Sara Humphreys you rock! I´m blown away and totally thrilled at the same time. I heard about her for the first time on social media. She promoted her upcoming new release of the second McGuire Brothers book and was so fun to watch and listen to, that I wanted to read that series kind of immediately. And what can I say? Usually, I expect from a novel with such a cover that the story is sugar sweet and digs deep into the box full of kitsch. In every possible way, you can imagine. Not this one. Brave the Heat is completely great balanced and no kitsch insight, no matter where you look. Sara Humphreys has a great way to display the life of a small town, created some very profound and heartwarming characters, and lets the sparks fly like crazy.
Brave The Heat
by Sara HumphreysMcGuire Brothers #1
Publisher Sourcebooks on September 1, 2015
Genre Romance
Pages 319
Format Paperback
Source Purchased
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Jordan McKenna is back in town, and Fire Chief Gavin McGuire´s feelings when he sees her after all these years are as raw as the day she left. Then he was just a kid wearing his heart on his sleeve. Now he spends every day trying to atone for the tragedy he couldn´t prevent. Jordan´s life has not exactly worked out the way she expected. A divorced mother of two with a failed acting career, Jordan´s biggest concern about coming back to Old Brookfield was seeing her first love. But when a series of suspicious fires breaks out, Jordan and Gavin realize that dealing with the sparks between them may be the least dangerous of their problems.
Story
Jordan moves back to the place where she grew up and fled from fifteen years ago and is now keen to protect her two girls and herself from everything that could threaten their new gained freedom and peace. But when she sees Gavin again, all her hopes of a new start without any difficulties are blown in the wind. Because her body tells her very clearly what he wants and Gavin shows her with every move, word and looks at her that he wants the same. It takes a firebug and some destiny to make her move and to get what she wants after all: happiness and love.
Style
Brave the Heat is written in the personal perspective of Jordan and Gavin. You get to know their thoughts, their wishes, what they think about some things and it is hilarious and soooo sweet to see how they sneak around each other.
Sara Humphreys´ writing style is clear, modern, she gets to the point and has wonderful humor. There is not one word too much and when it finally gets to the hot and passionate stuff she has the perfect way of showing it. And how she brings in all those twists and turns, holy moly, that was one hell of reading pleasure. This is a real page-turner, I´d say. And there aren´t many that can make that claim.
The author lets her characters go through a lot. Even the small secondary characters have their burden to carry and bring the extra portion of tension to the novel. All of them are created in a fantastic way – no wishes left open.
Characters
Jordan is a woman who grew up with a father who turned into an alcohol addict and tortured, therefore his wife and daughter over many years; made her life a living hell. A key moment with her boyfriend Gavin gives her frankly said, the rest and Jordan flees from the little town she grew up. Only to find herself years later in an unhappy marriage with an abusive husband, and yes, you guessed it right, alcohol is again in the game. Back in the town of her childhood Jordan starts to see that she actually has a chance to not only start over again but to do things better with her two girls. The way she changes is shown by the author in a great way. With feeling and a lot of understanding and it makes absolutely sense how she changes and that she does it bit by bit. In the end, I was very touched and moved to see the new Jordan.
Gavin is not the typical male main character. Yes, he is hot as hell, and yes, he is a man who has his principles, a real gentleman and he knows how to handle those two little girls and win their hearts. But he is not like any ordinary guy. He knows what he wants when he wants it and he has a very charming way to get it. But not at all costs. The world could use one like him …
Conclusion
This was amazing; lots of romance, beautiful scenes, some great characters and two adorable little girls I fell in love with. This contemporary romance is one of the best books I´ve ever read from the romance genre so far and fits right among the big names like Nora Roberts or Julia Quinn, to name only a few.
Happy reading
Sara Humphreys
Sara Humphreys is the award-winning author of the Amoveo Legend series. The third book in the series, UNTAMED, won two PRISM awards-Dark Paranormal and Best of the Best. The first two novels from her Dead in the City series have been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award. Sara was also a professional actress. Some of her television credits include Another World, As the World Turns and Rescue Me. She loves writing hot heroes and heroines with moxie but above all, Sara adores a satisfying happily-ever-after. She lives in New York with Mr. H., their four amazing sons, and two adorable pups.
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Wow, your review sounds great and I am really interested in reading this book. :) Thanks, Vi. :3
ReplyDeleteJust a small spoilery question: how is her role during the sensual scenes? Is she a - as described - independent woman and say what she wants? Declares what needs she has? :) It's often a bummer to have the same old boring damsel in distress and the naive heroines when they start so tough and fierce... >.< Can't stand them anymore. >.<
Phew, that is a tough question to answer - without telling too much of the story *smile*. Well, I´d say Jordan is no damsel in distress at all. And naive isn´t something I would connect with her as a figure. She is strong, independent and can stand up for herself and her girls. Maybe she needs a bit time and watches what develops right in front of her before she goes into action and makes her point. Something I like. Answer good enough for you? *smile*
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Yes, thank you. :)
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DeleteI'm speechless....thank you x
ReplyDeleteAnd I can´t believe you really visited my blog *happy dance* you made my day!
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