A confused straight guy and a gay hookup artist walk into a bar … Firefighter Sean Connolly is straight — until one impulsive night changes everything. He tries to dismiss it as a fluke, but when a fire rescue leads him back to the guy who blew his mind, he’s thrown into a chaos of confusion and want. He gives in to curiosity, exploring a new side to himself — not just his attraction to a … attraction to a man, but his desperate need to please.
Paramedic Jace Gillespie is a hookup pro, never letting anyone get too close. When he meets Sean, though, he feels a connection right away. An ill-advised threesome seems to kill a friendship in the making, but when they’re thrown together by work, it doesn’t take long for passion to reignite. Sean calls to something in Jace he never knew was there, and together, they explore a dynamic that fulfills them both.
But as feelings deepen, doubts surface. Sean is in the closet, and Jace struggles to trust his promise that it won’t last forever. With family conflict and his career in the balance, Sean finds it difficult to picture his life without secrecy, but if he doesn’t find a way, he may lose the one person he most wants to please.
Rapid Response is the longest novel of the Hearts and Health series at approximately 92,000 words! It can be read as a standalone.
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A good hmm gay for you I guess I’d call it. Well written with great characters and a cute story line.
I loved the people pleaser, super endearing Sean. He was just so sweet and caring, and had to face a pretty big life change. Have is a good guy, too, and really gives his all in the relationship, especially considering he usually just hooks up. This has a great flow with likeable characters and I definitely plan to check out the rest of the series.
Loved this book! I had to re-read the book about Sean’s brother to refresh my memory on Ian and callum’s situation, so I would recommend doing that before reading this one! I really loved Sean trying so hard to keep his family together and having Jace get his HEA was great! I think what I loved the most about this story was Sean and Jace working together to navigate work and their family life! I thought this story was fun to read with some familiar faces appearing, so I would definitely recommend this book if you’ve read more of DJ Jamison’s books!
I am going to admit the first scene when Jace and Sean meet really threw me off. I liked the Sean was having a reaction to the Drag performers at the club and noticing Jace as attractive, But, why would a straight man go home with a gay man and a woman that was obviously trying to get him in bed. This threesome thing that should have been hot turned me off. Lena was more of a throwaway as neither man even noticed him. Lena just kinda ruined things for me and I saw no real reason for her in the book. She didn’t make many appearances after that. But I was intrigued by Sean and his battling his attraction to Jake. I also have to admit there were times I loved both Jace and Sean and times I wanted to smack or shake them. ( I guess that’s a good thing, invoking emotion in your readers lol). I did like both men and rooted for them all the way to the end, and admit I had my doubts how this would turn out.
There are lots of other characters, I am not sure if they were in other books or not, like Mason, Casey and a few others. Maybe there should be a Hearts on Fire Spinoff? Hint Hint? There were so many hot firemen LOL and I would even like to see what becomes of Daniel, Sean’s older brother.
The story is interesting, a bit angsty with sean pushing and pulling on his feelings for Jace and his sexuality. I think this is a good book that tells just how hard it can be facing new feelings and a new life. I liked Jace and the bit of soft BDSM more just light Ds was sexy. I’m going to let you read and see how this was worked in. So sensual and sexy and yet kept both man quite macho.
This is the 8th book in the series and I do hope not the last. There seem to be several openings and the authors note alludes to more later down the road I hope so and have a special request (Ruiz please)
This book does stand alone perfectly. I have only read a couple in this series, all out fo order and all have been easy to read and follow.
If you like paramedics, firefighters, cute little girls, Gay for you, light D’s and some hot man-sex this is for you. I want the rest of this series!
This is another great entry in a series I really enjoy. Jace and Sean meet and have their first hook up during an awkward attempt at a threesome with Jace’s female friend Lena. Sean thinks he’s straight until he reacts more to Jace than he does to Lena. He panics and runs, hoping to put these scary feelings behind him. After all, he has a brother who has recently come out as bisexual, and his other brother is causing strife in their family over that fact. Sean wants to make everyone happy, so he tries not to make waves in the status quo.
Unfortunately – or really, fortunately, since the story depends on it! – Sean is a firefighter and Jace is a paramedic, so they run into each other at a fire. The attraction is still there, and it only grows as the two are thrown together in a plan that has been hatched to improve the public’s perception of first responders in their town. The men are soon very important to each other, but Sean isn’t ready to come out to his family or his fellow firefighters. Jace tries to be patient, but how long can that last?
I liked these men, and I loved the peace they found in each other when the world wasn’t getting in the way. I did get frustrated with Sean, not because he wasn’t ready to come out, but more because I felt like he kept coddling his bitter homophobic brother Daniel. I liked the rest of their family and friends, and I was glad they each had a good support system. There were some sexy times between Jace and Sean, as well as some lovely sweet moments that made me tear up. This series is so good, and I appreciate the great characters and engrossing storyline in each book. This was another excellent addition.
I really enjoyed this story about Sean, a hunky firefighter in his first relationship with another man, a confident but relationship-wary paramedic named Jace.
After a first encounter that doesn’t bode well, their mutual attraction is too strong to be denied for long and their desire for connection palpable. False starts, family problems and Sean’s closeted status are roadblocks to this new and fragile relationship. Vowing to keep things simple and on the quiet, neither is prepared when it becomes obvious to both of them that their hearts are on the line and all bets are off.
DJ Jamison navigates this terrain with apparent ease, however, and delivers a compelling tale with all the ‘feels’ and plenty of heat, an occasional tear and a powerful urge to call 911. Highly recommended.
Wow! I knew from the beginning of the book that I was going to enjoy it til the end. Jace and Sean are the hottest to couple to me. Jace is out and Sean is not. Sean was trying to show his brother that he’s accepted his sexuality but ended up meeting Jace and is attracted to him. Sean refuses to come out and Jace doesn’t accept and ended their relationship. After an accident, they realized how much they meant to each other. Overall, the book is great and this is the best one in this series so far.
DJ Jamison’s Rapid Response is the eighth book of the Hearts and Health series, but can be read as a standalone. It’s a first time gay romance between a hot Firefighter Sean Connolly and sexy Psramedic Jace Gilespie. One in the closet, one an out and proud hookup king, the story entertains as it takes you through their steamy hookups and watch them figure out how to be together and come out. It’s fun and sweet and sexy… a great read. The characters are great – likeable and worthy of a Happily Ever After.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
Great continuation of an awesome series. While there are some familiar faces, you shouldn’t have trouble reading this as a stand-alone. Sean always thought he was straight and meeting Jace has sent him into a bit of confusion. Jace has always been a playboy but recently has wanted to pursue a real meaningful relationship. These two just click but they have some pretty big hurdles to get over. I really enjoyed their journey!
Rapid Response
By DJ Jamison
Main Characters: Sean and Jace
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
This book is about Sean a firefighter and Jace a paramedic. Jace is gay and Sean is bi-curious. So this is a first time gay romance.(which I love) This shows the struggle that some people go through to finally accept their sexuality. There is a small amount of Dom/sub and I LOVED this book.
3.5 stars- Truthfully, I was a little worried when I started Rapid Response. This being the first book I’ve read in the Hearts and Health stress, I didn’t know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t the awkward threesome that took place in the prologue. Manipulation is never sexy to me, and I worried that uncomfortable feeling I had during the prologue would color Jace and Sean’s relationship for the remainder of the book. Happily, that wasn’t the case, but in the event the sample includes the prologue or others are initially turned off, I feel it’s worth mentioning in my review. In the end, Rapid Response was a sweet, spicy gay-for-you book that kept me invested cover to cover, even through the will they/ won’t they angst.
The gay-for-you trope always run the risk of feeling disingenuous, but the author handled the topic well. I liked how honest Sean’s conflicting emotions over pursuing a relationship with Jace felt. This wasn’t quite a slow burn in the physical department, but the characters had time to build on their feelings for one another and I really liked sharing in their journey. The writing was solid, the dialogue fun and flirty, and the sexy scenes well done. If you enjoy this trope, I’d definitely recommend giving Rapid Response a try.
*eARC received via Signal Boost. The author and PA had no influence over this review*
3.5 stars
Sean and Jace
An extended story about a straight guy Sean, who had one short sexual interaction with a other guy Jace. Totally in shock he ran away. His whole world turns upside down.
Sean works as a firefighter and Jace as a medical.
Through work they meet again after saving a little girl from a fire. Being her heroes it’s inevitable to go on with life without being involved with this little girl.
Their start together isn’t ideal. It’s awkward and avoiding each other seems a wish but not an option. Very tentative they start a friendship and bodily exploring brings them closer. Jace has his doubts about Sean, he could run again. Sean seems eager to explore all the possibilities, but he doesn’t want to be outed.
While Sean struggles hard with his sexuality Jace is out. In the beginning this combination is somewhat toxic. It took a while before the ice melted. The somewhat dominant side of Jace is just what Sean needs, together they have great sex. But when time past by for Jace the walls of his apartment are closing in. Sean has to take steps or else he will lose Jace. Unfortunately Sean I just the polite guy working himself in deep trouble and making wrong decisions!
The characters were flawed, in a good way, even if this made me be annoyed and irritated by Sean more than once. We get to meet a lot of secondary characters, small-minded colleagues, supportive friends and also toxic family drama. They all bring their own kind of troubles.
Personally I could do with less story and drama and more focus on both men, but that’s totally me. Overall a lovely story,I it had a good flow and written in a captivating way.
Read and reviewed for Signal Boost Review Team