Hot Response: A Firefighter Romance

HOT RESPONSE is the fourth instalment in Shannon Stacey’s contemporary, adult BOSTON FIRE erotic, romance series focusing on Boston’s first responders. This is fire fighter Gavin Boudreau, and EMT Cait Tasker’s story line. HOT RESPONSE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Told from dual third person perspectives (Gavin and Cait) HOT RESPONSE follows the acrimonious relationship between fire fighter Gavin Boudreau, and EMT Cait Tasker. For some unknown reason Gavin, and his fellow fire fighters at Ladder 37, got the distinct impression that he had done something wrong to EMT Cait Tasker. With her angry demeanour and less than friendly attitude Cait gives off a persona of don’t touch, don’t talk, don’t ever look my way. A chance meeting at the local first responders watering hole meant Gavin had the opportunity to uncover the who and why of Cait’s acerbic attitude. What ensues is the slow building romance between Cait and Gavin, and the potential fall-out as Cait is unable to break free from the family responsibilities she has placed upon herself. Cait Tasker moved back home to help support her grieving mother and embittered teenage brother in the wake of her step-father’s death but Cait’s overwhelming home-life is affecting her attitude towards the man with whom she will fall in love. Gavin Boudreau struggles with Cait’s co-dependency and need to jump every time her family calls but letting her know how he feels will build a wall between our leading couple, a wall that continues to grow until Cait’s mother opens her eyes and sees how the drama has been affecting her children. The relationship between Cait and Gavin is one of immediate attraction but Cait’s reaction and apparent hatred of Gavin Boudreau is questionable and without merit. Gavin is a sweetheart, whose patience with our story line heroine begins to falter with Cait’s inability to cut the chord. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. Most of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters including Lydia and Aidan (Heat Exchange #1), Rick Gullotti (Controlled Burn #2), Jamie and Scott (Fully Ignited #3), as well as single father Derek Gilman. Derek’s story line is next in Under Control (August 2018). HOT RESPONSE is a sexy and sassy story line. The premise is entertaining, engaging and encouraging; the romance is tender and provocative; the characters are energetic and real.

Another winner. What do you do when the hot guy you meet at work, and are just about to ask our for coffee, calls you ma'am? Hatred like the fire of a million deadly suns. Cait Tasker is an EMT. She has moved back to Boston to help her mum and step-brother after her step-father's death. She feels like her life has been put on hold while she mothers her mum and her step-brother. She had a thing for Gavin Boudreau until he called her ma'am and made her feel even older than she already does. But since her team frequently work alongside the firefighters of Ladder 37. Gavin on the other hand likes an easy life and 'easy' women,as the youngest firefighter on Ladder 37 he's not about settling down. The feisty EMT that gives him the evil eye is definitely not his type - so why is he dreaming about her? But when Cait steps over a line and has to apologise to Gavin they find that first impressions can be deceiving and maybe enemies can turn into lovers. But Cait is only in Boston temporarily and her family come first. I really enjoyed this, maybe it was the situation in which Cait found herself, caring for her family and putting her life on hold, maybe it was that both Gavin and Cait were lovable characters, people you'd want to drink with in Kincaid's pub, people you'd want to shoot hoops with on a Saturday morning (not that I've ever done such a thing, but I could). This was funny, sweet and charming. Definitely one of Shannon Stacey's best to date. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This was a good story that grabbed my heart, but it was also light and fun. There was good humor in this one. One of my favorite parts of the book. You get the sense of the close knit/family atmosphere that the fire stations have. I really enjoyed reading Cait and Gavin's journey. They were perfect for one another though they don't see it at the time. Watching Cait and her family finding their new normal broke my heart, but it's also beautiful to see them find their inner strength. The epilogue was definitely the icing on the cake for this book.