From Nowhere: Wildfire

Wildfire #2

by Jewel E. Ann, Benjamin Sands (Narrator), Amy McFadden (Narrator)

From Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jewel E. Ann comes the exciting second novel in the Wildfire series, an emotional romance that burns up the page as it tugs at the heart.

When Maren Bernabe stops by the office to update some paperwork, she’s not looking for love. Then sparks fly during an awkward meet-cute with a stranger in the bathroom, and suddenly anything seems possible.

A seasoned air tanker pilot, Maren battles fires across the rugged Montana wilderness. With firefighters for roommates, she’s no stranger to tough guys—or tough situations. Ozzy Laster is the helpful stranger she meets, one of Cielo Aviation’s newest aircraft mechanics who’s faced his fair share of hardship too. Two years ago, his wife and father died in a car crash. Now Ozzy and daughter Lola shun cars in favor of bikes.

Maren and Ozzy fall hard, but guilt forces them to hide their relationship from Ozzy’s disapproving in-laws. And Lola. They all want to protect her from more heartbreak. But when tragedy strikes again, Lola’s reaction will surprise them all. And Ozzy could get a second chance at love after all…

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Slow Burn, Small Town Romance

Audible Audio

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she's not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.

Her newest release is I Thought of You, a contemporary romance/women's fiction.

Upcoming Projects: Sunday Morning, book 1 in the Sunday Morning Series coming in Sept. 2024.
Stay in the loop by subscribing to her newsletter!—> Sign up here!

Reviews

[Jewel Ann]

Available now!

Download today or read and listen for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/4gLNwHm
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Audible: https://bit.ly/3Qvoscm
Narrated by: Benjamin Sands & Amy McFadden

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/404UP66

🔥Secret Romance
🔥Single Dad
🔥Small Town
🔥Tortured Lead
🔥Tragic Past
🔥Workplace Romance
🔥Angsty
🔥Blue Collar Hero
🔥Cinnamon Roll Hero
🔥FMC Firefighter

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s never the things I see coming that take my breath away. It’s the moments that come from nowhere.
A lost wallet.
A car accident.
And an empty toilet paper roll.

to say i love Maren, Ozzy and Lola feels like a massive understatement. from the moment i started this book to finishing it i have just been in complete awe of these three.

i started this book immediately after finishing Fitz and Jamies story and while i was sad to be letting them go i couldnt physically hold in my excitement about getting to read about how bad ass maren was. truthfully i did not go into this story knowing this would be a single dad book and finding that out in the opening page skyrocketed my excitement even higher which i didnt know would be possible?!?! even though this is only my second JEA book, i knew after the first that this would forever be a future auto buy author for me and that i cannot wait to jump headfirst into more of her work.

the amount of complex emotion put into this book will never not amaze me moving forward, i laughed and cried, i wanted to throw my kindle across the room at a certain someones behavior. i felt so strongly during so many moments in this book whether it was good or bad and i often feel that if a book isnt making you feel these kind of things then whats even the point of reading it?! from nowhere felt like more than just a story, it felt relatable, real and raw. it shows how grieving and moving forward with life is such a beautiful thing that we often take for granted but also that its okay to take your time getting there.

the romance in this book is truly unmatched, ozzy laster had me swooning so hard as if these things were actually happening to me lol. i was constantly giggling at these two and their quips back and fourth. i adored seeing this bad ass, runs with the best of men woman get to be soft for once and let someone else do the hard things for her. watching maren also fall in love with lola was one of my favorite parts of this story i think, its not often in a single dad romance i feel where we get to see the ugly side to a life that has been dealt the things lola and ozzy had been dealt. where theres traumas that need to be worked through and the way maren handled every single bit of it was astounding to me. again, it was raw and real.

just like with from air it is not an easy journey to reach their final destination of love and complete happiness, but it is a beautiful one and one that i think everyone should take, all of the characters in this series are going to stick with me for a very very long time and i cannot wait to see where this series leads us next 🩵

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so disappointed, I loved the first book so much but this didn’t hit at all. It was such a strange reading experience.

I had high hopes at the beginning because I found the meet-cute fun and different. Maren was such a badass in From Air and she was reduced to a girl chasing after a guy that could barely text her back? She had a kickass job too but you wouldn’t know much about it from this book because it doesn’t focus on it at all.

Single dad books are generally a favourite of mine and I do agree Ozzy was a great dad to Lola but that’s where it ends for me. There was so many weird and uncessary scenes. I don’t know why a 10 year old is fixated on the idea of her dad having sex again? (He’s a widower). The scene with Lola walking on her grandpa watching porn was so bizarre! He was in the living room watching it on the TV out in the open knowing there is a child in the house? 🤨 I think the author was attempting to highlight the complexities of having these conversations as a single dad but it felt forced and odd. I pushed past this and tried to give the book the benefit of seeing how the story would evolve.

The plot is essentially a couple in their 30’s sneaking around like teenagers because he has a child and his late wife’s parents live with him to help out and the MIL is not supportive of him moving on. The constant use of Lola to interrupt every single moment of the romance was driving me insane. The romance was fueled by lust and the forbidden aspect but there was no emotional development, angst, yearning etc. Ozzy hardly did anything for Maren he took way too long to stand up to Tia and would go long periods ghosting Maren. He just felt emotionally immature. I found it hard to believe Maren was ready to change her whole life for a guy she just met who wasn’t putting in effort for her given what we knew about her from book one. Lola was probably my favourite character out of the three of them.

There was a great opportunity to explore grief here but I don’t think it dove deep enough as I didn’t feel emotionally connected to the characters.

If I didn’t love book one so much I probably would have dnf’d as I really struggled to finish this. I’m going to pretend it doesn’t exist 😭

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

“there’s nothing more epic than falling in love with someone who loved my daughter first.”

This was so cute and I loved Lola! I will say, I didn't love this as much as the first book - but I do think it was worth the read because I love Maren so much.

What I loved:
-Lola (I wanted to jump into this book and give her the biggest hug)
-How sweet Ozzy is and how he is the absolute best father for Lola
-THE MEET CUTE.. Bathroom situation was hilarious!
-Maron loving Lola >>>

What I didn't love:
-Tia. Jeeze her character gave me hives.
-The sex talk with Lola made me uncomfortable as a mother of an 11 year old. I put myself in Ozzy's shoes and I think I would've sat my child down and had a better conversation about this.
-I missed the other characters, I wanted more of them!!
-All the sneaking around felt so cheesy and immature for characters in their 30's. I understand the reasoning but I just didn't enjoy this.

Definitely a cute read but I felt more emotional and attachment to From Air!

3.5⭐
-small town
-meet cute
-single dad
-tragic past
-secret relationship
-cinnamon roll mmc

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

From Nowhere is the second book in Jewel E. Ann’s ‘Wildfire’ series, and I loved it even more than the first! Maren and Ozzy are wonderful together, and Lola really made the book for me. Kids in books, if done right, make them so much better! This covered some heavier topics, and I loved Maren's patience and support.

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrators: Benjamin Sands & Amy McFadden
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 10h 22m

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one didn't quite hit me in the feels the same way From Air did, but I still had a good time reading it (mostly, I'll explain in a second).

In From Nowhere we follow Maren, as she falls in love with a widower called Ozzy, and changes both his and his daughter's lives for the better.

So, this book started off kind of strange, with Ozzy's daughter telling him she's totally okay with him being intimate with someone again, which I brushed off, but then they kept discussing (or rather joking about) his intimate life throughout the book which made me a bit uncomfortable.

Some of the things Lola said didn't read like something a 10 year old child would say, especially in regards to that. I feel like it would've been more appropriate for her to say she'd be okay with him dating or getting married again instead.

But otherwise, she did seem like a kid, loving sweet treats and animals, arguing about when she's supposed to shower before bed, her general excitement about the world, and her embarrassing her dad by asking too many questions while trying to find him a date.

I really liked Lola as a character, and her bond with Ozzy and Maren too. I liked the latter a bit more actually, because you could tell Lola was missing that motherly connection in her life, and she would just light up whenever Maren was around. It also helps that we got to know her in the previous book, but I don't remember if we met Ozzy? In any case, the way they all slowly became a family was my favourite part of the book.

The romance is where this gets tricky because I liked it, but I also wasn't completely feeling it. I thought their first meeting was creative, but I didn't really like them having to sneak around just because of Tia.

Speaking of, I didn't like Tia for the majority of the story, she was the only real conflict and it took something serious happening for her to finally come around. I can see her perspective, but I still feel like she should've treated Ozzy (and Maren) better.

But back to the romance, there were some cute scenes, like the flowers and the little notes, and their banter was fun, they had chemistry for sure. However, I wanted a bit more emotional depth, because they certainly connected on a physical level, but that energy wasn't fully matched emotionally.

A lot of the time, Lola was the focus of the book, as she should be. I like that she wasn't pushed to the side in favour of the romance, but I also wish that the book was longer so it would be a little more balanced.

Lola was always on Ozzy's mind, he was doing his best trying to parent her, even if what was best for her might not be what's best for him. He's a really great dad, I'm glad he got his happy ending.

I also liked Bandit the cat, the Fitz and Jamie cameos, and how trauma was handled.

There's a scene near the end that's really beautiful, you can see this character making progress bit by bit to get to that point and the reason why they finally did the thing was so precious. Be ready to shed a tear or two, I'm just saying.

So overall, I liked this, and I'm looking forward to reading Will's story (why do I feel like something is going to happen at that event we saw at the end?) and whatever other stories Jewel E. Ann sets in this world.

3.5

*Thank you to the author, publishers and Valentine PR for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Grace Btrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a rule of thumb, Jewel E. Ann books make me:
- Laugh so hard
- Cry harder
- Want to have kids
- Finish them in less than 24 hours.

This one was an amazing story of love, healing, and grief.
Loss is not easy, and navigating life after losing so much can be challenging.
Jewel writes this journey in perfection.

The sizzling chemistry between Ozzy and Maren... ughhhhhh it's fire and ice and butterflies and wildflowers and a sky full of beautifully shaped clouds.
And Lola? That little spitfire is adorable and cocky and yes, again, I want to have a daughter, now.

While the books deals with trauma, phobia, and loss of parent and wife, Jewel E. Ann is able to capture the feelings and internal conflicts, and convey them to us with kind and deep words that help us reflect and feel very deeply for the characters.
The love story, whether Ozzy-Maren or Lola-Maren is a privilege to read.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.

I get excited every time I get a Jewel E. Ann ARC because I almost know for sure that the honest review undoubtedly will be a 5 stars!

--
Pre-read:
Been in a weird reading mood.
Hopefully a Jewel E. Ann ARC will help!

[Corina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written and deeply emotional, this romance had more than one moment that tugged at my heartstrings and kept me fully invested. I absolutely love a single-parent romance, and Jewel E. Ann does a phenomenal job bringing the dynamic between Ozzy and his ten-year-old daughter to life. Their banter had me chuckling more than once, and the love and support he showed her were truly heartwarming—he went above and beyond in ways that made my heart melt.

Ozzy’s situation wasn’t easy, but Maren’s patience and unwavering support made all the difference. She never pushed, allowing things to unfold naturally until a pivotal moment brought everything to a tipping point. It wasn’t a fight for a happy ending but rather a realization—one where Ozzy’s feelings for Maren gave him the final push to stand up and make the complicated possible.

In the end, the romance delivered everything I needed—chemistry, depth, and an emotional connection that felt authentic from beginning to end. If you love single-parent romances, swoon-worthy heroes, and a love story that’s both tender and sizzling, this one is a must-read!

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK: From Nowhere
SERIES: Wildfire #2 - can be read as standalone
GENRE: contemporary romance
TROPES & THEMES: family, grief, loss, dead ex, dead sibling, single father, trauma, cute kid, finding love again, healing, swoony hero, instant attraction
HOTTIE METER: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
RATING: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
RELEASE DATE: March 04, 2025


In this poignant and beautifully written romance, Jewel E. Ann masterfully weaves a tale of grief, healing, and the courage it takes to embrace love again. At its heart, this story is about second chances,both in life and in love, and it leaves a lasting impression on readers who believe in the power of resilience. The bond, love, and care our hero has with his daughter can easily be the reason you will love this book. I love how relationships grow organically, built on shared vulnerability, understanding, and moments of quiet joy.

Add this book to your tbr!!


... I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 5 out of 5]

And it happens again.
It happens. Every. Single. Day.
I fall in love with Ozzy Laster.

From Nowhere changed my brain chemistry seemingly from nowhere. (Hehe, get it) I loved this story. I loved these characters. I did not want to put this book down to participate in real life. Any chance I had to dive back into this story, I was jumping right in. I could sit here and run down the tropes or gush about how much I loved each character and why, but I’m not going to do that because I think you can find that info on your own.

Just know this book is going to grab you and not let go. It’s going to have you crying silently in happiness and in sadness. It will frustrate you, but it will also make you think about those frustrations from different perspectives. I think many times we pick up romance books because we love the feeling of falling in love and seeing it captured in a fictional form gives us a safe taste of that feeling. That said, it makes it easier to forget that love is sometimes hard fought. Sometimes the feeling of love is easy, but actually living and sharing that love is not as simple. This book is that. Love that is easy, but that also seems unobtainable to have in the ways it’s desired.

That’s it. That’s the review. My favorite 2024 read that doesn’t publish until 2025 😂

AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC

[Anna (annareadit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating: (5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spicy: (3) 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
- aircraft mechanic (mmc) & air tanker pilot (fmc)
- secret romance
- workplace romance
- single dad
- small town
- tragic past
- angsty
- cinnamon roll hero

One of my favorite tropes is the single dad 😏. What could be better than reading about a man who knows how to take care of his own child? In this part, we get to know the story of Maren, Fitz and Jamie's neighbor from the first part of From Air, and Ozzy—a single father who lost his wife in a car accident and almost lost his daughter too.

This book is about the right to live after losing a loved one, about healing, about battling fears, and the ability to love without imprisoning your beloved in the jail of the fear of losing them at the cost of clipping their wings.

This book definitely adds to my shelf of favorite book stories. If you haven’t read the first part yet, you should definitely fix that soon. The author has a great sense of humor and writes in a very captivating way.

Thank you to Valentine PR for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Malene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! My love for this story is through the roof. It gave me all the feels. JEA’s writing is so effortless and powerful at the same time. I fell so hard for Maren and Ozzy. Their chemistry and dialogue tickled me all the right ways. This is my kind of romance. The teasing foreplay with words and gestures. Omg how I enjoyed every single moment and interaction between Maren and Ozzy. Absolutely perfect in every way.
Ozzy’s relationship with his daughter Lola was beautiful and with Maren as it evolved only made me more emotional.
The journey they embarked on was so heartfelt and mixed with humor and so much love. This trio put me through the wringer and the HEA was so worth it.
Fantastic from start to finish. I can’t get enough of this series. Wow!


*Thank you Montlake Publishing for the ARC. My thoughts are my own.*

[Lori ◡̈]

Note to self: even though I loved book 1, avoid this book 2!!

Per Britta’s awesome review, amongst several lackluster story points, there’s this: “There was a scene where she walked in on her grandfather masturbating to porn at night in her living room and everyone massively involved under-reacted to the situation.”

Why would anyone want to read about a grandparent masturbating?!

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparks fly between air tanker pilot Maren Bernabe and aircraft mechanic (and single dad) Ozzy Laster during the most awkward of meet cutes. Ozzy, fully committed to helping his daughter Lola recover from the PTSD she suffered after the car crash that killed her mom, isn’t ready for a relationship. But tough as nails, and incredible gorgeous Maren (😜), is impossible to resist.

This is hands down my favorite Jewel E. Ann series. Not only is book one, From Air, exceptional, but the follow up is equally so. I will say that I am partial to any book that features a main character by the name of Maren, so I was anxiously awaiting this book while reading the previous one. The best part? It lived up to ALL of my expectations and so much more.

Maren and Ozzy have *the* most amazing chemistry. Every scene they are in features intense sparks, fitting for a firefighter romance. And while single parent isn’t always my favorite trope, this story might just make me a convert. Ozzy is the most amazing dad, balancing his career with his love for his daughter as he tries to work through the trauma with her, never pushing her before she is ready. I found myself rooting hard for this trio, and becoming emotional when it seemed as though things would not work out to their liking (or mine).

While I am sure I will love the next installment as well, this book holds such a special place in my heart. I will most definitely be rereading this one as soon as the audio is available.

Read if you like:
▪️firefighter romance
▪️workplace
▪️the cutest of meet cutes
▪️found family
▪️single dad
▪️forbidden(ish) romance
▪️bingeable reads

Thank you Montlake for the advanced copy.

📆 Pub: March 4, 2025

[Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Nowhere is the second novel in Jewel E. Ann’s Wildfire series, full of humor and heartfelt moments! The story made me laugh, but it also tugged at my heartstrings, especially when it came to Lola, the daughter of the main character, Ozzy. This girl is adorable, and her relationship with her father is something special. I felt sorry for Ozzy; he had a difficult life until he met Maren.

"I love you, even if it scares me to death. The only thing that scares me more is trying not to love you." ❤️‍🩹

I was thrilled to see familiar characters from the previous book, and of course, I'm looking forward to Will's story! Hope he'll end up with the doctor eventually🤞

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓ single dad
✓ secret romance
✓ pilot/mechanic
✓ tragic past
✓ small town

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!
(ARC provided by Valentine PR)

Maren Bernabe is a tanker pilot for Cielo Aviation. She's never wanted to do anything but fly planes, and loves her job. She's been fighting fires over the Montana wilderness for about seven years. She has great friends, and two of the guys she works with are her roommates. Life is good, and she's happily single. Then she meets a kind stranger in an awkward moment. Ozzy is an aircraft mechanic at Cielo. She's not looking for love, but he excites her, and she can't stop thinking about him.

Ozzy Laster lives in a small town called Missoula. His life was turned upside down two years ago when he lost his wife in a car accident. He's navigating this new journey as a single dad, and rebuilding his life with his ten year old daughter Lola. She's his entire world. With life so complicated, he hasn't been dating. Then he meets a woman he's not prepared for. Maren is like a breath of fresh air, and makes him smile. After their embarrassing first encounter, it's effortless between them. If only there weren't outside forces making things difficult for them to explore these new feelings. Will their relationship end in heartbreak, or will they fight for love?

From Nowhere by Jewel E. Ann is the second book in the Wildfire series. It's a small town, slow burn, funny meet cute, single dad, friends to lovers, workplace romance about healing, loss, second chances and embracing unexpected love. It's a heartwarming, emotional story full of humor, swoon, amazing chemistry, fabulous banter, and beautiful connections. I really enjoyed this book and adore this series! Now I just need Will's story! <333



***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB6DSK5X/...

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jewel E. Ann has completely outdone herself with From Nowhere! I was absolutely obsessed with the first book, and this sequel was just as incredible. This series feels so unique compared to her other works, but it still carries that same emotional depth and addictive storytelling that makes her books unforgettable.

Ozzy and Maren were everything. Their authenticity, their struggles, their growth—it was all so beautifully written. Watching them heal and find their way after so much trauma was both heartbreaking and inspiring. And let’s talk about the side characters because they were just as fantastic! Lola absolutely stole my heart—I saw so much of myself in her, and her journey with vulnerability was so relatable.

But beyond the emotional depth, this book had me laughing out loud so many times! The banter between Ozzy and Maren? Perfection. And the sheer number of times they tried to hook up only to be interrupted? I lost count! It was ridiculous in the best way, and by the fourth or fifth time, I was just cracking up.

This book had everything—angst, romance, humor, and those gut-wrenching yet heartwarming moments that stick with you. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, do yourself a favor and start immediately. You won’t regret it!

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read a Jewel E Ann book I have to wonder why she's not world famous. Her books have it all. Wonderful characters. Thoughtful storylines. Great comedic timing. And ALL of the emotions. And From Nowhere has all of the above in spades. I smiled and laughed and then cried my dang eyeballs out.

From Nowhere is the second book in the Wildfire series of standalones about 3 roommates. Maren is a tanker pilot who fights fires. She's brave and obviously fearless and a little bit of a mess. While at work, she has the most awkward "meet cute" with Ozzy, an onsite mechanic. But awkward is memorable for these two.

"You're a beautiful mess."

Ozzy's life is complicated. He's a widower, single dad, and his in-laws live with him in order to make his life easier because of special circumstances surrounding his 10 year old daughter, Lola who is wise beyond her years. But his run in with Maren has him excited for what could be.

I don't even know what to say about this book except...I LOVED it! Every aspect of it. From how Maren let Ozzy take it slow and kept their relationship on the downlow to how Ozzy allowed himself to have a little bit something for himself. These two just make you smile and feel good, all things considered.

"Sometimes you just have to say f*ck it and kiss the girl. We'll figure the rest out later."

This book, every part of it, was perfection. From the fun friendship that escalated to flirty and sexy banter to being sneaky thirty somethings, it all just flowed perfectly. I loved that Ozzy loved his daughter so fiercely that he was willing to give it all up for her mental health. But that is the exact reason I loved Maren so deeply too. She understood their predicament and never, not once, made Ozzy choose. It was just so heartwarming. The love between Maren, Ozzy and his daughter, Lola was the backbone to this story and it will have you falling in love with them all.

From Nowhere is a story of second chances, facing fears and recognizing true love in all forms. You will smile. You will laugh. You will cry. But most of all, you will love. You will love these characters and everything they go through and you will love the way they love and sacrifice.

If you like:

Witty banter
Single Dad
Second Chances
Adorable daughter
Characters dealing with grief and loss

Then you will love this book. It's a beautiful story that will have you smiling yet frustrated for the first 3/4 and then weeping the last 1/4. Which all in all is Perfection!

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

I want to start out by saying that I loved the first book so much that I bought it immediately after reading it on KU. This one—I actually had to force myself to finish.

Ozzy is probably one of the most disappointing heroes that I’ve read recently. Is he a good father? -sure, but I hated the way he was with Maren. Their relationship was so one sided and I couldn’t stand the way Maren was always the one pursuing him. Ozzie didn’t have to do darn thing because Maren did all the work. He could barely text her back half the time. He gave Maren scraps and she was happy to get whatever he would give her, even if it was the bare minimum. I also was so angry at the way he let his mother in law rule his household and his life. She was horrible to him and he just took it.

I liked Maren, but another reviewer on here called her desperate and that’s the perfect way to describe her. I did love her relationship with Ozzie’s daughter Lola. That part of this story was very emotional towards the end.

There’s a scene in this book where Lola (who’s 10) walks in on her grandfather pleasuring himself while watching a porno in the family room. WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!? It was disturbing and unnecessary. Luckily Lola wasn’t fazed, but why was that scene even needed??

There also needed to be a HUGE grovel at the end of this by Ozzie—but we get absolutely none. Once again, Maren immediately forgives him and is willing to accept whatever he’s willing to give. It just made me angry. Maren deserved so much better.

[Alina Kravets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Прекрасна книга, дуже сподобалась!
Однозначно рекомендую!❤️‍🔥

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Якщо читаючи From Air я хіхікала й отримувала величезне задоволення, то тут я значно частіше нудьгувала.

Герої чудові, але вони мене не вразили.
Оззі — прекрасний батько, Марен — хороша й дуже терпляча жінка, яка бігає та добивається Оззі. І це, власне, все, що я можу про них сказати 🤷‍♀️

Останні сторінки мене зворушили, а Лола торкнулася серця, хоча подекуди її поведінка не відповідала 10-річному віку.

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ∞ 'Dandelion' HEARTS! <3

From Nowhere is a beautifully woven romance, each page overflowing with tender love, the ache of yearning, and so much hope for a second chance at love and life.

“You’re fueling my fire.”
“Should I do something to extinguish you?”
“You should burn with me.”

Maren is in a word awe-inspiring; a brave tanker pilot yet an even more remarkable woman showing patience and resilience, giving Ozzy and Lola unconditional love while holding space for them as they take slow yet meaningful steps to adjust to her being in their world. Ozzy is as sweet as they come, a single dad who’s put his life on hold to care for his grieving ten years-old daughter. Despite the caution he exercises with Maren in order to protect Lola, he is gorgeously vulnerable with her, tempering his worries and what-ifs by a sweet desire to make a woman he sees as his second chance as happy as he can.

“[T]here’s nothing more epic than falling in love with someone who loved my daughter first.”

The romance between the two is as achingly beautiful and poetic as it is breathtakingly passionate, the sneaking around and banter-filled flirtations amalgamating into pockets of peace and joy where they see one another with stark honesty and bask in the epic kind of love where they both feel complete.

“It’s never the things I see coming that take my breath away. It’s the moments that come from nowhere.”

Overall, From Nowhere is contemporary romance at its very best, Maren and Ozzy gorgeously layered and infinitely relatable, making it easy for us to root for their happily ever after with every fibre of our being.


IF YOU LOVE:
♥ small town
♥ humorous meet cute
♥ workplace romance
♥ cinnamon roll MMC
♥ single dad
♥ yearning


*I received an ARC from the publisher, Valentine PR, in exchange for my honest review.*



Posted: March 03, 2025

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Quick Opinion: This was a little disappointing to me. I enjoyed the single dad and in-law drama aspect but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I had waited to read this because there seemed to be, as with many of Ms. Ann's works, a lot of hype surrounding it. I wanted that to die down and I didn't read any reviews before jumping in. I honestly was looking for some forbidden type angst in that way that she does so well. While it did have that, but I just don't feel as if it was her best. I didn't feel like the h was second best, which I think was a lot of people's worry with this book and the dead spouse/mother aspect - so there is that. The ending was a little lackluster too, but I've kind of come to expect that from her books at this point tbh 🤷🏻‍♀️ Overall, it was just okay for me.

[Yolanda | yolandaannmarie.reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
From Nowhere releases March 4, 2025

This is a workplace romance between an air tanker pilot and an aircraft mechanic, in which the single dad of a ten-year-old navigates dating for the first time after the death of his wife.

The chemistry between Ozzy and Maren was so awkward and they read like two young teenagers instead of adults in their mid-thirties. Sneaking in and out of your own home, crawling through bedroom windows, and hiding in bedroom closets, all for some dick? You couldn’t pay me to do that. Plus the way Ozzy could only commute with a bicycle only added to the illusion that he was too young to obtain a drivers license even though that wasn’t the case.
All of that juxtaposed with Lola’s eagerness to talk about her father’s sex life and her grandfather’s porn habits, yet needing to mouth the word “poop” before using the washroom had me in shambles!

I have no issues with parents or guardian figures responsibly having the sex talk with their child, but what I’m not okay with is reading about a ten-year-old girl walking into a shared living space in her own home and finding her grandfather getting off under a blanket to porn on their television.
Out of all the possible scenarios to depict a moment of parenting, and this is the route you choose?
I’m uncomfortable!!

Then, for Ozzy to pull the “my daughter’s mom died and she has trauma” card to get out of shoplifting condoms?? Bottom of the barrel! How can he tell his father-in-law that they “shouldn’t do things in this house that we’re unwilling to explain to the resident child” yet not even have the balls to be truthful about a box of condoms for the sex he’ll have NEXT DOOR to his daughter? Make it make sense.

“I feel like I have to make myself small to fit into his world.”
Girl, that’s such a red flag. Why are you buying a house with the intention of moving in with him and his daughter when he hasn’t even said “I love you” yet?

Don’t even get me started on the way Ozzy’s legally blind mother is written and how he’s so uncomfortable with the idea of her caring for his daughter…
“She’s lost most of her vision, which explains why her chin-length brown-and-gray hair is always ratted in the back and her button-down blouse is usually off by one or two buttons.”

[Berry ♡ Nice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!!

This story touched me in a positive way. In a thought-provoking way.
There's so much love within these pages, but there's also pain that must be overcome. And these character's journeys are not easy.

I absolutely loved the way Ozzy loved Lola (his daughter) gaaah!!! He is amazing.

Ozzy couldn't have found a better partner than Maren. They are soooo good together.

Jewel E Ann, keep writing, please!! Thank you

[Jess (GetbookedwithJessica) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I love Lola! The best single dad / daughter duo and their story is heartbreaking. Not only did you get all the great aspects of lightheartedness, but it also gives you the depth you need to have the full circle moments that make a story authentic.

The banter between Ozzy and Maren was pure perfection. And the sheer number of times they tried to hook up only to be interrupted had you wanting it even more for them in the end. Every time was a fun moment that made you feel like it was young love trying like sneaking around like those teenage years trying not to get caught.

From Nowhere shows us that sometimes there’s love worth fighting for. These two have to overcome fears, trauma, and how love can get you through some dark and unknown times. I love how Maren showed patience through all of it, but also becomes such a strong role model for Lola.

Just a wild ride with all the right pit stops leading to the final destination. I have learned to love Jewel to the 10th degree and this book is just another reason why!

Tropes:
- Single Dad
- Tragic past
- Firefighter Air Tanker Pilot x Aircraft Mechanic
- Workplace Romance
- Cinnamon Roll MMC
- Secret Romance

Thank you @authorjeweleann and @valentine_pr_ for my ARC, I’m obsessed with these stories❤️

[Shannon Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another swoon worthy romance by Jewel E. Ann! ❤️
I love the simplicity of her writing, but also the depth that she can create with the characters and plot. The dynamic with the characters in this book was super fun to read!

My only complaint was it seemed alittle insta love but still super good 😊 can’t wait to see what comes next!

[Books Wine and Besties · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re fueling my fire,” she whispers. “Every text. Every word. Every glance. Every touch.”
“Should I do something to extinguish you?” I smirk.
….”you should burn with me”