What do you think?
Rate this book
Torus Intercession #1
No Quick Fix
A retired SEAL is about to face his toughest assignment yet. As a nanny…
Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate. Brann Calder is expected to play all these roles and more as a member of Torus Intercession, a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong. In the military, catastrophe was his specialty. Five months out of the service, Brann is still finding his way, so a new assignment might be just what he needs. Unless it includes two things sure to make a seasoned, battle-trained veteran nervous: life in a small town, and playing caretaker to two little girls.
Emery Dodd is drowning in the responsibility of single fatherhood. He’s picked up the pieces after losing his wife and is ready to move on now, hopeful that his engagement to a local patriarch’s daughter will not only enrich his community but will grant his daughters some stability too.
The only thing standing in Emery’s way is that he can’t he seem to keep his eyes—and hands—off the former soldier he’s hired to watch his girls until the wedding.
Emery’s future is riding on his upcoming nuptials, but being with Brann makes him and his family feel whole again. Too bad there’s no way for them to be together.
Or is there?
Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate. Brann Calder is expected to play all these roles and more as a member of Torus Intercession, a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong. In the military, catastrophe was his specialty. Five months out of the service, Brann is still finding his way, so a new assignment might be just what he needs. Unless it includes two things sure to make a seasoned, battle-trained veteran nervous: life in a small town, and playing caretaker to two little girls.
Emery Dodd is drowning in the responsibility of single fatherhood. He’s picked up the pieces after losing his wife and is ready to move on now, hopeful that his engagement to a local patriarch’s daughter will not only enrich his community but will grant his daughters some stability too.
The only thing standing in Emery’s way is that he can’t he seem to keep his eyes—and hands—off the former soldier he’s hired to watch his girls until the wedding.
Emery’s future is riding on his upcoming nuptials, but being with Brann makes him and his family feel whole again. Too bad there’s no way for them to be together.
Or is there?
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2019
571 people are currently reading
1524 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 23, 2021
RATING 4.5 STARS
No Quick Fix is book one in the Torus Intercession series by Mary Calmes. This is my very first book by this author. I was looking for a MM single father romance and this came highly recommended and I fell in love with it.
The absolute star of this book is Brann Calder. Brann is thirty two years old. Five months ago he retired from his service as a Navy Seal. He immediately went to work in Chicago for Torus Intercession, a security firm that is sort of a jack of all trades. They are fixers so to speak. They could be hired for any number of reasons but Brann finds himself a little uncomfortable with this latest job. First of all, he has to go to the tiny town of Ursa, Montana. He is being sent to the home of Emery Dodd, a single father of two little girls who is drowning in his responsibilities. Emery is set to remarry in three months and Brann is supposed to help him with his daughters until then. He’s supposed to be a nanny!
Emery Dodd has been a widow for three years. He loved his wife and still grieves her as do his six and eight year old daughters. Emery is entering into a marriage of convenience with a woman he does not love. It’s a merger of sorts that will help the town flourish and will hopefully provide some stability for his girls. Emery knows he had the love of his life and knows he’ll never feel that again so it doesn’t bother him at all to be marrying for different reasons.
The entire book is told from Brann’s point of view which at times was a bit frustrating. I wanted to know what Emery was thinking. Ever since Brann left the Navy, he’s had trouble readjusting. But the minute he walked through Emery Dodd’s door, he felt like he was home. He settled inside, he felt peace. And when he looked at Emery, he felt completely overcome by him. There were no words, just so many feelings. He has to remind himself he’s here for a job and he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it because he’ll do whatever it takes to stay in this house with this man, for as long as possible.
“Nothing in my life had prepared me for being in this house with this man and his children. Already I could tell they were going to change me.”
Brann knew nothing about caring for children, but it came naturally to him. He just knew what to do, what to say, what they needed. His first day alone he found himself thrust into a bunch of situations that he fixed, and quickly became the town hero. Brann’s feelings for Emery are growing stronger by the minute. It doesn’t help that Emery is constantly touching him. In the mean time, Brann is familiarizing himself with the town, getting to know the residents, making friends. He’s fallen in love with this town and could see himself there. But he could not stand to stay and watch the man who means everything to him marry a woman who clearly is not meant to be with this family he loves so much.
As I said, Brann was amazing. The man just seemed to always be saving the day in one way or another. Emery’s daughters were simply adorable and I loved how both Brann and Emery were with them. I took off a half point because the author waited until about the last twenty five percent to finally change the direction of Brann and Emery’s relationship. So everything was crammed into that last quarter of the story, including all the answers we had been waiting for. I would have liked it to happen a little sooner so we could have more of them as a family and perhaps an epilogue or something. In any event, it was beautifully told and the characters were wonderful. I will definitely be looking at her other books in the future.
“I’d heard the phrase ‘my heart was full to bursting’ before but it had never meant anything to me. Until now.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
No Quick Fix is book one in the Torus Intercession series by Mary Calmes. This is my very first book by this author. I was looking for a MM single father romance and this came highly recommended and I fell in love with it.
The absolute star of this book is Brann Calder. Brann is thirty two years old. Five months ago he retired from his service as a Navy Seal. He immediately went to work in Chicago for Torus Intercession, a security firm that is sort of a jack of all trades. They are fixers so to speak. They could be hired for any number of reasons but Brann finds himself a little uncomfortable with this latest job. First of all, he has to go to the tiny town of Ursa, Montana. He is being sent to the home of Emery Dodd, a single father of two little girls who is drowning in his responsibilities. Emery is set to remarry in three months and Brann is supposed to help him with his daughters until then. He’s supposed to be a nanny!
Emery Dodd has been a widow for three years. He loved his wife and still grieves her as do his six and eight year old daughters. Emery is entering into a marriage of convenience with a woman he does not love. It’s a merger of sorts that will help the town flourish and will hopefully provide some stability for his girls. Emery knows he had the love of his life and knows he’ll never feel that again so it doesn’t bother him at all to be marrying for different reasons.
The entire book is told from Brann’s point of view which at times was a bit frustrating. I wanted to know what Emery was thinking. Ever since Brann left the Navy, he’s had trouble readjusting. But the minute he walked through Emery Dodd’s door, he felt like he was home. He settled inside, he felt peace. And when he looked at Emery, he felt completely overcome by him. There were no words, just so many feelings. He has to remind himself he’s here for a job and he doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it because he’ll do whatever it takes to stay in this house with this man, for as long as possible.
“Nothing in my life had prepared me for being in this house with this man and his children. Already I could tell they were going to change me.”
Brann knew nothing about caring for children, but it came naturally to him. He just knew what to do, what to say, what they needed. His first day alone he found himself thrust into a bunch of situations that he fixed, and quickly became the town hero. Brann’s feelings for Emery are growing stronger by the minute. It doesn’t help that Emery is constantly touching him. In the mean time, Brann is familiarizing himself with the town, getting to know the residents, making friends. He’s fallen in love with this town and could see himself there. But he could not stand to stay and watch the man who means everything to him marry a woman who clearly is not meant to be with this family he loves so much.
As I said, Brann was amazing. The man just seemed to always be saving the day in one way or another. Emery’s daughters were simply adorable and I loved how both Brann and Emery were with them. I took off a half point because the author waited until about the last twenty five percent to finally change the direction of Brann and Emery’s relationship. So everything was crammed into that last quarter of the story, including all the answers we had been waiting for. I would have liked it to happen a little sooner so we could have more of them as a family and perhaps an epilogue or something. In any event, it was beautifully told and the characters were wonderful. I will definitely be looking at her other books in the future.
“I’d heard the phrase ‘my heart was full to bursting’ before but it had never meant anything to me. Until now.”
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
March 22, 2019
A wonderful "Mary Calmes" read in all its glory !! I absolutely loved this one, it made me feel all kinds of giddy.
Just what I needed...makes me want to re-read every Mary book I have ever read :P
Full review to come but to all the Mary fans I want to say : READ THE BOOK !!
I'm going with 4,5 stars and I can't wait for the next one, I hope it will be soon ;)
Just what I needed...makes me want to re-read every Mary book I have ever read :P
Full review to come but to all the Mary fans I want to say : READ THE BOOK !!
I'm going with 4,5 stars and I can't wait for the next one, I hope it will be soon ;)
September 18, 2019
Reviewing this story is really hard for me, especially since I LOVED the first 70% of it.
The best thing about it:
Brann Calder
The 32 year old ex-Navy SEAL who works for a private security company and gets the unlikely assignment of acting as a nanny for two young girls, is one of the most likable characters you could ever find.
He's tough and strong, a bit on the macho side and never lets people get close to him. When confronted with 5 year old Olivia and 8 year old April, his rough demeanor and directness don't prevent him from quickly becoming the girls' best friend.
It doesn't take long until Brann thinks of Olivia, April and their dad, widower Emery, as his family and he is sad thinking about his time running out once Emery ends up marrying Lydia so the girls get a new mommy.
The second best thing about the story:
Olivia and April
Both girls are amazing characters. They're not the usual side kicks in a romance story that are simply there. They are real and fully fleshed out characters whose interactions with Brann made this book an incredibly enjoyable read.
I would even say that Brann, Olivia and April together were the most enjoyable thing about the whole story.
The thing I didn't like:
Emery Dodd
That guy creeped me out so much, you have no idea! As soon as Brann arrives, straight(?) widower Emery is all over him, touching him and making physical contact, driving Brann nuts. And when Brann does give in once and kisses him, he's all cold shoulder and 'how could you?'
Not to mention the weirdly arranged marriage Emery is about to enter. The reason for this whole charade still isn't clear to me, but it seems to be a pure business arrangement that the whole town seems to benefit from.
Then there's also a murder that is kinda swept unter the carpet and quickly resolved in the last few pages - as if the story needed a crime plot so our Navy SEAL doesn't completely drown in Mary Poppins style happiness.
Anyway, back to Emery. After completely messing with Brann's head for weeks, he suddenly changes his mind and drags Brann into some really raunchy bareback sex scenes that seemed completely out of place in this story.
I'm sorry, but no. Emery completely ruined this for me. As great as Brann and the girls are, Emery just freaked me out. And knowing that Brann is spending the rest of his life with that guy?
Good luck.
3 stars!
The best thing about it:
Brann Calder
The 32 year old ex-Navy SEAL who works for a private security company and gets the unlikely assignment of acting as a nanny for two young girls, is one of the most likable characters you could ever find.
He's tough and strong, a bit on the macho side and never lets people get close to him. When confronted with 5 year old Olivia and 8 year old April, his rough demeanor and directness don't prevent him from quickly becoming the girls' best friend.
It doesn't take long until Brann thinks of Olivia, April and their dad, widower Emery, as his family and he is sad thinking about his time running out once Emery ends up marrying Lydia so the girls get a new mommy.
The second best thing about the story:
Olivia and April
Both girls are amazing characters. They're not the usual side kicks in a romance story that are simply there. They are real and fully fleshed out characters whose interactions with Brann made this book an incredibly enjoyable read.
I would even say that Brann, Olivia and April together were the most enjoyable thing about the whole story.
The thing I didn't like:
Emery Dodd
That guy creeped me out so much, you have no idea! As soon as Brann arrives, straight(?) widower Emery is all over him, touching him and making physical contact, driving Brann nuts. And when Brann does give in once and kisses him, he's all cold shoulder and 'how could you?'
Not to mention the weirdly arranged marriage Emery is about to enter. The reason for this whole charade still isn't clear to me, but it seems to be a pure business arrangement that the whole town seems to benefit from.
Then there's also a murder that is kinda swept unter the carpet and quickly resolved in the last few pages - as if the story needed a crime plot so our Navy SEAL doesn't completely drown in Mary Poppins style happiness.
Anyway, back to Emery. After completely messing with Brann's head for weeks, he suddenly changes his mind and drags Brann into some really raunchy bareback sex scenes that seemed completely out of place in this story.
I'm sorry, but no. Emery completely ruined this for me. As great as Brann and the girls are, Emery just freaked me out. And knowing that Brann is spending the rest of his life with that guy?
Good luck.
3 stars!
July 28, 2019
Re-read, 2019 July 26th
Just as awesome as the first time. The perfect amount of humor and romance. Loved it.
First read, 2019 March 23rd
I'm bummed....
I'm bummed I finished this book already.
This is a typical Mary Calmes novel. The insta-attraction was there, the Alpha was there but it also has the smooth writing I love of Mary's.
Brann was great, the kids were awesome. Emery was great. All was great and I am done...
I'm bummed..
I need more...
Just as awesome as the first time. The perfect amount of humor and romance. Loved it.
First read, 2019 March 23rd
I'm bummed....
I'm bummed I finished this book already.
This is a typical Mary Calmes novel. The insta-attraction was there, the Alpha was there but it also has the smooth writing I love of Mary's.
Brann was great, the kids were awesome. Emery was great. All was great and I am done...
I'm bummed..
I need more...
March 15, 2020
I was afraid this would be a disappointment since I didn’t really like Mary’s last few books. But, she’s back! I really loved this one. It actually reminded me a bit of Frog, with the children and the warm fuzzies all around.
I’m used to Mary doing insta-love, but this was a slow burn for a change. And she does slow burn just as good as she does insta-love! ❤
Brann works for an agency in LA that helps people. It was a bit vague, but basically they provide help in all kinds of ways. If people need a bodyguard, a PA, a security expert, a nanny, a fixer of any kind, Torus Intercession is your company.
Brann gets sent on a job in Montana. He needs to help Emery Dodd in any way he can until Emery Dodd marries Lydia Cahill. The marriage is an arranged one and will merge their two companies together so that they can use the land Emery Dodd inherited from his deceased wife.
Since Emery mostly needs help with his two young daughters, Brann will basically function as the nanny.
Brann immediately noticed how beautiful Emery is, and he bonds with his two kids from the first day. Too bad Emery is already getting married to someone else…
Before I started this I was afraid there would be cheating since Emery is already engaged to someone else. But I was glad that it wasn’t a real relationship. Emery and Lydia weren’t in love and were only getting married because it was the wise thing to do for the town. Now there is no cheating of any kind, since Brann and Emery only get involved after the engagement is broken off. So that was good!
This had all the cute warm fuzzies of a true Mary book. We Brann dealing with the kids’ issues in a very unique way, and winning them over in no time (of course). We had Brann rescuing several people in the town because he was a badass retired SEAL. And we had Emery falling in love with Brann and calling off his engagement because Brann was such a perfect fit in their family.
Brann was just loved everywhere he went, and the whole town wanted to marry him. Like a true Mary hero.
I can’t wait for the other books in this series. I’m so glad Mary got her mojo back.
I’m used to Mary doing insta-love, but this was a slow burn for a change. And she does slow burn just as good as she does insta-love! ❤
Brann works for an agency in LA that helps people. It was a bit vague, but basically they provide help in all kinds of ways. If people need a bodyguard, a PA, a security expert, a nanny, a fixer of any kind, Torus Intercession is your company.
Brann gets sent on a job in Montana. He needs to help Emery Dodd in any way he can until Emery Dodd marries Lydia Cahill. The marriage is an arranged one and will merge their two companies together so that they can use the land Emery Dodd inherited from his deceased wife.
Since Emery mostly needs help with his two young daughters, Brann will basically function as the nanny.
Brann immediately noticed how beautiful Emery is, and he bonds with his two kids from the first day. Too bad Emery is already getting married to someone else…
Before I started this I was afraid there would be cheating since Emery is already engaged to someone else. But I was glad that it wasn’t a real relationship. Emery and Lydia weren’t in love and were only getting married because it was the wise thing to do for the town. Now there is no cheating of any kind, since Brann and Emery only get involved after the engagement is broken off. So that was good!
This had all the cute warm fuzzies of a true Mary book. We Brann dealing with the kids’ issues in a very unique way, and winning them over in no time (of course). We had Brann rescuing several people in the town because he was a badass retired SEAL. And we had Emery falling in love with Brann and calling off his engagement because Brann was such a perfect fit in their family.
Brann was just loved everywhere he went, and the whole town wanted to marry him. Like a true Mary hero.
I can’t wait for the other books in this series. I’m so glad Mary got her mojo back.
March 27, 2019
4.5*
I struggled with this early on because the set-up just didn’t make any sense to me at all.
We have a retired navy SEAL sent out to be a nanny. There’s no threat or danger to the family it would have made more sense to send an actual ‘Mary Poppins’ type nanny.
Yes I know the story wouldn’t have worked then. And I should be less picky and try to be more of a ‘just go with it’ kinda person. But I need what I’m reading to make sense. And yes the reasoning behind this is explained at the end.
What I’m very badly trying to explain is that it took me several attempts to get settled into this book. But once I had I loved it. So just go with it like I should have done from the get go.
Brann desperately wants to belong. He wants a home and to be loved. He arrives in town to help Emery look after his two daughters Olivia and April (seriously just go with it). From the second Emery opens the front door everything fits. Brann feels relaxed and at home. Everyone is drawn to him and it just feels right. He also has feelings for Emery which is wrong on every level. Since Emery is not only his boss but he’s straight and getting married soon.
The kids love Brann and even question if he’s a superhero. Yes he is that great.
This book was beautiful and it ticked so many boxes for me. I loved both Brann and Emery and the instant attraction but slow build romance. The kids are an absolute delight and they even come with a cute dog.
This is definitely a book I’ll re-read and I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
This came very close to the elusive 5* but ultimately my pickiness with the beginning knocked it down to 4.5*.
I also have to say because I’m also picky about covers as well 🙄🙄🙄 Yes I can feel those eyes rolling. I don’t particularly like the cover. I’m sure I’m in the minority here but if it hadn’t been Mary Calmes I would have just flicked past it.
Okay that’s it I’m done moaning. It’s a fabulous book, read it and just go with it 🤣
I struggled with this early on because the set-up just didn’t make any sense to me at all.
We have a retired navy SEAL sent out to be a nanny. There’s no threat or danger to the family it would have made more sense to send an actual ‘Mary Poppins’ type nanny.
Yes I know the story wouldn’t have worked then. And I should be less picky and try to be more of a ‘just go with it’ kinda person. But I need what I’m reading to make sense. And yes the reasoning behind this is explained at the end.
What I’m very badly trying to explain is that it took me several attempts to get settled into this book. But once I had I loved it. So just go with it like I should have done from the get go.
Brann desperately wants to belong. He wants a home and to be loved. He arrives in town to help Emery look after his two daughters Olivia and April (seriously just go with it). From the second Emery opens the front door everything fits. Brann feels relaxed and at home. Everyone is drawn to him and it just feels right. He also has feelings for Emery which is wrong on every level. Since Emery is not only his boss but he’s straight and getting married soon.
The kids love Brann and even question if he’s a superhero. Yes he is that great.
This book was beautiful and it ticked so many boxes for me. I loved both Brann and Emery and the instant attraction but slow build romance. The kids are an absolute delight and they even come with a cute dog.
This is definitely a book I’ll re-read and I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
This came very close to the elusive 5* but ultimately my pickiness with the beginning knocked it down to 4.5*.
I also have to say because I’m also picky about covers as well 🙄🙄🙄 Yes I can feel those eyes rolling. I don’t particularly like the cover. I’m sure I’m in the minority here but if it hadn’t been Mary Calmes I would have just flicked past it.
Okay that’s it I’m done moaning. It’s a fabulous book, read it and just go with it 🤣
September 27, 2025
This both IS and ISN'T your typical Calmes.
The core group of guys, who I think will all get books in this series, were included in the typical part. They are a group of men who work for Torus, a PI-slash-rescue-operation? Maybe? I'm a little fuzzy on that part because it was described as "anything to make your life better", which was a bit weird.
And some of the names Mary comes up with? Always make me smile. I think she throws Scrabble tiles in the air and finds some consonants and vowels that go together to make a sound. Perhaps they're popular in other countries, and I'm not trying to be insensitive, but since these books always take place in America......Croy Esca and another named Locryn. (Just an entertaining observation so please don't come at me with tales of your cousin named Locryn because you've missed my point).
I'm a Mary fanatic, and she always has unpopular names in her books. AND I LIKE IT.
Brann, our exclusive POV, is five months out from his career of being a Navy SEAL, and is going on a babysitting/bodyguarding job in Nowheresville, Montana.
And when he meets the girls' father, Emery Dodd, he fall into insta-Calmes-infatuation. And while that's pretty typical, these two actually go months before acting on anything. That tempered the instalove for me.
Addressing the elephant in the room, since Emery is engaged to someone else for most of the book, there is no cheating. It also meant lower steam, but what was there was very nice indeed.
Add in a touch of relationship angst, and I was happy.
Looking forward to more on this group of men!
The core group of guys, who I think will all get books in this series, were included in the typical part. They are a group of men who work for Torus, a PI-slash-rescue-operation? Maybe? I'm a little fuzzy on that part because it was described as "anything to make your life better", which was a bit weird.
And some of the names Mary comes up with? Always make me smile. I think she throws Scrabble tiles in the air and finds some consonants and vowels that go together to make a sound. Perhaps they're popular in other countries, and I'm not trying to be insensitive, but since these books always take place in America......Croy Esca and another named Locryn. (Just an entertaining observation so please don't come at me with tales of your cousin named Locryn because you've missed my point).
I'm a Mary fanatic, and she always has unpopular names in her books. AND I LIKE IT.
Brann, our exclusive POV, is five months out from his career of being a Navy SEAL, and is going on a babysitting/bodyguarding job in Nowheresville, Montana.
And when he meets the girls' father, Emery Dodd, he fall into insta-Calmes-infatuation. And while that's pretty typical, these two actually go months before acting on anything. That tempered the instalove for me.
Addressing the elephant in the room, since Emery is engaged to someone else for most of the book, there is no cheating. It also meant lower steam, but what was there was very nice indeed.
Add in a touch of relationship angst, and I was happy.
Looking forward to more on this group of men!
April 2, 2019
Mary Calmes launches a new series with her tried and tested method of an unsuspecting messianic character who is charmingly unaware of his heroic appeal. His love interest is a rock on which the entire universe rests upon and their friends are as loyal as the Stark direwolves.
The only departing 'evolution' of this endeavour is the fact that the main romantic couple don't fall into bed immediately. If anything, filler disguised as a slow burn romance, treads through the pages with misunderstandings, self-suffering, a shoe horned mystery andadorable children.
This book fell really flat for me. The conspiracy in the novel is one as cliched as RnB songs about banging. I'd even go as far as saying it felt wholly unnecessary. To read this book is to read every other Calmes book set in a realistic world with fringe military characters. Her later works like Kairos and A Day Makes.
Colour me unimpressed.
The only departing 'evolution' of this endeavour is the fact that the main romantic couple don't fall into bed immediately. If anything, filler disguised as a slow burn romance, treads through the pages with misunderstandings, self-suffering, a shoe horned mystery and
This book fell really flat for me. The conspiracy in the novel is one as cliched as RnB songs about banging. I'd even go as far as saying it felt wholly unnecessary. To read this book is to read every other Calmes book set in a realistic world with fringe military characters. Her later works like Kairos and A Day Makes.
Colour me unimpressed.
March 19, 2019
I fell in love with these characters so easily, and so hard. Brann, Emery, the kids – this whole thing just plain worked for me from page one until the very end.
Told in Brann Calder’s single POV, he’s ex-military with a heart of gold, and sets to righting much of what’s gone wrong in Emery Dodd’s life. Brann fits in with Emery’s little family perfectly and the sparks ignite from their first glance. But, never fear dear readers, there is no cheating in this whatsoever! So those who were a little worried about that can put your fears to rest.
Plenty of heat later in the story, a bit of a mystery to play out, and a very happy ending await you. I loved it. I absolutely can hardly wait for the next book in the series to come out!
4.5 Stars
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Initial thoughts: Freaking loved it. *happy sigh*
Told in Brann Calder’s single POV, he’s ex-military with a heart of gold, and sets to righting much of what’s gone wrong in Emery Dodd’s life. Brann fits in with Emery’s little family perfectly and the sparks ignite from their first glance. But, never fear dear readers, there is no cheating in this whatsoever! So those who were a little worried about that can put your fears to rest.
Plenty of heat later in the story, a bit of a mystery to play out, and a very happy ending await you. I loved it. I absolutely can hardly wait for the next book in the series to come out!
4.5 Stars
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Initial thoughts: Freaking loved it. *happy sigh*
March 21, 2019
No Quick Fix by Mary Calmes is such an adorable story. It all just clicked perfectly.
-Great cast of characters.
-The story is sweet and fun.
-Slow burn, a little too slow for me, but the romance and heat at the end were well worth the wait.
-I enjoyed the relationship build up. Insta-attraction that grew into more.
-I give MC kudos for writing kids that didn't feel like caricatures.
-And a charming, happy ending.
++Also, for those worried there could be cheating: there isn't-so don't worry. :)
This was an excellent start to the Torus Intercession Series!
4 Stars!
-Great cast of characters.
-The story is sweet and fun.
-Slow burn, a little too slow for me, but the romance and heat at the end were well worth the wait.
-I enjoyed the relationship build up. Insta-attraction that grew into more.
-I give MC kudos for writing kids that didn't feel like caricatures.
-And a charming, happy ending.
++Also, for those worried there could be cheating: there isn't-so don't worry. :)
This was an excellent start to the Torus Intercession Series!
4 Stars!
March 28, 2019
3.5ish stars. Way too insta everything for me, I'm afraid. 😳
Read
March 25, 2019I don't have much to say other than I loved this. Every sticky sweet and sticky hot moment of it.
Brann was perfect.
Emery was lovely.
Olivia was adorably hilarious.
April was a quiet strength.
Winston was a really cute dog.
Huck really needs his own book and yes with a woman.
This small town setting was a nice change from the big cities we are used to from Mary.
This was classic Calmes but with a few changes that really make the book stand up and grab hold of my hopeless romantic heart.
It's been a while since a book made me FEEL but this, made me fell all the things.
I loved it.
I want more.
I should have known the Goddess Calmes would be the balm to my wounded mm romance reading heart.
Brann was perfect.
Emery was lovely.
Olivia was adorably hilarious.
April was a quiet strength.
Winston was a really cute dog.
Huck really needs his own book and yes with a woman.
This small town setting was a nice change from the big cities we are used to from Mary.
This was classic Calmes but with a few changes that really make the book stand up and grab hold of my hopeless romantic heart.
It's been a while since a book made me FEEL but this, made me fell all the things.
I loved it.
I want more.
I should have known the Goddess Calmes would be the balm to my wounded mm romance reading heart.
June 27, 2019
2.5
YES, A VERY QUICK FIX
I sip on the juice of haterade when it comes to an MC book, I don’t dislike them I just don’t believe them mostly and I come down with the illness of eyeroll numerous 🙄. No Quick Fix is one of those books that will just have to take all my roasting cuz I can’t.
Brann, badass security dude who is having a bad day cuz his hookup has left him high and dry, and the saying “don’t fuck where you work” comes into play. Luckily he’s been handed a job as a glorified nanny, way below his capabilities but getting away from the man who clearly doesn’t want him seems a better option than hanging around and having it shoved in his face. Downside his assignment is in the middle of nowhere and small town life might not be what he’s best suited for.
Fast forward to the town being spicy, the father of the kids he’s meant to protect being spicy 🥵, and Brann becomes the hero and is worshipped by many all in a matter of 24hrs, no quick fix is quite easily fixed after-all. Turns out he’s a perfect nanny, he takes down a rowdy parent at a soccer game, and saves a mom and child from an abusive husband (boss).
The book is very formulaic to what Mary Calmes usually delivers but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I use to. Easy love, problems easily solved, and some crazy murder to add a little seasoning 🧂. I can’t even remember what the other MCs name is and I really don’t care. This one was all rainbows and butterflies and I just wasn’t having it.
Overall, not the worst thing I’ve ever read but it’s not one of Mary Calmes better book, but best believe I’ll be reading the next book in the series 😫.
June 19, 2019
Scott R. Smith does another good job bringing all the characters to life and setting an easy listening pace in this contemporary romance with a likeable cast and a very Calmesian plot. 😘
Single POV, with no cheating, plenty of heat later in the story, a bit of a mystery to play out, and a very happy ending. I loved it.
4.5 Stars
Single POV, with no cheating, plenty of heat later in the story, a bit of a mystery to play out, and a very happy ending. I loved it.
4.5 Stars
April 8, 2019
I knew going into No Quick Fix that I would need to suspend my disbelief at times. Sometimes, a book is so good that I am entirely able to sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment. Unfortunately, with this one, no matter how hard I tried, I was unable to manage the balance between disbelief and enjoyment.
What I liked:
I loved the relationship between Brann and the kids, Olivia and April. This is a huge part of the story. It’s really the foundation of the story and I was so into it.
What I didn’t like/where I was unable to suspend disbelief:
Brann’s instinctive, perfect parenting of children immediately upon meeting them. I might have been able to overlook this naturally perfect ability if he had parented younger siblings but he didn’t. I might have been able to overlook it if he’d been raised by equally outstanding parents but he wasn’t. He somehow goes from having no interest in or experience with kids and no interest in wanting kids to being parent/nanny of the century instantaneously and with virtually no hesitation, awkwardness or fumbling. Overlookable if the rest of the story shines but it didn’t.
April and Olivia often acted far older than they were. Much of their dialogue felt far more appropriate for teens than 6 and 8 year olds.
The reasons for Emery’s engagement to Lydia were implausible. I probably could have overlooked this too if I hadn’t hated other things.
What I hated:
Immediately upon meeting Brann, Emery starts touching him in an overly familiar and possessive way. ALL THE TIME. We’re expected to think this is ok because Brann doesn’t mind it, he even enjoys it. But it is problematic. They are not in a relationship, they’re not dating, they’re not a couple, they’ve just met and neither of them ever discusses it. Emery apparently feels entitled to touch Brann wherever and however he wants and he also apparently assumes Brann is ok with it. Egregious? No. Cringeworthy? Yes.
I wasn’t ok with that regardless, but toward the end of the book Calmes eventually addresses the inappropriateness of the touching and lack of boundaries in way that simultaneously indicates that they’re both aware of how problematic it is and yet are equally dismissive of how problematic it is.
“You touched me all the time.”
“Yes, I did,” he admitted gravely.
“And you’re a high school teacher, so… you should be very aware of boundaries and touching and what that all means.”
“Which, of course, I am.”
“And yet with me…,” I said, letting the words trail off, waiting on him.
“And yet with you, all that flew out the window,” he finished my sentence for me, his breath a defeated huff. “I touched you all the time, and I couldn’t help it even though it only made everything worse for me.”
He KNEW it was inappropriate but HE COULDN’T HELP IT. WTF kind of excuse is that? So as a teacher would it have been ok for him to touch a student if he couldn’t help himself and he assumed the student was ok with it because they didn’t speak up against it? Would it have been ok for him to touch Brann had Brann been uncomfortable with it but too scared or uncomfortable or shy to speak up? No. This normalization of overstepping boundaries puts the responsibility of maintaining boundaries on the person whose physical boundaries have been violated rather than on asking consent and/or not crossing boundaries in the first place.
I am also not a fan of over-possessiveness and ownership. I know it’s common in romance but I can’t stand it. Once again, this is something I frequently overlook when I love the rest of the story but grated on me here.
Other things I hated:
The Scooby-Doo “mystery.” It was contrived and weak. It’s first introduced at 34% and then completely disappears from the story until 90% when it abruptly, out of the blue, reappears and is resolved within a few pages. It wasn’t integral to the story and was so eye rollingly ridiculous that it detracted from the story.
I’m starting to feel like the book review bitch, Overly Critical Kat, but... I’m tired of the way inappropriate touching and the lack of respect for personal space and boundaries is so pervasive and normalized and I simply can’t be silent about it.
What I liked:
I loved the relationship between Brann and the kids, Olivia and April. This is a huge part of the story. It’s really the foundation of the story and I was so into it.
What I didn’t like/where I was unable to suspend disbelief:
Brann’s instinctive, perfect parenting of children immediately upon meeting them. I might have been able to overlook this naturally perfect ability if he had parented younger siblings but he didn’t. I might have been able to overlook it if he’d been raised by equally outstanding parents but he wasn’t. He somehow goes from having no interest in or experience with kids and no interest in wanting kids to being parent/nanny of the century instantaneously and with virtually no hesitation, awkwardness or fumbling. Overlookable if the rest of the story shines but it didn’t.
April and Olivia often acted far older than they were. Much of their dialogue felt far more appropriate for teens than 6 and 8 year olds.
The reasons for Emery’s engagement to Lydia were implausible. I probably could have overlooked this too if I hadn’t hated other things.
What I hated:
Immediately upon meeting Brann, Emery starts touching him in an overly familiar and possessive way. ALL THE TIME. We’re expected to think this is ok because Brann doesn’t mind it, he even enjoys it. But it is problematic. They are not in a relationship, they’re not dating, they’re not a couple, they’ve just met and neither of them ever discusses it. Emery apparently feels entitled to touch Brann wherever and however he wants and he also apparently assumes Brann is ok with it. Egregious? No. Cringeworthy? Yes.
I wasn’t ok with that regardless, but toward the end of the book Calmes eventually addresses the inappropriateness of the touching and lack of boundaries in way that simultaneously indicates that they’re both aware of how problematic it is and yet are equally dismissive of how problematic it is.
“You touched me all the time.”
“Yes, I did,” he admitted gravely.
“And you’re a high school teacher, so… you should be very aware of boundaries and touching and what that all means.”
“Which, of course, I am.”
“And yet with me…,” I said, letting the words trail off, waiting on him.
“And yet with you, all that flew out the window,” he finished my sentence for me, his breath a defeated huff. “I touched you all the time, and I couldn’t help it even though it only made everything worse for me.”
He KNEW it was inappropriate but HE COULDN’T HELP IT. WTF kind of excuse is that? So as a teacher would it have been ok for him to touch a student if he couldn’t help himself and he assumed the student was ok with it because they didn’t speak up against it? Would it have been ok for him to touch Brann had Brann been uncomfortable with it but too scared or uncomfortable or shy to speak up? No. This normalization of overstepping boundaries puts the responsibility of maintaining boundaries on the person whose physical boundaries have been violated rather than on asking consent and/or not crossing boundaries in the first place.
I am also not a fan of over-possessiveness and ownership. I know it’s common in romance but I can’t stand it. Once again, this is something I frequently overlook when I love the rest of the story but grated on me here.
Other things I hated:
The Scooby-Doo “mystery.” It was contrived and weak. It’s first introduced at 34% and then completely disappears from the story until 90% when it abruptly, out of the blue, reappears and is resolved within a few pages. It wasn’t integral to the story and was so eye rollingly ridiculous that it detracted from the story.
I’m starting to feel like the book review bitch, Overly Critical Kat, but... I’m tired of the way inappropriate touching and the lack of respect for personal space and boundaries is so pervasive and normalized and I simply can’t be silent about it.
March 30, 2019
Great start to the new series. Loved most of the book. A lot of typical MC, with all her usual overly beautiful, charismatic people in unlikely scenarios that work out well for them when they wouldn't for most people. It went for cute a lot with the kids and the dog and mostly succeeded but I think the kids were a little mature for their ages but most of the time I think that about kids in books.
Looking forward to the next one.
Looking forward to the next one.
May 3, 2020
Listened to May 2020
Just as entertaining as the first time! :)
Great narration by Scott R Smith.
**************************************************
Read May 2019
Yeah, this story is unrealistic and at times even ridiculous, but so what? It's also funny, heart-warming and I had just an awesome time reading it! :)
Just as entertaining as the first time! :)
Great narration by Scott R Smith.
**************************************************
Read May 2019
Yeah, this story is unrealistic and at times even ridiculous, but so what? It's also funny, heart-warming and I had just an awesome time reading it! :)
March 21, 2019
Huh. That was equally similar to what I expect from Mary and completely different than I expect from Mary.
Confused? Yeah, me too.
I still had a great time, mostly.
First let me just get this out there. What in the Hell is Torus Intercession? Intercession is the action of intervening on behalf of another and that makes sense but how does that work with this company? The blurb states: Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate - a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong, but I didn’t really get it. Are they bodyguards or what? I take it they are “fixers” but I need some more data. I think it will be cool that each book/scenario will be different though, yeah? I mean, they could be fixing/intervening in anything! The sky is the limit.
Ok, let’s break it down. Of course, of course, of course I loved Brann. He’s your typical Mary guy but with a side of Alpha. He was dreamy for sure. He was a bit stumbling at the introduction and I wasn’t sure what roll he was going to take in the story but once he got to his destination BOOM, I had no question as to who he was and I smiled huge.
I loved that this took place in a super small, middle of nowhere town instead of a big, huge city. I liked the change of pace.
At first I really liked Emery until well, until he was kind of not part of the story but I’ll get to that in a sec. But overall I did like him and found it an interesting dynamic between him and Brann once there really was a him and Brann.
The kids. I dunno. I am not someone who knows anything about kids truthfully, but these kids to me were cool. Do kids really talk like this? I have no idea. It worked and I loved this part of the book, probably one of my favorite parts truthfully.
And finally, the friends, family and extras. Yeah. Mary always has a way of giving even the smallest roll depth.
But, there was something about this book that made it not classic Mary. And that was the fiancé. Mary or not, real or not, I just think I do not dig there being someone else in my stories and I was very surprised how much time it took up in the book. Almost all of it guys. She wasn’t evil but she had moments with the kids. She just took some of the joy out of the story for me. It all seemed so very confusing once we got the details and well, I just wish this part had been a bit different. Especially at the end, it just made less sense.
Aside from that, I liked that it was comfortable but also refreshingly new.
Who is up next?
Confused? Yeah, me too.
I still had a great time, mostly.
First let me just get this out there. What in the Hell is Torus Intercession? Intercession is the action of intervening on behalf of another and that makes sense but how does that work with this company? The blurb states: Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate - a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong, but I didn’t really get it. Are they bodyguards or what? I take it they are “fixers” but I need some more data. I think it will be cool that each book/scenario will be different though, yeah? I mean, they could be fixing/intervening in anything! The sky is the limit.
Ok, let’s break it down. Of course, of course, of course I loved Brann. He’s your typical Mary guy but with a side of Alpha. He was dreamy for sure. He was a bit stumbling at the introduction and I wasn’t sure what roll he was going to take in the story but once he got to his destination BOOM, I had no question as to who he was and I smiled huge.
I loved that this took place in a super small, middle of nowhere town instead of a big, huge city. I liked the change of pace.
At first I really liked Emery until well, until he was kind of not part of the story but I’ll get to that in a sec. But overall I did like him and found it an interesting dynamic between him and Brann once there really was a him and Brann.
The kids. I dunno. I am not someone who knows anything about kids truthfully, but these kids to me were cool. Do kids really talk like this? I have no idea. It worked and I loved this part of the book, probably one of my favorite parts truthfully.
And finally, the friends, family and extras. Yeah. Mary always has a way of giving even the smallest roll depth.
But, there was something about this book that made it not classic Mary. And that was the fiancé. Mary or not, real or not, I just think I do not dig there being someone else in my stories and I was very surprised how much time it took up in the book. Almost all of it guys. She wasn’t evil but she had moments with the kids. She just took some of the joy out of the story for me. It all seemed so very confusing once we got the details and well, I just wish this part had been a bit different. Especially at the end, it just made less sense.
Aside from that, I liked that it was comfortable but also refreshingly new.
Who is up next?
March 23, 2019
First I must say that I have no idea, who that guy on the cover is?? One thing is for sure, he does not have anything to do with anyone in this story, which was somehow annoying.
Second, this book is completely ridiculous, the whole setup is so clear, that as soon as Brann, our hero ex-Seal, sets foot in the sleepy Montana mountain town and bewitches everyone he meets within minutes, you know what the end result will be.
Superman seems like a lame copy compared to how Brann saves lives, rescues neighbors from rape, charms little kids as well as elderly ladies, the town librarian, the Sheriff and everyone else he meets, within minutes...
You really cannot take this story seriously, and that`s only the beginning of it.
Still, it was extremely charming, adorably sweet and how Brann finds his family in Emery and his two adorable kids is really heartwarming.
I loved it from the beginning and in case you were unsure, don`t worry, of course, there is a fluffy and sweet little dog as well!
You probably get it, don`t expect reality to interfere here, it`s like a fairytale, except the main character is cursing a lot.
I didn`t mind, it was just what I needed and I had such an enjoyable time with those guys,
well above average and 4 stars for me, absolutely recommended if you don`t need your romance to be at least somehow believable...
Second, this book is completely ridiculous, the whole setup is so clear, that as soon as Brann, our hero ex-Seal, sets foot in the sleepy Montana mountain town and bewitches everyone he meets within minutes, you know what the end result will be.
Superman seems like a lame copy compared to how Brann saves lives, rescues neighbors from rape, charms little kids as well as elderly ladies, the town librarian, the Sheriff and everyone else he meets, within minutes...
You really cannot take this story seriously, and that`s only the beginning of it.
Still, it was extremely charming, adorably sweet and how Brann finds his family in Emery and his two adorable kids is really heartwarming.
I loved it from the beginning and in case you were unsure, don`t worry, of course, there is a fluffy and sweet little dog as well!
You probably get it, don`t expect reality to interfere here, it`s like a fairytale, except the main character is cursing a lot.
I didn`t mind, it was just what I needed and I had such an enjoyable time with those guys,
well above average and 4 stars for me, absolutely recommended if you don`t need your romance to be at least somehow believable...
May 15, 2022
I'm already impatient for the next book in the series! I love every single book of Mary Calmes. Some I love more and a few I love a little less but NQF is a huge winner. MC's books are and always will be an auto buy as I'm just in awe of her writing style and her talent in story weaving and voicing the characters thoughts on a truly unique wonderful way.
January 21, 2025
Emery’s future is riding on his upcoming nuptials, but being with Brann makes him and his family feel whole again. Too bad there’s no way for them to be together. Or is there?
Five months out of the military and Brann is working for Torus Intercession, a security firm. His new assignment has him going to Montana to be a nanny to Olivia and April while their father, Emery, handles other responsibilities. Emery is a widower and his life is chaotic. Not only is he trying to be a parent, but he’s also a high school English teacher, he sits on the board of his late wife’s family business and is planning a wedding to the daughter of one of the town’s most esteemed citizens. It’s pretty obvious right off that the wedding will be for business purposes only, though the bride-to-be seems to want more.
Brann is a retired Navy SEAL. Torus Intercession is sending him to Montana...on a protection contract...to watch the two kids, not because there is any threat thus far but with their dad's future bride's richer than Midas father and a business that he has that smells a bit fishy...the girls could be money makers for someone...so Brann becomes the nanny. Brann is a hit with Emery and the girls from the minute he walks in the door. Olivia loves him right off. It takes a little while for April, but before long, she’s loving him as much as her sister. He and Emery quickly become friends, though Brann would love for it to be more.
Brann SEAL training has already come in handy, because he happened to be in the right place at the right time, to settle some disputes and a situation where a woman could have been killed...so the little town likes him and welcomes him in. The upcoming wedding, however, is a torn in his side...he's already fallen hard for Emery's girls...and Emery is just the kind of man he's always wanted...but he's not going to make waves...that is until the pressure becomes too much and he ...does.
There's no cheating in this story...and in the end everything works out more than okay. The only problem, and it's not a big problem, that I had was how long it took Brann and Emery to finally get it on with it and get it together... I was running out of book...come on fellows!! Overall, like most of Mary Calmes books, it just a nice, sweet romance. I have the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the Torus Security guys.
Five months out of the military and Brann is working for Torus Intercession, a security firm. His new assignment has him going to Montana to be a nanny to Olivia and April while their father, Emery, handles other responsibilities. Emery is a widower and his life is chaotic. Not only is he trying to be a parent, but he’s also a high school English teacher, he sits on the board of his late wife’s family business and is planning a wedding to the daughter of one of the town’s most esteemed citizens. It’s pretty obvious right off that the wedding will be for business purposes only, though the bride-to-be seems to want more.
Brann is a retired Navy SEAL. Torus Intercession is sending him to Montana...on a protection contract...to watch the two kids, not because there is any threat thus far but with their dad's future bride's richer than Midas father and a business that he has that smells a bit fishy...the girls could be money makers for someone...so Brann becomes the nanny. Brann is a hit with Emery and the girls from the minute he walks in the door. Olivia loves him right off. It takes a little while for April, but before long, she’s loving him as much as her sister. He and Emery quickly become friends, though Brann would love for it to be more.
Brann SEAL training has already come in handy, because he happened to be in the right place at the right time, to settle some disputes and a situation where a woman could have been killed...so the little town likes him and welcomes him in. The upcoming wedding, however, is a torn in his side...he's already fallen hard for Emery's girls...and Emery is just the kind of man he's always wanted...but he's not going to make waves...that is until the pressure becomes too much and he ...does.
There's no cheating in this story...and in the end everything works out more than okay. The only problem, and it's not a big problem, that I had was how long it took Brann and Emery to finally get it on with it and get it together... I was running out of book...come on fellows!! Overall, like most of Mary Calmes books, it just a nice, sweet romance. I have the rest of the series and I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the Torus Security guys.
September 22, 2019
I took a chance on this one because, hello, it’s Mary Calmes. But it had a couple of troupes I hate: the dreaded dead ex and one of the mc’s engaged to be married to someone else hence unrequited love. It had the potential to be a angst fest. Luckily for me (probably unluckily for most) it wasn’t very angsty at all except for the unrequited love thing going on. My heart hurt at times for Brann.
I loved Brann. He was great with the kids. And yes, it’s totally over the top that he would actually be a nanny or be good at it. He’s MC’s normal character where he’s nearly perfect and everyone loves him.
Honestly, I really didn’t feel much for Emery until the end. I wish I’d have had his POV so I would have known if he was feeling the same way as Brann. But I guess that’s part of the angst.
What bugged me was they don’t get together until about the 70% mark. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for them to actually be a couple. There’s not a lot going on up until then and after that, it moves pretty quickly. It felt rushed and underdeveloped to me. But, I will definitely continue the series because duh! It’s Mary Calmes.
I loved Brann. He was great with the kids. And yes, it’s totally over the top that he would actually be a nanny or be good at it. He’s MC’s normal character where he’s nearly perfect and everyone loves him.
Honestly, I really didn’t feel much for Emery until the end. I wish I’d have had his POV so I would have known if he was feeling the same way as Brann. But I guess that’s part of the angst.
What bugged me was they don’t get together until about the 70% mark. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for them to actually be a couple. There’s not a lot going on up until then and after that, it moves pretty quickly. It felt rushed and underdeveloped to me. But, I will definitely continue the series because duh! It’s Mary Calmes.
March 29, 2019
It's definitely a Mary Calmes book:
The whole town loves Brann.
He's an (adult) orphan.
Everyone wants to feed him.
Tons of dessert.
Designer clothes.
Constant interruptions during conversations.
So much face touching...
Good thing I didn't play the Mary Calmes Drinking Game™.
But still I read it in one sitting; a whirlwind of a story that was a lot of fun, humorous, and hot. Plus, I loved those kids.
(For the completists out there: Is Jared from another series? I keep stumbling on characters from other books accidentally - because I manage to skip titles or choose not to continue (anything Jory) - and he feels like someone who's been introduced already. Maybe I forgot, or maybe he gets a story of his own this series...)
The whole town loves Brann.
He's an (adult) orphan.
Everyone wants to feed him.
Tons of dessert.
Designer clothes.
Constant interruptions during conversations.
So much face touching...
Good thing I didn't play the Mary Calmes Drinking Game™.
But still I read it in one sitting; a whirlwind of a story that was a lot of fun, humorous, and hot. Plus, I loved those kids.
(For the completists out there: Is Jared from another series? I keep stumbling on characters from other books accidentally - because I manage to skip titles or choose not to continue (anything Jory) - and he feels like someone who's been introduced already. Maybe I forgot, or maybe he gets a story of his own this series...)
September 24, 2020
This is a toughie to rate. It had a whole bunch of WTF, but going on sheer enjoy, I’m giving it a 4*. Might add a review later, but really, what more can you say than “it’s Mary Calmes”? You always know going in what you’re getting, and there’s a comfort in that.
September 4, 2019
**Audio Re-Read**
Read this, not much has changed for me truthfully. I liked the story again. I seem to have the same feelings about most of it. Yeah, the original review stands.
Read this, not much has changed for me truthfully. I liked the story again. I seem to have the same feelings about most of it. Yeah, the original review stands.
Read
March 31, 2019DNF
I made it through 7 chapters. Put it down to finish another book and lost interest in finishing it.
I made it through 7 chapters. Put it down to finish another book and lost interest in finishing it.
April 12, 2019
Dulce al mismo tiempo que increíble xD. Vamos, lo que viene siendo lo normal con esta autora xD. le pongo tres porque la verdad es que me he entretenido xD.
November 19, 2022
re-read 3/24/2021 I’ve decided to attempt the other books in the series, but I have to start at the beginning.
1/21/2022 I really should be reading the multitude of new books on my iPad, but…
*******original review*******
Let me start by saying that I'm a Mary Calmes fangirl, so take my review with a grain of salt. That's not to say that I love all that she's written (His Consort anyone?). But I'm still a fan. If she writes it, I will read it. Again, I'M A FAN. You've been warned.
Now that that is out of the way, I LOVED this book. YES, it has all of the standard Mary Calmes tropes (the clothes, the instant adoration, etc). This still felt fresh. I LOVED and ADORED Brann. Of course, he is the "Jory" to this story. That didn't bother me one little bit. He also had the alpha male thing going for him. He was awesome. He was great with the kids right off the bat. His interactions with those kids made me love him. And speaking of those kids, I really enjoyed their snarky banter with Brann. Were they a little TOO adult sounding? Possibly, but the kids today are growing up with a lot more grown up talk even in shows and books geared towards kids. I enjoyed watching Emery interact with Brann. You could see the connection growing with every touch or word. Their romance was subtle. The build up killed me.
I loved the town. I loved the residents... I just loved the book. Sue me.
I think this is a solid set up for a new series. There are so many directions that this can go. My body and mind are ready. I cannot wait for more. Bring it.
1/21/2022 I really should be reading the multitude of new books on my iPad, but…
*******original review*******
Let me start by saying that I'm a Mary Calmes fangirl, so take my review with a grain of salt. That's not to say that I love all that she's written (His Consort anyone?). But I'm still a fan. If she writes it, I will read it. Again, I'M A FAN. You've been warned.
Now that that is out of the way, I LOVED this book. YES, it has all of the standard Mary Calmes tropes (the clothes, the instant adoration, etc). This still felt fresh. I LOVED and ADORED Brann. Of course, he is the "Jory" to this story. That didn't bother me one little bit. He also had the alpha male thing going for him. He was awesome. He was great with the kids right off the bat. His interactions with those kids made me love him. And speaking of those kids, I really enjoyed their snarky banter with Brann. Were they a little TOO adult sounding? Possibly, but the kids today are growing up with a lot more grown up talk even in shows and books geared towards kids. I enjoyed watching Emery interact with Brann. You could see the connection growing with every touch or word. Their romance was subtle. The build up killed me.
I loved the town. I loved the residents... I just loved the book. Sue me.
I think this is a solid set up for a new series. There are so many directions that this can go. My body and mind are ready. I cannot wait for more. Bring it.
March 30, 2019
DNF 21%
Sadly, this book was a HUGE disappointment. I'm usually a big fan of Mary's books, I've actually read ALL of them, but this one just wasn't for me. I felt it was simply unrealistic. In a way I just couldn't relate to the MC or the story. After reading 21% I realized that my main issue won't change and I'm not in the mood to ignore it the whole book so I decided to put this book aside.
Brann Calder is working for Torus Intercession, a company which "fixes" things for people. Truth be told I'm not really sure what that means and the job Brann gets in this one DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. Brann is an ex Navy SEAL (been out for 6 months) he is sent miles and miles away to a small town on the border of Canada to help with the merging of two family and businesses. Yet what he is TASKED to do, from the start, is be the nanny to two little girls (5 and 7 years old) up until their father Emery Dodd gets married.
Let's understand this together. A guy with NO experience in taking care of children (who was also an only child to a barely functioning parent) is tasked to take care of 2 little girls, who somewhat recently have already lost their mother, for the duration of 3 months and then walk away. Great for stability, right? I don't know about you, but if I was a parent and felt like I couldn't deal with my kids because of "more work than usual" or whatever Emery needs to deal with now with the marriage and merging his previous wife's fortune with the one of his soon to be new wife, should take a REGULAR nanny, someone who will bring stability and trust into the equation. Someone the girls can feel more secure with. Not someone with NO experience with kids who is BOUND to disappear after 3 months. Also I don't know about you, but I won't be "hiring from afar" a nanny, without meeting the person and seeing them interact with the children s/he suppose to take care of.
The whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. It DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT. There is NO SENSE in the job Brann got or Emery accepting this "deal" even if he wasn't the one paying for it. But what annoyed me even more was how "natural" Brann was. After a few HOURS BOTH girls were head over heels in love with the guy, when even Emery was struggling. Also, if you have two little girl who lost their mother and are having issues - TAKE THEM TO THERAPY! and make sure they have the most secure environment possible to grow into. While getting married can be a good thing for them (and their future) it won't be a positive experience if they are still struggling with losing their mother.
I had a few other minor things that really got to me. But all in all my HUGE problem was what I just explained. The WHOLE book doesn't make any sense when you focus on this point. Naturally it could be just ignored, and I could have waited for Emery and Brann to fall in love and then give everyone the love, security and stability they needed but I just CAN'T. Not when the story feels absurd at this point. Every book out there stretches reality a bit to give us a HEA, but I think the most amazing books bring us a story we can close our eyes and imagine happening in real life (and as long as there are no vampires and werewolves) I think it's a must. For me at least. Unlikely or improbable - yes. Because even in real life unlikely and improbable things happen. But UNREALISTIC is something else. These I can't and won't buy.
I'm terribly sorry Mary. This one wasn't for me.
More Reviews HERE
Sadly, this book was a HUGE disappointment. I'm usually a big fan of Mary's books, I've actually read ALL of them, but this one just wasn't for me. I felt it was simply unrealistic. In a way I just couldn't relate to the MC or the story. After reading 21% I realized that my main issue won't change and I'm not in the mood to ignore it the whole book so I decided to put this book aside.
Brann Calder is working for Torus Intercession, a company which "fixes" things for people. Truth be told I'm not really sure what that means and the job Brann gets in this one DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. Brann is an ex Navy SEAL (been out for 6 months) he is sent miles and miles away to a small town on the border of Canada to help with the merging of two family and businesses. Yet what he is TASKED to do, from the start, is be the nanny to two little girls (5 and 7 years old) up until their father Emery Dodd gets married.
Let's understand this together. A guy with NO experience in taking care of children (who was also an only child to a barely functioning parent) is tasked to take care of 2 little girls, who somewhat recently have already lost their mother, for the duration of 3 months and then walk away. Great for stability, right? I don't know about you, but if I was a parent and felt like I couldn't deal with my kids because of "more work than usual" or whatever Emery needs to deal with now with the marriage and merging his previous wife's fortune with the one of his soon to be new wife, should take a REGULAR nanny, someone who will bring stability and trust into the equation. Someone the girls can feel more secure with. Not someone with NO experience with kids who is BOUND to disappear after 3 months. Also I don't know about you, but I won't be "hiring from afar" a nanny, without meeting the person and seeing them interact with the children s/he suppose to take care of.
The whole thing rubbed me the wrong way. It DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT. There is NO SENSE in the job Brann got or Emery accepting this "deal" even if he wasn't the one paying for it. But what annoyed me even more was how "natural" Brann was. After a few HOURS BOTH girls were head over heels in love with the guy, when even Emery was struggling. Also, if you have two little girl who lost their mother and are having issues - TAKE THEM TO THERAPY! and make sure they have the most secure environment possible to grow into. While getting married can be a good thing for them (and their future) it won't be a positive experience if they are still struggling with losing their mother.
I had a few other minor things that really got to me. But all in all my HUGE problem was what I just explained. The WHOLE book doesn't make any sense when you focus on this point. Naturally it could be just ignored, and I could have waited for Emery and Brann to fall in love and then give everyone the love, security and stability they needed but I just CAN'T. Not when the story feels absurd at this point. Every book out there stretches reality a bit to give us a HEA, but I think the most amazing books bring us a story we can close our eyes and imagine happening in real life (and as long as there are no vampires and werewolves) I think it's a must. For me at least. Unlikely or improbable - yes. Because even in real life unlikely and improbable things happen. But UNREALISTIC is something else. These I can't and won't buy.
I'm terribly sorry Mary. This one wasn't for me.
More Reviews HERE
Read
April 15, 20193.5 stars
This was a slow burn romance as Brann is sent to nowhere Montana on a vaguely described job to make sure Emery and his incredibly articulate and intelligent daughters are taken care of until Emery can marry Lydia, merge their companies and save the town. Told solely from his POV, Brann is a typical Mary Calmes hero. While I had fun with Brann playing Mary Poppins/Maria from The Sound of Music with the kids and charming their father and the rest of the town in the busiest first day there I could imagine, the rest of the storyline didn't work for me.
Brann is immediately attracted to Emery, and although Emery is pretty touchy-feely, he gives off nothing but straight vibes. Brann goes about solving the problems of everyone he meets, and within hours has Emery's children hanging on his every move. Even Emery is a bit jealous of the bond. It takes more than half the book for the two men to get together, after a misunderstanding or two, but once they do Emery seems to become a whole new man - full of life and alpha toppiness and possession that wasn't hinted at before. But then again, Brann spends more time with everyone else in town while Emery is engaged and I kind of missed out on them actually bonding or spending one-on-one, getting to know you time.
I could have done without the entire plot behind the engagement. That is what completely lost me here. It bothered me from the start and even after explanations I still didn't get it. Maybe if we'd had Emery's POV there would have been something here that made sense to me, but in the end I still didn't buy it. The little we see of Lydia felt stereotypical to me - like the Baroness in The Sound of Music. Emery seems to have a high opinion of her, but I really don't know why.
I'm really not sure what the next book in this series will be. Brann's employer, Torus Intercession, wasn't really a big part of the story and although we meet some other employees at the start, they don't play any part in the rest of the book. Whether there will be another story around secondary character and Brann's BFF Huck, or whether it will pick up with another Torus employee in another location remains to be seen. Torus as a company is set up to vaguely provide "fixers" offering any help needed from bodyguards to nanny to who knows what, so plotlines can pretty much go anywhere in the world, covering any sort of professional service a client may need.
I probably harped a lot on what I didn't like, but the book wasn't a total miss for me since it had a lot of what always makes a Mary Calmes book fun and enjoyable. It was more the actual set-up for the story that stopped me from fully enjoying things. If I removed the reason for Emery's engagement to Lydia from the story and just had Brann playing nanny for a frazzled about to be married dad, I would have enjoyed the story even more.
This was a slow burn romance as Brann is sent to nowhere Montana on a vaguely described job to make sure Emery and his incredibly articulate and intelligent daughters are taken care of until Emery can marry Lydia, merge their companies and save the town. Told solely from his POV, Brann is a typical Mary Calmes hero. While I had fun with Brann playing Mary Poppins/Maria from The Sound of Music with the kids and charming their father and the rest of the town in the busiest first day there I could imagine, the rest of the storyline didn't work for me.
Brann is immediately attracted to Emery, and although Emery is pretty touchy-feely, he gives off nothing but straight vibes. Brann goes about solving the problems of everyone he meets, and within hours has Emery's children hanging on his every move. Even Emery is a bit jealous of the bond. It takes more than half the book for the two men to get together, after a misunderstanding or two, but once they do Emery seems to become a whole new man - full of life and alpha toppiness and possession that wasn't hinted at before. But then again, Brann spends more time with everyone else in town while Emery is engaged and I kind of missed out on them actually bonding or spending one-on-one, getting to know you time.
I could have done without the entire plot behind the engagement. That is what completely lost me here. It bothered me from the start and even after explanations I still didn't get it. Maybe if we'd had Emery's POV there would have been something here that made sense to me, but in the end I still didn't buy it. The little we see of Lydia felt stereotypical to me - like the Baroness in The Sound of Music. Emery seems to have a high opinion of her, but I really don't know why.
I'm really not sure what the next book in this series will be. Brann's employer, Torus Intercession, wasn't really a big part of the story and although we meet some other employees at the start, they don't play any part in the rest of the book. Whether there will be another story around secondary character and Brann's BFF Huck, or whether it will pick up with another Torus employee in another location remains to be seen. Torus as a company is set up to vaguely provide "fixers" offering any help needed from bodyguards to nanny to who knows what, so plotlines can pretty much go anywhere in the world, covering any sort of professional service a client may need.
I probably harped a lot on what I didn't like, but the book wasn't a total miss for me since it had a lot of what always makes a Mary Calmes book fun and enjoyable. It was more the actual set-up for the story that stopped me from fully enjoying things. If I removed the reason for Emery's engagement to Lydia from the story and just had Brann playing nanny for a frazzled about to be married dad, I would have enjoyed the story even more.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews