Make Me Burn

Make Me Burn by Marie Harte is the first in her new Turn Up the Heat series, set in Seattle, Washington. Firefighter Brad Battle comes to reporter Avery Dearborn’s aid at the filming of a piece at the local festival in support of Pets Fur Life, a group that works to find homes for furry friends in need. Their onscreen chemistry inspires her boss to assign them to an ongoing weekly spot. Little do their friends or anyone know that they’ve met before, when Avery was writing harder hitting pieces, and her investigation brought up painful history for Brad. Brad and Avery definitely throw off sparks when they’re together, and their friends and families can’t help but see that there’s something there whether they care to admit it or not. Marie Harte gives them space to grow a friendship and more. Neither of them is perfect or unscathed by life, and it is heartening to watch them grapple with how best to acknowledge that without wallowing in what they’ve wrestled with. Ms Harte’s characters feel real and well fleshed out. Their friends and families are equally well drawn, and their encouragement and banter full of humor and heart. I also loved seeing little cameos from characters I’ve read in her other series, just a fun little nod for previous readers. Very much looking forward to more in this series!

3.75 stars--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.

Full steam attraction with a hint of heartstopping romance. Make Me Burn brings the sizzle, but falls a little short on the heart. Avery is adorable. Brad is a bit hard to take. By the time your heart decides to give him a chance, he does something that will have you rethinking that choice. Maybe not perfect book boyfriend material, but definitely heartbreaker worthy.