Sultry Sunset

Mangrove Stories

By: Mary Calmes

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

Hutch Crowley is well-liked in the small resort town of Mangrove - he's got friends in his new neighbors, he's the owner of the town grocery, and he's building a community center - but he's still unlucky at love. Every man he's attracted to is either taken or simply not interested, including his best friend, Mike Rojas.

When Mike came to Mangrove two years ago, Hutch gave him a job and a place to stay in his guesthouse, where Mike has remained ever since. Despite the rumors circulating about them, Hutch knows Mike is straight and looking for the right woman. But his friends disagree, and after some hints to the contrary, even Hutch finally has to admit that maybe the rest of the town sees something he's been missing. If Hutch wants to spend each sultry sunset with the man of his dreams, it might be time to figure out what's going on with his best friend's heart.

©2015 Mary Calmes (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Always satisfying

Mary Calmes's writing is always satisfying. She has a way of making very likable characters. Excellent narration, as usual by Greg Tremblay.

I’m loving this series.

I love reading/listening to short novellas and the ones in this series are excellent. The length is perfect for fitting in when I don’t have a lot of time to read. I loved how Hutch came to the rescue of a young girl in need. I also loved how this author makes you guess, at least for a minute or two, who the potential love interest for Hutch might be. (Note that I hadn’t read the blurb before I listened to this or I would have known but I think it was more fun that I didn’t. 😊)

hot sexy story

cute little story great narrator. is about time Mike and Hutch realize that they're in love with each other

Greg Tremblay is fantastic!!

Any additional comments?

I feel like this was more a set up for future novellas than it was a fully realized novella itself. Hutch and Mike don't even realize they're supposed to be together until more than three quarters through, which I wouldn't mind except the sexy times lacked the heat M.C. usually brings to the party.

Still, I didn't dislike it and will continue with the series, mostly because it's Mary Calmes.

Greg Tremblay, once again of course, delivers a fantastic performance, so it's worth getting just for that.

Sultry indeed!

What did you love best about Sultry Sunset?

Greg Tremblay's narration

What did you like best about this story?

Getting little tidbits with characters I love in the series and finding new favorites.

Which scene was your favorite?

I think the chase between Hutch and the good doctor after the cranky town council bitch got Hutch riled up was hysterical!

Who was the most memorable character of Sultry Sunset and why?

Hutch, he was so unknowingly sexy and sometimes infuriating.

Any additional comments?

The men of Mangrove continue to grow and pair up. Fans of this series of short stories will remember Hutch Crowley, the owner of the town grocery, from the last story and that ill-fated date. In Sultry Sunset, Hutch is still single and still in love with his best friend, but damned if he’ll tell Mike because he’s convinced Mike is straight. While Hutch works on the community center and has run-ins with cranky old bags and confused doctors, Mike is busy bedding every available woman in town in an attempt to convince himself he is not, in fact, in love with his best friend.

The thing is, anyone other than these two with two working eyes can see the way they are with each other. Subtle touches and smiles, the fact that they eat dinner together every night, and then when Hutch lands in jail, Mike is quick to come bail him out. And with that release comes a release of an entirely different nature.

I absolutely love this little series of serials set in Mangrove, a quaint little beach town full of lovely gay men in search of that someone special. The community is a family of sorts with crazy old Betties, squabbling siblings and nosey neighbors to add a ton of humor to the stories. Greg Tremblay continues to carry the torch as narrator and let me tell you, he’s amazing. Though the core of the story is Hutch and Mike, there were several various secondary characters and Tremblay made sure the listener could hear a distinctly different tone for each and every character.

I’m anxious to see who gets the next story… the single dad that is trying to prove he is a good father, just because he is gay doesn’t make him unfit to care for his daughter. Or the previously closeted attorney that divorced his wife and moved to Mangrove so he could finally, truly live his life. OH, what if they wind up together? That would be some entertaining reading I must say.

Such a great series and each story is super short, like a naughty little snack. I think each installment could stand on its own, but they are so much more fun when you listen in order and can follow along with certain characters. Definitely a must listen though, Calmes is such a masterful writer and Tremblay really brings her crazy characters to life.

Another Hit!!!!

I am.so in love with the men of Mangrove! And Hutch and Mike are NO exception!

Mary and Greg are a POWERHOUSE team!

if you are a fan of either Mary Calmes or Greg Tremblay this is a MUST listen!!!

More wonderful storytelling from Greg and Mary

If you’ve been reading the series (which you should, but don’t have to), you know Hutch is our grocer, and so far he’s been “interested” in every gay man the town has to offer, but has failed to find “the one”.

We find out that for the last two years he’s had a best friend, Mike “Don’t call me Michael”, living in his guest house and taking up most of his free time.

As you can predict, there is more to them than friendship, despite the fact that up til now Mike has always been straight.

**

I compare these Mangrove stories to cotton candy – one of my all time favorite foods – because they are wonderful, light, sweet and just a touch unsatisfying. Because they are so short, we don’t get a lot of lead-time to develop the tension between our MCs. Sure, Mary always gives us wonderful characters and an amazingly sweet love scene or two, but I really miss her ability to create that heat and draw out the sexual neediness between her characters that she’s just so great at.

I still love these stories, don’t get me wrong – but boy I wish they were longer.

In this case the secondary characters of Ivy and Essien almost – almost! – steal the show, but Mike and Hutch are terribly sweet together and I love them as a couple.

The mangrove series is fun because the small town and the recurrence of previous characters feels like coming home and I eagerly await the next installment.


Audio

Greg Tremblay – one of my favorite narrators – did another amazing job with this. I just love how he voiced the secondary characters including the young girl! I love listening to his telling of these stories because he makes you feel like you are part of the action. Definitely adds to the overall enjoyment of the story.

Great story

I love this Mangrove series. Over the long weekend, I have listened to each of the stories. I love these shorter stories that Mary Calmes writes. Sultry Sunset has all the feels. The characters are well developed and the story is stellar. Greg Tremblay brings a greater dimension to the tapestry of the story. I can't give it enough stars.

LUV LUV LUV this sweet shortie!

Mary Calmes can do no wrong for me and Greg Tremblay is the ABSOLUTE best narrator!

Just OK

Mmm, not Calmes' best. The story wasn't very interesting and the characters were pretty blah (though the little girl was good). Thank you Greg Tremblay for getting me through this one, you could read me the dictionary and I'd love it!