
What is even happening right now?
Well, that sucked hairy camel balls.
Plot? I'm going with no.
Kel and Coz are like brothers. Kel has always wanted more from Coz. And apparently Coz has wanted Kel too, except he didn't think he could have Kel. Because Kel is a slut and Coz has only one arm.
Or something.
Character development? I got as far as Kel being whiny and Coz being angry.
I wanted to go beyond the surface, but since the story is told in Kel's first-person POV (as is Calmes' trademark), Coz was an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in candy foil.
The scene where Coz's mother introduces her new boyfriend and their sexual escapades to her grown children was a bit ridiculous, but I have to admit, hilarious. Sadly, though, that was the highlight of the story for me.
Kel is obsessing over the new guy in town, whom he had a brief two-day fling with like ten years ago. Then he gets jealous because Coz goes on a date. And they go from bickering friends to let's-hire-a-moving-truck.
And after the teasing and bits of dirty talk, we get one short sex scene.
The story is short, and we got a peek at Dwyer and Takeo from the first book. I liked them, so that was nice.
Overall, I was disappointed with this novella, but if you are a die-hard Calmes fan and enjoy a fluffy best-friends-to-lovers tale, check this one out.
I got nothin' else.
Hells, YEAH, beyotch, this is gonna be good!
What is even happening right now?
Well, that sucked hairy camel balls.
Plot? I'm going with no.
Kel and Coz are like brothers. Kel has always wanted more from Coz. And apparently Coz has wanted Kel too, except he didn't think he could have Kel. Because Kel is a slut and Coz has only one arm.
Or something.
Character development? I got as far as Kel being whiny and Coz being angry.
I wanted to go beyond the surface, but since the story is told in Kel's first-person POV (as is Calmes' trademark), Coz was an enigma wrapped in a mystery wrapped in candy foil.
The scene where Coz's mother introduces her new boyfriend and their sexual escapades to her grown children was a bit ridiculous, but I have to admit, hilarious. Sadly, though, that was the highlight of the story for me.
Kel is obsessing over the new guy in town, whom he had a brief two-day fling with like ten years ago. Then he gets jealous because Coz goes on a date. And they go from bickering friends to let's-hire-a-moving-truck.
And after the teasing and bits of dirty talk, we get one short sex scene.
The story is short, and we got a peek at Dwyer and Takeo from the first book. I liked them, so that was nice.
Overall, I was disappointed with this novella, but if you are a die-hard Calmes fan and enjoy a fluffy best-friends-to-lovers tale, check this one out.
I got nothin' else.
February 15, 2015
Mary subverted her own trope that is fuckin' awesome
drunk emma is drunk blame babies also waggling and dancing and festive family functions
**
Thank you, Eve! You're so awesome
Can't. Wait.
***
I'm not even going to try to resist.
drunk emma is drunk blame babies also waggling and dancing and festive family functions
**
Thank you, Eve! You're so awesome
Can't. Wait.
***
I'm not even going to try to resist.
February 4, 2015
"God, you're gorgeous," he husked, stroking me as he kissed up my throat to my jaw and up behind my ear. "Your gold skin and your big beautiful eyes that I hate to say are green 'cause that's not enough when I tell people, and your mouth and your perfect round ass."Mmm...gold skin and a perfect ass? Husking and whining? A possessive dude AND a dude who thinks no one truly wants him when everyone else seems to think he's just too, too pretty?
Oh dear God, he thought I was pretty?
"I can't stand how everyone stares at you and wants to touch you because I want that to be just me. I wanna be the only one."
"Yes," I whined in the back of my throat. "Just you."
That's right! Miss Mary, La Calmes is back and I am just so happy to say that I actually enjoyed Quiet Nights. It's definitely an improvement over Blue Days, the first book in this series--I wish I could tell you just how it's better, but, um, I barely remember that story.
Well, I do remember that Dwyer and Takeo end up opening a B&B in the small seaside town of Mangrove, Florida, which is where we meet Kelly Seaton (he was mentioned in the epilogue of Blue Days). Kelly is an Army vet and landscaper who was practically adopted by his BFF's family after his biologicals rejected him for being gay (omigawd, is this a Mary Calmes story or is this a Mary Calmes story?). Said BFF is Cosimo "Coz" Renaldi, who served with Kelly in Afganistan and is now a cop. Kelly is, naturally, in love with Coz but it will never, ever, ever work out because he doesn't want to ruin their epic friendship and Coz is too perfect for him (honestly, both heroes are Jory in this one). Trouble blows into town with the arrival of Britton Lassiter, Kelly's first love who broke his heart 10 years ago. (REPEAT: omigawd, is this a Mary Calmes story or is this a Mary Calmes story?)
The story's structure reminded me of A Matter of Time #3 in that, like Jory, Kelly spends the entire book running around, exchanging words with Coz, running into someone else, chatting with them, running somewhere else, gets yelled at by various people, who are really quite fond and adoring despite all the confrontation. Basically, I'm pretty sure Mary was stretching out a story that might've been shorter if it hadn't been necessary to introduce us to the other men of Mangrove--there's Hutch, whose balls Takeo threatened to cut-off in the first book, Britton the ex and if Mary doesn't write a GFY about police chief Farley I will be most seriously displeased.
And that's pretty much the whole plot. Kelly running around, Coz yelling a lot, meeting the available males and one hilarious scene with Coz's mom, Annalise. That whole Coz just doesn’t understand why Kelly won’t let him be the support and strength that Kelly’s always been for him from the blurb? Yeah, I didn't notice that at all. But that didn't bother me--the only thing that did bug me is the Big Love Reveal scene. I had my own theories about what Coz had been thinking throughout the story, but apparently I was wrong. *mopes*
But, whatever--plot schmot. This is condensed Mary and it is just plain fun. I'm still grinning like a...like a...well, like a Mary Calmes fangirl, which is exactly what I am. *nods*
3.5 stars
**Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**
January 7, 2020
Mary Calmes either hits it out of the park or simply misses for me - and this was a miss. I didn't fall in love with either the characters or the situation and while I read it from beginning to end (an automatic 3 star rating for me) I doubt that I will reread it, which makes it a fail for me. She's written some of my all time favorites but I would recommend starting with another of her books. This one felt phoned in...
January 2, 2016
UPDATED for audio book 05/02/2015:
GREG TREMBLAY NARRATED!! Need I say more?
Read 02/09/2015
You know, I'm not going to lie. Was it great? No. Was it good? Yes, with a qualifier: it's short. I mean, really short. It's also really formulaic.
Did that detract from me liking it? No. Did it prevent me from loving it? Yes.
Look, it's less than an hour to read it. Go for it.
GREG TREMBLAY NARRATED!! Need I say more?
Read 02/09/2015
You know, I'm not going to lie. Was it great? No. Was it good? Yes, with a qualifier: it's short. I mean, really short. It's also really formulaic.
Did that detract from me liking it? No. Did it prevent me from loving it? Yes.
Look, it's less than an hour to read it. Go for it.
October 4, 2017
It's comfort read time...
and of course for me this means Mary Calmes. This one was short and I have to admit part of the book was ok but really just ok. What was for me the best part of the story wasn't in fact the main plot, it was when Kel went to dinner at Coz's mom's and her boyfriend answered the door. This would be the boyfriend that no one was aware of.
Having an adult child of my own I was so able to relate to this scene and I laughed uproariously, thankfully I was not reading this in the middle of the night as is my usual. By the time I was done reading this part of the story alone and placing my kid in Coz's shoes because yes like Coz, mine would be the one running to get the vodka I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face. I don't know if other people found this particular scene funny but it just resonated with me because lets face it we all know how much we want to hear about our parents having a sex life and Coz's mom definitely dwelled in the land of full disclosure longer than was necessary and I do believe this was for her own personal entertainment and mine ;-)
So the rest of the story it was ok and for the most part fairly trademark Mary Calmes. I very much wish there had been more. Not tons but I think if there had been more of the actual Kel & Coz part of the story, a little more between Kel and Lassiter and maybe a bit more Hutch Crowley. I'm not sure I just felt like more would have helped. Well that and the fact that once again I got a book that the publisher listed as 80 pages, it showed on my e-reader as 74, fair enough I know page numbers vary from format to format so I'm cool with this. But at somewhere around page 57 I ran out of story. So no this was not an 80 page story hell we didn't even get close to page number 74 forget 80. Nearly 20 pages of author bio (which I'm cool with all books have this) and only 1 or 2 pages were actually taken up by this and then there was all the rest. With all the rest being book promo for the rest of Ms Calmes books and that's cool too but what isn't cool is telling me I'm getting something I'm not which was 80 pages of story. Admittedly this is a pet peeve of mine and I will probably continue to bitch & kvetch about it whenever it happens.
Oct. 4/17 - and the Mary Calmes/Greg Tremblay fest continues :) :) :) :) :)
and of course for me this means Mary Calmes. This one was short and I have to admit part of the book was ok but really just ok. What was for me the best part of the story wasn't in fact the main plot, it was when Kel went to dinner at Coz's mom's and her boyfriend answered the door. This would be the boyfriend that no one was aware of.
Having an adult child of my own I was so able to relate to this scene and I laughed uproariously, thankfully I was not reading this in the middle of the night as is my usual. By the time I was done reading this part of the story alone and placing my kid in Coz's shoes because yes like Coz, mine would be the one running to get the vodka I was laughing so hard I had tears streaming down my face. I don't know if other people found this particular scene funny but it just resonated with me because lets face it we all know how much we want to hear about our parents having a sex life and Coz's mom definitely dwelled in the land of full disclosure longer than was necessary and I do believe this was for her own personal entertainment and mine ;-)
So the rest of the story it was ok and for the most part fairly trademark Mary Calmes. I very much wish there had been more. Not tons but I think if there had been more of the actual Kel & Coz part of the story, a little more between Kel and Lassiter and maybe a bit more Hutch Crowley. I'm not sure I just felt like more would have helped. Well that and the fact that once again I got a book that the publisher listed as 80 pages, it showed on my e-reader as 74, fair enough I know page numbers vary from format to format so I'm cool with this. But at somewhere around page 57 I ran out of story. So no this was not an 80 page story hell we didn't even get close to page number 74 forget 80. Nearly 20 pages of author bio (which I'm cool with all books have this) and only 1 or 2 pages were actually taken up by this and then there was all the rest. With all the rest being book promo for the rest of Ms Calmes books and that's cool too but what isn't cool is telling me I'm getting something I'm not which was 80 pages of story. Admittedly this is a pet peeve of mine and I will probably continue to bitch & kvetch about it whenever it happens.
Oct. 4/17 - and the Mary Calmes/Greg Tremblay fest continues :) :) :) :) :)
February 10, 2015
If I were to write a good review to this story, the review would be longer than the story, so I wont. What I will say, though, is that to enjoy this story the reader has to leave behind all sense of logic and intelligence. Now that wouldn't be so bad if this story had well fleshed out characters and a basic plot, but we don't even get that in this story. We get a skeleton of a premise of a story that's roaring at 100 miles/hr or what Dani rightly called, a frantic pace which might work in a longer story, but in something as short as this, it didn't.
This story had too many illogical premises, too many coincidences, too many frantic situations that made no sense, including the ending where the supposed guy that had hurt Kels so badly (you know, the guy that Kels fucked for 2 freaking days which were supposedly so meaningful to change his life) ended up being just an innocent misunderstanding, and not that the guy was a villain/asshole.
Usually I can close my eyes and enjoy Mary's stories. They are familiar to us -basically the same characters, the same premise and so what, but this story, not so much. It needed more. It needed at least a semblance of characterization, a better structured plot, and for goodness sake, a better pacing. The only thing I really enjoyed was Coz's mother because that scene in the kitchen was priceless.
My fluffy heart was disappointed even though here and there the story had some emotional lines which were very good. But that doesn't make a story.
This story had too many illogical premises, too many coincidences, too many frantic situations that made no sense, including the ending where the supposed guy that had hurt Kels so badly (you know, the guy that Kels fucked for 2 freaking days which were supposedly so meaningful to change his life) ended up being just an innocent misunderstanding, and not that the guy was a villain/asshole.
Usually I can close my eyes and enjoy Mary's stories. They are familiar to us -basically the same characters, the same premise and so what, but this story, not so much. It needed more. It needed at least a semblance of characterization, a better structured plot, and for goodness sake, a better pacing. The only thing I really enjoyed was Coz's mother because that scene in the kitchen was priceless.
My fluffy heart was disappointed even though here and there the story had some emotional lines which were very good. But that doesn't make a story.
October 6, 2024
I saw something on my feed today. Calmes-d. Let's all attribute that to bewitched.
Am I?
Maybe.
Do I love everything Calmes?
No.
Did I love this?
Yes.
I read reviews from my closest and most trusted and well, I disagree.
I don't see anything wrong with this book. I smiled, I laughed and God save me, I swooned.
As a mystery lover I'll even proudly state I was HAD!
So yeah, maybe you say bewitched and maybe I just say happy.
Am I?
Maybe.
Do I love everything Calmes?
No.
Did I love this?
Yes.
I read reviews from my closest and most trusted and well, I disagree.
I don't see anything wrong with this book. I smiled, I laughed and God save me, I swooned.
As a mystery lover I'll even proudly state I was HAD!
So yeah, maybe you say bewitched and maybe I just say happy.
April 13, 2015
I’m a huge Mary Calmes fan. I’ve read almost all of her books and I tend to devour them. Quiet Nights, however, is one of the few that was just okay for me.
Kelly, our MC, and Coz are best friends and sort of like brothers. Kelly has always wanted Coz and Coz, Kelly. But Coz only has one arm and Kelly sleeps around and had his heart broken when he was a teenager, so it would never work.
What I loved about this story was Coz and Kelly as a couple. They were so sweet together and there was just something about them, like a lot of Mary Calmes couples, that I loved. I believed and felt their love for each other and I was so glad they were finally going in the right direction.
I also loved the scene where Coz’s mother introduced her new boyfriend to Coz, Kelly and Mia. It was hilarious, for some maybe over the top. But I enjoyed that scene and I got a good laugh out of it. Another thing I liked was seeing Dwyer and Takeo from the first book. I love when we see the couple from a previous book appear in someone else’s story.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the whole Britton thing. Though I was glad we finally got to hear his side of what happened ten years ago. I would have preferred for it to have been resolved sooner. But at least we got Kelly and him actually talking.
I would have liked more Kelly and Coz as a couple. I think the story would have been a lot better if there had been more of them, and maybe another scene with the family. Because I really liked them, especially the mom.
Overall, this was an okay story. I didn’t love it, but I loved things about it and I had a laugh reading it. I’m definitely not sorry I read it. I just wish I had liked it more than I did.
3 stars!
A copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Kelly, our MC, and Coz are best friends and sort of like brothers. Kelly has always wanted Coz and Coz, Kelly. But Coz only has one arm and Kelly sleeps around and had his heart broken when he was a teenager, so it would never work.
What I loved about this story was Coz and Kelly as a couple. They were so sweet together and there was just something about them, like a lot of Mary Calmes couples, that I loved. I believed and felt their love for each other and I was so glad they were finally going in the right direction.
I also loved the scene where Coz’s mother introduced her new boyfriend to Coz, Kelly and Mia. It was hilarious, for some maybe over the top. But I enjoyed that scene and I got a good laugh out of it. Another thing I liked was seeing Dwyer and Takeo from the first book. I love when we see the couple from a previous book appear in someone else’s story.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the whole Britton thing. Though I was glad we finally got to hear his side of what happened ten years ago. I would have preferred for it to have been resolved sooner. But at least we got Kelly and him actually talking.
I would have liked more Kelly and Coz as a couple. I think the story would have been a lot better if there had been more of them, and maybe another scene with the family. Because I really liked them, especially the mom.
Overall, this was an okay story. I didn’t love it, but I loved things about it and I had a laugh reading it. I’m definitely not sorry I read it. I just wish I had liked it more than I did.
3 stars!
A copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 1, 2016
I really hope no one shows up to take my fan card away, but I didn't get it. Why were they together? Where was the chemistry? Where was the romance?
February 9, 2015
OK, I get it now. This is a series and Mangrove is the town they live in. But, man, the first half of the book kinda screwed with my brain! I felt like I was coming in at the middle of the story.
But, alas, the sex was HOT and I'm a huge sucker for Friends-to-Lovers, so it's all good. Short and sizzling, that's this book.
Recommended.
But, alas, the sex was HOT and I'm a huge sucker for Friends-to-Lovers, so it's all good. Short and sizzling, that's this book.
Recommended.
February 14, 2015
Drive-by Mary Calmes.
*blink* there it went.
How long did this take her to write? Two days, with snack breaks?
*blink* there it went.
How long did this take her to write? Two days, with snack breaks?
Want to read
February 17, 2015
February 10, 2015
Cute, fun, fast-paced story with an unrepentant manwhore and his growly BFF. Unfortunately, there was something frantic about the storytelling and that just didn’t work for me. I find it hard to believe that these characters are capable of having a - singular – quiet night, let alone that they strive for many of them.
February 11, 2015
Ruh Roh.....ummmmm? Oh crap Mary noooooooo. Ok ....ok there is a first time for everything. I don't want to say it because I love Mary.
1- So when/why was he adopted? ....or did she just stake him in?
2- Why were they in love or how did they fall in love?
3- That was not 80 pages at all.
4- He's missing an arm but love interest wants him to get over it?
5- Mom is very in touch with her sexual side which I appreciate but man talk about dropping some strange character tidbits like they were hot.
I LOVE MARY AND HER BOOKS......just
not
this one :(.
My stomach hurts!
1- So when/why was he adopted? ....or did she just stake him in?
2- Why were they in love or how did they fall in love?
3- That was not 80 pages at all.
4- He's missing an arm but love interest wants him to get over it?
5- Mom is very in touch with her sexual side which I appreciate but man talk about dropping some strange character tidbits like they were hot.
I LOVE MARY AND HER BOOKS......just
not
this one :(.
My stomach hurts!
September 21, 2015
I liked this one a lot more than the first in the series. A cute best friends to lovers story. I loved Coz's family. The scene with his mom introducing her new beau was hilarious. I will definitely continue on with this series.
June 14, 2017
**Audio**
I really, really, really loved this when I read it and reviewed it the first time.
This time it just didn't give me the same feels. I think I needed more time with Kelly and Coz. Now, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. This installment was really quite funny. It just was missing something. I think I need to read my friends reviews again because I totally disagreed with them the first time and now I wonder if I would agree.
I do like being in Mangrove and refreshing my memory is pretty fun and honestly quite relaxing.
On to the next one.
I really, really, really loved this when I read it and reviewed it the first time.
This time it just didn't give me the same feels. I think I needed more time with Kelly and Coz. Now, don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it. This installment was really quite funny. It just was missing something. I think I need to read my friends reviews again because I totally disagreed with them the first time and now I wonder if I would agree.
I do like being in Mangrove and refreshing my memory is pretty fun and honestly quite relaxing.
On to the next one.
July 15, 2022
Not sure why I thought I'd read this one already... lol, I guess that's just Mary Calmes.
I liked this nice story, and it was even more soothing in audio - nicely performed by Greg Boudreaux.
I liked this nice story, and it was even more soothing in audio - nicely performed by Greg Boudreaux.
April 2, 2015
I didn’t feel the magic.
From page one this felt like a very short story rushing to get to its last page at 89% of the book (!!! yes, the rest of the book was ads. And for 60-odd pages, that’s a crime.). When you have most of the story exposition made through character dialogue of the sort: ‘Oh, you’re so-and-so and this is how I know you; and you are related to him through such-and-such; and I will always love you because I’ve always this-and-that’...
"I borrowed money from your mom for my landscaping business," I reminded him. "Mia took some when she opened the law office, but you— you had to go and be a damn lawman."
... all of this info is already known by the characters in the discussion. This kind of dialogue is just plain awkward.
Sure, Kel and Coz are interesting— especially the taste we get of their soldier buddy backstory— but they and their romance get real short shrift here. The sexual musical chairs (who will bang whom?) and the general character dump— so many to keep track of— added to the confusion. Even the first book in the series Blue Days, also a short, had some allure and grace. We get just a glimpse of that story's MCs, Takeo and Dwyer, for consistency. But, Quiet NIghts mostly seemed to exist to intro new characters for the next in the series.
An extra star 'cause it’s Calmes who’s given such fun elsewhere, and everyone gets off their game sometime. But this one just annoyed me.
ETA: omygod. Just read some of the reviews for this book (after posting mine). I swear to god some of them are funnier than this book-- yes, including the kitchen scene with Coz's TMI-mom. GR reviewers rock.
February 10, 2015
This is the sequel to Blue Days and it was fun to go back to Mangrove. I have to say what my favorite part about these books is the lack of instalove. Each of the couples had a past and a history. This one was very sweet. Both Cos and Kelly served and neither one came out the other side perfect. Cos came back without an arm and Kelly mentally and physically had to bring him back from the brink. Now they are both at Mangrove, Kelly is a landscaper-ish and Cos is now a cop. Kelly has also been pining after his best friend and quasi brother for years. It's just going to take a push
We get to see Takeo and Dwyer again, which is fun :) and I love how much Takeo seems to be settling in his happy new life.
What I loved about this book was the friends to lover part. It helped give an air of history while having the characters still be new and fresh to readers. I honestly didn’t know if Cos was going to be the love interest or the man who led Kelly on years ago, I mean this is Mary so it could have gone either way! But I knew KNEW it was meant to be when Kelly and Cos finally combusted together. The smexy parts were so hot, so filled with heat, steam and just raw passion that I was fanning myself with my kindle. My only complaint was that I wanted more of a villain, the misunderstanding made this story a lighter happy read (which some readers will adore). I will admit though that the Mangrove series is on the bright and happy side so if you’re looking for a rainy day read this is perfect.
We get to see Takeo and Dwyer again, which is fun :) and I love how much Takeo seems to be settling in his happy new life.
What I loved about this book was the friends to lover part. It helped give an air of history while having the characters still be new and fresh to readers. I honestly didn’t know if Cos was going to be the love interest or the man who led Kelly on years ago, I mean this is Mary so it could have gone either way! But I knew KNEW it was meant to be when Kelly and Cos finally combusted together. The smexy parts were so hot, so filled with heat, steam and just raw passion that I was fanning myself with my kindle. My only complaint was that I wanted more of a villain, the misunderstanding made this story a lighter happy read (which some readers will adore). I will admit though that the Mangrove series is on the bright and happy side so if you’re looking for a rainy day read this is perfect.
December 5, 2015
Overall book rating: 3 Stars
Audio book: Narrator - Greg Tremblay 4.5 Stars
Book Cover: 3.5 Stars
Kelly Seaton and Cosimo Renaldi was sweet together The book was just to short to connect with deep characters!!
Audio book: Narrator - Greg Tremblay 4.5 Stars
Book Cover: 3.5 Stars
Kelly Seaton and Cosimo Renaldi was sweet together The book was just to short to connect with deep characters!!
February 23, 2015
What happened??
This was kind of disappointing. It was short and there just wasnt enough of a story.
I feel strangely bereft :(
This was kind of disappointing. It was short and there just wasnt enough of a story.
I feel strangely bereft :(
February 12, 2024
Re-read February 12, 2024
Re-read 5-15-22.
3.5 rounded up
Re-read 5-15-22.
3.5 rounded up
February 6, 2018
Landschaftsgärtner Kelly Seaton ist grundsätzlich zufrieden mit seinem Leben in Florida. Nach der Entlassung aus der Armee hat es ihn zu seinem besten Freund Cosmo Renaldi gezogen, dessen Familie (Mutter und Schwester Mia) ihn gleich ‚adoptiert‘ haben. Seit Jahren hat er Gefühle für Coz, die er jedoch niemals artikulieren würde. Zu groß ist die Angst, dass er damit ihre enge Freundschaft zerstören würde.
Doch dann taucht ein ‚Geist‘ aus Kellys Vergangenheit auf und wirft Kelly aus der Bahn. Außerdem sorgt er sich ständig um Coz, der nun als Polizist arbeitet und nun auch noch mit einem Bekannten verkuppelt werden soll. Kein Wunder, dass es Kelly irgendwann zuviel wird.
Amüsant, manchmal auch wenig zum Fremdschämen erzählt Mary Calmes die Geschichte von Coz und Kelly, die eine fast zehnjährige Freundschaft verbindet. Gemeinsam waren sie in Afghanistan, haben Furchtbares über- und erlebt. Und jetzt ist Kelly eben Teil der Renaldi-Familie. Doch auch Coz hat tiefere Gefühle für Kelly, der ihn einst im Einsatz das Leben gerettet hat.
Kelly, wie auch Coz sind sehr willensstarke Männer, manchmal auch ein wenig starrsinnig und scheinbar kaum belehrbar. Aber sie halten trotzdem zusammen wie Pech und Schwefel. Abgerundet wird die Geschichte durch Coz‘ Familie und Freunden von Coz und Kelly. Insgesamt konnte mich die Geschichte unterhalten, leider hat sich ein paar kleine Schwächen. So eben die Vergangenheit von Kelly, die bis auf einen Punkt nur sehr vage beschrieben wird.
Doch dann taucht ein ‚Geist‘ aus Kellys Vergangenheit auf und wirft Kelly aus der Bahn. Außerdem sorgt er sich ständig um Coz, der nun als Polizist arbeitet und nun auch noch mit einem Bekannten verkuppelt werden soll. Kein Wunder, dass es Kelly irgendwann zuviel wird.
Amüsant, manchmal auch wenig zum Fremdschämen erzählt Mary Calmes die Geschichte von Coz und Kelly, die eine fast zehnjährige Freundschaft verbindet. Gemeinsam waren sie in Afghanistan, haben Furchtbares über- und erlebt. Und jetzt ist Kelly eben Teil der Renaldi-Familie. Doch auch Coz hat tiefere Gefühle für Kelly, der ihn einst im Einsatz das Leben gerettet hat.
Kelly, wie auch Coz sind sehr willensstarke Männer, manchmal auch ein wenig starrsinnig und scheinbar kaum belehrbar. Aber sie halten trotzdem zusammen wie Pech und Schwefel. Abgerundet wird die Geschichte durch Coz‘ Familie und Freunden von Coz und Kelly. Insgesamt konnte mich die Geschichte unterhalten, leider hat sich ein paar kleine Schwächen. So eben die Vergangenheit von Kelly, die bis auf einen Punkt nur sehr vage beschrieben wird.
March 26, 2017
I enjoyed this one a little more than the first book in the series. I could see just a small glimmer of my two all-time favorite m/m characters (Sam and Jory) in these guys. This story highlighted two things for me: it’s amazing how we can build something from long ago up in our minds to be something completely different from what actually happened, and sometimes the best things in the world hide in plain sight. Overall, I’m liking Mangrove. 3.5 stars.
July 13, 2019
More Mangrove by Mary Calmes and narrated by Greg Tremblay...
'Quiet Nights' is the second book in this series and is again narrated by Greg Tremblay. My review for this book is basically the same as it was for 'Blue Days' having read all of the books in this series when they were originally released my e-book review remains the same and again this one gets an extra star to reflect the extra enjoyment that the audio book held for me thanks to the superb narration by Mr. Tremblay.
So 3 stars for the 3 book and 4 for the audio book.
'Quiet Nights' is the second book in this series and is again narrated by Greg Tremblay. My review for this book is basically the same as it was for 'Blue Days' having read all of the books in this series when they were originally released my e-book review remains the same and again this one gets an extra star to reflect the extra enjoyment that the audio book held for me thanks to the superb narration by Mr. Tremblay.
So 3 stars for the 3 book and 4 for the audio book.
October 20, 2015
I enjoyed this one, but I love Mary's writing style, the only thing I missed in here was the big bad Alpha. I love Mary's Alpha's. I needed more Alpha, hehe The way I read this book is almost like we were dropped right into their lives, instead of the normal backstory and being with them from the beginning. I'm cool with that one I got that, I was good, it's just a different way to write the book..
March 10, 2015
Shouty and ridiculous.
February 13, 2015
Oh dear, ordinary just about covers it. 3 stars.
August 3, 2017
There is a ton to like in this little novella. Its funny and charming. The family is wonderful. I like small towns and love friends to lovers.
The plot zips along and the heroes both grow and change.
What isn't that enjoyable as I don't really understand what held them back I don't get to enjoy them being together. It is a bit slap dash in this way.
The plot zips along and the heroes both grow and change.
What isn't that enjoyable as I don't really understand what held them back I don't get to enjoy them being together. It is a bit slap dash in this way.
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