Fit to Be Tied

Marshals, Book 2

By: Mary Calmes

Narrated by: Tristan James

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.

©2015 Mary Calmes (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Still love her books but

This one is a sequal so not ment to be read alone. Still not really inlove with her MCs in this book either. I dont know - apperently they are not really my type of heroes like so many others of Mary calmes characters. And perhaps i am being unfair with the Stars for had it been Any other writer, i would have been SO happy finding this story. But i guess i expect something more from her. Funny, since this is normally not a problem of hers, this sequal seems to take forever to get started. So the main story seems to start when u are halfway through the book. So all in all not her best. TJ still amazing narrator

Miro and Ian's 2nd book

Tristan James does a very good job in narration here, apart from the times I had trouble distinguishing his voices for Ian and Miro. His Harley voice is especially creepy. Apart from the Mary Calmes-oriented details of the story that instead of enhancing the story it totally throws you out of it, I loved listening to how Ian and Miro are progressing in their relationship. This installment began with Ian and Miro being in two different places in the relationship, quite a bit of tension and drama. Miro is trying to feel solid ground under his feet now that he has everything he ever wanted and Ian is being a bit obstinate, not understanding why Miro needs what he needs and not willing to compromise. And then bam! Dark things happen when Miro gets kidnapped and Ian is put in Miro's shoes and see his point. Still I think it's too early, after 6 months of living together to go that route, but what do I know, they've been partners at the job for years.

I was not ready. Thrilling, Arousing, and Sinister

I don't like discussing blatant details in reviews so that being said. I was horrifically and splendidly surprised to see, "he", was a main focus in this entry. "He", definitely added to the plot and his presence gave some pretty good structure. To give you a better almost explicit idea of what's in store. If you've ever seen the move, "Kiss the girls", this reminds me very heavily of that. It's not similar but, thematically it's there.

This listen German suplexed me through a world of emotions I was not ready to face. I was not ready, good lord was I not ready for this.

There's a healthy mix of emotions that you are going to feel and witness the characters be subject to. This entry from Calmes definitely makes listeners aware not everything is sunshine and rainbows. It reminds listeners of the very real fact that they are indeed US Federal Marshall's and the hazards they face are very real.

This listen is significantly darker than the prior, "All Kinds of Tied Down", much much darker and a lot more personal. There's action, strife, hopelessness, peril, and death I'd even say regret, and some resentment. Demons and Skeletons are knocking on closet doors... But no one has snapped...yet.

I would theme this book as trials and tribulations. Many characters are on edge, some are even splitting at the seams, others are oblivious but no one, no one is aloof or afforded the bliss of ignorance. I do think some characters took the events in stride a little too well but, I think the bruises and lashes are a fair trade off. Some scraped knees maybe a broken bone. They've all gone through a lot.

The two emotions however missing in this listen were Anger and Fear. There was great frustration and...dismay but not fear and anger. I can safely say that they are missing but I would still theme this book as trials and tribulations...and no one is spared from that. People have definitely been worn down...there were some serious decisions made by some that reflect that; tread starting wear thin...starting to lose traction and control on situations but...like I said no one has snapped...yet.

However...please note considering this is all from Miro's perspective...you have to remember that you are in his head. What this entry does do very well is lay out how incredibly misguided Miro is. I feel it's too easy to be overlooked becasue it's a pervasive characteristic about him but in this entry I think it demonstrates a lot on not how oblivious he is, Miro is not oblivious but he is indeed very misguided. I'll let you ague he is oblivious by consequence of being so misguided which is a child of his obsessive nature. You see a lot of that nuance in characterization however, this in my opinion very heavily exposes how misguided Miro is and really solidifies how listeners understand Ian. He definitely gains some depth but you see this through the lens of Miro's misguidance.

From my last review to this one I had a hunch about a specific character...looking forward I am anxiously suspicious because I see smoke. Trouble in paradise? No, there's fire in the woods.

Tristan my dude...you will never see this but good lord. You make it so real...--it's so believable. I love it I absolutely LOVE it.
I get so lost in this mans voice . When he speaks for Ian I just pine that I could Miro. Oh God...I wish. And every time I hear, "he rumbled", I just melt. Tristan's voice is exactly that. That sensual rumble that is arresting but in the sort of, 'don't play coy, I know you want this', kind of way. Sexy cocky confident.

Great series

This book is just as good the 3rd time as it was the first. Ian and Miro are great characters. The recovery from injuries is rushed quite a bit, but it's fiction.

Another awesome story and narration!

In All Kinds of Tied Down Miro and Ian discovered that their friendship was way more than that. They discovered that they loved one another and are just starting on this relationship (6 months down the line) in Fit to be Tied.

We start the book off, right away, with Miro and Ian in a bit of a fight because Ian cannot understand why Miro would want to get married. Miro knows Ian is it for him and knows Ian knows that, too. To Miro the next logical step is a ring and a ceremony and forever. They already own the house together, they’re out at work, their family knows… what else could be more logical?

Ian, however, has his own reasons for not wanting the ring or the ceremony. His typical inability to articulate this makes for a bit of conflict between the two – nothing so strident as to make them split up – but definitely some hurt feelings.

And of course there are people out there doing bad things that Miro and Ian have to stop. In particular there is an evil doctor who escapes prison and lets Miro know he’s next in line for revenge. (Remember that Miro gets hurt, like every other second, so of course he gets injured again in this book, too!)

And of course Ian gets called on duty and Miro has to wait on pins and needles til he makes it home safe and sound.

And there’s Sam. *Sigh He’s such a bad ass! He sticks up for Miro when the FBI want to do some crazy stuff and he kicks serious butt when danger presents itself. He’s frickin’ awesome (but we knew that) and it was so much fun to see this side of him in action! (I wonder if even Jory realizes exactly how bad ass he truly is?!?!)

Of course the sex between Ian and Miro is smokin’ hot and I will tell you… it gets even hotter!

Poor Ian is faced with his father’s new family and their complete ignorance of him and his mother and Miro has to make things right… this part almost made me cry.


And finally, there’s Chickie – The Most Bad Ass Dog To Ever Live! Chickie saves the day – again – and Ian has to decide who is the best home for him. (This becomes quite symbolic in the overall scheme of things and Miro has to show Ian how nobody can be better for Chickie than Ian himself.)

**

I just love Mary Calmes – I’m a crazy fangirl – so I was ecstatic to read another installment of the couple that are rapidly becoming one of my all time favorite couples.

The dynamic between Ian and Miro goes from being mostly new and sexual to a solid relationship based on love and emotion with honest problems and concerns (and over the top danger!) and sincere worries and strife. It was great watching their relationship grow and mature and the ending leads me to believe (desperately hope!) for at least one more installment in their adventure.

I cannot give this enough praise or stars so I will give it 6 of 5 stars and trust you to figure out that it was frickin’ awesome and amazing and wonderful and … you get the idea!



Audio

Tristan James outdoes himself here. The emotion, the accents, the pacing. So. Amazing. The part where Miro is taken… totally crying… what an amazing way to experience this book. Highly recommended.

6 of 5 stars

Great story. Great narration.

Action, romance, suspense, a serial murderer, and so much more. One of my favorite book series, and the narration is excellent for this series.

Great Followup Book

Love the ongoing love story of Miro and Ian. I especially loved the outcome of the face off with the one criminal trying to kill Miroslav!

As always Tristan James' narration made the story come to life.

Non stop action and a sizzling love story.

Fit to Be Tied is the second book in the Marshals series by Mary Calmes. The books in this series must be listened to in order and, as good as they are, this is no hardship. The combination of this author and narrator Tristan James makes for a superb listening experience, with an edge of your seat storyline perfectly told.

In Fit to Be Tied we revisit Deputy US Marshal’s Miro Jones and Ian Doyle, with Ian now living openly with Miro and both men adjusting to their knew dynamic. As young hotshot Marshals these men are known for their ability to work brilliantly together to take down the worst kind of fugitives, but with Ian still being deployed to special ops, and Miro left behind to continue on with a different partner, all is not perfect between them. Fear and jealousy can make for powerful feelings and they’ll need to remember who they’re fighting for if this relationship is to work. Trusting each other will be paramount, both on and off the job.

When a psychopath from Miro’s past returns both men are sent to Arizona to keep them out of harms way. This results in some very funny scenes with their new temporary boss. These guys are like superheroes to me and I loved that they refused to change their MO regardless of the consequences! I love all the kickass save the day moments, and I really love how their real boss, the delectable Sam Kage, is always there to back them up, no matter what. When the psychopath finds them, and uses an insider against Miro, it will take all his strength and skill to survive. Having the love of his life to fight for might just give Miro the strength he needs.

There is so much depth to a Mary Calmes novel. All the background characters add layers to Miro and Ian’s story. From their adorable dog to Miro’s college girlfriends, Cabot and Drake, the other Marshals and did I mention Sam Kage. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, if you haven’t read or listened to the Matter of Time series you are seriously missing out. These other characters in the story add humour, back stories and more to the MC’s narrative making for an even more compelling listen.

Mary Calmes never disappoints and I found listening to book two in the series even better than the first, which is saying something because I loved All Kinds of Tied Down. Tristan James does a superb job of bringing all of the characters to life, completely drawing the listener into the story. His voice acting is flawless and you are never taken out of the scene by missteps or inappropriate voices, male or female. The combination of this author and her narrator is perfect to my ear.
I hated being forced (sleep and food are overrated) to take a break from listening to Fit to Be Tied until it’s highly satisfying (in more ways than one) conclusion.
Highly recommended.

Marvelous Marshals!!

Great character development and love story. It's always a treat to spend time with Ian , Miro and their crew!

Intense and Emotional, but so worth the ride.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Hell yes! It's fantastic. Intense and emotional without all the angst. Hilarity and sexy, passionate mens. It's pretty much a no brainer.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Miro, of course. The story is told from his POV, so you are always inside his head. I love listening to how fiercely he loves Ian, how he would rather die at the hands of the crazy man that has him, than risk Ian being put in harms way for a minute.

Which scene was your favorite?

TeeHeeHee, up against the door.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but it's a bit long, took a couple days. I will, however, be listening to this one again and again, it was that good.

Any additional comments?

US Marshalls Ian Doyle and Miro Jones have transitioned to partners, both on and off the job, fairly easily. The problem they face isn't hiding their relationship, their boss Sam Kage is fully aware as are most of their other co-workers. The bump in the road is their divided views on marriage. Miro wants to put a ring on it, he wants people to see that band on Ian's finger and know that is spoken for, that he belongs to someone already. He wants the house, the 2 car garage, maybe even kids. Ian, however, does not. He feels that they are already committed and promised to each other, why do they need rings and a piece of paper.

Unfortunately for them, the bad guys don't seem to want to take a day off. They are stuck on cases, stakeouts, teaming up with other law enforcement to catch a few of said bad guys and then Ian gets deployed. At this point in the story, there is some serious comic relief when Miro takes Chickie to the vet (for those unfamiliar Chickie is Ian's BIG dog that people often mistake for a wolf) and gets held up at gun-point when leaving the clinic. Hilarity ensues, and I now know that was just to give us a breather for what was coming. A case Miro worked when he was still a detective that left him with permanent scars, both inside and out, resurfaces. And the killer is coming back for the one that got away.

This book was emotional, hysterical, intense and passionate. Ian and Miro may not agree on the whole getting married thing, but the one thing that is never in question is their love and commitment to one another. They argue and debate the pros and cons of marriage like two grown men that would discuss an issue, but there is absolutely zero angst, thank god! The banter back and forth between them is hysterical, definitely some comic relief going on throughout. Even when Miro is in the clutches of Mr. Crazy, he still comes up with dry, witty comebacks. There was so much growth in this story from both sides. Their relationship has always been a series of give and take, very supportive of each other regardless. Ian comes to realize that all the reasons he had for not getting married aren't as important as he thought they were. While Miro has to learn that even if he can't be Ian's partner at work, Ian will still want to come home to him, to lean on him.

Narrated by Tristan James, lord I love this mans voice. There were a lot of characters in this story and James made sure that every character had their own voice. Doyle's New Yorker accent is amazing and cracks me up, Miro is the usually level headed tone that occasionally looses that well maintained control. What I find most intriguing is Sam Kage. I have to wonder if James didn't listen to the Matter of Time series that was narrated by another great voice over artist, Paul Morey, because the voice he uses for Sam Kage is almost identical to the way Morey's voices the character. The marriage of Mary Calmes and Tristan James is perfectly flawless, in my opinion.

If you are a fan of cop stories, intense and emotional reads, men that fight hard and stop at nothing to get their GD happy ever after... you really should consider this series. If you haven't either read or listened to the first book, you have to start there, this is a continuation. Definitely worth a listen.

Side note: I adore Chickie! I want one!!!