FINAL DECISION: Wow, this book has one of the most heart pounding and shocking introduction to characters and their situation as any book I have read. I really enjoyed this book. The characters are flawed and complicated; the story kept me interested and I left this book wanting more.
THE STORY: Anne Ashburn is a woman with something to prove. The daughter of a revered firefighter (who wasn't who he seemed) and the sister of the current fire chief, Anne is fighting for her own identity in a profession dominated by men. Brash, opinionated, independent and strong, Anne loves being a firefighter. The thorn in her side is Danny McGuire a fellow firefighter. There is a blazing hot attraction between them that Anne acted on once, but never again. One fire changes everything.
OPINION: While I've always read and thoroughly enjoyed and sometimes outright loved Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I think I might enjoy her recent contemporary series even more. Her BDB series is sprawling in scope with a huge set of characters. Her contemporaries take her ability to write overarching stories with compelling characters and compress them into smaller bites.
Whereas her Bourbon Kings series was a lush soap opera, the Firefighters series has a compelling sense of action, drama and urgency that is reminiscent of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, but exhibited in a totally different context. This is not the BDB and may disappoint those looking for a similar series, but I loved the complexity of the characters, their flaws and individuality, the connection between Anne and Danny, and the intriguing plot which propels the characters.
Anne is a woman who struggles with love, connection and trust after finding out the truth about her father. She loves the same profession that is the family calling but has difficultly reconciling being respected, being open and being driven. She is stubborn and reckless and good at her job. When her life is turned upside down, she has to find in herself the ability to go forward and reform her life into something worth living. I especially liked that Anne doesn't fit traditional ideas of femininity. Like many of Ward's heroines in the BDB universe, she is physically strong and unwilling to be the victim. And yet, she struggles with ideas of her own attractiveness and where she fits. She is flawed, arrogant and difficult and I liked her all the more for it.
Danny is excellent at his job, but terrible at following orders. But the realities of the job and its costs weigh on his soul. The dramatic events which occur at the beginning of the book tip him toward self-destruction. But through it all, he has a connection to Anne that marks him as a passionate hopeless romantic -- even if he would never agree to that characterization. He can't forget her and while he accepts her wishes for a while, I cheered when he finally decided that he was going to go for what I wanted.
At times I didn't like the characters very much. They are at times, angry, foolish, annoying and arrogant. They are flawed. And ultimately, that is what made me fall for them. They felt raw and real. By the end of the book, I didn't want their story to end and I hope that we get to see more of them in future books in the series.
WORTH MENTIONING: There is a slight overarching storyline that isn't completed here. This book is a complete story, but there are threads that I expect will be picked up in the next book in the series.
CONNECTED BOOKS: CONSUMED is the first book in the Firefighters series. There are two prequel vignettes (and one prequel that is in fact the beginning of this book) but those are not necessary to read although you get some background on the characters.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.
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Popular Highlights in this book
Sometimes strength rested not in resistance, but in the release of arms against a foe of one’s own creation.Highlighted by 127 Kindle readers- “I think people who survive need to get to an aha moment,” she said quietly, “where the fog lifts and you realize there are things worth living for and goals worth pursuing. Even if they’re different than what motivated you before.”Highlighted by 105 Kindle readers
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4.5 Stars ~ Must Read!!
4.5 StarsAnne Ashburn has spent her entire life proving herself to be capable of doing anything her father, or brother could do. Having achieved her goal of being a firefighter to only have it cruelly ripped away from her, she is forced to reinvent herself and to deal with limitations she never thought possible.Danny McGuire's career is slowly bringing him down. After the incident with Anne and her disappearance from his life, every fire he walks into threatens to pull him in deeper in his despair.Anne and Danny were on the verge of something amazing, but when their lives fell apart, their connection was impossible to sustain. And with whats left is two people who once wanted the same things, but are now as far apart in realities as they could be...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This book was an engrossing, suspenseful read that will... ahem... consume you from the very first page. I loved the twisted and complicated story that focused on the tough and all-around bad ass character, Anne Ashburn, and how she turns her life around after a fire that changes her life forever...Anne has never let the fact that she is a woman keep her from doing anything. When she finds herself with a new reality, and a new career path, she dives into like everything else she has in the past, with a focus and passion to do her best work. Unfortunately, investigating fires turns out to be almost as dangerous as fighting them.Danny can't move past what happened with Anne. Replaying the horrific scene in his head is something that will never seem to end. And when she extracted herself from his life, he is left with a void that she could only fill. So when she shows up again as a fire investigator, he is prepared to keep her in his life in any way he can... and as something more permanent this time...While this book was a romance, the focus was mostly on the investigation and the storyline of Anne rebuilding her life after tragedy. I enjoyed the angst and the completely realistic details that were included in the story, it was superbly written and an extremely engaging read. With a backdrop of the darker underbelly to such a dangerous profession, the complicated romance between Anne and Danny is in for the fight of a lifetime to become something more than they ever imagined...I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.
Top reviews from other countries
Kindle Customer
Sizzling hot firefighters consumed by their fears learn to love
Reviewed in Australia on May 30, 2022
Kindle Customer
Reviewed in Australia on May 30, 2022
This book sunk its claws into me from the get-go. So much action and drama right off the bat. Even though the main characters had very different personalities to my own, I still found them relatable and lovable. And the arson investigation plot kept me turning the page until it resolved into a twist I didn’t see coming. My only complaint is that the story ends with a plot hook, and we are still waiting for the next title in the series.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading romantic suspense.
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Dallass
A fast paced read with great characters.
Reviewed in Australia on February 6, 2020