Annabeth Albert's return to her firefighting crew has some highlights but also left me frustrated at times.

Both Brandt and Shane have deep insecurities which make them hesitant and, while I totally understand, it also made the romance feel a bit more subdued.

Having said that, I adored the family aspect of the narrative, Jewel was a little sweetheart for all that she's a tiny baby .

I felt the connection both men had with her grow strongly while they fought their feelings for each other.

Another thing which made me happy, and I absolutely agreed with Annabeth's explanation in her author note, was the lack of any job related fire drama.

While there are still incidents, there wasn't the bone deep fear of something happening out on a major incident and I appreciated it.

The relationship itself fluctuates between consuming passion, it's hot how much Brandt is into being on the receiving end of Shane's touches, and angsty panic.

Ultimately though, alls well in the end as each man comes to realise he can rely on the other to support and encourage, love and protect.

The Epilogue set two years later, is wonderfully sweet and gives a very definite Happy Ever After.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin's Carina Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've really enjoyed Annabeth Albert's Hot Shots MM series. Hot firefighters? Check. Relationship goals? Check. Light easy escape reads? Check.

Unfortunately, this one wasn't my favorite. The author's notes afterwards indicate that this is the last in the series, and it was sort of a weak entry to end the series. I loved Brandt. I loved Shane. I loved their chemistry. But my biggest issue was that the book dragged an extra 40% because they tiptoed around their feelings and just wouldn't say anything. I felt like there was a lot of filler just to meet a page goal, and that some tightening up of the plot and relationship progress would have made it a better book.

It was also a a little sad, the whole story with Jewel and Shelby, and with as much tension was created by the looming threat of Shelby's return that didn't payoff with the eventual return and easy-out ending.

I still enjoyed the book, and I really loved the first three in the series, so I'll still recommend Hot Shots!

I have enjoyed all of the books of this series so far and I'll admit I wasn't sure about this one when I first started reading it but as the slow burn between Brandt and Shane developed so changed my feelings about this installment in this series. This book, like all of other books of the series can be easily read as a stand alone book without any confusion - another point that I enjoyed. Now on to the important things with this review!

The characters both with issues were well written. Brandt, having grown up in the foster care system finds that he is a father instantly when Shane shows up on his doorstep with his daughter after meeting him 11 months prior with his sister Shelby. Knowing what life is like in the system he takes the steps and then the responsibility full force of being a parent to baby Jewel with some hiccups in between. Shane on the other hand, finds himself as am instant uncle when Shelby tracks him down on this road and then leaves him with her baby where he then tracked down Brandt. He has confused feelings for Brandt, a man that he felt an instant attraction to 11 months prior when he and Shelby met him for a skydiving lesson. Having grown up with parents that did not have roots, Shane knows what it is like to not celebrate the milestones in life or have roots to return to and does not what that for his niece. Feelings between the pair develop and they slowly give in and then unexpectantly find that they have deeper feelings for each other.

The story has a slow build feel to it and there are some parenting bumps in the road. There is also the reappearance of Shelby who poses a different set of problems and concerns. Brandt has concerns about his job and the safety of it since he is now a parent. Shane is dreams that he is not sure if he wants to continue to pursue.

Overall, this was a great read that I enjoyed from the start. I would recommend this book to others as well as the other books of this series.

This was a perfectly good romance.

Trope: Sort of Single Parent romance, closed proximity/roommates, virgin hero, toys,

Shane's sister drops off her baby on his doorstep with the baby's birth certificate (and the name of the dad in it) and runs off. Shane, having already met the dad once, finds him, to break the news of the existence of the baby.

Brandt is our other hero who gets this news delivered to him. Thankfully, he was a real standup and chill guy, who only panics a little, but never thinks about abandoning Shane or the baby.

This is where the fun begins. Shane offers/agrees to stay with Brandt till he finds his footing with the baby, and be his roommate. Together, they slowly form this friendship, and a bond forms out of shared new experiences with the tiny baby. There is a lot of preparing food for each other, going to each other's workplace events, and just getting to know each other.

I was glad that the author took her time to peel the emotional layers between the two. The physical layers came off at a pretty good time too ;-) Both of them were abandoned (differently) as kids and had always felt lonely all their life. None of them thought that they would ever have a family. So, the post 60% mark was an especially great read for me.

The steam was HOLYMOLY...!! SO SO GOOD. I love how there was a lot of exploration, and openness between them with communication. Brandt was FIRE...And Shane....Blushing, virgin Shane transformed when he opened up. It was FUN.

So, why 3 stars, u ask?
I don't think there was a great conflict in the book. Or maybe it was my reading experience that had me constantly putting the book down. I have realized something. I only love single parent romance when the kids have more agency and thoughts and personality. While the baby girl, Jewel, here was very cute, and a LOT revolved around her, I never felt that AWWW feeling in the scenes. To be completely honest, I only survived because of the great steamy scenes and some other intense scenes that popped in between. The entire book should have been able to grip me for me to give it a higher rating.

Still, a very enjoyable read. 3 Stars is good stars people. It means I like it.

Of Albert’s “Hotshots” series, UP IN SMOKE certainly has that Harlequin-esque look, doesn’t it. Ditto the plot-line. A baby as a result of a one-night-stand; only instead of the star-crossed lovers ended up together, it’s the baby uncle and the father found their HEA instead. I’m all for this trope, excited even. Yet somehow, the story didn’t captivate as much as I thought it would be.

The story touched on mental health issue which was tackled delicately and displayed our leading men’s compassion and thoughtfulness. Although - given the opening chapter - I wasn’t too keen on Shane’s sister and her flippant way. Sorry to be rather judgmental here, but I just didn’t see Shelby as the loving sister Shane thought her to be.

As for the blossoming affair, even with the alternate POVs between Brandt and Shane, the bond they had felt rushed and stilted. I loved their relationship with the baby - it’s really cute - but to me it felt as if there’s something not quite right and after awhile I got a little weary with their hot and cold dance.

UP IN SMOKE is pretty much revolved around Brandt and Shane and left not many exchange with secondary characters. I mean, I felt I’d like it better if Brandt and Shane had interacted more with, say, recurring characters from previous books of the series as it could show other side of the pair outside of their little bubble. Just about all significant discoveries here - be it about their feeling and such - indicated over some kind of slight inner or self-dialogue. At times they got lost in such convo they didn’t pay attention to the other person. Not exactly a glowing trait for the men. The grand gesture from both sides more than made up for the lackluster air the story had. But overall it was only an okay read to me.


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off I want to say a huge thank you to the publisher HARLEQUIN - Carina Press , the author Annabeth Albert , and to NetGalley for inviting me to join the blog tour for this book as well as letting me read and review it.When I got the email about it there was no way I was going to say no, because this is one of my favorite gay romance series, and I had already read books 1-3 and needed more of these hot firefighters in my life, and one thing I love about this series is how it feels like it can be read in any order since each book has different characters . And with each book series just keeps getting better and better, this one was more of a slow burn but that what I loved about it as well as the two main characters who come together while wanting to make sure Shane’s niece has everything she could ever want that includes a loving home. Its more about coming together as a family then anything else which is other thing I loved .

I really enjoyed the 4th book in the Hotshots series, it was something different from the other three, with less about the smoke jumping and more about the relationship blooming between these two guys and the baby. They both found themselves in a very difficult situation due to Shelby, a very self-centred young woman who I disliked intensely just from hearing about her, once she appeared in the novel, my opinion was cemented. Shane was a lovely guy, dealing with his own issues and then being left holding his sister's baby. Brandt was also lovely, though very used to putting himself first, very different to Shane. These two had great chemistry and reasonably low angst, which I appreciate. I was glad to find out Brandt slept with Shelby before he met Shane because I was thinking 'what an ass****" until that was cleared up. I loved the ending of this book so much, it definitely had all the feels.

I received a free copy of Up in Smoke by Annabeth Albert from NetGally in return for an honest review.

I have really enjoyed the entire Hotshots series and was please to get an e-arc for review. Up in Smoke, I think is my favorite of the series.

Brandt Wilder is a smoke jumper with few attachments and no serious relationships. He bounced from foster home to foster home before aging out of the system, That coupled with the loss of a friend had Brandt keeping people at a distance and avoiding any serious relationships.

Shane Travis is a singer/songwriter with a flighty sister, who takes him parachuting for his birthday. He is a serious soul who can't seem to make his mouth move when Brandt is his instructor and the jumper he will be strapped to for his own jump. Both men feel some sort of connection in their short time together, but time and real life take them in opposite direction. Relationships are the last thing either man is looking for.

Shane has been cleaning up his sister's messes for as long as he could remember. So, when Shane shows up on Brandt's doorstep with his sister's and Brandt's baby girl Jewel, both men's lives are turned upside down. Trying to do right by the daughter he didn't know existed is made possible by the support of Shane. Both lean on each other as they fall in love the little girl and as they navigate parenthood on the fly, while trying to deny their growing feelings for each other.

What was so right about this story is that there was this attraction between the two men from their first encounter. Friendship and respect is built through caring for Jewel and letting each other see parts of themselves they didn't show others. You can feel the angst on the page as their inner dialogs tell them they are not worthy of the other, that there is no way they are loveable. This story is about standing up for each other and doing what's right, even when it's hard and especially when it could cost them both. I love the connection Brandt and Shane have, you can see the sort of symbiotic relationship taking shape from the moment Brandt lets Shane into his home. The reader can feel that connection from the start. The sexy parts of the text were steamy, yes, but it's the trust and friendship that fueled what I, the reader, really loved about the story.

What I missed in this installment was the smoke jumper aspect. The other books were very much in that world and while Brandt was a fire jumper very little of the story showed that aspect. It was missed, but at the same time Up in Smoke was a solid story.

This is a sweet and sexy romance above a smoke jumper and a musician who work together to take care of a baby. Yes, all of that works together to make for an appealing contemporary mm romance. I really liked how both men wanted to create the best possible home for the baby and strove to overcome their issues from their own childhood to take care of her and each other.

I really liked how both men were caring and interested in supporting each other. It would have been easy to make one of them a jerk, but instead they are just complicated characters trying to deal with their past and find a future together.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley in return for a fair review

I'm always a fan of Annabeth Albert. And if I am in the mood for sweet MM story then Annabeth is one of my go to's.

I loved Brandt and Shane together. Brandt Wilder is the perfect sexy fireman. He's honest with his sexuality and doesn't care about labels. He's sweet and easy to love. Shane Travis is the sweet shy country singer and the perfect match for Brandt.

"Dude, You think I reached thirty and never encountered my prostate?"

Their story is so sweet . I loved their interaction and love for little Jewel Wilder or AKA the diva. Their relationship all together was so darling and you also got the truth of post partum with Shelby's storyline.

I adore this series and can't wait for more from this author.

3.5 Stars

Up In Smoke is the 4th book in Annabeth Albert's Hotshot series. Each book can be read and enjoyed completely as stand alone.

For Shane's birthday his sister Shelby drags him to skydive because she has hots for the trainer Brandt. Yet Brandt ends up spotting Shane, and they have somewhat of a connection. However, when the jump is over Brandt goes back to flirty Shelby. 11 months later Shane shows up on Brandt's doorstep with a baby that his sister claims is his. Now Brandt has to figure out how to be a dad. Shane steps up to help and the two create a little family of their own. But there are plenty of things that make the arrangement temporary and complicated. Brandt's job as a smoke jumper is more than a little dangerous, what happens when Shane is offered a big break for his music career and what will happen when Shelby shows up again.

I'll be honest I struggled with the beginning of this book. The whole situation with Brandt, Shane and Shelby didn't sit right with me and gave me not so pleasant feelings towards Brant. Thankfully we find out that Brandt and Shelby were together the night before he met Shane not after so that made me feel a little better about things. I actually ended up enjoying it way more than I expected too, so maybe I'll just ignore the beginning lol Up In Smoke could have easily ended up being really predictable and cliché, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't. It didn't have the baby momma drama that I expected nor the grand assumptions on each other's feelings which I appreciated.

Now lets talk about the characters. Shane from the start I loved. He was a bit serious, but he found ways to express his care and every time he talked about singing or sang you could feel the emotion he put into it. From the paragraph above you can tell I wasn't the biggest fan of Brandt but damn it that man stole my heart. He fully embraced being a dad and his playfulness and love of baby Jewel put a smile on your face. He was such a warm personality and tried to make the best of every situation. The two of them made such a great team and the book is full of so many cute family moments. On a less innocent note, holy moly the sex scenes in this were hot🔥. Both men have had little experience when it comes to being with men, and they don't hold from back exploring and experience new things with each other.

In the end I struggled with what to rate Up In Smoke because of my feels about the beginning, but I definitely loved the parts I loved enough to give it 4 stars. Here's to hoping that Annabeth Albert continues to write more books in the series!

::My Review will be posted to my blog April 27th & Amazon on Release Day::

I absolutely loved this MM romance.

Such a great book with a solid storyline and great characters.

I eagerly look forward to reading more from this author.

A definite recommend!

Honestly, I kind of liked what I've read so far but it is not catching my attention right now. And uhh while I know it's the mother's fault and that the family is slightly unusual, the name "Jewel Pearl" somehow bothers me and I cannot get my brain to stop obsessing over it so for now I've had to pause the read. i've had a lot of good experience with Annabeth Albert's books so this is just a teeny tiny blip.

I really enjoy this series for how unique the plot of each book is. A surprise baby and an unexpected family made for a sweet, low-angst story. It would be easy to pinpoint a clear villain of the story, but life isn’t always black and white and it’s more complex than an easy answer.

Thank you Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

The surprise baby storyline is something I have read before in MM romance. What’s not to love about about tough, hot men falling head over heals for an adorable baby? So many sweet moments. I loved seeing more of Linc and Jacob from Hot Shots 1. I did miss the action (the Fire crew kind...not the steamy kind) from the other books in the series. This is much more of an emotional read. Overall, a great addition to the series.

CW: Character with depression. Children in foster care.

Every entry in this series has been great - and a different view into the world of forest fires and the folks who live and breath the work. In this case, Brandt met Shane (and his sister) a year ago when Shane's sister took Shane skydiving for his birthday after a one-night stand with Brandt. Brandt was moonlighting at the skydiving company as a favor to a friend. Shane and Brandt were attracted to each other - but Shane's sister was already interested in Brandt and the timing was way off. Fast forward a year - and Shane shows up on Brandt's doorstep (literally) with a 2 month old baby in tow and a birth certificate with Brandt's name on it.

I adored this take on two men and a baby. It showed, so incredibly well, how women are not always the right choice to be a caregiver. I mean - Shane not only immediately takes over care for his niece - and is so dedicated to her. Even when he is so tired he can barely see straight, he puts his entire life on hold to deeply dive into parenthood - even if it is only a temporary thing. It is actually amazing that Shane is such a giving person and caregiver - when you look at his life. The same is true for Brandt. Even when Brandt isn't sure Jewel is his daughter, he takes Shane and Jewel in off his front porch and cares for them - even though he had only met Shane once before. They are basically strangers - but they help each other like they've known one another their whole lives.

There is just so much love in this book. It also really faces the hard reality, that a woman who abandoned her baby and doesn't have a stable home or job could still be giving preference (from a custody perspective) over a man who has basically changed his entire life to care for his daughter, who has a home, and a means to support a child. It isn't fair - but luckily Brandt was able to afford legal help and Jewel's mom was willing to acknowledge that she wasn't ready to be a mom.

Overall - I liked this book soooo much!

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