Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Good second chance romance that is fast-paced, emotional, and has some intense action. Years ago, Dana and Travis became good friends while training to fight wildfires. Dana also had quite a crush on Travis and was embarrassed and heartbroken when he didn't return her feelings. At the end of the summer, Travis went on to medical school, and Dana continued her training.
Dana is not happy when instead of leading her team of smokejumpers into the latest fire, she must lead a doctor to a critically ill patient in the path of the fire. Shocked to discover the doctor is Travis, Dana hastily throws up walls to protect her heart. Travis is equally surprised to see Dana and looks forward to renewing their friendship.
I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Dana and Travis. It got off to a rough start, thanks to their awkward parting years ago. What Dana saw as his rejection of her had a profound effect on her view of herself and her subsequent relationships. Travis always felt a little guilty about the way he handled it, but he was committed to someone else at the time. I liked Travis's attempt to clear the air between them even though Dana wasn't very cooperative. Fortunately, Travis persisted, and their previous camaraderie returned.
With that camaraderie came a growing attraction, but both Dana and Travis had issues that held them back. Though supremely confident in her work, Dana's personal life suffers from her fear of rejection and belief that she isn't good enough. Once upon a time, Travis had his life all planned out, and when it didn't work out, he resorted to just taking life as it comes instead of living it. Thrown together under extremely stressful circumstances, Dana and Travis discover emotions as turbulent as their surroundings. I loved how Travis's vocal respect and appreciation helped Dana see herself in a new light and consider letting Travis past her walls. At the same time, seeing Dana embrace her life helped Travis see what he was missing by closing himself off. There's a brief hiccup when they let their fears push them apart, but advice from those they care about put them back on track. The ending is intense with both overwhelming fear and healing love.
The setting of this book, in the midst of a forest fire, was portrayed so vividly I felt as though I were there. I loved Dana's job as a smokejumper, a woman in a primarily male profession. Her confidence in her abilities was a significant part of the story. The action kept me glued to the pages as each twist added to the danger that Dana and Travis experienced. Thanks to Travis's training that long-ago summer, the teamwork between him and Dana was fantastic.
Dana is not happy when instead of leading her team of smokejumpers into the latest fire, she must lead a doctor to a critically ill patient in the path of the fire. Shocked to discover the doctor is Travis, Dana hastily throws up walls to protect her heart. Travis is equally surprised to see Dana and looks forward to renewing their friendship.
I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Dana and Travis. It got off to a rough start, thanks to their awkward parting years ago. What Dana saw as his rejection of her had a profound effect on her view of herself and her subsequent relationships. Travis always felt a little guilty about the way he handled it, but he was committed to someone else at the time. I liked Travis's attempt to clear the air between them even though Dana wasn't very cooperative. Fortunately, Travis persisted, and their previous camaraderie returned.
With that camaraderie came a growing attraction, but both Dana and Travis had issues that held them back. Though supremely confident in her work, Dana's personal life suffers from her fear of rejection and belief that she isn't good enough. Once upon a time, Travis had his life all planned out, and when it didn't work out, he resorted to just taking life as it comes instead of living it. Thrown together under extremely stressful circumstances, Dana and Travis discover emotions as turbulent as their surroundings. I loved how Travis's vocal respect and appreciation helped Dana see herself in a new light and consider letting Travis past her walls. At the same time, seeing Dana embrace her life helped Travis see what he was missing by closing himself off. There's a brief hiccup when they let their fears push them apart, but advice from those they care about put them back on track. The ending is intense with both overwhelming fear and healing love.
The setting of this book, in the midst of a forest fire, was portrayed so vividly I felt as though I were there. I loved Dana's job as a smokejumper, a woman in a primarily male profession. Her confidence in her abilities was a significant part of the story. The action kept me glued to the pages as each twist added to the danger that Dana and Travis experienced. Thanks to Travis's training that long-ago summer, the teamwork between him and Dana was fantastic.
