Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second read from Annabeth Albert and she is quickly becoming a new favorite.

I would recommend this if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/m romance
-close proximity neighbor romance
-age gap
-friends to lovers
-an adorable meet cute involving a dog
-so much steam
-Two hot firefighters
-some fun in a hot tub

This is sex and intimacy done right. The steam is here to further to the story. You don't often see sexual disfunction conveyed in romance novels and here it was done sensitively and in furtherance as our heroes fell for each other and who knew it could be sexy? I can't wait to read more from this series

Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 5


Trigger warnings: homophobia, traumatic accident

High Heat is the second book in the Hotshots series and stars Garrick, who we met in book 1. He is now recovering from the injuries he sustained in that story but things aren't going as well as he had hoped. Life changes for him when he finds a stray dog on his porch and meets his next-door neighbour's grandson, Rain. Rain is a free spirit with an amazing positive air about him. He always tries his best and doesn't let setbacks hold him back - something Garrick needs right now.

There is instant attraction between Garrick and Rain but they take time to act upon it. Once they do, both sides are happy until life gets in the way again. There is a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication, as well as doing what you think others want to do rather than what you want to do. Still, there is a great story here that I loved reading. It is not all sunshine and rainbows though. Garrick has to learn about his new limitations even if he doesn't want to and Rain has to figure out just what it is he wants - which is not easy when he receives little support from anyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, especially the cameo appearances with Jacob and Linc. A wonderful addition to the series and I can't wait to see who comes next.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

book two in the hotshot series, high heat, finds garrick recovering from the harrowing accident that served as the climax for book one. and so, it's less sexy firefighters and more about a man who is learning to live a new normal and accept a reality where he won't be able to perform the job he loves in the same way anymore. or really perform many tasks in the same way anymore.

it's kind of heavy, and while the love story that he shares with rain is incredible, the support and compassion and true understanding between them is really lovely. it's at times overshadowed by the extent of injury garrick is recovering from.

it's well worth the read, and i'm looking forward to the next book in the series. but i didn't enjoy it quite as much as book one, but it was still really good. i appreciated all the realism and all the amazing disability rep, i guess i don't know what i was really expecting. this wasn't quite it.

**high heat will publish on july 27, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

High Heat is book two in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. I fell in love with the first book in this series, Burn Zone, and Linc and Jacob. So, I’ve been waiting not so patiently for this next book. Either of these can be read as stand alones.

If you read the first book, you already know that Garrick Nelson had a serious accident while smoke jumping. He broke both legs and had a serious spinal injury. Garrick’s legs have mended for the most part but he’s still in extensive physical therapy. He has crutches and a wheel chair for mobility but still has to rely on his dad for transportation and help. One thing Garrick isn’t lacking in, though, is motivation. Smoke jumping is his life. He is determined that he will get back to his former self and he will return to his crew at full throttle. He was home by himself when an injured stray dog showed up on his front porch. She was shy and scared of Garrick’s wheel chair but she wasn’t going anywhere. Not able to help her by himself, he turns to his neighbor but is surprised when her grandson comes to the door instead.

“Determination had gotten him this far. He wasn’t going to back down from a challenge.”

Rain Fisher is twenty three years old and is a sort of free spirit. He hasn’t quite figured out what he wants to do with his life yet. His latest interest was to get on a Hotshot fire crew but didn’t pass the physical test. He’s spending the summer at his grandmother’s in Painter’s Ridge, Oregon to help her out and hopefully find temporary work. When the hot neighbor wheels up to their door needing help with an injured dog, he’s all in to help out and maybe convince the neighbor to give the poor dog a forever home.

The attraction is immediate between Rain and Garrick. Rain offers to help Garrick with the dog and Garrick offers to train Rain so he can get in better shape. The more time they spend together, flirting soon turns to touching which soon turns to more. Rain is such a positive force. He just seems to know how to best help Garrick. He knows who he is and doesn’t mind flaunting it. He came into Garrick’s life at the best possible time. He is exactly what he needed. But, Garrick was known for being a bit of a player before his accident. And Rain is known for his fickle ways, flitting from one thing to another, always searching for a new adventure. As Garrick’s feelings deepen, he tries to keep reminding himself that Rain is only here temporarily.

Rain gets a summer job working the hand crew for the firefighters. He loves the work but does he love it enough to stay? Does Garrick even want him to stay?

I really did enjoy these two together but for some reason, I didn’t love them as much as I did Linc and Jacob. What I did love, though, was seeing the effect that Rain had on Garrick. He was such a positive force. I also loved the relationship between Garrick and his dad. Their relationship just really stood out to me and made my heart so happy. This is an age gap romance. Unless I missed it, Garrick’s exact age isn’t given, only that he is in his thirties. Regardless of his age, though, Rain really was perfect for Garrick. You can’t help but to love him and all his quirks. Now I’m excited to see who this author might focus on next in this series!

“The best parts of my life are still to come.”

Never before has one lost dog caused so much commotion!

Garrick has always lived life in the fast and promiscuous lane and after an accident and multiple surgeries, he has become a hermit and a shadow of his past life. With one goal in mind of 100% recovery, he cannot let anything, not even a cute dog and an even cuter neighbour get in the way.

I personally loved the evolution of Garrick as he stumbles (literally) his way through navigating family, well-meaning friends, and the harsh reality that things may never be the same. Throw in a sexy, (not so slightly) younger neighbor Rain who is unsure of everything from his next destination to what kind of underwear he should model and you have a confused, occasionally horny Garrick.

I firmly believe each and every book you read should educate you in some form or fashion and High Heat definitely provided valuable insight into the rigorously, dangerous world of Smokejumping and Hot Shot Crews.

Thank you to Harlequin Carina Press for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. In support of the author this review will be posted on my blog from June 16th, 2020 at this link:https://jesreadsit.wordpress.com/

High Heat is the second book in Annabeth Albert's Hotshots Series. But it can easily be read as a standalone, and that is what I did. And it was a very readable, well paced and written story. That realistically deals with everyday issues from a person's sexuality, to health care, to spinal injury without creating stereotypes or becoming heavy or overly dramatic.

And with really likable characters, a little angst and plenty of heat I was truly engaged throughout, and I would happily read more from this author and series in the future.

I will post this review in full on my blog on June 27, 2020

-=-=-=-
his is book two of the Hotshots Series and you can read my review of the first book, Burn Zone on my blog. I loved the first book in the series. I was really caught up in Linc's battle with himself. He had made a promise he was struggling with and the tension in the first book was palpable.

I have to say that I didn't connect quite as well with this second book. It's much more lighthearted in a way than the first one. Garrick is still recovering from injuries he received in the first book. He's in physiotherapy and is switching between crutches and a wheelchair. When he arrives home one day to find an injured dog on his porch he wants to help it but it's scared of his wheelchair. He manages to get across the road to get help from his neighbor only to discover her grandson, Rain.

Rain is as femme, wild, and free as Garrick is serious, gruff, and masculine. The wonderful thing about Garrick's character is that he's not judgemental at all. He's come out to the people who matter to him as pansexual and is firm in his belief that everyone should just get to be who they are. 

The two men strike up a quick friendship as Rain has offered to help take care of "Cookie" until they can find her a forever home. They are quite different from one another. Rain is very carefree. He goes with the flow around him and is often caught up in the moment. he dresses however he wants and can be a little overwhelming for Garrick at times.

Garrick is still struggling with a lot of physical things post-accident and, at first, he's pretty nervous about even attempting to be with a man. Through very gentle encouragement and a lot of sexual exploration, Rain is able to help Garrick find the courage to ask for more help with his disabilities.

The main theme in this book is about the struggle with decisions for the future when your feelings change. Garrick is older and he's pretty settled in his life in one way - even though he's still struggling with his physical recovery. Rain has always wanted to be a firefighter, he has spent his entire young life chasing after excitement and adventure. It's difficult to meet someone and want to invest some trust in them when that might mean giving up a dream.

I really enjoyed the supporting characters. It was great to see that Linc and Jacob are still happy. I really enjoyed their relationship in the first story so I was pleased to see them again. Garrick's father was another great character: an old school fella who was doing his best to understand his son's sexual orientation.

If you liked book one in the series, you'll probably enjoy this one. It's not quite as complex as the first one. I felt a bit more for Linc during "Burn Zone." This story has a lighter feel, with lovely and sensual scenes.

I wasn't sure I was going to read this one. I found the first in the series to be just ok. Annabeth Albert has been an auto-read for me for a while but she does have some ups and downs. I was thrilled that the protagonist in this was a disabled person. We don't get that representation enough in literature. I would prefer it to be own voices disability, but more inclusivity and diversity thank you! Also the femme gay men! awesome sauce. I really enjoyed the plot. It wasn't super involved, but I don't think every plot needs to be. This was very much about the characters and I enjoyed those characters so the book as a whole worked for me.

‘Burn Zone’ (Hotshots #1) by Annabeth Albert was an amazing story, so I’d genuinely looked forward to reading 'High Heat', the second book in this series.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, but for me this second book didn’t quite live up to the first. I understand the need for miscommunication, misunderstanding, doubt, and angst in well written romance novels, but all four of these characteristics where present in an overabundance in Garrick Nelson and Rain Fisher, the novel’s main characters.

'High Heat' is a story of fate, adaptation, and, most importantly, trust. It was learning to trust in themselves and in each other that was so difficult for Garrick and Rain.

Like ‘Burn Zone,’ 'High Heat' takes place in the fictional town of Painter’s Ridge, OR, and revolves about the work of one of Central Oregon’s fire crews.

Rain Fisher is a 23 years old gay, sexy, dog lover with a small fetish who is visiting his grandmother in Painter’s Ridge. Rain has already applied for and been rejected by The Portland Fire Academy.

Rain’s grandmother lives next door to Garrick Nelson, a slightly older former smokejumper who had been badly injured - sustaining two broken legs, a concussion, and a spinal cord injury that didn’t lead to complete paralysis - when he fell from a tree during a fire fighting jump.

An injured stray dog - appearing to be a mix of pit, rottie, and lab - arrived at Garrick’s door. Rain arrived shortly thereafter to help Garrick with the dog, a dog that Rain and Garrick later named Cookie. As they bonded over Cookie and Garrick’s subsequent offer to serve as a trainer for Rain, it was clear the two were meant for each other - but oh the angst before it finally happened. Even the descriptions of their sexual interactions were riddled with angst.

'High Heat' is at its best when sticking with its wonderful characters, and important plot elements like the problems that result when health insurance companies dictate what treatments their customers can receive. <spoiler> There’s also no question that the inevitable danger faced by Rain confronting a raging file while Garrick was only able to communicate with him as the crew's dispatcher, was an intense high point of the story. </spoiler>

Having said all of this, I was glad to see Linc and Jacob, the main characters in ‘Burn Zone,’ make cameo appearances in 'High Heat' as friends of Garrick. I hope all four of these men, Linc, Jacob, Garrick, and Rain will appear again in ‘Feel the Fire’, the third book in Annabeth Albert’s HotShots series.

I received an Advance Review Copy of ‘High Heat’ from NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Carina Press in exchange for an honest review. #HighHeat #NetGalley

Sometimes you read a book and it is just what your heart needs. Garrick was seriously injured and had his career as a smoke jumper put on hold. His injury involved a partially severed spinal cord and threatened his ability to ever walk again. He has been working to beat the odds and is determined to get back to his job and his life. One morning he finds a stray, injured dog. He can't handle it on his own because of his injuries - so he asks his neighbor for help. Her grandson, Rain, is the one who comes to his and the dog's rescue.

Rain is 23 and always on the lookout for the next adventure. He doesn't have his future mapped out for himself - and has been looking for something that keeps his interest. He's in town to help his grandmother out for the summer while he figures out what to do next. Rain strikes a deal with Garrick to help him with the dog - while Garrick helps Rain get in shape to qualify for the fitness tests for fire crew work for the summer.

They are definitely opposites in terms of their looks and attitude. Rain is outgoing, confident, and unapologetic. Garrick is more reserved and very conscious of feeling like a burden on others since his injuries. They start out as friends and move to something more very quickly. But neither of them is willing to make their relationship official - feeling like it is destined to just be a fling.

Their relationship is just lovely and watching them talk through issues instead of just reacting was a great lesson in communication. And they were very sexy together.

Overall - I just really enjoyed this book so much.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

Garrick is seriously injured in book one, and he now spends most of his time in a wheelchair and the rest on crutches (yay for positive disability rep!). This thankfully doesn’t affect his friendship or eventual romantic relationship with Rain other than occasional mood swings or frustrations on Garrick’s part. It’s just one more piece of the puzzle that is Garrick.

This is a obviously a romance but it is also a journey about Garrick accepting himself and coming to terms with some necessary adjustments. There are fantastic sex scenes, and the author shows the many varieties of sex - and they’re all positive.

This is book two, and I’d recommend reading the first just so you can meet Garrick. TW for experiencing his accident.

I’m very much looking forward to book three (there’s a sneak peek at the end of this one!)

Garrick Nelson is a fire jumper recovering from a serious accident from a year ago that has left him with some nerve damage and mobility issues. He doesn't like asking for help but when a wounded dog ends up on his doorstep, he is forced to seek assistance from his next door neighbor. Garrick's injuries cause him to not be able to drive a vehicle and he needs to get the poor pooch to the vet. Rain Fisher is staying with his grandmother temporarily while he gets his future sorted and agrees to help Garrick. The dog doesn't seem to belong to anyone and all the shelters are full so Garrick gets talked into "fostering" the dog until her injuries heal a little more. Rain offers to help with walks and any other issues that Garrick might not be able to handle because of his mobility issues. As Garrick and Rain spend more time together, they begin to realize that they enjoy spending time together for reasons that have nothing to do with the dog. Rain wants to be a fire fighter but wasn't quite up to snuff on the physical requirements so he asks Garrick to train him since Garrick knows what fitness level a fire fighter needs to be at. Helping Rain seems to give Garrick a sense of purpose that he hasn't had in awhile and he starts to feel more like he did before the accident....a little flirty and a lot sexually interested. Rain is definitely interested in Garrick but doesn't want to push the issue if Garrick is uncomfortable due to his injuries. The fact that Rain is so open to whatever Garrick needs allows for some very fun times and sexual accommodations that Garrick never thought of. Neither of them have put a label on "what" they are as a couple but is it enough to extend Rain's stay or will he move on in a few months like he had planned? Can Garrick finally allow himself the chance to be happy or will he push Rain away for what he perceives as his chance at a better future away from all Garrick's issues? The banter between Rain and Garrick was comical, sexy, and emotional. Annabeth did a great job with Garrick's sexual issues from his accident. Rain was just what Garrick needed!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. I read the previous book and liked Garrick. I was hoping for a good love story for him. In this book he was still likable, especially when he rescued Cookie the adorable dog. Rain was the neighbor who helped out with Cookie. The journey of love between them took awhile for me to like. I didn’t mind the story of firefighting or the age difference between them. The love story felt flat to me. The scenes between them wasn’t believable some of the time. I loved the pride festival and Garrick’s friends.

I have to confess that I picked up this book by mistake not realizing it was a love story about two men. That said, I was intrigued. My best friends most of my adult life have been wonderful gay men, and and I felt it was time to expand my reading horizon.
Garrick Nelson is a smoke jumper in Oregon. He lives and breaths that life, but his latest injury has him going through physical therapy and barely able to take care of himself.
Rain Fisher is his opposite. While Garrick is serious and committed, Rain goes with the flow and not looking for commitment in life , work etc It just isn’t his “thing”.
Little did they realize that a lost dog would change their lives when Garrick goes to his neighbor, Rain , asking him for help in caring for the dog.
Will Garrick be able to see the real Rain? Will Rain reconsider his nomad life in exchange for a life with Garrick?
A touching and eye opening story that was definitely worth my time.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Carina Press. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I will post to GoodReads closer to the release date.
3.5 stars

With this title and beautiful cover model, I expected High Heat to feature some high heat (wink, wink), and intense fire fighting scenes. I was therefore a bit surprised when the central relationship featured a mobility-challenged former smoke jumper, and a 23-year old, old soul, trying to find the right fit career-wise. Which is not to say I didn't like those things. I did. I just found the story to be much different than I expected. Honestly, I'm mostly disappointed in the blurb (and frankly, misleading cover photo) because neither one gives readers accurate insight into the story...and I think both are purposefully misleading. Rain is nothing like his character description, and his behavior from beginning to end belies this description. And while I think this cover is lovely, who is he supposed to be? Garrick? Nope. Rain? Also, nope.

Former smoke jumper Garrick Nelson is frustrated. After a devastating tree fall (Burn Zone) nearly cost him his life, he defied the odds and survived. Despite the damage to both of his legs and spine, he's walking again and committed to a brutal physical therapy regimen - hoping one day to return to the career he loves. However, when High Heat begins, he’s reliant on crutches and a wheelchair to get around, and his lack of mobility has forced him to ask for help from a nearby neighbor. A stray dog has wandered onto his porch, but has so far eluded Garrick’s attempts to catch her. Everytime the dog comes close enough to grab, she darts away before Garrick can catch her.

When Rain Fisher answers his grandmother's door, the hot guy in a wheelchair is a surprise. But he quickly grasps the situation and helps him get the stray dog into his house. Rain loves animals, and he's curious about the neighbor. After a quick trip to the vet and a few leading questions, he discovers Garrick is a former smoke jumper recovering from an accident on the job. Rain is hoping to become a firefighter, and plans to reapply Portland Fire Academy in the spring; in the meantime, he's just trying to find seasonal employment while he stays and helps out his grandmother. The two hit it off right away, and before long Rain convinces Garrick to keep "Cookie," until they can find her owner, and he offers to help out however he can. In return, Garrick offers to help him get in fire fighting shape.

Cookie is the reason Garrick and Rain use to spend time together, but it’s clear right away that they’re attracted to each other. I enjoyed getting to know Garrick and Rain as first friends and then lovers, but it's clear from the start Rain is nothing like his character description (and the person Garrick mistakenly assumes he is). In fact, he's almost the complete opposite! And unfortunately, shortly after that first meeting, Albert substitutes sexual chemistry and lust for any additional character development. Readers know Garrick is pansexual and Rain is gay, but almost from the moment THEY discover this for themselves, the relationship segues into one big TED talk on having a relationship with someone with a disability and/or someone who is pansexual and/or gay men who embrace their playful and flirty, feminine sides.

While all these things all work in the context of the story, it feels like the author is constantly trying to tell us the 'right' way for these things to manifest in a relationship, instead of showing us what it looks like via her story. The characters spend so much time telling us why they're behaving a certain way, it completely takes the reader out of the experience. I felt such a disconnect from these sex scenes - which almost never happens when I read an Albert book.

And on that note, let me get back to my frustration with Rain. We're supposed to believe that Rain is a free spirit (he is), constantly on the hunt for new adventure. But NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING about this character reflects this early characterization. He's a loving grandson who uprooted his own life to come and care for his grandmother (who doesn't need his help, thank you very much); he immediately steps up to help Garrick - a stranger - with a stray dog, offering his time and attention to care for the animal; he takes a seasonal job and proves he deserves more responsibility almost from the get go; AND he knows intuitively how to best care for Garrick and help him navigate the changes in his life. He's responsible, mature, thoughtful, caring, grounded, always willing to provide support and help - in whatever way necessary...Yes, he's playful and fun and flirty and slightly mischievous and he likes naughty lingerie - but none of that equals a lack of commitment, or a flighty temperament. Everything about Rain is lovely and wonderful - and while that's ridiculous in a 23 year old man (and a whole different reason I have a problem with the character) - he disproves his early characterization at every step.

One of the things I like best about Annabeth Albert is how seamlessly she incorporates diverse characters into her stories. The characterization seems effortless, and never fails to enhance and improve her principal couples. In this story, Garrick is struggling to come back from a devastating tree fall. His mobility is limited, and he spends much of the novel in a wheelchair. But instead of focusing the story on his lack of mobility, Albert emphasizes how Garrick doesn't let the accident or his change in circumstances define who he is. He struggles because he wants to return to a career he loves - not because he's forced to use crutches, or a wheelchair, or ask for help. Garrick is still trying to find his new normal, but his disability doesn't define him.

Garrick and Rain quickly fall in lust with each other, and despite the curveball Albert throws in regarding Garrick’s career prospects, this is a mostly low angst love story. I didn’t think the obstacle to their HEA made any sense (see my paragraph about Rain for further evidence), and because it’s not actually a real thing, I’m not sure there is enough substance to the story to support a full length novel.

High Heat is a mostly low heat love story. I liked it, but I’m not sure I would recommend it.