Consumed

4 Stars Review by Allyson Late Night Reviewer Up All Night w/ Books Blog Heart pumping 100% Captivating Gripping and Rousing! From someone who is a massive fan of J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I was a little hesitant in all honesty to begin Consumed. But really, I shouldn't have been, since it is from a New York Times bestselling author who can write literally anything and it be a showstopper! Consumed is a beginning to a fresh new Firefighter series that will ignite and awaken a thrill within you! You can say that Ann Ashburn and Danny Maguire's chemistry could heat up a warehouse or the fire department. These two hit "IT" off with a start until the flames become too high and one saved the other, putting their jobs on the line. Now, both team up and are after the person that are setting flames to their city. Can they put their emotions and feelings to the curb while they hunt down an arsonist? A page turner by an epic author that everyone should indulge in. I enjoyed the wild ride that Ward takes us on, yet the unmistakable romance we get between Ann and Danny. Yet, it's not like the Brotherhood series that I am used too, so I had to switch mind sets, but this is a good start to a new series that Ward has given us. You will be engulfed with her words, her story lines and the development of her intricate characters. Don't be surprised to be caught within the flames of Consumed.

The opening chapters of Consumed had me hooked. The book opens right in the thick of things with a fire, danger, and life-altering decisions. I was all set to settle in and be thoroughly engrossed in the story, and I was for a while. However, by about half way through, it felt like the story was rambling, and I was wondering where it was going. I was actually pretty tempted to start skimming, but past experience with this author made me stick with it. The story does have some terrific characters and there are some edge of your seat scenes as this group of firefighters work to save lives, but Anne's chase of a deadly killer that is promised in the blurb kind of stuttered to a start with trickles of info here and there. Once Anne becomes a target, the story had the potential to ramp up with some truly creepy stalker-type things happening, but even that was a bit disappointing. The romance between Anne and Danny kind of felt the same way. They can't keep their hands off each other one minute, then they aren't even speaking the next. I expected some angst in the romance, but Anne's hot and cold wore thin. I finally did make it to the conclusion, but it felt like everything came together in a rush. In the end, there were things I liked and things I didn't, leaving me in the middle of the road on this one. I did like several of the characters, so I'm undecided on whether or not I'll continue with this series.

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed with family’s scorched legacy and her case, chasing a deadly killer. Premiere fireman Danny McGuire seems to have a death wish and is taking risks like never before. These two characters are strong, daring and convincing as they draw readers into their story and their story is one heartfelt, courageous, and gritty romance that readers can’t help but become engrossed in. The romance between Anne and Danny is an uphill battle as they strive to overcome several obstacles and hardships that invokes a lot of emotional turmoil but the sparks between is undeniable and keeps pulling them toward that elusive happily ever after. This story has a steady pace that keeps readers hanging on to every word with thrilling anticipation as relationship woes, thrilling suspense and surprising twists. The story starts off an extreme emotive and thought provoking event that has readers gasping in horror and hoping for the best and readers have to wonder how this couple will be able to move forward in their personal and professional lives. As their journey progresses, readers have to admire their courage and fortitude with every decision and with danger and betrayal closing in there is no way readers can’t stop reading. The characters and the story is so lifelike and the author’s well-chosen words and descriptions ensure that the readers can picture each and every scene and that they can’t remain detached while reading this story. I love J.R. Wards BDB world and I was looking forward to reading this contemporary one and although I find the synopsis a bit misleading, I was quite pleased with it and I can’t wait to read the next story in this sizzling new series.