FLARE UP (BOSTON FIRE #6)

Nursing a broken heart while everybody around him seems to be drowning in happiness has Grant Cutter wondering whether staying with Engine 59—or even Boston Fire—is in his future. It’s tempting as hell to pack up what fits in his Jeep and hit the road. But then a 911 call brings the woman who shattered his heart back into his life, and he knows he won’t ever be able to fully leave her in his rearview mirror.

For a few months, Wren Everett had thought the nightmare of her past was behind her and she might live happily ever after with Grant. Until she got the phone call letting her know the time her ex had spent in jail for assault hadn’t cooled his temper or determination that she belonged with him. Cutting ties with Grant was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do, but it was also the only way to keep him safe.

Now that Grant is back, he’s not letting Wren push him away again. And even with the trust issues between them, Wren dares to hope she and Grant might have a future together after all…if they’re willing to fight for it. 

Release Date: January 29, 2019

Carina Press

Boston Fire #6

Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Flare Up is the newest book in the Boston Fire series from Shannon Stacey. We finally get Grant and Wren's second chance story with this book, and it was worth the wait. While the series is set in Boston, the family-feel is strong in these books as the fire fighters have become a family.

Wren completely disappeared from Grant's life with no explanation just as Grant was looking at rings to propose. Grant went off the rails a bit after Wren disappeared and only his fire fighter family got him back on track. So when they get the call for a fire in a building in a really bad section of town, Grant is completely shocked to have to save Wren's life. 

Wren left Grant and all her new friends because of an ex-boyfriend, who has spent time in jail for assault. I have to admit, that was one of my only issues with the story. I felt like if she really loved Grant she would have been open about her past to him. I also didn't really love that a convicted felon somehow crossed state lines with no notice, even knowing it happens daily. I just expected Grant to figure out what was going on a bit sooner.

I adored Grant and Wren as a couple. There was something about them that just gave me all the happy sighs and feels. Add in their smoking hot chemistry and they were the perfect couple, even with all they had to work through together. 

I've enjoyed Flare Up and can't praise the entire series enough. There is romance, action, and a bit of suspense in each book and I love getting to visit with couples from other books in the series with each new installment. I highly recommend this series of books to any contemporary romance fans that love reading about sexy fire fighters.

Rating: 4 Stars (B+)

HOT RESPONSE (BOSTON FIRE #4)

The men of Boston Fire are back and hotter than ever! Don’t miss this brand-new novel from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey.

Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.

The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.

As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without. 

Release Date: April 24, 2018

Carina Press

Boston Fire #4

Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

I really enjoyed Hot Response. Shannon Stacey writes such strong heroes and heroines and I found myself wanting to know Gavin and Cait better from the moment I started reading. I have to say I loved Gavin from the moment he appeared on the page. It was funny, smart, and caring. He seemed like the type of guy you could always count on when needed. I honestly felt like he was way more mature than his age and thought he was just a really good guy. The fact his was a smoking hot fire fighter, was really just icing on a very yummy cake.

I will be honest and say I liked Cait from the moment we met her, but worried her putting herself second to her family would be an issue in the long run. I think the fact that both Gavin and Cait were first responders made it so much easier for them to date with few issues. I loved that Gavin offered up his apartment to Cait if she needed time away from her family even before they had their very first date. I also loved that once they went on their first date, they seemed to want to be together as much as possible. Again, Cait putting her family above herself seemed to come up again and again. I understood her wanting to be there for them after her mom lost her husband and her brother lost his dad, but I really felt like they had started to take advantage of her giving nature without really realizing it. I have to say I loved that Cait and her family came to the same conclusion about their lives at the same time. 

I really did like Gavin and Cait as a couple. They got each other from the very beginning. They had a pretty instant attraction to one another from the very first moment they met. I loved once they made love for the first time, they pretty much couldn't keep their hands off each other. I felt a real connection with them, even when they didn't see eye to eye on something. I love reading a story when I fall in love with he couple, and Hot Responsewas one of those books.

Hot Response is another winner in the Boston Fire series from Shannon Stacey. I enjoyed each of the books in the series so far and look forward to more books in this series in the future.

Rating: 4 stars (B)

CONTROLLED BURN (BOSTON FIRE #2)

Rick Gullotti lives the good life. He fights fires, dates beautiful women—though none long enough so they cast wistful glances at jewelry stores—and has great friends. And thanks to helping out the elderly couple who own his building, his rent is low. But when concerns about their health lead him to contact their only son, his life starts getting away from him.

Jessica Broussard has no interest in leaving sunny San Diego or her cushy corner office for Boston, but her father—who happens to be her boss—dispatches her to deal with the grandparents she's never met. She's unprepared for the frigid winter, loving relatives who aren't the monsters she's been led to believe, and the hot, scruffy firefighter who lives upstairs.

At first, Jessica is determined to get back to her comfortable life as quickly as possible. All she has to do is talk her grandparents into selling their monstrosity of a house and moving to a retirement community. But she underestimates Rick's dedication—and his considerable charm. Nobody's taking advantage of his friends on his watch, even if that makes the tempting southern California girl with the long legs his adversary. Unfortunately for them both, the only thing more urgent than the matter at hand is their sizzling chemistry, and it's quickly becoming too strong to resist.

Release Date: November 24, 2015

Carina Press

Boston Fire #2

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza’s Review:

Shannon Stacey is an auto-buy author for me. I fell in love with her stories with her Kowalski series and am just as hooked on her Boston Fire series 2 books in.

I really loved Rick from the moment he appeared on the page. He is super protective of all his friends and especially the Broussards, who are his landlords. He truly cares for and about them, which only made me love him more. Add in the fact that he has remained friends with so many of his ex-girlfriends, which shows what a nice guy he really is, and he is one of my favorite heroes.

While I didn't love Jessica the minute she appeared on the page, I kept an open mind about her from the beginning. I was so mad at her father for keeping her away from her grandparents all those years and loved seeing her become more open the more time she spent in Boston. I think she was always pretty strong, but really felt like until she came to Boston, she didn't have the gumption to stand up to her father and really make him talk about her grandparents and even why her mother left her when she was so young. Honestly Jessica ended up being one of my favorite characters from the series so far.

I really loved Jessica’s relationship with her grandparents. While it built slowly at first, I loved that she kept coming up with reasons to stay in Boston to be with them. Since I was raised down the street from my grandparents, I can’t imagine not meeting mine until I was an adult. I loved how close they all grew so quickly.

I adored Rick and Jessica as a couple. I loved that they kept kissing and saying they weren't going to do it again. Totally cracked me up. They had such amazing chemistry both in and out of bed. Yes things were bumpy in the beginning since Rick was so protective of Jessica's grandparents, but I think that only made Jessica fall for him a little bit faster. I worried for a bit when they tried the long distance relationship, because being on different coast is pretty hard, but I knew in my heart their love was strong enough to make the relationship work.

Controlled Burn hooked me from the first page. All I wanted to do was read until I could finish the book. Now I'm ready for my next fix in the Boston Fire series.

HEAT EXCHANGE (BOSTON FIRE #1)

Lydia Kincaid's shipping back to Boston, but she's not happy about it. She left to get away from the firefighting community—her father was a firefighter, her brother's a firefighter and, more important, her ex is a firefighter. But family is number one, and her father needs her help running the pub he bought when he retired. Soon, Lydia finds it hard to resist the familiar comfort and routine, and even harder to resist her brother's handsome friend Aidan. 

Aidan Hunt is a firefighter because of the Kincaid family. He's had the hots for Lydia for years, but if ever a woman was off-limits to him, it's her. Aside from being his mentor's daughter, she's his best friend's sister. The ex-wife of a fellow firefighter. But his plan to play it cool until she leaves town again fails, and soon he and Lydia have crossed a line they can't uncross. 

As Aidan and Lydia's flirtation turns into something more serious, Lydia knows she should be planning her escape. Being a firefighter's wife was the hardest thing she's ever done, and she doesn't know if she has the strength to do it again. Aidan can't imagine walking away from Boston Fire—even for Lydia. The job and the brotherhood are his life; but if he wants Lydia in it, he'll have to decide who's first in his heart.

Release Date: August 25, 2015

Carina Press

Boston Fire #1

Review copy provided by publisher

I'm a huge Shannon Stacey fan and was loved every single one of her Kowalski books. I was super excited to start reading her new Boston Fire series.

I totally and completely loved Heat Exchange. Lydia Kincaid comes from a family of firefighters, and even was married to one for a while. She has sworn off every being in a relationship with another firefighter, so of course the only man she is attracted to is Aidan Hunt, who happens to be her brother's best friend in the world. I loved that both Aidan and Lydia tried to fight their attraction to one another, which Aidan had been doing since they were teens. Their first kiss was a scorcher and it only got hotter from there. They had some pretty big hurdles to cross to make their relationship work, which not only included Aidan being a firefighter, but the fact that Lydia is only in town to help her sister Ashley out for a bit. I really liked Aidan and Lydia as a couple and wanted them to be able to get past all issues to be together.

I loved the secondary storyline about Ashley and her husband Danny. Both Ashley and Danny still love one another, yet Danny doesn't open up enough to Ashley and so they are currently separated. While I didn't love the step Ashley took to try and get Danny to talk and be more open, I did love that they ended up growing closer and being a stronger couple because of the separation.

I think Heat Exchange was an awesome start to the Boston Fire series. I loved both the Kincaid family and the firefighter family story lines. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.