“When you want something this badly, you don’t just give up. You fight and fight until you absolutely can’t fight anymore.” ― Gail McHugh
Author: Draven St. James
Publisher: Loose Id
Pages/Word Count: 116 Pages
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Blurb: Michael prides himself on being the man that everyone can depend on until one of his firefighters is severely wounded on the job. Will he be allowed to process the situation alone? Not when a loud and persistent Simon Winters shows up on his doorstep. The man hasn’t met a boundary he didn’t skip across.
Simon has had the biggest crush on Lieutenant Firefighter, Michael Donovan since the first day he saw him. Which just happened to be at an interview for a job to work as a firefighter. Before his desire to lick the gruff older man from head to toe affects his work, Simon transfers over to being a paramedic. Just when he’s begun to build a life that doesn’t include hot shower fantasies of Michael, the object of his angst is thrust into his path.
All too quickly, Simon begins to barrel through Michael’s defenses and dig up the desires Michael has fought so hard to hide. As passions flare out of control, tragedies collide from every side. Michael’s struggle to keep Simon at a distance starts to crumble beneath the weight of the secrets that Simon is hiding. Will Michael be able to protect Simon when he needs it the most or will he lose Simon forever?
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Review: I really enjoyed Fused by Fire, more so than the first book in the series, Grey’s Hidden Desire.
When Michael decided to be swallowed up in a void of self pity because of what happened to Taber, it was Simon who helped him find his way back from the void. There was a serious laughing out loud moment when Simon showed up at Michael’s door, and a few more when Michael made the mistake of letting Simon come into his place. It was also at this time that the two finally showed their mutual desire for each other. But then, Michael had to be a butt afterward and break poor Simon’s heart.
Danged if that wasn’t bad enough, but then Simon’s family decided to rub salt in the wound by disowning him when he came out to them, damn it! Even though it’s fiction, this sort of thing just fries my bacon. I can never understand how parents could do this to their own child. The mother in me just wanted to give ol’ Simon a great big hug and take him home with me.
Days later when Michael runs into Simon, he notices that this vibrant young man has changed drastically. Withdrawn and quiet, Simon just isn’t himself. And this is where Michael finally puts on his big boy panties and does what needs to be done.
Now this is the type of romance I love to read, where I feel bonded with the characters and my emotions have engaged enough that I care about the outcome, and with just enough angst to pull at my heart, so I’m giving this one a 4.5 Star rating. The only reason it doesn’t get a 5 Star is that there were a couple of things left in the air, which I’m hoping means there will be a sequel to help clear those things up. I really want to find out how Taber fairs with his life. Plus, I was a little annoyed about the age gap being an issue. To me, Michael just used that as an excuse to avoid commitment.
I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Draven St. James.
You can buy Fused by Fire (Firehouse Six #3) here:
