mrnnprsns's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_novel_approach's review
5.0
Sleeping ‘til Sunrise is the fifth Mangrove Story, and I think one of the best. I was really looking forward to this book in the series, having met the main characters already in other books. This book really does tackle serious issues but it does so with such a matter of fact tone of voice, along with a healthy dose of humor, that as a reader you are invited to look past the issues themselves and see the men for the outstanding characters they are. Mary Calmes always seems to write about men who have an overwhelming attraction to each other, and from the first kiss onward, they each have a bone deep certainty that they were meant for one another.
Fire Chief Essien Dodd is described by his daughter as a knight in shining armor. He is just so intimidatingly good. Ess divorced his wife when he couldn’t deny his sexuality any longer, but never left hers or their daughter’s lives. He moves back in when his ex-wife is diagnosed with incurable cancer, and holds her hand as she dies. Looking for a new start, he ends up in Mangrove, Florida with his daughter, and begins to find some peace. He has sworn off men for a while, focusing instead on his snarky, wise-beyond-her-years daughter, and his career.
Pediatrician Roark Hammond is determined to stay away from the magnetic fire chief. He knows what Essien has been through, and with his recent diagnosis, he knows it would not be fair to ask the man to go through the same hell twice. But sometimes the laws of attraction are just too strong, and finally, Roark is drawn into the man’s orbit one too many times to deny the chemistry between them. Dealing with his family, his illness, and his medical practice overwhelms Roark, and Essien is just the man to pick up the pieces.
Mary Calmes is the queen of banter and this book is no exception, it just doesn’t get any better. Buy the book, buy all the Mangrove stories. They stand alone, but if you want the entire flavor of Mangrove, Florida, read the series. It’s a heartwarming little town filled with some interesting and diverse men, and will leave you with a smile.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-sleeping-til-sunrise-by-mary-calmes/
Fire Chief Essien Dodd is described by his daughter as a knight in shining armor. He is just so intimidatingly good. Ess divorced his wife when he couldn’t deny his sexuality any longer, but never left hers or their daughter’s lives. He moves back in when his ex-wife is diagnosed with incurable cancer, and holds her hand as she dies. Looking for a new start, he ends up in Mangrove, Florida with his daughter, and begins to find some peace. He has sworn off men for a while, focusing instead on his snarky, wise-beyond-her-years daughter, and his career.
Pediatrician Roark Hammond is determined to stay away from the magnetic fire chief. He knows what Essien has been through, and with his recent diagnosis, he knows it would not be fair to ask the man to go through the same hell twice. But sometimes the laws of attraction are just too strong, and finally, Roark is drawn into the man’s orbit one too many times to deny the chemistry between them. Dealing with his family, his illness, and his medical practice overwhelms Roark, and Essien is just the man to pick up the pieces.
Mary Calmes is the queen of banter and this book is no exception, it just doesn’t get any better. Buy the book, buy all the Mangrove stories. They stand alone, but if you want the entire flavor of Mangrove, Florida, read the series. It’s a heartwarming little town filled with some interesting and diverse men, and will leave you with a smile.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.com/review-sleeping-til-sunrise-by-mary-calmes/
teenykins's review
2.0
2nd re-listen. I cleared my rating because I DNFd at 49% aka 1hr and 5 mins, and the F stands for F THIS.
I'm prefacing this by saying that I wasn't in the best of moods when I started this so rant-y review is what you are getting:
This story epitomizes everything that annoys me in Mary's books, so much so that I'm dropping ratings, not finishing her books and dropping her from one of my favorite authors! It's a constant pattern of hers that I wish she would break because it makes even the contemporary stories so unrealistic, farfetched and not relevant to me that I can't connect nor relate to them.
From the point that Essien while internally monologuing told us how beautiful a specimen of manhood everyone thought he was since he was 16 and how he could have everyone he wanted but he is so humble and never put on airs and how the same way Roark is, I checked out of the story so much so that when I came back a BJ was on the works and I have no idea (or recollection from previous reads) how it came about.
But the straw that broke the camel's back was when Essien told us how of course the wedding favors of a salt of the earth couple were put into organic and biodegradable bags as well as everything that went into them was the same. At that point I was out!
Yes representation matters but there are more subtle, artful, weave into the story ways to go about it than an anvil to the face kind of way.
The numerous all good, excellent people, with amazing talents and charisma that are so beautiful and humble and don't see their own awesomeness, and how quickly and easily they click with either MC and be BFFs in seconds. All the green, clean energy and living because they don't have living expenses and apparently it rains money where they live, all the perfection in her stories.... it's just not realistic. There is nothing to connect me with this people, with their realities, their lives, their experiences.
And with that I'm done with the story and the series.
I'm prefacing this by saying that I wasn't in the best of moods when I started this so rant-y review is what you are getting:
This story epitomizes everything that annoys me in Mary's books, so much so that I'm dropping ratings, not finishing her books and dropping her from one of my favorite authors! It's a constant pattern of hers that I wish she would break because it makes even the contemporary stories so unrealistic, farfetched and not relevant to me that I can't connect nor relate to them.
From the point that Essien while internally monologuing told us how beautiful a specimen of manhood everyone thought he was since he was 16 and how he could have everyone he wanted but he is so humble and never put on airs and how the same way Roark is, I checked out of the story so much so that when I came back a BJ was on the works and I have no idea (or recollection from previous reads) how it came about.
But the straw that broke the camel's back was when Essien told us how of course the wedding favors of a salt of the earth couple were put into organic and biodegradable bags as well as everything that went into them was the same. At that point I was out!
Yes representation matters but there are more subtle, artful, weave into the story ways to go about it than an anvil to the face kind of way.
The numerous all good, excellent people, with amazing talents and charisma that are so beautiful and humble and don't see their own awesomeness, and how quickly and easily they click with either MC and be BFFs in seconds. All the green, clean energy and living because they don't have living expenses and apparently it rains money where they live, all the perfection in her stories.... it's just not realistic. There is nothing to connect me with this people, with their realities, their lives, their experiences.
And with that I'm done with the story and the series.
alicamj's review
4.0
Yay for firefighters, snarky daughters, and doctors who try and fail to resist the sexy firefighters. I enjoyed this book and now that I'm done with the series, I shall go back and read them all again.
relly's review
3.75
3.75 Stars
Audiobook Review
I didn't mind listening to this one.
Essien is a good character and I enjoyed his friendship with Dwyer and Takeo.
I also really like Roark. I felt for him with his reasons and understood why he was hesitant to start anything with Essien.
Again the narrator was good
Audiobook Review
I didn't mind listening to this one.
Essien is a good character and I enjoyed his friendship with Dwyer and Takeo.
I also really like Roark. I felt for him with his reasons and understood why he was hesitant to start anything with Essien.
Again the narrator was good
terriaminute's review
5.0
This one's near perfect. You need to've read the rest to follow the group scenes very well, but as they're all great to pretty good, it's not a hardship.
mearias's review
3.0
It's only 56 pages (with about 20 pages of crap at the end), so that made me unhappy, but it's typical Mary Calmes and she's my crack.
All the characters are predictable and enjoyable. The story also falls under her same pattern, but as always, I love it all.
If you don't enjoy her, you won't find this to be your cup of tea. However, if you're like me, this will be a good way to spend some time.
All the characters are predictable and enjoyable. The story also falls under her same pattern, but as always, I love it all.
If you don't enjoy her, you won't find this to be your cup of tea. However, if you're like me, this will be a good way to spend some time.
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