Stand in Place

By: Mary Calmes

Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux

Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

#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.

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.

Heartwarming

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

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

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.

Narrator

Greg Boudreaux is a fabulous narrator. I choose most of my audio books based on Greg reading them. His voice is amazing and lovely to listen to. Greg puts emotion into all the stories and I just love him.

This was a lovely story and I didn't want it to end

Loved it, Loved it

not really a story

This is the one single main character Mary Calmes always writes about. A man returns to his childhood town and starts renovating a witch's special garden. Everyone in the small town flocks to him to tell him how great he is and tries to be his friend. He forgives and hugs everybody telling him how sorry they are about the past. The love interest only gets a few paragraphs more then the rest of the townspeople.
Nothing else happens.

One strange thing is: the day he starts working dozens of helpers arrive and start working. How does everyone know what to do? And how come, the local garden center has all the plants and trees he wants available that day?

Speachless 😍

I love Mary's books and always get excited when I see a new title from her, but she totally blew me away with this one!
The world building was exquisite, I could clearly see Jo's garden in my head, vivid greens and blues and golds of summer, if I closed my eyes I was sitting on the porch with them feeling the sun on my skin. This is an epic love story, of overcoming overwhelming childhood hurt but written in such a way that you feel little in the way of angst and connect positively with the characters. I loved it, loved it loved.
Greg B was fabulous 😍 he conveys such a range of emotion in the voice for each of the characters without losing the 'feel' of that character. He acts the story, bringing it to life - this is not just about words on a page, I was so sad that this fabulous performance brought to me by these two amazing talented people came to an end. More please! 😘🤗

Cumbersome start

I couldn't seem to get past the cumbersome start to reach the actual story despite the excellent narrator and the interesting blurb. I've been spoilt by having some excellent Josh Lanyon books lately after which it's hard for other writers to compare.

Gave up after 40 mins.

DISAPPOINTING

Wonderful Audiobook

I really loved this book when I first read it and even more here as an audiobook. Kaenon is a wonderful man with a lot of unresolved feelings. I loved how this book, both heals him (and us as we go through this with him), show the strength of love, through family and roots, as well as beautiful relationships. I always enjoy Greg Boudreaux's narrations, but this one took the crown. He was perfect, especially in the very emotional parts, that wouldn't have had as much impact if it wasn't for the way he is able to bring the characters to life. Really loved it and will listen to this on repeat

Great writer

This book was very interesting and engaging, another good book from Mary calmes.cant wait to listen to more of her books.