This is the second book in the Hotshots series, and although it does stand well on its own, I think you'd enjoy it more if you read the first book. Garrick is introduced there and we learn of his horrible accident that sets up his journey to recovery in this book.

Garrick is slowly recovering from his leg and spine damage, when a stray dog, Cookie, and a much younger man, Rain, come into his life. I don't remember an exact age, but I would say that Garrick is in his late thirties, whereas Rain is 23.

I absolutely loved the impact that Rain had on his life. He made Garrick happy, they meshed so well together despite Rain's cheerful disposition and Garrick's grumpy side. If you're a fan of hurt/comfort, you'll definitely like this, as the two of them have to work together to figure out how to make things work with Garrick being on crutches or in a wheelchair.

As with some other books I have read from Annabeth, I love how she tackles communication on physical activity between the characters. Garrick and Rain have to work around some effects from Garrick's disability, but still find plenty of ways to enjoy each other. And I love that Garrick was so openly interested in Rain's love of satin and lace.

Another solid book in this series. I do wish they could have talked a bit sooner, because while communication on taking care of each other was great, they both had a lot of worries over their future together, despite both wanting it.

Can't wait for the next book in the series!

A smouldering romance of trust and finding peace, High Heat is the perfect escapism read.

As the second book in the Hot Shots series by Annabeth Albert, readers will find it easy to pick up this book and embrace the setting and its characters, especially after becoming invested in Garrick's character after being introduced to him in Burn Zone.

While the intensity and chemistry are immediate, there's a slow-burn element to this narrative that is well-paced and definitely story appropriate. The development from new friends so more is sweet and allows the reader to embrace and support the relationship between injured smoke jumper Garrick and the loveable Rain, who's somewhat of a drifter.

The May-to-December theme is navigated well, with a nice level of realism without it being dramatised. It makes readers' engagement with the story easy.

There's some angst towards the end that feels a little convoluted at times, but it doesn't distract from the journey the characters undergo.

Overall, a really lovely read about disability and acceptance and finding your place in the world.

This book is a big step up for people with disabilities. The focus wasn't solely on Garrick and his scars, but on him adapting while grieving the loss of his previous self reliance and freedom.

Oh, and there's a steamy romance too

High Heat has everything you've come to love about an Annabeth Albert story while still feeling new and exciting.

I had been looking forward to Annabeth's Smokejumpers series since it was announced and I worried that my expectations might be too high when I didn't enjoy Burn Zone as much as her other books. But I needn't have worried about High Heat! I love a good hookups to relationship story and throw in a cute animal and it's pretty much perfect!

I loved the way that Garrick and Rain were introduced and how their relationship grew from friends to lovers to a relationship. The story felt well developed and I genuinely believed the feelings that grew between the two men. And I liked that it wasn't totally one sided, both men were questioning what they wanted from the relationship and what the future looked like. Cookie was of course the perfect reason to keep them together and I loved how much their relationship centered around her.

One thing I've always appreciated about Annabeth's stories is how she handles disabilities. The men are never written as less than their struggles feel authentic and emotional. I was rooting for Garrick to recover but also felt like he was making peace with his new way of life if he didn't. And while I always appreciate a steamy scene I loved the way they were handled in this book. Sex doesn't have to be just one way and I loved the way Rain and Garrick explored each other together even if it was different for both of them.

I also loved that we got to see another side to wildfire fighting and that both men were still involved in that world. And I'm definitely excited about the next book thanks to the tease at the end!

Overall this was the perfect Annabeth romance combining everything I love about her writing and two characters (and a dog) that you just can't help falling in love with.

This is the second book in the Hotshots series. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were complicated and very interesting. The pace kept me engaged for the entire story. It was another learning experience for me on what is involved in combating wildfires. Another great story in the series, and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Wow this book is SPICY!! Garrick and Rain have amazing chemistry that just jumps off the page. I was instantly hooked into this sexy and surprisingly emotional romance. Garrick is working on recovering from a near fatal firefighting accident and I saw a lot of my own struggles in him. Despite my own personal connection to the story I think that everyone will find themselves caught up in Garrick’s journey. Rain is also someone that I really admired. He is so unapologetically himself and I love that. And I hope that we get to see characters like Rain more in books because he represents that men don’t have to fit into certain categories to be a man and that definitely needs to be normalized. I also appreciated how well Rain and Garrick communicate with each other and say what they are feeling and thinking. Of course, no relationship has one hundred perfect communication but Garrick and Rain come pretty close. This book is a lot of sexy, steamy, spicy fun with an amazing couple who showcase many different facets of what masculinity can look like. This book has a lot of great queer representation and I yearn for a world like Albert’s Burn Zone where everyone has the space and freedom to be themselves.

High Heat by Annabeth Albert is a great book for those who enjoy hurt/comfort themes. Garrick is a smokejumper who was injured in book one with an incomplete spinal injury and has struggled to recover, determined to get back to doing what he loves. His body though has other plans both physically and sexually. Rain is a happy hippy that accepts him for who he is and tries to get Garrick to do the same. He is incredibly supportive of Garrick, despite Garrick himself. They make a great couple and it was hard not to wish them the best in your head while you were reading.

That said, this was one of those, it’s not you book, it’s me. I’m not quite sure why, because it is well written and researched. For some reason, I just didn’t connect with either character. Again, I’m very much in the minority because I’ve not seen a bad thing written about this one. I loved this author’s military series, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I’ve given up trying to figure out why and just went with it. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes. I’m sure if you give it a try, you’ll enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgally for providing this copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

High Heat by Annabeth is the second book in her Hotshots series. I highly recommend reading the first book in the series, Burn Zone, before reading this one. I loved it. In High Heat, we get Garrick’s story, who as we know was hurt badly at the end of Burn Zone. He is trying to get back to work but is currently in therapy. He is one determined man and will do what he can.

When a stray dog wonders on his property, he knows he is not able to take care of it. Enter Rain, the neighbor’s grandson. The attraction is immediate and intense. Rain is just what Garrick needed. Rain is easy-going and a free spirit. Garrick on the other hand is struggling with his rehabilitation. I loved watching these two together, but is it the long-lasting kind of thing? Another great read in the Hotshots series.

Happy reading!

I think I liked High Heat even more than the first book in Miss Albert’s Hotshots series. There is admittedly a little less wildfire action, especially at the start of the second standalone in the series, but the overall story was unique and great. I really liked the way High Heat tackled a hurt-comfort storyline, creating a romance around a recently physically disabled main character, without ever feeling overwhelmingly heavy or angst-filled.

High Heat picks up after Burn Zone with this book focusing on Garrick and what happens following the injury he sustained toward the end of book one. I enjoyed the meet cute between Garrick and Rain and really liked the way their lives steadily intertwined as the book progressed. At first glance, Garrick and Rain are an unlikely couple, but I loved their dynamic and palpable chemistry throughout High Heat.

There’s not many disabled main characters in romances, and even fewer portray characters who are still grappling with the injury and what that means for their future. Having seen Garrick as the alpha, adrenaline-junkie and pansexual playboy in Burn Zone made this story all the more intriguing considering the noticeable change in his personality even before he fell for a young free-spirited man who embraces his femme side. I liked how High Heat wove Garrick’s recovery into the romance between him and Rain. I liked even more that the author explored how Garrick’s injury impacted his physical intimacy with Rain. The way these aspects were considered and respectfully portrayed without diminishing the bright spark of either character or creating a melancholy tone makes High Heat an easy recommendation.

Hurt/comfort romances are my favorite, and this book is an excellent example of that trope.

Garrick and Rain demonstrate a lot of mutual care for each other in the story. Garrick’s need for comfort is clear; he was seriously injured while working as a smoke jumper, and he’s facing the prospect of permanent disability and losing the job he loves if his rehabilitation isn’t complete. Rain loves to help other people—he loves feeling needed—so he naturally jumps in to support Garrick. But Rain needs to be cared for as well, because he’s got issues surrounding feeling disregarded and dismissed by others. Garrick also helps Rain by making him feel seen and valuable.

This line from Garrick near the end of the book sums it up best: “It’s like I had all these little cracks, and us caring for each other, that fills them all in, makes me warm and cozy inside.“ That’s what Garrick and Rain do for each other, shore each other up and make each other stronger. And that’s what I love about hurt/comfort romances, the way the characters’ love for each other makes them better.

I was impressed by the author’s handling of the effect of Garrick’s injuries on Garrick’s and Rain’s sexual relationship, too. She doesn’t shy away from the fact that even incomplete trauma to the spinal cord can have a lasting effect in terms of sexual function. It’s treated very sensitively, and she models how men can have fulfilling sex lives even if it requires accommodating such an injury.

I’d recommend this romance for anyone who enjoys a good hurt/comfort story. After reading the excerpt at the end, I’m looking forward to the next in the series, a second chance romance. It’s sounds like it’s going to be a good one!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

High Heat, book two in Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series, picks up the story of Garrick Nelson, one of the crew of Smoke Jumpers based near the fictional town of Painter’s Ridge in central Oregon. Garrick was badly injured during a jump at the end of book one, Burn Zone, breaking both his legs and incurring a spinal injury, but by the time High Heat opens some six months later, he’s out of hospital and back at home. He’s still undergoing intense physical therapy and gets around on crutches or in a wheelchair, and he’s absolutely determined he’s going to get back to doing the job he loves – no matter how hard he has to work and train, smoke jumping is all he’s ever wanted to do and he’s completely focused on getting back on the team.

When an injured dog shows up at his front door, Garrick heads over to his neighbour’s house to ask for help – Shirley has dogs and hopefully will be able to lend him a leash and know which vet to call. To his surprise, it’s not Shirley who opens the door but a gorgeous young man he quickly realises must be her grandson. Also a surprise is the zing of attraction Garrick feels – something he hasn’t experienced much of since the accident.

Vivacious, quirky Rain Fisher has come to live with his grandmother for a few months while he figures out what he wants to do and where he wants to go next, and he’s definitely noticed her distractingly hot neighbour. He helps Garrick get the injured dog – whom they name Cookie – to the vet and decides to encourage him to keep her, at least until a suitable ‘forever home’ can be found. Back at Garrick’s house, Rain offers to help get Cookie settled, and then to come over to take her for walks; and when Garrick points out that Rain shouldn’t have to give up his time each day to do that, Rain has a ready answer. He wants to get a job on a hotshot crew, and needs to make sure he’ll meet the fitness requirements. Given his background, Garrick knows exactly what Rain will have to be able to do and how best to get into shape, so Rain suggests that in return for helping out with Cookie, Garrick becomes his (sort of) personal trainer and helps him work towards passing the fitness tests.

What starts out as Rain calling in to pick up Cookie for her twice-daily walks soon turns into shared meals, hanging out together and interesting conversation, and the attraction that had sparked between them at their first meeting turns flirtatious and then into more. They agree to a fling; Rain has never been one for staying in one place too long, and Garrick has never been the relationship type, so a short-term thing will suit them both. But this is the first time Garrick has contemplated having sex since the accident, and with his doctors and therapists focusing on the physical and neurological effects of his injuries, he hasn’t felt able to express his concerns about his sexual function, which has certainly changed since he was injured. This aspect of the story is handled really well; Rain is completely unfazed by any of it and encourages Garrick to talk about his concerns and seek help. He’s wonderfully accepting and supportive, always taking his cue from Garrick and making it very clear that he’s completely on board with whatever they are able to get up to ;) Rain may be young, but he’s very mature in a lot of ways; his upbringing in a kind of commune where people shared and mucked in to help each other has stuck with him, but more than that, he genuinely likes making himself useful and doing things that make people happy. He impressed me from the moment he asked Garrick “Can you tell me the best way to help you?” when he was going to drive Garrick and Cookie to the vet’s, and I really liked the way he shows his care and affection for Garrick in lots of subtle (and some not so subtle!) ways.

Like Burn Zone, High Heat has a May/December thing going on, and it’s a trope I enjoy when handled well, as is the case here. I don’t think Garrick’s exact age is mentioned, but I’m guessing mid-thirties, while Rain is twenty-three, so it’s a gap of a bit over a decade; and while Rain does sometimes tease Garrick about it, it’s never really an issue for them. Rain is outgoing and affectionate and brimming with self-confidence, but he’s also dragged down by his family’s well-meaning teasing about how he’s too restless to settle, memories of how his natural exuberance was often too much for some people to take, and his mother’s exasperation over his being (as she described it) too needy when he was a kid.

Ms. Albert does a great job of showing that while in many ways Rain and Garrick are opposites, they’re just what the other needs. They’re cute together and I enjoyed their romance, but this is also a story about the need to adapt and change, recognising that the future we map out for ourselves sometimes takes an unexpected turn and that the path we’ve chosen may no longer the one we should be following. Garrick needs to accept that his life has changed irrevocably and learn how to move forward; Rain needs to consider that maybe he’s chasing the wrong dream and learn to trust in himself more.

The author points out in her notes at the end that she spent time researching and speaking to people with injuries similar to Garrick’s and that certainly shows, as she handles the subject of his physical and mental state with respect and sensitivity. There are cameo appearances from other members of the crew, notably Linc and Jacob, and I wanted to single out Garrick’s dad for special mention, specifically the relationship between them, which is very nicely judged.

The biggest issue I had as regards the romance is that the conflict – which is fairly minimal – stems around one of those arguments where one character thinks they know what’s best for the other and is out to sacrifice their own happiness because of it; it’s one of my ‘least favourite things I want to read in a romance’.

Apart from that, I enjoyed Garrick and Rain’s story and while I perhaps didn’t connect with them as much as with Linc and Jacob in the previous book, High Heat is well worth a recommendation, and I’m looking forward to reading book three, Feel the Heat, this autumn.

In this second book in Annabeth Albert's Hotshots series, Garrick Nelson is a smoke jumper recovering from injuries resulting from a horrible work related accident. His goal is to return to work. When a stray dog shows up at his door one day, he appeals to his neighbor for help and ends up meeting Rain Fisher, his neighbor's grandson visiting for the summer.

Rain Fisher is a twenty-something young man with an optimistic attitude and he's more than willing to help Garrick with his visitor. Together they take care of Cookie and become friends. When Rain needs help getting in shape to get a job with the firefighters, Garrick is only to willing to help Rain get physically ready for the job. I adored Garrick. His positive attitude was inspiring and Garrick and Rain's easy friendship is a terrific foundation for their budding relationship. I was hooked on these two early on in the book.

I love stories that focus on relationships that aren't perfect in every way, and Garrick and Rain have some challenges to overcome as they grow closer. Garrick's dedication to his job and his desire to return to work was inspiring, and his physical limitations and challenges were handled with love and sensitivity. I was able to understand what Garrick's life not only physically but emotionally after his accident as he works toward regaining his mobility.

I appreciated that the physical issues between these two are handled with honesty and aren't just brushed away. There's plenty of steamy action between Garrick and Rain -- I especially liked how Rain responded to Garrick's commanding direction in the bedroom!

There are the usual complications between these two, made more significant by the impact on both of them. Garrick's return to work, Rain's temporary summer job all have the capacity to provide the conflict in this story. There's also a great support structure for Garrick between his father and his friends.

So much to love about this story, I have to give it five stars.While High Heat works as a standalone, you'll probably want to read the first book in the series for more info about Garrick's accident, but it's not necessary. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.

An injured homeless dog brought them together and now Rain is crushing on Garrick, who’s also injured and walks with crutches. Maybe they can have some fun, just for the time being of course. Rain will not stay long enough to start something even though that’s exactly what he’s looking for.

Rain lives next door with his gran. He’s looking for a job with the wild firefighters.
He wants Garrick, who’s a smokejumper, to train him, in exchange he’ll help with the dog.
Rain a sparkling rainbow unicorn and Garrick can only admire him. Before you know they share their bodies in a very good way.
Garrick and Rain are so smitten with each other. Garrick is getting stronger and more independent, Rain is offering an opportunity with wild firefighters only in California and not here. Rain wants Garrick to ask him to stay but Garrick won’t do it

Throughout this story, we get to know them so well. Because of the injuries parts of Garrick’s body don’t work quite well as he wished, Rain is very easygoing about it. Always the very positive one, not only positive he also got a lovely kinky side.
Together they are sweet, sensual, expanding the horizon, try out new ways.
It’s about to dare to make choices, to step out of the comfort zone.

It was a convincing narrative, entertaining, honest, and close to the heart. This author always writes in the best engaging way, always with a good balance between the main story, side stories, romance, lighthearted and heavy issues, the characters always have layers and you can only love them!
Overall a very entertaining, well developed, engaging narrative.

Annabeth Albert delivers a HIGH HEAT, Hurt/Comfort, May/December, Romance that is sure to have readers rooting for Garrick and Rain right from the start.

I was looking forward to Garrick's story after Annabeth Albert told me a little about it in our Author Interview for BURN ZONE, once I heard there was a matchmaking dog involved I was all over it! I mean seriously I know I am going to have a great read because of whose writing the book but once you throw in a dog that somehow gets two guys together it's like catnip....or puppy chow for me. ;)

Garrick was severely injured in a jump during BURN ZONE, he is recovering but things aren't going the way he planned, he has to use a wheelchair or crutches to get around right now but he's determined to get back to smoke jumping the next season.

Garrick finds a hurt dog and wants to help him but the dog is afraid of the wheelchair so he goes to his neighbors house because she has two dogs so he figures she'll be able to help him with the dog, what he didn't expect is her grandson, Rain, answering the door and sparking an interest that he hasn't had in a while.

Cookie is one heck of a matchmaker because she definitely worked her magic with getting Garrick and Rain together. Rain is what his family and friends consider an adventurer, never one to settle down for to long always looking for the next thing to do but he may just have found something or shall I say someone worth sicking around for.

I really enjoy age-gap romances when they are done right and this one definitely was. So if you enjoy age-gap romances, MM romances, Hurt/comfort romances, or are just looking for a good read I would recommend this book to you.

Happy Reading!!!

Garrick's story is not easy. If you've read the first book, you know that he has some major healing to do. Rain is an unexpected arrival into his life and helps to breath fresh air into his lungs. Rain flits through life chasing one adventure after another. No one who knows him believes he will ever setting down. What they don't know is that he is just trying to find somewhere to belong, someone to belong to. Will tough Garrick be the one to tether him to this world? Will Garrick learn that there is more to life than smoke jumping? Steamy, emotional and fun read.

While this is Book #2 of the series, I think it can comfortably be read as a standalone so do not worry if you want to pick this up as it is.

If you did read the previous book however, you'll recall how Garrick(one of the MCs in this book) had a horrific accident that left him so broken, it is a wonder he made it out with his life. This book detailed not only how he got back his health, but also how he adjusted to a new way of life. He was gruff(but inherently kind) and he had to learn new things about himself during his recovery process that endeared him to me. Also, how he treated Rain was just great. There is really nothing like someone who accepts you for who you are unconditionally.

Rain (I love the name by the way) was your quintessential free spirited person who loved to move from one exciting adventure to the other. He was kind, bubbly, and a steadfast figure for Garrick as he struggled with himself and all the adjustments that he had to make in his life. He was understanding and compassionate in all his actions and it made me love him as a person even when I was afraid he might "Ghost" on Garrick.

The relationship between these two men was pretty solid considering the age gap. Rain, for all his flight-risk tendencies had a level head and faced each issue that arose with admirable maturity, preferring to talk about it rather than overreact and flounce off like others might be inclined to. Garrick was also the same and this made reading about them a breath of fresh air amidst all these "non-communicating" couples in some romances you read about.

The only issue I had with this great book was that we didn't get as much fire-fighting action as we did in the previous book. Whereas in that book, it was a balance between fire fighting and the relationship being built, in this the fire fighting got very little page time and left me wanting more.Hopefully, we get more of that balance in the next book.

Nonetheless, as you can infer from all I've written above, I really enjoyed this book and will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment (Ryland's book I think). Bring it on Annabeth Albert!

Love Rain and Garricks story. This is a first by this author and didn't disappoint. They meet while Garrick's is recovering from an injury and him and Rain hit it off. I loved how he was broody and temperamental while recovering but they still developed a relationship from there.Great read!!

High Heat is the second book in the Hotshots series. Garrett And Rain’s story is a slow burn that only gets hotter as the story continues. I loved the friendship between the two, which started with the help of a dog Garrett found injured. Rain agrees to help Garrett with the dog since he is still recovering from a near fatal accident as a smoke jumper. They have such a great chemistry together it wonderful to read.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series by Annabeth Albert.

I love this couple!

High Heat is book 2 in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. She has long been a favorite author for me and I'm really enjoying this series. We first met Garrick in book 1, Burn Zone, but you don't really have to read that to enjoy High Heat but it is a story that I can highly recommend.

High Heat has a great age-gap trope but it's not beat to death. (I hate it when the older guy keeps saying something like "we can't, we shouldn't, I'm too old for you" over and over.) The age difference is acknowledged and comes up but not excessively.

We already know from the blurb that Garrick suffered life-altering injuries while on the job as a smoke jumper. High Heat deals with his recovery and how he is handling his injuries along with throwing a little monkey wrench into the mix in the form of his neighbor's grandson.

Rain is visiting his grandmother for the summer but has no plans to stay beyond that. A sweet dog named Cookie and his grandmother's next-door neighbor seem to be bent on changing those plans. I loved Rain so much. He is such a caring young man and he's falling for Garrick. He has a nurturing personality and he loves Cookie, the dog he helped Garrick rescue. He doesn't see Garrick's injury as something to be put off by. He wants to help when needed but he doesn't see the injury as anything that should keep him from wanting to be with Garrick.

I loved this story so much but I was getting a little concerned that no tears had really come and I was getting pretty close to the end. Tears for me are a sure sign that I'm loving a book and Annabeth knows just how to bring on mine. Well, I shouldn't have worried. There were plenty of sad and happy tears as I got to the end of the book. Such a great story!

I'm going to repeat a few things I said about book one because it also applies to High Heat:
Something I really love to read in a book is a great epilogue. High Heat doesn't have a chapter called Epilogue but the last chapter takes place a few months after the main story has concluded; to me that is an epilogue. 😊 And it's a great one.

I don't always read the stuff at the back of the book, after the story ends, but the information Annabeth writes in her Author Note and Acknowledgments is definitely worth reading. There is also an excerpt from the next book in the series – Feel the Fire. I usually don't read those either but I couldn't resist this one. It's a second chance story, which is one of my very favorite romance tropes; I can't wait to read it.

A review copy was provided by Carina Press via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Rain and Garrick have little in common. Except for two things - the injured dog they suddenly become responsible for, and an undeniable mutual attraction.

Starting off as strangers, they quickly bond over taking care of Cookie, the playful stray that showed up on Garrick’s doorstep and decided to stay.

And after some initial hesitation, both men are more than happy to explore what’s between them.

I liked how easy Garrick and Rain were with the physical part. Yes, Garrick does have misgivings about the age gap, but they’re both on board to have some fun. And they definitely brought the heat!

Bonus points for the easy acceptance of Rain’s femme side!

But things are far from simple. Garrick struggles with injuries he sustained on the job, and Rain can’t stay in one place too long before the itch to move on hits. And both of those things affect their ability to build a meaningful relationship.

I really appreciated that Annabeth Albert didn’t gloss over or minimize what Garrick’s injuries meant. There’s no miraculous recovery or easy fix to get back to “normal”.

However, it’s not an easy thing for Garrick to accept. His refusal to face facts was a bit annoying at times, but it was understandable - holding on to that hope of getting back to the life he used to have was the motivation Garrick needed to push through the gruelling recovery.

However, more than Garrick’s stubbornness, it’s Rain’s wandering way of life that puts an expiry date on what the two men have between them.

But the heart doesn’t stick to timelines! Through walks with Cookie, cozy dinners at home, and nights spent in each other’s arms (and eventually even shared days at work), the Rain and Garrick’s lives slowly become entwined.

The way Rain and Garrick fell in love and built a shared home without even realizing it was absolutely adorable. It was easy to root for them, and I really wanted them to make things work!

It takes a hard reckoning for Garrick and Rain to finally get their heads on straight, but their HEA made the uneasy road worth it!

Overall, I enjoyed ‘High Heat’ a lot more than I did book 1 in this series, and I’m invested enough to see what book 3 has to offer!