Scott Pataki became an EMT to save lives, but ten years later, the stress of his job is slowly killing him. He’s counting the days till he can escape San Amaro Island to be a scuba instructor on a cruise ship. With a decade-old estrangement from his family and no ties outside the fire station, there’s nothing holding him back. But when his big move is only a month away, the half sister he never … never wanted to meet, and her bulldog advocate, Mercedes, crash into his life.
Mercedes Stone is a sucker for underdogs and lost souls. Though she’s drowning in responsibilities as her grandma’s caretaker, a social media expert, and a women’s shelter volunteer, she can’t help being pulled into the plight of a homeless pregnant teenager. She’ll do anything to help her, including lock horns with Scott, the troubled but tempting half brother the girl’s determined to bond with. It doesn’t take Mercedes long to see he’s not the heartless jerk he wants everyone to believe he is.
Scott feels his hardened heart softening bit by bit, but he fights it every step of the way, knowing he’s the dark cloud to Mercedes’ bright sunshine. Will he chase the calmness he craves or will he figure out the best way to weather any storm is together?
Afterburn is a stand-alone novel in the Island Fire series.
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5 stars
I received a free copy of Afterburn formerly known as Island haven by Amy Knupp and this review was given freely.
EMT and Scuba diver instructor Scott connects with women’s shelter volunteer and social media expert Mercedes when she unites Scott with his pregnant half sister. This novel is a roller coaster of emotions as both Scott and Mercedes help each other through family situations, find inner peace, learn to trust other people and learn to express their love for each other. A tension filled romance with a heartwarming ending.
I read one book in this series, and fell in love not only with the series, but with the writings of this talented author.
Afterburn, is just as wonderful as the previous stories.
This one belongs to EMT Scott Pataki and Mercedes Stone, a social media expert that volunteers at a women’s shelter and takes care of her incapacitated grandmother. While Mercedes is all about helping those in need and looking at the positive side of things, Scott lives more in a world of losses, and internal turmoil.
Both have created tall and seemingly indestructible walls around their hearts, each for different reasons. But at the same time, similar ones. The devastations that they each experienced in their childhood and youth, has affected them as adults. Something that often happens in real life. This is one of the reasons I love the stories written by Ms Knupp.
Her characters are imperfect, fill with doubts, and having to overcome obstacles. While showing us that life is not black and white , but made up of a variety of grays colors. That said, will Scott and Mercedes find their HEA but trusting and opening their hearts or will they go their separate ways and miss a life filled with love and companionship ?
Another winner from this very talented author.
This book is an ARC copy. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Loved it! This is the first book I’ve read by Amy Knupp and it won’t be my last! Scott and Mercedes are strangers thrown together by their relationship with Scott’s half sister Gemma. Gemma is a 17 year old pregnant girl who has been thrown out by her mother. Scott, who is done with his career as an EMT, is on the short list at work and will be leaving in a month for a new job on a cruise ship. He is not the accepting big brother who would even consider helping Gemma. With much persuasion Mercedes get Scott to give Gemma a place to stay, short term. Along the way Mercedes, Scott and Gemma and their way as friends, siblings and partners. Pick this book up and read it! You won’t be sorry…
I was given an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
This was a wonderful addition to this series. The characters were well developed and oh so believable. My heart ached for Scott and his family history. He comes off as cold and unfeeling and it is a heart-wrenching piece of history is the cause of it. Mercedes has a tragic past as well but she turns into a loving and caring person who embraces her granny. She struggles with her relationship with her sister and their roles with as a result of a tragic accident.
Two people struggling from the past but in different ways. The ways that they come together and help each other deal with their separate pain and overcome the past is a wonderful story. I just loved their story. There were some tear-jerking scenes and you may need tissues. I was enchanted with their story right from page one. I really hated to see the story come to an end. At least characters from prior stories make appearances in future stories so I look forward to seeing them again. I highly recommend this story to anyone (actually this series is phenomenal.
I was given an advance reader copy for an honest review. This is a story about forgiveness, hope, and perspective and how it can change the outcome of your life. I won’t write about the story itself because I don’t want to give anything away. I will say that I loved this book so much that I will be spending my limited income (on a fixed income) on the entire series. It’s gotten me hooked and want to learn more about the island!!!
Gemma, age 17, is thrown out of her house by her mom when it is discovered she is pregnant. She shows up on her half brother, Scott Pataki’s, doorstep hoping he’ll let her stay there until she can get on her feet. With Gemma showing up on his doorstep it puts the past in his face and he has a very hard time dealing with it. He turns her away.
She meets up with Mercedes Stone at a shelter. Mercedes becomes her personal advocate and a great friend. She gets Scott to agree to give Gemma a place to stay.
Scott has his life planned out and is doing to countdown until leaves his current job as EMT and he boards a cruise ship to become a scuba instructor.
I really loved Mercedes character. She is so giving to everyone else. Most of the time she overlooks her own wants and needs.
Throughout most of the book I disliked Scott, a lot. He was protrayed as such a jerk. Most of the way he was acting was due to his past and when the past is in his way he doesn’t react well. I don’t like how he treated Mercedes sometimes.
In the end it all comes together very nicely and I loved it.
This is the first book I have read by the author and I really like her writing style. I was pulled right into the book from the start. I look forwarded to reading more of Amy’s books.
Mercedes has a long history of taking care of the people in her life – her mother, her sister, her ailing grandmother and the women who come to the shelter where she volunteers. When a pregnant teenager, Gemma, comes to the full shelter, Mercedes offers a bed at her home with her grandmother and cats, but Gemma is allergic to cats. The only option is to try to convince Gemma’s step-brother, Scott, to let Gemma stay with him. You would think, being a paramedic and in the business of helping people, that Scott would open his home willingly. But the grumpy EMT has a decade long resentment against his father and the secret family that destroyed Scott’s family shortly before his high school graduation, so it takes all of Mercedes’ persuasive powers to convince him. Of course, Scott’s unwanted attraction to her may make him more agreeable.
The previous book in this Island Fire series, Firestorm, was my first introduction to this author and I was excited to be able to read an advance copy of this book. From a technical standpoint, her work is a joy to read. With a well crafted story, complex and believable characters and nearly flawless editing, the story flows smoothly and flies by. I was immediately drawn into this book, devouring it so quickly it was finished before I knew it.
This author really had her work cut out for her, trying to redeem Scott’s character. He had so much darkness and anger that he had harbored for so many years, it was hard to believe he could ever get out of the emotional hole he was in. But when he had his lightbulb moment, it was nearly as profound as Edison’s lightbulb shining for the first time. If there’s a message in this book, it’s that the anger, bitterness and resentment a person holds on to only serves to destroy the one refusing to let them go. For someone in a healing, helping profession, Scott had so much bleak emptiness and the benevolent, kind-hearted part of him had been buried deep. It seems he was really only fooling himself though, because Mercedes, Gemma and his coworkers saw the goodness in him.
Afterburn is quite the emotional roller coaster ride. There’s pain, loss and relationships that need healing for both Scott and Mercedes, a teenage pregnancy, some poignant and difficult EMT calls, and all of the emotion involved in an ill-advised, poorly timed romance. Mercedes and Scott can’t seem to help falling in love but even love doesn’t change the outcome. If you’ve ever had your heart broken (and really, who hasn’t?) you’ll be reminded of all the angst you experienced. And right in the midst of Mercedes’s heartbreak, we get comic relief in the form of Gram’s words of wisdom, “Men are slow.” Yes, Scott was a little slow but he got his head on straight so they could finally get to the happily ever after part.
Knupp has quickly become a must-read author for me with her talented writing, easy, readable style, loveable characters and compelling storylines. The setting of San Amaro Island is so vivid and detailed it feels like a real place, and the recurring, supporting characters make me want more of this place and its people. As I have the chance, I plan to read the other books in the series and eagerly anticipate new material from this author. These books stand alone so you can easily start with this book or any in the series. Plan to be captivated, because once you start this series you won’t be satisfied with just one book.
*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
I really enjoyed this new story from Amy Knupp. The characters were well developed. I can never put down the Hale Street or Island Fire books. I devour them with as few interruptions as possible. Many old fears and hurts had to be overcome if this couple were going to find their HEA. The story works well as a stand alone but I love reading in order and seeing old friends have their stories updated. I highly recommend Afterburn.