LGBT Monday: Tied Up in Knots by Mary Calmes

Author: Mary Calmes

Series: Marshals, #3

Released: September 16th 2016

Publisher: Dreamspinner
Length: 384 pages

Source: Publisher for review

Buy: Amazon
         Dreamspinner Press

Miro Jones is living the life: he’s got his exciting, fulfilling job as a US deputy marshal, his gorgeous Greystone in suburban Chicago, his beloved adopted family, and most importantly, the man who captured his heart, Ian Doyle. Problem is, Ian isn’t just his partner at work—Ian’s a soldier through and through. That commitment takes him away from Miro, unexpectedly and often, and it’s casting a shadow over what could be everything Miro could ever dream of.
Work isn’t the same without Ian. Home isn’t the same, either, and Miro’s having to face his fears alone… how to keep it together at the office, how to survive looming threats from the past, and worst of all, how to keep living without Ian’s rock-solid presence at his side. His life is tied up in knots, but what if unknotting them requires something more permanent? What would that mean for him and Ian? Miro’s stuck between two bad choices, and sometimes the only way to get out of the knot is to hold tight to your lifeline and pull. 

Mary Calmes is one of my go-to authors for passionate, rewarding romances with very little difficulty or angst and a guaranteed happily ever after. Her characters tend to be similar and her relationships are always deeply romantic and just a bit desperate, but the growly alphas and heroes everyone seems to love somehow work better for her than for anyone else.

Like the two previous books, Tied Up in Knots is told solely from Miro’s point of view. This is very typical for Mary Calmes and it works best for her. I can’t imagine her doing a dual point of view nor would I want that last bit of mystery in her love interests revealed. Miro’s voice is one we’re very comfortable with, and the familiarity becomes very comforting once he starts to unravel.

There is no doubt that Miro and Ian belong together, on or off work. As partners on the job, they understand each other without words and fit perfectly together. As partners in life, they trust each other implicitly and love with no boundaries. But life keeps getting in the way of Miro’s desires – having Ian with him always (instead of him being called to save the world as a Green Beret) is quickly becoming more than just a wish- it’s a desperate desire.

For his part, Ian wants to be with Miro and he wants them to marry, but his identity is so deeply entangled with being in Special Forces that he can’t imagine giving it up. The more he notices the consequences of his deployments, the more he feels pressured to give up this essential part of his personality. As usual, the two fight loud and dirty and make up much in the same way. Calmes succeeds in taking us alongside them through all those turbulent emotions.

Desperate love and frenzied characters are practically Calmes’ trademarks. We see Miro at his worst in Tied Up in Knots – hyperactive, sleepless and angry. There is a distance between him and Ian that was never there before, making us worry that this time, even desperate, destined love might not be enough.

Regarding the plot, I felt that too many unconnected things were happening at once. This was perhaps a result of Miro’s state of mind, but it was confusing nevertheless. Still, I love Mary Calmes even when she herself is not at her best, and this series remains one of my favorite comfort rereads.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.