He’s used to putting out fires, not starting them.Firefighter Blake Steele is living day-to-day, desperately trying to escape the guilt of his haunted past. He doesn’t deserve love after what he did, but when the gorgeous Mary Franks moves in next-door, the conflict between what Steele believes in his head and what he feels in his heart just adds fuel to the fire. For Mary, living next door to a … living next door to a firefighter should be comforting, except her handsome new neighbor insists on making a nuisance of himself by helping her—with everything. And though she can’t deny her attraction, love isn’t something Mary has time for. She has one goal: keeping her son safe, at any cost.
When Mary’s abusive ex is granted parole and fights to get his son back, she relies on Steele for support. But as Steele uncovers all of Mary’s secrets, he is forced to face his own troubled past before both of their lives go up in flames…
This smoldering, standalone romance by award winning author Erin Bevan takes readers back to Black Widow for a second chance.
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This book is amazingly written. I love small town romance. This book has lots of drama and sizzle. Who doesn’t love a fireman who is super hunky and wounded woman. This book is definitely a must read. I couldn’t put it down.
From page one I was sucked into the story. I already loved Tank (the first book in the series) and I love Steele even more! Ms. Bevan has done an amazing job of putting a different twist on biker romance novels. This is a must read series and is beautifully written. I can’t wait to find out if there will be more to come for this town and biker gang.
The premise of this book was quite intriguing to me. The hero is a firefighter that happens to be in a motorcycle club. But this isn’t your typical MC book or your typical MC. These guys rescue battered women and children and help them recover and move on with their lives. And they keep protecting them. I’m not a fan of MC books (kudos to you guys that are, it’s just not MY thing). But when I read the blurb, I was intrigued enough about this MC because they aren’t your typical antihero club. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book. It didn’t grab my interest until about halfway through, and even then, it was easy to put down. I felt like there were places that really could have been fleshed out better to make this a great story. I expected more emotion and more angst, too. And the end felt rushed. But if you like a true hero who’s in an MC and something that isn’t too angsty, this book may just be for you. I kind of hate that I didn’t love it. So with that said, I’m giving this one 3.5 stars, mostly because I expected the writing to be a bit better coming from an award-winning author. I hate ending a review on a bad note, so I do want to tell you what I liked about the book before I finish up here. I liked Steele’s character. He’s young, and he’s not dealt with something that happened when he was much younger and feels great guilt for. But he’s doing his best to make up for that mistake. He’s also extremely loyal to his family in the MC. And he’s great with kids, and the kids love him back. I also love that Mary is facing her fears and trying to make a life for herself and her son, despite their past. And I loved that the bad guys got what was coming to them in the end. So they do get their HEA.
Erin Bevan is a very talented writer. Her books really draw you into the story. Steele is the second book in the Black and Blue Series. This is a book about second chances. You will meet Steele, a firefighter with a painful past, and Mary, a victim of domestic violence. They must overcome many obstacles in their quest for happiness. This small town drama includes steamy romance, tragedy, suspense, grief, as well as, excitement. A great read!
I really liked this book! Blake and Mary were well written, likable characters, and the world building was well done and believable. This story was full of romance, heartache, and suspense, and was an overall fabulous read.
Erin delivers a wonderfully written second addition in her Black and Blue Series with Steele. After Tank, Steel’s story needed to be written and boy does she deliver. It is a heartfelt story that tugs at all your emotions. Not to mention a bit of poetic justice. Well done!
Great read
I am loving the Black and Blue series. The growth of the characters, the awareness it brings to domestic violence, the steamy love story all draw in the reader. Steele is the 2nd in the series and follows up on Mary, Steele, and Nate, all of whom we met in Tank. The Guardian Angels continue their philanthropic work in this new novel and we get an update on all the couples from the first. No spoilers on this review, but this novel can be read independently, however I think it would be more enjoyable if you read Tank first! Can’t wait for #3 in the series!
I received a copy of Steele in exchange for an honest review. I would have read it regardless though, to find out what happened after how much I enjoyed Tank!
Although I generally prefer the mystery/thriller genre, this is the 3rd book I’ve read by Mrs Bevan. Even though they are considered “romance” stories, there is enough meat in the book to add a little bit of mystery to the characters. While you don’t have to read the series in order, it was nice to have the background from Tank to build on. Being from the south, I find the characters in Steele easy to relate to and very realistic. I love the easy, light style of the book and found this a nice warm read for the cold, wintery nights we’ve had here lately! I certainly hope to see a third Black & Blue….JoJo’s story is waiting to be told!
5 STAR Review by Jodi for Ruby Red Romance Review
I have to be honest…this is my first book by Erin Bevan. With that being said, I’m a huge fan. I loved every second of Blake and Mary’s story. It’s about secrets, heartbreak, guilt, and love.
The last thing Blake wants is to fall for his neighbor. He’s dealing with his past and not so well. Mary just wants to live a quiet life, flying under the radar. She knows her past is coming back and sooner rather than later.
I loved every second of this book. I can’t wait to see what’s to come from Erin in the future. Please check out this great book.
Having personal experiences similar to Mary, I understood her position in this book. I did go read the first book, Tank, to get the backstory. It was a good, easy weekend read to curl up by the fire with!
*** ARC Received for Honest Review ***
4 stars
This one will grab you quickly. But be prepared, although it is a standalone, and I had no trouble following the story line and prior backstories, you might want to read these in order. There is so much I wish I could go back and read first. Like the first meeting between Steele and Mary. He had eyes from her on first sight. But poor Mary had a lot on her plate with a child she was trying to raise and protect from her abusive husband.
This is one of those good guys finish first kind of books. If you like a hot alpha male, with his own personal demons to work through, and strong female who doesn’t need saving, but is smart enough to take help when it comes, this is a one-click for you. (Review by Terri “Jane’)
Great read! Loved the 2nd book in this series. Easy read with a great storyline. Loved meeting the new characters and the continued story from the 1st.
This is a author I had not read before but I find it called to me. For a moment the book world was saturated with firefighters and having read a couple have not read any for a minute. He is a combo the character is so that is why I took a chance because he seems and was so much more. Blake will capture you for sure but so will Mary in this story. The author gives a great foundation then spirals in with us going in and staying for awhile. The wrap themselves around you with also the tension and the drama pulling on us. The twists and turns and the healing takes you through with soaking it all up until the last word.
Romance, mystery, suspense all rolled into a spellbinding story I could not put down. I especially liked Blake Steele, who was trying to overcome demons that had plagued him ever since his sister Peaches had died in a house fire ten years ago. He has always blamed himself for her death and even became a firefighter. The story will keep you on pins and needles as you try to figure out what will happen next. The story does evolve around topics of domestic abuse and dog fighting. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review
Steele is my first book by Erin Bevan—as a matter of fact, it was the first time I had even heard of her—but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It’s the second book in the Black and Blue series and now I plan to pick up Tank to read next. I enjoyed the easiness of the read, even though it dealt with issues of abuse, the author maintained a lightness to the story. This second chance romance was very sweet, mildly humorous, and sexy. The pace was consistent, albeit a little fast, and because it’s written in dual POV, readers will appreciate getting to know both the hero and heroine. In addition to reading Blake and Mary’s POVs, Erin included the POV of the villain, Frank, which was a fun twist to the story. Overall the book was great, and I look forward to reading others by the author—but I was slightly disappointed with how quickly the book wrapped up and didn’t offer an epilogue. I wasn’t done with the Blake and Mary and I love books to end with more of the couple. Still, I obviously enjoy it enough to review it and recommend it to a few of my closer friends who enjoy romances along these lines.
I thought the book was fantastic!! I really enjoyed it! The Characters are great!!
Action, betrayal, lies, loss, healing, intrigue yup there it is all that and more. This author writes a story that takes you from one spectrum to the other then wraps it up in a nice little package. Mary has her problems and although she can’t just come out with it all because of the connections she’s doing the best she can. I may not agree with everything she does but hey it’s easy for me to say. Steele is a hunky mess but hell who doesn’t love a broken man in uniform with the heart he has. These two are smack in the middle of a mess they will need plenty of help to make it out of. The supporting characters are awesome and there is plenty to enjoy and keep you turning pages to the very end of the book. I haven’t read this author before and I have to admit I have no idea why. I love the blend of romance and intrigue, the supporting characters that round out the story, and this authors style make me want more.
Steele by Erin Bevan is the sweet story of Blake Steele, who is a firefighter and a member of the Blue Guardians, and Mary Franks, who has recently escaped an abusive husband due to the Blue Guardians. Mary and Steele are both hesitant about getting into a relationship. Mary, because she’s afraid of she has poor judgement when it comes to men. And Steele because he doesn’t believe he deserves happiness due to guilt from his past. But the attraction between these two cannot be contained. Throw in Mary’s adorable son and you get a wonderful story that you do not want to miss.
This is the third book I have read by Ms. Bevan, and I have to say that I think she is one of the best indie authors that I have read. Her stories are poignant, emotional and sometimes heart wrenching. Steele is no less. Her heroes are book boyfriend worthy, and while I prefer Tank over Steele, they are both admirable and worthy to be book boyfriends. While Mary’s wishy washy feelings for Steele grate on the nerves a bit, she does redeem herself and their love is something worth rooting for. I will mention because of the abuse that is a part of this series, that the reader goes in with open eyes because these are highly emotional issues that could cause triggers. Having said that, this series is worthy every minute invested, and the characters become beloved. Kudos Ms. Bevan!!!