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A review by a_reader_obsessed
High Heat by Annabeth Albert
3.0
3.5 Sequel Stars - BR with Adam!
This was a very nice age gap story, full of hurt comfort and generously brimming with slow burn UST and sexual healing.
It’s recommended to read this in series order since last we saw Garrick in [b:Burn Zone|49897760|Burn Zone (Hotshots, #1)|Annabeth Albert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581518263l/49897760._SY75_.jpg|73520583], he had suffered some serious injuries which were far worse than feared. Never mind two broken legs but add a spinal injury as well, and Garrick has been struggling (but mostly winning) at beating the odds, determined to regain full mobile function so he can get back to fighting fires as a smokejumper. When he spies a skittish stray dog, he knows he can’t fully care for it and enlists the help of his neighbor’s grandson.
Rain is visiting for the summer, and he wants to work the front lines of a fire crew. Being an animal lover, Rain sees a golden opportunity and asks, in exchange for assisting with the sweet orphaned dog, for Garrick to train and get him in shape to become a firefighter. As these two develop a routine and then a friendship, the strong attraction between them can’t be denied.
So what’s an older pansexual, known to be quite the player prior to his accident, gonna do with a free spirited young man who’s always ready to move onto the next adventure? You guessed right. Of course, as feelings inevitably develop, will either be able to trust in their own wants and needs as well as have faith the other will commit for the long haul? Will personal life expectations stymie current happiness, impeding the chance to be fulfilled now despite not yet achieving well intentioned goals??
Thankfully, there was minimal protracted angst unlike the first book. Garrick has pretty great optimism and drive in the face of so many obstacles, and Rain, despite his youthfulness, has tremendous empathy, and grace...
Overall, I enjoyed this. I can’t quite exactly pin down why this wasn’t a 4 star read for me. Assuredly, Albert always writes well - there's no doubt about that as she delivers alternating pov’s, with an overabundance of smex that is protracted, varied, and explicit (ie. manties, toys, exhibitionism, topping from the bottom) for those who need to know. Again, the wild fire scenarios were consistently well researched and lent a good amount of suspense. So, regardless of how I rated this, if you love the above mentioned tropes and have a soft spot for uniformed men in dangerous situations, then this should reliably satisfy! Enjoy!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review
This was a very nice age gap story, full of hurt comfort and generously brimming with slow burn UST and sexual healing.
It’s recommended to read this in series order since last we saw Garrick in [b:Burn Zone|49897760|Burn Zone (Hotshots, #1)|Annabeth Albert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1581518263l/49897760._SY75_.jpg|73520583], he had suffered some serious injuries which were far worse than feared. Never mind two broken legs but add a spinal injury as well, and Garrick has been struggling (but mostly winning) at beating the odds, determined to regain full mobile function so he can get back to fighting fires as a smokejumper. When he spies a skittish stray dog, he knows he can’t fully care for it and enlists the help of his neighbor’s grandson.
Rain is visiting for the summer, and he wants to work the front lines of a fire crew. Being an animal lover, Rain sees a golden opportunity and asks, in exchange for assisting with the sweet orphaned dog, for Garrick to train and get him in shape to become a firefighter. As these two develop a routine and then a friendship, the strong attraction between them can’t be denied.
So what’s an older pansexual, known to be quite the player prior to his accident, gonna do with a free spirited young man who’s always ready to move onto the next adventure? You guessed right. Of course, as feelings inevitably develop, will either be able to trust in their own wants and needs as well as have faith the other will commit for the long haul? Will personal life expectations stymie current happiness, impeding the chance to be fulfilled now despite not yet achieving well intentioned goals??
Thankfully, there was minimal protracted angst unlike the first book. Garrick has pretty great optimism and drive in the face of so many obstacles, and Rain, despite his youthfulness, has tremendous empathy, and grace...
Overall, I enjoyed this. I can’t quite exactly pin down why this wasn’t a 4 star read for me. Assuredly, Albert always writes well - there's no doubt about that as she delivers alternating pov’s, with an overabundance of smex that is protracted, varied, and explicit (ie. manties, toys, exhibitionism, topping from the bottom) for those who need to know. Again, the wild fire scenarios were consistently well researched and lent a good amount of suspense. So, regardless of how I rated this, if you love the above mentioned tropes and have a soft spot for uniformed men in dangerous situations, then this should reliably satisfy! Enjoy!
Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review