Reviewed by Susan Lee
TITLE: Parting Shot (Book #7)
SERIES: A Matter of Time
AUTHOR: Mary Calmes
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 264 pages
BLURB: Life has never been easy for Duncan Stiel. His childhood was the stuff of nightmares, and his day job as an undercover police officer forces him to hide his true self and occasionally lands him in the hospital. So when he finally meets the perfect man, it comes as no surprise that everything falls apart around him. What Duncan doesn’t expect is that the hardest hurdle to get over before he can make a life with Aaron Sutter is the one inside himself.
Everyone thinks Aaron has it all—looks, money, fame, and success beyond measure. Everyone, that is, except Aaron. At the end of the day, the cameras stop flashing, friends go back to their own lives, company business is handled, and Aaron is always alone. The moment he meets Duncan Stiel, Aaron knows he’ll do anything to hold onto the larger-than-life detective. But when he realizes money won’t buy him the ultimate happiness, Aaron needs to find the strength to give Duncan something much more important—his heart.
REVIEW:
I don’t know that anyone would describe Mary Calmes books as plot-driven. I mean, in all honesty, you read MC for the formula. And when the formula is there, her fans enjoy her book. And when she strays, well, the results can be disastrous.
Parting Shot is book 7 of the Matter of Time series…the formula-maker series…the original Jory & Sam. But, this story is actually a spin-off and the couple consists of Aaron Sutter, Jory’s former billionaire suiter, and Duncan Stiles, who, quite frankly, I don’t really remember from previous books…but, another closeted cop. I, in all honesty, did NOT like Aaron in the past. I thought he was a jerk and basically wanted him to get out of the way of our power couple. So, I was hesitant to read this.
And though being part of the MoT series, this book does NOT stick to the exact formula. *gasp*! This can NOT possibly go well.
…but…
I LOVED IT!
Ok, ok…I didn’t love the PLOT…it was ALL over the place and the story was a stretch, even by MC standards. What I DID love was this COUPLE! And brace yourselves: this is NOT Jory&Sam v2.0. Aaron and Duncan are 2 alphas (well, kinda…in their own ways), 2 tops (usually…first time for everything…switch!), 2 strong-willed, stubborn men (both closeted at the beginning of their relationship as well)…who turn to putty and mush in the other’s company. It’s kind of the SWEETEST thing ever!!!!
They are needy and insecure and co-dependent and whiney with each other…and I ate that sh*t up! It’s insta-obsession/love, it’s totally over-the-top, and it’s HOT and ADORBS and I want more of them!!!!!
There is a Sam Kage sighting early on in the book (happpppyyyy!) and many references to Jory throughout (duh…Jory is the topic of everyone’s conversations and the center of everyone’s universes, donthaknow!) And it was just good to get some more of our power couple. (There is also a heart-settling scene for me where Sam explains his past “relationship” with Doctor Kevin Dwyer to Duncan. I needed this.)
There are “mine”-declarations and eyebrow waggles (though I don’t recall a peacoat ) so you KNOW it’s MC. And there is definitely bend-you-in-half sex throughout…good stuff.
This book could possibly work as a stand-alone…but quite frankly, it will be the fans of MC and more specifically, the fans of the MoT series that will enjoy this the most. I don’t know I can recommend it to anyone because I’m not sure why I liked it so much myself! I just know…well, I did. And I’m always happy to get a little Calmes’ fix every now and again…Queen-o-Fluff very rarely lets me down.
Susan’s Rating: 
PRE-ORDER LINK: Dreamspinner Store
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