“Stacey’s engaging novel is pure comfort food…deeply satisfying.” –Publishers Weekly on Controlled Burn From New York Times bestselling author SHANNON STACEY Meet the tough, dedicated men of BOSTON FIRE–and the women who turn their lives upside down Rick Gullotti lives the good life. He fights fires, dates beautiful women–though none long enough so they cast wistful glances at jewelry … enough so they cast wistful glances at jewelry stores–and has great friends. And thanks to helping out the elderly couple who own his building, his rent is low. But when concerns about their health lead him to contact their only son, his life starts getting away from him.
Jessica Broussard has no interest in leaving sunny San Diego or her cushy corner office for Boston, but her father–who happens to be her boss–dispatches her to deal with the grandparents she’s never met. She’s unprepared for the frigid winter, loving relatives who aren’t the monsters she’s been led to believe, and the hot, scruffy firefighter who lives upstairs.
At first, Jessica is determined to get back to her comfortable life as quickly as possible. All she has to do is talk her grandparents into selling their monstrosity of a house and moving to a retirement community. But she underestimates Rick’s dedication–and his considerable charm. Nobody’s taking advantage of his friends on his watch, even if that makes the tempting southern California girl with the long legs his adversary. Unfortunately for them both, the only thing more urgent than the matter at hand is their sizzling chemistry, and it’s quickly becoming too strong to resist.
Don’t miss the entire Boston Fire series by Shannon Stacey! Heat Exchange, Fully Ignited and Hot Response are available now!
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Sexy Yummy Firefighters!!
Controlled Burn is book two in the Boston Fire series by Shannon Stacey and narrated by Tatiana Sokolov.
I relished this audiobook. It’s a sweet light-hearted romance with almost no drama. This novel worked for me on so many levels. It’s easy and fun, but I really liked was the mature romance in that our leads are in their late 30’s early 40’s.
Jessica is a VP of Financial Services at her father’s company. She’s never meet her grandparents on her fathers side. For some reason her father cut them out of his life and hers. After receiving a call from her grandfathers doctor she decides to go meet them and help them out, but her plans and life soon change once she meets them and their tenant Rick.
Rick is our sexy firefighter and such a sweet man. He’s taken such good care of the Brussard’s that he’s pretty much family. The son they never had. He looks out for them and makes sure their property is taken care of.
I adored Rick and Jessica. They are likable, relatable, realistic, kind and down to earth. You can tell at the beginning that they don’t trust each others motives, but as time moves along they see that both want what’s best for the elderly couple.
As for the romance. It’s a nice sweet build up with lots of sexual tension, flirting, and stolen kisses. They both fight this attraction and they keep thinking how can this work when they live miles away.
The only complaint I have is the end. It just ends and left me with some question’s.
Narration: Tatiana Sokolov did a superb job in her narration. All the voices where distinctive and she brought out the romance and realistic life of our characters.
Controlled Burn was a feel good romance. I can’t wait to listen on in the Boston Fire series.
Rated: 4 Stars
Controlled Burn is the second installment in Shannon Stacey’s adult contemporary/fireman romance series titled: Boston Fire. I didn’t love the first book and was uncertain about continuing the series but the opportunity presented itself to read Controlled Burn so I thought what the hell. I ended up really liking it! I loved the theme of bonding with extended family (which is one of Ms. Stacey’s specialties in my opinion) and I admired the tribute she paid to loved ones of firefighters and the anxious waiting game they go through every time that alarm rings. As far as the romance goes, the heroine and hero had great chemistry and their relationship drama was minimal which was a nice change. The stressful climax came right at the end of the story which was a bit odd and created a much too quick ending in my opinion, but overall I thought this was a great book. I’m glad to finally say I will be continuing this series for sure. If you enjoy adult romances featuring men in uniform then check it out!
My favorite quote:
“Families look a lot of different ways and there’s no right or wrong or supposed to about any of them.”
Note: The Boston Fire series includes the following installments:
#1-Heat Exchange
#2-Controlled Burn
#3-Fully Ignited
Well written, held my interest to the HEA ending.
What a wonderful read. Rick helps out his landlords who are an older couple buy doing little repairs, making sure that the sidewalks are shoveled and other little things. He is a Boston Firefighter and loves living in the remodeled apartment on the 3rd floor of their home. Everyone gives him grief for not being settled down yet and he doesn’t think there will be a one. Then along comes Jessica, his landlords granddaughter, she came when she received the message from the doctor about her grandfather recent fall and they need to make decision on moving. The message was left for her dad but he wasn’t available and she knows nothing about her grandparents. She flies from San Diego with one thing in mind, helping them sell their home and get them either to move to San Diego with her or to a Senior Living Community. She meets and falls for Rick and he tries not to fall for her because he knows she is going back to CA. But you can’t make the heart stop getting what it wants. Jessica goes back and talks with her dad, who is not ready for making peace but doesn’t begrudge her the time with them and Rick and Jessica finally admit they love each other.
Wow it is so nice to read a sweet, low drama, light-hearted read. Lately some of the books I have read, have been big misses for me, and they gave me a horrible case of the Rants! I really needed a fun, easy going book. And I got that with Controlled Burn by Shannon Stacey. This book worked for me on so many levels, but the main and most important one was, it had sexy firefighters in it. Enough said!
What this book is about
Jessica works as VP of Broussards Financial Services, her father’s business. While checking her father’s messages, she finds out her grandfather, whom she has never met, fell and was in the hospital. Jessica knows her father cut his parents out of his life, and wants nothing to do with them, for reasons unknown to her. She decides to get on a plane and meet her grandparents and help them if she can. When she gets to her grandparents home she meets their tenant, who lives in their 3rd floor apt, Rick. Rick is very close to her grandparents. Neither Rick or Jessica trust the other’s motives, and both are very attracted to each other. Jessica and Rick are both fighting their attraction. Nothing can come from it since they live miles and miles away. Right?
I loved both Jessica and Rick. They were both kind, realistic, likable, and down to earth characters. I love that there is a nice build up to their relationship. They don’t just hop into bed. There is some sexual tension, some flirting and a few stolen kisses. Both Rick and Jessica are playful, funny and sweet people. They made an adorable and sexy couple.
Controlled Burn can be read as a stand alone book. I didn’t read the first book, and I had no problems. One of the things I really loved about this book was I was able to just relax. It made me laugh, smile, and just feel good. I only have one complaint with this book and that is the end…….. WTH is that. That is not an ending, and it’s not really a cliffhanger. It’s like a cliffhanger’s lil brother or something. It was so rushed. It really gave no closure and left me with tons of questions. Maybe the next book will answer those questions. I don’t know and won’t find out til 2016. Not cool! I took a star off my rating, just for that ending!
Until recently firefighter Rick Gullotti hasn’t given much thought to finding the right woman and settling down. But after watching his friends all start to get married and have families, he is beginning to wonder if it will ever happen for him. He likes his bachelor lifestyle, but he is starting to feel like it’s time to give it up and start a family of his own, only problem is he hasn’t found the right woman yet…that is until he meets Jessica Broussard.
Jessica Broussard’s father has always kept her sheltered from his family, and she has never gotten the chance to meet her grandparents. He has molded her into the perfect business woman, and paved the way for her to follow in his footsteps when he finally retires. And while she enjoys her charmed life, she also feels like she is missing out on something, a family of her own. When a hospital calls to notify her father of his father’s minor accident, she decides to take matters into her own hands and head to Boston to meet her grandparents for the first time, and help them get their affairs in order. But what she finds when she gets there is nothing like the picture her father has painted for her through the years. Her grandparents welcome her with open arms, and show her the love and affection she has longed for since she was a child. She also meets their tenant, a handsome firefighter named Rick, and suddenly she isn’t so sure she wants to return to her charmed life in San Diego, the family she has always wanted might just be waiting for her in Boston…
This story captivated my attention right from the start and had me flying right through the pages, I got so wrapped up into it that I ended up having myself a little reading marathon and finishing it up in one sitting! I loved these characters, they had amazing chemistry that sizzled the whole way through, and left me blushing a few times too!! I think it’s fair to say Ms. Stacey knows her firefighters and has a hit on her hands with this one!!
ARC requested through NetGalley, and kindly provided by Carina Press in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.
Another charming and delightful firefighter romance from Shannon Stacey in the Boston Fire Series.
It is easy to like this story, and let it sweep you away, with the adorable family of heart, the brotherhood of the firefighters, cold Boston winter, and the sizzling romance between Rick and Jessica are all valid points to enjoy it.
The author clearly knows a lot about the daily life of firefighters. The daily challenges, triumphs, and trials of the job. The dangers as well as the satisfaction of a job well done, the expectations of the community at large, and the community of firefighters, the feelings and the solidarity of the tight-knit family they form, was so well described to the readers.
Joe and Marie are fantastic, I love them. They are honest, straight shooters, caring, and genuine people. The relationship they have with Rick is something so special, something to be treasured, and something that tells a lot about what kind of man Rick is.
Jessica was the oddball for me in this story. I understand her father wasn’t very emotionally stable, I guess you could say, and that Jessica can come off a bit cold. Her relationship with her father was the oddity, just didn’t sound like a woman in her mid-thirties, not standing up to her father before, having the difficult conversations with him earlier in life.
But when she is with Rick, she is a different person, the chemistry between them is churning, she is filled with wit and passion, despite the freezing weather outside, they are burning up the scenes. There are several completely swoon-worthy scenes, that made me sigh, and at least as many where I was chuckling aloud. I loved how they had to build part of the relationship over the long distance affair, giving them time to really get to know each other by long talks on the phone, with no distractions. Yes, those two won my heart completely.
This is a story I can definitely recommend, it will warm up your heart with the sweet moments, heat up the pages with smoldering passion, and make you look at the hockey jerseys in a new way.
Just a ‘don’t do it at home’, or while traveling, advice to you all… If you already checked your luggage at the airport, and then for whatever reason decide you are not traveling after all, take care of your luggage first, before leaving the airport. Please. The chances of the airplane leaving without you, but with your luggage, is just about 0%, and there are other people sitting on the hot airplane, waiting for the airline to fix the matter, and might end up being late for the connecting flight. Yes, I have experience of this…
But the story itself, that was pure fun and romantic entertainment!
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
This is the 2nd book in this series and it can be read as a stand alone book.
Rick Gulloti lives above his elderly landlords that he has taken under his wing and looks after them. Rick is a firefighter with the BFD, Ladder 37, he is an all around good guy but tired of being told he isn’t marriage material. Rick is called to the hospital when his landlord has taken a fall and the son cannot be reached.
Jessica Broussard lives in California, has a business with her father in finance but has always had a curiosity about the grandparents she’s never met. She is called to Boston to deal with her grandparents failing health and their finances. Her grandparents didn’t even know she existed, she’s getting to know them and in walks the sexy tenant who mistrust’s her on the spot.
Jessica is determined to talk her grandparents into selling the house that is too big for them and get back to California. Rick isn’t letting anyone take advantage of the couple that he has come to love. So, these too dance around one another, kiss, deny the attraction and continue to dance some more until the sizzling chemistry cannot be denied and one of them has to make a life changing decision.