Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Stefan Joss just can’t win. Not only does he have to go to Texas in the middle of summer to be the man of honor in his best friend Charlotte’s wedding, but he’s expected to negotiate a million-dollar business deal at the same time. Worst of all, he’s thrown for a loop when he arrives to see the one man Charlotte promised wouldn’t be there: her brother, Rand Holloway.

Stefan and Rand have been mortal enemies since the day they met, so Stefan is shocked when a temporary cease-fire sees the usual hostility replaced by instant chemistry. Though leery of the unexpected feelings, Stefan is swayed by a sincere revelation from Rand, and he decides to give Rand a chance.

But their budding romance is threatened when Stefan’s business deal goes wrong: the owner of the last ranch he needs to secure for the company is murdered. Stefan’s in for the surprise of his life as he finds himself in danger as well.

First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2010.

Timing by Mary Calmes is that wonderful Mary Calmes story that you hope for every time you dive into one of her romances.  Its a love story that, no matter how many times you have read it, whether in 2010 or 2016, still makes you fall deeply in love with its characters and their relationship and the road they take to their happily ever after.

Stefan Joss, the perfect Mary Calmes character we know we will see,  is going to help his best friend Charlotte get married, even though he will have to face her brother Rand, a person he’s been actively hostile towards since they met in college.  Rand (the handsome, virile cowboy with secrets of his own) has been waiting for Stefan Joss to arrive.  Rand has his own agenda.  Plus there’s more story threads than usual.  A murder mystery, clues thrown around this tale and a villain to reveal before all can find their wonderfully satisfying HEA or is it HFN?

What I’ve always enjoyed is the relationships in a Calmes story.  Here its between Charlotte and Stefan, a true tight-knit unit as well as Stefan and Rand, and then others as secondary characters are swirled into the mixture.  The author is able to convey the sense of closeness between Charlotte and Stefan, their dependency upon each other and love.  You care as much about her and her happiness as you do about the main couple.  Calmes’ ability to pull the reader into each scene along with our emotions, and connect us with her characters and their lives is ever present here.

When Timing first came out, we thought that was it for Stefan and Rand.  Now we know that there’s two more books to follow.  A sequel already published and a third on the way.  Be still my happy heart.  There can never be enough Timings for me.  Once you read it I think you’ll agree.

Cover art by Reese Dante is lovely, I love the updated cover.

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Book Details:

ebook, 2nd Edition, 204 pages
Expected publication: October 19th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 1st 2010)
Original TitleTiming
ISBN 1634777123 (ISBN13: 9781634777124)
Edition LanguageEnglish

SeriesTiming #1
CharactersStefan Joss, Rand Holloway settingLubbock, Texas (United States)