Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series continues—the emotions and intensity of Chicago Fire with the raw, natural elements of Man vs. Wild.Smoke jumping is Garrick Nelson’s life. Nothing, not severe injuries nor the brutal physical therapy that follows, is going to stop him from getting back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care … back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbor. As they work together, trying to re-home their little princess, Garrick can’t resist his growing attraction for the other man, even though he knows this guy isn’t the staying type.
Rain Fisher doesn’t take anything too seriously. He dances through life, one adventure at a time, never settling in one place for too long. When his hot, conveniently buff, neighbor shows up on his doorstep, dog in tow, Rain’s determined to not just save the adorable puppy, but her reluctant owner as well. He never expects their flirtation might tempt him into stay put once and for all…
Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts. Don’t miss the Hotshots series from Annabeth Albert: Burn Zone, High Heat, and Feel the Fire.
more
I think I liked High Heat even more than the first book in Miss Albert’s Hotshots series. There is admittedly a little less wildfire action, especially at the start of the second standalone in the series, but the overall story was unique and great. I really liked the way High Heat tackled a hurt-comfort storyline, creating a romance around a recently physically disabled main character, without ever feeling overwhelmingly heavy or angst-filled.
High Heat picks up after Burn Zone with this book focusing on Garrick and what happens following the injury he sustained toward the end of book one. I enjoyed the meet cute between Garrick and Rain and really liked the way their lives steadily intertwined as the book progressed. At first glance, Garrick and Rain are an unlikely couple, but I loved their dynamic and palpable chemistry throughout High Heat.
There’s not many disabled main characters in romances, and even fewer portray characters who are still grappling with the injury and what that means for their future. Having seen Garrick as the alpha, adrenaline-junkie and pansexual playboy in Burn Zone made this story all the more intriguing considering the noticeable change in his personality even before he fell for a young free-spirited man who embraces his femme side. I liked how High Heat wove Garrick’s recovery into the romance between him and Rain. I liked even more that the author explored how Garrick’s injury impacted his physical intimacy with Rain. The way these aspects were considered and respectfully portrayed without diminishing the bright spark of either character or creating a melancholy tone makes High Heat an easy recommendation.
*eARC received via Netgalley. The author and publisher had no influence over this review*
Annabeth Albert delivers a HIGH HEAT, Hurt/Comfort, May/December, Romance that is sure to have readers rooting for Garrick and Rain right from the start.
I was looking forward to Garrick’s story after Annabeth Albert told me a little about it in our Author Interview for Burn Zone , once I heard there was a matchmaking dog involved I was all over it! I mean seriously I know I am going to have a great read because of whose writing the book but once you throw in a dog that somehow gets two guys together it’s like catnip….or puppy chow for me. 😉
Garrick was severely injured in a jump during BURN ZONE, he is recovering but things aren’t going the way he planned, he has to use a wheelchair or crutches to get around right now but he’s determined to get back to smoke jumping the next season.
Garrick finds a hurt dog and wants to help him but the dog is afraid of the wheelchair so he goes to his neighbors house because she has two dogs so he figures she’ll be able to help him with the dog, what he didn’t expect is her grandson, Rain, answering the door and sparking an interest that he hasn’t had in a while.
Cookie is one heck of a matchmaker because she definitely worked her magic with getting Garrick and Rain together. Rain is what his family and friends consider an adventurer, never one to settle down for to long always looking for the next thing to do but he may just have found something or shall I say someone worth sicking around for.
I really enjoy age-gap romances when they are done right and this one definitely was. So if you enjoy age-gap romances, MM romances, Hurt/comfort romances, or are just looking for a good read I would recommend this book to you.
Happy Reading!!!
Garrick’s story is not easy. If you’ve read the first book, you know that he has some major healing to do. Rain is an unexpected arrival into his life and helps to breath fresh air into his lungs. Rain flits through life chasing one adventure after another. No one who knows him believes he will ever setting down. What they don’t know is that he is just trying to find somewhere to belong, someone to belong to. Will tough Garrick be the one to tether him to this world? Will Garrick learn that there is more to life than smoke jumping? Steamy, emotional and fun read.
High Heat is the second book in Annabeth Albert’s Hot Shot series, but each book can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. This book is about smoke jumper Garrick and young free spirit Rain. An opposites attract, age gap romance that brings with it a plethora of emotions.
There is so much going on in this story I don’t know where to begin. I really enjoyed our leading males. Garrick is a bit grumpy which is to be expected in his situation. Underneath his gruff exterior he is caring and kind and doesn’t wish to be a burden on anyone. Rain is vibrant and is comfortable in his own skin. He’s a sweetheart who thrives on being wanted/ needed by someone. They meet and are exactly what the other needs in a friend, a confident and a sexual partner. I loved the relationship they formed between them. All their time together and sweet intimate moments put a smile on my face while it hurt my heart that they both felt so unworthy of the other.
Overall, I enjoyed High Heat much more than the first book in the series and I’m excited for the next book to come.
High Heat is book two in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. I fell in love with the first book in this series, Burn Zone, and Linc and Jacob. So, I’ve been waiting not so patiently for this next book. Either of these can be read as stand alones.
If you read the first book, you already know that Garrick Nelson had a serious accident while smoke jumping. He broke both legs and had a serious spinal injury. Garrick’s legs have mended for the most part but he’s still in extensive physical therapy. He has crutches and a wheel chair for mobility but still has to rely on his dad for transportation and help. One thing Garrick isn’t lacking in, though, is motivation. Smoke jumping is his life. He is determined that he will get back to his former self and he will return to his crew at full throttle. He was home by himself when an injured stray dog showed up on his front porch. She was shy and scared of Garrick’s wheel chair but she wasn’t going anywhere. Not able to help her by himself, he turns to his neighbor but is surprised when her grandson comes to the door instead.
“Determination had gotten him this far. He wasn’t going to back down from a challenge.”
Rain Fisher is twenty three years old and is a sort of free spirit. He hasn’t quite figured out what he wants to do with his life yet. His latest interest was to get on a Hotshot fire crew but didn’t pass the physical test. He’s spending the summer at his grandmother’s in Painter’s Ridge, Oregon to help her out and hopefully find temporary work. When the hot neighbor wheels up to their door needing help with an injured dog, he’s all in to help out and maybe convince the neighbor to give the poor dog a forever home.
The attraction is immediate between Rain and Garrick. Rain offers to help Garrick with the dog and Garrick offers to train Rain so he can get in better shape. The more time they spend together, flirting soon turns to touching which soon turns to more. Rain is such a positive force. He just seems to know how to best help Garrick. He knows who he is and doesn’t mind flaunting it. He came into Garrick’s life at the best possible time. He is exactly what he needed. But, Garrick was known for being a bit of a player before his accident. And Rain is known for his fickle ways, flitting from one thing to another, always searching for a new adventure. As Garrick’s feelings deepen, he tries to keep reminding himself that Rain is only here temporarily.
Rain gets a summer job working the hand crew for the firefighters. He loves the work but does he love it enough to stay? Does Garrick even want him to stay?
I really did enjoy these two together but for some reason, I didn’t love them as much as I did Linc and Jacob. What I did love, though, was seeing the effect that Rain had on Garrick. He was such a positive force. I also loved the relationship between Garrick and his dad. Their relationship just really stood out to me and made my heart so happy. This is an age gap romance. Unless I missed it, Garrick’s exact age isn’t given, only that he is in his thirties. Regardless of his age, though, Rain really was perfect for Garrick. You can’t help but to love him and all his quirks. Now I’m excited to see who this author might focus on next in this series!
“The best parts of my life are still to come.”
I love this couple!
High Heat is book 2 in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. She has long been a favorite author for me and I’m really enjoying this series. We first met Garrick in book 1, Burn Zone, but you don’t really have to read that to enjoy High Heat but it is a story that I can highly recommend.
High Heat has a great age-gap trope but it’s not beat to death. (I hate it when the older guy keeps saying something like “we can’t, we shouldn’t, I’m too old for you” over and over.) The age difference is acknowledged and comes up but not excessively.
We already know from the blurb that Garrick suffered life-altering injuries while on the job as a smoke jumper. High Heat deals with his recovery and how he is handling his injuries along with throwing a little monkey wrench into the mix in the form of his neighbor’s grandson.
Rain is visiting his grandmother for the summer but has no plans to stay beyond that. A sweet dog named Cookie and his grandmother’s next-door neighbor seem to be bent on changing those plans. I loved Rain so much. He is such a caring young man and he’s falling for Garrick. He has a nurturing personality and he loves Cookie, the dog he helped Garrick rescue. He doesn’t see Garrick’s injury as something to be put off by. He wants to help when needed but he doesn’t see the injury as anything that should keep him from wanting to be with Garrick.
I loved this story so much but I was getting a little concerned that no tears had really come and I was getting pretty close to the end. Tears for me are a sure sign that I’m loving a book and Annabeth knows just how to bring on mine. Well, I shouldn’t have worried. There were plenty of sad and happy tears as I got to the end of the book. Such a great story!
I’m going to repeat a few things I said about book one because it also applies to High Heat:
Something I really love to read in a book is a great epilogue. High Heat doesn’t have a chapter called Epilogue but the last chapter takes place a few months after the main story has concluded; to me that is an epilogue. And it’s a great one.
I don’t always read the stuff at the back of the book, after the story ends, but the information Annabeth writes in her Author Note and Acknowledgments is definitely worth reading. There is also an excerpt from the next book in the series – Feel the Fire. I usually don’t read those either but I couldn’t resist this one. It’s a second chance story, which is one of my very favorite romance tropes; I can’t wait to read it.
A review copy was provided by Carina Press via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Heartfelt, sensual, and slow-burning!
High Heat is a lighthearted, passionate romance featuring the young, free-spirited, Rain and the wounded, disheartened Garrick as they discover that together they can tackle any obstacles, challenges, and struggles that may come their way both personally and professionally.
The prose is tender and sweet. The characters are genuine, driven, and supportive. And the plot is an alluring tale filled with longing, desire, doubt, angst, danger, trust, communication, physical disabilities, injury recuperation, compassion, friendship, and love.
Overall, High Heat is a sweet, steamy, emotive read by Albert that does a wonderful job of highlighting the continuous physical and psychological battles faced by those who have suffered a spinal cord injury and is a fantastic addition to the Hot Shots series.
High Heat by Annabeth Albert
Hot Shots #2
A man with a goal
A dog that needs a home
A young man with a dream
Three who need something
Will they find it in one another OR
Will they let a good thing go?
This story grabbed my attention and kept it from beginning to end.
What I liked:
* Garrick: strong, focused, positive with goals of returning to his job despite serious injuries and the impact they have had on his life.
* Rain: younger, looking for adventure, seeking his place in the world. He is charming, quirky, warmhearted, and delightful.
* Cookie: canine sweetie pie that deserved her forever home
* The relationship between Garrick and Rain and the romance as it developed
* The open way spinal cord issues were discussed
* Rain’s openhearted strong and mature support of Garrick as he worked through several issues
* Garrick’s support of and respect for Rain
* The supporting cast of characters
* The fire portions of the story
* The way the writing drew me in
* That it was believable – as a nurse in charge of a skilled nursing facility for mentally alert neurologically impaired of all ages…I saw people dealing with issues like those that Garrick faced.
* All of it really except…
What I did not like:
* That Garrick suffered the injury he did…it is always sad and life changing
* Having to say goodbye to the characters and wondering who will have their story told next.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Less Smoke, More Fire. In this second book in a new series, we follow one of the people who was featured in the first book as he continues his recovery from events there. And the book really is more about recovery and coming to terms with limits rather than the more overt firefighting of the first book. Here we get a much more personal drama rather than being so intensely focused on the overall world of Hotshots and Smoke Jumpers as the first book was. And there is a *lot* more sex. Which fans of the genre will likely appreciate. But much less actual firefighting, though one scene in particular *strongly* evokes the real-life drama of the Yarnell Fire and the book Granite Mountain/ My Lost Brothers by Brendan McDonough or the movie Only The Brave that was based on that book. Ultimately a strong book in its own right, it manages to hold its own in this world and in this particular culture while being free to be its own entity… which is actually a large theme in the book itself. Very much recommended.
An age-gap romance with all the feels. We also get a bit of opposites attract with Garrick and Rain because they certainly make for an unlikely pair. Nevertheless, the chemistry is there in spades, and these two make good use of it. I liked Garrick in the first book in the Hotshots series, and I figured he was going to get me right in the heart with his circumstances, and boy, did he ever. Then we have the fun-loving Rain, who just fits perfectly into Garrick’s well-ordered life whether he’s ready or not. The only drawback was that the angst comes from one of my least favorite things, and I really wanted to shake both of them, but they’re both just so darn lovable that it wasn’t that big a deal to me. As I mentioned, this is the second in a series, and while this one technically picks up a bit after the events in the first book, the author gives us what we need to know so that Garrick and Rain’s story can be read as a standalone. That said, once you start meeting these characters, you’ll want to know the rest.
In this second book in Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series, Garrick Nelson is a smoke jumper recovering from injuries resulting from a horrible work related accident. His goal is to return to work. When a stray dog shows up at his door one day, he appeals to his neighbor for help and ends up meeting Rain Fisher, his neighbor’s grandson visiting for the summer.
Rain Fisher is a twenty-something young man with an optimistic attitude and he’s more than willing to help Garrick with his visitor. Together they take care of Cookie and become friends. When Rain needs help getting in shape to get a job with the firefighters, Garrick is only to willing to help Rain get physically ready for the job. I adored Garrick. His positive attitude was inspiring and Garrick and Rain’s easy friendship is a terrific foundation for their budding relationship. I was hooked on these two early on in the book.
I love stories that focus on relationships that aren’t perfect in every way, and Garrick and Rain have some challenges to overcome as they grow closer. Garrick’s dedication to his job and his desire to return to work was inspiring, and his physical limitations and challenges were handled with love and sensitivity. I was able to understand what Garrick’s life not only physically but emotionally after his accident as he works toward regaining his mobility.
I appreciated that the physical issues between these two are handled with honesty and aren’t just brushed away. There’s plenty of steamy action between Garrick and Rain — I especially liked how Rain responded to Garrick’s commanding direction in the bedroom!
There are the usual complications between these two, made more significant by the impact on both of them. Garrick’s return to work, Rain’s temporary summer job all have the capacity to provide the conflict in this story. There’s also a great support structure for Garrick between his father and his friends.
So much to love about this story, I have to give it five stars.While High Heat works as a standalone, you’ll probably want to read the first book in the series for more info about Garrick’s accident, but it’s not necessary. I’m looking forward to more in this series.
I received a copy of this book via the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always down for a good “sexy person in uniform” book, so when I was offered a spot on the blog tour for Annabeth Albert’s High Heat, I smashed that “Yes, please!” button with a quickness. Ms. Albert is a new-to-me author, but after completing this story, she definitely will not be a one-and-done. I picked this book up without having read book one in the Hotshots series, so I can attest to it being a satisfactory standalone. However, after discovering book one gave some background into the harrowing accident one this book’s MC’s Garrick suffers that leads into his current status in book two, I wish I would’ve read it first. Just for some context.
I aim to avoid spoilery content in my reviews, so I’m going to attempt to handle this one no different, but if anything slips in, I’ll warn you ahead of time. The story starts off with Garrick in a wheelchair—but with the ability to use special forearm cuff crutches for short distances—and undergoing intensive physical therapy. His goal is to get back to the job he loves as a smoke jumper, and he is incredibly and admirably dedicated. His love interest Rain is a free-spirited sweetheart with a penchant for being the center of attention and showing off his femme side with some seriously sexy/adorable attire.
This was one of those reads that I couldn’t stop thinking about when I wasn’t reading it. I whole-heartedly admit (unless my boss reads this review, then I’ll swear up, down, and to the left that someone hacked my blog and I’d never do such a thing) I totally sneak-read this at work because I couldn’t focus otherwise. I would do a task, then reward myself with a couple pages of Garrick and Rain. Their relationship was something else. Rain has a genuine pure heart and loves to help others for the sake of helping others. So, with Garrick learning to live with his disability, Rain becomes an integral part of his adaptations. When he’s needed, he is always there, but he also supports Garrick in finding ways to do things himself. It’s a heavy topic—much heavier than I thought I was walking into with this read—but I believe it was done very, very well.
As a nurse who worked on a stepdown unit focusing on spinal cord injuries, I can attest that Ms. Albert did her research, and for that I am grateful. Garrick’s injury—to my limited but still more in depth than the lay person knowledge—is portrayed with accuracy and care. Right down to concerns in the bedroom. (I’ll stop there… spoilers!) This is something I appreciate more than I can say, because I went into this assuming Garrick would be injured for the first few chapters then start making miraculous progress and by the end, he’d be one-hundred percent back to normal. As if his HEA depends on his return to fully-abled status, which is a painful stereotype that hurts the disabled community. Kudos to Ms. Albert for handling this story with realism and respect.
Right up until about 75% percent in to this read, it was a solid 5-stars. I debated whether to let the final quarter affect my rating because I loved the first 3/4 so very, very much. However, I went from devouring the pages like a reader starved to checking—frequently—to see how much was left. This saddens me, because had the book ended around, oh, 80%? It would’ve been an easy contender for my coveted Best Read in 2020 spot. My biggest issue with the end—which, in all actuality, was filled with some wonderful character-building and relationship-building moments that would’ve held some serious impact earlier in the story—is that it felt like it had about 4 different endings.
If nothing else, this book has taught me why my editors always tell me to come back from your black moment, make things right with your characters, and then cut and run. I’m always tempted to add just one more sweet, couple-y moment to the end to show how happy they are together, but get my wrists slapped when I do. And this absolutely delightful book helped me understand why. Once the tension is over, readers start to disengage. Yes, we want to see the characters find their HEA, but we don’t want to live said HEA for another 20% of the book’s total read time. It becomes tedious and no longer holds our interest.
That being said, I would still recommend this book whole-heartedly. It was a well-written, well-crafted, and well-thought-out romance with solid disability rep and delightful characters.
My introduction to this author was the first book in this series, Burn Zone. I was an instant fan. I couldn’t wait to read more and find out if the book that blew me a way was a fluke, or if I had found a new must-read author. It wasn’t a fluke. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Annabeth Albert so far. This story is just as amazing as the first.
Garrick wasn’t someone I necessarily loved in the first book, until his motives became clearer. Then I couldn’t help but stand behind him. He’s a good friend, that’s for sure. But he got seriously injured in the first book and he’s not smoke jumping currently. Nope, this man who is so used to going all in and leading the charge is in physical therapy and, more often than not, needs his wheelchair to get around. That’s a lot to get used to. I love his can-do attitude and couldn’t help but hope his optimism would pay off.
Rain is such a cutie. It’s hilarious when they first meet because I felt as though Rain wanted to be super sassy but just wasn’t sure how the stoic firefighter would take him. Not that he wanted to hide who he was, he just didn’t want to offend. These two quickly realize they are on the same page and…let the banter begin. Man, their flirting and innuendos is next level. Even when Garrick is trying NOT to got there, it just cannot be helped. They feed off each other and, eventually, can no longer deny their connection. This story is about more than sexuality and relationships and love. It’s about being true to yourself and letting others be themselves with no judgment. Rain is not one to hide who he is, and Garrick in not one to want him to ever “tone down” his true self. It’s a beautiful thing.
As much as I instantly loved Rain, I wasn’t sure if he’d have much depth at first. But boy does he. As a middle child, I totally understood Rain on so many levels. Although I’m more of an introvert, that didn’t stop me from doing dumb things for attention when I was younger. The problem is, Rain’s family still sees him as that small kid. They never quite take him seriously. He’s loved and respected, but it doesn’t seem anyone takes the time to get to know adult Rain. Until Garrick, that is.
I cannot tell you how amazing the sexual chemistry is with these two. Garrick has some possible issues with arousal with his injuries, but ultimately, they don’t let that hold them back. It’s actually a part of this story that really cements the relationship between Rain and Garrick. Their experimentation and exploration of what did and did not work was not only steaming hot, but gave their relationship a while other depth.
Rain has always been one to do for others in all aspects of his life. Be it for a neighbor, family, or stranger. If someone needs help, Rain is there. He doesn’t know how to receive very well, though. Garrick helps him learn that giving and receiving are equally important…in and out of the bedroom. In some ways Garrick is the same since he’s never been one to ask for help. Rain helps him to realize it’s okay to need help once in a while and that there are people who not only will help, but WANT to help.
I could not get enough of these two. When they had conflict, my heart ached for them both. When they overcame obstacles throughout this book, I celebrated with them. This author has a forever fan in me.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This book is about a very special relationship that develops between two guys; one a partially handicapped former smoke jumper and the other a younger commune raised want to be firefighter. I must admit that this is not my usual type of book to read, but I am glad that I requested this one to read. Ms. Albert did an awesome job of pairing these two guys together and exploring their growing feelings for each other. Garrick is a seasoned hotshot who got injured during a jump and partially severed his spinal cord. He has beaten the odds as far as being able to walk with crutches and braces some plus he uses a wheelchair. An injured stray dog shows up one day on his front porch, but won’t allow him to get very close, so Garrick goes across the street to see if his good friend and neighbor, Shirley can help as she has two dogs herself. Instead of Shirley answering the door, her grandson, Rain answers. Between Rain and the dog, Garrick’s staid life is about to go up in smoke in more ways than one. Rain talks Garrick into at least fostering the dog until the possible owners are located and Rain offers to help with taking the dog out for walks twice a day. When Garrick learns that Rain is interested in becoming a forestry firefighter, he offers to help Rain get into better physical shape. The more time they spend together the more they are drawn to each other. Garrick reveals that he is pansexual and Rain is more femme gay.
It was interesting to me how tastefully their relationship was handled and I found myself being drawn in and hoping that things would work out between them as their love for each other grew. It would be wonderful to have someone love and care about me as much as those Garrick grows to love Rain. Just like any relationship theirs hit a few bumpy patches that they had to learn how to maneuver thru.
I thank Netgalley, Ms. Albert and Carina Press for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are strictly my own and have been freely given.
I loved High Heat, it was such a great story. I loved all the different aspects, fire jumping, disability, age gap. I loved Rain and Garrick’s story, their romance was so fun to read, it started slow and built in such a great and lovely way. I like that Garrick and Rain both had things to learn and grow from in this relationship. It was even but not equal. Their dynamic was great, it was hot and sexy and I loved their story. I loved the firefighting part of the story too. I definitely recommend this book.
“There’s not much I wouldn’t do for you. We’re totally hide-the-bodies friends.”
Garrick was a smoke jumper until an injury left him in a wheelchair. His focus is getting through intense physical therapy so he can get back out in the field. He should not be focusing on his new pet and the eccentric neighbor.
Garrick’s story tugged at my heart-strings. Even though the story doesn’t really touch on this, I felt he was just not okay with anything in his life. Reading about him always had a somber tone to the story, which is why I’m so glad Rain came in his life!
Rain’s a breath of a fresh air. I knew I was in for a treat as soon as I met him. I can honestly say I haven’t met a character like Rain. I loved just how much he embraced his fashion sense, down to the silver shorts and his lacey underwear. I loved his femme said, his silliness, his outlook on life. He brought so much cheer and lightness to the story, just what Garrick needed.
I loved how much these two characters balanced each other out. They’re literal perfection for each other. Their conversations would take a somber or profound one minute, and mild, light the next minute. Their friendship was adorable. I really believed their connection was real.
Overall, High Heat is a colorful, cheery, yet profound story that serves great as a summer read or for cuddling in the sheets on a rainy, cool day.
Garrick lives for his job of smoke jumping. When a jump goes wrong he is faced with life changing injuries. Rain is happy with a nomad type of life. While visiting his grandma he meets Garrick. At first it’s just a helping hand with a lost dog, then their chemistry ignites and soon they are involved in a relationship that has an expiration date.
I wasn’t sure about reading this second book in the Hotshots series. The first book was ok but isn’t a favorite. This book was so much better to me. I felt that the handling of Garrick’s disabilities was very well done and addressed personal issues with tact and grace. I liked that their time together had intimate moments that didn’t necessarily involve sex although they were pretty steamy together.
The story was well written and and it’s obvious the author puts in a lot of research on her subject matter. Enjoyable story that surprisingly wasn’t to angsty. I liked it.
Smokejumper Garrett Nelson’s life changed in an instant. After being severely injured during a jump almost a year ago he is still healing. Nothing is going to stop him from getting back to his crew though. When a lost and injured dog shows up on his porch he knows he can’t capture it on its own. Help comes in the form of his sexy neighbor.
I loved this book! Garrett and Rain were such a cute couple. I couldn’t get enough of them. Garrett not only broke both legs but he also had a spinal injury which has affected more than just his ability to walk. He is determined to be 100 percent again but that doesn’t always happen. Watching him deal with his health issues and facing the facts of his recovery was so emotional and tear jerking. I loved how Rain was always so supportive though and allowed him to work through his problems at his own pace.
“When you’re not here, it feels like I’m missing something essential, like I’m a stack of kindling without the spark.”
Garrett was also an extremely kind man. He was determined to do the right thing even if it broke his heart. If only there were more men like him in the world. Rain was a fun and exuberant human being. He likes colorful and sexy things.. I loved how fun and supportive he was. He was perfect for Garrett because he was supportive and yet pushed him to get out and live again. He doesn’t let Garrett hold himself back but pushes him to find ways to continue to do what he loves.
This was a beautiful book that dealt with many difficult topics. I loved how emotional and connected Garrett and Rain were from the very beginning. I couldn’t get enough of them! I am so looking forward to the next book in the series, which I hope these two will pop up in.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
Rain is a breath of fresh sparkly air. I love his style, his giving nature, I love his background. And I love how Garrick embraces Rain for all he is. Garrick looks up Vegan recipes for him, helps him get in shape to work toward his hotshot goals, and is never embarrassed or wanting to hide their connection. He is more embarrassed or frustrated that he’s not back to 100%. The bigger push and pull in the story seems to be Garrick figuring out what his future is gonna look like if he can’t heal completely.
Besides figuring out if their time together is going to end up being a fling or a staying thing, the love story between Rain and Garrick isn’t super angsty, it progresses pretty naturally into a sweet and caring relationship. I also love how Garrick likes to spoil Rain. And I love the rescued doggy and how she plays into it all.
High Heat is the second novel in Albert’s Hotshots series. This book does feature characters from the first novel but it is not necessary to read Burn Zone in order to understand and enjoy this book! This book features a slight age-gap romance, and some friends-to-lover’s shenanigans. This novel will tug on your heart strings with the vulnerability of Rain and Garrick and the challenges they face in order to get the HEA they both deserve. I highly recommend this book for those that like novels with more dialogue and background. There is a lot of romance and some steamy scenes; but what really sets up the romance is the friendship that blossoms between these two men. It is slow and steady, raw and vulnerable. The book was executed in a way that even though Garrick had disabilities it didn’t define who he was as a person or his capabilities. There was never a question that Garrick was “weak” after his accident. How he did things changed, but he was still strong and powerful with both his confidence in doing whatever he could to get better and going after what he truly wanted. I fell in love with these two men, when they laughed and cried, I felt I was right there laughing and crying with them. This book was emotional and raw and it was such a great read! I was a big fan of Annabeth Albert’s “Out of Uniform” series and this series is just as good!
Garrick Nelson and smoke jumping go hand-in-hand. So, after a severe accident leaving him with two broken legs and a spinal injury – Garrick is lucky to be alive, but he also just wants to be able to return to his former life and be good as new. Unfortunately for him he’s not completely recovered and still undergoing extensive physical therapy. Due to his injuries he has had to rely on crutches and a wheel chair to get around. At home alone, Garrick hears a dog barking outside. She is hurt and is shy and scared of Garrick getting too close. Unable to assist the dog himself, Garrick knocks on his neighbor’s door; surprised to see that it isn’t she who answers, but her grandson – her cute and very young grandson, that checks all of Garrick’s boxes.
Rain Fisher was raised with his brothers and sisters in a hippy lifestyle. Due to this he hasn’t really found his true calling yet – preferring to be a nomad and travel from place to place as his heart desires. This spring/summer he was all set to get in the Hotshot fire crew but he was unable to pass the fitness exam. With nothing else to do, his mother insisted he stay in Painter’s Ridge during his semester off from college to help his grandma who was just prescribed some new medication. But Rain never expected to meet Garrick, the hot, hunky neighbor next door.
Rain manages to convince Garrick to help him with the dog “Cookie” in hopes of getting Garrick to provide the dog with a good home. Garrick is hesitant about taking on the responsibility of a dog due to his lack of mobility, but Rain insists he will come by twice a day to walk her; and then Garrick offers to help Rain train so he can get into better shape in hopes of getting on the Hotshot crew come fall. Neither one of them has any plans on their relationship being anything but casual, but when their flirting leads to intimate gestures and touches they both realize that they could be something more, at least while they both are in Painter’s Ridge.
But when the summer ends, Rain will be ready to move on just as planned; and Garrick will most likely return to his typical play-boy ways. Both of them are ready for an adventure – but maybe what they had isn’t temporary and the greatest adventure they could go on next is with each other…
I received an advanced copy of this novel on netgalley for a voluntary and honest review.