Timing

BTW - Can I just gush over the new cover for a minute? I love it so much!

The sheer number of times I've reread this series makes me have to bump it up to 4 stars. Damnit, but Stef and Rand get me every time.

Stefan is damn-near perfect: he's gorgeous, has inexhaustible charm (even when he's being sarcastic and snarky), everyone loves him and wants to touch him and both men and women want to be with him. His ineffable beauty and personality effortlessly wins over parents and strangers alike. His only real flaw is that he tends to disappear if someone tries to get to close, or conversely, appears to not need him anymore.

“In your head, everybody’s going to leave you, nobody sticks around, and so the second you think somebody’s bored with you or that they don’t need you, you do the patented Joss disappearing act and are never seen again.”

Rand is a practical, salt of the earth, pillar of the community who's always got all the answers and a single-minded focus. Rand has always wanted Stef, but royally screwed up their original meeting, which set the tone for the rest of their time together. Though Stef has always viewed them as enemies, Rand's actually wanted Stef for years and has now lined everything up in his life in order to finally make his play.

Their passion is explosive and Calmes makes the sex scenes scorching hot! This is a fun enemies-to-lovers romance with humor, low angst, HOT sexy times, some suspense, and a smooth flow.

Recommended.

I discovered the writing of Mary Calmes in September 2012 and I've never looked back. I read and reread the first edition of 'Timing' and fell in love with Stefan and Rand. To this day they still feature prominently on my favorite couples list. I love the new cover and I already know how much I love the book. It is a joy to be able to read these guys and their love story again.

Stefan met his best friend Charlotte when the admissions office made a mistake and put them as roommates. Luckily for them within a few moments it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, no matter how stunningly gorgeous her brother Rand is, their first meeting starts off on the wrong foot and deteriorates rapidly. Every single time they get near each other they hate the other more and more. Once Stefan and Charlotte graduates she never has to visit Texas and put up with Rand ever again. Until Charlotte gets married. And lies to Stefan that her brother isn't going to be there. *snort*

Stefan is THAT guy. You know who I mean. He's gorgeous, talented, charming, smart, nice, loyal, and just all-around incredible. Considering he was kicked out of his home at the age of fourteen I think that says a whole lot about his character. I agreed with Charlotte - if he'd been straight she would have married him in college. Rand is moody, hardworking, smart, gorgeous, and after you get to know him, he can be charming. He's definitely loyal to his roots and the ranch that's been in the family for generations. So here I have two men, both wonderful in their own ways, and both stubborn and strong-willed. See why I loved them from the start?

“Fighting with you was all I had, you know?”
He had deliberately fought with me, antagonized me, and picked apart me and everything I did. The battles we had waged over the years, the words that had flown between us and the insults hurled… I had to wonder about the man. How had he always been able to push my buttons? I never got mad at anyone the way I did Rand Holloway. Maybe there was a reason?"

When they stop fighting and start loving… yowza is all I can say. Nothing like a hot cowboy and an equally hot willful man to get the… ummm… yeah, you know what I mean. Of course, while Stefan is dealing with the shock of everything happening so fast with Rand, he also has to deal with some bitter betrayal from a coworker, a murder, and attempted murder, all in the name of greed. It certainly brought a little extra spice to this story.

So many things that I love about this novel that they're almost hard to put in to words. It almost seems like insta-love except Stef and Rand have known each other for ten years. Yes, they've argued most of that time but the feelings have been simmering way down deep. Watching these two men be vulnerable with each other was breathtakingly beautiful and reminded me again of how amazing it is when you find the person for you. I just love this novel and since it's always been on my reread shelf, there it will stay. Thank you, Mary, again, for these men and this story. It's perfect!

Reviewed by Erin for Diverse Reader

I can't begin to tell you all how many times I've read this book. It could be 10 times, it might be even more. Timing by Mary Calmes is one of my all-time favorite comfort reads and this second edition is already on my bookshelf at home, because hello new cover! Everyone stop and stare for a moment. It's gorgeous, yeah? I'm in love with it and am SO happy that Mary is re-releasing this book and this series. If you've somehow missed out on this little gem of perfection, then I suggest you make your way to your favorite book retailer and fix that immediately because you can't go without the fabulousness that is Stefan Joss and Rand Holloway.

For loyal fans of Mary Calmes, Stef will remind you a bit of Jory (who needs no clarification ever) and maybe even Tracy Brandt from Floodgates. They all have that charisma that draws in everyone around them and trouble seems to follow them wherever they go. What's different about Steff is his biting snark and his instinct to run from intimacy. Not to mention the 10 year long mortal enemies thing he has going on with hot, moody, aloof cowboy Rand Holloway. When Stef has to accompany his best friends for life Charlotte Holloway to Texas to help with her wedding, Stef is dreading running into Rand. In fact he vows that he will do everything in his power to see the man as little as possible. This is a Mary Calmes book so you know how unlikely that is to happen, right? You see, while Stef views Rand as his mortal enemy, Rand views Stef as the one person he wants above all others. Sure their first meeting was a disaster of epic proportion and things haven't gotten any better since then, but that doesn't mean that Rand hasn't been making plans. Because he has, and now that Stef will be in Texas and on his ranch, Rand pulls out all the stops to convince Stef he's not the man Stef believes him to be.

This book, y'all. So much fun and sweet and sexy. Seriously. There is a reason why every single time I read it, I fall in love with these two guys more and more. It has everything. Enemies to lovers. Steamy sex. Funny characters (I adore Charlotte's finace', Ben!) and in typical Mary fashion there's a bit of suspense thrown in the mix, too, just to add that little something. Sure Timing is a little over the top. Sure there's insta love, but really, you'll love Stef and Rand so much you won't even care. I love the history between these two. I love how once Stef sees a different side of Rand, he falls so completely for him. I love their chemistry and passion. I love how growly Rand is and how Stef really doesn't take his shit, and gives as good as he gets.

You need this book in your life, people. Trust me. It'll be a book you go back to over and over and over again. If not for Stef and Rand then to just look at that cover!