News producer Melissa McGuire and Fire Captain Harry Brody couldn't be more different, though they do have one thing in common: they're both convinced they're perfectly wrong for each other. But when Melissa's matchmaking grandmother wins her a date with Brody at a Bachelor auction . . .
Sparks fly. Passion flares. Heat rises. (You get the picture.)
Add a curse, a conniving nightly news anchor, a stunningly handsome daredevil fireman, a brave little boy, a couple of exes, and one giant fire to the mix, and Melissa and Brody's love may not be the only thing that burns.
Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel Series:
One Fine Fireman (Novella)
The Fireman Who Loved Me
Hot for Fireman
Sex and the Single Fireman (January 2013)
Visit Jennifer Bernard's website for more information
Review:
I really enjoyed the prequel novella to Jennifer Bernard's Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel series so I couldn't wait to read Captain Brody's story in The Fireman Who Loved Me. I have to say I think I might have found myself another favourite series because I absolutely loved this book. The story was exactly what I was looking for - it was sweet and romantic, it was hot and sexy, it made me laugh out loud and it even brought tears to my eyes. It was one of those books that I devoured in one sitting because I absolutely couldn't put it down and yes it is a book I'm going to be highly recommending to anyone who hasn't already read it.
Harry Brody is a Captain of the San Gabriel fire station, he is incredibly good at his job and has the complete respect of his colleagues. Brody is the kind of guy who is always calm and in control which makes him the perfect guy to be in charge of an emergency situation. Melissa is a news producer who lost confidence in herself thanks to her ex, she is wary of love and prefers to focus on her career - even if she does have a horrible habit of letting her colleagues walk all over her. Melissa's grandmother Nelly is determined to see her settled down with a good man so she does what any spunky and fun loving grandmother would do - she spends all of her savings at a bachelor auction buying Melissa the date of a lifetime with a hunky fireman! Melissa is mortified at her grandmother's attempts of kick starting her love life but she can't deny a strong attraction to Brody from the moment they meet. Brody was expecting to go on a date with a woman in her 80s so when it turns out that his date is actually Melissa he is delighted. As the attraction between them sizzles Melissa is the first woman who threatens to break through Brody's calm, composed outer layer and drive him to distraction.
I absolutely loved Brody and Melissa, they have both been through bad break ups in the past that have left them wary of relationships but neither of them can deny their chemistry. As much as the spark between them was enough to ignite a fire I was pleased that they also respected each other and weren't afraid to talk about what they wanted from life. There was one point where a misunderstanding between them was dragged out a little too long for my liking but apart from that I couldn't have been happier with the way things progressed between them. What I really enjoyed was watching the fireworks between them as they bantered with each other. Brody was normally so in control and kept a tight lid on his emotions but Melissa had a way of bringing out his passionate side. At the same time Melissa tended to be a complete pushover when it came to her work colleagues but she was more than able to give as good as she got when it came to Brody. They both brought out the best in each other and that made their relationship feel so much more real and believable to me.
I can't review this book without mentioning Melissa's grandmother Nelly, she was an absolutely hilarious character and she stole the show whenever she was in a scene - I would have been happy to spend much more time with her. I also loved the time spent at the fire station, having grown up around firefighters I found that the banter, teasing and nick names they had for each other was very realistic and great fun to read and I liked the way they took Melissa into their hearts because they had so much respect for Brody. I can't wait for Ryan's story but he definitely isn't the only one I want to know more about and I'm hoping that this will turn into a very long series. My one complaint about the book was the amount of page time given to Melissa's colleague Ella, she was an utterly despicable character who I hated and I wanted to reach into the book just so I could slap her. I was disappointed that she didn't really get what she deserved by the end of the book and I just hope that we don't have to spend any more time with her as the series continues. I could also have done with a little less focus on both of their exes and more page time given to the rest of the hunky bachelor firemen of San Gabriel!
In spite of a couple of minor niggles The Fireman Who Loved Me was a fabulous start to the series and it left me desperate to read Hot for Fireman which just happens to be Ryan's book (although I'm not a fan of the title which I think would have sounded a lot better as Hot for a Fireman but that's just my personal opinion). I'm looking forward to meeting the woman who can tame heartbreaker Ryan, I think she's going to have to be something special! If you're a fan of contemporary romance and love hot, hunky, heroes who are more than capable of sweeping their women off their feet then I'd highly recommend this series. Be warned though - I'll pretty much guarantee it will leave you fantasising about men in uniform!
Source: Purchased
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