ASHTONIf there’s one thing I know, it’s how to play the game…both on and off the field. If it hadn’t been for that one teenage slipup where I kissed Beau Campbell, I’d be able to keep fooling myself. Football is the one thing I use to distract myself from the truth, and when I screw-up and lose the game I love, I find myself right back in Fever Falls. And right back face-to-face with Cranky … with Cranky Campbell, who hates me even more than he did when we were kids. Whatever magic he held over me then is still there. As much as I fight it, I still want him. And I always get what I want…well, except with Beau, who constantly calls me on my crap. Why do I like that so much?
BEAU
I might’ve spent years watching Ash live out my dream–without the off-field antics and orgies with women, at least–but I’ve made a good life for myself. I’m a firefighter, and I coach my brother’s football team for those with developmental disabilities. But when Ash swings back into town armed with his monster ego and an arsenal of stupid nicknames, everyone is in awe of him. Nope, not me. I don’t care if our kiss years ago was responsible for my sexual awakening. I won’t fall for Ashton Carmichael. Though that resolution would be a whole lot easier if he wasn’t so tempting. Once he finds his way into my bed, I’m screwed–in more ways than one. But there’s more to Ash than meets the eye, buried beneath his ego, sarcasm and how we burn up the sheets together. Soon, it’s more than a game. We don’t just get each other fired up, we just might win each other’s hearts.
Too bad things are never that simple…
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N’awwww I LOVED this book… highly recommended … on to book 2 🙂
In major denial Ashton, football king bad boy, returns to Fever Falls where he hides out in his family home. Beau, Cranky Campbell, it out and proud, fire fighter and hero to his brother K-man Kenny. Beau and Ash meet up again, and it’s high school all over again when sparks fly. Push-Pull, anger, denial, lonely, frustrated but when the sexy times happen, Ash is all in. The best part of this book was Ash and Kenny’s relationship. It was sweet, real and adorable.
Beau and Ashton were friends in high school, but Beau always hated Ash a little bit…maybe because he always came in second, or maybe because of something else.
Ash moves away to become a professional football player and Beau stays in town to stay close to his family and 10 years later, they run into each other again in Fever Falls, reigniting their friendship and leaving them questioning whether there really was something more between them in high school. They fall back into their friendship that then develops into more.
I loved Beau in this book so much – his love for his mom, Kenny, Ash and Lincoln was so pure and all-consuming. It drove him to be the best he could be and offer everything he had to whatever they threw at him or needed help with. Throughout this story, he’s so patient and sweet with Ash while he worked through things and his love for him (whether he called it that or not) was so easy.
Ash is so confused in this story and it made my heart hurt for him. He spent so much of his life in denial, trying to be the person he thought people wanted him to be while playing football but also ignoring what could make him truly happy. He grows a lot and starts to realize what he wants…to be himself with the person and family that he loves. But, I didn’t love their football bro dynamic in their relationship…it made me feel like they hadn’t evolved far enough past friendship at some points or like Ash was still hiding part of himself from Beau and those around him.
Kenny was the underrated star of this story – he stole my heart and brought Beau and Ash together in ways they really needed, showing them they both deserved to be happy. Reading all of their interactions were the sweetest and seeing Ash interact with Kenny through Beau’s eyes was swoon-worthy.
Really excited to read more stories from the Fever Falls crew – they’re all so unique and can’t wait to see who they all end up falling for in the end.
Beau and Ash were one hot couple. This friends/enemies to lovers romance was sweet and steamy. This book had me pulled in from the beginning with Beau’s crankiness and Ash’s lighthearted way. They were perfect!
This is the first book that I read but this author. I liked the idea of the book and the characters were likable. Ash was great but Beau was my favorite. His character stayed consistent throughout the whole book to me. I’m not saying the secondary characters didn’t, but out of out two main leads, my heart was stolen by Beau. There were something’s that I can’t put my finger on that just threw me off for the second half of the book. Either way, it was an enjoyable book, and might read more by this author. 3 stars #2OCCJD
4.5*
Fired Up was such a good book. It’s one of those stories that, when you get to the last page, it leaves you with a smile on your face and a happy heart.
Beau and Ash had quite a journey to get to their hea, but it was one that was well worth it in the end. Beau is such a wonderful man, so loving and caring and kind, and so very selfless. Ash was such a troubled soul- he had the world at his fingertips but it all got to be too much for him. Returning to his hometown, reconnecting with Beau, and finally allowing himself to feel things he’d kept buried deep, really brought Ash peace and was just what he needed to get his life back on track.
I really enjoyed getting to know Beau and Ash, Kenny, their mom, and all their friends. This is a great world Riley Hart and Devon McCormack have created and I can’t wait to read more about Fever Falls!
I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention how much I love Kenny- his chapter headings were the best!
I really loved this book. Cocky Carmichael and Cranky Campbell for the win!
Dual POV
Frenimies to lovers
Firemen
Coming out
Little bit of angst
HEA
I loved Ash and Beau together. And Beau is such an amazing character and so very considerate and caring. I loved Kenny so very much. Infact he is one of my favourite characters. I loved the little quotes from Kenny at the beginning of each chapter from Beau’s POV. He’s so pure!!!
Ash coming out to Beau’s mom and her reaction was just so amazing. It was one of my favourite scenes from the book. Linc, Beau’s bestie, was another one of my favourites. I’m really hoping for his and Rush’s story. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
If it wasn’t obvious, this book is highly recommended
A Heartwarming story full of love, fun and kindness…
Although Ashton can come off as cocky and overconfident sometimes, deep down he really is a sweetheart. I guess it comes part of his family circumstances. His coping mechanism to all his insecurities are not admirable but it was the only way he knew how to handle it, especially with his parents gone. Beau is one of the most endearing, kind and lovable characters I have ever read, and I love him so much. The sacrifices he made for his brother and mother, although he was not asked, is unbelievable. He did it willingly, but according to his mom and Kenny, who by the way is totally lovable and a one-of-a-kind brother, he has to go after what makes him happy. This book is one of the sweetest books I have ever read, there is angst, don’t get me wrong, but the way it was presented, it came off incredibly light (I hope I am not being a contradictory), and it shows you that when you truly love someone, you will do anything to keep that love, be it on a second chance or first time. One should always go for that elusive happiness, not everybody has that, and that is shown here. Now, I am on pins and needles for the second book. I wonder who is in that…..Congratulations Ms. Riley Hart, this is an amazing story of beautiful characters, not only the MCs but also the supporting characters like Kenny, Mom, Linc, Rush, Camden and Sawyer, and even Jace.
This book was everything I love in my romance…there was a sports element, these guys knew each other as kids (although this has a feel of friends to lovers or second chance at love, it is much more complex than that….in such a good way), and one of the heroes is deeply in the closet/inexperienced.
It was so, so good. There was a ton of emotion and depth. I really loved it and the guys. I cannot wait for more in this series. I’m sold!
I highly recommend this one!!! A definite new favorite!
5 Stars
This is such a sweet story, I loved Beau! He is such a sweetheart with a HUGE heart. The way Beau just always was there for Ashton and just kept being patient even when Ashton really took his time opening his eyes and heart was just beautiful.
I loved how even if you just kept hearing about Ashton as this playboy who acted like a spoiled child and was just a full-blown bad boy, you never ended up feeling that towards him. He had this huge vulnerable side to him that just made you want to hug him and tell him ” don’t worry everything will be alright”.
Throughout this story, I feel like I really got a look into a gay football players head and world and saw all the struggle that is with being gay in a football world. How the pressure affected him, how image was so much, how it suffocated him. It was so well written I really believe some football players can have it like that.
I think I need to check out more from this author!
This book woahhhh…..this book is absolutely amazing!! I had every single emotion running through me while reading this book.
Beau was a very swoony character and boy did he make you swoon a lot. He is a firefighter in Fever Falls who coaches his brothers football team. He always felt as though he was in the shadows of Ashton Carmichael. One late night in a dock changed his whole world. But made one mans life all a lie so to say.
Ashton Carmichael is witty, always joking around and pretty much consumes everyone’s attention. He is a professional footballer who has been living a life that isn’t what he wants. Though he pushes his real feelings away. Until he messes up and is back home in Fever Falls. Once he’s back things change and he gets more confused but he finally figures everything out.
We watch as these two friends become something more and we watch as one helps the other to realize what is right. We watch as they both progress into something love stories are made of.
Great characters, amazing side characters you can’t help but fall in love with. And a storyline that will have you flipping the pages.
Highly recommended.