Review: A Matter of Time Vol. 1 by Mary Calmes

Vol. 1 (Books One and Two)

Jory Keyes leads a normal life as an architect’s assistant until he is witness to a brutal murder. Though initially saved by police Detective Sam Kage, Jory refuses protective custody—he has a life he loves that he won’t give up no matter who is after him. But Jory’s life is in real jeopardy, especially after he agrees to testify about what he saw.

While dealing with attempts on his life, well-meaning friends who want to see him happy, an overly protective boss, and a slowly unfolding mystery that is much more sinister than he could ever imagine, the young gay man finds himself getting involved with Sam, the conflicted and closeted detective. And though Jory may survive the danger, he may not survive a broken heart.

Confession: I am a Jory Keyes and Sam Kage virgin.

Relax...I am Jory virgin, no longer.

I have already considered myself part of the Calmes guild, so to say. I love her words, don't care what anyone else has to say about it. She's my crack and I will huff it whenever I want. Her words give me just what I want: hot alpha vs. a matyr-ish lovable, less dominant man. It's like coming back for your favorite treat each time.

Now I understand the Jory references to all that come after.

Now I get the Sam Kage comparisons.

I've read the prototypes. Bathed in the Calmesian springs of yummy manhandling, twirled in the peacoat wearing, I see the light and everything is coming out Jory.

How in the world did he get so far in life? It must be pure luck because he's just too fearless to be good for his health. He doesn't follow any logical rules, doesn't think when it comes to the important life threatening stuff and yet still comes out with his life. 

But there's something saint like and magical about him that drew me to him.

He's a magnet, damn it. I'm not going to feel his neck and touch his face like everyone else in the book did (that's hella creepy and if anyone did that to me, they're looking to get crotch punched) Seriously, what's up with that? Random people just touched him like he was the second coming. 

But I'm drawn to the foolhardy twink. He should not be alive with all the silly yet dangerous situations he gets himself in. Jory...he's just so Jory. 

He witnesses a murder and instead of being traumatized or fearful of retaliation, he goes to a club and sucks a dick. Why not? 

And you get alpha detective Sam Kage, who is straight and kind of a jerk to Jory in the beginning, falling under Jory's spell. Throwing Jory against surfaces, grabbing and just being so handsy...that I liked. I was in a mood for an alpha main character who was possessive and borderline obsessive and I got that with Sam. But his struggle with his attraction to Jory, an out and proud gay man...that was real. And that is what sold me on this story. 

Behold, the mighty powers of Jory.

I'm not rehashing the plot because this is MM romance staple, right here. If you haven't read it, you totally should.

I usually dislike following the same couple in a series but I will be following these two, for however many times they break up and get back together again. Both are martyrs, who think it's better to be apart to save the other at different points in their relationship. Both are foolish for one another. I have a feeling this is going to be one long and arduous fucking ride to their HEA. Book #7 is going be released later this year and now I get why Mary Calmes loves Jory because there's something about him.

Fuck it. 

I'm cosigning with this series. Long like Jory and Sam. May these two crazy kids finally get it together.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

We'd like to thank Mary Calmes, aka Orchid Dapple Horse, for being our AOTM! She has made us unicorns' day! I know she has for me!

Review: Mine by Mary Calmes

Trevan Bean has a job that’s going from illegal to frightening, a boyfriend who may not be in his right mind, and a guardian angel who might actually be evil incarnate. Add to that the reappearance of his boyfriend’s estranged family, death threats, kidnapping, and the struggle of saving money to realize a dream, and Trevan has a lot on his plate. But Trevan is up to the challenge: he promised Landry a happily ever after, and Landry’s going to have it if it kills him!

It just might.

Landry Carter was a broken doll when they met two years ago but has grown into a partner who can stand at Trevan’s side… most of the time. Now that Trevan’s life just got scary—and Landry just got himself kidnapped—Trevan has to hope Landry’s love stays strong through this newest challenge, because the happily ever after won’t happen if Trevan has to go it alone.


Author of the Month and… official MC cherry popping.

How do I rate this thing? Is there like a Calmesian scale? 

If I were to rate this on the level of cray cray, there aren't enough hearts. Valentine's Day is mere child's play comparatively. 

If I were to rate the soap operaesqueness, it would be somewhere in the 4 heart range. Days of Our Lives didn't have this level of batshityness and that show was chock-a-block with nutjobs. Every one of these characters ain't right. Every one! If I were to rate my enjoyment… uh, I'm kind of scared of Calmes Nation coming after me with pitchforks and maces, but, yeah, I enjoyed it. For a soap opera. So, actual rating… uh, what is ∞ x 4 x 2? Meh, math was never my strong suit, so I'll go with 3 hearts and call it a day.

"You will never get away from me, you should resign yourself to that now."

"Lan-"

"I'll kill you and then myself, that's a promise."

Mine is like that highway accident that everyone slows down to look at while you're cursing them for holding you up but when you get to it you look too. I looked. I knew the MCs were whackadoodles going in but I had NO idea the level of whackadoodledome. I'm not saying they should be committed but it wouldn't be the worst call anyone ever made. Landry holds a switchblade while jacking off over his sleeping lover in a fugue state about to carve his initials on him so everyone would "know" that he's his? Uh… Because he was dancing with a girl at a party earlier. Did he think that dance was going to un-gay him? And his nutjob boyfriend was all, 'hey, babe. You awake?' 

RUN FORREST RUN!!!!!!!

Nope. They bang and all is well. Then again, Trev's bestie is a contract killer who randomly breaks into his apartment to watch him sleep because it "soothes" him, so I'm guessing he's desensitized to the cuckoo. I actually began to wonder if this was some elaborate AU somewhere in the middle because Trev seems to have some sort of spellbinding power over all the people. All the people of zooville, but still he's their golden child. How does he always know what to say to everyone that either engenders everlasting devotion, inexplicable trust, life altering insightfulness or fuck me eyes. I secretly still believe he's a wizard or is the PC term warlock? I tell ya, for a dude who's supposedly not that attractive everyone is gagging to get in his pants. It's the golden, right?

I'm getting off track here. So, I knew the MCs were freak shows, but the entire supporting cast too? There's infidelity, awkward family dynamics, an illegitimate son, an apparently requisite kidnapping and the contract killer. Now, I hate sound all creepy and whatnot, but a contract killer who's a platinum member at Hertz sounds like a sucky ass contract killer to me. What kind of contract killer uses the same name every time? Bad call, contract killer. Bad call. If I'm being honest, the whole Vegas experience was a win for me. The fracas on the roof when Daria told Will to go fall on another dick? Priceless. Then Trev had to go being all irresistible again and started dancing with the ladies just asking for trouble like a rebel!

Between the panting and gasping and crying, I understood that I needed to fill him up, he wanted it to leak out of him for hours.

Did he now? 

Yeah, he did. Because freak show x codependent/∞ = Landry. Angry sex, desperate sex, mildly kinky sex, borderline exhibitionist sex, you name it. Yet, surprisingly there was very little sex on the page. In my humble opinion, it could've used more sex *mumbles side mouth* and less plot. I know. I know. Then it wouldn't have been a true "Calmes" esssssperrience. 

The writing… what's with all the short declarative sentences that are essentially redundant not to mention repetitive? Also, what's with the dialogue? Who said what is too bourgeois for The Calmes? 

BUT, before the butthurt morphs into stabby, I did laugh. I made a butt load of weird faces. I face palmed a few times. I wish I had known about that drinking game, though. I would've saved it for a weekend and had a big time. Like a box of wine big time. 

I don't need to recommend this to anyone. Everyone's read it already!

Find out more on Goodreads.

Fangirl Moment: Parting Shot by Mary Calmes

Life has never been easy for Duncan Stiel. His childhood was the stuff of nightmares, and his day job as an undercover police officer forces him to hide his true self and occasionally lands him in the hospital. So when he finally meets the perfect man, it comes as no surprise that everything falls apart around him. What Duncan doesn’t expect is that the hardest hurdle to get over before he can make a life with Aaron Sutter is the one inside himself.

Everyone thinks Aaron has it all—looks, money, fame, and success beyond measure. Everyone, that is, except Aaron. At the end of the day, the cameras stop flashing, friends go back to their own lives, company business is handled, and Aaron is always alone. The moment he meets Duncan Stiel, Aaron knows he’ll do anything to hold onto the larger-than-life detective. But when he realizes money won’t buy him the ultimate happiness, Aaron needs to find the strength to give Duncan something much more important—his heart.

God, where do I even begin? Of course I loved this book. I adored this book. I want to marry this book and have its babies. Why, you ask?

BECAUSE IT’S MARY FREAKIN’ CALMES, THAT’S WHY!



You either love her or you don’t. Me? I’m a lover of all things Mary Calmes. I can always count on Mary for my fix of perfect MC’s and the alpha males who love them. She’s reliable; she never strays from her formula. Except this time she did.

And it was awesome!

She took two, count ‘em, TWO alpha males and threw them together. You’ve got Aaron “I’m Better Than Everyone Else” Sutter and Duncan “Like I Give a Fuck” Stiel. And it worked. It worked so well that I’m absolutely blown away! Don’t worry, there was still plenty of classic Mary in the story. There were the eye squints and the topcoats and the easy dialogues. But then she threw in all the extras and the new stuff. It was fantastic!

Poor Duncan, he’s had a rough life! I wasn’t too sure I liked him when I met him in Acrobat but I sure as hell do now! He’s big and strong and a total dick but in a loving, caring way. And Aaron! I kinda liked him by the end of Bulletproof but not really. I thought he was way too arrogant. He’s still arrogant, but in an incredibly endearing way.

These two were a match that came completely out of left field. I loved their banter. Yes, there was a lot of sweet moments but remember, these are two tough guys. Their declarations of love were more along the lines of “Oh, how fucking unromantic of you to say that,” and flipping each other off than the classic “I love you”. And don’t even get me started on the sex! Guh and unf and all those other words to describe the hotness. I am so glad that I was gifted with this tale. My only wish is that there was more. I want more. Scratch that – I NEED more.

Please Mary, please will you write a ton more books like this?

Author of the Month: Interview with Mary Calmes

O.M.G Mary Calmes has graced us with an interview!! Ever wanted to know more about our February Author of the Month? How about her choise of main character names? Or how to pronounce her last name? Or what her fave character that she has written is? 

 

Find all of that and more, as the unicorns hot MC with the hard hitting questions, for fans, from fans!

•How do we pronounce your last name? Does it rhyme with palms? Or is it Cal-mees? Or Cal-may?

It’s pronounced like the last one, Cal-May. I love that everyone asks, it’s so sweet.

•Do you have any favorite music you listen to while you write? What would be an example of a Calmes' playlist?

It really depends. When I wrote AMOT there was a lot of trance music, lots of Sneaker Pimps, Darude, Stunt, Massive Attack, Gramatik, Polica, Thievery Corporation, Zero 7 and bands like that. For The Warders, for some reason there was a lot of Nina Simone, and Melody Gardot.  I just finished the very last Change of Heart book and that playlist was a lot of Nick Drake, Alexi Murdoch, Tom Odell, Kristina Train, One Eskimo, Erykah Badu and Leela James. So really, it depends on the story. When I wrote Just Desserts, since it was set in NOLA, I listened to a ton of Jazz. The story definitely sets the tone.

•If you could have a drink with any book's fictional character who would it be? Why?

I would drink with Tess from Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy. I would get her drunk, stuff her in my car, and drive her to San Francisco and enroll her in college. I want to fix her life. I have wanted to fix it since the 7^th grade when I finished that book and whizzed it by my Dad’s head. I was so pissed. It’s why I write romance that ALWAYS has a HEA. But so yeah, Tess.

•What would be something we'd be surprised to know about you?

I cannot use a ruler. Not even kidding. No measuring of any kind. Rhys Ford was trying to teach me to cook, the whole how many cups in a quart thing, forget it. My phone tells me these things. I need it to measure. Maybe there’s an app.

•What is your favorite word? Least favorite?

Ubiquitous, also unctuous, two terrible traits if combined I would think. And my least favorite is stupid probably because it was banned in our house when I was growing up. My father hates that word and passed it on.

  

•Funniest thing a fan's ever said to you?

I had a fan write me that she wished more people would die in my books because she liked to cry. That was awesome. I suggested some Amy Lane books to her and we’ve had lovely correspondence since then.

•How do you pick your characters' names?

Oh don’t get me started. I have this whole thing I do because for me, one character has to have a fancy name, and one the plain one. Like Sam (boring) and Jory (fancy). Jin (fancy) and Logan (there are a zillion Logans). Or Linus (which is very boring) and Arman (which is definitely not). I could never have a Garegin in love with Lucius for example. It would need to be Garegin and Ted. Or Garegin and Mike. I like the idea of the butterfly character and the grounded, rooted tree. I also try and not have the character’s first and last names begin with the same letter. So like Miro Jones would have never been Miro Miller. It’s weird but I’m very conscious of it. I think it comes with being a pantser. The names are where I start. I labor over the names and then I just go. The names are the most important things. 

•Who's your favorite new author you've discovered in 2014?

Charlie Cochet. I read the first Thirds book and was hooked. I have them all in paperback.

•Do you have a favorite character you've ever written? Who and why?

My favorite is Jory because he was the first with his great big heart and no-filter personality and he remains forever joyful.

•Any upcoming projects we can look forward to this year?

So far, Quiet Nights will be out Monday the 9^th of February, then in April my cookbook story, Just Desserts; will be released in the Tales of the Curious Cookbook that I was lucky enough to work on with Amy Lane, Amber Kell, Marie Sexton and RJ Scott. Sultry Sunset, the 3^rd Mangrove book will be out in Mid-May, Forging the Future, the last Change of Heart book will be out in June, and in August, my next marshal book and Jory and Sam’s wedding novella. There are more afterwards that will be out this year but I’m just not certain of the order.  Everything is on my desktop looking at me. I imagine all my characters in limbo, just waiting. 

We'd like to thank Mary Calmes, now unicorned as Orchid Dapple Horse forever and ever!

Orchid Dapple Horse - Orchid is as wild and untamed as a desert horse. She is a dappled beauty, and she chases the nightmares away.

Happy Hour Chat: What Can Be by Mary Calmes

Guess what time it is...??

It's Happy Hour Chat time!

*busts out the margaritas*

For today's Happy Hour Chat, we'll be chit chatting about What Can Be by Mary Calmes. Mary Calmes will be our February Author of the Month (and, OMG, you would not believe how much squeeing there was from a certain clubhouse contingent), so keep an eye out for more reviews of her work, plus an interview, later this month!


Warning: This chat will contain spoilers.

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: I KNEW he was in the WPP before I even read it. She uses it a lot in her books

Ann: Well, that's convenient - the WPP i mean

Sunny: MC= convenient

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: MC = awesome

Sméagol: MC = joy

Justin: MC = Crackwhore

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: yes!

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: no! J!

Sméagol: The best kinda crack there is.

Sméagol: :D

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: Jet, you better park your butt right here and talk about this book!

Ann: MC = overly dramatic drama with big beautiful gold digging drama queens

Sunny: Did you like anything about the story, Ann?

Justin: Yes Jet, and don't hold anything back

Ann: Ummmmmmm - hold please

Ann: The boyfriend dude was ok

Sunny: I liked Craig. I'd like a Craig. Billionaire fantasy guy who loves me.

Ann: The rest of them were looney tunes

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: Me too. I want a Craig Zhao

Sméagol: Craig was hot.

Ann: Except he kept telling everybody what to do.

Ann: Don't tell me how to live my life Craig Zhao!

Justin: You mean the almost billionaire that kept saying "mine"? That boyfriend?

Sunny: He was taking care of him!

Sméagol: He was all, "JakEli, cute the shit"

Sméagol: cut*

Sunny: because Jake was a mess

Ann: What the fuck was with step mommy? "Are you a billionaire" WTAF?

Sméagol: I hated the step mom. She's a bitch

JL + Mary = ♥ 4eva: Craig Zhao was awesome. Craig Zhao loved Jake/Eli so much. Did anyone else notice his name was always Craig Zhao in the book?

Ann: *pft*

Sméagol: I was not fooled

This was kind of a wild one, but if you think you're game, check out the rest of the chat after the jump (and take the fuck truck to pound town!).

Author of the Month: Quiet Nights by Mary Calmes - Release Day Giveaway

So, like...yeah.

Mary Calmes is our author of the month for February. 

No biggie.

*toes the ground and whistles*

j/k

WTF?! HOLY SHIT! errliu9n;1ijkk!!!!!!!!!!!1!

Mary Calmes not only visits, she brings treats! What an awesome guest!  What kind of treat? Why a free book of course. And not any book...her newest soon to be released, Quiet Nights. 

Blurb: It’s a lovely little life Kelly Seaton leads. He’s got his own landscaping business, a nice little house, and his best friend, Cosimo Renaldi, and Coz’s goofball family who have adopted Kelly as their own. Sure, it’s a little lonely at night, but it’s a sweet deal, and Kelly can’t chance ruining it by letting on that he wants more—has always wanted more—with Coz.

Then Kelly’s past comes to town, bringing bad memories and hurt feelings that start to break Kelly down, and Coz just doesn’t understand why Kelly won’t let him be the support and strength that Kelly’s always been for him. They’ve already been through war, Coz’s devastating injury, and starting new careers in Mangrove, Florida. Why shouldn’t they face their chaotic pasts and build their future of quiet nights… together?



 Buy link (available February 9th):

Dreamspinner Press

About the author:

Mary Calmes lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband and two children and loves all the seasons except summer. She graduated from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, with a bachelor's degree in English literature. Due to the fact that it is English lit and not English grammar, do not ask her to point out a clause for you, as it will so not happen. She loves writing, becoming immersed in the process, and falling into the work. She can even tell you what her characters smell like. She loves buying books and going to conventions to meet her fans.

Facebook

Email: mmcalmes@hotmail.com

Goodreads

Website

 

One commenter will receive an eBook copy of Mary Calmes' latest, Quiet Nights (Mangrove Stories, #2) on release day! The winner will be drawn at 9:00 p.m. (PST) on February 8th. Winner will receive their book on your Dreamspinner Press shelf (it's free). Please leave someway to contact you - (i.e. email, GR profile) in your comment on this post.

Good luck!!!

Author of the Month: Interview with Kari Gregg

 
THE GREGG IS HERE! KARI GREGG aka THE GREGG HAS LANDED AT BMB REVIEWS!
And she's our January author of the month! We read and book chatted, In The Red. We unicorns are very happy to have her here! Especially this unicorn (SheReadsALot). I've been a fan of the Gregg for years. There is just something about her characters that I truly dig. And she doesn't waste her time on filler which I respect. In fact, let me share my experience with the Gregg.

The Gregg is a ten foot cyborg from planet Fuckatron. And her stories are awesome, depraved tales when she turns on the fuck force. Not for everyone but it's like sonnets to me.

The Gregg experience: Pretend you're at home alone, and it's the middle of the night. You're thirsty. So as you make your way to get a glass of water, the ten foot cyborg busts through the wall, grabs you, bends you over the first available surface and emphatically describes obscene and lewd descriptions in your ear, while pressed against your back. You're feeling a wealth of emotions: fear, lust and surprise. The Gregg continues on, no matter how you feel, pressing harder, words are getting hotter, you're under the spell. And once the Gregg is finished, the Gregg leaves you in the same position and hightails it outta there. Now you're panting, maybe shaking and bewildered wondering WTF just happened?

Either you dig it or don't. But I can't stop coming back for more with the Gregg. ;D

We interviewed our January author of the month, asked her a couple of questions fans might be interested in knowing like the lengths she goes to understand her characters or the current free series she has going on. And maybe you're curious about sequels? Check it out!

BMBR: How in the world do you come up with your plots?

The Gregg: Plots? Oh. You mean I'm supposed to have those? LOL. Nah, seriously, I come up with an idea and then I put it away for a while. I revisit it occasionally, tweak it. Let it grow, add a bit here, take away some, blend it with that other idea way over there. When I'm done messing with it, most of the time that idea only superficially resembles whatever initially set me off.

BMBR: Is there a favorite genre or theme you like to write?

The Gregg: I'm not much of a contemporary gal. Most of my stuff is paranormal, scifi, and fantasy so I suppose I like to be taken somewhere beyond our ordinary world. I like my damaged heroes too, not because they are weak but because they are so very strong. When life knocks you on our ass and you get back up? That's strength.

Also, sex pollen. I have a horrible, dreadful weakness for sex pollen. >:D

BMBR: Favorite character(s) you've written?

The Gregg: I'll always have a special place in my heart for Micah and Eli, my heroes from the first m/m story I ever wrote, Spoils of War and its sequel, Plunder. I'm still in love with Noah and Wade from Pretty Poison. Brian from In the Red. He was so wonderfully fucked up, but the guy just never quit. Ever. I really admire that.

BMBR: What would be something we'd be surprised to know about you?

The Gregg: I'm taking aromatherapy classes. There's no national certification for that, LOL, but I'm in a NAHA approved Level II program, yeah. Hero of my current project is a massage and aromatherapist and there's a horrifying amount of disinformation -- dangerous disinformation -- on the vast interwebs about aromatherapy. I didn't want to get it wrong or write something that could hurt anyone, so...the class. The material isn't easy (I vastly underestimated my ability to recall chemistry and physiology), but vedy interesting nonetheless. I'm genuinely enjoying it and in a month or so, you may begin referring to me as the Empress of Woo Woo. I'll have earned it. ;-p

BMBR: Sequels? Will we ever get any from you? *coughs**In the Red**coughs*

The Gregg: I promised readers a prequel of IO (I, Omega) in 2015, but other than that, I'm focused on the current project. Beasty long story. Can't think beyond it. I must've been crazy, high, or both.

BMBR: You're not an author known to shy from kinkier and darker topics, is there something we shouldn't expect to read from you?

The Gregg: Hm. Let me think. No.

LOL

What can I say? Never came across a button I didn't want to push. (Please note I never claimed to be especially smart.)

BMBR: Your favorite go to author(s) or book(s)?

The Gregg: Oh, I've tons of author go-to's. Josh Lanyon, K.A. Mitchell, Ava March. Wait, can I amend the shouldn't-expect question to include historicals? Because as dearly as I love Ava March's stories, that is definitely and for sure not in my skills set. Adore reading historicals, but my trying to
write one would be a catastrophe.

BMBR: Any upcoming books or projects we can look forward to in 2015?

The Gregg: Tame a Wild Human is releasing with Riptide on January 19th. I'm also working on something very, very different called For Whom the Heart Stone Burns. I haven't created a hub page for it on my site yet, but soon. Until then, I've uploaded the first two chapters onto the blog on my home page. Heart Stone is a high fantasy novel plus consisting of 4 parts, or acts, and the plan is to post the first of those -- 6 chapters (or 31K) -- on holidays marching forward Christmas Day to Beltane on May 1st. Lots of magic. Casting grids, smudging, calling the elements, mythological
beasties that maybe aren't so mythological...and heart stones. What's it like to be one of the few who have no magical ability in a world where magical powers are bred into the bone? Becket Douglas is about to find out. And turn those casters on their heads while he's at it too. ;-)

We'd like to thank The Gregg for stopping by. Or should we say, Daisy Silky Cheeks, her new unicorn name.

Daisy is a very clever horse with deep, mysterious eyes. She has a mane as silky as a cat's tail, and she casts happiness spells.