Blue Days (Mangrove Stories, #1) [Dwyer & Takeo] by Mary Calmes

This short novella was SO SWEET and endearing! I LOVED it! I loved the fact that even though the romantic part of this novella was right at the very end I could totally accept that because they were already close friends and we see that happen little by little. 

The story begins with a change of management in the company Dwyer Knolls works at. He expects to be fired for the big project he lost, but actually the new management considered it a failure to support his vision which actually cost the company a lot of money. Now they are willing to give him a big chance and promote him. The company gets "help" from the Japanese branch and so Dwyer gets a new partner. Not the hot one he wanted to get.. but actually a partner who fast becomes a good friend and the best partner. 



The one he wanted and didn't actually get is Takeo Hiroyuki and NO ONE wants him.. He is awkward and annoying. He says all the wrongs things and is concerned with the details and fails to see the bigger picture... and yet Dwyer sees in him much more than a pretty face or his social failures, he sees the shyness, the vulnerability it truly appeals to him. He wishes others would see Takeo as he sees him but it's seems he's the only one who wants to make the effort. 

As time goes by (I guess it's somewhere around 3 years) Dwyer and Takeo are actually friends but there is still a sort of distance between then now that Takeo has a higher position at the firm. It changes the dynamics between them though it doesn't change Dwyer's interest in Takeo. When they find themselves flying to the small town of Mangrove to oversee a land possibility they are finally on their own and so they open up to one another. Dwyer is surprised to realize their feelings are mutual but though it's perfect for them when they are in a small B&B at Mangrove finding a way to make a life together with their current occupation means they need to make some difficult decisions. 

I LOVED Dwyer and how actually sweet he is. Seeing Takeo from his eyes was beautiful beyond words. There aren't a lot of people who can look at a person and see the goodness and leave behind the judgment but Dwyer can and he does it with such a tender heart - to read this novella from his eyes was heart warming truly. Takeo also cared for Dwyer but since we don't get his POV we can only work with the gestures he makes towards Dwyer which for me were clear as to how much Dwyer means to him. What was also endearing was the conclusion and mostly the way Dwyer explains where Taeko excels, it shows us again how much SEEING a person makes a difference as well as how someone's calling can change absolutely everything about that person's life.  

I feel as though I actually got a whole story even if it was less than 100 pages. It was somehow packed with everything that is needed - a friendship to lovers - slow on the friendship buildup and fast on the relationship part which was really fine by me. It was nice at the end reading of a familiar character - Aaron Sutton from "Parting Shot" in the "A Matter of Time" series.       

Can't wait to get into the next one! What a fun little novella. Yep! Recommended! :)

Rating: ★★★★★

E-Book Edition

97 pages

Read on: 1 Nov 2017

ABOUT THIS SERIES 

 

Mangrove Stories is a series of short Contemporary MM novellas by Mary Calmes. The novellas are mostly friendship turned to lovers in the small town of Mangrove. As the series progressed the community, and the characters from each novels reappear and makes us feel at home in the small sleepy town. I really enjoyed getting to know ALL of them, the MCs as well as the other supporting characters. 

It's a sweet comfort read really. Each novella is short but mostly feels like it tells a full story. It won't take you long to read neither of them and it would reward you with a stupid smile at the end. I found all of them to be endearing. 

Books:
1. Blue Days [Dwyer Knolls & Takeo Hiroyuki] (Published 5 November 2014) ★★★★★
2. Quiet Nights [Kelly Seaton & Cosimo Renaldi] (Published 9 February 2015) ★★★★★
3. Sultry Sunset [Hutch Crowley & Mike Rojas] (Published 15 May 2015) ★★★★★
4. Easy Evenings [Lazlo Maguire & Britton Lassiter] (Published 18 November 2015) ★★★★★
5. Sleep Till Sunrise [Essien Dodd & Roark Hammond] (Published 16 December 2015) ★★★★