The fire within . . . A parachute jump gone horribly wrong nearly put an end to Hunter Buchanan’s smokejumper career. But with his body on the mend, the rugged firefighter is ready to get back to Oregon’s Redmond Air Center and his training. Except, while he’s conquered his physical injuries, he hasn’t been able to do the same for his panic attacks. Enter Charlotte Jones, aka Charlie, the … Charlotte Jones, aka Charlie, the trainer who tames his tension like nobody’s business. It doesn’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes. Or that she stirs a hunger in him to deal with just about anything in order to be the man she needs . . .
After four years of hiding from a violent man in her past, Charlie is ready to face the world again. She knows this has more than a little to do with the potent mix of strength and vulnerability she’s found in Hunter’s arms. But when a dangerous encounter convinces her the worst isn’t behind her, she’ll have to decide if she’s strong enough to accept Hunter’s help—and his love . . .
“Excellent for readers who enjoy plot-driven mysteries with well-developed, sympathetic characters and slow-burn romance.”
—Library Journal, starred review on Tempt the Flames
more
After an accident that nearly put an end to his smokejumping career, Hunter Buchannan is ready to get back to his training. But while his body has healed, he’s having panic attacks and only one person calms the tension and stirs a hunger in him to deal with just about anything in order to be the man she needs. She’s been hiding from a violent man in her past, but a dangerous encounters convinces Charlie that the worst isn’t behind her and she’ll have to decide if she’s strong enough to accept Hunter’s Help – and his love.
Both characters in this Smokejumper story are strong, captivating characters who are both vulnerable for different reasons and easily draw readers to them and ensuring that readers want to know their stories. The chemistry between Hunter and Charlie sizzles with lots chemistry, but this relationship is sweet but more a slow burn romance that builds the heat to inferno proportions with lots of gripping emotions that grip the heart.
The plots is steady paced and keeps readers glued to the pages with suspense and excitement as Charlie gets targeted with a series of attacks that convince her that her past has come back to haunt her. But this story has some unexpected twists that keeps the readers guessing and some additional adrenaline pumping thrills as Hunter finds various was to help him with his problem. Readers can’t tear themselves away from the pages of this heartfelt, heartwarming and suspenseful romance.
Hunter was training to be a smokejumper when his parachute didn’t open. After a year of rehabilitation, his therapy is over and he’s ready to start the next class. The only problem is the panic attacks he is having. Charlie is a physical therapist and a friend of Hunter’s sister. She has never lived in one place for long, growing up. She’s been in Bend, Oregon for a couple of years and wants to put down roots. But someone is leaving her notes, breaking into her apartment, and shooting at her. She thinks her past has caught up with her and pushes Hunter away to keep him safe.
A great story with the hero having emotional issues ( panic attacks). First story I have read about a man having these problems. I felt for him because I have them too. A liked where Charlie was there for him and supporting him. Sexy, action, and suspense.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *
Risk the Burn by Marnee Blake is book three in The Smokejumpers Series. This is the story of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Jones and Hunter Buchanan. I haven’t yet read the previous books, so for me this was a standalone book.
Hunter was injured in a parachute jump for his SmokeJumper training. Now about a year later he has been cleared physically to get back to what he loves. But he has panic attacks that seem only to be calmed by Charlie the therapist he had in his recovery. Charlie has a past where she left the upset of having someone abusive in her life. Charlie has been working on that fresh start that only Hunter can bring until her past seems to come back.
Enjoyed their story.
This is a great story with wonderful characters. It has mystery, suspense and danger. There are many twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.
This was the third book in this series, and had a character that’s been intriguing me since book 1, but unfortunately it wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for.
Hunter Buchanan has had quite a year. After a parachute jump gone wrong, thanks to his crazy older brother, he’s been in physical recovery for a year, which he’s almost completed. The mental recovery hasn’t been so great. He’s been having panic attacks intermittently, and he’s been hiding it from everyone. He’s convinced it’s just a fear of the jump. If he can just make that first jump, he’ll be ok. He’s had a local reporter following his recovery, and he’s glad to attend his final physical therapy session, so all the interviews, and the prying, will be over. But, when he’s sidelined by yet another panic attack, he gets help from an unlikely source.
Charlie Jones is a physical therapist, with a secret. She ran away from an abusive man she put in jail, back in Chicago, and she’s been in Oregon for a few years, and fallen in love with it. She’s made a good friend in Meg (the heroine from book 1, and this hero, Hunter’s, sister), and she loves her job. Her boss is sick, so she’s filling in for Hunter’s final appointment, and the interview. She helps him through his panic beforehand, and sticks by him, though she was hoping to skip out of the interview part. She doesn’t really want her face everywhere announcing her location, just in case her ex might still be looking for her. She didn’t change her name for nothing! Later, when weird, bad things start happening to her, she hopes it’s just a coincidence, but pretty soon, she’s not so sure. She and Hunter have a connection but she’s scared to get into it, in case she has to run again.
Hunter and Charlie have known each other in passing for a couple years, with their common connection to Meg, but they’ve never really noticed each other beyond obvious physical attractiveness. But once they really get to know each other, they realize they have a connection, and Hunter is drawn to it, while it scares Charlie to death. Her judgement in the past about men has been less than stellar, and she doesn’t think she can trust herself. Hunter feels that Charlie grounds him, and keeps the panic at bay, but doesn’t know if he can handle anything beyond that. It was quite a bit of push and pull, but they both seemed a bit wishy-washy to me.
The side characters here were mostly the characters from the prior books, which was fun, as I enjoyed both of those stories. The suspense plot here was interesting, if a bit unexpected, but I’m not sure if I bought the bad guy. I can’t really get into it without spoilers, but it just didn’t quite ring true for me as believable. Also, poor Charlie went through the ringer, and it was hard to watch her constantly hurt and feeling scared, and not knowing why.
Then there was the matter of Hunter and Meg’s older brother, who was the villain in book 1. He clearly had some sort of mental break, but in this book, he’s out of jail, getting counseling, and living in another city. I was sort of confused by this, as there was the whole attempted murder thing from book 1, which resulted in Hunter’s accident, and his having to re-do his smokejumper training. Meg, and their mother had seen the brother, but Hunter hadn’t yet, and didn’t know if he wanted to. We did get to see Meg and Lance (the couple from book 1) get married, which was fun, but even that was a bit odd, since their brother, who tried to kill the groom, was invited?! It all just seemed a little swept under the rug for my taste, and I don’t feel like we had any good resolution to it.
Overall, the story was just ok for me. I liked each of the characters, but I wasn’t 100% sold on them together. Something about it just didn’t quite fit for me. Plus with all the weirdness with the brother, and then the suspense plot, it just wasn’t my favorite. I liked the first two books in the series much better. This definitely wouldn’t keep me from trying this author again, as this was the first series of hers I’ve read, and I really enjoyed books 1 & 2.
This is the third book in this series and is the story of Hunter Buchanan and Charlotte (Charlie) Jones. Both are trying to handle their past Hunter was hurt in a parachute jump and it almost ended his career as a smoke jumper but he has struggled hard and is now physically fit but he is still battling panic attacks. Charlie has spent four years running from her past and the violent man in ti but she sure isn’t ready for a new man in her life. Charlie gives Hunter the calm that he needs to overcome his panic attacks will he give her the strenth to face her demons or will she continue to run. I must admit that Charlie annoyed me she was always full of reasoins why they couldn’t be a couple. In parts this story is an emotional roller coaster that will draw you in altogether it is a good read that I thoroughly enjoyed
This is the 3rd book in the Smokejumpers series and can absolutely be read as a stand alone story, although some things spoken about happened in previous books. This one is about Hunter and Charlie. Hunter was hurt in a jump accident and has been slowly trying to get back into it without showing the others that he has issues from it. Charlie steps in to try to help him, and he feels like he is helping her as well. But when someone starts messing with her, he steps up and tries to protect her. And it changes their whole relationship.
I had a hard time getting into this story. Parts of it are great and I enjoyed the interactions between Hunter and Charlie. It just seemed extremely slow to me. On a whole, it’s not a bad story at all. Charlie has been through a lot and has somehow managed to move on and try to have a life. And she doesn’t let anything define who she truly is. Hunter went through literal hell and has some major issues because of it, but he is trying to figure out a way to move on and still achieve his goals and dreams. It was just extremely slow for me unfortunately.