Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Just Desserts (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5:

When Scott Wren meets Boone Walton, he knows that this man is going to be an important part of his life, but since Boone seems aloof and uninterested in him sexually, he pursues friendship as the way to Boone’s heart instead.

Scott is a chef and has his own restaurant, which Boone helps him decorate and create the perfect ambience for dining in style. Boone owns an art gallery in New Orleans, and he’s renovated and decorated the building it’s in, the gallery itself, and his upstairs apartment with his own two hands. He knows what he’s doing. At least, he knows what he’s doing when it comes to business, but when it comes to Scott, he flounders.

Boone seems to be the only one who doesn’t realize that Scott has come to mean more to him than just a friend. He knows he’s attracted to Scott sexually, but is afraid to make a move because Scott sheds lovers like other men change clothes, and Boone couldn’t bear to lose him.

It isn’t until Scott tries out a new recipe for chocolate mousse from “Recipes for the Heart: Mystical Meals and Dangerous Desserts” by Granny B, that “things get sorted” as the cookbook stated they would. Scott and Boone are the only ones who enjoy the taste of the mousse. Scott’s boyfriend and Boone’s blind date think it tastes lousy. It doesn’t help that the ghost who haunts Scott’s apartment keeps flicking the lights on and off and filling the apartment with malodorous scents which are definite appetite suppressors.

They manage to get through dinner and afterward, at Scott’s request, when Boone removes his shirt to show the others his tattoos Scott suddenly realizes he’s jealous and loses his temper with both his boyfriend and Boone’s date. They need to get their hands off Boone! He literally kicks them out of the apartment, and it’s then that Scott and Boone realize that everything has been sorted, and they belong together.

Of course, nothing runs smoothly, and when Boone is visited by his former Japanese lover’s father, a man Boone both hates and fears, it looks like he may not live long enough to be with Scott after all.

I really enjoyed this story. There is so much drama, love, and heartache packed into this hundred plus pages that it’s unbelievable. I always enjoy Mary Calmes’s stories, with her clueless males, loved by others but unable to see how cute they are and how much they mean to others. This one, in a way, is stereotypical, in other ways it is not. The backstory on Boone was incredible, with his involvement in the Japanese mob, actively and inactively, his Japanese lover, and his survival of torture and imprisonment. The characters were well-developed, the plot plausible, and the ghost charming.

If you enjoy this series, don’t miss this one. It’s the best so far. It can certainly be read as a standalone and would make the perfect story to read at the beach or in front of a cozy fire on a cold day.
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Cover art by Reese Dante features the same color-themed background with cookbook as others in the series, with the addition of two servings of chocolate mousse complete with spoons. This is the dessert around which this story is built so the cover suits the story perfectly.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press – All Romance (ARe) – Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 102 pages
Published April 29th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleJust Desserts
ISBN139781632168610
edition languageEnglish
seriesTales of the Curious Cookbook

Tales of the Curious Cookbook series:

6 works, 5 primary works.
Five fun and fanciful stories about a rather curious cookbook!

Authors and Their Stories:

RJ Scott – For a Rainy Afternoon (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by R.J. Scott
Amy Lane – Food for Thought (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Amy Lane
Marie Sexton – Lost Along the Way (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Marie Sexton
Amber Kell – Cookies for Courting (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Amber Kell
Mary Calmes – Just Desserts (Tales of the Curious Cookbook) by Mary Calmes
RJ Scott – Tales of the Curious Cookbook by R.J. Scott

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Quiet Nights (Mangrove Stories #2) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This sequel to “Blue Nights” is as much a romance as the first. It’s not really more than that—not an action/adventure, or a mystery, or an angst-filled drama—just romance in the inimitable way that only Mary Calmes delivers. In this case, Kelly Seaton is the guy everyone loves, the family member who’s not really a family member at all but is so much a focus of the family that he appears to be one of them. Coz, or Cosimo Renaldi is the family member—the son who returned from Afghanistan with only one arm, the very reason Kelly is now a part of their family. It was Kelly who pulled him from the burning Humvee under enemy fire.

Kelly has loved Coz forever and, of course, has never told him. We don’t learn until the end of the story that the feelings are reciprocated. Though most people seem to be focused on the fact that he only has one arm, Kelly never does. In fact, Kelly treats him normally and is one of the only people in his life who does so. Kelly yearns for Coz but is afraid he’ll lose everything—Coz, his mother, and the only safe and loving environment he’s ever known—if he reveals his true feelings to Coz.

The fun in the story is in watching the two dance around each other and fumble opportunities to be honest. In typical Mary Calmes fashion, Coz’s sister Mia plays a pivotal role as Kelly’s BFF. And Momma Renaldi is a hoot. One of the best scenes in the story is when she is explaining the presence of her new beau in the home. She tells Kelly, Coz, and Mia that they met when she enrolled in tantric sex education classes, thinking that even though she’s a widow she should still explore her sexuality. As she goes on to describe the sex in detail, the trio gets more and more sloshed on wine, eventually moving on to hard liquor. The whole scene was priceless!

If you like a Mary Calmes story that’s not complex or heavy at all, is fairly short, and will bring a smile to your face, then don’t miss this one. If you are looking for a story with a lot of meat, this one isn’t for you. Personally, I love this author, so this one was the perfect no-brainer, bring-a-smile-to-my-face, rainy day story for me.

Cover Art by Reese Dante depicts the gorgeous Kelly in his three-piece white suit as he heads out for a night on the town. No wonder Coz couldn’t resist him!

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy It here

Book Details:

ebook, 80 pages
Expected publication: February 9th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634760324
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.marycalmesauthor.com/mangrove.php
Books in the series Mangrove Stories:

Blue Days
Quiet Nights

A MelanieM Review: Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2) by Mary Calmes

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

L’Ange’s head of security Arman de Soto is a shifter, a secret he has kept well, even from his employers who are shifters themselves. Also a closely guarded fact is the type of Arman’s shifter. Only a few know what Arman is hiding, but one of those is the château’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Linus has long been the object of Arman’s interest and the subject of Arman’s intense pursuit over the years they have known each other. Despite Arman’s reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. But Linus is a mass of secrets and pain himself.

Linus has lived alone for more than seven years, sheltered at L’Ange under an assumed name and hiding a past of pain and abuse. Linus is also dealing with his terrifying attraction to the most dangerous man he’s ever met. Arman knows Linus should be afraid of the predator stalking him, but Linus is still drawn to him like a moth to a flame, no matter how much he tries to deny his instincts. I

Once of Arman’ passions is hunting down and killing every member of a pack of werewolves. His staff is aware of Arman’s pastime but no one other than Arman knows the reason why. Then the remaining wolves arrive at L’Ange looking for vengeance and all the long held secrets are revealed. The pain of Linus’ past arrives with the wolves. Danger and the threat of death is everywhere and only the strong or the loved will survive.

Fighting Instinct is the second in Mary Calmes’ L’Ange series and its just as terrific as the first installment, Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1). The first story sets out the location, the Chateau L’Ange, a refuge and home to an assortment of shifters, especially the jackal shifters and pack that own the estate. I loved that group of characters and believe me, that was quite a group to meet all at once. Now with Fighting Instinct, Mary Calmes is narrowing down her focus to the enigmatic head of security Arman de Soto and L’Ange’s overseer, Linus Hobbes. Although secondary characters, both made quite an impact in the first story because their personas were so strongly etched into the readers minds. So I was thrilled to see the second story center on them.

One of the mysteries that has floated about Arman is who and what he is. That he is a shifter is not even a given until later, and some of the first paragraphs seem to help camouflage the true nature of his existence. But as the story evolves, all the clues start adding up and if you are a fan of the wildlife specials or National Geographic, then you might figure it out for yourself. I loved this element and thought Mary Calmes did a wonderful job of folding in the natural history for her shifters. Arman is dangerous, certainly lethal and steadfast in his love of Linus.

Oh, Linus. Linus is going to surprise everyone, including Arman. With Linus, the author combines natural history, and celtic lore to arrive at an astonishing and unforgettable character. Calmes’ twist with Linus was something I never expected and I just loved it! Linus is one of those heartworthy and angst driven characters this author does so well that he is certain to be a reader’s favorite. Plus his is a character that evolves and strengthens throughout the story, especially given his traumatic past.

Arman and Linus certainly form a strong heart at the core of Fighting Instinct with their love and relationship. But there are other shifters to meet with their own stories to follow. Remember, Chateau L’Ange is a shifter refuge, so don’t be surprised to meet a lion (although his identity is hidden at first as well), more wolves, a bear or two and much more. And I adored them all.

Mary Calmes is writing the final story in her cat shifter series, Change of Heart, something I hated to hear as I love Jin and Logan and all the rest. But now I have a new series to love, new characters to take to heart, and new stories to eagerly await.

If you haven’t read this series yet, go to the first story, Old Loyalty, New Love. It lays down the author’s universe and main cast of characters and then rush onto this one. If you love shifters and romance, this is certainly the series for you. I can’t wait to see what Calmes has in store for all of us next. I highly recommend both stories and all the characters. I think you will too.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain. Not quite a fan of this cover but I suppose that adding in factors from the story might qualify as spoilers so I think the artist was tied as to what elements to incorporate. Still, it could be the cover of any book not this one.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 224 pages
Published December 8th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165916
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5769
seriesL’Ange #2

Books In the L’Ange series:

Old Loyalty, New Love (L’Ange #1)
Fighting Instinct (L’Ange #2)

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