From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series comes a brand-new novel about arson investigator, Ann Ashburn, who is consumed by her troubled past, her family’s scorched legacy, and her current case: chasing a deadly killer. Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed… By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession … firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.
Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.
Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn’t believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again–until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.
Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.
From the creator of the bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood, get ready for a new band of brothers. And a firestorm.
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J.R. Ward has always been a must-read for me, but Consumed takes it to a whole new level! Hottest book by hottest author.
Anyone who follows me knows I’m a Black Dagger Brotherhood devotee. I got the shot to read an advanced copy of this upcoming contemporary by JR Ward and I couldn’t put it down. Strong characters. Fantastic action sequences. Smart. Funny. Emotional. With such realistic depictions of the firefighting world. All in Ward’s singular, extraordinary voice. I LOVED THIS BOOK! Hit the pre-order. You won’t regret it!
J.R. Ward is a master of paranormal and contemporary romance, with heroes so hot they set the pages on fire!
I don’t read a lot of contemporary romance, but I LOVE firefighters/first responders, so I picked up Consumed back when it released…I just didn’t have time to read it. Gah – I should have made time! It was so good! The characters are deliciously broken, the mystery is a page-turner, and the twist was utterly unpredictable. I SO didn’t see it coming and was in awe of Ward’s plotting. Make sure to read the prequel novella too!
Consumed is a combination of all the good things I love in a book – combining suspense, romance, action, and characters that you cannot wait to read more of. Looking forward to more in this series!
So much more than a love story!
Anne Ashburn fought for recognition most of her life. Her father was a decorated fireman, her brother is Chief Tom Ashburn, and her mother… not who she dreams of emulating.
Anne is the sole female firefighter with the 499 squad and as such feels even more pressure to stand out from the crowd.
When a warehouse fire steals her hand and almost takes her life, Anne has to choose whether to conquer her fears or let them burn her to the ground. She goes into rehab and slowly gets her life back- all except for a not-wise attraction to fellow firefighter Danny-boy McGuire.
Danny fell in love with Anne almost from the first moment he laid eyes on her. He admired her strength and tenacity in a male-dominated world and couldn’t deny the chemistry between them. But, Anne’s career goals and a non-fraternization rule stopped their hotter-than-sin affair. The hardest thing he ever did was cutting her hand off after she was trapped in a warehouse fire that damn near killed them.
Anne knows Danny is fighting his guilt over the loss of her limb, but she has bigger issues to contend with. As a rookie arson inspector, she comes upon a trail of suspicious fires and her investigation is making some powerful people worried.
Will Anne survive to bring an arsonist to justice, or will she become the latest victim?
This is the beginning of a fabulous new brotherhood from J.R. Ward. She has the incredible knack of creating characters readers fall in love with. Danny is the ultimate macho man, wide shoulders, muscular physique, but it’s his inner strength that drew me to him. He’s not perfect, and that only adds to the attraction.
This is one of my favorite lines from the fire:
“You need to go,” she ordered him. “Now.”
Danny stopped talking, his face going still behind his clear shield. And then he removed his oxygen supply. “We die together, then.”
He was every bit as resolved as she was, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
Ward, J.R.. Consumed (Firefighters series Book 1) (Kindle Locations 259-261). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.
But Anne’s story is just as powerful, maybe more-so. She has to overcome a debilitating injury not only physically, but mentally. The author does a superb job of putting us in her shoes.
Good God, she looked like an anime version of herself, assuming her character had gone through a coal mine shaft while being chased by a demon throwing compression bombs at her. Her blue eyes were too wide, and there was soot and ash still in her matted hair and all over her face and neck. The hospital johnny she had on was a mismatch to the fire’s temporary tattooing job, the cheerful pink bouquets on their white background making her seem like a trespasser in some grandmother’s wardrobe.
The initial burst of I-can-triumph-over-this collapsed, a house of cards hit by the cold, hard gust of her reflection.
Ward, J.R.. Consumed (Firefighters series Book 1) (Kindle Locations 657-661). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.
This book deserves a 10 kiss salute!
J.R. Ward is the undisputed queen of her genre. Bar none. Long live the queen.
Anne is the only female firefighter in the 499 and she’s worked hard to get where she is. She’s one of the best firefighters in the city, if not the state. She’s got instincts that’s unparallel to all except maybe Danny. But while battling an intense fire, Anne’s instincts fail her, and she finds herself trapped. The building is collapsing around her and she can’t free her arm. Danny comes to her aid with a gas-powered saw but that doesn’t help. She tells him to go, let her die but he refuses. In one moment, they decide together what must be done.
One decision, between two lovers, alters both of their lives forever. Anne’s now an arson investigator and she’s uncovering a fire bug. While she investigates, her thoughts are consumed with Danny. Yes, both of them survived but are not the same people they once were. Can they bury the guilt and pain or will the arsonist trap in yet another fire, only to be consumed?
I was consumed by this book and I’m not exaggerating. I read the two prequels in early September and I instantly connected with both Anne and Danny. They’re quite similar in that they are brilliant firefighters who don’t give a damn for consequences or risks. All that matters is saving lives and fighting the beast (fires).
I couldn’t stop reading and dreamt about this book too numerous to count. Anne’s story became a part of me. Yes, this is one of those books which will never leave me.
What makes this a must read is how deep the storytelling goes. Ward knows how to plunge the reader into the characters and the reader experiences all that they are experiencing with such accuracy and depth of feeling, that it leaves the reader clinging to every breath. The guilt, heartbreak, day-to-day living of both Danny and Anne was an emotional experience. I kept asking myself what would I do in Danny’s shoes?
I’m happy to see this will become another incredible series like The Bourbon Kings series (which I gobbled up) and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Simon and Schuster Canada via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.
Favorite Character/Quote: “You need to go,” she ordered him. “Now.”
Danny stopped talking, his face going still behind his clear shield. And then he removed his oxygen supply. “We die together, then.”
He was every bit as resolved as she was, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.
My Rating: 5 stars
Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed with family’s scorched legacy and her case, chasing a deadly killer. Premiere fireman Danny McGuire seems to have a death wish and is taking risks like never before.
These two characters are strong, daring and convincing as they draw readers into their story and their story is one heartfelt, courageous, and gritty romance that readers can’t help but become engrossed in. The romance between Anne and Danny is an uphill battle as they strive to overcome several obstacles and hardships that invokes a lot of emotional turmoil but the sparks between is undeniable and keeps pulling them toward that elusive happily ever after.
This story has a steady pace that keeps readers hanging on to every word with thrilling anticipation as relationship woes, thrilling suspense and surprising twists. The story starts off an extreme emotive and thought provoking event that has readers gasping in horror and hoping for the best and readers have to wonder how this couple will be able to move forward in their personal and professional lives. As their journey progresses, readers have to admire their courage and fortitude with every decision and with danger and betrayal closing in there is no way readers can’t stop reading. The characters and the story is so lifelike and the author’s well-chosen words and descriptions ensure that the readers can picture each and every scene and that they can’t remain detached while reading this story. I love J.R. Wards BDB world and I was looking forward to reading this contemporary one and although I find the synopsis a bit misleading, I was quite pleased with it and I can’t wait to read the next story in this sizzling new series.
So imagine my surprise (and absolute glee) to win an ARC of Consumed from a Goodreads giveaway. I told myself I could start it on Sunday. It was only two days away.
I started reading the very night I got it in the mail and after two very long reading sessions finished. Now what did I think?
I loved it! It’s like reading the Black Dagger Brotherhood, except firefighters. Seriously. Obviously new plot and no lessers, but seriously. This is classic JR Ward. No need for the diehard BDB fans fear. You’ll find everything you love about BDB in this book, except blood drinking. Dannyboy is just as alpha and testosterone prone as any vampire. Anne though is her own brand of badass. Together, they were HOT. And tortured, as any good characters are.
I will definitely read more in this series!
I didn’t see the end coming. 😉
COME ON BABY LIGHT MY FIRE
What a awesome f##king read!!! This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in along time. JR ward has taken it to a new level with this book,theirs so much heart and soul in this book. Her characters are so real and imperfect with so many layers that you feel like you’ve known them forever. This is a story about everyday men and women who are hero’s, ones that out their lives at risk,but who have their on demons as well. Danny is fireman who doesn’t play by the rules and after his brother die’s fighting a fire he has a no holds bar attitude if he isn’t rushing into dangerous situation ‘s he’s going from women to women that is until anne. Anne is a take charge strong women who has to continually prove her self in a male dominated job and she’s also running away from being anything like her mother who she she’s as weak and a doormat. Anne is fighting not to become just another conquest to danny,but Danny is falling deeper and deeper for her. When Anne is trapped in a fire Danny will forced to make a decision that will change both their lives forever. This book is a great thriller mystery and their are many different things going on for not just Danny and Anne but for all the characters from ladder 499 ! The second characters like amy,duff,chip and one of faves rizzo love this dude!!! And Anne’s brother tom!!! Lots of action and a twist i didn’t see coming!!! And last but not least my boy soot love this brave sweet dog!!! I hope theirs more to come from ladder 499, I can’t wait!!! Once again JR has out done herself!!
Let me just say that the beginning of this book was absolutely mind boggling as it ripped me from my comfort zone of lazy reading and right into a nightmare. It is initially shadowed with bits of darkness and an ever growing angst that when it finally bursts, you hope you’ll experience some relief but instead find yourself captivated by the varied drama unfolding around these characters.
Picking up just a few weeks after the prequel, Anne and Danny respond with their crew to a fire and experience more than what either could have anticipated. While firefighting is dangerous and can be life threatening, they are both faced with decisions that are soul crushing and my heart literally howled at the injustice of it all.
Fast forward ten months and this couple have been through hell and each one is trying to find their way back. It’s angsty and drama laden and there is just so much emotion to it that I ached from the torment these characters were experiencing. With the addition of a new job for Anne that pulls in some mystery and intrigue, we have the downfall of Danny as he is not finding his way out of the abyss in a healthy manner.
Danny’s devotion to Anne is never really in question but he’s at a complete standstill from attempting to make a connection with her. Living with grief, guilt and loss he wallows in his own reckless decisions.
Due to the fire that changed everything, Anne has grown into a woman capable of accepting her loses and moving on. And yet, her familial relationships still leave a lingering bitterness in her life that she hasn’t faced. Much of her past dictates her actions even if she is not aware of it.
These characters were all very well developed as well as the many secondary ones that often brought levity to the story. Anne and Danny really aren’t in a lot of scenes together, considering the length of the book, and there was always so much angst that the chemistry and heat was a low sizzle instead of a roaring flame. However, when the walls did lower they were combustible.
Anne’s investigation is most of the driving force. The conclusion was well played if not a complete surprise. The relationship wrap up seemed a bit rushed but then again I wanted to see Anne and Danny together, solid, as a couple while they were happy. Instead, the glimpse we were shown was much too brief.
Overall, this is an excellent story that I felt leaned more on individual character growth and the mystery rather than Danny and Anne’s relationship. However, everything with the couple was well written and felt real including their issues together and separately.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a romantic suspense a little light on the romance.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Pocket Books/Gallery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
When I saw that J.R. Ward was coming out with a series about firefighters, I could not wait for it.
This is book 1 of the series and it is Danny and Anne’s story, both work for Engine 499. While there are sparks flying between Danny Boy and Anne, she will not give in because she knows he is a ladies man. Danny feels things for Anne that can make his stop his wicked ways with other women but Anne will not give him a second look. They work together and do all the jobs that firefighters do but when a warehouse fire leaves Anne and Danny trapped, a life altering decision will change things for them both.
Many months later, Anne is now working as a fire investigator and she is noticing things that might have gotten the last investigator killed. When she starts getting unknown text telling her to back off the case, she knows she has hit a nerve. And things with Danny seems to be moving in the right direction too. Can she solve the case or will she be stopped too? Will Danny change his ways to be with Anne?
While I loved this story, there was times that it seemed to drag by. I can not wait for the next one and I wonder which fireman it will be, maybe Rizzo or Tom, Anne’s brother. If you like a good firefighter story with a twist, then this one is for you. And yes it is a long one. So I hope you enjoy it.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
Consumed is the first book in a new series by J.R. Ward. An author famous for her paranormal Black Dagger Brotherhood series but this is a contemporary story about firefighters and centres around Station 499. Danny Maguire is, in the eyes of his colleagues, the best fireman in the business even though the rules go out the window when it comes to his job. He’s nursing a soul deep pain after the loss of both his twin brother & his stationhouse’s sergeant in separate fires and the guilt he feels causes him to take risks above and beyond the call of duty. Anne Ashburn comes from a family of fire fighters. Her father had died on the job and her brother Tom is the current fire chief leaving her with a lot to live up to. She’s had a thing for Danny that was reciprocated since she first laid eyes on him and, finally, a few weeks ago after a wedding they gave into their feelings. Since then they’ve been tiptoeing around each other, both of them seemingly unsure whether or not to take the next step. Knowing that it would mean one of them having to transfer out. That decision is taken out of their hands when, on a shout, Anne breaks protocol and splits from her partner inside a burning warehouse. The events that follow will have disastrous consequences for everyone involved and change Anne’s life forever.
Ten months on Anne is trying to rebuild her life, forging a new career for herself as a fire inspector but she’s only going through the motions, mourning all she has lost. She has little interest in her job until her first job involves a suspicious fire at a warehouse. She soon starts to spot similarities between other fires including the one that nearly claimed her life and realises she is after an arsonist. She has little contact with her former colleagues including Danny but her investigation will soon change all that. Danny meanwhile seems to have developed a death wish as a result of Anne’s accident. He doesn’t seem to care if he lives or dies until one day he goes too far and ends up suspended until he undergoes a psychiatric evaluation. Seeing Anne again makes him realise just what he wants and he’s ready to fight for her but during the course of her investigation Anne has upset some dangerous people who will stop at nothing to protect their interests an so, with the arsonist hunting her will disaster strike again?
The first part of this book was action-packed and the descriptions of the fire scenes were so vivid I could almost see them play out in my head like a film. I can honestly say that I never saw who the arsonist was although with hindsight the clues are there and although it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger there are still some unanswered questions that hopefully will be covered in the next book. The second half though was more emotional. We find out what had made Anne the way she was. To start with she’s really not a very likeable character. Why was she so distant with her mother and brother? She had spent her life trying to gain the approval of her ‘hero’ father and live up to what she thought his expectations would be even though she had found out shortly after his death that everything she believed about him was an illusion and he had feet of clay. She seemed to blame her mother for his actions and despised her for this. It was only as an adult and being forced into a situation where she had to spend time with her mother that she realises she is really another victim. All in all I enjoyed this book. The characters came across as real people with all their frailties and weaknesses instead of being the usual heroic stereotypes where nothing has any long lasting effect on them. And the scenes at the fires were described so vividly you could almost smell the smoke and feel the heat of the flames. I will definitely being reading the next book in the series when it releases which will hopefully centre on Tom and Mayor Catherine.
“Tragedy was but a moment. Responsibility for it was forever.”
Wow! I’ve been hearing the buzz about J.R. Ward for years in the book world. But I was so late to the party and so many books had already been released that they’ve been stuck on my TBR till I had time to binge read. So, you can imagine my excitement when the author decided to begin a new series that I had the opportunity to read from the beginning. And, did I mention that I’m married to a firefighter? I devoured this story. I was consumed by this story. I can’t stop thinking about this story…
Not only is the chemistry between Danny and Anne #HOT, their connection extends beyond the sexual. They can almost finish each other’s sentences. They’ve been attracted to each other for years, but they both work at the same station, so it’s forbidden for them to have a relationship. Of course, you know that I was mentally encouraging them to break the rules. I wanted to see them together. They are like fire and gasoline, explosive.
And then…BOOM! The warehouse fire that changed everything. I put myself in her situation and tried to imagine how I would have handled the decision that she had to make. I honestly could not see myself having the courage to go where she did. #MindBlown
I won’t give you any more details, you need to just go into this blind. You will be thrown into the fire with the firefighters and later you will be trying to help Anne solve the arson investigation. If you are like me, you’ll be guessing your ass off about who the arsonist is. Grab your fire extinguisher, you might need it before you turn the final page.
I have a ton of friends that swear by Ward’s BDB series. It wasn’t a series I connected with, but when there is such a beloved author, you sometimes want to give them another shot, yeah? I’ve been eyeing The Bourbon Kings series, but when Consumed popped up I thought it sounded exciting.
The base story line of Consumed is enjoyable. Let me start with that. You have two firefighters that barely live through an incredibly traumatic and life altering event. BIG, life changing event. Huge. It not only affects their day to day lives but it forever changes their personal relationship. This struggle and dynamic is the part of Consumed I liked.
It’s maybe the only part.
What I didn’t like was the complete lack of character development or individuality. It’s written in a way where you get three points of view but all the characters dialogues and musings sound exactly the same. It’s as if the narrator is a really strong personality and the characters all take on that voice. I struggled hard with that. I’m a character reader before I’m a story reader, so this just felt wrong to me.
Another thing I didn’t really love was there was a bit too much cliche’d drama added in that I didn’t think needed to be there. That huge bit I spoke about earlier (and it’s root cause) should have been enough to carry the story, in my opinion. Plus, some of that added drama led me to actually not like the characters. I already wasn’t connecting with them but then they just all seemed like assholes, too. The dog is the only character I ended up actually caring about.
Then there was this thing…and I don’t know if this is Ward’s style with everything or if it’s a one off, but I didn’t like it. There is so much of this:
‘she phoenix’d-from-the-ashes’
‘bad-luck-hole-in-one’
‘ah-hell-no-that’s-my-little-brother’
‘low-man-on-the-ladder’
‘used-to-be-necessary’
‘two stories of vacated-long-ago’
‘over-and-done-with-the-sun’
This is a very small, few examples. The book is riddled with these and with strange pop culture references and analogies. It was very distracting. Again, if this had been ONE single character, I’d get it more but that’s not the case.
What I know is that I struggled too much.
J.R. Ward knows how to tell a story. My heart was pounding from the first chapter. I wanted to hug and squeeze both Danny and Anne (but for very different reasons**wink winker**). As with previous Ward books, there are several character/story lines woven seamlessly in a beautiful tapestry of words. Anne and Danny do get a resolution and there is no cliffy, but I did feel like there was a few unresolved things. Hopefully the story will continue with Tom or Jack as the main character.
Loved this book, written by one of my favorite authors. This story is at the top of my “best reads” list. There is mystery, intrigue, tragic drama, romance and steam. It is a detour from the Brotherhood drama and I think a much needed relief. This book centers around firefighters, big city corruption and personal drama and loss. The bad guy was a surprise, which doesn’t happen often for me. There is the potential for a series here and I hope there will be more of this story in the future. Excellent. Looking forward to the next.
I love, love, love the BDB but until Consumed that was all I had read of her other series. I was not sure what to expect. JR surprised me for sure! I just could not put this book down! I sped through it in three days and that is not my norm at all!
This is the first in a new series so JR had to take some time world building and introducing all the characters. She wrote a strong, independent, female lead with serious real life problems. Anne Ashburn is someone who takes what life throws at her as just another thing to overcome. Her journey is intense, fueled by fire and will have you guessing until the end.
Danny McGuire is every woman’s hottest firefighter fantasy bad boy come to life but he’s got a secret and he must come to terms with his own regrets, ghosts and fires.
The cast of secondary characters were intriguing in their own right and you can see that some were introduced to help you get to know them better and will have their own book later in the series. The issues they are each dealing with can make you hurt but I can’t wait to see where she takes all of them. I am really looking forward to more from this series!
I think I may need to read the rest of her series now for sure!