Really like this series. Pretty standard characters, but written well and entertaining.
Frist off, being a dog lover, I noticed there was no Stan on the cover. Bummer, I so like that little dog.
I have to say that I really liked Ryan Blake more than Katie Dane. Maybe it is because I've gotten used to Ryan from the previous two books. Of course, I was more than surprised to read in the previous book, The Fireman Who Loved Me, that Ryan reads daily positive affirmations. He just seemed too cocky for that. In this book, Ryan is no longer on the force and no longer reading affirmations. Due to an accident, Captain Broody suspends him. Rayn's return to San Garbriel is where his story starts.
So, this guy walks into a bar and sees what he thinks is a nice diversion for a few hours or days at the most in the form of the bartender. He also sees the weak male at the door who is jealous of him and attempts to assert power and a group of old men who have the look of regulars enjoying themselves. He soon realizes the bar needs him just as he needs something to do while he waits to take his test to get back on the force. The strange thing is that the bar seems to keep catching on fire. In the course of working there, he comes to realize this diversion is a woman he can love for the rest of his life, he has a different course in his fire fighting career, he enjoys her kooky family, he has a true ability to strip, and that his father is not as bad as he thought and a way to break the curse. And he does not see the joke as being on him.
The author continues to keep the series realistic. Ryan's disability is that he is dyslexic. Katie's ex-boyfriend is sue happy because his father is a lawyer, an adoption by Broody and Melissa.
I was happy to see that Stan is still involved in the firehouse.
As I've stated in three paragraphs above, I really didn't like Katie. I found parts of her character hard to believe. For example, in chapter 25 she seems not to have any idea of the destructive force of a fire? I think the author is asking a bit much of the reader to accept. I also found it hard to believe that Katie is able to "tell it like it is", but has no backbone. She runs from Ryan, she can't tell her father and mother she can't run the bar, she can't the drinking crew to pay up. She takes advice from the fire bug ex-boyfriend who is very controlling. Her epiphany about his character comes a little too late in the book for me. I can't help but compare her to Maribel and Melissa from the pervious two books and find her lacking.
Two areas I did not understand. What is Ella Joy doing back in San Gabriel? There is no explanation I could find in the text for this. And how did Bridget, Katie's sister, get Doug to admit he started the fire?
As in the previous book, Joe-The-Toe, has the potential to steal the story just a Nelly almost did in The Fireman Who Loved Me. I hope the author decides to write his story. Maybe he can transfer to San Gabriel. Since this is an author who is not afraid to tackle social issues, she could explore a possible interracial relationship, why he is even living in the United States, being an Oxford educated black man who is a firefighter.
I thought Doug cheated on a calculus test and then on page 306 it is a chemstry test. Not sure which one.
In writing this review, I just realized a theme of the male characters staying the same, but the women who change the most. I can say she has been consistant with all the female leads changing including Katie.
There were some funny laugh out loud sections of the book. A good enjoyable read.
I have to say that I really liked Ryan Blake more than Katie Dane. Maybe it is because I've gotten used to Ryan from the previous two books. Of course, I was more than surprised to read in the previous book, The Fireman Who Loved Me, that Ryan reads daily positive affirmations. He just seemed too cocky for that. In this book, Ryan is no longer on the force and no longer reading affirmations. Due to an accident, Captain Broody suspends him. Rayn's return to San Garbriel is where his story starts.
So, this guy walks into a bar and sees what he thinks is a nice diversion for a few hours or days at the most in the form of the bartender. He also sees the weak male at the door who is jealous of him and attempts to assert power and a group of old men who have the look of regulars enjoying themselves. He soon realizes the bar needs him just as he needs something to do while he waits to take his test to get back on the force. The strange thing is that the bar seems to keep catching on fire. In the course of working there, he comes to realize this diversion is a woman he can love for the rest of his life, he has a different course in his fire fighting career, he enjoys her kooky family, he has a true ability to strip, and that his father is not as bad as he thought and a way to break the curse. And he does not see the joke as being on him.
The author continues to keep the series realistic. Ryan's disability is that he is dyslexic. Katie's ex-boyfriend is sue happy because his father is a lawyer, an adoption by Broody and Melissa.
I was happy to see that Stan is still involved in the firehouse.
As I've stated in three paragraphs above, I really didn't like Katie. I found parts of her character hard to believe. For example, in chapter 25 she seems not to have any idea of the destructive force of a fire? I think the author is asking a bit much of the reader to accept. I also found it hard to believe that Katie is able to "tell it like it is", but has no backbone. She runs from Ryan, she can't tell her father and mother she can't run the bar, she can't the drinking crew to pay up. She takes advice from the fire bug ex-boyfriend who is very controlling. Her epiphany about his character comes a little too late in the book for me. I can't help but compare her to Maribel and Melissa from the pervious two books and find her lacking.
Two areas I did not understand. What is Ella Joy doing back in San Gabriel? There is no explanation I could find in the text for this. And how did Bridget, Katie's sister, get Doug to admit he started the fire?
As in the previous book, Joe-The-Toe, has the potential to steal the story just a Nelly almost did in The Fireman Who Loved Me. I hope the author decides to write his story. Maybe he can transfer to San Gabriel. Since this is an author who is not afraid to tackle social issues, she could explore a possible interracial relationship, why he is even living in the United States, being an Oxford educated black man who is a firefighter.
I thought Doug cheated on a calculus test and then on page 306 it is a chemstry test. Not sure which one.
In writing this review, I just realized a theme of the male characters staying the same, but the women who change the most. I can say she has been consistant with all the female leads changing including Katie.
There were some funny laugh out loud sections of the book. A good enjoyable read.
