Bonfires: Book TwoSaying “I love you” doesn’t guarantee peace or a happy ending. High school principal “Larx” Larkin was pretty sure he’d hit the jackpot when Deputy Sheriff Aaron George moved in with him, merging their two families as seamlessly as the chaos around them could possibly allow. But when Larx’s pregnant daughter comes home unexpectedly and two of Larx’s students are put in danger, … students are put in danger, their tentative beginning comes crashing down around their ears.
Larx thought he was okay with the dangers of Aaron’s job, and Aaron thought he was okay with Larx’s daughter—who is not okay—but when their worst fears are almost realized, it puts their hearts and their lives to the test. Larx and Aaron have never wanted anything as badly as they want a life together. Will they be able to make it work when the world is working hard to keep them apart?
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I fell in love with Larx, Aaron, and everyone in their extended family in the must read prequel of Amy Lane’s wonderful Bonfires series. If you did as well, then Crocus is an absolute must-read continuation. If you haven’t, start with Bonfires, because I’m not giving anything away here!
One of the all-time best storytellers, Amy Lane creates a world of gritty, realistic characters. The Larkin and George families face their mistakes and deal with the trials of living in the real world. This is the best kind of angst, and while I can always count on Amy Lane to deliver a happy ending, getting there is what it’s all about.
There are some beautiful messages in Crocus, and the one that really resonates with me is about respecting others’ problems. Everyone has their own issues to deal with, their own crosses to bear. If it’s important to you, and you’re going through it, then it counts just as much as whatever I’m dealing with. This is one directive that always bears repeating.
I can’t think of a series better suited to audio, and the highly talented Nick J. Russo brings these characters to life. Larx and Aaron go through so much in Crocus, between their playful banter, life-changing events, and the delightfully furtive sex scenes, the emotion Mr. Russo imparts truly makes the story for me.
The ending of Crocus leaves no doubt that there’s more to come, and Amy Lane promises at least two more episodes in the Bonfires series. Coming in 2019 is Sunset, which I’m hoping is a happily-ever-after for Larx and Aaron. With Kellan and Isaiah’s story to look forward to after that, I can hardly wait!
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah –
The second book in this series manages to combine gentle family dramas with terrifying police incidents as Larx and Aaron navigate their personal and professional lives. This time Larx and Aaron are settled as a couple. They don’t have as much time as they’d like together as their almost adult children need more support than they’d predicted – but they are a solid couple.
This time, there is more focus on policing than teaching. Some of the drama is a little bit over-the-top, but the action prevents the cosy domesticity from becoming too cloying. I really love Larx and Aaron together but there are moments in this book when some of their kids are a little bit too perfect and the story starts to feel like an ‘80s family values sitcom with a tiny rainbow twist.
I do love that this is another story about love between two men in their 40s. Larx and Aaron feel real and they feel intimately familiar. I really loved them both. But while this is a relatable romance, at times it felt a little bit too much like real life. I tend to read romance for idealised escapism, so I was torn between loving the way the author captures the joys and strains of family life and finding the realism a little bit stressful.
I’ve really enjoyed both of the Bonfires books and I’m not sure I’m ready to let this family go quite yet.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Crocus (Bonfires #2) by Amy Lane to read and review.
4.5 stars- As much as I enjoy reading about a couple finding one another and falling in love, there’s something extra special about established couple romances. Crocus picks up months after Bonfires and follows high school principal Larx and Deputy Aaron George as they further blend their lives and families together. I really enjoyed Bonfires, the first book of this series by the same name; so, while I didn’t necessarily need a continuation of Larx and Aaron’s story, I was eager to read it. And honestly, I may have liked Crocus just a touch more than Bonfires.
The pacing throughout Crocus was measured and read smoothly with a flowing dialogue and narrative. I was quickly drawn into this book, and ended up reading it much faster than I expected. As with Bonfires, Crocus had a lot going on, but I wouldn’t call it cluttered and I didn’t finish the book thinking a subplot wasn’t resolved enough to leave me satisfied. Instead, it felt honest. Larx and Aaron have important jobs that necessitate their involvement in the community and there’s often spill-over into their personal lives. They also both have decent-sized families and are very involved with their children. Therefore, while there were a lot of minor storylines feeding into the main plot, it was natural and what I’d expect in an established couple’s story, especially given these heroes. I enjoyed seeing Larx and Aaron work through the curveballs their professional and personal lives threw at them. How these two worked for their happily-ever-after, shouldering problems together and coming out stronger while their ever-expanding family thrived, made me so very happy. If you’re a fan of older main characters, single fathers, and established couples, this series and title shouldn’t be missed.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*