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Non si sa mai
Hagen Wylie ha dei progetti: vivere nella sua città natale, essere in rapporti amichevoli con tutti, esplorare nuove relazioni, e ricostruire la sua vita dopo gli orrori della guerra. Niente complicazioni, questo è il piano. Sta andando tutto bene… finché non scopre che il suo primo amore è tornato a casa. Lui pensa che non sia un grosso problema, ma un incontro casuale con i due adorabili figli di Mitch Thayer lo mette proprio sulla strada dell’unico uomo che non è mai riuscito a togliersi dalla testa.
Mitch è tornato per tre ragioni: crescere i figli dove è cresciuto lui, trasferire la sua ditta di mobili e farla prosperare, e riconquistare Hagen. Anni di distanza hanno reso chiaro che il ragazzo che ha amato al liceo è l’unico che conta per lui. Qual è il problema? Da quando lui ha lasciato la città, non si sono più parlati.
Se vuole che Hagen si fidi di nuovo di lui, Mitch gli deve dimostrare che è maturato e che stavolta non intende mollare. Potrebbero avere un’altra occasione per amarsi, ma Hagen non vuole sentire ragioni: non intende ricominciare una relazione con Mitch. Però… non si sa mai.
Mitch è tornato per tre ragioni: crescere i figli dove è cresciuto lui, trasferire la sua ditta di mobili e farla prosperare, e riconquistare Hagen. Anni di distanza hanno reso chiaro che il ragazzo che ha amato al liceo è l’unico che conta per lui. Qual è il problema? Da quando lui ha lasciato la città, non si sono più parlati.
Se vuole che Hagen si fidi di nuovo di lui, Mitch gli deve dimostrare che è maturato e che stavolta non intende mollare. Potrebbero avere un’altra occasione per amarsi, ma Hagen non vuole sentire ragioni: non intende ricominciare una relazione con Mitch. Però… non si sa mai.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2017
148 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Mary Calmes
125 books5,016 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 258 reviews
February 9, 2018
Utterly ridiculous, and not in a good way.
Look, I get Mary Calmes, and I have realistic expectations of her work. Yes, plots will be bonkers, and yes, there will be certain plot elements repeating, however this one really tested me.
I listened to the audio version, and Greg Tremblay did a fantastic job with the narration. I loved his reading, his natural cadence, and all of the depth and range that he gave these characters. However, the best audio in the world can't make up for a bonkers story.
For the first half of the book I had no idea who the romantic interest was. The MC is literally dating someone else (Ash) for a huge chunk of the story, and it is only towards the end that that the "real romance" starts to happen. If you can call it that... And the whole story is basically "the Ash show." I know more about Ash than anyone else! I was wondering if the blurb was going to be wrong and Hagan and Ash end up together based on the amount of page-time devoted to Ash.
Hagan is the doormat-iest doormat around. He basically forgives Mitch because Mitch tells him to. THAT'S IT! Mitch needed to get on his hands and knees and beg. Beg for like 50 pages! I can't handle stories like this without serious, serious grovelling, and Mitch barely said he was sorry. He was all like, just trust me, you know you want to! and Hagan just TOOK IT. It was infuriating.
When it all comes down to it, the romance wasn't believable, the forgiveness wasn't earned, and the stellar narration can't make up for the lack of character development. Disappointing.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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July 26, 2017
Well. That was disappointing. Started out good and I really liked Hagen's character...until Mitch showed up. Then the story just went to crap. I didn't like Mitch at all, too freaking arrogant, and Hagen turned into a wishy-washy doormat when Mitch entered the picture. Very unsatisfied with their relationship. (I have a thousand more gripes on the subject but I will restrain myself - and don't even get me started on the magically disappearing PTSD because his body trusts Mitch)
The other thing I didn't care for was the way Ash was written. The whole revelation at the end was crap.
The other thing I didn't care for was the way Ash was written. The whole revelation at the end was crap.
August 6, 2017
Ok, so Red sent me her review and it was so good and so detailed that I couldn't think of anything else that needed to be said. I told Red that I was gonna just say "ditto" to her review.
Well, this is me saying it.
Ditto.
The only thing I can even think to add to this is that I need Ash's book something fierce. I'm getting down on my knees. I've got my big puppy dog eyes on. I've got my hands clasped together in a plea. So, here goes...
MARY CALMES WILL YOU PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE, EXTRA SPECIAL PLEASE WITH SUGAR AND WHIPPED CREAM AND BUTTERSCOTCH AND A CHERRY ON TOP WRITE ASH'S BOOK FOR ME? PLLLLEEEEEAAAASSSSSSSEEEEE?????????
We, of course, did our chatty-chat thing over on the blog. Come check it out!
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I don't even know what this is about but I wants it.
I wants it bad.
July 21, 2017
Release day Review ;)
I am a huge Mary Calmes fan.....she writes it and I read it. Simple as that :P
This is a "second chance love" trope and even though it wasn't my favorite by this author (Jory and Sam will always be my fav), it was still a good read ;)
Hagen and Wylie were best friends when they were young....which eventualy turned to much more. They were supposed to live the rest of their lives together...but they didn't. Mitch joined the NFL and left Hagen. He also married a woman and had 2 kids.
Hagen joined the army and he had a very hard time...
Now they are about to cross paths once again...
Mitch is moving back to his home town, with his two sons. He never got over Hagen and he wants another chance. Hagen is in some sort of relationship with Ash ( read "fuckbuddies") and even though he still has major feelings for Mitch....he doesn't just want to give in. We get some push and pull, but for me...I just wanted more. I am a big fan of groveling and for me, it wasn't quite enough. What can I say...I am a vengeful like that :P
I also think that there was too much time with Ash... I wanted more time with Mitch and Hagen. It just wasn't enough to give me that really HEA feel...
Other than that, this was a very nice read and we of course we get Mary's good old "MINE" formula that I have come to love so much ;)
All in all it was an enjoyable read and in the end I was very happy that these guys found their way back together.
I am a huge Mary Calmes fan.....she writes it and I read it. Simple as that :P
This is a "second chance love" trope and even though it wasn't my favorite by this author (Jory and Sam will always be my fav), it was still a good read ;)
Hagen and Wylie were best friends when they were young....which eventualy turned to much more. They were supposed to live the rest of their lives together...but they didn't. Mitch joined the NFL and left Hagen. He also married a woman and had 2 kids.
Hagen joined the army and he had a very hard time...
Now they are about to cross paths once again...
Mitch is moving back to his home town, with his two sons. He never got over Hagen and he wants another chance. Hagen is in some sort of relationship with Ash ( read "fuckbuddies") and even though he still has major feelings for Mitch....he doesn't just want to give in. We get some push and pull, but for me...I just wanted more. I am a big fan of groveling and for me, it wasn't quite enough. What can I say...I am a vengeful like that :P
I also think that there was too much time with Ash... I wanted more time with Mitch and Hagen. It just wasn't enough to give me that really HEA feel...
Other than that, this was a very nice read and we of course we get Mary's good old "MINE" formula that I have come to love so much ;)
All in all it was an enjoyable read and in the end I was very happy that these guys found their way back together.
This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession Dirty Books Obsession
June 24, 2017
3.25 stars
While this had all the regular ingredient of a Mary Calmes book, the love interest had very little page time and the second love interest took up waaaaay too much space in this book.
The romance was like we know from a Mary book, very possessive, very MINE MINE MINE, and quite sweet.
But unfortunately Hagen was busy with Ash for most of this book. While I really wanted him to be busy with Mitch, his one true love. Don’t worry, we don’t get on page sex with other people or anything like that, it was more that Ash was trying to persuade Hagen to consider a relationship with him and Hagen kind of went along with it way too long. Most of this book we read about Hagen and Ash, instead of Hagen and Mitch, so I was a bit sad about that.
But that being said I did really like Hagen and Mitch together, and I loved Mitch’s boys. I also loved the possessiveness that was Mitch and how he cared for Hagen (despite the way he treated Hagen in the past. I mostly decided to ignore that part, because otherwise I would be too angry with Mitch to want him and Hagen together).
Despite me liking this book, there was one thing I had a very hard time with. It is mentioned that Mitch’s boys need stability and that’s why they spend 6 months with their father and then 6 months with their mother, who lives across the country. That is the most crazy custody thing I’ve ever read about. That is not a good thing for kids at all. So they what, change schools every 6 months? And it is mentioned that the mother did the parenting alone when Mitch was doing football, so now it was time for her to ‘live’ while Mitch took care of the kids. As a divorced mother of 3 I seriously could not believe that part. One chooses for kids, so you suck it up if it’s not what you expected, you don’t just ‘dump’ them at your ex.
But the Mary formula still sucked me in and if I forget about Ash and the weird arrangement with the kids, this was still pretty good.
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An ARC of You Never Know was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
While this had all the regular ingredient of a Mary Calmes book, the love interest had very little page time and the second love interest took up waaaaay too much space in this book.
The romance was like we know from a Mary book, very possessive, very MINE MINE MINE, and quite sweet.
But unfortunately Hagen was busy with Ash for most of this book. While I really wanted him to be busy with Mitch, his one true love. Don’t worry, we don’t get on page sex with other people or anything like that, it was more that Ash was trying to persuade Hagen to consider a relationship with him and Hagen kind of went along with it way too long. Most of this book we read about Hagen and Ash, instead of Hagen and Mitch, so I was a bit sad about that.
But that being said I did really like Hagen and Mitch together, and I loved Mitch’s boys. I also loved the possessiveness that was Mitch and how he cared for Hagen (despite the way he treated Hagen in the past. I mostly decided to ignore that part, because otherwise I would be too angry with Mitch to want him and Hagen together).
Despite me liking this book, there was one thing I had a very hard time with. It is mentioned that Mitch’s boys need stability and that’s why they spend 6 months with their father and then 6 months with their mother, who lives across the country. That is the most crazy custody thing I’ve ever read about. That is not a good thing for kids at all. So they what, change schools every 6 months? And it is mentioned that the mother did the parenting alone when Mitch was doing football, so now it was time for her to ‘live’ while Mitch took care of the kids. As a divorced mother of 3 I seriously could not believe that part. One chooses for kids, so you suck it up if it’s not what you expected, you don’t just ‘dump’ them at your ex.
But the Mary formula still sucked me in and if I forget about Ash and the weird arrangement with the kids, this was still pretty good.
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An ARC of You Never Know was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
October 27, 2017
I adore Mary Calmes and her writing, but this, for me, was a case where her signature first person, single POV did not serve the story well.
I love a good Second Chance Romance story, but I'll admit I'm a hard sell with them too. Especially when forgiveness is necessary. I require a lot of groveling, and it's easier to see how truly sorry someone is if their POV is included.
Hagen Wylie and Mitch Thayer met when Hagen was fourteen and Mitch fifteen. They became best friends and eventually lovers with a plan for the future - Mitch who was a year older would go to college and a year later, when Hagen graduated, he would follow, they would get an apartment and live happily ever after.
As you can tell from the blurb - that didn't happen.
Instead Mitch went on to football greatness in the NFL and Hagen joined the Army and went through hell and back.
Once Hagen returned home to Benson, Oregon, after he took some time to heal from the worst of his physical injuries, he started a new chapter of his life as a contractor with a sterling reputation for thinking outside of the box and making beautiful things. Hagen has a whole host of good friends, a booming business, and a fuck buddy in Hollywood up and comer Ashford Lennox. While he suffers with "PTSD that presented as panic attacks, insomnia, reoccurring nightmares, and emotional distance" he still has a great life and he's ready to possibly open his heart again.
Then Mitch Thayer returns.
Mitch is pretty focused on what he wants and needs and Hagen, while trying to protect his heart, is not immune to the steamroller that is Mitch Thayer.
This is a second chance romance about how, no matter the time, distance, or life choices made along the way, these two who fell for each other as teenagers, each their first love, have never gotten over the other. Have never really loved anyone else.
For me, I really needed to see Mitch's side. Even though he eventually apologizes, and does so a few times, I wanted an explanation of what the hell happened that first year of college. I wanted to know what drove him to discard Hagen so cavalierly and to throw away the "love of his life".
I needed that. Not having it made me unable to really get behind Mitch and root for him and Hagen together. Because it felt like he'd just hit a point in his life when the football was over, was established in his new career and could use someone in his life and so now Hagen was worth pursuing again. I just - Mary did a great job of making me mad at Mitch - and it took me a really long time to get over my mad.
But Mary has a way with painting a story and this time is no different. In the end I just wanted to see Hagen be happy and we get his blissful HEA in the end.
What I can hardly wait for (as usual) is seeing who is chosen to narrate the audiobook. It's going to take a very special voice actor to really delve into all of Hagen's and Mitch's issues and do justice to this romance. I can't wait!
Advanced Review Galley copy of You Never Know provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
I love a good Second Chance Romance story, but I'll admit I'm a hard sell with them too. Especially when forgiveness is necessary. I require a lot of groveling, and it's easier to see how truly sorry someone is if their POV is included.
Hagen Wylie and Mitch Thayer met when Hagen was fourteen and Mitch fifteen. They became best friends and eventually lovers with a plan for the future - Mitch who was a year older would go to college and a year later, when Hagen graduated, he would follow, they would get an apartment and live happily ever after.
As you can tell from the blurb - that didn't happen.
Instead Mitch went on to football greatness in the NFL and Hagen joined the Army and went through hell and back.
Once Hagen returned home to Benson, Oregon, after he took some time to heal from the worst of his physical injuries, he started a new chapter of his life as a contractor with a sterling reputation for thinking outside of the box and making beautiful things. Hagen has a whole host of good friends, a booming business, and a fuck buddy in Hollywood up and comer Ashford Lennox. While he suffers with "PTSD that presented as panic attacks, insomnia, reoccurring nightmares, and emotional distance" he still has a great life and he's ready to possibly open his heart again.
Then Mitch Thayer returns.
“Okay, so I’m gonna grow a pair here and be honest and tell you that there were two reasons I moved back home. The first is that it’s a great place to raise kids, and mine have been through a meat grinder with the divorce and they need some stability. The second is you.”
Mitch is pretty focused on what he wants and needs and Hagen, while trying to protect his heart, is not immune to the steamroller that is Mitch Thayer.
I’d forgotten to factor in that my desire for him could never be quenched. I had never gotten my fill of him. There was more of Mitch Thayer that I wanted, and apparently, he felt the exact same.
I heard the yearning in his voice clear as a bell because I knew what I was listening for. I had memorized every inflection, every high and low, every subtle change in the timbre of his voice years ago. He had been my sun and I’d been in orbit around him from the first day when he said hello to the last when he said goodbye. So now, gazing into the endless gilded azure depths of his eyes, I could see it in his gaze, hear it in his voice, I could know, easily, simply, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what it was that he both needed and wanted.
I was what Mitch wanted, and there was no missing it.
This is a second chance romance about how, no matter the time, distance, or life choices made along the way, these two who fell for each other as teenagers, each their first love, have never gotten over the other. Have never really loved anyone else.
I wrapped my brain around the truth that was so very simple.
I loved him.
Still.
Had never stopped, not for a moment, and that was the irrevocable truth. And I was not going to fight loving him anymore because there was no reason, no purpose. I suspected that with him, I could be me again, and being me, living well in my own skin, was worth the risk.
For me, I really needed to see Mitch's side. Even though he eventually apologizes, and does so a few times, I wanted an explanation of what the hell happened that first year of college. I wanted to know what drove him to discard Hagen so cavalierly and to throw away the "love of his life".
I needed that. Not having it made me unable to really get behind Mitch and root for him and Hagen together. Because it felt like he'd just hit a point in his life when the football was over, was established in his new career and could use someone in his life and so now Hagen was worth pursuing again. I just - Mary did a great job of making me mad at Mitch - and it took me a really long time to get over my mad.
But Mary has a way with painting a story and this time is no different. In the end I just wanted to see Hagen be happy and we get his blissful HEA in the end.
What I can hardly wait for (as usual) is seeing who is chosen to narrate the audiobook. It's going to take a very special voice actor to really delve into all of Hagen's and Mitch's issues and do justice to this romance. I can't wait!
Advanced Review Galley copy of You Never Know provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
June 12, 2021
If you know me at all, you know that MC is my crack. But when she throws in the second-chance-at-love trope? I'm all
Hagen and Mitch were high school sweethearts, out and proud as you can be as a teenager. Since Mitch was a year older, he left for college sooner, while they planned for Hagen to join him a year later. But things didn't turn out that way.
Hagen is now firmly planted in their home town, and in his mid-30s. He has a casual fuck buddy relationship going with Ash, a growing Hollywood star, and he hasn't seen Mitch since he left for college all those years ago. That's about to change.
Mitch moves back to town with his two sons in tow. And he deeply regrets ending things with Hagen all those years ago. He's never forgotten his first love, and knows that he is still meant to spend the rest of his life with him.
Hagen tries really hard to resist Mitch. There is a lot of push and pull, and I ate it up. I loved that Hagen made Mitch work for it. But with all the push and pull, I still don't think Mitch groveled enough. He said he's sorry a hundred times, but I think I was just never satisfied with Mitch's reasons for the original breakup. And so I didn't get to see his epiphany of kicking his own ass, either. I wanted more there.
Aside from that, this is everything we love from MC. Possessiveness, great character development, and the MC just giving in to his feelings already.
The steam was lighter than usual in this one, but it matched well with how the story unfolded, so I can't complain too much.
A solid Calmes story. I liked it a lot! (Pssssst......and there's no guns or peacoats, gasp!)
Hagen and Mitch were high school sweethearts, out and proud as you can be as a teenager. Since Mitch was a year older, he left for college sooner, while they planned for Hagen to join him a year later. But things didn't turn out that way.
Hagen is now firmly planted in their home town, and in his mid-30s. He has a casual fuck buddy relationship going with Ash, a growing Hollywood star, and he hasn't seen Mitch since he left for college all those years ago. That's about to change.
Mitch moves back to town with his two sons in tow. And he deeply regrets ending things with Hagen all those years ago. He's never forgotten his first love, and knows that he is still meant to spend the rest of his life with him.
Hagen tries really hard to resist Mitch. There is a lot of push and pull, and I ate it up. I loved that Hagen made Mitch work for it. But with all the push and pull, I still don't think Mitch groveled enough. He said he's sorry a hundred times, but I think I was just never satisfied with Mitch's reasons for the original breakup. And so I didn't get to see his epiphany of kicking his own ass, either. I wanted more there.
Aside from that, this is everything we love from MC. Possessiveness, great character development, and the MC just giving in to his feelings already.
The steam was lighter than usual in this one, but it matched well with how the story unfolded, so I can't complain too much.
A solid Calmes story. I liked it a lot! (Pssssst......and there's no guns or peacoats, gasp!)
Want to read
June 16, 2017Anyone but me think the guy on the cover kinda looks like Ross from friends? (with facial hair)
July 25, 2017
This book has my head spinning. I seem to be fighting with myself and my feelings are all a jumble.
There is this huge part of me that is screaming it’s Mary, Mary just does it for you but then there is another part of me telling myself I just didn’t love it. I might have even disliked some of it a bit.
And I am confused by this mix of feelings.
Favorite author or not, sometimes a book just doesn’t work completely.
I think what I didn’t like was the separation and that’s something I normally don’t like anyway. I always get so stuck on all that lost time. This had marriage and children and I just felt it was too late or something. It still makes me shudder to think about it. Mitch, Mitch, Mitch. He comes back all possessive and mine and you want me don’t fight it we all know you are going to give in because it’s me and I’m back and there is no other way this is going to go which yes, Mary does that so well, but…I don’t know if I feel he gets what his actions seventeen years ago really did to Hagen. Hey, I get he was a kid and all that jazz but man, that was pretty harsh and what in the ever loving fuck happened? I just don’t get what changed, was it peer pressure, did he meet someone new? Ugh. I don’t feel like he was sorry probably because I just don’t get why. I mean, I think he thinks he’s sorry but I feel like it was brushed over, a lot. But then again maybe that is because of my next dislike.
Ash. He was in the picture way too long. He was more of the story than I expected him to be. Honestly, it seems that Hagen’s “relationship” with him was the story. A lot more than Mitch was that is for sure. This seems like it went on for a really long time and there were feelings even if there were walls. It was made to be a huge part of the story, huge. And then LA…Ash was vilified for the sake of the story but it wasn’t necessary and I didn’t like it and I really felt bad and that it wasn’t fair or needed. It seemed really off. Ash did not need to be a horrible guy for a HEA to happen. Poor Ash.
So, maybe this, regardless of it being Mary, had a lot of stuff in it that just doesn’t float my boat and I never got swept up because of it. All that was Mary I enjoyed. Her formula just works for me, but put together with everything else it just wasn’t enough for me this time.
I hate that it happened. I wanted to love it. I am really sad about it.
There is this huge part of me that is screaming it’s Mary, Mary just does it for you but then there is another part of me telling myself I just didn’t love it. I might have even disliked some of it a bit.
And I am confused by this mix of feelings.
Favorite author or not, sometimes a book just doesn’t work completely.
I think what I didn’t like was the separation and that’s something I normally don’t like anyway. I always get so stuck on all that lost time. This had marriage and children and I just felt it was too late or something. It still makes me shudder to think about it. Mitch, Mitch, Mitch. He comes back all possessive and mine and you want me don’t fight it we all know you are going to give in because it’s me and I’m back and there is no other way this is going to go which yes, Mary does that so well, but…I don’t know if I feel he gets what his actions seventeen years ago really did to Hagen. Hey, I get he was a kid and all that jazz but man, that was pretty harsh and what in the ever loving fuck happened? I just don’t get what changed, was it peer pressure, did he meet someone new? Ugh. I don’t feel like he was sorry probably because I just don’t get why. I mean, I think he thinks he’s sorry but I feel like it was brushed over, a lot. But then again maybe that is because of my next dislike.
Ash. He was in the picture way too long. He was more of the story than I expected him to be. Honestly, it seems that Hagen’s “relationship” with him was the story. A lot more than Mitch was that is for sure. This seems like it went on for a really long time and there were feelings even if there were walls. It was made to be a huge part of the story, huge. And then LA…Ash was vilified for the sake of the story but it wasn’t necessary and I didn’t like it and I really felt bad and that it wasn’t fair or needed. It seemed really off. Ash did not need to be a horrible guy for a HEA to happen. Poor Ash.
So, maybe this, regardless of it being Mary, had a lot of stuff in it that just doesn’t float my boat and I never got swept up because of it. All that was Mary I enjoyed. Her formula just works for me, but put together with everything else it just wasn’t enough for me this time.
I hate that it happened. I wanted to love it. I am really sad about it.
July 17, 2017
3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars because still no 1/2 stars here on GR.
Well this one was aptly named because it seems "You Never Know"...
I freely admit with me when it comes to Mary Calmes they all start as 5 star reads and often stay that way or they may slide down to 4.5 or 4 stars. It's not very often that things slide below that.
I was pretty conflicted on this one. I liked the overall concept of the story but for me the devil was in some of the details.
Now for the best part of the story...Hagen. I loved Hagen...as did everyone else. But Hagen is that person that you just can't help but love. He's good and kind, gentle, loyal and way, way more forgiving than most people but at the same time he really wasn't a pushover. He stood up for himself when he truly needed to and did it without using threats, intimidation or humiliation.
The first problem I had was Ash. I did not like this man. He was not nice. He was self-centered, self-absorbed and just totally selfish. He wanted Hagen on his terms with no consideration to what Hagen really wanted or for the life that Hagen had made for himself. He got himself caught in more than one lie. He was manipulative and try as I might I could not see him as someone who was nice, so the fact that he was such a strong presence in the story truthfully irritated me. I honestly just wanted Hagen to tell him to go away.
I definitely liked Mitch more than Ash. While I got why things happened the way they did between Mitch and Hagen. There were glimpses of Mitch being sorry and regretting what happened but I just felt like there needed to be more than a glimpse of regret from Mitch. I think he missed Hagen, but it felt more like Mitch did what he did because he had to and he thought Hagen should understand and be willing to move forward from there and I have to admit if I was Hagen it would have been a big 'Oh hell no!' no matter how much I loved or wanted to be with the other person.
I honestly can't say what would have made this part better for me. I believe in second chances and that's one of the things that really appealed to me about this story so of course, I was cheering for Hagen and Mitch from the start and I loved the ending of the story it was awesome, but the middle where Mitch's "I'm sorry" just didn't feel as epic as his "mistake" was where I needed more, I needed the "I'm sorry" to be at least as grand as his "mistake" and it just didn't happen.
I enjoyed this one but for me it definitely wasn't another 'Frog' or 'Acrobat' or my personal favorite 'Mine'. But then if they were all 5 stars how would anything ever be special for us and at the end of the day, I'm still waiting for my next Mary Calmes story because even the good ones leave me happy.
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An ARC of 'You Never Know' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Well this one was aptly named because it seems "You Never Know"...
I freely admit with me when it comes to Mary Calmes they all start as 5 star reads and often stay that way or they may slide down to 4.5 or 4 stars. It's not very often that things slide below that.
I was pretty conflicted on this one. I liked the overall concept of the story but for me the devil was in some of the details.
Now for the best part of the story...Hagen. I loved Hagen...as did everyone else. But Hagen is that person that you just can't help but love. He's good and kind, gentle, loyal and way, way more forgiving than most people but at the same time he really wasn't a pushover. He stood up for himself when he truly needed to and did it without using threats, intimidation or humiliation.
The first problem I had was Ash. I did not like this man. He was not nice. He was self-centered, self-absorbed and just totally selfish. He wanted Hagen on his terms with no consideration to what Hagen really wanted or for the life that Hagen had made for himself. He got himself caught in more than one lie. He was manipulative and try as I might I could not see him as someone who was nice, so the fact that he was such a strong presence in the story truthfully irritated me. I honestly just wanted Hagen to tell him to go away.
I definitely liked Mitch more than Ash. While I got why things happened the way they did between Mitch and Hagen. There were glimpses of Mitch being sorry and regretting what happened but I just felt like there needed to be more than a glimpse of regret from Mitch. I think he missed Hagen, but it felt more like Mitch did what he did because he had to and he thought Hagen should understand and be willing to move forward from there and I have to admit if I was Hagen it would have been a big 'Oh hell no!' no matter how much I loved or wanted to be with the other person.
I honestly can't say what would have made this part better for me. I believe in second chances and that's one of the things that really appealed to me about this story so of course, I was cheering for Hagen and Mitch from the start and I loved the ending of the story it was awesome, but the middle where Mitch's "I'm sorry" just didn't feel as epic as his "mistake" was where I needed more, I needed the "I'm sorry" to be at least as grand as his "mistake" and it just didn't happen.
I enjoyed this one but for me it definitely wasn't another 'Frog' or 'Acrobat' or my personal favorite 'Mine'. But then if they were all 5 stars how would anything ever be special for us and at the end of the day, I'm still waiting for my next Mary Calmes story because even the good ones leave me happy.
********************
An ARC of 'You Never Know' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2017
**Audio**
So, advice. If you didn't like it when you read it the first time you probably won't like it read to you, Greg or no Greg.
This may not be 100% accurate but it for sure was in this case. Actually, if I am being completely honest I think I liked it less than I did the first time. Ugh.
Mary is my favorite and it just kills me to not absolutely adore something she has written but this was just so un-Mary and I just can't.
Ash took over the entire book and Mitch was just so undeserving I can't even.
Just no.
So, advice. If you didn't like it when you read it the first time you probably won't like it read to you, Greg or no Greg.
This may not be 100% accurate but it for sure was in this case. Actually, if I am being completely honest I think I liked it less than I did the first time. Ugh.
Mary is my favorite and it just kills me to not absolutely adore something she has written but this was just so un-Mary and I just can't.
Ash took over the entire book and Mitch was just so undeserving I can't even.
Just no.
July 23, 2017
Disclaimer: no me gusta ser una bitch pero tampoco me gusta ser deshonesta en mis opiniones así que, siento que decir que esto (que me niego a catalogar en las cercanías de novela) es poco más que una pérdida de tiempo, es lo más sincero.
Empecé a leer con 3 años y desde entonces no he parado y no creo recordar semejante caos jamás. Es cómo si alguien se hubiese decidido a tomar todos y cada uno de los estereotipos más casposos de la F|M y los hubiese vestido con un puñado de testosterona (porque nada más "macho" que un ex soldado, torturado nada menos!(gasp) y un ex jugador de cualquier deporte que los US consideren "duro".
Adoro las segundas oportunidades, adoro el romance, pero esto dista mucho de ser romántico, no hay nada bonito o a lo que aferrarse en la historia de Hage y Mitch, es absurdo e inconexo y en serio, la narración, hecha desde el POV de Hagen es otro epic fail más, ignoro si es común en la autora o no, pero hay algo que me ha hecho sentir incómoda todo el rato, no hay descripciones, es todo como si tomas frases hechas acerca de pómulos cincelados y blablabla, pero no es fácil hacerte a la idea de cómo son, es francamente ridículo.
No quiero entrar en más detalles porque me podría pasar media vida destripando la cosa y no es plan pero: el uso que hace del tercero en discordia para hacer brillar al "héroe" no me resultaba tan infantil desde Twilight y no, Mitch, 'que un bottom no quiera porner el culo' más no es lo más triste que puede pasar en el mundo. Pensaba que leyendo original había escapado del discurso cíclico del top/bottom que tanto abunda en el fandom pero veo, con tristeza, que no es así.
Si os va la tortura, lanzáos.
Al resto, le dejo una palabra como resumen: Descabellado.
Empecé a leer con 3 años y desde entonces no he parado y no creo recordar semejante caos jamás. Es cómo si alguien se hubiese decidido a tomar todos y cada uno de los estereotipos más casposos de la F|M y los hubiese vestido con un puñado de testosterona (porque nada más "macho" que un ex soldado, torturado nada menos!(gasp) y un ex jugador de cualquier deporte que los US consideren "duro".
Adoro las segundas oportunidades, adoro el romance, pero esto dista mucho de ser romántico, no hay nada bonito o a lo que aferrarse en la historia de Hage y Mitch, es absurdo e inconexo y en serio, la narración, hecha desde el POV de Hagen es otro epic fail más, ignoro si es común en la autora o no, pero hay algo que me ha hecho sentir incómoda todo el rato, no hay descripciones, es todo como si tomas frases hechas acerca de pómulos cincelados y blablabla, pero no es fácil hacerte a la idea de cómo son, es francamente ridículo.
No quiero entrar en más detalles porque me podría pasar media vida destripando la cosa y no es plan pero: el uso que hace del tercero en discordia para hacer brillar al "héroe" no me resultaba tan infantil desde Twilight y no, Mitch, 'que un bottom no quiera porner el culo' más no es lo más triste que puede pasar en el mundo. Pensaba que leyendo original había escapado del discurso cíclico del top/bottom que tanto abunda en el fandom pero veo, con tristeza, que no es así.
Si os va la tortura, lanzáos.
Al resto, le dejo una palabra como resumen: Descabellado.
July 28, 2017
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! My updates chronicle it all so perfectly. I'll eventually post said updates here as well, but in the meantime, if you want to know why I disliked this book as much as I did, then I suggest you head over to the updates section because it's all there :-/!!
UGH this book. NO!! What a complete and absolute let down :-/ ... this book does NO justice whatsoever to the 'A Day Makes' [the book released before this one], which I ADORED!! Big fat bummer!
UGH this book. NO!! What a complete and absolute let down :-/ ... this book does NO justice whatsoever to the 'A Day Makes' [the book released before this one], which I ADORED!! Big fat bummer!
September 19, 2019
You never know...but I probably should have...
I probably should have skipped this one on audio...but it's Mary Calmes and the narrator was Greg Tremblay and well...willpower I has none.
I have to admit this one isn't my favorite Mary Calmes book...not even in the top 5 but that's life, right? We can't love everything, every time and this it seems is no exception.
While I once again loved Greg Tremblay's narration of this story and definitely had no issues there and if I'm rating just the narration I'd probably be giving this 4 stars at the very least...nope, once again my issues were the story itself and at the end of the audio book I found that when it came down to it my feelings haven't changed I still really like Hagen. He's an easy guy to like...kind, friendly, loyal and way, way more forgiving than most people deserve...as a matter of fact if there's one thing about Hagen that bothered me it was how forgiving he was but I'm always saying that everyone deserves a second chance so I guess I really can't fault him now, can I?
Unfortunately just like my feelings for Hagen...my feelings about Ash and Mitch didn't change either. Ash for me was still totally self-centered and self absorbed and in case I forgot to mention it the first time he's also manipulative as hell...nope, not liking Ash at all.
Mitch was a little better for me but not a whole lot. He's suppose to be the love of Hagen's life and while I do understand that a lot of what happened really was very much related to age and circumstance. I still wanted to feel more like he regretted leaving Hagen but most of all I wanted to feel like he regretted how he did it...over the phone, ffs!!! That's just cold and somewhere in there maybe if I felt like Mitch truly realized how much he hurt Hagen...but I didn't get any of this when I read the book nor did I feel it when I listened to the audio book and I realize that other readers/listeners may feel very differently and that's cool I don't think they're wrong but neither am I this is a very subjective issue and there don't have to be rights and wrongs when it comes to this...things just are what they are.
So at the end of it all still just 3 stars from me for this one, but
Mary Calmes + Greg Tremblay, still 'equals' a happy place for me.
************************
An audiobook of 'You Never Know' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Update: July 6, 2018 - Just another bit of MC comfort food being snuck in before going on to new things and once again nothings really changed for me with this one except for the fact that my feelings about Ash and Mitch are even more firmly cemented. Sorry but the whole I 'dumped your ass when we were teens so I could be a big time football player but now I want you back so you should just forgive me' spiel just doesn't cut it with me as far as I'm concerned the man needed to do a whole hell of a lot more grovelling before Hagen forgave him.
I probably should have skipped this one on audio...but it's Mary Calmes and the narrator was Greg Tremblay and well...willpower I has none.
I have to admit this one isn't my favorite Mary Calmes book...not even in the top 5 but that's life, right? We can't love everything, every time and this it seems is no exception.
While I once again loved Greg Tremblay's narration of this story and definitely had no issues there and if I'm rating just the narration I'd probably be giving this 4 stars at the very least...nope, once again my issues were the story itself and at the end of the audio book I found that when it came down to it my feelings haven't changed I still really like Hagen. He's an easy guy to like...kind, friendly, loyal and way, way more forgiving than most people deserve...as a matter of fact if there's one thing about Hagen that bothered me it was how forgiving he was but I'm always saying that everyone deserves a second chance so I guess I really can't fault him now, can I?
Unfortunately just like my feelings for Hagen...my feelings about Ash and Mitch didn't change either. Ash for me was still totally self-centered and self absorbed and in case I forgot to mention it the first time he's also manipulative as hell...nope, not liking Ash at all.
Mitch was a little better for me but not a whole lot. He's suppose to be the love of Hagen's life and while I do understand that a lot of what happened really was very much related to age and circumstance. I still wanted to feel more like he regretted leaving Hagen but most of all I wanted to feel like he regretted how he did it...over the phone, ffs!!! That's just cold and somewhere in there maybe if I felt like Mitch truly realized how much he hurt Hagen...but I didn't get any of this when I read the book nor did I feel it when I listened to the audio book and I realize that other readers/listeners may feel very differently and that's cool I don't think they're wrong but neither am I this is a very subjective issue and there don't have to be rights and wrongs when it comes to this...things just are what they are.
So at the end of it all still just 3 stars from me for this one, but
Mary Calmes + Greg Tremblay, still 'equals' a happy place for me.
************************
An audiobook of 'You Never Know' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Update: July 6, 2018 - Just another bit of MC comfort food being snuck in before going on to new things and once again nothings really changed for me with this one except for the fact that my feelings about Ash and Mitch are even more firmly cemented. Sorry but the whole I 'dumped your ass when we were teens so I could be a big time football player but now I want you back so you should just forgive me' spiel just doesn't cut it with me as far as I'm concerned the man needed to do a whole hell of a lot more grovelling before Hagen forgave him.
September 23, 2024
re-read 9/14/2019 This still isn’t a favorite, but I did enjoy it more than I did originally. I still believe Ash got too much page time that should have been spent on Mitch groveling for another chance.
————original review 10/19/2017—————-
Let me start by saying that I am a Mary Calmes fan. I have read several of her books so many times that I can recite them along with the audio. This book will NEVER be one of those. I LOVED Greg Tremblay's narration, but sadly he didn't have a lot to work with. There was too much Ash time. There was too little time between the actual main characters. My biggest problem? There was not enough begging. I'm sorry, but Mitch needed to crawl on his knees for how things ended with him and Hagen. Hell, I am not sure I would have even spoken to him. Forgiveness was just given to easily. Nope nope nope that dog don't hunt. sigh...
I really wanted to like this. It just didn't happen.
————original review 10/19/2017—————-
Let me start by saying that I am a Mary Calmes fan. I have read several of her books so many times that I can recite them along with the audio. This book will NEVER be one of those. I LOVED Greg Tremblay's narration, but sadly he didn't have a lot to work with. There was too much Ash time. There was too little time between the actual main characters. My biggest problem? There was not enough begging. I'm sorry, but Mitch needed to crawl on his knees for how things ended with him and Hagen. Hell, I am not sure I would have even spoken to him. Forgiveness was just given to easily. Nope nope nope that dog don't hunt. sigh...
I really wanted to like this. It just didn't happen.
July 24, 2017
Damn!
July 21, 2017
I fucking hate this book! And the MCs. Doormat-for-Mitch Hagen and total asshole Mitch. I guess I know now what my friend felt when she read Ventures and Investments.
Read
July 31, 2017 5 Hearts
Buddy read and review with my girl Jenni Lea.
It’s no secret I am a Calmes addict. I cannot get enough of the author's work and honestly get ridiculously excited when I see her come out with new books. She is my most read author on Goodreads and there is a reason for that. I adore the romances she writes and I will never tire of them. Ever.
When I saw this book pop up with just a title on Goodreads I wanted it and wondered if it had anything to do with another book from the author but then the blurb showed up. Nope, it didn’t have anything to do with What A Day Makes but the blurb hit me square in the feels as second chance romance is my jam! My shelf for second chance romance is a song my Johhny Mathis and Chances Are really does fit this wonderful yet frustratingly beautiful romance of Hagen and Mitch.
Goodness! From the beginning I wanted to just go run with Hagen as the landscape of Benson, Oregon drew me in and had me feet longing to get dirty on some trails before hitting the pavement and fueling with caffeine. I fell hard for the small town Hagen lives in and grew up in fast and then I started to meet those who live there and was mentally packing my bags wondering why it wasn’t possible to live in the pages of a book.
We meet Hagen on his run, going about his morning ritual when he gets stopped by his friend Gail to ask if he’s okay. That question turns up a lot in the first chapter as everyone who knows and cares about Hagen, as well as those new to town but have heard his romantic history, know Mitch Thayer moving back to town is a big deal. Regardless of how many times Hagen tries to shrug it off as not being a big deal it so is and I am so happy that we get bits of the boys in high school.
Hagen Wylie and Mitch Thayer met one day when a 15 year old Mitch moves to Benson, walks into Hagen’s homeroom, makes eye contact, takes the seat next to Hagen and proclaims them to become good friends. Friends wasn’t the only thing they’d became because these two became the first for one another in every way that two young boys who were openly out with their sexuality could be some 17 years ago. The teen romance was epically known throughout town and Mitch and Hagen had their lives planned, their futures planned exceptionally until it all fell apart. The falling apart completely broke my heart and I had no clue how Mitch was ever going to make up for it.
Now while we know Mitch is back in town, we don’t get him right away and instead we get Hagen and his kinda-relationship with one Ashford Lennox who is an up and coming actor and one who Hagen was oblivious too. But Mary Calmes starts off this introduction to Ash in a way that makes you really like him, I mean like him to the point you almost don’t want to Mitch to be on the page with Hagen because Ash seems to be adorable and likable but when true love is on the line, there is no holding back fate when the parties that be are in the same place at the right time.
Wow. So the way Hagen and Mitch see one another again for the first time was incredibly dramatic but it works so well for them. The small conversation they have just about did me in with Mitch getting too familiar too quick but as we only get Hagen’s POV in this, so I at least know it was doing a number on him as it was doing on me. It’s hard not to fall for and submit to one of Mary’s Alpha men and oh boy does Mitch fit the bill.
And yet, I have a bone or 5,000 to pick with Mitch. The ONLY thing that bugged me about this book was that he didn’t grovel enough for what he did to Hagen when they were young. I know he’s said he’s sorry and that he was young and took Hagen for granted. I get that but I wanted more of the why than a simple glossed over reason and him saying he’s grown up and won’t ever do it again. I do strongly believe in second chances and I am so happy Mitch grew a pair and finally decided to come home and get his boy but I wanted him on his knees so bad which I am SURE the author would have provided had it been necessary, but it wasn’t. Because while this was a romance it was also about Hagen and his healing from heartbreak, from what happened in the military and him finding his safe space, permanently. He’s always loved Mitch but Mitch hurt him, betrayed his trust and left poor Hagen without a sliver of closure so what’s a guy to do?
I adored Hagen and how he has taken care of himself the best he could given his circumstances. He has dealt with blows that would literally bury some people but he keeps going and does it with an amazing outlook on life. Sure, he hasn’t forgot what Mitch meant to him and how they felt but when you are left how he was, out of sight out of mind is always the best road to take. But reading about he and Mitch as teens simply tore my heart out because they were amazing even that young and who can find love like that in high school? I know it happens, I have friends who started dating at 16 and 25 years later are still together but the passion, the true love that Mitch and Hagen shared is not one that can go away and it should always be given another chance.
Now while I was mad at Mitch, I loved his kids! OMG were they amazing and Mitch’s sister as well. I like it when couples know one another’s family and these two are so entwined they can figure out where dishes go in a new house simply because they grew up IN each other’s houses. The business with Gordo was adorable and then once again, Mitch pissed me off. Grrr. They say there is a fine line between love and hate and while I didn’t hate Mitch, I am not sure I loved him. I loved him through Hagen’s eyes for the boy he was and the man/father he now is but
This really is a romance of one’s self. If you can’t love yourself, if you can’t forgive yourself you’ll be nothing to the person you love. It’s a sticky situation for sure but Hagen’s self-love led to his self-forgiveness of what he couldn’t control which leads him back to Mitch and his safe place.
Mitch is Hagen’s lobster, they are meant to be together even though their romance took a detour into one NFL player having his head so far up his ass he forgot he was into men. But… that detour gave him his kids so yeah. You know. My husband and I went to school together from middle school through high school. Though our school was small, we ran in different circles even though I had the biggest crush on him and he had no idea I existed. The other day, we were going through old high school yearbooks and doing the “what if” game about how we could have dated in school blah blah blah but had that happened, we wouldn’t have what we do now. We wouldn’t be who we are now and sometimes, love needs to take a detour no matter how bad it hurts to truly find where it belongs.
You Never Know truly is a second chance romance with a well-rounded cast of characters that make you want to crawl inside the book and just have a chat with them. I love that Mitch and Hagen figure it all out and how they do it. I love that Mitch goes all in when he wants his boy back and that Hagen in true Calmes fashion submits whole heartedly to his man. I have to say, I want Ash to get a book badly. That boy needs a strong hand by an alpha man who can show him what it means to be treasured and not for his looks or money.
See our chatty-ness on the blog...
Buddy read and review with my girl Jenni Lea.
It’s no secret I am a Calmes addict. I cannot get enough of the author's work and honestly get ridiculously excited when I see her come out with new books. She is my most read author on Goodreads and there is a reason for that. I adore the romances she writes and I will never tire of them. Ever.
When I saw this book pop up with just a title on Goodreads I wanted it and wondered if it had anything to do with another book from the author but then the blurb showed up. Nope, it didn’t have anything to do with What A Day Makes but the blurb hit me square in the feels as second chance romance is my jam! My shelf for second chance romance is a song my Johhny Mathis and Chances Are really does fit this wonderful yet frustratingly beautiful romance of Hagen and Mitch.
Goodness! From the beginning I wanted to just go run with Hagen as the landscape of Benson, Oregon drew me in and had me feet longing to get dirty on some trails before hitting the pavement and fueling with caffeine. I fell hard for the small town Hagen lives in and grew up in fast and then I started to meet those who live there and was mentally packing my bags wondering why it wasn’t possible to live in the pages of a book.
We meet Hagen on his run, going about his morning ritual when he gets stopped by his friend Gail to ask if he’s okay. That question turns up a lot in the first chapter as everyone who knows and cares about Hagen, as well as those new to town but have heard his romantic history, know Mitch Thayer moving back to town is a big deal. Regardless of how many times Hagen tries to shrug it off as not being a big deal it so is and I am so happy that we get bits of the boys in high school.
Hagen Wylie and Mitch Thayer met one day when a 15 year old Mitch moves to Benson, walks into Hagen’s homeroom, makes eye contact, takes the seat next to Hagen and proclaims them to become good friends. Friends wasn’t the only thing they’d became because these two became the first for one another in every way that two young boys who were openly out with their sexuality could be some 17 years ago. The teen romance was epically known throughout town and Mitch and Hagen had their lives planned, their futures planned exceptionally until it all fell apart. The falling apart completely broke my heart and I had no clue how Mitch was ever going to make up for it.
Now while we know Mitch is back in town, we don’t get him right away and instead we get Hagen and his kinda-relationship with one Ashford Lennox who is an up and coming actor and one who Hagen was oblivious too. But Mary Calmes starts off this introduction to Ash in a way that makes you really like him, I mean like him to the point you almost don’t want to Mitch to be on the page with Hagen because Ash seems to be adorable and likable but when true love is on the line, there is no holding back fate when the parties that be are in the same place at the right time.
Wow. So the way Hagen and Mitch see one another again for the first time was incredibly dramatic but it works so well for them. The small conversation they have just about did me in with Mitch getting too familiar too quick but as we only get Hagen’s POV in this, so I at least know it was doing a number on him as it was doing on me. It’s hard not to fall for and submit to one of Mary’s Alpha men and oh boy does Mitch fit the bill.
And yet, I have a bone or 5,000 to pick with Mitch. The ONLY thing that bugged me about this book was that he didn’t grovel enough for what he did to Hagen when they were young. I know he’s said he’s sorry and that he was young and took Hagen for granted. I get that but I wanted more of the why than a simple glossed over reason and him saying he’s grown up and won’t ever do it again. I do strongly believe in second chances and I am so happy Mitch grew a pair and finally decided to come home and get his boy but I wanted him on his knees so bad which I am SURE the author would have provided had it been necessary, but it wasn’t. Because while this was a romance it was also about Hagen and his healing from heartbreak, from what happened in the military and him finding his safe space, permanently. He’s always loved Mitch but Mitch hurt him, betrayed his trust and left poor Hagen without a sliver of closure so what’s a guy to do?
I adored Hagen and how he has taken care of himself the best he could given his circumstances. He has dealt with blows that would literally bury some people but he keeps going and does it with an amazing outlook on life. Sure, he hasn’t forgot what Mitch meant to him and how they felt but when you are left how he was, out of sight out of mind is always the best road to take. But reading about he and Mitch as teens simply tore my heart out because they were amazing even that young and who can find love like that in high school? I know it happens, I have friends who started dating at 16 and 25 years later are still together but the passion, the true love that Mitch and Hagen shared is not one that can go away and it should always be given another chance.
Now while I was mad at Mitch, I loved his kids! OMG were they amazing and Mitch’s sister as well. I like it when couples know one another’s family and these two are so entwined they can figure out where dishes go in a new house simply because they grew up IN each other’s houses. The business with Gordo was adorable and then once again, Mitch pissed me off. Grrr. They say there is a fine line between love and hate and while I didn’t hate Mitch, I am not sure I loved him. I loved him through Hagen’s eyes for the boy he was and the man/father he now is but
This really is a romance of one’s self. If you can’t love yourself, if you can’t forgive yourself you’ll be nothing to the person you love. It’s a sticky situation for sure but Hagen’s self-love led to his self-forgiveness of what he couldn’t control which leads him back to Mitch and his safe place.
Mitch is Hagen’s lobster, they are meant to be together even though their romance took a detour into one NFL player having his head so far up his ass he forgot he was into men. But… that detour gave him his kids so yeah. You know. My husband and I went to school together from middle school through high school. Though our school was small, we ran in different circles even though I had the biggest crush on him and he had no idea I existed. The other day, we were going through old high school yearbooks and doing the “what if” game about how we could have dated in school blah blah blah but had that happened, we wouldn’t have what we do now. We wouldn’t be who we are now and sometimes, love needs to take a detour no matter how bad it hurts to truly find where it belongs.
You Never Know truly is a second chance romance with a well-rounded cast of characters that make you want to crawl inside the book and just have a chat with them. I love that Mitch and Hagen figure it all out and how they do it. I love that Mitch goes all in when he wants his boy back and that Hagen in true Calmes fashion submits whole heartedly to his man. I have to say, I want Ash to get a book badly. That boy needs a strong hand by an alpha man who can show him what it means to be treasured and not for his looks or money.
See our chatty-ness on the blog...
July 26, 2017
You Never Know is an awesome dose of the good old-fashioned Mary Calmes I love and didn’t realize how much I needed til I started reading this book!
Trying to make a life for himself back in his home town, Hagen Wylie has a lot to overcome. Scarred both physically and mentally from his service in Afghanistan, the last thing he wants is the return of his first love, Mitchell Thayer.
After seventeen years of no contact, Mitch is back in town and he wants Hagen back. Hagen resists but, as we Mary Calmes fans know, restoring their relationship is exactly what both these characters need.
Calmes spends a good deal of time at the start of this book establishing Hagen’s character. Told in the first person, we really get to understand the man he is now, as well as the man he is trying to be. Hagen knows he needs psychiatric help to deal with his PTSD and that he has serious trust issues after being abandoned by Mitch, he’s just not ready to deal with either yet.
Hagen has resisted long-term relationships until he hooks up with Ashford Lennox early in the story. These two try to make it work, but Hagen’s abandonment and trust issues keep cropping up and complicating things with his belief everyone will eventually leave him.
And then Mitch Thayer comes back to town...
I love Hagen’s internal dialogue. He is a strong character, and it is beautiful to watch him work his way through the story.
Calmes does an excellent job weaving the reminiscences in with the present and showing how much time has changed each of these guys.
The magic happens when they relax into the playful banter that Mary Calmes writes so well and it’s plain to see the attraction which drew these two together; and the love and affection that kept them together through high school.
You Never Know was a pleasure to read and had me rooting for all three of these guys. I totally fell in love with Ash; and since he and Hagen remain friends, I’m hoping he’ll get his happily ever after in a future novel.
Trying to make a life for himself back in his home town, Hagen Wylie has a lot to overcome. Scarred both physically and mentally from his service in Afghanistan, the last thing he wants is the return of his first love, Mitchell Thayer.
After seventeen years of no contact, Mitch is back in town and he wants Hagen back. Hagen resists but, as we Mary Calmes fans know, restoring their relationship is exactly what both these characters need.
Calmes spends a good deal of time at the start of this book establishing Hagen’s character. Told in the first person, we really get to understand the man he is now, as well as the man he is trying to be. Hagen knows he needs psychiatric help to deal with his PTSD and that he has serious trust issues after being abandoned by Mitch, he’s just not ready to deal with either yet.
Hagen has resisted long-term relationships until he hooks up with Ashford Lennox early in the story. These two try to make it work, but Hagen’s abandonment and trust issues keep cropping up and complicating things with his belief everyone will eventually leave him.
And then Mitch Thayer comes back to town...
I love Hagen’s internal dialogue. He is a strong character, and it is beautiful to watch him work his way through the story.
Calmes does an excellent job weaving the reminiscences in with the present and showing how much time has changed each of these guys.
The magic happens when they relax into the playful banter that Mary Calmes writes so well and it’s plain to see the attraction which drew these two together; and the love and affection that kept them together through high school.
You Never Know was a pleasure to read and had me rooting for all three of these guys. I totally fell in love with Ash; and since he and Hagen remain friends, I’m hoping he’ll get his happily ever after in a future novel.
August 2, 2017
“It was instinctive, he’d pulled me in tight and not given my comfort another thought, and as a result, I couldn’t remember when I’d slept better. He knew me, and being with me, seeing me, everything he unconsciously understood had simply kicked in”
Bish whet?
For serious?
*retches*
I have not reviewed a book in a millennia, not after the MM romance group's defense of a racist ass book that romanticized what could never been a consensual relationship...and not after they proceeded to alienate its non-white members for calling them on their anti-Blackness.
I have not used Goodreads for over a year because of all the drama.
But, my wondrous caramel ass had to return to review this MESS.
I usually ADORE anything Mary writes.....just not this joint right here...
Nah. Niet. NINE. Nope.
This should've been called, "You Never Know About F$ckbois."
However, we all KNOW about f&ckbois!
Hagen is a colossal jackass for permitting his ex to come back after 17 years of distance. His fucking parents died; he went to war and came back with PTSD all with NO WORD from him former lover?
I'm good. The kids were cute--the end.
Mitch is a dirty dawg I tell you.
There's nothing sexy about their reunion; it was just tragic and spoke volumes about what folk will settle for because they're afraid of being alone. I need some intersectional feminism in my MM. I do not recommend this.
Bish whet?
For serious?
*retches*
I have not reviewed a book in a millennia, not after the MM romance group's defense of a racist ass book that romanticized what could never been a consensual relationship...and not after they proceeded to alienate its non-white members for calling them on their anti-Blackness.
I have not used Goodreads for over a year because of all the drama.
But, my wondrous caramel ass had to return to review this MESS.
I usually ADORE anything Mary writes.....just not this joint right here...
Nah. Niet. NINE. Nope.
This should've been called, "You Never Know About F$ckbois."
However, we all KNOW about f&ckbois!
Hagen is a colossal jackass for permitting his ex to come back after 17 years of distance. His fucking parents died; he went to war and came back with PTSD all with NO WORD from him former lover?
I'm good. The kids were cute--the end.
Mitch is a dirty dawg I tell you.
There's nothing sexy about their reunion; it was just tragic and spoke volumes about what folk will settle for because they're afraid of being alone. I need some intersectional feminism in my MM. I do not recommend this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2017
2.5 stars. A peculiar and rather unconvincing read for me. It was peculiar because the two who were supposed to reconnect only met again about halfway through. Meanwhile, the former friend with benefits Ash had more meaningful talks with Hagen than the mostly absent Mitch.
As for the romance, it was unconvincing since Mitch's motives remained obscure to me. He uprooted his family and business all of a sudden and was apparently in love with Hagen, despite not getting in touch for many years. What prompted Mitch to pursue Hagen after such a long time? I would have liked to see them rekindle their friendship and then move on to more. It did not help that Mitch often came across as too arrogant and sure that Hagen would forgive him and their relationship would resume as if nothing ever happened.
As for the romance, it was unconvincing since Mitch's motives remained obscure to me. He uprooted his family and business all of a sudden and was apparently in love with Hagen, despite not getting in touch for many years. What prompted Mitch to pursue Hagen after such a long time? I would have liked to see them rekindle their friendship and then move on to more. It did not help that Mitch often came across as too arrogant and sure that Hagen would forgive him and their relationship would resume as if nothing ever happened.
July 4, 2017
3.5/5 Stars for You Never Know, rounded up to 4 Stars for Goodreads.
Wooooooooo, this book tested my patience. To begin with, I liked the book. I really did. Hagen was a complete sweetheart. I loved the past-relationship history between him and Mitch and no matter how many times Hagen said that what he and Mitch had was in the past... I knew he was a liar liar pants on fire!
I mean really, how could he sit there and say that after he was thinking about the guy all morning. I don't know. Sometimes these MC's really just need a wakeup call. Actually, I think Hagen needed a few of them after reading this book. He seemed to not be able to make up his mind. It probably didn't help that both Ash and Mitch were being pushy little shits, but I think Hagen was also just a really indecisive character. He seemed to wait on some major outside event to force his hand before he actually did anything and it was a little frustrating but I have no right to say anything because that's totally not me at all, nope. Hahahaha.
Yeah. It's a problem. But it made me connect with Hagen a little because I understand that struggle. So while he was a little bit of a difficult character to read about, I also really liked Hagen. The other two, not so much.
I liked this book. I really really did, but there were some things that just didn't sit right with me. The first one being Mitch's attitude. Okay, I can get behind the whole sexy demanding lover thing, but Mitch was all but ordering Hagen to be with him when they weren't even together. He was being the non-sexy "I know you better than you know yourself" kind of demanding and it just wasn't good.
The second being the Ash shenanegans. There was just waayyy too much going on there. Hagen was awfully invest in Ash for it to be believable that he'd move on from him that fast. I don't know what all was going on with those two, but it needed to end when Mitch came back, or shortly thereafter.
And then I just felt like I didn't like Mitch for a lot of this book. It seemed like he was far too trusting with his kids around other people (I mean the babysitter almost got them killed) and he was really bossy to Hagen in a non-sexy way. It was just a lot. Maybe I'd have liked him more if I got his POV? I don't know. Usually the misunderstood character is the one you want to tell the POV of because it gets you in their head and the charismatic and charming MC is the love interest that you don't need a POV from because you love them anyway? Right?
At least the kids were adorable. Let's take a momentary break from all of the negativity to talk about how adorable Mitch's kids were. They were immediately accepting of Hagen after he swooped in and played real-life superman and I loved how they just didn't judge him for anything. That's kids, for ya.
Despite this book being not my favorite, I did still like it. 3.5 Stars is a strong like on my rating scale, so I'd say that this was still a good book and I'd still recommend it. However, beware of Mitch and his bossy, finger-pointing self. I wanted to like him so much and he was borderline sexy half of the time but agggghhhhhh. I think having his POV would have been the break that this book needed.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
Wooooooooo, this book tested my patience. To begin with, I liked the book. I really did. Hagen was a complete sweetheart. I loved the past-relationship history between him and Mitch and no matter how many times Hagen said that what he and Mitch had was in the past... I knew he was a liar liar pants on fire!
I mean really, how could he sit there and say that after he was thinking about the guy all morning. I don't know. Sometimes these MC's really just need a wakeup call. Actually, I think Hagen needed a few of them after reading this book. He seemed to not be able to make up his mind. It probably didn't help that both Ash and Mitch were being pushy little shits, but I think Hagen was also just a really indecisive character. He seemed to wait on some major outside event to force his hand before he actually did anything and it was a little frustrating but I have no right to say anything because that's totally not me at all, nope. Hahahaha.
Yeah. It's a problem. But it made me connect with Hagen a little because I understand that struggle. So while he was a little bit of a difficult character to read about, I also really liked Hagen. The other two, not so much.
I liked this book. I really really did, but there were some things that just didn't sit right with me. The first one being Mitch's attitude. Okay, I can get behind the whole sexy demanding lover thing, but Mitch was all but ordering Hagen to be with him when they weren't even together. He was being the non-sexy "I know you better than you know yourself" kind of demanding and it just wasn't good.
The second being the Ash shenanegans. There was just waayyy too much going on there. Hagen was awfully invest in Ash for it to be believable that he'd move on from him that fast. I don't know what all was going on with those two, but it needed to end when Mitch came back, or shortly thereafter.
And then I just felt like I didn't like Mitch for a lot of this book. It seemed like he was far too trusting with his kids around other people (I mean the babysitter almost got them killed) and he was really bossy to Hagen in a non-sexy way. It was just a lot. Maybe I'd have liked him more if I got his POV? I don't know. Usually the misunderstood character is the one you want to tell the POV of because it gets you in their head and the charismatic and charming MC is the love interest that you don't need a POV from because you love them anyway? Right?
At least the kids were adorable. Let's take a momentary break from all of the negativity to talk about how adorable Mitch's kids were. They were immediately accepting of Hagen after he swooped in and played real-life superman and I loved how they just didn't judge him for anything. That's kids, for ya.
Despite this book being not my favorite, I did still like it. 3.5 Stars is a strong like on my rating scale, so I'd say that this was still a good book and I'd still recommend it. However, beware of Mitch and his bossy, finger-pointing self. I wanted to like him so much and he was borderline sexy half of the time but agggghhhhhh. I think having his POV would have been the break that this book needed.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
November 15, 2018
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Con "Non si sa mai" mi ha regalato dei momenti squisiti, mi ha fatta rilassare e sorridere facendomi leggere una bella e romantica storia d'amore. Il primo amore non si scorda mai oppure la vita e le vicende passate possono farci deviare da un percorso che era destino? Questa è la storia di Hagen che dopo aver rischiato la vita in guerra si ricostruisce una vita nella sua cittadina natale dove tutti sono amici da una vita, dove è amato e mai lasciato solo a se stesso. Ripercorriamo i suoi ricordi di quando è ritornato dopo la guerra e ha ricominciato a vivere, di come i suoi genitori lo hanno aiutato insieme agli amici, ricordi di come è diventato l'uomo che è adesso ma soprattutto viviamo i ricordi dolci-amari del suo primo grande unico amore. La vicenda si dipana con scorrevolezza tra gli eventi del presente con tanti dialoghi che donano un ritmo incalzante e momenti di pura ironia e i pensieri che riportano il nostro protagonista nel passato facendocelo conoscere a fondo intimamente. Mi piace molto Hagen per la sua semplicità e dolcezza, il suo ragionare con maturità e assertività per non rendere confuse le cose, soprattutto nei suoi sentimenti verso il suo amico di letto o il suo primo amore che irrompe nella sua vita per riprenderselo dopo anni di lontananza. Leggere delle sue interazioni con gli abitanti della cittadina, con i figli di Mitch e Ash, suo amico di letto, è stato come guardare una di quelle serie televisive ironiche e romantiche; leggere di Hagen e Mitch, del loro passato e del dolore che ha provato e della paura che lo attanaglia è stato molto dolce. Mitch è un caterpillar che è tornato per riconquistare il suo primo amore e avere un futuro con lui, è forte, sicuro e potrebbe apparire a volte poco sensibile ai sentimenti di Hagen ma forse perché non conosciamo il suo punto di vista e lo vediamo solo attraverso il nostro protagonista…
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
Con "Non si sa mai" mi ha regalato dei momenti squisiti, mi ha fatta rilassare e sorridere facendomi leggere una bella e romantica storia d'amore. Il primo amore non si scorda mai oppure la vita e le vicende passate possono farci deviare da un percorso che era destino? Questa è la storia di Hagen che dopo aver rischiato la vita in guerra si ricostruisce una vita nella sua cittadina natale dove tutti sono amici da una vita, dove è amato e mai lasciato solo a se stesso. Ripercorriamo i suoi ricordi di quando è ritornato dopo la guerra e ha ricominciato a vivere, di come i suoi genitori lo hanno aiutato insieme agli amici, ricordi di come è diventato l'uomo che è adesso ma soprattutto viviamo i ricordi dolci-amari del suo primo grande unico amore. La vicenda si dipana con scorrevolezza tra gli eventi del presente con tanti dialoghi che donano un ritmo incalzante e momenti di pura ironia e i pensieri che riportano il nostro protagonista nel passato facendocelo conoscere a fondo intimamente. Mi piace molto Hagen per la sua semplicità e dolcezza, il suo ragionare con maturità e assertività per non rendere confuse le cose, soprattutto nei suoi sentimenti verso il suo amico di letto o il suo primo amore che irrompe nella sua vita per riprenderselo dopo anni di lontananza. Leggere delle sue interazioni con gli abitanti della cittadina, con i figli di Mitch e Ash, suo amico di letto, è stato come guardare una di quelle serie televisive ironiche e romantiche; leggere di Hagen e Mitch, del loro passato e del dolore che ha provato e della paura che lo attanaglia è stato molto dolce. Mitch è un caterpillar che è tornato per riconquistare il suo primo amore e avere un futuro con lui, è forte, sicuro e potrebbe apparire a volte poco sensibile ai sentimenti di Hagen ma forse perché non conosciamo il suo punto di vista e lo vediamo solo attraverso il nostro protagonista…
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
July 21, 2017
“Sweet and simple, this storyline is different for Calmes but I still thing it’s a solid story.”
Read this review in its entirety at Under the Covers Book Blog
Read this review in its entirety at Under the Covers Book Blog
March 28, 2018
I expect over the top sweet and easy with this author but unfortunately this one was more irritating.
I'm sorry but I still dislike Mitch. He was an arrogant arse. There was so real remorse from him. A little I'm sorry now forgive me so we can move on is not my idea of a sincere apology.
I liked Hage at first. I was keen to learn more of his disabilities. But after the first mention they were never mentioned again and I soon found myself annoyed with him too.
Ash I kinda liked. Even knowing he wasn't truthful I still felt more sympathy for him than the two love birds.
The highlight for me was Ryder and Brandon. Those two kept me reading in hopes they would get more page time.
The fact I felt so strongly against Mitch at least gave me something to push this to a 3 star lol
I'm sorry but I still dislike Mitch. He was an arrogant arse. There was so real remorse from him. A little I'm sorry now forgive me so we can move on is not my idea of a sincere apology.
I liked Hage at first. I was keen to learn more of his disabilities. But after the first mention they were never mentioned again and I soon found myself annoyed with him too.
Ash I kinda liked. Even knowing he wasn't truthful I still felt more sympathy for him than the two love birds.
The highlight for me was Ryder and Brandon. Those two kept me reading in hopes they would get more page time.
The fact I felt so strongly against Mitch at least gave me something to push this to a 3 star lol
July 26, 2017
I don't know that I've ever given three stars to a Mary Calmes book but this one just didn't do it for me like normal for two very important reasons. One, Hagen was with Ash for more than half the book which means our MCs weren't even really talking much let alone anything else. Two, Mitch needed to cut his fucking dick off and present it to Hagen with a bouquet of flowers and chocolate to even begin to make amends for what he did to him. He never even came remotely close to apologizing enough for that shit. His bullshit, cocky "you still want me" and "I'll have you" made me want to puke. What a fucking douche. Did I want them together? Of course, but after some snotty crying and begging....and the dick thing.
October 28, 2017
I really tried to like this. I don't want to be the odd one out. But I guess you can't satisfy everyone all the time. I love second chances story. I expect a lot of groveling when someone really fucked up in the past. But no, I don't see groveling in here. And why the hell I have to read about Hagen & Ash's story? I thought this would be Hagen & Mitch's. And Mitch.. omg, he's a douche. Hagen totally deserved someone better. It's just an opinion, okay? Lots of people liking this book. I'm glad for them. Don't worry, I still love Mary. I just don't love this book. Because when you're fucking things up, I expect an emotional payout. There's take and give. Not give, give, give. It doesn't work with me.
I hope my next second chances story is a winner!
I hope my next second chances story is a winner!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2018
All Hagen did throughout the book was argue with his lovers. When Mitch came into the picture I wasn't fond of him at ALL, he was overly confident and arrogant and didn't come close to grueling enough for me to have Hagen's forgiveness. 🤨 This story had much potential but it fell short for me, I would liked to hear more of Hagen's struggle with PTS and his story when he was captured. Not one of my favorite reads by Mary Calmes.
August 3, 2017
Bonkers , but I liked it !
August 23, 2024
2024 New Edition, Re-Read 2024...Maybe. It seems I didn't like it and then liked it less in audio. Third time is the charm? Maybe. Maybe not.
Ok, so I finished last night and I don't know. I don't know if I liked it better this time or because I've read Ash's HEA I liked it worse.
Weird. The whole thing with Mitch didn't bother me as much this time. I still felt like he came back expecting so much and sort of gave so little but I sort of felt like it was going to happen anyway so why fight it. It still really hurt reading about how he just let Hagen go though. I don't know. This book makes me fucking crazy.
Ash. Jesus. He really is not that likeable in this. He has moments but really he just comes across as completely spoiled, wanting what he wants but not really and just too much. I'm glad I did not do the re-read of this before I read his book though. I think it would have not been so good. I guess this is a little like the Aaron Sutter conundrum I've always had. I really like Ash now that I've read his story but here, not so much. I do feel it was ugly in LA though and maybe not so fair.
Again. This just makes me nuts.
I do not need to read this a fourth time. Just saying.
Ok, so I finished last night and I don't know. I don't know if I liked it better this time or because I've read Ash's HEA I liked it worse.
Weird. The whole thing with Mitch didn't bother me as much this time. I still felt like he came back expecting so much and sort of gave so little but I sort of felt like it was going to happen anyway so why fight it. It still really hurt reading about how he just let Hagen go though. I don't know. This book makes me fucking crazy.
Ash. Jesus. He really is not that likeable in this. He has moments but really he just comes across as completely spoiled, wanting what he wants but not really and just too much. I'm glad I did not do the re-read of this before I read his book though. I think it would have not been so good. I guess this is a little like the Aaron Sutter conundrum I've always had. I really like Ash now that I've read his story but here, not so much. I do feel it was ugly in LA though and maybe not so fair.
Again. This just makes me nuts.
I do not need to read this a fourth time. Just saying.
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