Up In Smoke (Hot in Chicago Rookies 1) by Kate Meader-Review Tour

Up In Smoke (Hot in Chicago Rookies 1) by Kate Meader-Review Tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 22, 2022

Lives are on the line at Engine 6 … and so are hearts.

Running an engine crew in the Chicago Fire Department is my dream job, and between that, my awesome kid, and my nosey sister, I lead a pretty great life. Bruised and burned by my marriage, I don’t have time for dating or drama, but I always have time for pie. And when I share a slice of cherry with a sweet redhead, followed by the hottest, dirtiest, most pulse-pounding kiss of my life, I start to rethink the possibilities.

Until that same woman walks into my firehouse and upends my well-ordered world.

Abby Sullivan is now a rookie firefighter on my crew and a threat to my self-control more dangerous than a five-alarm blaze. My job is to watch her six when all I want is to watch her fall into my bed. Lust has no place in the firehouse, and a distraction like Abby with her electric blue eyes, waves of flame-red hair, and freckles I want to map with my tongue, is one I can ill afford.

Because one wrong move … and it could all go up in smoke.

•••••

REVIEW: UP IN SMOKE is the first instalment in Kate Meader’s contemporary, adult HOT IN CHICAGO ROOKIES erotic, firefighter romance series-a spin off from the author’s HOT IN CHICAGO series. This is twenty six year old, paramedic and rookie firefighter Abby Sullivan, and thirty-two year old, single father and firefighter Lt. Roman Rossi’s story line. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Rookie Rebels series.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Abby and Roman) UP IN SMOKE follows the forbidden relationship between twenty six year old paramedic and rookie firefighter Abby Sullivan, and thirty-two year old single father and firefighter Lt. Roman Rossi. Roman had no idea the woman he met at an all night diner would be the newest rookie on Engine 6. Starting a relationship with someone under his command is all kinds of wrong but the palpable sexual attraction and burn could not be contained. As a rookie Abby Sullivan is continuously stepping out side of the line but it doesn’t help when someone is reporting Abby’s every move to the Chicago Fire Commissioner, a man Abby knows only too well. As Abby and Roman try to keep their relationship on the down low, someone is waiting in the wings to destroy our story line couple. What ensues is the building but secret relationship and romance between Abby and Roman, and the potential fall-out when a dangerous fire finds Abby going against orders to save the man with whom she is falling in love.

Abby Sullivan knows the reality of life as a firefighter having grown up in a house with firefighting parents but Abby’s reality is about to crowd out her chances at Engine 6 when an over protective parent curtails Abby’s career as a successful firefighter. Roman Rossi is a single father who landed in Chicago after a disastrous marriage and career in New York City. Roman never set out to fall for Abby Sullivan but the heart wanted something more from out story line heroine.

The relationship between Abby and Roman begins as co-workers. Roman is Abby’s immediate superior, and as such their relationship is off limits unless reported to HR. Abby struggles with the possibility of her relationship with Roman seen as improper or sleeping her way to the top, and in this, Abby is constantly pushing away Roman Rossi, when in her heart, she wants nothing more than to claim Roman as her own. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and intense without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Abby’s fellow rookies: Jude Torres, and Sam Killian; fellow firefighters Danny Acosta, Luke Almeida, Paul Wozniak, Alexandra Dempsey-Cooper, Commissioner Chuck Sullivan, as well as Roman’s sister Chiara, and his eleven year old daughter Lena. Jude’s story is next.

UP IN SMOKE is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love; a story of struggle and trust, grief and loss, acceptance and forgiveness. The premise is captivating,engaging and emotional; the romance is seductive and steamy; the characters are charismatic, strong, determined and energetic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Kate Meader

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

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Make Me Burn (Turn Up the Heat 1) by Marie Harte-a review

Make Me Burn (Turn Up the Heat 1) by Marie Harte-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 25, 2021

These sizzling Seattle firefighters are melting hearts…

Reporter Avery Dearborn hasn’t had the best day. She was filmed fending off a lovesick dog before being rescued from falling flat on her face by none other than her arch nemesis. Seattle firefighter Brad Battle hasn’t changed at all in the five years since she last saw him. He’s still handsome, hot, and charming―to everyone but her.

Brad can’t believe his bad luck to run into Avery, of all people. But to make matters worse, their shared chemistry on screen goes viral. Soon he’s forced to work with her on live TV. The spot will help the local animal charity and make the fire department look good, so who is he to disobey a direct order to cooperate?

Trust takes time, but as Avery and Brad come to realize they are different people than when they first met, anger turns to irresistible attraction, and hard feelings into hot sex. But letting the past stay in the past isn’t as easy as it sounds. And if they’re not careful, they’ll both get burned.

•••••••

REVIEW:  MAKE ME BURN is the first instalment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult TURN UP THE HEAT erotic, firefighter romance series focusing on a group of first responders in the Seattle Fire Department. This is twenty-eight year old reporter Avery Dearborn, and thirty-two year old firefighter /EMT Brad Battle’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, and one plot point in particular, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from several third person perspectives including Brad and Avery MAKE ME BURN follows the acrimonious but building relationship between twenty-eight year old reporter Avery Dearborn, and thirty-two year old firefighter /EMT Brad Battle. Approximately five years earlier, Avery Dearborn wanted to make a name for herself in the world of journalism by writing a hard hitting piece about the return of a US Marine from his tour overseas but the star of her report wanted nothing to do with the article or his return as a hero, struggling with the atrocities and losses of friends and Marines. Fast forward to present day wherein the fall-out of the report continues to find our couple at odds with one another, odds that increase when they are forced to work together for the local pet adoption agency-Pets Fur Life. Years of anger transferred as sexual tension and chemistry on camera, but a series of mishaps, and the resulting viral video finds our couple on the receiving end of a positive social media campaign where having to work side by side forces the couple to relive what happened years before. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Avery and Brad, and the potential fall-out as Brad’s demons refuse to let go.

Avery Dearborn never wanted to report about our story line hero knowing Brad was reluctant at every turn but coming from a family of successful journalists, Avery wanted to prove that she was capable of holding her own. Reconnecting with Brad meant having to relive the drama created by her reluctant subject, drama that wuld directly affect her future going forward. Brad Battle has struggled with years of guilt having lost someone he once held dear, and Avery’s demands pushed our hero over the edge. Making sure to poke the bear at every opportunity, Brad began to push all of our heroine’s button, a push that would bring the couple closer together.

The relationship between Avery and Brad is tempestuous at best- an enemies to frenemies to lovers relationship in which our heroine’s attitude is often a contentious point between our leading couple.Avery blamed our hero for her current direction in life but also placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of someone else. At odds with one another, the back and forth vitriol and sarcastic comments barely disguised the thinly veiled sexual attraction between our leading couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to several members of the Seattle Fire Department: former Marine Tex McGovern, former sailor Reggie, Air Force Mack, Hernandez, Washkowski, and Marcus; as well as Brad’s brother Oscar; Avery’s roommate and co-worker Gerty; their boss Emil Watts; Brad’s mother Vivienne, and her girlfriend Rochelle; and Avery’s parents Lennox and June King. The camaraderie between the firefighters is fast and furious but is often sexist and immature.

MAKE ME BURN is a story of family, friendships, relationships and loss; a story of love, acceptance, betrayal and expectations. The premise is entertaining; the romance is passionate; the characters are energetic and colorful but struggling with dysfunctional family drama and unresolved childhood issues that control a good portion of their adult lives.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Consumed by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

Consumed by J.R. Ward – Dual Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iTunes / BAM / Book Depository

 

Description:
Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed…

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn’t believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again–until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

 

Sandy’s Review:

CONSUMED is the first full-length instalment in J. R. Ward’s contemporary, adult FIREFIGHTERS romantic, suspense series. CONSUMED is the continuing storyfocusing on firefighters Anne Ashburn, and Danny Maguire of the NBFD 499. I recommend reading the FREE prequel novellas The Rehearsal and The Dinner for backstory and cohesion.

Told from several third person perspectives including Anne and Danny CONSUMED follows the acrimonious relationship between firefighters and partners Anne Ashburn, and Danny Maguire of the New Brunswick Fire Department (NBFD) 499. Following an warehouse fire wherein both Anne and Danny were wounded, the story line picks up ten months later as Anne embarks on her new career as a certified fire inspector, a career change that has left her bitter and insecure. No longer working alongside her fellow firefighters from the 499, Anne struggles to find a place without the camaraderie and companionship of the men who had always had her back including the man who had stolen her heart. A tightknit group of friends, the firefighters of the 499 are more like family than the blood family back home.

Danny Maguire battles PTSD and remorse in the aftermath of a warehouse fire that went horribly wrong. Never ones to follow orders both Danny and Anne found themselves in a dangerous situation, a situation that was about to affect the rest of their lives and careers. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Danny and Anne, and the fall-out as an arsonist hits too close home, and accusations of another nature threaten the already tepid relationship between our story line couple.

JR Ward pulls the reader into a story of family, friendship, betrayal and power. Anne Ashburn comes from a family who have loved and lost in the line of duty but not is all as it appears to be as the perfect façade begins to crumble as secrets are revealed. Danny Maguire struggles to make sense of where everything went wrong but release does not come easy as the guilt of what happened weighs heavily and long.

All of the firefighters previously introduced in the prequel novellas are present and accounted. Anne’s brother Chief Thomas Ashburn struggles with his tentative hold over a collapsing department, a department he fears no longer respects the position he holds. Danny’s best friend Robert ‘Moose’ Miller is always ready with a helpful hand but it is his new bride Deandra that threatens Moose’s stability, and those of the people working the 499.

CONSUMED follows the breakdown of leadership, the loss of control, the drama and fall-out of a department threatened by an unseen power that is determined to win at all costs. The premise is suspenseful, detailed and dramatic: the characters are flawed, wounded and broken; the romance struggles in the face of pride, betrayal and demons from the past. CONSUMED sets the stage for a potential power match between law enforcement, business and the political elite-a powerful and volatile combination of chaos and command.

Copy supplied by publisher through Netgalley

Barb’s Review:  Consumed by J.R. Ward is the 1st book in her new Firefighters series. I looked forward to reading this new series by Ward, and I am happy to say that I really enjoyed the book.

Anne Ashburn, our heroine, is the only female member of the Fire Dept station 499. She is accepted by all the guys at the station, and her brother is chief; in fact her whole family were mostly firefighters.  Anne has a crush on Danny McGuire, one of the firefighters, but his reputation with woman precedes him.  She does her best to avoid him, but they did have a one night stand that both find difficult to forget.  We learned at the end of the two short prequel novellas, that Danny saves Anne on the scene of a fire, but she lost her hand in the process.

Consumed starts about 10 months later, with Anne having recovered, and trying to get used to prosthetic, as well as apply for a job as an arson investigator. She misses the action she loved at the station, but she no longer can work there, and is forced to accept this new position.  As in anything, Anne jumps in to take a case of a recent fire, and begins to tie in other fires that might be related.

Danny, who had his own injuries, pushes himself back on the job, and is determined to get Anne’s trust and win her over.  In a short time, their chemistry is so hot, there is no way for either of them to keep their hands off each other.  Each have their own issues, involving family, heartache, but their feelings for each other continue to escalate. 

Anne’s investigation leads her to a high profile person, who is determined to get her off the case.  Danny will try to help Anne with the investigation to find the arsonist; his is concerned for her safety, as now she has become a target from those trying to stop her.  What follows is an exciting, pulse pounding, intense, gripping story, amazingly written by Ward.   

As we race to the climax, there are some surprises that I did not see coming, which did throw me for a loop.  I loved Danny and Anne together, and Ward has created a wonderful group of secondary characters in this series, showing the comradery and loyalty of the crew.  I loved loved Anne’s stray dog, Soot that she adopted.   I also thought that Ward did such a fantastic job showing us the life of firemen, and what they go through.  Though the story has a satisfying ending, there are some open issues that will continue into the next book.

Consumed was a fantastic fast paced, exciting and action packed story; a wonderful theme, great couple and secondary characters, and very well written by J.R. Ward.  You need to start this series now.

 

Copies provided by Publisher

 

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Burning Up (Flirting with Fire #1) by Jennifer Blackwood-a review

BURNING UP (Flirting with Fire #1) by Jennifer Blackwood-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / Chapters Indigo

ABOUT THE BOOK: May 8, 2018

Unemployed schoolteacher Erin Jenkins is back in Portland, the town she hasn’t called home for more than a decade. It’s not the way she wants to spend her last days of summer: in between jobs and avoiding her mother’s snooping by escaping to the ice-cream aisle. But when the opportunity arises for her to accompany her brother’s best friend—her lifetime crush—to a wedding, summer gets a whole lot more interesting.

Firefighter and single dad Jake Bennett has built a nice, safe wall around his heart—no romance, no getting burned. That doesn’t mean he’s ruling out a fling. Considering Erin’s visit is temporary, they’re the perfect fit for a scorching no-strings one-night stand. Or two. Or five. Until the worst thing happens: Erin and Jake are feeling more. Damn that four-letter word.

Now their hearts are on the line, and when their smoldering summer comes to a close, it’s going to be harder than ever to put out the fire.

•••••

REVIEW: BURNING UP is the first instalment in Jennifer Blackwood’s contemporary, adult FLIRTING WITH FIRE romance series. This is middle-school teacher Erin Jenkins, and fire fighter/ single dad Jake Bennett’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jake and Erin) BURNING UP follows the building relationship between middle-school teacher Erin Jenkins, and fire fighter/ single dad Jake Bennett. Erin Jenkins is home for the summer holidays having lost her teaching position in California to attrition and a lack of school board funding. Hoping to find something quick, Erin heads home to Portland in an effort to reconnect with family and friends, never thinking about the potential of falling in love. Enter her brother’s best friend and fellow fire fighter Jake Bennett. An offer of Jake’s plus-one for his sister’s wedding slowly begins to blur the lines between friendship and more. What ensues is the building romance and love between Jake and Erin, and the potential fall-out as Erin’s time in Portland comes to an end.

Erin Jenkins has no plans to stay in her hometown of Portland Oregon. Her life and friends are back in California but her heart will soon belong to a man whose just as lost as our story line heroine. Jake Bennett has been a single father for close to thirteen years, and has never crossed the line by bringing home a woman or fallen in love. Reconnecting with his best friend’s sister found our hero losing his heart to a reluctant Erin Jenkins.

Erin has lusted after Jake Bennett for most of her life but Jake was off limits in more ways than one. With her time in Portland coming to an end Erin hopes to find a new teaching position far from her family and the man with whom she has fallen in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text although the palpable sexual energy is more or less absent between our leading couple.

We are introduced to Jake’s fellow fire fighters: Erin’s brother Reese Jenkins, and rookie Cole ‘Hollywood’ Gibson; Erin’s sister Andie and their eccentric mother; as well as Jake’s daughter Bailey, and Erin’s best friends Madison and Sloan.

BURNING UP is a sweet story that introduces the players in the author’s FLIRTING WITH FIRE series. The best friend’s little sister conflict was limited-more of a worry than anything else. There are some funny moments in the hotel at Jake’s sister’s wedding including a family of raccoons who have taken up residence in our heroine’s room. The premise is fun and spicy but predictable; the romance is captivating and emotional; the characters are sassy and energetic.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Hot Response (Boston Fire #4) by Shannon Stacey-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

HOT RESPONSE (Boston Fire #4) by Shannon Stacey-Review,Excerpt & Giveaway Tour

HOT RESPONSE
Boston Fire #4
by Shannon Stacey
Release Date: April 24, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 24, 2018

Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.

The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.

As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without.

•••••••••

REVIEW: HOT RESPONSE is the fourth instalment in Shannon Stacey’s contemporary, adult BOSTON FIRE erotic, romance series focusing on Boston’s first responders. This is fire fighter Gavin Boudreau, and EMT Cait Tasker’s story line. HOT RESPONSE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gavin and Cait) HOT RESPONSE follows the acrimonious relationship between fire fighter Gavin Boudreau, and EMT Cait Tasker. For some unknown reason Gavin, and his fellow fire fighters at Ladder 37, got the distinct impression that he had done something wrong to EMT Cait Tasker. With her angry demeanour and less than friendly attitude Cait gives off a persona of don’t touch, don’t talk, don’t ever look my way. A chance meeting at the local first responders watering hole meant Gavin had the opportunity to uncover the who and why of Cait’s acerbic attitude. What ensues is the slow building romance between Cait and Gavin, and the potential fall-out as Cait is unable to break free from the family responsibilities she has placed upon herself.

Cait Tasker moved back home to help support her grieving mother and embittered teenage brother in the wake of her step-father’s death but Cait’s overwhelming home-life is affecting her attitude towards the man with whom she will fall in love. Gavin Boudreau struggles with Cait’s co-dependency and need to jump every time her family calls but letting her know how he feels will build a wall between our leading couple, a wall that continues to grow until Cait’s mother opens her eyes and sees how the drama has been affecting her children.

The relationship between Cait and Gavin is one of immediate attraction but Cait’s reaction and apparent hatred of Gavin Boudreau is questionable and without merit. Gavin is a sweetheart, whose patience with our story line heroine begins to falter with Cait’s inability to cut the chord. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Most of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters including Lydia and Aidan (Heat Exchange #1), Rick Gullotti (Controlled Burn #2), Jamie and Scott (Fully Ignited #3), as well as single father Derek Gilman. Derek’s story line is next in Under Control (August 2018).

HOT RESPONSE is a sexy and sassy story line. The premise is entertaining, engaging and encouraging; the romance is tender and provocative; the characters are energetic and real.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

 

Excerpt – HOT RESPONSE by Shannon Stacey“Hey, try not to push any firefighters down the stairs this time, okay?”

“It was one time, Tony.” Cait Tasker reached between the seats to get a couple of blue gloves from the dispenser mounted on the back wall of the ambulance cab and snapped them on as her partner pulled up behind a fire truck. “And that was an accident.”

“So you’ve said, multiple times. Hell, I’m pretty sure you said it twice before he even hit the landing.”

“Funny.” She grabbed her bag and headed toward the door of the building, leaving Tony Colarusso—her partner of four years—to grab the OB kit since it sounded like they’d probably need it. Dispatch was also sending a paramedic, but it was going to be a few minutes.

A police officer was holding the door open for her and she nodded her thanks as she passed through. The first flight of stairs was no sweat, but she felt the weight of the bag by the time she reached the second. Another officer was standing there, and he pointed off to his right.

Not that she needed any help finding the commotion. The reported screaming had stopped, but there was a gaggle of firefighters in the hall. Or a herd or a flock or whatever you’d call a bunch of guys holding turnout gear, standing around and doing nothing.

They parted to let her through, and she saw the back of the firefighter kneeling between the patient’s legs. And his back was all Cait needed to see to know it was Gavin Boudreau.

That freaking cowlick.

They crossed paths occasionally, and there was something about the man that got under her skin. The first time they’d been on the same scene—a minor MVA involving a confused tourist going the wrong way up a one-way street—she’d gotten sucked in by his good looks and quick humor. She’d been working up the nerve to ask him if he wanted to grab a coffee or a drink sometime when he’d called her ma’am.

Not only had she not asked him out, but every time she saw him, she remembered the ma’am. It made her feel old and these days, she didn’t need any help feeling older than her years.

Gavin glanced over his shoulder and as soon as he caught sight of Cait, he moved to the woman’s other side and gave an update—including the patient’s name and what vital info he had—as he moved.

Then Kelly grabbed a fistful of Gavin’s shirt and pulled so hard, she almost yanked him down on top of herself. “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I just need to get out of Cait’s way so she can take over. She’s better at delivering babies than I am.”

He knew her name. Why that should stand out to her in their current situation, she didn’t know, but she noticed it and was surprised. “Kelly, he can stay by your head, but I need room for my partner.”

“By my head, like a husband,” Kelly said with a short, breathless laugh.

“You should at least buy me dinner first.” He moved toward Kelly’s shoulder without letting go of her hand.

Cait ignored him as she moved into the position he’d vacated. It was baby time.

“I want my husband,” Kelly said, and her face began to crumple as tears welled in her eyes. But before the crying could begin in earnest, her face paled and her eyes widened. Her sharp intake of breath held a note of panic, like a sour musical tone, and Cait blocked out everything but the baby crowning between her patient’s legs.

Tony was next to her, ready to take and assess the infant. It went as smoothly as unplanned labor on a hallway floor could go, and by the time the paramedic arrived, Kelly had a squirming, fussy bundle of baby boy on her chest. Though it was a busy day for EMS and there were a lot fewer paramedics than EMTs, they always tried to transport newborns with them in case they needed advanced medical care.

Phil had a rookie EMT with him, but Cait and Tony stood back and let them take over since they had to take care of the OB kit and somebody had to bag the mess. Gavin was still holding the patient’s hand as they put her on the stretcher, and Cait saw him smile at Kelly.

He really had a great smile.

“That’s a good-looking boy you have,” he was saying. “If you and your husband have trouble coming up with a name for him, Gavin’s not too bad.”

She laughed and said something Cait couldn’t hear. Then Phil had the firefighters in motion, ready to carry mother, child and gear to the ground floor.

It was just Cait’s luck that Gavin also lingered. She couldn’t blame him for letting the other guys do the heavy lifting down the stairs, since they’d basically done nothing during the incident, but seeing him was a reminder she hadn’t dated in a while and, considering how things were going at home, wouldn’t be for a while. And that made her feel even older than the ma’am had.

“I feel like I should be handing out cigars,” he said, and both he and Tony laughed.

Gavin’s laugh made her even more tense. It was rich and deep and made heat curl through her insides. It was his laugh that had first turned her head, so every time she heard it, it reminded her of that day.

“Not gonna lie,” he continued. “I’m glad you guys got here in time for Cait to play catch.”

Play catch? “At least I took the situation seriously.”

He’d been in the process of picking up her bag, and his head jerked up as if she’d slapped him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Emergency childbirth isn’t playing catch.” She took her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

“Jesus, lighten up. It was a joke.”

She was tired. She was hungry, and she wasn’t in the mood. “Like I said, I take my job seriously.”

“When I got here, she was laying on the floor screaming, and not just from the pain. She was in labor and in a full-blown panic. Her BP was through the roof and that’s no good for her or the baby, so I did what I had to do to relax her.”

She headed for the stairs before the conversation could escalate any further. If she really pissed him off, Tony might feel obligated to intervene and that wouldn’t be fair to her partner.

“At least you’re going down first,” Gavin called after her. “I don’t have to worry about you pushing me down the stairs.”

“That was an accident,” she shouted over her shoulder, and she might have been tempted to go back and explain it a little better, but she heard both men laughing.

Gavin was pushing her buttons and she’d let him get under her skin. Again.

After helping load mommy and baby into the back of Phil’s truck, Cait and Tony took a few minutes to pack their gear away in their own ambulance before climbing into the cab. The firefighters were still milling around on the sidewalk, laughing and talking about who knew what.

Her gaze landed on Gavin because it always seemed to, whether she wanted it to or not. She wasn’t sure how old he was. One of the younger guys in his house, but around her age—late twenties or so. There definitely weren’t enough years between them to merit him calling her ma’am.

He was average height for a guy, but with a better than average body. Or maybe that was just her take on it. She liked guys who were in shape, but not such good shape they spent hours at the gym and expected applause when they flexed an arm. Physically, he definitely checked all her boxes.

And every time she saw him—which thankfully wasn’t that often—she wanted to smooth that damn cowlick down. Maybe run her fingers through his hair a few times to help it stay. Then she’d invariably remember how close she’d come to asking him out, and why she hadn’t.


 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and off-roading with her friends and family. You can contact Shannon through her website, www.shannonstacey.com, as well as sign up for her newsletter.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website http://www.shannonstacey.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/shannonstacey.authorpage
Twitter https://twitter.com/shannonstacey
Goodreads https://goo.gl/h4Z1wW
Amazon http://amzn.to/2Fu9RbN

LINK:   https://goo.gl/tm4d11

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open internationally. One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR.  Giveaway ends 4/30/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Limit one entry per person. Duplicates will be deleted.

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Sparking the Fire (Hot in Chicago #3) by Kate Meader

SPARKING THE FIRE (Hot in Chicago #3) by Kate Meader-a review

Sparking the Fire Banner

SPARKING THE FIRE
Hot in Chicago #3
by Kate Meader
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Sparking the Fire

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM / Indiebound / ibooks ./GooglePlay /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 27, 2016

Actor Molly Cade, America’s fallen sweetheart, finally has her shot at a Hollywood comeback with a dramatic new role as a tough-as-nails firefighter that promises to propel her back to the big time and restore her self-respect.

Wyatt Fox, resident daredevil at Engine Co. 6, needs a low-key job to keep him busy while he recovers from his latest rescue stunt. Consulting on a local movie shoot should add just enough spark to his day. Especially when in struts Molly Cade: the woman who worked his heart over good, and then left him in the Windy City dust.

Their story is straight out of a script: irrepressible, spunky heroine meets taciturn, smoldering hero. But these two refuse to be typecast, and when the embers of an old love are stoked, someone is bound to get burned…

•••••

REVIEW: SPARKING THE FIRE is the third installment in Kate Meader’s contemporary, adult HOT IN CHICAGO erotic, romance series focusing on the Dempsey family-a family of firefighting foster siblings who have seen their fare share of heartbreak and pain. This is former Marine/ firefighter Wyatt Fox, and actor Molly Cade’s story line. SPARKING THE FIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory, cohesion and enjoyment as all of the previous story line characters play secondary and supporting roles.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Wyatt and Molly) SPARKING THE FIRE follows the rekindling relationship between Hollywood’s controversial and fallen sweetheart Molly Cade, and firefighter Wyatt Fox. Five years earlier our couple spent one glorious $ex filled week together, no names allowed, after which each went their separate ways. Fast forward to present day and Molly’s production company arrives in Chicago to film her latest blockbuster movie, a story about a female firefighter and her foster family of firefighting brothers-a story line similar to the Dempsey family dynamic. Enter Wyatt Fox, temporarily on medical leave of absence from the CFD, and the newest professional firefighting advisor for Molly’s movie production. What ensues is the rekindling of a relationship between our leading couple, Molly’s integration in to the Dempsey clan, and her ongoing struggle to remain hidden from the paparazzi and media onslot that continues to focus on the events that lead to our heroine’s fallen reputation.

Wyatt Fox is the quiet, dark, and brooding Dempsey sibling-a man who lost his ‘blood’ brother on the job, and a man with a secret that is about to be revealed. Molly is a Hollywood actress, hoping for a comeback, whose reputation was destroyed one year earlier. Together Waytt and Molly fight the paparazzi, the past, and struggle towards a future with or without one another. The push and pull of the attraction is heightened as our couple contemplates the forbidden ‘workplace affair’ but also Wyatt’s need to keep his private life separate from the Dempsey clan. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and intense-how many times can one couple ‘christen’ the backseat of a classic Camaro.

There is a large secondary and supporting cast including all of the Dempsey foster siblings who are fiercely protective of their own. With their pasts shrouded in controversy including quick tempered ‘Youtube’ exposure The Dempsey’s battle the media almost as often as the Hollywood stars. I welcomed Gage and Brady’s ongoing love affair and the look into a possible future.

SPARKING THE FIRE is a fun, sexy, intense and revealing story line. Kate Meader adds a little bit of a twist to the family saga -one in which Wyatt was reluctant to reveal too early on- and a secret that threatens the relationship between Wyatt and his brother Luke. The premise is entertaining and will captivate your attention; the characters are colorful, charismatic and spirited; the romance is emotional and passionate.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
.5 Rekindle The Flame (Baby It’s Cold Outside Anthology)
1. Flirting With Fire
1.5 Melting Point
2. Playing With Fire
3. Sparking The Fire

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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about the author

Kate MeaderOriginally from Ireland, Kate cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Mills & Boon thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

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giveaway

There are TWO (2) ways to WIN !!

Kate’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of Flirting with Fire
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