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Wayward

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Maksim Lenkov is certain he’s not a good man. His father isn’t, and since Maks is his second in command, then certainly, he’s just as evil. The list of sins is long, and there’s no getting around that. What’s messing him up is that despite all that, in the midst of life and death, his only friend tells him he’s been a blessing; law enforcement is treating him like he prevented more bloodshed than he caused, and everyone is concerned with doing right by him. Why? And how is Maks supposed to figure out who he is, when everything he thought he knew is suddenly turned upside down? It only gets weirder once he begins his new life in witness protection. Because if he’s a guardian angel of women and children, dogs, and one eccentric heiress, can he really be a bad man? Added into the mix is a handsome, loyal deputy chief of police, who lives next door and thinks Maks hangs the moon. Is it possible that living in hell never actually made him into the devil? Perhaps it was only a wayward life, and now it’s time to chart a new course.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2023

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About the author

Mary Calmes

120 books4,886 followers
Mary Calmes believes in romance, happily ever afters, and the faith it takes for her characters to get there. She bleeds coffee, thinks chocolate should be its own food group, and currently lives in Kentucky with a six-pound furry ninja that protects her from baby birds, spiders and the neighbor’s dogs. To stay up to date on her ponderings and pandemonium (as well as the adventures of the ninja) follow her on Twitter @MaryCalmes, connect with her on Facebook, and subscribe to her Mary’s Mob newsletter.

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5 stars
998 (49%)
4 stars
580 (28%)
3 stars
298 (14%)
2 stars
93 (4%)
1 star
39 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
Profile Image for Rielle.
569 reviews62 followers
July 27, 2023
That was cute and a bit ridiculous.

I’m not sure I’ve ever read a mob story that was so sugary sweet before. It was highly focused on the backstory and we didn’t even meet the second MC until over a quarter through the book. Then it’s immediate instalove that feels so OTT that I had to remind myself this wasn’t the omegaverse. The 80% drama was not what I expected, but not in a good way. I wanted a bit more justice in this story.

I also felt like I hardly got to know the characters at all. One MC keeps being told what kind of person they are and the other is really just a shell of character. If this was the Barbie movie, then his job would be “nice.” Like he’s the most vague sort of gentle, sweet, and steady character meant to make the other MC feel safe. It’s not bad, there just isn’t any tension. I think they finally have sex at the 90% mark and I just wasn’t into it by then.

That all said, it was still nice to read. It’s well-written and was mostly entertaining. I feel bad that I would have enjoyed more violence and a bit less fluff.
Profile Image for gina .
1,687 reviews9 followers
April 12, 2024
Why did I finish this? I should’ve dnf. Its vibe is like gay Hallmark. If you like really bad hallmark movies then you’ll like this. Also this author needs a lesson on show don’t tell. It was so bad.
Profile Image for BWT.
2,219 reviews242 followers
August 1, 2023
I want more!

I want more Maks and Gale! This didn't feel long enough to satisfy everything I still want to know and see happen to these two. I know this is supposed to be a standalone, but I can still hope for a sequel.

Single POV, action, some heat, and a happy ending.
Profile Image for Achim.
1,224 reviews75 followers
July 28, 2023
3.5
If you usually enjoy Mary Calmes' style and her idea of plausibility (where a mob clan can be powerful and rich while not dealing in drugs, guns and prostitution or where a disarranged heiress doesn't care about the hole in the floor of her bedroom or the secret reptile menagerie in her basement) but were not particularly pleased with her latest books then you're in for a treat now.

Ok, you might miss the highly protective alpha guy and the steam but you probably appreciate the absence of luxery label dropping and a less than usual cast chaos. Everything else is as it should be, still ridiculous and over the top with a weird sense of feel-good. My only issue: Maks's after-revenge situation was solved much too smoothly after a big part of the book was about the toxic relationships of a mobster family.
Profile Image for Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers.
1,164 reviews384 followers
August 8, 2023
Yet another miss. DNF 40%.

Mary Calmes is a hit or miss for me. Maybe >50% miss. Not the least bc the MCs didn’t even meet til 36%!

Maks is a ruthless mafia guy with a heart of gold apparently. Still, I expected him and the deputy (Gale) to behave more macho. They’re not. So I’m not continuing.
Profile Image for Andi.
Author 15 books247 followers
July 27, 2023
This is the best Mary Calmes book I've read on a long time. I loved the characters. I loved Maks and Gale together. I just loved the book.
Profile Image for Shelba.
2,532 reviews81 followers
July 26, 2023
This is very Classic Calmes, which I’m relieved to know she can still do. I’m soooooo glad she stuck with single POV for this — I don’t like dual POV and I don’t think she is particularly good at it.

I could have done with a little less Morkie, but the felching and the “I taste good out of your ass” line made up for having to read a bunch about a ball of floof.
Profile Image for mellismoodreads.
94 reviews3 followers
July 27, 2023
The insta love plus the MC beeing also like perfect just didn't do it for me, it just didn't match the setting in the beginning
Profile Image for Shelba.
2,532 reviews81 followers
October 20, 2023
Second reading, first time on audio. Nick J. Russo isn’t who I probably would have picked for a Bratva heir, but he did a really good job regardless. The audio was just as enjoyable as when I read it with my eyes.

I think “my cum tastes great from your ass” is probably the best line of dialogue Mary Calmes has ever written. More felching, Mary!
Profile Image for Barbara➰.
1,626 reviews428 followers
October 29, 2023
I would classify this as a semi-Mary Calmes style. I don't think I've ever read of a nice mafia guy who works at saving people even as he kills others. I felt the action was really downplayed and I would say it was nearly low-angst as well as insta-love on steriods. I liked the characters though, and I'd like to see more of them.
Profile Image for Jennifer☠Pher☠.
2,916 reviews262 followers
September 11, 2023
Ok, I feel like I just came out of a fog and I've been in many a Mary Calmes induced fog, but this one, I dunno. I feel like I am coming out of some sort of fugue state or something and I don't know if I even have processed everything that happened here. This was OUT THERE BABY! HAHA!

I think I loved the book, don't get me wrong. I mean, it was so Mary but something, I think I just needed more and maybe even more Mary? Like some of what I expect from her was missing? Maybe?

First off, I needed some justice. I am IN LOVE with this second chance or really first chance for Maks but really, I just wanted some closure from his previous life.

Second, maybe I just needed Gale to be more. I think I just am all about the growly Alpha and I needed one here. But, maybe Maks didn't. Maybe it was all just perfect.

This was the most insta of insta loves I have ever seen and I feel like I blinked and they were together and it worked but man, it left me spinning.

There was so much crazy here. So much. And everything was on hyperspeed. Blink and you'll miss it.

I think I need to read it again.
Profile Image for Riayl.
1,090 reviews41 followers
July 25, 2023
So good!

Mary's books always have a good amount of humor, but this one had me snorting out loud a few times. Going to slot this one in near the top of my list of favorite Mary Calmes' books. I also see it settling in near the top of my favorite/comfort rereads list.

Ada was awesome, probably my favorite side character in any M.C. book...well, maybe equal with Jin's best friend C....C...? Yup, no, got nothing beyond that right now, but they are neck and neck for favorite. The side characters are always awesome in Mary's books, but they just seemed even awesome-er in this one. Lots of animals. The scenes with the impressive amounts of various types of reptiles being discovered, and removed, going on in the background cracked me up.

And Ada, did I mention Ada? Well, let me mention her again. "...but there's a me-shaped hole in the living room ceiling that I fell through last Tuesday. Or Wednesday. I get the days confused..." 😂


edit: OOH! Crane, it's Crane right? Thought I was going to have to go look that up, it was driving me nuts.
Profile Image for mm_smut_reader.
86 reviews17 followers
June 19, 2024
2.5 ⭐

You know that feeling of absolute disappointment that hits you because a book could have been one of your favourites but something switched at some point and it was just a big fiasco?
This is what I felt about this book. The premise was so freaking interesting, but at like 50% it just lost its magic. The love story was flat and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the characters. It should have been more of a friendly found family book than a romance. It could have been better imo.
Profile Image for Sanna.
581 reviews18 followers
July 25, 2023
Wayward is a contemporary MM romance. HEA. Suspense. Hurt-Comfort. Mob. Crime.
Second Chance. Men in blue.

1POV, 1st person,past tense. This kindle edition 260 pages, 25th July 2023.

It's always great to get a new book by someone favourite author whose books look very much forward to, but lately there's some more misses that hits for me. In this one it all happened way too easy when the main character ended up somewhere. To the extent and in such a way that it doesn't work anymore. If the main characters never even meet until a good portion of the story has happened and the length isn't much, there's just no space for the chemistry to unfold if you concentrate instead on creating a crazy madhouse situation at that point.

Also, I don't know what happened to the iconic great chemistry but I didn't feel it at all. Without that everything feels flat.

Thirdly, the whole circustype "what kinda mad carousel this even is?!" type of situation was so overdone that it's something that belongs to a crazy comedy. It's totally overdoe, over the top. I don't know - in this story the combo that is meant to be just adorable simply isn't anymore because of how madly overdone it is. It's away from the romance.

Of course it can be a situation of "it's not you, it's me, the reader" . That said, I've no difficulty whatsoever with my stacks of favourite beloved oldies reread and reread again and again. I just didn't end up loving another new one. Not my cup of tea, didn't feel it.
Profile Image for Mirjam.
1,836 reviews111 followers
August 30, 2023



The start of this book had me excited and engaged, but than... I do not know what happen.

The story became flat and just not what I had expected. I had trouble keeping up with all the characters in Maks's life, and the pile just got higher when he arrived in Rune.

For a mob-story I was expecting way more conspiracy and action after Maks entered WITSEC but nothing, just nothing about getting revenge.
This is a sweet, insta-love story and does not lot belong in the Mob/Mafia genre.
Profile Image for Jangler.
1,002 reviews7 followers
July 27, 2023
Very Disappointing

I really got hooked into the first few chapters of this book, it was interesting and it had depth. Then it changed and everything got thrown at it but there was no detail and no depth at all. I finished it but with so many questions left unanswered. It's a shame.
Profile Image for Silkeeeeeereads.
1,433 reviews95 followers
July 27, 2023
Well…

This is almost like two books. The first half is dark and scary with the main character being with the mob. Then here comes the second half with so many fun people it’s almost ridiculous. So what does the make? A very entertaing read, that’s what.
Profile Image for Lillian.
12 reviews
July 25, 2023
Loved his one

Rapidly shot up to my top three Mary Calmes books. Love the fluff. Can't wait for the Audiobook, hoping for Greg Boudreaux or Tristan James to narrate this as well.
Profile Image for J.
3,072 reviews48 followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 10, 2023
DNF at 46%. Just not enjoying this at all. Kind of a mafia story but there's just no depth to the story telling. Cute puppies here and there but the characters are lifeless and unexciting. Sorry.
Profile Image for Terri Jones.
2,552 reviews48 followers
July 29, 2023
So, I've read quite a lot of this author's work. This is the first one not buried in but rather garnished with her quirks , and I like it. I hope whoever's editing stays. :) The MC is a typical Calmes character but I really enjoyed him and his character arc, and as usual all the other characters are great, including the dogs. Looking forward to more of this series.
Profile Image for Sara.
125 reviews7 followers
February 4, 2024
I had, not high but some, hope that it wouldn't be the same yet again, but alas, it was.
If you have never read any of her books before I'm sure it can be good-ish, but my god, she needs to get a new vocabulary and invent new characters and stop recycling everything year after year. It ALL THE SAME! And sometimes even worse! Why did I even bother 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️ 🤦🏼‍♀️
Profile Image for Natasha Niezgoda.
804 reviews243 followers
February 11, 2024
Ex-mafia-second-in-command… and he’s a totally reformed nice guy?!? Meets ex-SWAT commander and he’s an eager-beaver golden retriever?!?

This was just too sugar plum for me. It was precious and darling but it didn’t fit the atmosphere established within the storyline.

I was hoping for a “let’s partner up” in more ways than one scenario … and some more badassery. This was just V surface-level.
Profile Image for Amur Thera.
558 reviews67 followers
July 30, 2023
The good
    + Gale pursuing Maks
    + Maks accidentally becoming a town hero
    + Maks indulging Misha all the time
    + The whole reptile sanctuary/rescue thing. That was just straight-up comedy, yet it didn't feel out of place
    + Maks learning he's not a bad person
    + All the law enforcement people liking Maks and confusing the hell out of him
    + Their frank and honest communication
    + Everything was so OTT and it was great


The neutral
    o I was promised dating and wooing! And alright, Gale tried, but I wanted more wooing and less off-page communication and bonding
    o This book requires some extreme suspension of disbelief (especially the kidnapping scene), but it's totally worth it


The bad
    - Maks had a few people he loved or cared about (his brother and Sava), but there was no mention of possible contact with either of them again. I understand the difficulties involved in contacting his brother, but Sava could still be in his life in some capacity, right?
    - They only discussed (the lack of) condoms after they had penetrative sex... A bit late


Quotes
    I felt the heat spread over my face and neck, and turned my head because he just said things - nice things - to my face and expected that I could look at him and be able to meet his gaze like that was normal.

    "We're gonna date. I'm gonna woo you."



This book was really silly, honestly, but I enjoyed it a lot. Maks and Gale were very good together and even the eccentric grandma character was not constantly sexually harassing the main characters like is too often the case in books. This whole book is over the top, yet still so sweet. Would definitely recommend.
Profile Image for Jude.
985 reviews3 followers
August 10, 2023
I really enjoy Mary Calmes writing style and flow. This story was no exception. From beginning to end it flowed and pulled the reader through. The main characters in the book were nicely developed with extra depth added to Marks.

Why then a 3.5/5 (rounded to 4) instead of a 5/5? Calmes seems to struggle with context and believable details in her contemporary stories. While her paranormal stories are set in creative and solid worlds, in her contemporary stories she 'misses on the small details that would make the story world believable. In this case, the way Maks' new identity and setup is handled has way too many issues with how it happens in reality. In addition little things like - umm how did the iguanas and the cayman survive in the basement for years after Ada forgot about them? Is the vet a total cheat or just flirty? While small, these things can constantly nudge a reader out of their comfort zone and impact the flow of the story. Since I went into this story expecting those little inconsistencies or 'holes', I was able to go with the flow and enjoy until I got to the end.

If those issues had been dealt with ...... But they were not and to be honest, Calmes' quirky characters and flow will always draw me back.
Profile Image for Yvonne.
1,267 reviews47 followers
May 28, 2024
3.5⭐️ 1🌶️

“Is it possible that you’re a good man who was forced to do bad things?”

Um, I’m not quite sure where to start. First off the cover of this book is so wrong for this story. As is any notion that this is remotely a “mafia” book. While yes, Maks was a part of a mob family before going into WITSEC, his life during that time was told quickly in order to get to the main part of the story with his new identity in a small Oregon town. In retrospect not much about his past really interferes in his new life, so I can only deduce that time was taken to show that Maks deep down was not all bad.

But honestly Maks’s entire post mob life was like the Twilight Zone 🤣 And this was actually very light and fun- not laugh out loud funny, but it kind of has an Alice Winters feel in writing style.

The characters, the insta-love and plot are all pretty ridiculous and really all over the place, 🙈 so you truly can’t take anything seriously. But if you can get past that, it was pretty entertaining.🤭
7 reviews
July 26, 2023
Mary at her best

Wayward is Mary Calmes at her absolute best. Mary has a usual style and this is both a deviation from form while also being the next evolution.
The beginning was a breath of fresh air. We dont even meet the love interest Gale Malloy until the second third of the book. The beginning is treacherous and absolutely thrilling. The back half settles into Mary’s usual style which feels comforting in light of the first section. Maks a new favorite leading man. Mary has many lovely characters from her extended universe: Sam, Jory, Tracy, Jin, Duncan, Dreo etc. This one feels special… is special. Ada is a wacky gem. There are multiple kidnappings (a classic Mary feature) and I found out I too want to own sheep. Brava.
Profile Image for Bibliophiler Booknerd.
685 reviews27 followers
September 17, 2023
Prinzipiell habe ich die Geschichte gerne gelesen und Maks und Gale gemocht, aber ich fand es etwas unglaubwürdig, dass Maks gar keine Mafia Energie mehr hat und mit so krass offenen Armen überall aufgenommen wurde. Also, wenn mir mein Freund erzählen würde, dass er der Erbe einer Mafiafamilie ist und auch noch diesen Teil fast vollständig geleitet hat, wäre ich schon etwas verunsichert und würde mehr hinterfragen als Gale getan hat...Für ihn war das ganz normal als wäre er Anwalt gewesen oder etwas ähnliches Normales 🤷🏻‍♀️😅
Und zu Ada brauchen wir wirklich nicht viel sagen. Sie war weird, seltsam weird, aber eigentlich ganz charmant, obwohl ich mir auch hier mehr Geldbettler von ihrer Familienseite gewünscht hätte 😂🤷🏻‍♀️
Profile Image for Francis Alexander.
119 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2024
After a busy life in the Big City, mob boss Maks (with ks, not x. It is important.) is forced to drastically change his life when his so called best friend and his father decide they don't like him anymore. The witsec program sends him to a teeny tiny town where, upon arrival, he saves three dogs, a lady and her daughter, a kidnapped child, the house and possible life of an eccentric millionaire lady, and the heart of the local policeman. Basically, have you ever thought "gee, I wonder how it would be if the blond white business lady main character of Walmart movies forced to move to an extremely tiny town was instead a closeted gay Russian mafia boss, and swiped in to accidentally save the day multiple times, was adopted by an old lady, and fell in love with the local sweetheart"? If that is the case then this book is right up your alley!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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