Easy Evenings

Mangrove Stories Book 4

By: Mary Calmes

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

Length: 2 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Lazlo Maguire doesn't do relationships - he does transactions. Six months of the year, he's an expensive rent boy in Manhattan, and he moves so fast that settling down could not, would not, ever enter his mind...except for once. He meets Britton Lassiter, man to man, not as hustler and mark, and it's too good to be true when the lawyer wants to keep Lazlo, even if he has to share him with the job.

But Lazlo has his reasons to walk away from the man he's grown to love. The other six months of the year, he is laid-back Laz, a shopkeeper in the sleepy coastal town of Mangrove, Florida, where the artist he never allows himself to be in the Big Apple shines through. He lives for his time by the ocean, the place he hides his secrets and nurses his broken heart.

Then fate intervenes, and Laz gets the surprise of his life when he spies Britton in Mangrove - but it's not meant to be...not until Britton sees the change in him and wants to be a part of Laz's new life so that every evening can be easy...together. Hopefully the secrets that tore them apart won't come back to haunt them.

©2015 Mary Calmes (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Another great one.

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. Easy Evenings 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.

Once upon a time. In a land far, far away...

Any additional comments?

Ok, maybe it was just down in Florida, there lived a young man...
Yep, nailed it as I was reading this book all that kept floating around my brain was the fact that this is like reading a fairy tale. Except definitely for adults.
Loved this story - it's a Mary Calmes sugar cookie which always works for me!

Always a Fan!!!

I love your shorts story, when I need a little pick me up of love and romance I can read or listening to one of your shorts story, it makes my lunch break and drive home relaxing and stress-free. Thank you

4.5 stars. One of my favourites in the series.

It is an exception for me to want to read a story about a prostitute finding love - in this case Lazlo finds love with Britton. It is only very good writing that can make me sympathise with the characters and Mary Calmes’ writing did it.

Despite EASY EVENINGS’ short word count, Mary Calmes was able to draw out emotions from me that had my heart squeezing for Lazlo. This story turned in a way I could not have predicted and I felt my emotions go up and down and around. I loved the experience.

As with my other favourite in the series, book 1 BLUE DAYS, I have already listened to this story multiple times and enjoyed experiencing the joy it brought me through the protagonists’ journeys. EASY EVENINGS wasn’t perfect – I felt Lazlo was a pushover letting his mother treat him the way she did for so long, and I felt she was an exaggerated caricature of a mean woman. But I didn’t care. I loved the pleasurable listening experience this story gave me.

Although all 5 Mangrove Stories are standalones, I recommend the stories be listened to in order. They flow better this way and are delightful romances. I’m glad I heard them in order, even though something about the Audible sample made me want to hear EASY EVENINGS first. I’m glad I waited – it was worth it. But if you hear them out of order, that is fine too.

I also recommend the Audible version for all 5 stories because Greg Tremblay is narration perfection. I have already re-listened to all of the stories in this series because they are wonderful entertainment and Greg Tremblay enhances the romantic experience.

My only complaint is that whether Audible or Kindle/Amazon, each book in the series is pricy for its length. On the flipside, as I am listening to them again and again, they’ve turned out to be a sound investment.

Greg, Mary and a kid! Wonderful!

Lazlo spends half his year in New York as a high paid rent boy and half the year in Mangrove selling wind chimes. He doesn’t like the two lives to mix.
Britton is a closeted lawyer who’s moved to Mangrove to start life over. He’s shocked when he sees the rent boy he used to see regularly (and in fact asked to give up the life and be with him permanently) living in the tiny town.

There’s a lot of miscommunication between these two guys: Britton wanted to be with Lazlo and can’t understand why he won’t give up being a rent boy. Lazlo sees Britton in town and thinks it’s his opportunity to take him up on the offer and is confused when instead of accepting him with open arms, he puts a restraining order on him!

Fortunately, the appearance of Kitty, Lazlo’s daughter, helps these two sort through their communication problems once and for all.

**

Like all the stories in this Mangrove series, these guys are amazingly hot together. They are so in love with each other it’s crazy and it just takes some talking to get them sorted out.

I thought Kitty was a delight – she’s the most perfect three-year old in the world! The hatred I feel toward Lazlo’s mother was rightly shown by Mia and Lazlo’s other friends – thankfully she got what she deserved!

The thing I love most about this series is the town and how all the people are so crazy, sweet and fun. I totally want to live there!

I love this series and highly recommend it!

Audio

Greg Tremblay can do no wrong when it comes to this mangrove series. He’s as wonderful as ever – giving us a lovely range of voices and emotions making us feel like we’re part of the story.



4.5 of 5 stars

Easy listening

If you could sum up Easy Evenings in three words, what would they be?

Hysterical, sexy and fun.

What other book might you compare Easy Evenings to and why?

Any of the books in this series.

Which character – as performed by Greg Tremblay – was your favorite?

Lazlo.

Who was the most memorable character of Easy Evenings and why?

Lazlo. He's had a shit life and when something better, something good, is standing right in front of him he is afraid to grab it. He did though, and it was such a fun ride.

Any additional comments?

Lazlo Maguire's mother put her son out on the streets turning tricks when he was barely a teenager, making him the financial supporter of her and his sister. Several years later Laz is splitting his time between that life, and his life in Mangrove. He has no regrets, well, only one... walking away from Britton Lassiter. The two met in the city when Laz was doing his six months with clients, making the big bucks so mama could sit her worthless ass at home on the couch and drink herself into oblivion. Anywho, so when Britton shows up in Mangrove, Laz thinks he is getting a second chance. Until he's slapped with a restraining order. Britton is still smarting over what he assumed was Lazlo choosing that life over him, and Lazlo is trying to figure out how to get back in Britton's good graces. Both of them have to rethink all their priorities when Lazlo gets the surprise of his life.

If you are in the mood for a fun, hysterical, series of short stories, that are all set in the same town around this close knit group of friends. Stories that have a lot of content for so few pages. Moonlight, romance, side splitting family dinners... then this series is a must. Anytime I want to smile and listen to a well written story with fantastic narration, it would be the Mangrove Stories. Mary Calmes and Greg Tremblay make a dashing couple, him bringing her words to life. Fans of the series will recognize both characters from previous books, they'll even remember the encounter that spawned the restraining order. Britton does tend to overreact a bit, ya know. I loved how he and Laz looked past their own personal issues and concentrated on what was important.

Definitely a must listen series. Seriously, listen! Trembaly is absolutely splendid voicing all these different characters. And from one book to the next the group of characters grows, but they all carry their voices so you always know who's speaking. One of my very favorite go to series when I need to laugh, smile or just say "awwwwwww"!

What Happened?

"Easy Evenings" had started off so well. We got the history of Lazlo and Britton, we get an obstacle that can be worked out. But then.. the storyline went to crap. Everything got settled to quickly. It went from a horrifying revelation and anger, to "I love you, lets move in". It felt like a couple of chapters were missing. This is the one story I was waiting to listen to and I'm so disappointed.

Greg Tremblay delivers a solid performance.

Any additional comments?

I'm so happy - why? Because I loved this installment in the Mangrove Stories series! Be advised - in my fangirling praise about to take place there may be some spoilers.

There is so much depth to the Lazlo Maguire character that melted my stony little heart.

When Lazlo meets Britton Lassiter at a party he knows he's met the man who will make him whole. It's even better that Britton accepts his life and doesn't make him feel less for it.

~~~
I was not a romantic. All that had been fucked out of me years ago as I’d allowed myself to be used for money, sometimes cruelly, sometimes painfully. But when Britton kissed me, whenever he kissed me, I felt like it was the first time and I was sparkly, shiny, and new. The difference was, I was a man, not a boy, on the receiving end.
~~~

Yes, Laz is a rent boy half the year, but that is just so he can take care of his mother and little sister. He's been doing it since his mother turned him out for tricks when he was fifteen. So when Britton asks Lazlo to give up his job and be with him only, Lazlo says no, but Britton doesn't allow him to explain why. It's just that Lazlo wouldn't give up his rent boy life for Britton because that, to him, would have been the height of selfishness, to do it for his own happiness at the expense of his mother and sister.

~~~
I coughed. “Well, see, back when I was younger, like fifteen, sixteen, my mom had me—” I put my hands over Katie’s ears. “—turn tricks to support her ’cause she was sick, but not sick enough for us to get welfare or nothin’, but—”
~~~

Britton is horrified when he learns of the reasons why Laz was selling himself. But all the pieces finally fall into place for him. (spoiler removed)

I loved this. I loved the feels, the sexy times, the interactions with all the characters we've gotten to know through the other stories...I just loved it all! Mary, you got me again! Right in the heart!

Greg Tremblay delivers a solid performance once again. Fans of his audio work on the series will not be disappointed, and if you haven't picked up one the audio for the Mangrove series, I highly recommend the audio - it just elevates the stories wonderfully.

RECOMMENDED!

A wonderful addition to the Mangrove series

Where does Easy Evenings rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed Mary Calmes’ novella Easy Evenings in audiobook format, and it was delightful. The story is #4 in the Mangrove Stories series, and Lazlo was introduced previously but Easy Evenings could be read as a standalone.
Lazlo splits his year into two parts. He spends six months of the year in New York as an expensive rent boy and the rest of the year is laid back Mangrove, Florida where he sells his art pieces in a little shop. Laz first meets high powered lawyer Britton in New York at a party and they begin what Britton thinks is a relationship, but that is crossing a line that Laz set for himself. They have sex, they fight, they make up, they fight, and finally Laz realizes that he has to end it and he walks out. Despite his determination to keep his life as a rent boy neatly and separately boxed up, Laz feels badly about what he’s done to Britton.
So, when Laz runs into Britton in Mangrove he thinks he can start up where they left off. Nothing of the kind, as Britton quickly demonstrates. Then the unexpected happens, in the form of Laz meeting a little girl who turns out to be his daughter, and Laz needs the attorney side of Britton to help him through this muddle.
So, is this a sweet romance where the bad boy with a child lives happily ever after with the good guy? Or, is this a bittersweet story in which the bad boy is too set in his ways and determined to go it alone to allow another man or a child into his life? Oh, come on. It’s Mary Calmes! You have to read this one to find out how we get to the HEA, because it isn’t an easy journey. Loved it. Recommend it. Highly.

What about Greg Tremblay’s performance did you like?

Greg Tremblay is an outstanding narrator, who is able to distinguish among the characters with subtle differences in his tone. His reading of the book is smooth and allows the listener to relax into the story. He has read other m/m stories by some of my favorite authors and I enjoyed listening to this one very much.

Stupid story plot

Any additional comments?

Arg! This story trope is so stupid! And what I'm annoyed about is "the surprise of his life" the blurb talks of, and I can't say what it is because of accidentally spoiling it for someone.Let me just say that your life doesn't immideately becomes perfect because of that happens to Lazlo and the behavior of someone is so unrealistic that it just pissed me off.No one acts or talks like it, okay!
The story plot and trope was stupid, the romance was stupid, and the angst was stupid.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Even Tremblay didn't managed to salvage this stupid story.