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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The life of a firefighter is full of risks that fluctuate like the flame of the fire. For Anne – her dedication to the job extends far beyond her love of her career. Anne hails from a family that has devoted their life to the job. The expectations that Anne sets upon her own shoulders are a heavy burden, but one she accepts willingly.
Danny is a fellow firefighter with the same company as Anne. The two find themselves faced with a daunting situation amidst the burn of a warehouse fire. As Anne finds herself facing peril, Danny plows forward with the determination to save her at all costs. That moment will change the course of both of their lives in ways that you will not predict. A fate sealed within the burn of the flames.
Consumed is the first book in the brand new Firefighters series by J.R. Ward. While it is not necessary to indulge in the prequel novellas, it does shed a new light on the events that unfold within Consumed. The prequels give you plenty of history between Anne and Danny!! The nibbles lead you straight up to the events that unfold in the beginning of this full length novel. The plot is based around a group of firefighters that put their lives on the line each time they answer a call. While Anne and Danny are the focus of this book, you do get glimpses into the lives of the other characters which will come into play in future books.
There is an epic situation that Danny and Anne face in the beginning of the book. One that will leave you questioning where things will go from here. There will be plenty of moments between friends, jilted lovers, and a fire investigation that will lead Danny and Anne towards an unexpected secret that hits close to home.
With an epic beginning to the novel, I did find the ‘meat’ of the book took a while to build up to a new revelation. Something that Consumed lays out is the groundwork for a new series. One that is different from other works from Ward. Dip your toes in the water, and experience what is sure to be a memorable series from the one and only JR Ward.
I don’t want to give away the plot – but OMG the first chapter! How could JR do that to a heroine and hero? Wonderful page turner.
Great start for the new series. I didn’t think it would be possible to translate the energy of the BDB series to contemporary reality, but the larger than life characters with their real flaws and problems worked perfectly. I only wish the plot would’ve matched them.
J.R. Ward is one of those authors who, when I read her books, inspires me to be a better author myself. My writing always takes on new energy after I read her books, and Consumed was no exception. The writing is alive and lively, and it’s clear Ward did an enormous amount of research before writing this book, which brought the action to life. And the heroine! Strong, smart, and believable. I love me some strong heroines, and Ward writes them better than anyone!
I think this is the start of a great series.
Ten months after making a life-or-limb decision while trapped in a warehouse fire, Anne Ashburn returns to firefighting as a civilian arson investigator for the Massachusetts town of New Brunswick. She feels isolated from everyone, especially the man who saved her life and now carries a crushing load of guilt, Danny Maguire. But as the only daughter of a New Brunswick fire chief who died in the line of duty, and whose older brother now occupies that position, Anne holds herself to exceptionally high standards, which is often not only difficult, but puts her in active danger, just as it did when she was running into burning buildings. And at the beginning of her investigative career, she’s earned the ire of a dangerous man, Boston developer Charles Ripken, whose derelict warehouses have a dangerous tendency to burst into flames.
As Anne attempts to piece together the string of fires, Danny is forced into suspension and therapy for his angry and erratic behavior, fueled by heavy drinking, guilt over a long list of dead or maimed firefighters, and his suppressed love for the woman whose life he saved. Meanwhile, Anne is denigrated and threatened by Ripken, which prompts her new boss to reveal that the last person to investigate a fire on Ripken property — his oceanfront estate went up in flames with his daughter inside — washed up dead on the bay shore. Both know they’re in dangerous territory, but keep pushing forward, because it’s the only thing they know how to do.
As Anne begins piecing together evidence, she finds a common denominator, as well as a component that just doesn’t fit. As she searches for the missing element, she suddenly realizes she may soon join the previous investigator, as she’s in far more danger than a burning warehouse, and recognizes she may have lost her chance with her true love.
J.R. Ward is so talented a writer that even a reader with a deep fear of fire remains spellbound as they’re transported to the inferno surrounding Anne and Danny. She lets one particular story line drop without resolution, but given that she’s the author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, another book picking up this thread won’t be surprising.
On the whole very good, I was a little disappointed with the typical someone tells her he is sleeping around and she immediately believes them and doesn’t get his side part, but it did not last long.
Consumed by J.R. Ward if one of the best, if not the best romantic suspense books I’ve read. It has so much going for it: a cast of interesting, complex characters, a lot of action, a scorching hot romance, both internal and external conflicts that our characters have to deal with, and a number of mysteries (arsons and a murder) that need to be solved. All these elements make Consumed for a captivating read. At the same time this book sets the stage for what is promising to be an action packed, exciting series. I loved Anne and Danny’s story and can’t wait to find what characters will get their story told next.
Fall In Love….new season, new soul mates! Consumed by J.R. Ward every single page has you addicted and wanting more.
Consumed by J.R. Ward was addicting from page one. We meet Anne and Danny with their fire crew when a call takes them to an abandoned warehouse fire. It is clear, in the first few pages, that Anne and Danny have a connection that goes beyond platonic colleagues. A bad choice on Anne’s part puts her life in danger. Danny, rushing to her aide when ordered not to, is forced into extreme action to save her life, nearly losing his own. The several chapters between the beginning incident and Anne and Danny reuniting were fast-paced and incredibly addicting. I couldn’t get through it fast enough.
Ten months after the accident, Anne begins work as a fire inspector. The loss she suffered due to the fire left her in a very dark place. She can no longer work at the firehouse, and she, to her irritation, continues to think about Danny. Meanwhile, Danny spirals out of control. Too much alcohol, too many one night stands, too many bad choices when battling fires; all this eventually drives a crew mate to contact Anne, with the hope she can help Danny become more stable. I was desperate for Anne and Danny to have their time together. Anne was fighting a losing battle with her feelings for Danny, and Danny needed a break from his anxiety. They needed each other to start emotionally healing from their accident.
Anne and Danny both fear admitting their feelings for each other, but for very different reasons. Anne wants to keep Danny from entering her life again. She has convinced herself the romantic feelings she has will fade but, the attraction is still prominent. A past trauma has left Anne distrusting of their emotional bond. She does not make things easy for Danny, and she is slow to open up to him. Danny knows Anne will run as soon as love is mentioned. He takes what she will give him, which amounts to a quick physical interlude. Nothing is new in this scenario, but I had become quite attached to the characters at this point. I sympathized with Danny and his desire to be with Anne.
Clues to a series of warehouse arson, that include the one she last fought in, lead Anne to a business tycoon who is untouchable. Something sketchy is happening, but Anne finds it difficult to prove. Anne pursues a lead, and after discovering its legitimacy, someone begins to terrorize her. Danny learns she is in danger and offers to watch over her. Anne brings down some defenses and agrees to let him stay. The intimacy Anne and Danny share, during this time, brings them closer to a sustainable relationship.
A woman from Danny’s past soon comes between the couple. I found Anne’s quick judgment of Danny predictable, not necessarily in a bad way, but her lack of trust in him did cause some frustration. I understand her lack of faith due to her past, and I know she did not have the benefit of hearing Danny’s thoughts, but her decision to immediately see the worst did not sit well with me.
Following a hunch, Anne pursues her terrorist and nearly loses her life. Danny happens upon the scene and again, keeps Anne safe. I did not see the ending coming, which was a welcome surprise. The lovers, of course, have their resolutions, but the antagonist came out of nowhere.
It is clear this book is the start of a series. Short prequel stories are available that I did not read, but it may be worth checking out to get a feel for the characters. I enjoyed Consumed by J.R. Ward and will be checking out the proceeding novels when they are released. I received this book from Gallery Books, through NetGalley, for my honest opinion. I encourage all readers to draw their own conclusions
I will let others tell you the story. This amazing author does not need me to paraphrase her book. Amazing author, amazing characters, amazing story. Juicy realistic sex. She knows how to twist your emotions. And she starts out doing it right away. You become so emotionally involved in the book that you don’t want to put it down and yet there’s times when you don’t want to read anymore. When an author can make you cry, can Make you want to yell wonderful And want to cheer when the good guy wins, Shes a story teller you must read. She is the only writer That I will pay for the books the minute they come out. Get ready for a roller coaster ride with a sad but wonderful ending.
JR Ward has once again started an outstanding series, this time with firefighters. She is one of my favorite authors and I own every single book she has written about the Black Dagger Brotherhood (which I have read every one of the books eight times so far) and now the firefighters.
I received this book for free and I voluntarily chose to review it. I’ve given it a 4.5* rating. I’ve mixed feelings on this. A fire station filled with broken warriors. one whom is a woman who chose to lose part of a limb instead of dieing in a fire. She turns her talents toward fire investigations. Read this to find out the outcome.
Hold your seat, you are in for a wild ride. A page turner from the first Chapter, the author delves into the character of fire fighters, their thrill seeking personalities, heroes who risk their lives to keep others safe, while extremely underpaid. The psychological tolls on themselves and their families. Deftly describing the equipment used, how they use it and the daily challenges they face, not only against accidentally started fired, but also those created by arson.
I read this book as a stand alone, but was able to cipher out all the important info from the previous books. The main characters are two of the firefighter from the 499th in New Brunswick, Massachusetts. Anne Ashburn is the daughter of the previous fire chief, who was killed in the line of duty and the sister of the current one. All she ever wanted was to be one of the guys and for her father to be proud of her- until after his funeral when she learned he was not the man she thought he was. Growing up, her brother Joe was always pushing her aside becasue she was a girl and her mother was a wimpy (in her eyes) housewife, so she is estranged from her family. As a probie at the 499, she had an instant connection with large, handsome Irish, Danny McGuire. Danny’s mother had committed suicide when he was 12, his twin brother died on the job 3 years ago and his fellow fire fighter Sol, a year ago.
While battling a warehouse fire, Anne ignored protocol and ends up with her hand trapped in debris and surrounded by fire. Danny, also ignoring orders, goes in to safe her. The only way he can do so is cut off the lower part of her arm- at her insistence- and carry her to safety. He hands her off, but then gets stuck himself and ends up piled under debris. He survives, but loses miscellaneous body parts.
Both survive, battle life threatening injuries and PTSD, but guilt keeps them from turning to each other for support. Danny returns to the station house and leans on alcohol and cigarettes to get by. Anne can not return to being a firefighter, so gets certified as a a arson investigator. When Anne’s investigations lead to threats against herself and her mother, Danny steps in to protect the woman he loves, but is too much of a coward to tell her. These two are meant for each other.
I received a free, advanced copy of this book from the Publisher. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
J.R. Ward has been on my to-read list for a long time, so when I saw this author was starting a new series, I jumped at the chance to read it. Consumed by J.R. Ward is the first book in the Firefighters series and I loved it!
All Anne Ashburn ever wanted was to be the best firefighter she could be. But after a bad decision during a fire, she has to start over. She decides to become an arson investigator. Now if she could only forget Danny McGuire, a fellow firefighter who she shared strong chemistry with. But now they are working together and the stakes could not be any higher!
This was my first read by J.R. Ward and I have to say I devoured this story. From the beginning to end, I was drawn in. Anne is devastated by what happened and Danny is lost. Anne was strong and determined and I loved that about her. Danny has been making all kinds of wrong choices since the night that changed everything. Can they now work together when suspicious fires begin happening in their town?
I loved Firefighters by J.R. Ward. It had mystery, romance, chemistry and great characters. I am excited to not only read the future books in this series, but also previous books from this author.
4.5 stars! Happy reading!
I won this book off of BookishFirst.com for my honest opinion.
This was the first book I’ve read of J.R. Ward and it blew me away. The story line, the characters, and the chemistry between the two main characters flew off the pages. The writing was so fluid and kept me so invested in the story.
Thankfully, I have never been in a fire but with the way that J.R. Ward described the fire scenes, it felt like I was in the middle of the fire. The setting and scenes were written and weaved beautifully mapped together. The mystery of the story kept me on my toes.
Oh, Danny Maguire. He just jumped on the shelf with the rest of my book boyfriends.
4.5 Stars
In some ways this was your typical JR Ward stuff. On one hand there was the usual multiple points of view, which focuses heavily on the main couple, Anne Ashburn and Danny Maguire. I felt there was also the grittiness like we encounter in her black dagger series. But then there was something else lurking in the background. Something I can’t quite put my finger on, that made this book so different to the normal WARDen.
Set in the world of firefighting, this book started out with one hell of an opening. So much so, I was like “Did that really just happen?” Then things slowed down for a time and I sensed that it was because there were quite a few characters and getting to know them was imperative to the story.
I won’t lie, but this book wasn’t easy to get my head around at first. After the initial dramatics, I didn’t quite get into the characters heads quite like I wanted to. Secondary characters didn’t stand out quite how I wanted them to and the fact that there was so much Fire Department terminology for Me, someone who is Also not from the US and not familiar with those things, made it quite difficult to get my head around.
Then by magic, something clicked in my tiny brain. The story came to life, the characters became real and I was absorbed 100% into the story. The chemistry and relationship between Anne and Danny was electric and raw and literally you could have started a fire with the heat coming off those two.
I am certain JR Ward was where my obsession with reading hot romances began, so I will always have an affinity with her books and I am pleased to say that her contemporary stuff is just as gripping and this book I feel is great for someone not quite ready to venture into her paranormal world.
Besides the novellas that came before this (which I admit I have yet to read), what a great start to a series!
Loved this first book in JR Ward’s new series. Can’t wait for the next.
4 Stars
Review by Allyson
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Heart pumping
100% Captivating
Gripping and Rousing!
From someone who is a massive fan of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, I was a little hesitant in all honesty to begin Consumed. But really, I shouldn’t have been, since it is from a New York Times bestselling author who can write literally anything and it be a showstopper!
Consumed is a beginning to a fresh new Firefighter series that will ignite and awaken a thrill within you!
You can say that Ann Ashburn and Danny Maguire’s chemistry could heat up a warehouse or the fire department. These two hit “IT” off with a start until the flames become too high and one saved the other, putting their jobs on the line. Now, both team up and are after the person that are setting flames to their city. Can they put their emotions and feelings to the curb while they hunt down an arsonist?
A page turner by an epic author that everyone should indulge in. I enjoyed the wild ride that Ward takes us on, yet the unmistakable romance we get between Ann and Danny. Yet, it’s not like the Brotherhood series that I am used too, so I had to switch mind sets, but this is a good start to a new series that Ward has given us. You will be engulfed with her words, her story lines and the development of her intricate characters. Don’t be surprised to be caught within the flames of Consumed.
4.5-4.75 STARS
Confession time… prior to delving between the pages of “Consumed,” I had yet to read any books written by author J.R. Ward. Had I realized what I was missing out on, I would have remedied my blunder a whole lot sooner. But, as they say, better late than never. And what better introduction to this author’s work, than to begin with the first book in her brand new Firefighters series, “Consumed.”
Right from the very first page, I was drawn into Anne and Danny’s tumultuous story and enraptured by the hazardous world of firefighting. Boasting a unique and appealing premise with perfectly imperfect characters, “Consumed” is an emotionally-charged, explosive story that I won’t soon forget.