Turn Up the Heat (Turn Up the Heat 4) by Marie Harte-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 29, 2022

Officer Cass Carmichael loves her job and does it well. Giving firefighter Mack Revere a speeding ticket after a warning was deserved? Knocking him off his feet in a soccer game? Beating him at darts, dominoes, and pool? Par for the course. Cass has always played to win. Yet when she fails to resist Mack’s kisses, she doesn’t mind losing.

Every time Cass sneers or jeers, Mack likes her a little bit more. For a firefighter, he’s a laid-back guy in a profession that takes a lot of heart. Even though he’s used to handling the heat, Cass makes him burn. But they both have concerns about their families and their futures, and they’ll have to decide if they should fan the flames between them or douse what might have been before one of them gets burned.

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REVIEW:TURN UP THE HEAT is the fourth instalment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult TURN UP THE HEAT erotic, firefighter romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, police officer Cassandra ‘Cass’ Carmichael, and thirty year old firefighter/EMT Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Revere’s story line, TURN UP THE HEAT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Cass and Mack) TURN UP THE HEAT follows the building romance and relationship between twenty-eight year old, police officer Cassandra ‘Cass’ Carmichael, and thirty year old firefighter/EMT Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Revere. The Seattle PD and Seattle FD have always had a bit of a rivalry both on and off the proverbial field but none moreso than during their soccer scrimmage matches where officer Cass Carmichael’s reputation as a hard a$$ preceded her introduction to our story line hero. Immediately attracted to Cassandra Carmichael, Mackenzie Revere has no idea that there are people behind the scenes working to push our couple together but rivalry between the PD and FD becomes personal when Mack continues to find himself on the outside looking in when his own family of police personnel, treat our hero like he doesn’t belong. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Mack and Cass, and the potential fall-out as Cass and Mack’s competitive streak goes a little too far.

Mack Revere has always felt like the unwanted child; going in a different direction than the rest of his family but never more so than in recent months.With all of his fellow firefighter having fallen in love, Mack once again, feels like the proverbial third wheel and begins to pulls back from family and friends. Cassandra Carmichael is a strong, take no sh*$, strong willed heroine who struggles to find a mid point between her private and public life. Hating to lose, and apparently always trying to prove she is just as good as everyone else, falling for Mack means to side with the ‘enemy’, especially when they find themselves the target of some unmistakable dislike.

The relationship between Cass and Mack is one of immediate attraction but the competitiveness may push our couple a little too far. Always trying to one-up, or outdo one another, Cass and Mack find common ground in the bedroom, without the interruptions of family and friends.Mack has watched from the sidelines as his fellow firefighters, and brothers have fallen in love, and our hero is hoping to find his own happily ever after. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters are once again flirty and fun but Mack’s immediate family has no idea of the pain they have caused. We are reintroduced to Reggie’s fellow firefighters and EMTs: Brad Battle (Make Me Burn), Tex McGovern (Burning Desire), Hernandez and Washkowski; Mack’s brother Xavier, Alec and James, and their parents Jimmy and Sandra; Cass’s partner Jed and his wife Shannon; and her parents Aaron and Jennifer.

TURN UP THE HEAT is a story of family and friendships, relationships and love; heart break and acceptance. The premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is steamy, seductive and hot; the characters are real and dynamic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Make Me Burn
Burning Desire
Hot For You

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy