Awww, Jill Shalvis is so good! One of the best of the genre, for sure! This isn't even one of her best books and still very enjoyable!

This book was a different read than what I've come to expect from Jill Shalvis, but she still brought about an engaging story and nice romance to the page. I can't say that I really liked Summer. She was okay, but I wanted to shake some sense into her more times that I cared to count. I loved Joe, though. He deserved way better than Summer, but he was nice and charming and of course, loyal.

I realized after I started reading the book that it was part of a series, but I don't think it mattered much because I was able to follow the story without any problems.

All in all, a quick, kinda suspenseful read.

FTC : I originally requested this on NetGalley but failed to download it in time. I bought this copy but my review will also be posted to NetGalley.

Quick Scores :

Plot – 2/5
Romance – 2/5
Sexy Times – 4/5
Characters – 4/5 for Joe and 2/5 for Summer
Chance of a re-read? – No.

Hash-Tags

#second-chance-romance #suspense #fire-fighter #previously-unattractive-hero #annoying-heroine

Nix Synopsis

After a viscous fire took her Father, Summer left and never once looked back. She left everything and everyone to escape her grief; including Joe.

When another fire brings her home to help out her family, she finds she can’t escape the memories of the past or Joe.

Now a Fire-investigator, Joe can’t avoid Summer as often as he would like to as he struggles to find the cause of the fire that brought her back. No longer the “chubby-loser” that he thought he was, he can tell that Summer is attracted to him (of course she is *head-desk*) but he can’t help but remember how much she hurt him the first time round. She keeps pulling him closer and then pulling away, showing him that she isn’t going to stick around any-time soon.

When the fire stops looking like an accident and more fires happen, Joe finds himself unable to keep his distance as he struggles to protect her. But can he protect his heart from her in such close quarters?



What I liked

This is one of Jill Shalvis early works and I have to say I like her suspense-voice. It was unexpected; gone was the prose layered with a fine layer of sugary sweetness and in it’s place was a delightful beat of danger and intrigue. I would buy more of her suspense.



What didn’t really work for me

Wow, so much. I will start with the fact that this book three in the series but they aren’t linked. Honestly, this series isn’t for me and I won’t be picking the others up.

I didn’t like Summer. I didn’t like Summer at all. She hurt Joe and over and over throughout the book and, I’ll be honest, I don’t even think she gave a shit that she did. She made the man crawl through broken glass and his only crime was being in love with her. She was awful and all the way through the book I couldn’t fathom why he tried so hard with her, why he kept giving her chances to hurt him.

I have a big problem with books that use body image as a central theme. Joe is a hero obsessed with his weight (which is wildly unusual I will give you). As a former “chubby-loser”, it is mentioned over and over again how hot he is now, how now he has no issue with girls etc. It sucks but I suppose that’s the way this world works HOWEVER my major issue is that the heroine never noticed him before and now seemingly can’t get enough of his muscles, his arms, his muscley back etc etc etc…. another thing to add Summer’s faults is how superficial she is; I couldn’t help hate her a bit more anytime he judged his food by how many calories were in them. I struggle with this trope anyway but alongside Summer being a complete prat, it ruined the book for me.

One line sum-up!

A flightly heroine returns home to help her family and hooks up with her former friend because he got a lot hotter.