Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

L'Ange #3.5

Winter's Knight

Rate this book
There is something in the forest around L’Ange that is making the animals nervous. In fact, they are running by Tucker Flynn’s windows at all hours of the night and day and no matter what anyone says, it isn’t normal. Of course, neither is Tucker being stuck on the sprawling grounds of the shifter sanctuary in Maine, in the dead of winter. He just wants to go back to Phoenix . . . if only his alpha would let him.

Tired of his concerns being dismissed, or worse, told that he’s flat-out wrong, Tucker sets out on his own, despite a broken ankle, to find proof of his suspicion—that there’s an apex predator, something far more menacing than any shifter at L’Ange, skulking in the woods behind his cabin.

70 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

73 people are currently reading
269 people want to read

About the author

Mary Calmes

125 books5,018 followers
Mary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a six-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
410 (38%)
4 stars
363 (34%)
3 stars
237 (22%)
2 stars
44 (4%)
1 star
10 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
Profile Image for * A Reader Obsessed *.
2,700 reviews581 followers
June 19, 2021
3.5 Stars

Admittedly, the L’ange series is kinda hazy for me, but I know deep down I enjoyed the world building and again, the wacky crazy shifter politics that runs rampant in Calmes’s paranormal stories.

This often didn’t make perfect sense, but it had an uber charged fated mates trope with plenty of growling, claiming possession. It was nice revisiting the 3 previous couples of the series, and Calmes brings to the table a new shifter species full of legend and lore.

I wouldn't say no to more. Just saying.
Profile Image for Meags.
2,486 reviews697 followers
April 12, 2021
3.5 Stars

Despite the fact it’s been a hot minute since I read the original L’Ange trilogy, it was still fun to return to the shifter sanctuary and revisit many old faces in this recent offering.

In this short story, we finally get to watch as troubled jackal shifter Tucker—a long-time series regular—finds his destined mate, who turns out to be one of the hottest, most unexpectedly powerful beings in the shifter world.

This wasn’t long, by any means, but it was just long enough for Calmes to build on her intricately detailed and complex shifter world, as well as provide an engaging and decidedly sexy new mates story that left me smiling and possibly even contemplating a full series revisit in the near future.
Profile Image for BWT.
2,252 reviews244 followers
January 3, 2021
Fun, and free, what more could I ask for? An enjoyable novella, and while it could be a stand alone, it's better for reading the rest of the L'Ange series at the beginning.
Profile Image for Achim.
1,299 reviews86 followers
January 2, 2021
3.5
So we‘re at L‘Ange again, Mary Calmes‘ complex shifter world. It took a bit time to remember Tucker but I enjoyed coming back and watch him find his mate and what a mate that is.
Although it’s a short story Calmes spares us nothing regarding the complexity of her world, strange titles, shifter politics and even adding old Norse into the mix and of course we also have to meet with the guys from the previous books (wouldn’t want it any other way - at least the part with meeting the guys) all that while Tucker and Keir find Theorie way into each other life and mate. It’s a lot for such a short story, so something had to give and unfortunately that came by more telling than only showing. Anyway, enjoyed it while it lasted.
Profile Image for Jennifer☠Pher☠.
2,970 reviews274 followers
January 25, 2021
Finally, Tucker. Poor Tucker. What happened with him in Old Loyalty, New Love and Fighting Instinct wasn’t fair and I really did hope he’d get his own happily ever after. Thanks to Mary for giving it to me, I do just wish it had been more. Of course, I would like all Mary’s stories to me more and go on for longer than they do so I’m probably not the best judge. But really, I did need more for this one. I loved the meet. I loved the instant mine and of course the instant claim but I’d like to have seen them after. I am glad he’s happy and everyone has moved on and made up and I loved going back to L’Ange but I’d have for sure loved a longer visit.

Thank you to all the authors who participated in this Winter Wonderland event and contributed a free read. It was truly the best way to start 2021.
Profile Image for Jesslan Rose.
1,140 reviews50 followers
December 8, 2021
Winter's Knight
By Mary Calmes

When Tucker gets hurt and needs to recuperate Roman insists he stay at L'Ange with them until he's healed. Watching the view out his cabin window he continually notices animals, both predator and prey, running from the forest day and night as though they're being chased. Tired of hearing everyone telling him he's crazy and there's nothing in the woods he decides to check it out for himself and finds a rare beast.

I know that by reading the last book of this series first I'm missing out on a lot of background in the overall arc of the series. I can tell that much.

At any rate I really enjoyed this story. It was interesting. My only disappointment was that it was made clear that Keir and Tucker do not love each other. They are simply mates with a hope for love to come in the future. 😢
Profile Image for Kathleen.
1,440 reviews141 followers
January 17, 2021
The first two books in this series are among my favorite MM romances. I’ve listened to them more times than I can count. The third book was mostly a disaster so I avoid it on a reread. This little novella was far too short to gain a foothold in my heart. Really, the only truly interesting angle to this story... well, I can’t really comment about that here! 🤣
Profile Image for Colleen.
951 reviews44 followers
October 13, 2024
I honestly wish this had been longer, but it showed a lot of promise - I'm honestly surprised I liked it as much as I did considering the lack of time to develop the relationship. And most of the 60 or so pages, the couple has a language barrier. Yet... honestly it just clicked for me. I felt for Tucker who had given up only to finally get more than he ever dreamed.

No one my age wanted a quiet man who craved a hearth and home, at least none that I had come across. Being a hopeless romantic had set me up for one disappointment after another, and finally, I was tapped out. The man who would cherish me had never shown up, and a fated mate was not something I’d ever even imagined. A mate was something alphas found, not lowly pack members. Even when Quade made me more, gave me external value in the pack to the eyes of those around me, I remained the same—pathetic Tucker who jumped at the chance to be loved, and never would be.
Profile Image for Barb ~rede-2-read~.
3,762 reviews113 followers
August 8, 2021
Not my favorite of Mary Calmes's books (understatement) but definitely interesting. There wasn't much character development, mostly just me unique black elk alpha, you hot jackal mate. Let's rut.

And, of course, visits with all the other characters from the series and all the other packs, clans, and more who are now welcome at L'Ange as their sanctuary.

I enjoyed Nick Russo's narration, though different from the previous audios narrated by others.
Profile Image for Elle Schroder.
153 reviews9 followers
February 9, 2021
This is the fourth book in the L’Ange series, and I’ll admit up front that I have not read any of the others in the series. Nor did I realise, before starting, that this was a novella rather than a full-length book.

There are parts of this book that are brilliant. They just draw you in so that you feel like you’re right there with the characters. For me, that was the scene where Tucker went walking in the woods and ended up in a tree (!), and the scene where Keir meets the princes. Those were so well written. Unfortunately, the author skips huge sections of the story that I felt were critical to the enjoyment of the book. I know it’s a novella, but it shouldn’t have been. This could definitely have been a full-length book. Tucker makes it clear right at the beginning that he is a romantic who is looking for love, and then he finds his fated mate and reiterates that while they may be fated mates, he still wants love. But we don’t get to see any of the relationship development. At all. Which, ultimately, is what I was looking for when I picked up the book.

I can see that the author has serious writing skills, and so I may check out some of her full-length books. However, this one was just too rushed, too short for my liking. I felt like Tucker deserved more time. And seriously, that balcony moment was screaming to be ‘shown’ rather than ‘told.
Profile Image for Danielle  Gypsy Soul.
3,174 reviews80 followers
January 24, 2021
A fun addition to the series and enjoyable but with the shortness of the book you really don't get enough time to settle in and enjoy as much as I'd like to. Plus I really wanted to see the ex get stomped on.
Profile Image for Lauralee.
533 reviews5 followers
February 12, 2021
I enjoyed revisiting L'Ange so much!
It's a short story, but boy was it packed to the brim with background and characters and so much new details about the shifter cultures- I don't even know how all those details had room here. Now I feel like I might want to reread the previous books and I would definitely always be down for a new book.
It seems like pretty much everyone in this series is so very rare and special and the only one of their kind and the most prized person to covet in your community that it would be ridiculous in any other setting, but for this world it just works. The organization of all the different shifter cultures and their different customs and social rules are so entertaining and they allow for endless drama and amusement and tragedy. And they are perfect for adding on to. I love it!
Profile Image for Relly.
1,655 reviews28 followers
April 13, 2021
3.75 stars

I received a copy of the audiobook from the author on a Facebook giveaway

This is a short addition to the L’ange series that I enjoyed.

I liked Tucker in the previous books, even if he did have a brain fade moment in Linus’s book, so it was nice to see him get his mate. Being a shorter story there was no muck around or other people getting involved with the mating, just the meeting and then introduction to the other shifters.

The language barrier was a bit of an issue but was worked around.

As I listened to this back t9 back with the rest of the series, the change of narrator for this one threw me at the start as I had to get used to new voices for each of the returning characters but Nick Russo did a good job with this one.
Profile Image for Bronwyn.
1,471 reviews37 followers
November 27, 2021
3.5 stars - I am unfamiliar with Mary Calmes’ L’Ange series so I felt a bit lost while reading this. It did pique my interest about the series though. I’ll check to see if it’s available in KU.
Profile Image for Kim Stone.
1,552 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2021
I’ve read this author before. I have not read any of this series. This is a mm paranormal shifter story with main characters Tucker and Keir. Told from Tuckers POV.
Profile Image for RE Reader.
1,297 reviews3 followers
February 10, 2021
Here we go:

Plot: 1 star -- not much happened in this (granted, it was a novella), and if you haven't read the first 3 books, this won't make much sense. Still, even though I've read those, the enormous cast and mythology behind everything was too much for me to follow (especially in such a short book).

Main characters: 2 stars -- I vaguely recalled Tucker from the previous books (he wasn't presented as a very likable person), and this didn't have enough substance and/or time to really counteract that. He wasn't horrible, by any means, but he seemed a little generic.

Romance: 1 star -- there really wasn't any romance. They meet, and because they're mates, they decide they're in love (or could be).

Smut level: meh -- there's only one huge sex scene, but it felt meaningless because the characters had no chemistry (imo).

World/setting: 3 stars -- I like this work, and I enjoyed the other three. This one just didn't work for me.

Overall rating: 2 stars (saved by the world)
Profile Image for llv.
2,322 reviews14 followers
February 4, 2021
Rating: 3 stars
Originally I was going to give this a higher rating, but unfortunately while I enjoyed it, the story suffered from being too short. There just wasn’t enough time to develop the relationship between Tucker and Keir. It didn’t help that they couldn’t speak the same language through most of the story. So while I did like what I read, I wasn’t blown away by the story. I really wish she would have made this into a full blown novel because I love reading about L’Ange and all the characters there.
Profile Image for Ryan.
621 reviews24 followers
November 19, 2025
Somewhere around 60 pages, is simply not enough. Calmes gave us a glimpse at a romance, and a new depth to the history of this world, but not nearly enough. Both aspects are begging for more. More of their relationship. More of the history and mythology surrounding Keir. I really want to know of they figure out a way to to solve what I think is the most tragic aspect of this story.

I just need MORE.
Profile Image for Shelba.
2,698 reviews100 followers
January 3, 2021
The L’Ange series was my least favourite series from Mary Calmes, and it’s been a few years since I read it, so I was a little foggy on recalling all the characters and couples, but I did enjoy this novella.
Profile Image for Riayl.
1,090 reviews44 followers
January 23, 2021
*epic sigh*

This couple deserved a full length book. I mean you have this basically legendary shifter that no one knew still existed. And they can't communicate with each other at first. But sex. The end. *grumble*
Profile Image for UltraMeital.
1,283 reviews49 followers
June 17, 2021
2.5 Stars

I've read this series almost exactly 3 years ago (in June 2018). I ADORED the first 3 installments but frankly I remember very few details about the series itself. It's been a LONG time and as I read quite a lot (not exactly this year but the 2 before for sure) I got into this one expecting to enjoy it mostly as it is. Yet the last few books I've read by Mary led me to realize while I've read most of her published work, I've drifted apart from her writing. These days I need something different so it's no wonder this book or rather, novella, was just an okay read for me.

We've met Tucker Flynn in the previous installments though I don't actually remember the details of what brought him to be severely wounded and stuck in L'Ange where he feels nobody likes him. Well, he barely likes himself so it's no wonder he is so insecure. Living in the cabin in the woods is preferable. But something strange is happening, animals are migrating, running away. From what/who? Since no-one believes him, he goes to check it out on himself.

It doesn't take him long to find himself in another accident but when he wakes up he finds a very intriguing man beside him - Kier of the fain of Segh (who doesn't speak a word Tucker can understand). On their first encounter Kier KNOWS Tucker is his mate and it doesn't take long for Tucker to realize it as well but there is a reason the animals are running away and the deer shifters have come to visit L'Ange not wanting to go until SOMETHING important happens. They don't expect they'll actually meet a black deer though..

In a way I've already said too much.. So I'll just add a few bits. There is NO romance in this book. It's an instant attraction turns into animalistic need. Tucker and Kier can barely speak so all we see it the want and possessiveness (mostly from Kier's direction). The story is told from Tucker's POV so there is no way of understanding how Kier came to L'Ange, maybe what made him come there in the first place, what he was searching for and what his journey has been like. There are MANY things left undisclosed about Kier and I was quite disappointed that though the story itself had a lot of potential it ended with Tucker's hope to be the kind of man Kier deserves and build a real relationship with him.

I would have accepted the whole mate thing better if we had an actual story, relationship buildup afterwards or a real history and explanations about the characters - mostly Kier who I know absolutely NOTHING about. We do get more of the characters from the previous installment but it doesn't help with what's missing in this one.

More Reviews HERE
description
Profile Image for Katherine.
2,870 reviews13 followers
February 16, 2021
An intriguing novella that despite the connection to an intricate world can be read on its own (though it does give away some events that happen in earlier books). Trevor was a juxtaposition of a character, powerful in the hierarchy and confident in his abilities while also seeing no worth in himself and giving away his body as he believes none will ever take his heart. He is shattered after a rescue gone wrong that has left him broken and battered, as well as a relationship back home that has his heart battered from giving all and receiving none. The place he has been brought to recuperate has shifters who dislike him and he feels stuck in a loop of pain and loss as he tries to be there for his alpha while avoiding everyone else to nurse his broken spirit. Strange events in the forest that no one else believes force him to solve an unusual mystery that brings him outside of his misery and reminds him of his own abilities and worth. The only part that seemed unusual is the connection to events from past books. That odd thread is only in connection to the greater series as a whole though and didn't at all spoil the ending of this fascinating short.
Profile Image for Jude.
1,173 reviews4 followers
April 18, 2023
Winter's Knight is an interesting short story. The problem is that Calmes' world-building takes a hit here. After three novels building and creating the world of L'ange, she introduces a mythical? creature - the last of his kind - not a king or a warrior but a healer and immediately the future of L'Ange is guaranteed? Plus what is the relationship power-wise between this black stag and Quade - the alpha of L'Ange? It does not work!
In addition, all of these stag princes have been drawn to L'Ange for the claiming and he claims Tucker - a submissive jackal. Could all of this work? Yes - but -(and it is a big but) it would require much more than a short story. Calmes would need to do a better job of context and scene setting. She can not just drop in this 'person' and say ta-da! problem solved. Well, I guess she kind of did but this leaves a situation that many readers will find - - - confusing? off-putting? - - just not working. In addition, the new introduction is a flat character in that little is developed. He is big, possessive, and good-looking. That is it.
I know it would work better for me if there had been a bit of building tension where L'Ange was threatened by conflicting groups then the black stag appears with some mythology or need to be protected or that the land he lives on can not be touched and Quade grants him refuge. Anyway - I am not a writer - just a reader, but this has gaps for me.
Profile Image for Teeny.
1,638 reviews47 followers
January 6, 2025
I needed something small to listen while I was doing a couple of chores and I chose this.... I still like this, but it was also a stark reminder of how much I dislike Linus and the overwhelming descriptions of opulence in Mary Calmes's stories. Even middle class people can somehow afford a lot of brand name items from clothes to cars, from decorations to shoes, from accessories to extravagant hobbies/vacations.

Anyways... lowering to 3 stars.

-------

4 stars for both stories and narration.

I loved this story when it was released in January and I loved it listening to it now, narrated by the incredible Nick J. Russo.

Mary Calmes with stories like this one reminds me why she was one of my most favorite authors once upon a time before the endless, pointless details and clothing took over her stories.
Profile Image for William  Kibler.
430 reviews3 followers
February 12, 2021
I wasn't familiar with these characters, as I hadn't read the previous books in the series. BUT the synopsis sounded interesting and I like a good shifter tale. However, I felt like this story was a bit amateurish because the characters were all so pigeonholed into specific stereotypes. And that old trope of a big, stunningly handsome, magnificently muscular dom taking a submissive, slightly fey mate reared its ugly head - surprising in a book by such a well-esteemed writer. Perhaps this book read AFTER the others in the series would have made it seem less like a weekend project for the author. The story and the characters all seemed too cliche and not up to the writer's capabilities.
Profile Image for Michelle.
289 reviews4 followers
May 20, 2021
★★★★ I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would re-read every now and then.

I feel like the L'Ange series is getting the Oprah special: *shouts* "You get a story, and you get a story, everyone gets a story!".

I'm glad Tucker got his own story. I liked this a lot. Very very short though. It just...ended. This could have been turned into a full novel, like the other side stories, but i'm happy with what we got.

I enjoy the L'Ange series. Roman and Quade are still my favourite but it's nice to keep reading about everyone. I could see myself reading this again in the future for some nice romance and shifter themes.
11 reviews
June 22, 2022
Kind of Strange

I have admit this got weird. I really tried to wrap my head around this and I’m pretty cool about things.

As always I feel Mary’s writing is excellent I gave her 5 *. I cannot knock her for that. I like the characters. Especially Roman.

Throughout the series I feel he had a miserable life. He gets taken advantage of all the time. People including the love of his life act like he’s all that. Sorry Mary. Plus he has this beautiful mansion. It constantly gets trashed and remodeled.

Now on to the last thing and NO spoilers. Shifters running free among the vast acreage run free. However some are strange.

That being said This is a great series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.