A review by karentje
High Heat by Annabeth Albert

5.0

A wonderful love story, very moving, and with amazing main characters. Garrick was a charismatic secondary character in the first Hotshots book where he got hurt very badly in an accident while smoke jumping, and by the time we meet him again in High Heat he’s still undergoing intensive PT to recover from that. He has shown great courage and determination as he tackled his recovery, defying the odds to regain the use of his legs to a certain extent, but he still needs a wheelchair and crutches. Garrick needs to face that his life will never go back to how it was before the accident, so an important part of the story focuses on how he deals with that loss and how he carves out a new life for himself, finds a new purpose. I think the author did a great job showing the challenges Garrick faces as he adjusts to life with a disability, not shying away from the day-to-day reality that comes with that. I loved that he got to fall for a sweet, younger guy. Rain is a wonderfully caring, playful character with a positive outlook on life, and he’s just perfect for Garrick. Garrick is a bit bothered by the age gap between them, but I love that Rain isn’t deterred in the least, either by the age gap or Garrick’s wheelchair and all that entails. What also struck me, in the best way, is how much Garrick pampers Rain and how they both take care of each other, putting in genuine effort to make each other happy and comfortable, which is an intrinsic part of a loving relationship.