Fan the flames of desire . . . Smokejumper Dak Parrish has come home to Oregon to fight fires—and to mend fences with his family. He left the Warm Springs Tribal Reservation after feuding with his father. Now, with tribal lands threatened by an arsonist, Dak gets a chance to make amends by acting as a liaison between the reservation and the forest service criminal investigator—a … service criminal investigator—a woman who sparks a surprising and hungry flame in him.
After a trauma on the east coast, Heidi Sinclair left DC to start fresh as a criminal investigator in Oregon. But her first serious investigation provides one stubborn obstacle after another—including an arrogant firefighter she suspects knows more than he’s saying. Though she tries to battle her attraction to Dak, it’s too late. As they track down the arsonist, someone will do whatever it takes to keep old secrets buried, even if it turns everything Heidi and Dak have fought for to ashes . . .
“Excellent for readers who enjoy plot-driven mysteries with well-developed, sympathetic characters and slow-burn romance.”
—Library Journal, starred review on Tempt the Flames
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Dak Parrish has come home to Oregon to fight fires and hopefully mend his relationship with his family. Criminal investigator, Heidi Sinclair wants a fresh start but her first investigation in Oregon provides one stubborn obstacle in the form of an arrogant firefighter.
Heidi and Dak are strong, bold characters that are easily identified with and readers easily become caught up in their story. The chemistry between Heidi and Dak sizzles with lots of fiery heat and the romance burns at a slow pace that builds to combustible proportions as Heidi does her best to fight their attraction. Lots of emotional turmoil peppers this story throughout and keeps readers and characters on tender hooks as Heidi tries to overcome the trauma of her past and Dak tries to mend the broken family fences.
The plot is suspenseful and fast paced with lots of intriguing mystery that keeps readers glued to the pages with surprising twists and old secrets that add to the tension building suspense. The characters and their situation is what really makes this story and grabs readers’ by their imagination with those old secrets adding tension to the relationship and in the investigation. Once again, the author provides well written words that paints vivid imagery that captures the imagination and brings the story and the wonderful characters to life.
Heidi was a DEA agent but when her marriage went south, she decides to move to Oregon and be a criminal investigator. Her first case is a series of fires, while trying to find the arsonist she meets Dak. Dak is a smokejumper and used to live on the reservation. A falling out with his father when he was seventeen had him leaving and living with an aunt. Now ten years later he hears his mother has heart problems and tries to get in touch with her but his father is not letting him see her. When Heidi’s car explodes, they know they are getting closer to the arsonist. But Heidi knows Dak is keeping secrets, could it cost her her life?
Secrets, sex, action, and suspense. Great story and characters. Makes you feel like you’re right there with them.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *
Crave the Heat is the second in a trilogy by Marnee Blake. I know I read, and reviewed, the first book, but apparently I didn’t post or save that review because I cannot find it for the life of me. The trilogy is about smoke jumpers, as in fire fighters who jump out of airplanes to fight wildfires.
This is a real-life career choice. These people are very brave. They may also lack certain survival instincts, such as the one that tells you not to jump out of planes into burning forests, but they seem to do okay. I’m just saying. I have a hard time even thinking about this stuff, and I really love fire.
Ahem. Anyway.
This is the second book in the trilogy, and while I liked the first well enough to buy the rest of them I definitely liked this one better. The hero, Dak, is a sympathetic kind of guy who genuinely respects women. He doesn’t go around in a fedora telling people he’s a Nice Guy, he’s just… good. He’s helpful, he’s respectful, and he treats people well.
His family life is also absolute crap. I have no idea how he turned out so well when his family is as screwed up as it is. There’s an older woman side character who appears to have taken him under her wing, so I’ll give her all the credit. It sure doesn’t go to his father.
The heroine has also gone through some serious issues, mostly related to a prior relationship and her old job. I’m curious about where her family was through that whole mess, but it leaves her available to go to Oregon and kick butt so I’m not going to poke too deeply at it.
Something that often bothers me when I read m/f books is the power dynamics between the couples depicted. They don’t show a couple on equal footing. The woman is always wrong, the man is always right, the woman usually needs the man to rescue her from some kind of incompetence… you know.
There isn’t any of that between Dak and Heidi. Dak is physically more powerful than she is, but he’s also the kind of guy who jumps out of airplanes and fights fires from inside the fire so I’m thinking he’s got to be pretty strong. Heidi is no fainting violet. She can hold her own. She’s smart, she’s resourceful, and she’s awesome.
I was a little uncomfortable with the way the other firefighters, especially the people in charge, treated Dak. These are people who he needs to trust to have his back. When they learn the truth about his family dynamics instead of rallying around him and showing him the love and support he’s been missing his whole life they actually punish him, while giving him a lecture about how the fire crew is supposed to be a family. Okay there, Mitch, I think he got the message. I’m not sure it’s the one you meant to send, but whatever.
Also, Dak is a much better person than I am, because I would never have set foot in that place again. I might have even burned it down, but some might call that overkill.
Anyway, this is a great book and Dak is a fantastic hero. It’s easy to cheer for the happy ending and I was overjoyed when it finally happened.
Crave the Heat by Marnee Blake
Smokejumpers #2
The blurb for the book pretty well sums up the story. Dak is home after being sent away over a decade ago and hopes to reconnect with his family. There is a lot that comes out about his family through the book. So, his father who is a big deal on the reservation wants him to work with Heidi as she tries to uncover who is starting fires on and around the reservation. It is being kept hushed up by some but why? Heidi has issues of her own. There is the issue of finding out who the arsonist is and the one about Dak and Heidi having a bit of romance and another to do with Dak and his family and a bit about fires. I never really felt the “click” between Dak and Heidi and also didn’t see much about firefighting mentioned in the story. This was a somewhat predictable story as I guessed who the arsonist was early on. Inevitability was iffy for me at times but know some will really like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Lyrical Liaison for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
I loved the first book in this series so I was excited to read this one and it didn’t disappoint. The characters were well developed and had great chemistry. The added tension of estranged family mixed with the anticipation and desire of a budding romance. Thrown in the fact that it is about the most elite firefighters out there and this book just couldn’t be better. I hope to read many more books about the smokejumpers in the future. Keep them coming Ms. Blake because I can’t get enough.
The Smokejumpers #2, This can be read as a standalone. The two main characters in this book have quite a bit of baggage and throw in the suspense and you have a good read. It didn’t jump out and catch my attention like I hoped it would but it wasn’t bad. It went along at a steady pace the suspense and action were very good the romance is what got me. Dak and Heidi’s attraction was pretty much instantaneous but Heidi moved to Oregon to escape her past, her ex and all the grief that relationship caused so she’s pretty hesitant to get involved with someone again especially someone who such a high risk job. Dak has family drama up the wazoo, back home for the first time after ten years and the first time he sees his father it’s only because his father needs him to do something and thinks he can manipulate Dak, he’s very wrong about that. The romance, it was pretty hot and heavy at times but Heidi’s wishy washy, back and forth actions got old quick, after the second time you just want to smack her upside the head and say, “it’s a good thing”.
Dak is a smokejumper he gets roped into acting as a liaison between the reservation and the forest services. Heidi is new to the arson investigator position here and she doesn’t know a lot of people when first assigned a liaison she’s a bit put off but the hottie ends up really helping her by introducing her to people who could actually help her. For Dak the series of fires happening on the reservation is personal and even though he knows who might be behind this he tries to fix it himself instead of informing Heidi and the local authorities. Which in the end causes a big rift between him and Heidi.
Overall, this was a good read. I really enjoyed the climactic conclusion to the events and when Dak and Heidi were together and she wasn’t running scared I liked them together.