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Stand in Place  By  cover art

Stand in Place

By: Mary Calmes
Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux
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Publisher's summary

One summer won’t be enough....

Kaenon Geary was done fighting the small minds in his sleepy Texas town when he made his escape and never looked back. But now, for the first time in more than a decade, he’s returned to Braxton to spend the summer with his beloved grandmother - her final summer - and no longer recognizes the home he’d left behind all those years ago.

Everything has changed.

Everything but the man he’s never stopped wanting.

Brody Scott was the local football hero who became a gridiron champ, but he retired from the fast lane to forge a new life as the Chief Constable of Braxton. He longs to put down roots in the community he is now sworn to protect. Though he’s not at all sure he can protect his heart from the quiet, earnest boy he once knew. The boy who has come back a man.

Starting something would be a mistake. Kaenon plans to fly away at summer’s end, but his love is something Brody desperately wants to have...and to keep. Their days together are numbered. Unless some simple hometown magic can make all the right things bloom and show them the true definition of love.

©2019 Mary Calmes (P)2019 Mary Calmes
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

What listeners say about Stand in Place

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    472
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Words can't describe my love for this book!

One of the things I love about Mary's books is that there is angst, but not necessarily between the love interests. There's no over the top storylines or will they or won't they or a misunderstanding that takes chapters to resolve. While those can be fun, they can also be tiresome. This was a nice love story that happens naturally with some family angst. Great story!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not even Greg can make me like this one

It's been a long time since I've read Mary Calmes, and now I remember why.

Holy crap, the descriptions. Anyone who has read Mary Calmes knows what I mean, but it was so excessive in this book that I could barely keep listening. Polo shirts with contrasting buttons and in a deep, forest green. That's one shirt!, but the descriptions are for everyone and everything. It's endless.

But it wasn't the descriptions that really killed this book for me, it was the insane way that Kaenon forgave all of his tormentors in about five seconds. All they had to do was complement him in an "aw, shucks" way, and they were best friends again. JUST NO. I've never even been through abuse like his and I felt triggered.

I rolled my eyes at how everyone loved Kaenon and found him irresistibly attractive, and how opportunities fell in his lap (because Mary Calmes). I went along with the mysticism elements because, sure. But there was no excuse for the draggy plot and half-cooked romance. I think there was an actual romance there, but I'm not sure. It went from attraction to some deep love somehow, but I must have missed the transition.

My only thing to raise this above one star was the killer narration by the always amazing Greg Tremblay. Greg is such a pro, and he really gave his book his all. I love him, and it's the only reason I bought this book in the first place, many moons ago.

Time for another long, long break from Mary.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Greg Boudreaux brings this to life.

This is a m/m romance. At the tender age of 14, the Kaenon is disowned by his parents and siblings when he comes out as gay and is subsequently taken in, raised, and loved by his grandparents and aunt. He makes a good life for himself far away from his hometown for 18 years. However, when his grandmother becomes ill and he comes back to his hometown, he learns that true love means the people who stand in place in your life and don't leave. He doesn't realize that his whole life, he has internalized his pain and anger and when he forgives, he gets his life/love back. It has a little magic in it, but not enough to be paranormal. I read this book first and then later when the audio came out, I listened to it and enjoyed it thoroughly. Greg Boudreaux does a wonderful job with this story and his voicing of the characters and their emotions (and snark) are a joy to listen to.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

OK, not a re-listen for me

4 Blue Roses
4 Blue Flames

Narrator Greg Boudreaux gave his best performance. When it works, stick to it!
I was not a fan of the book itself. I couldn't put my finger on it. I was crying at one stage, but I think we needed more magic, more garden and more miracles.
It is an OK book to listen to, but to me it was not much memorable. I won't put this one down as a re-listen.

Happy Listening

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

All The Feels

What I love most about this book is that it’s not overly angsty. But it is an emotionally charged one. What Kae went through as a young teen was awful, it was heartbreaking. But the man he become because of that is the biggest self-victory of it all.
This book is about coming home, healing, family, love and a lil touch of magic.
I was in tears in some parts, laughing out loud with Kae & Jo’s banters and fanning my face during sexy parts.
I’m looking forward to reading/listening to more of Mary Calmes’ books.
I was struggling a bit with Boudreaux’s pacing while narrating.. maybe it’s a technical issue and not actually him.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

#DenMarK 🔥🔥👏👏

This is a very good story, though it’s my first time with this author, now I have to look for her other books. And the narrator is superb. I would have given this book 5 stars but I feel its stopped all of a sudden, no appliqué.... what happened to the ground ma, or the family??? Please I need more of this story.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

You did it again

Mary Calmes is my first author who I started reading about in gay romance anytime she has something I need to read I do. Thank you, about this coming home story it's my story in a book, except I'm a woman and not gay, but I'm home and married and happy, I love my gay son ,if no one else does. This might be fiction but it's my family reality, some will support him and some wanted, but the World sees he is loving can be loved and great at doing what he do best give it love. his talent draws even his haters from the past how ironic😁 I know this story is not about my son but it feels that way thank you Mary.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heartwarming

This is such a heartwarming story. I sincerely hope there is a second book. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Too many characters

Ending
💖Happily Ever After

Comedy Level
😄Minimal Comedy

Romance
❤️Old crush, second chance.

Sex
🔥Short Sex Scenes

Misc
👨‍👨‍👧‍👦Too Many Characters (Hard to follow along)
🌲Slice of Life (no big dramatic event)
👻Supernatural

Narrator
💎Distinct Voice for Each Character
🎭Voice acting on point and matching emotion of story

Biased Review
WAY too many characters. Hard to follow along. But still a good story.

If you like this book, you might also like:
"After the Crash: A Small Town Hearts Novel" by Emma Alcott
"The Fire" by May Archer

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Too much, too little

This is really a coming home story with a relationship on the side. There was a lot going on with the MC rebuilding his family relationships and it felt underdeveloped in a lot of places. The romance seemed to be an afterthought and there’s nothing to explain why they even click together. Good narration though.

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2 people found this helpful