High Heat: A Firefighter Romance

High Heat is the second book in Annabeth Albert's Hotshots Series. But it can easily be read as a standalone, and that is what I did. And it was a very readable, well paced and written story. That realistically deals with everyday issues from a person's sexuality, to health care, to spinal injury without creating stereotypes or becoming heavy or overly dramatic. And with really likable characters, a little angst and plenty of heat I was truly engaged throughout, and I would happily read more from this author and series in the future. **I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

I have to confess that I picked up this book by mistake not realizing it was a love story about two men. That said, I was intrigued. My best friends most of my adult life have been wonderful gay men, and and I felt it was time to expand my reading horizon. Garrick Nelson is a smoke jumper in Oregon. He lives and breaths that life, but his latest injury has him going through physical therapy and barely able to take care of himself. Rain Fisher is his opposite. While Garrick is serious and committed, Rain goes with the flow and not looking for commitment in life , work etc It just isn’t his “thing”. Little did they realize that a lost dog would change their lives when Garrick goes to his neighbor, Rain , asking him for help in caring for the dog. Will Garrick be able to see the real Rain? Will Rain reconsider his nomad life in exchange for a life with Garrick? A touching and eye opening story that was definitely worth my time. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Carina Press. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

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.