Stand in Place

De: Mary Calmes

Narrado por: Greg Boudreaux

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

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

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

I love this book.

This book is a whole a$$ mood. It's basically a grown up version of The Secret Garden, but for the LGBTQ+ community. I'm in awe of the storytelling and how the theme of forgiveness just bleeds into every word Calmes has written. It's easily one of my favorite places to retire when I'm feeling sad or overwhelmed. It's technically a romance, but idk, it feels like so much more than that. I'm already eager to listen to this book again.

A great story highly recommend!

I love Mary Calmes books and this one didn't disappoint. Greg Boudreaux did and excellent job narrating and brong the story to life.

Just Beautiful!!

I absolutely love this story. Mary Calmes and Greg Boudreaux are such a great Duo when they get together and create stories such as this. I was hoping that this wasn't going to end in a sad way but it definitely ended in a way that I could have planned out better myself. This story is all about escaping the bad just to come back and face it and realize things are not always still as bad as they seemed before. The trip started with the MC coming to see his grandmother and take care of her needs, and then ended with a love he never expected to find. A truly beautiful book that I will be listening to more times in the future like I do with all my Mary Calmes books.

Another great book by Mary Calmes

As with all of Mary’s books, this book has great character detail, great relationships, a lot of romance, some sex, and a real sense that these characters have been well thought out.

Almost too feel good it seemed unrealistic

Let me start by saying the narrator did an excellent job performing the book. The characters were really likable, and the story itself was very heartwarming. However, with what the main character went through in the past, it just seemed a bit forced that this Texas country town turns into the Brady Bunch. Everyone in the book who had been so mean to the main character before were begging him to stay in town and were doing favors left and right. Guilty consciences? Maybe. But it seemed so prevalent I was waiting for people to burst out in a musical. There was little to no conflict, everything just all works out.

If you want a really happy, fluffy, feel good story, this is the book for you. Maybe the cynic in me likes a bit more friction or maybe I wasn’t born with a forgiving heart, but with the way events play out it makes me question what they’re putting in the water to make everyone so forgiving and understanding. It’s a very cute story, and it made me laugh sometimes, but it had me saying “oh, come on” more than anything.

You need this story

I don't know you, but I hope you take seriously what I have to say here.

If you’re into a man who likes men and you are in dire need of a little romance, of a story that will surprise you, this is it. Between Mr. Bourdreaux’s smooth voice and Ms. Calmes easy style, you’re going to listen to this thing until it ends far too fast.

But when it ends, it will leave you a better person.

Just What I Needed

I simply loved this book. Greg Boudreaux's narration of this story was brilliant. Of course, my favorite character was Jo. I have not laughed so much or so hard from a book in a long time. When the book ended, I was sad and it's 8 hours and 39 minutes long. I will definitely look for other books by Mary Calmes and hopefully she continues to have Greg Boudreaux read her works.

All's well that ends well!

This is the third book by Mary Calmes I've read and have marveled at her talent.

She writes dialogue so true to life, . Her fast paced , laugh out loud banter is a joy to read, and tender , tear inducing emotional , beautiful scenes wonderfully done as weii.

Lest we forget she writes some hot and heavy sex scenes too, but even those can be touched with a bit of humor and emotion.

Stand in Place is a character rich story centered on deep pain, reconciliation and healing, the telling of which makes for a most delightful, rewarding read.