I was expecting "High Heat"....and got that plus all the feels!
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Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars
Kindle Unlimited: No
Standalone: Yes
Steam: 4 it is pretty darn hot flames
Triggers: Dealing with a permanent injury
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The end of book one left me in shambles when Garrick was hurt. He was such a strong, dependable character I could only hope that everything was going to work out for the best. Book two is Garrick's book and it was a little more everything.

Garrick was hurt when he got stuck in a tree after a jump. His legs, hips, back are all damaged but he is doing his PT and by golly he is going to work his way back out to the team. He is more determined than ever to get back to doing what he loved. Smoke jumping. Even a near death experience cannot keep him down. He has to use a wheelchair and crutches to get around, but he is making progress!

Then he comes upon Cookie, a lost and injured dog. Cookie is unfortunately afraid of the wheelchair, so Garrick has to do what he likes the least...ask his neighbor, Shirley, a tie-dying, crafting, grandmother for help. This is when he meets Rain, Shirley's grandson from Portland.

Rain agrees to help Garrick get the dog to the vet and see if she is chipped to find her owners. When the vet cannot find a chip, and there are no fosters available. Rain sweet talks Garrick into just a weekend, just to give Cookie time to heal and find her owners. Right. Just a weekend. That is what they all say :)

Garrick is hesitant because how is a man in a wheelchair or crutches going to take care of a dog, but Rain has that all figured out too. Rain will walk Cookie and help Garrick out for a while since he is visiting his grandmother for the summer and she does not need his help, and a friendship is born.

Rain sparkles, where Garrick is more reserved and gruffer. Rain brings sunshine to Garrick's lonely days. Slowly as they spend more time together that bond becomes more and more. Though Garrick is worried about the age difference, but Rain finally wears him down, I mean how long can you ignore someone who shines? Not to mention, in the back of his mind Garrick sees it as only temporary, Rain will be moving at the end of the summer. Or will he?

This book deals with many subjects. From learning to deal with a disability, and how it not only effects the injured parts of your body, but your mind and soul, overcoming challenges, and sometimes learning to ask for help. I will be honest. I teared up a couple of times because it was just heartbreaking to watch Garrick struggle. However, each time I teared up, Rain was there to lighten the mood, whether it was his silky robes, pony t-shirts and silver shorts, or sexy lacy underwear. Rain was always there to brighten things up with something pretty and a smile.

These two began to fill holes in each other's cracked armor. But how long can a summer fling last? Right? A summer... or can it last longer? You will have to read the book to find out.

This book was not quite what I was expecting, it had more emotions than I expected. High Heat definitely brings the heat, and it will warm your heart right along with the steam! I enjoyed this book and I think it was a great addition to the Hotshots series. I will continue to read this series and cannot wait to see who is next in the series.

High Heat by Annabeth Albert


NB: This review contains spoilers for things that happened in Burn Zone, the first book in the Hotshots series.

High Heat picks up a few months after the events of Burn Zone, and Garrick Nelson has been learning to live with the injury he sustained in the first book. Despite his prognosis, he believes that with enough hard work, he can rejoin his smokejumping squad.

When a stray dog shows up at Garrick’s house, he asks his neighbor for help. Much to his surprise, her cute grandson answers the door.

Rain Fisher agrees to help Garrick with the dog in exchange for help training for the fire academy.

And from there, things get heated. Pun intended.

I loved the first book, but I think I like this one even more. There’s an age gap between the two romantic leads, which is one of my favorite tropes. There’s also a bit of sunshine/grump, which makes for a ton of top-notch banter.

Rain is much more femme than the other men Garrick has been attracted to, which makes Garrick even more excited about the development of their friendship. Their chemistry was absolutely amazing, and the sexual tension was palpable, practically from their first meeting.

Much of the conflict is organic, and centers around the concept that Rain has tons of prospects, many of which are away from the small town he’s only visiting temporarily; whereas Garrick is beginning to face the distinct possibility that his injuries may be more serious than he wanted to believe.

There’s a fair amount of exciting firefighting scenes, but not as much as Burn Zone, but that’s okay, because this was supposed to be a different sort of book.

I would absolutely recommend High Heat. Readers can begin with this book; Linc and Jacob from Burn Zone make a couple of appearances in this book, but it functions well as a standalone. This was such a good book—in addition to the tropes that I mentioned, I also loved the disability representation: Garrick uses both a wheelchair and a cane, and this facet was completely normalized without being sensationalized. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the Hotshots series!

Heartfelt, sensual, and slow-burning!

High Heat is a lighthearted, passionate romance featuring the young, free-spirited, Rain and the wounded, disheartened Garrick as they discover that together they can tackle any obstacles, challenges, and struggles that may come their way both personally and professionally.

The prose is tender and sweet. The characters are genuine, driven, and supportive. And the plot is an alluring tale filled with longing, desire, doubt, angst, danger, trust, communication, physical disabilities, injury recuperation, compassion, friendship, and love.

Overall, High Heat is a sweet, steamy, emotive read by Albert that does a wonderful job of highlighting the continuous physical and psychological battles faced by those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and is a fantastic addition to the Hot Shots series.

Garrick Nelson is a smokejumper, which is all her ever wanted to be. Except, a bad accident on a jump has sidelined him with severe injuries. He's worked amazingly hard to get back on his feet, but, while he can walk, he tires easily and relies on crutches or a wheelchair for long periods of the day. That's why he's frustrated when he finds an injured stray dog on his porch. She's skittish, and his lack of mobility hampers rescuing her as she darts away. He wheels himself to his neighbor's house and enlists the help of her sexy grandson, Rain, to catch and clean up the dog.

Rain thinks Garrick, who is pan, is a delicious treat for his lonely days of keeping an eye on his crafty grams. I mean crafty in that she makes handicrafts--tye-dying cloth for clothes. It's heavy work, and Rain's mom has convinced Rain he should be there in case gram needs help--though she rarely does--yet she's happy to take in her wandering grandson, anyway. He's drifting since he didn't get into the city fire training academy, but seeing how buff Garrick is--and knowing he's a smokejumper--Rain makes a leap to ask him for advice in his physical training regimen. Garrick isn't sure he wants to commit, but they bond over the care of the stray, who Rain names Princess, and it's not long before the attraction sparks a brushfire of desire.

This story really handles the emotional toll of surviving a catastrophic, career-ending injury, and the attendant physical issues that arise. Garrick has trouble with sexual arousal, and his nerves aren't all that sensitive since his spinal injury, but his interest in Rain is more than just companionship--though they do a lot of hanging out as they get to know one another. It's Rain's gentle guidance that helps Garrick re-center his life and world accepting his new normal from a viewpoint of ability, not disability. The change is important, because it brings emotional harmony to Garrick, whose depression was getting clinical.

Rain, for his part, does a lot of growing up while he's in Garrick's world. His training and focus helps him land a job on a fire crew, and he works hard cutting fire lines and running the comm for his team. He's insightful and intuitive which helps him on the job, and with Garrick. He's also body aware and a bit shameless from being raised by freeloving hippies. I loved his sense of compassion, and how he didn't let the characterization of his youth color the decisions he made now. While he may have been a freewheeler, himself, meeting Garrick gives him a touchstone, a person to whom his life can be bound--for the good of both.

It's sweet and tender, the way they care for one another. From adjusting erogenous zones, to researching vegan diets, these guys are shaping themselves into ideal partners for one another before they even realize how serious they are becoming. I really enjoyed this one, and expect we'll get some mature heat for a lonely commander in the next installment. I can't wait!

High Heat by Annabeth Albert
Hot Shots #2

A man with a goal
A dog that needs a home
A young man with a dream

Three who need something
Will they find it in one another OR
Will they let a good thing go?

This story grabbed my attention and kept it from beginning to end.

What I liked:
* Garrick: strong, focused, positive with goals of returning to his job despite serious injuries and the impact they have had on his life.
* Rain: younger, looking for adventure, seeking his place in the world. He is charming, quirky, warmhearted, and delightful.
* Cookie: canine sweetie pie that deserved her forever home
* The relationship between Garrick and Rain and the romance as it developed
* The open way spinal cord issues were discussed
* Rain’s openhearted strong and mature support of Garrick as he worked through several issues
* Garrick’s support of and respect for Rain
* The supporting cast of characters
* The fire portions of the story
* The way the writing drew me in
* That it was believable – as a nurse in charge of a skilled nursing facility for mentally alert neurologically impaired of all ages…I saw people dealing with issues like those that Garrick faced.
* All of it really except…

What I did not like:
* That Garrick suffered the injury he did…it is always sad and life changing
* Having to say goodbye to the characters and wondering who will have their story told next.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This is the second book in the series. Garrick was in the first book, that's where his accident happened. Rain is the grandson of his neighbour, visiting for the summer. In the middle, you have cookie, the adorable rescue dog. The story was enjoyable. The chemistry between them fell a bit flat for me and sometimes not believable . There are some good sex scenes. I love reading about all the Firefighter elements.
Thanks the publisher and netgalley for this ARC and the opinions expressed here are all mine.

This time, the book is less about fire-fighting and more about the impacts and people involved in the business. The first part focuses on Garrick's injuries, the way they have restricted his life, and most significantly, his absolute rejection of these limitations. All the way, Garrick has proved the doctors wrong, and now he is almost walking, and is learning how to re-group.

But he still needs help (much to his dismay).

Enter hot, hipster, helpful Rain - young, eager and ever so thoughtful. His moving in next door seems like a godsend, if only Garrick wasn't also feeling lust, (as well as grateful and appreciative). Rain has a similar physical reaction, but it does take a while before they give in and act on these feelings. But the build up is flirty and fun.

The big angst of course, involves the age difference, the temporary nature of Rain's stay, and Garrick's own belief that he is too much of a burden. But sorting all this out makes for an engaging and sweet read. I liked it a lot.

Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for advanced copy. High Heat comes out on the 27th. Can't wait for the next one.

Less Smoke, More Fire. In this second book in a new series, we follow one of the people who was featured in the first book as he continues his recovery from events there. And the book really is more about recovery and coming to terms with limits rather than the more overt firefighting of the first book. Here we get a much more personal drama rather than being so intensely focused on the overall world of Hotshots and Smoke Jumpers as the first book was. And there is a *lot* more sex. Which fans of the genre will likely appreciate. But much less actual firefighting, though one scene in particular *strongly* evokes the real-life drama of the Yarnell Fire and the book Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough or the movie Only The Brave that was based on that book. Ultimately a strong book in its own right, it manages to hold its own in this world and in this particular culture while being free to be its own entity... which is actually a large theme in the book itself. Very much recommended.

I am a fan of this author’s work and given that we meet Garrick in the previous book, where he’s severely injured during a jump, I was excited to read his story. Due to the injuries of his jump, he is unable to walk on his own, let alone go back to work. He relies on crutches or a wheelchair to get around, and is kind of down on himself when his story starts out. However, after meeting his neighbor’s grandson, and having him help him out, in exchange for training lessons, Garrick finds something to be happy about.

Like I said, I am a fan of the author’s work, and was really looking forward to this story, but I have to be honest and say that this one just didn’t work for me. It was missing that spark. These characters should have flown off the pages at me, and instead they were just that… characters in a book. I felt no connection to them or their relationship. Which is sad because Rain seemed to have so much personality and flair to him, but it just never went past the superficial for me.

I liked that there were a couple scenes where we got to go on the job with Rain and Garrick. I am a sucker for behind-the-scenes with the characters, however, there wasn’t a whole lot of that since it takes place closer towards the end of the book. I wish we would have gotten more action with Rain on the ground while Garrick was instructing from the sidelines. These guys have very interesting jobs and I just wish we saw more of that.

As a whole, this was an interesting story of self acceptance, and growth. While it may not be my favorite from the author, I can appreciate what she was going for and the fact that she brought a new dynamic of characters to the spotlight.

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.

High Heat is the second book in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert and is currently scheduled for release on July 27 2020. While it stands up well on its own, I do recommend reading the books in order for a better understanding of some of the characters.

Smoke jumping is Garrick Nelson’s life. Nothing, not severe injuries nor the brutal physical therapy that follows, is going to stop him from getting back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbor. As they work together, trying to re-home their little princess, Garrick can’t resist his growing attraction for the other man, even though he knows this guy isn’t the staying type. Rain Fisher doesn’t take anything too seriously. He dances through life, one adventure at a time, never settling in one place for too long. When his hot, conveniently buff, neighbor shows up on his doorstep, dog in tow, Rain’s determined to not just save the adorable puppy, but her reluctant owner as well. He never expects their flirtation might tempt him into stay put once and for all.

High Heat is an emotional read. Garrick is dealing with recovering from some serious injuries, and coming to terms with having to ask for help more than he ever. Rain is still trying to find his path and what he wants from the future. He thinks he knows, but is struggling to get where he wants to be. Neither is looking for anything from each other, which of course means they fall madly in lust and love even if they do not want to admit it. I love how discussions about what they want, Garrick's injury and recovery, and consent are all major aspects of the story and relationship. I thought the fears, discussion, and emotion were all realistically and thoughtfully handled. I will admit that I found the pace slowed a little and drifted a little more than half way through the story, but it picked back up and regained my full engagement quickly. I cannot wait for more from Albert.

High Heat is a great continuation of the Hotshots series, and I think fans of the author and genre will be eager for more.

I received a copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m always down for a good “sexy person in uniform” book, so when I was offered a spot on the blog tour for Annabeth Albert’s High Heat, I smashed that “Yes, please!” button with a quickness. Ms. Albert is a new-to-me author, but after completing this story, she definitely will not be a one-and-done. I picked this book up without having read book one in the Hotshots series, so I can attest to it being a satisfactory standalone. However, after discovering book one gave some background into the harrowing accident one this book’s MC’s Garrick suffers that leads into his current status in book two, I wish I would’ve read it first. Just for some context.

I aim to avoid spoilery content in my reviews, so I’m going to attempt to handle this one no different, but if anything slips in, I’ll warn you ahead of time. The story starts off with Garrick in a wheelchair—but with the ability to use special forearm cuff crutches for short distances—and undergoing intensive physical therapy. His goal is to get back to the job he loves as a smoke jumper, and he is incredibly and admirably dedicated. His love interest Rain is a free-spirited sweetheart with a penchant for being the center of attention and showing off his femme side with some seriously sexy/adorable attire.

This was one of those reads that I couldn’t stop thinking about when I wasn’t reading it. I whole-heartedly admit (unless my boss reads this review, then I’ll swear up, down, and to the left that someone hacked my blog and I’d never do such a thing) I totally sneak-read this at work because I couldn’t focus otherwise. I would do a task, then reward myself with a couple pages of Garrick and Rain. Their relationship was something else. Rain has a genuine pure heart and loves to help others for the sake of helping others. So, with Garrick learning to live with his disability, Rain becomes an integral part of his adaptations. When he’s needed, he is always there, but he also supports Garrick in finding ways to do things himself. It’s a heavy topic—much heavier than I thought I was walking into with this read—but I believe it was done very, very well.

As a nurse who worked on a stepdown unit focusing on spinal cord injuries, I can attest that Ms. Albert did her research, and for that I am grateful. Garrick’s injury—to my limited but still more in depth than the lay person knowledge—is portrayed with accuracy and care. Right down to concerns in the bedroom. (I’ll stop there… spoilers!) This is something I appreciate more than I can say, because I went into this assuming Garrick would be injured for the first few chapters then start making miraculous progress and by the end, he’d be one-hundred percent back to normal. As if his HEA depends on his return to fully-abled status, which is a painful stereotype that hurts the disabled community. Kudos to Ms. Albert for handling this story with realism and respect.

Right up until about 75% percent in to this read, it was a solid 5-stars. I debated whether to let the final quarter affect my rating because I loved the first 3/4 so very, very much. However, I went from devouring the pages like a reader starved to checking—frequently—to see how much was left. This saddens me, because had the book ended around, oh, 80%? It would’ve been an easy contender for my coveted Best Read in 2020 spot. My biggest issue with the end—which, in all actuality, was filled with some wonderful character-building and relationship-building moments that would’ve held some serious impact earlier in the story—is that it felt like it had about 4 different endings. 🙈

If nothing else, this book has taught me why my editors always tell me to come back from your black moment, make things right with your characters, and then cut and run. I’m always tempted to add just one more sweet, couple-y moment to the end to show how happy they are together, but get my wrists slapped when I do. And this absolutely delightful book helped me understand why. Once the tension is over, readers start to disengage. Yes, we want to see the characters find their HEA, but we don’t want to live said HEA for another 20% of the book’s total read time. It becomes tedious and no longer holds our interest.

That being said, I would still recommend this book whole-heartedly. It was a well-written, well-crafted, and well-thought-out romance with solid disability rep and delightful characters.

My introduction to this author was the first book in this series, Burn Zone. I was an instant fan. I couldn’t wait to read more and find out if the book that blew me a way was a fluke, or if I had found a new must-read author. It wasn’t a fluke. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Annabeth Albert so far. This story is just as amazing as the first.

Garrick wasn’t someone I necessarily loved in the first book, until his motives became clearer. Then I couldn’t help but stand behind him. He’s a good friend, that’s for sure. But he got seriously injured in the first book and he’s not smoke jumping currently. Nope, this man who is so used to going all in and leading the charge is in physical therapy and, more often than not, needs his wheelchair to get around. That’s a lot to get used to. I love his can-do attitude and couldn’t help but hope his optimism would pay off.

Rain is such a cutie. It’s hilarious when they first meet because I felt as though Rain wanted to be super sassy but just wasn’t sure how the stoic firefighter would take him. Not that he wanted to hide who he was, he just didn’t want to offend. These two quickly realize they are on the same page and…let the banter begin. Man, their flirting and innuendos is next level. Even when Garrick is trying NOT to got there, it just cannot be helped. They feed off each other and, eventually, can no longer deny their connection. This story is about more than sexuality and relationships and love. It’s about being true to yourself and letting others be themselves with no judgment. Rain is not one to hide who he is, and Garrick in not one to want him to ever “tone down” his true self. It’s a beautiful thing.

As much as I instantly loved Rain, I wasn’t sure if he’d have much depth at first. But boy does he. As a middle child, I totally understood Rain on so many levels. Although I’m more of an introvert, that didn’t stop me from doing dumb things for attention when I was younger. The problem is, Rain’s family still sees him as that small kid. They never quite take him seriously. He’s loved and respected, but it doesn’t seem anyone takes the time to get to know adult Rain. Until Garrick, that is.

I cannot tell you how amazing the sexual chemistry is with these two. Garrick has some possible issues with arousal with his injuries, but ultimately, they don’t let that hold them back. It’s actually a part of this story that really cements the relationship between Rain and Garrick. Their experimentation and exploration of what did and did not work was not only steaming hot, but gave their relationship a while other depth.

Rain has always been one to do for others in all aspects of his life. Be it for a neighbor, family, or stranger. If someone needs help, Rain is there. He doesn’t know how to receive very well, though. Garrick helps him learn that giving and receiving are equally important…in and out of the bedroom. In some ways Garrick is the same since he’s never been one to ask for help. Rain helps him to realize it’s okay to need help once in a while and that there are people who not only will help, but WANT to help.

I could not get enough of these two. When they had conflict, my heart ached for them both. When they overcame obstacles throughout this book, I celebrated with them. This author has a forever fan in me.

High Heat is the second book in Annabeth Albert's Hot Shot series, but each book can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. This book is about smoke jumper Garrick and young free spirit Rain. An opposites attract, age gap romance that brings with it a plethora of emotions.

There is so much going on in this story I don't know where to begin. I really enjoyed our leading males. Garrick is a bit grumpy which is to be expected in his situation. Underneath his gruff exterior he is caring and kind and doesn't wish to be a burden on anyone. Rain is vibrant and is comfortable in his own skin. He's a sweetheart who thrives on being wanted/ needed by someone. They meet and are exactly what the other needs in a friend, a confident and a sexual partner. I loved the relationship they formed between them. All their time together and sweet intimate moments put a smile on my face while it hurt my heart that they both felt so unworthy of the other.

Things that I was less thrilled about in the book were the supporting characters who didn't seem to do much supporting of Garrick and Rain's relationship. The story also felt a bit long and dragged in the middle. Also, even though I expected the climax that the book had, it didn't make it any less frustrating. I wanted to bang their heads together and tell them to stop being so darn stubborn. For two people who were so good at talking to each other they struggled at that moment to fight for what they wanted and it was a bit disappointing.

Overall, I enjoyed High Heat much more than the first book in the series and I'm excited for the next book to come.

Once in a while a beautiful m/m love story comes along, one that happens even without page after page of sex scenes. This is that rare beast—a love story in which the characters show their love in little ways, long before they realize they’ve moved beyond friendship and caring, and into a lasting relationship.

Garrick Nelson is the smokejumper readers met in book one—the man who was hung up and then fell from a tree near the series finale. His story is one of coming back from disabling spinal and leg injuries with a single focus: he wants to jump again, and he’s willing to work to get there.

Rain Fisher has moved in with his grandmother, ostensibly to help the crafty woman who has finally left her vagabond lifestyle behind and found a permanent residence—right across from Garrick. Raised in a community somewhat like a hippie commune, Rain is not tied down to anyone or any single place. He goes where his interests lie, and right now he’s leaning toward work in firefighting. Because he’s tried several different jobs and lived several different places, his family considers him immature. He’s not. He has simply not yet found his place.

When he offers to walk Garrick’s dog for him, their friendship begins and, page after page, we are treated to their blossoming friendship and Garrick’s realization that his libido isn’t dead after all. Rain happens to love feminine undergarments. Soft, silky, lacy, and more: all push Garrick’s buttons. Slowly, one spark at a time, readers witness their chemistry as it goes off the charts in interesting ways.

What I loved most about this story was their bond—as friends, as lovers—totally supportive but not pushy in any way. Rain truly wanted the best for Garrick. Whether for his physical recovery, his sexual improvement, or his career, Rain was 100 percent behind Garrick. And Garrick was 100 percent behind Rain, going so far as to encourage him to take a spot on a hotshot crew in the LA area, knowing Rain would be taking Garrick’s heart with him. The author showed, through word and deed, just how much these two loved each other without ever being overbearing and without keeping them between the sheets throughout the whole book. That alone was downright refreshing.

This book can be read as a stand-alone, though reading book one, Burn Zone, would give readers the back story on Garrick’s injuries. High Heat has age gap, disabilities, hurt/comfort, manties, men with pets, firefighters, friends to lovers, unforgettable characters, and a lovely HEA.

A wonderful love story, very moving, and with amazing main characters. Garrick was a charismatic secondary character in the first Hotshots book where he got hurt very badly in an accident while smoke jumping, and by the time we meet him again in High Heat he’s still undergoing intensive PT to recover from that. He has shown great courage and determination as he tackled his recovery, defying the odds to regain the use of his legs to a certain extent, but he still needs a wheelchair and crutches. Garrick needs to face that his life will never go back to how it was before the accident, so an important part of the story focuses on how he deals with that loss and how he carves out a new life for himself, finds a new purpose. I think the author did a great job showing the challenges Garrick faces as he adjusts to life with a disability, not shying away from the day-to-day reality that comes with that. I loved that he got to fall for a sweet, younger guy. Rain is a wonderfully caring, playful character with a positive outlook on life, and he’s just perfect for Garrick. Garrick is a bit bothered by the age gap between them, but I love that Rain isn’t deterred in the least, either by the age gap or Garrick’s wheelchair and all that entails. What also struck me, in the best way, is how much Garrick pampers Rain and how they both take care of each other, putting in genuine effort to make each other happy and comfortable, which is an intrinsic part of a loving relationship.

Firefighters in uniform are iconic sexy. Garrick's job as one of the fire jumpers was his dream. As an adrenaline junkie, he loved the thrill of jumping out of a plane and into the fire… literally. Until it all ended with an unfortunate accident, leaving him in a wheelchair.

This story could have been a pity party of an embittered man, trying to come to terms with losing his identity. Instead, it is a sweet romance with a journey of change and enlightenment. Garrick's adjustment and trying to put his life back together is jumpstarted by his neighbor's grandson, Rain. Rain is looking to be a fireman and perhaps jumping too. With this common interest and a rescue dog in the mix, Garrick's life just got much brighter and better.

What I enjoyed about this story is how Ms. Albert addresses life after a horrific accident causing a person to not be able to continue in a job they love. Showing insight into how to help a person in a wheelchair as well as learning how that person feels was well done. Rain's experience with someone wheelchair bound educated me on things I would never have thought of or considered. Learning how there are still ways to do things one likes after losing mobility of the legs is great to see. Riding horses, jumping out of planes and even driving can be adapted for those who are wheelchair bound. This is especially cool to see because so many times in the Western society, to be less than perfect physically is to be less in people's eyes. And society wants to keep them from public view - hidden in shame. It is good to see Garrick is not treated this way and he continues on with his life and things he enjoys.

The romance between Rain and Garrick is so sweet. Their flirty behaviour and Rain's cute and sexy clothing options is adorable. These two are so good together and yet they still have their baggage and misunderstandings. I like how there isn't an instalove theme. Instead they take a bit of time and the relationship isn't perfect. This makes their love more realistic and relate-able.

Ms. Albert is a new to me author who writes sweet romance with everyday people facing adversity. I recommended this sexy sweet romance to m/m reader who love over coming odds themes.

This is the second book I've picked up from Albert to review in the last couple of months and again it's not my cup of tea. I loved the representation of Garrick as a pan-sexual and a partially disabled man. Rain was an interesting and cute foil to Garrick's gruff macho man attitude.

What didn't work for me was a lot of the story feeling like the only reason Rain was around was that he liked to be needed and liked taking care of Garrick. It made the love connection feel less genuine for me. It could be me just not connecting with Albert's writing. I had a similar issue with the other book I reviewed. But if you're in to caretaker tropes this may be up your alley.

This book is about a very special relationship that develops between two guys; one a partially handicapped former smoke jumper and the other a younger commune raised want to be firefighter. I must admit that this is not my usual type of book to read, but I am glad that I requested this one to read. Ms. Albert did an awesome job of pairing these two guys together and exploring their growing feelings for each other. Garrick is a seasoned hotshot who got injured during a jump and partially severed his spinal cord. He has beaten the odds as far as being able to walk with crutches and braces some plus he uses a wheelchair. An injured stray dog shows up one day on his front porch, but won't allow him to get very close, so Garrick goes across the street to see if his good friend and neighbor, Shirley can help as she has two dogs herself. Instead of Shirley answering the door, her grandson, Rain answers. Between Rain and the dog, Garrick's staid life is about to go up in smoke in more ways than one. Rain talks Garrick into at least fostering the dog until the possible owners are located and Rain offers to help with taking the dog out for walks twice a day. When Garrick learns that Rain is interested in becoming a forestry firefighter, he offers to help Rain get into better physical shape. The more time they spend together the more they are drawn to each other. Garrick reveals that he is pansexual and Rain is more femme gay.
It was interesting to me how tastefully their relationship was handled and I found myself being drawn in and hoping that things would work out between them as their love for each other grew. It would be wonderful to have someone love and care about me as much as those Garrick grows to love Rain. Just like any relationship theirs hit a few bumpy patches that they had to learn how to maneuver thru.
I thank Netgalley, Ms. Albert and Carina Press for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are strictly my own and have been freely given.

This is the second book in this series and I had really been looking forward to reading Garrick's story. . I enjoyed the first book, but had a very hard time connecting with Garrick in this book. Rain's character, however, made me laugh, and I enjoyed his bantering. I loved how the book portrayed the psychological battle one faces with a physical disability. But, overall the story did not flow as well as the last one.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.