Chase Steele and Xander Copperfield are down on their luck, as similar as they are different, and ready for a love they didn’t even realize they’d been waiting on their whole lives.
With two gorgeous “tough guys” discovering and exploring their true selves, Hearts Ablaze is a steamy, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, bisexual awakening romance.
This is the first book in the Forged … in the Forged in the City series.
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Edited on 10/20/20 to add my comments on the audiobook
Audio Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 4
Story – 5
This is the first book I’ve listened to performed by Bob Brill and I think he did a good job. He doesn’t have a lot of books on Audible so perhaps he’s relatively new to audiobook narration. He didn’t use a lot of different voices but for some reason that didn’t bother me with this particular story. I’m guessing that might have something to do with how it was written. In any case, I didn’t have any trouble keeping track of who was speaking while listening to the story.
Below is my original review of the ebook:
Sweet but oh so HOT!
How can a book be so sweet and slow burn, and at the same time so, so hot? I loved Hearts Ablaze and that was about my first thought after reading it and trying to decide what to write.
Chase and Xander both had very difficult childhoods. Through happenstance or fate, they both ended up in Indianapolis and among the same circle of friends. What starts out as a true friendship soon developed into much more – even though neither of them had ever dated other men before.
Things are going great until Xander’s past comes calling and he nearly makes a decision that can undo all of the good things he has in his life. Fortunately, he has a great support system that won’t let him go under without a fight.
There are so many great things to like in this book. Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes and this one really delivered. There were also cute kids, but not in such a way as to detract from the story. Another great element was Chase being found by a family member he had completely lost touch with.
The above-mentioned things are the sweet part; the hot-as-fire parts are the super sexy times between Chase and Xander. I think they might be the sexiest, hottest and dirtiest stuff that A.D. Ellis has written.
It was also nice to visit with the gang from the Silver in the City series. You don’t need to have read those books to enjoy this one, but if you have, I think you’ll agree with me that it was great to see them again.
I’m really looking forward to the next book, Hearts Afire which should be coming late next month.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Connections
Rosie stole my heart as did the entire found-family in this book. Chase took me by surprise in the best way. He may be new to some things but knows how to spice up a dance. Best of all he’s fearless when it comes to love. Xan definitely has a way with words. He paints a vivid picture but I’m glad he has people to lean on and trust to show him he’s not alone. “Never knew I needed you. Turns out you’re the one thing I needed the most.” Xan and Chase really are each other’s missing piece. I love how they demonstrate their love for one another and the bond they’ve forged together. An amazing story of friendship, family, chances and everlasting love.
Chase and Xander are two guys who seem alone in the world and floundering a bit when they first meet by chance in a city park. Although there is a spark, they both identify as “straight” at this point. An unexpected reunion with his long lost aunt finds Chase welcomed into a new “found family” of gay men and their children; one of these men happens to be Xander’s employer. This is a true friends-to-lovers story – part of its sweetness is in the slow burn, the time they are allowed to know each other and form a connection rather than going too fast. Their transition to lovers is entirely credible (and hot), and the journey is a pleasant listen, with narration by Bob Brill. I will definitely listen to the others in the series and recommend this one completely.
Fabulous Story & Listen A Sweet & SpicyDelight!
Hearts Ablaze Forged in the City, Book 1
By: A.D. Ellis
Narrated by: Bob Brill
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is my first book written by A.D. Ellis and it will not be my last, she is s gifted author, I loved the characters and storylines she created, they are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. The story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it right to the end. I adored both lead characters, Chase Steele and Zander Copperfield, the two came from different worlds yet they had a lot in common. There was also some great chemistry between them. Chase planned a career in the Army but a knee injury ended that, after a couple of civilian jobs and layoffs, his luck started to turn around. While job hunting in Indianapolis he found a long lost relative, a new job and place to live, he also got to know some great people, whom I fell in love with right away, the Silvers, an awesome, tight knit family and crew. Zander is fairly new in town, he managed to get himself out of a bad situation and landed a job in the local garage, Whitfield’s Motorcycles Sale and Service. He was on a lunch break in the park when he noticed Chase, the two started talking and hit it off. Zander did not think he would see him again so he was pleasantly surprised to see him at The Salty Lizard, the local bar restaurant. I loved how everything plays out in this book, the story contains a lot of heart and is beautifully plotted. It is a great slow burn, friends to lovers romance, I liked the natural flow to the story, how they got to know each other and explore their attraction and came into their own. A.D. Ellis thank you for this beautiful story and the emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, Bob Brill is a talented narrator and voice artist. He did a great job portraying the characters, bringing them to life, giving each their own distinct voice and personality, making it easy to follow along and who is who. He sets the perfect tone for the story, captures the character’s emotions as well as their passion and projects it in to his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this fabulous listen
I love Chase and Xander. It was great to see two characters who don’t seem to have everything together in every aspect of their life. Each have their own demons that they are have been fighting what seems their whole life. To see each character let their true feelings and desires come through was a great treat. They allowed one another to be their support systems and help them overcome their demons. As usually a great treat is to have the other character from a different series play such a active role in these two coming together. I can’t wait to see their relationship continue and see what other characters start to develop.
This book took me by surprise, but after a short perusal of the blurb, I was interested and wasn’t disappointed. You meet Chase, who has been in transition for a few years after hurting his knee and being discharged from the Army, where he thought he would be a lifer. A random meeting in the park, he meets and becomes enchanted by Xander, who is a motorcycle mechanic and has a past of his own.
This was an immersive read for me and once I started, I couldn’t put it down. The secondary characters are wonderful and the community both Xander and Chase find themselves in feels realistic. There is depth in the characters, especially as they get to know one another and act on their feelings. This is my first book from A.D. Ellis, but it definitely won’t be my last. A great read!!
Chase and Xander could not have had a more perfectly cute story. They’re both down on their luck, and hoping to find a place and family to call home. When Chase reconnects with his Aunt and discovers another family connection that puts him in the path of the Silver crew, he soon comes to realise that it may be exactly what he’s been looking for. Not only does he get the family and friends he has always longed for, but Xander enters his life, and all of sudden, that attraction to men he has never acted on before, can’t stay quiet much longer. Since the Silver in the City books, I have fallen in love with the Silver crew and their partners, and I was so glad they featured heavily in this spin-off. Bode and Sage give Chase a place to stay and a chance to get to know his kid sister, and I lost count of the times my heart swelled with affection for all these guys.
Then we have Xander, who also had a rough childhood, and was given a second chance in life by these wonderful guys. Bay gives Xander a job at his motorcycle shop, and Xander never takes that for granted. He is open and honest with the guys, and puts all of their safety first. And like Chase, he embraces finally having the opportunity to explore his attraction for men. Chase and Xander have insane chemistry, and waiting for them to finally give in to their attraction after becoming friends first, made it all the more sweeter.
A terrific start to this new series, and I hope we continue to see all the guys in the next instalment!
Everything about this book worked perfectly from the very beginning. The language and writing style were very well crafted and made for a very pleasant experience.
The creations of both main characters, the found family and their background made for an emotional story with perfectly presented tension and development. I loved the book and looking forward to reading more in this series.
I am absolutely in love with this spin off of the Silver in the City series. I love the fact that the “old” characters are prominent in this book, yet not overbearing, allowing the new “generation” to shine through. I found the story line to be enjoyable, well paced and bursting with energy, suspense, excitement and plenty of love.
In this book, we have the distinct pleasure of meeting Xan and Chase, two new arrivals to the city. It would appear that some hidden force was in play, as Chase has made his way to Indy, looking for a job and a place to live, only to find that, and so much more when an unexpected meeting of a stranger, and an even more unexpected text from an unknown number, suddenly appear.
Xan has been settling in to his new digs and job for the past six months, but still feels like something, or someone, is missing from his life. Will today bring clarity?
Oh what a story! Even though this is a standalone, and can be read as such, having read the Silver in the City series gave it so much more depth, as all of those characters, and many more, are very much in the forefront in this book. Looking forward to the next in the series.
I was gifted a copy of this book and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion.
I love this new book so much. It was so well written and is such a good story. I did not want to stop reading this book, that is how much I loved it.
There is plenty of spice and chemistry between Chase and Xan too.
The character development for both Chase and Xan and the life events they have both been through make them amazing. They are similar to each other in that they have both been through some rough times in the past, but both of their paths were different.
However, this makes them falling in love all the better.
I absolutely LOVE this new series and will anxiously await what is coming next!!
Chase and Xander’s paths crossed by chance one afternoon. Little did either of them know, that brief interaction would be the start of something remarkable.
A.d. Ellis has done it again, bringing another unlikely pair together. Two men who are complete opposites, yet completely perfect for one another.
I loved EVERYTHING about Chase and Xander. And the way she connected their lives to the lives of the Silver’s from her previous series was pretty terrific. As always, I’m highly anticipating her next release.
Chase and Xan are two guys who become unexpectedly intertwined with the Silver family and their husbands. Thanks to the new found connections, Chase and Xan’s lives are looking up from their tragic pasts. They soon make new friends and fall happily into a super sexy bisexual awakening!
Great read full of lovable, sweet, sexy, men.. adorable kiddos.. and some of the funniest old ladies out there!
This book is a 5 for me because it had me literally laughing out loud and lots of the steamy m/m scenes that I adore so much! Looking forward to next installment in this trilogy.