Search and Rescue: Book One
Survive the adventure. Live to love.
Following a family emergency, snowboarder Tevyn Moore and financier Mallory Armstrong leave Donner Pass in a blizzard… and barely survive the helicopter crash that follows. Stranded with few supplies and no shelter, Tevyn and Mallory—and their injured pilot—are forced to rely on each other.
The mountain leaves no room for evasion, … other.
The mountain leaves no room for evasion, and Tevyn and Mal must confront the feelings that have been brewing between them for the past five years. Mallory has seen Tevyn through injury and victory. Can Tevyn see that Mallory’s love is real?
Mallory’s job is risk assessment. Tevyn’s job is full-on risk. But to stay alive, Mallory needs to take some gambles and Tevyn needs to have faith in someone besides himself. Can the bond they discover on the mountain see them to rescue and beyond?
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The hallmark of Amy Lane’s work is the richness of her characters’ lives. It’s an added bonus that her series are often linked – something you only notice if you’ve read the others. It’s not just a nod to her many fans, either. If you know those other stories, that link adds more layers to the current story.
For me, this novel is a comfort read. Not because it lacks conflict and danger and so on, but because you know they already love each other. It’s making that connection that’s the hurdle. Admitting, accepting. Surviving. There’s zero angst for angst’s sake, it is all intense and real. As if that isn’t enough, the end is perfection.
Amy Lane delivers adventure and romance in the first of her new Rescuers series, Warm Heart. It is a survival story embroidered with unexpressed love and devotion. I was drawn to the premise and am happy to say this is only the beginning of what should prove to be a wonderful new series by Ms. Lane.
At the core are the main characters, snow-boarder Trevyn Moore and Mallory Armstrong, his financial advisor. After their helicopter crashes, they are stranded together in a Sierra Nevada snowstorm with few provisions, no shelter, and an injured pilot. What ensues is not only a struggle for survival but a revelation that their long-time attraction to one another simply cannot be ignored or denied. In such critical circumstances, they are forced to confront their feelings and face the fact that they may not have another chance to do so.
I really enjoyed these characters, who had kind of an opposites attract vibe. They complement one another, with a “thinker vs. action” personality contrast. I particularly liked Trevyn’s resourcefulness, despite his young age. They are both relatable, wonderful characters who truly care for one another. I would have liked a bit more tension created through their backstory, but overall they are sweet together and satisfying to watch as their romance progresses. I also appreciate the dual POV, as it provides the reader with both character perspectives of the plot situations and of their relationship. The story feels rounded-out, and it is easy to feel connected to the characters, as well. There is low angst here, which helps the characters focus on the here and now of the external struggle while maintaining a subtle sense of urgency to seize the moment.
Those who are familiar with Ms. Lane’s beautiful writing know that she can pack a strong punch with angst and heart-breaking characters. However, she is also very adept at creating low-angst, delightfully charming stories and characters that wrap the reader up like a warm, comfortable blanket. This book falls into the latter category. Though the situation for these men is dire, the plot never becomes maudlin or bogged down with too much doom and gloom. This is an easy read with gentle, tenderly-crafted characters and some exciting action and suspense woven throughout.
I am a sucker for survival stories and am thrilled to see this new series develop. Readers will see shades of possible storylines to come, filled with both human and canine rescuing heroes! What’s not to love? I highly recommend Warm Heart, as it does just that–warms the heart.
This story is about having to go through a lot to get to the happy ending. Most of this story is the main characters overcoming their hardship. But through this they end up sharing their feelings and being honest with each other. You also get to see their strength and how each can bring out the best in the other.
A rating…with air conditioning problems yesterday, reading this new release about a blizzard seemed perfect…and OMG, I loved this story. I loved that for 5 years, both these guys have been ignoring their feelings, but have been close. I loved the group dynamic of the three men in the crash…(come on Damien and Preston’s HEA…*crossing fingers*)
It was just a wonderful story and extremely well written. I LOVED reading it. Definitely a favorite and a RECOMMEND!
Amy Lane is a master at creating characters and worlds you care about . Each moment you can feel the tension and the bond between Mal and Tev. I cant wait for the next book in the series.
OMG this was such an amazing first book in a series. It hooks you from the start with charming characters then pulls you in with the chilling drama.
Tevyn is a world class, Olympic snowboard champion. Mallory is his financier, but Mallory has another stake in Tevyn that Tevyn doesn’t know about. Mallory comes to get Tevyn to take him to see his grandmother and the woman that raised him before she passes. They take a private helicopter since the weather isn’t good and its an emergency, Missy doesn’t have long. A wind pulls the copter causing a crash. Tevyn, Mallory, and Damien the pilot escape with a few supplies, but Damien’s legs is badly injured. They are in a place that its unlike search and rescue can find them in time. Will these three men make it out alive.
This is such a beautiful, touching story but keeps you on the edge of your seat as you wait to see how they will make it out and if Damien will survive as well. I cannot wait for more in this series!
If you like Olympic sports, snowboarding, winter stories, survival stories, age gap, friends to lovers, and a sweet romance you wil love this book. I highly recommend it.
I fell in love with Lane’s voice when I first read The Virgin Manny. That book was full of witty banter, impossible circumstances, and straight up longing, pining, and luuuuust. I picked up Warm Heart around 11 at night, read until 2…FORCED myself to turn off my phone, then woke at 6:30 and kept reading til I finished, adult responsibility be damned. This tale of two men separated by not only age, power differential, and life circumstances grabs hold of your feels, throws you off a cliff, then forces you to endure being stranded on a mountainside during a blizzard in a life or death situation. Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes BUT what I loved about this story was the way Lane brought her two lovers together. I don’t want to add any spoilers here, so I’ll just say it was refreshing. The angst was less about their feelings for each other and more about survival. It was edge-of-your-seat exciting but also had enough laughs to keep your heart from going through the ringer. Lane writes the perfect stories in the Dreamspinner Desires line to give you an entertaining read that will stay with you long after, but in a warm fuzzy kinda way, not one that will give you a book hangover. My understanding is she also writes those books, but for now I’ll just bide my time until the next Desires book—which she sets up nicely here—comes out. So pick up her Manny books and also take a ride on this mountain. You’ll be happy you did.
Though there is a fight for survival going on for most of this book, I found this to be one of the quieter stories I’ve read by this author, who is one of my favorites. Ms. Lane knows how to engage my heart, mind, tear ducts, and funny bone – sometimes all at the same time. While I didn’t laugh out loud over this one, I did cry. I also smiled and sighed dreamily a few times. Tevyn and Mallory, as well as their friend and pilot Damien, showed such great qualities as they worked together to save themselves, knowing their chances were slim of being rescued. I fell in love with these three men, and I was so worried about the author’s plans for them. (She’s hurt me in the past!) But despite the fear and freezing temperatures, there was a very sweet romance going on between Mallory and Tevyn. It was absolutely lovely.
I adored Mallory’s quite determination to take care of Tevyn, even when he didn’t believe they could be a couple. And I loved Tevyn’s fierce heart and his desire to make Mal his. These men were adorable together, and I felt their love from the very first page. This is a great story with characters who are easy to connect with and root for. I recommend this book and hope that there will be a sequel so that Damien can get his own happy ending. For now I will be happy reading this one again. Excellent!
Amy Lane did it again. What a fabulous story.
I will say that I wish there had been more of Tevyn and Mallory from the first five years of their relationship. I would have liked to know more about Missy an Charlie from the past. But that is just because I’m greedy!
It was sweet to watch Tevyn and Mallory dance around each other. Then, what did Amy do? She threw them into a life or death adventure! Both men are strong and loyal.
Tevyn and Mallory are forced to really look at their feelings as they struggle to survive, not knowing if it would be the only time they had together. Tevyn has some trust issues and Mallory wants to make rue Tevyn really lives. The way Mallory cares for Tevyn shows through from the very beginning of the story.
I hope this is’t the last we see of Tevyn and Mallory. It does look like there could be at least two more stories. My fingers are crossed.
I would rate this 4.25 stars.
This is not a typical full length Amy Lane novel; it is part of the Dreamspun Desires line and has to fit into those parameters. This is like reading those romances with the red covers when I was younger–you know, the ones with blazing heat you can get a subscription for and can read in about four hours? My rating is for what it is, rather than what it isn’t. Mallory is the finance guy hired by Tevyn’s grandmother Missy five years ago to take care of his financial future for when he retires or gets injured. Tevyn is a professional Olympian level snowboader. He’s young and has fun with whatever guy or gal catches his eye. With Tevyn being a client as well as a bit of a player, what chance does a ten years older, built for monogamy guy like Mal, have? Turns out, he has a really good chance and maybe Tevyn has only been biding time until he can have the man he really wants. Of course, now Tevyn has his own reputation to overcome. As Missy lays dying and a snow storm rolls in, their lives will change forever.
An emergency can draw people closer and tell you who they really are; Missy’s decline and the crash are just catalysts that allow them to be real about the things that matter. The reader knows right away they are in love with each other. In fact, everyone may know but them. With the author’s writing style, having both points of view enhances the story. Tevyn knows snow and emergency training from working at resorts. Mallory is the sensible, dependable one who is used to calculating risk so even though completely out of his depth, he is an asset to the team as they try and survive. Tevyn stepped up to show he is not a kid and can be a mature partner for Mal. Even though he is older, Mal lets Tevyn take the lead and as this dynamic kicks into place, so does their relationship.
The other great character here is the pilot Damien, who is badly injured when their helicopter goes down. Damien is former military and now works for a rescue outfit. Having Damien there adds a layer of depth that keeps this story grounded, ensuring that the crash is not an excuse for them to just be alone together or focus on sex. Don’t worry, there will be some steamy sex also but this is heartwarming and romantic. After such a traumatic event Mal’s business partner and friend, Charlie, tries to be the voice of reason about Tevyn, but the reader already knows there is no need. Still, it’s good he has someone in his corner.
Amy Lane is known for a bit of angst, but in this shorter format, I didn’t feel it. Even with the harrowing circumstances and the grief, the overwhelming notes here are of life and love. After five days where the survival details sounded plausible–the way they are rescued is not. I will say the end got a little too saccharine for my tastes, almost to make up for any of the actual realism. I really did enjoy this though and hope Damien gets his own story soon.
Warm Heart by Amy Lane was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. Teyvn, a champion snowboarder, is in love with his financier, Mallory. Mallory, the money guy, is in love with Teyvn. But a family crisis is what brings them together like they never imagined. Trying to get back to his beloved grandmother Teyvn,Mallory and Damien are caught up in a high unexpected wind gust that hits and the helicopter goes down. This story was so rich in imagery that you felt you were up on the mountain with them and continued to root for them throughout the whole experience. Teyvn finds he is a lot stronger than he realizes and he needs and wants Mallory to be there with him. Even with the cold background you will find all the warm fuzzies you need to completely enjoy this story.
Warm Heart was a bit different from the trapped in a snowstorm love stories I’ve read before. This was a story about determination and survival with a romance enfolded into it. I found the story addicting, the writing smooth and inviting, and the characters incredibly likeable.
Warm Heart follows a professional snow boarder, his financial manager, and helicopter pilot on their tale of survival in the mountains. The emotion and energy- particularly in the intense moments- was palpable, keeping me glued to my e-reader. I also liked how the author brought the environment and elements to life, making them almost a character in their own right.
While Warm Heart definitely focuses on what Tevyn, Mallory, and Damien must to stay alive through the blizzard on the mountaintop, it also has a love story playing out front and center. Mallory and Tevyn have had feelings for each other for multiple years at the start of the story, and there’s a palpable unresolved sexual tension between them from the get go. However, it’s this series of events that finally unearths the depths of those feelings. In this way, the reader doesn’t get to see the relationship build or ignite, but we do get to see that connection catch fire and learn just how much Mallory and Tevyn mean to each other. I really liked the inclusion of those little moments that launch a relationship into more than feelings, but a life together. While Warm Heart wasn’t what I expected in some ways, it ended up being a really sweet romance plus a great story that captured my full attention, and I’d definitely recommend it.
*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*
Warm Hearts is a wonderful story that lives somewhere in middle angst Amy Lane range. Mal and Tevyn have been athlete and manager for five years, and at first I thought that the story was going to look a lot like Beneath the Stain. But I was wrong. Both Mal and Tevyn bring great strength to the relationship, and they’ve been saving everything up for so long that when they acknowledge their love it’s strong and stable. After their helicopter crashes in Donner Pass (thanks for the visuals, Amy Lane, Tevyn is the one who knows how to survive, and keep them all alive. It was thrilling to see this part of the adventure, though I was pretty sure they weren’t going to start munching on one another 🙂 It was fun to get little Easter eggs about Breakout Monkey, Johnnies, and Granby and I loved how solid Mal and Tevyn were throughout the stranding and afterward. Amy has to be very careful because her narrative voice begins to sound the same throughout the books, but she stays on the right side of the line. Definitely recommended for a sweet, loving tale that has some high mountain stranding, some risky adventure, and definitely lots of love.
This book could have been really dark since the majority of the story deals with the aftermath of a helicopter crash but, while the story deals a lot with survival and getting off the mountain, it is told in a lighter way than I would have imagined. The story wasn’t about losing hope but how they would deal with each obstacle that stood in the way of them surviving and was told in a way that didn’t bog down the story or make it depressing.
When I read that there was going to be a third person stuck on the mountain with them, I wondered how that was going to hold up the romance developing with the two MCs if they had a sort of chaperone with them but all three men are friends and the friendship between the men enhanced the story instead of detracting from the love interests getting together.
One part of the story that I did not really enjoy was Mallory’s business partner Charlie. I felt like she was unnecessarily pushy about trying to keep Mallory and Tevyn apart and, at one point, I kind of wished that she had been buried in a snow bank next to the helicopter. She ended up only being in a small part of the book and luckily her advice was mostly ignored by Mallory.
This was a perfect balance between the author’s heavy emotional reads like the Johnnies series and the sweeter reads like Freckles. I enjoyed the story for both the emotional highs and lows and I can’t wait to read Damien’s story.