Author: Mary Calmes
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages/Word Count: 244 Pages
At a Glance: OMG YOU GUYS!! THIS BOOOOOOK!!
Reviewed By: Jules
Blurb: Deputy US Marshals Miro Jones and Ian Doyle are now partners on and off the job: Miro’s calm professionalism provides an ideal balance to Ian’s passion and quick temper. In a job where one misstep can be the difference between life and death, trust means everything. But every relationship has growing pains, and sometimes Miro stews about where he stands with his fiery lover. Could the heartstrings that so recently tied them together be in danger of unraveling?
Those new bonds are constantly challenged by family intrusions, well-intentioned friends, their personal insecurities, and their dangerous careers—including a trial by fire when an old case of Miro’s comes back to haunt them. It might just be enough to make Ian rethink his decision to let himself be tied down, and Miro can only hope the links they’ve forged will be strong enough to hold.
Review: I fell HARD for Miro Jones (still the coolest damn name ever) and Ian Doyle in Mary Calmes’s first Marshals book, so when I found out about Fit to be Tied, I was ridiculously excited. More Miro and Ian could be nothing but Win, right?? Well, of course the answer was ‘Right’. I absolutely loved this book. BUT, instead of doing my usual Mary Calmes book flail – you know the one I mean…OMG YOU GUYS!! THIS BOOOOOOK!! – I wanted to keep it reeled in. So, I’m doing organized gushing (it’s a thing) instead. :) In three parts: Miro My Hero; Dr. Hartley, I presume?; and, The Evolution of Ian (and Miro).
Here we go!
Miro My Hero:
Miro’s heroism in this book knows no bounds. Sort of like my love for him. Ha! Seriously, though, he is beyond strong. Beyond brave. I love the fact that he is ALWAYS thinking about everyone else, and about doing the right thing. And, I love that he knows what he wants, and isn’t afraid to ask for it. There are many places in Fit to be Tied where Miro is different levels of heroic, but there were three standout scenes for me: First, at Ian’s father’s birthday party, he takes care of Ian, making him feel centered and loved after he is completely disregarded by his stepsiblings and stepmother during a video presentation to their father. He then angrily dresses down the stepsister and stepbrother, again showing Ian how important he is.
Next, there is in incident where Miro and Ian save a couple of kids that desperately need help. Miro doesn’t do this singlehandedly – Ian is indispensable as his backup, as usual – but, if it weren’t for Miro giving the little boy attention and treating him like he mattered, while everyone else ignored him, the kids would not have been saved. And, finally, there is a pivotal scene where he has to dig deeper than he has ever dug before, where he shows what it truly means to be a survivor, which will fully blow you away.
Dr. Hartley, I presume?
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to mention Dr. Hartley. I think anyone who has read All Kinds of Tied Down, as well as this book’s blurb, knows that he is going to be somehow involved in the story. Now, I’m obviously not going to tell you how he is involved in the story, but I do want to talk about him. You guys won’t believe how creeptastic this guy is. Mary has KILLED it with this storyline. The things that go on in his head…the things he puts Miro through – as well as anyone in his path, really – are just…*shudders* If she wants to write more of this type of stuff, I fully approve, because WOW.
The Evolution of Ian (and Miro):
I love where Ian ends up in this book. His growth, and really their growth together, is fantastic. He never backs down from anything, as we know; he has to be that way for his job, both as a marshal, and a Green Beret. As this story progresses, though, his eyes begin to open to what it truly means to be with someone, in every sense, not just as partners on the job. This line during an argument with Miro is everything:
“No!” he roared. “Before anything else you’re my life you stupid prick!”
He evolves sexually as well as emotionally, also learning to ask for, and take, what he needs in bed. Their chemistry is just as explosive as it was in the first book, perhaps even more so as Ian becomes a little more…adventurous.
So, yeah, I loved this book. The ongoing disagreement regarding their relationship status was a wee bit repetitive for me a couple of times, but that was just a tiny ripple on a sea of awesome. Run as fast as you can to read this book.
In closing, I’ll leave you with one final two-word reason…Sam Kage.
You can buy Fit to Be Tied here:
I just (yesterday) read All Kinds of Tied Down and loved it. So when i saw that DSP had a pop-up sale (30% off entire store) just now i couldn’t help myself and bought Fit to be Tied :) I look forward in reading the sequel, especially after your review.