High Heat: A Firefighter Romance

This book is about a very special relationship that develops between two guys; one a partially handicapped former smoke jumper and the other a younger commune raised want to be firefighter. I must admit that this is not my usual type of book to read, but I am glad that I requested this one to read. Ms. Albert did an awesome job of pairing these two guys together and exploring their growing feelings for each other. Garrick is a seasoned hotshot who got injured during a jump and partially severed his spinal cord. He has beaten the odds as far as being able to walk with crutches and braces some plus he uses a wheelchair. An injured stray dog shows up one day on his front porch, but won't allow him to get very close, so Garrick goes across the street to see if his good friend and neighbor, Shirley can help as she has two dogs herself. Instead of Shirley answering the door, her grandson, Rain answers. Between Rain and the dog, Garrick's staid life is about to go up in smoke in more ways than one. Rain talks Garrick into at least fostering the dog until the possible owners are located and Rain offers to help with taking the dog out for walks twice a day. When Garrick learns that Rain is interested in becoming a forestry firefighter, he offers to help Rain get into better physical shape. The more time they spend together the more they are drawn to each other. Garrick reveals that he is pansexual and Rain is more femme gay. It was interesting to me how tastefully their relationship was handled and I found myself being drawn in and hoping that things would work out between them as their love for each other grew. It would be wonderful to have someone love and care about me as much as those Garrick grows to love Rain. Just like any relationship theirs hit a few bumpy patches that they had to learn how to maneuver thru. I thank Netgalley, Ms. Albert and Carina Press for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are strictly my own and have been freely given.

High Heat by Annabeth Albert Hot Shots #2 A man with a goal A dog that needs a home A young man with a dream Three who need something Will they find it in one another OR Will they let a good thing go? This story grabbed my attention and kept it from beginning to end. What I liked: * Garrick: strong, focused, positive with goals of returning to his job despite serious injuries and the impact they have had on his life. * Rain: younger, looking for adventure, seeking his place in the world. He is charming, quirky, warmhearted, and delightful. * Cookie: canine sweetie pie that deserved her forever home * The relationship between Garrick and Rain and the romance as it developed * The open way spinal cord issues were discussed * Rain’s openhearted strong and mature support of Garrick as he worked through several issues * Garrick’s support of and respect for Rain * The supporting cast of characters * The fire portions of the story * The way the writing drew me in * That it was believable – as a nurse in charge of a skilled nursing facility for mentally alert neurologically impaired of all ages…I saw people dealing with issues like those that Garrick faced. * All of it really except… What I did not like: * That Garrick suffered the injury he did…it is always sad and life changing * Having to say goodbye to the characters and wondering who will have their story told next. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more in this series? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

An age-gap romance with all the feels. We also get a bit of opposites attract with Garrick and Rain because they certainly make for an unlikely pair. Nevertheless, the chemistry is there in spades, and these two make good use of it. I liked Garrick in the first book in the Hotshots series, and I figured he was going to get me right in the heart with his circumstances, and boy, did he ever. Then we have the fun-loving Rain, who just fits perfectly into Garrick's well-ordered life whether he's ready or not. The only drawback was that the angst comes from one of my least favorite things, and I really wanted to shake both of them, but they're both just so darn lovable that it wasn't that big a deal to me. As I mentioned, this is the second in a series, and while this one technically picks up a bit after the events in the first book, the author gives us what we need to know so that Garrick and Rain's story can be read as a standalone. That said, once you start meeting these characters, you'll want to know the rest.