Series: Brotherhood by Fire #2
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Format: Kindle
No. of Pages: 336
Date of Publication: February 4, 2020
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton is back with a friends-to-lovers romance sure to melt hearts as one smokin'-hot fireman turns up the heat on love.
Relationships. Firefighter Rafe Donovan avoids them whenever possible. He loves dating women, but he makes sure they know up front that he's in it for fun, great sex and nothing more.
Fun. As an ER nurse and official caretaker of her disabled grandfather, Carmen Lewis doesn't have time for fun. But Rafe has been there for Carmen--and her grandfather--time and again, and he's clearly interested in her. She knows he's a player, but she's tempted by his charm and incredible body. And maybe a little fun isn't a bad thing, as long as she keeps her heart away from this fiery game she's enjoying with a very hot man.
Love. It doesn't take Rafe long to realize that until now he's only been playing at romance. With Carmen he feels searing passion and heart-tugging emotion for the first time. Now he has to convince Carmen that what they have together is the real deal.
MY THOUGHTS:
Another hot firefighter. Check. Long-time bestselling NYT author. Check. Another great story with a great mix of emotion. Check.
Having just read the first book in this new trilogy by Jaci Burton, Hot to the Touch, I have already met Rafe, who now gets his story, along with brothers Jackson and Kal. However, each story can be read as a standalone, but I am too addicted to series (and to the author), than to have read this without reading the first in the series.
Rafe Donovan would like to get to know neighbor and ER nurse Carmen Lewis better if he had the choice. He is not looking for a relationship, as this is something he vigorously avoids. But a bit of fun is not a bad idea. Meanwhile, Carmen is not interested in getting involved with Rafe - even if her fantasies speak a different truth.
However, Rafe is brought into Carmen's ER and things progress from there, despite the baggage they both cart around on their backs. For one thing, Carmen is taking care of her grandfather. More importantly, she had a bad marriage when she was younger and cannot trust her sexy neighbor. Rafe's past is also filled with pain. Just one dinner is all Rafe asks, and that's all it takes for these two.
It has been years, with one exception, that I have been able to engross myself in one of Jaci Burton's books. I think her formula has changed just a bit. Yes, this is a friends to lovers story, but it is so much more. Both Carmen and Rafe are complex characters. I love that this book allowed exploration of their past and the conflicts they had to overcome in order to find happiness together. I also loved the strong sense of family in both books in the series. No man is a mountain, as Rafe and his brothers have proved.
Okay, I love romance. I love happily ever after stories. But I also love substance in these stories. Jaci Burton hit the nail on the head with this one and did just that. I cannot wait to read Kal's story.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Having just read the first book in this new trilogy by Jaci Burton, Hot to the Touch, I have already met Rafe, who now gets his story, along with brothers Jackson and Kal. However, each story can be read as a standalone, but I am too addicted to series (and to the author), than to have read this without reading the first in the series.
Rafe Donovan would like to get to know neighbor and ER nurse Carmen Lewis better if he had the choice. He is not looking for a relationship, as this is something he vigorously avoids. But a bit of fun is not a bad idea. Meanwhile, Carmen is not interested in getting involved with Rafe - even if her fantasies speak a different truth.
However, Rafe is brought into Carmen's ER and things progress from there, despite the baggage they both cart around on their backs. For one thing, Carmen is taking care of her grandfather. More importantly, she had a bad marriage when she was younger and cannot trust her sexy neighbor. Rafe's past is also filled with pain. Just one dinner is all Rafe asks, and that's all it takes for these two.
It has been years, with one exception, that I have been able to engross myself in one of Jaci Burton's books. I think her formula has changed just a bit. Yes, this is a friends to lovers story, but it is so much more. Both Carmen and Rafe are complex characters. I love that this book allowed exploration of their past and the conflicts they had to overcome in order to find happiness together. I also loved the strong sense of family in both books in the series. No man is a mountain, as Rafe and his brothers have proved.
Okay, I love romance. I love happily ever after stories. But I also love substance in these stories. Jaci Burton hit the nail on the head with this one and did just that. I cannot wait to read Kal's story.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I'd like to say I always wanted to be a writer, but that's not the case. First I wanted to be a teacher. When I was a kid I used to play school in my friend's basement. She had actual school desks—and index cards. I'm a list maker, so those index cards rocked my world. Then later on, I wanted to be a nurse. My other friend had a stethoscope and a medical book. I had a thing for props, okay?
But during my early teen years my cousin and I—back in the day before the internet—would exchange scripts we'd written of a popular TV show. No, I won't tell you which TV show because then you'd know how old I really am. But it was a western with two gorgeous cowboy heroes and we were each in love with one of the main characters. I'd say that was my first foray into writing, and it got me hooked.
As an adult, marriage, work and raising two sons took priority. And while I fell madly in love with reading romance, there wasn't much time to write it. It's amazing how much corporate life, soccer games, high school musicals, dinner and laundry can suck out of the average day. But I would occasionally dabble in writing, then put it aside when I got busy. Unfortunately, I was always busy.
Eventually my kids grew up and I was on my second marriage when Biker Dude (what I call my husband because of his love for his Harley Davidson) found out I used to dabble in writing and encouraged me to try again. So I did.
I sat down and wrote a romance novel, start to finish. I was so proud of it, but I didn't sell that romance. Not right away, anyway. I didn't sell the one after that, either. Or the one after that. Suffice it to say I wasn't an overnight success. But eventually I did sell a book, then another, and then another. I have an exceptionally smart agent and write for amazing editors. I'm a USA Today and New York Times bestselling author, and I have you wonderful readers to thank for that.
This has been a dream come true for me, one I wanted for so many years. Writing is my full time career and something I love so much. I can't imagine a day that isn't filled with hot, sexy heroes who save the day, strong, capable heroines who don't need a man to save them, and the happily ever afters in every book.
Sometimes I even write about teachers and nurses. And hot cowboys.
I live in northeast Oklahoma with Biker Dude and our wonderful, crazy dogs. Between us we have three kids who are all grown up and living out in the wild. When I'm not writing I can usually be found in the garden, coaxing the tomatoes to grow, heading out to our local casino trying to become a millionaire (so far, no luck there), or riding on the back of Biker Dude's Harley. And when I want to relax I read other authors' masterpieces or I'm parked in front of the television watching sports, reality TV or crime shows. And maybe a drama or a comedy. Okay, I really watch way too much television.
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