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American Heroes: The Firefighters #2
Flashback
Firefighter Aidan Donnelly has always battled the flames with trademark icy calm. That is, until a blazing old flame returns--in the shape of sizzling soap star Mackenzie Stafford! Aidan wants to pour water over the unquenchable heat between them. But that just creates more steam....Kenzie is not the delicate, fragile female she looks like. She has one clear objective, and nothing will stand in the way of her goal--well, nothing but the red-hot touch of a certain dangerously sexy fireman, that is!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2008
109 people are currently reading
779 people want to read
About the author
Jill Shalvis
386 books13.8k followersJill Shalvis is a NYT, USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of small-town romance and romcoms, known for big feels, found family, and plenty of shenanigans.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
May 23, 2009
Very nice! Not so good as Flashpoint, the 1st book in this miniseries, but quite enjoyable. Now... Where can I get a firefighter of my own? ;)
July 5, 2009
4 ½ stars - Romantic Suspense
A quick, spicy, fun read featuring a firefighter as sexy as all-get-out, an independent soap opera actress ex-flame, smoking between the sheets action, and an arsonist on the loose adding some mystery and suspense...what's not to love? And although it's a Harlequin Blaze story (meaning short and steamy), it's got a well-developed plot and Jill Shalvis pens realistic dialogue. It's a fast read featuring a hot firefighter that is sure to heat you up! 4 ½ stars!
For reference, here is the correct series order:
Flashpoint
Flashback
Heating Up The Holidays
A quick, spicy, fun read featuring a firefighter as sexy as all-get-out, an independent soap opera actress ex-flame, smoking between the sheets action, and an arsonist on the loose adding some mystery and suspense...what's not to love? And although it's a Harlequin Blaze story (meaning short and steamy), it's got a well-developed plot and Jill Shalvis pens realistic dialogue. It's a fast read featuring a hot firefighter that is sure to heat you up! 4 ½ stars!
For reference, here is the correct series order:
Flashpoint
Flashback
Heating Up The Holidays
September 10, 2019
Gaisrai nesibaigia, kaip ir aistros. "Sena meilė nerūdija" - sako išmintis, kuo įsitikins ir Eidanas su Kenze, kurie turi savo trumpą praeitį. Dar vienas ugningas gaisrininkas šį kartą su aktore. O kartu ir istorijos tęsinys apie padegimus. Ugningai karšta ir minidetektyviška, tarp visų audrų.
August 27, 2018
This one was ok. Second chance romance between the couple, amidst a bit of suspense.
Good points:
They have crazy chemistry and the sex scenes are hot.
They are trying to catch an arsonist, which they do so in the end, so not a cliffhanger.
Good points:
They have crazy chemistry and the sex scenes are hot.
They are trying to catch an arsonist, which they do so in the end, so not a cliffhanger.
April 14, 2009
Another hot one...
This book adds to the story begun in Flashpoint. The arsonist still seems to be at work even though the suspected arsonist, Blake, is dead. Blake's sister, Mackenzie, is in town to prove his innocence. Her only problem is firefighter Aidan Donnelly. He broke her heart six years before and now she is determined to get revenge.
Read Flashpoint first and then read this one...follow this one up with Heating Up the Holidays for Cristina and Dustin's story (it is the first in the anthology).
This book adds to the story begun in Flashpoint. The arsonist still seems to be at work even though the suspected arsonist, Blake, is dead. Blake's sister, Mackenzie, is in town to prove his innocence. Her only problem is firefighter Aidan Donnelly. He broke her heart six years before and now she is determined to get revenge.
Read Flashpoint first and then read this one...follow this one up with Heating Up the Holidays for Cristina and Dustin's story (it is the first in the anthology).
August 8, 2011
When Firefighter Aidan Donnelly is called out to another fire, her never expects to be rescueing the one that got away from a burning boat. Mackenzie Stafford was the one woman who got under his skin, and when he couldn't figure out where he wanted it to lead, he walked away. Years later Kenzie has not forgot he broke her heart and vows not to let it happen again.
I was really disappointed in this one, kind of all over the map.
I was really disappointed in this one, kind of all over the map.
January 31, 2015
No one writes characters better than Jill Shalvis. They slip into your heart from the first paragraph. This is book 2 of the Firefighters dualogy, and you'll want to read Flashpoint, which is #1, first to get the whole story.
September 7, 2020
It was ok, but i started to really despise the heroine. I know she wants answers but she steals and manipulates to get what she wants. Determined to break the heaqrt of the person she once loved. I get she wants payback but doing the same thing he did to her is a bit childish tbh
August 9, 2015
Another hunky hero written by Jill Shalvis. Hot sexy read with hot firefighter. Yummmmmm! What more could a girl want? Good pacing and interesting story. Yes, there is a story here!
June 21, 2015
3.5*
March 13, 2022
2/5- this was pretty terrible which was surprising consider Jill Shalvis is typically a solid read. The arson plotline was so bizarrely done and there was nothing convincing about FMC and MMC except this history. I kept trying to figure out the mechanics of the final scene - how did the explosion get them to the ground from the roof without any damage?? I was much more invested in the like 10th subplot of Christina and Devin so I will give that a chance.
November 8, 2025
3.5 rounded up for all the fire content. He responds to a boat fire only to realize it’s the woman he walked away from out of fear 6 years earlier. She’s back in town to try and figure out who the arsonist is to prove that her brother, who died in a fire, wasn’t the arsonist. Also? He FEASTS and the ratio is 2:1. Shalvis knows the job.
Tropes: second chance, co-worker’s sister, small town gossip mill
Tropes: second chance, co-worker’s sister, small town gossip mill
February 15, 2018
Love the firefighters 😃
Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite writers. She has a way of developing characters that seem like real people. I want to be friends with these people. I want to live in their world's. This book has a lot of suspense which I really like. Now I have to read the other one that goes with it!!!
Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite writers. She has a way of developing characters that seem like real people. I want to be friends with these people. I want to live in their world's. This book has a lot of suspense which I really like. Now I have to read the other one that goes with it!!!
January 28, 2020
In a way, I enjoyed Aiden and Kenzie's story better than Zach and Brooke's, but I thought that there was a little too much steaminess. Aside from that, the mystery of the arsonist continued on from book 1, and that kept me engaged. The description of Aiden's house, interestingly enough was maybe the most memorable part of this book. I'd like to live there!
June 4, 2018
Firefighter and actress. 'He broke her heart many years ago and now that he sees her again he knows he screwed up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2020
Great
I like this book because it kept you interested in finding out who was behind what was going on. Totally interesting
I like this book because it kept you interested in finding out who was behind what was going on. Totally interesting
September 17, 2020
HBZ #416 = 3+ stars
June 15, 2024
2.75 cuz…I don’t know what I read. Lol 🙂↔️🤣🤣
January 9, 2021
Second chance romance with a suspense sub-plot. This picks up where the last story left off with one of their own team being accused of arson and dying in a fire. This hits Aidan pretty hard since it was his best friend. It hits even harder when Aidan ends up rescuing his friend's sister, Kenzie, from her brother's yacht. These two have a history, since back in the day, she gave him her virginity and her heart and he freaked out, not ready for a commitment and dumped her. Now, Kenzie isn't quite so ready to forgive...not the heartbreak and not the fact that these supposed friends actually believe her brother is guilty. She's going to prove her brother is innocent and break Aidan's heart in the process. But this time around, Aidan isn't so afraid of commitment, and he'll let Kenzie do whatever makes her happy...even exact her revenge.
The suspense plot ended up making this story because the second chance romance wasn't quite strong enough to carry it. Don't get me wrong, there is PLENTY of angst and tension between them. Kenzie has a serious case of bitterness towards Aidan though she can't resist him physically, and Aidan owns up to the fact that he didn't behave the greatest back in the day. I would have liked to see him actually suffer more because it never really felt like Kenzie broke his heart...also maybe for doubting her brother and his supposed best friend. The suspense part of this is pretty exciting. Yachts exploding, continuing arsons, suspicious investigators, mysterious tips and phone calls...good stuff. And the bit of a twist there at the end was pretty good and mostly unexpected. I enjoyed reading this. So far it's my favorite of the series.
The suspense plot ended up making this story because the second chance romance wasn't quite strong enough to carry it. Don't get me wrong, there is PLENTY of angst and tension between them. Kenzie has a serious case of bitterness towards Aidan though she can't resist him physically, and Aidan owns up to the fact that he didn't behave the greatest back in the day. I would have liked to see him actually suffer more because it never really felt like Kenzie broke his heart...also maybe for doubting her brother and his supposed best friend. The suspense part of this is pretty exciting. Yachts exploding, continuing arsons, suspicious investigators, mysterious tips and phone calls...good stuff. And the bit of a twist there at the end was pretty good and mostly unexpected. I enjoyed reading this. So far it's my favorite of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2010
Bam! What a beginning for a book! Action right away with Aidan having to save his ex-girlfriend Kenzie from a boat fire.
I would highly recommend reading the 1st book in this series "Flashpoint" to be able to follow along with the story line. It continues the story of a fire department looking for an arsonist. Aidan and Kenzie were great characters and the renewal of their relationship was played out great.
The regret Aidan had over ending the relationship with Kenzie when they were younger felt real and I liked how she said she was going to stay with for a little while until she broke his heart. The sex scene where she makes him beg was a delightful little bonus also.
Usually with short stories I feel unsatisfied but the author wrapped up everything nicely here. Along with the first book this would be a great series to read if you wanted something short, sweet, and some suspenseful action.
B
I would highly recommend reading the 1st book in this series "Flashpoint" to be able to follow along with the story line. It continues the story of a fire department looking for an arsonist. Aidan and Kenzie were great characters and the renewal of their relationship was played out great.
The regret Aidan had over ending the relationship with Kenzie when they were younger felt real and I liked how she said she was going to stay with for a little while until she broke his heart. The sex scene where she makes him beg was a delightful little bonus also.
Usually with short stories I feel unsatisfied but the author wrapped up everything nicely here. Along with the first book this would be a great series to read if you wanted something short, sweet, and some suspenseful action.
B
September 24, 2011
I have tried to get interested in this. I think the problem is that I'm in a reading funk and can't settle. What I've read is good - don't think that I didn't like it. I'm just not into it. I think I'll carry it around in my purse and use it for filler when I'm waiting for a doctor visit or stuck in traffic. I really like Jill's work and I LOVE her blogs. They lady is funny. And she can really write a book. UPDATE - I finished the book and it was good. I didn't see the climax of the story as it was but still enjoyed it. Jill Shalvis is always good for a quick read.
November 10, 2010
Flashback and Flashpoint by Jill Shalvis (both) - C. These are 2 Harlequin Blaze's from 2008 set in fictional Santa Rey California and based on characters from Fire Station #34. I enjoyed the romance aspect (who doesn't love a hot, sexy, firefighter?) but was impatient with the suspense plot involving a serial arsonist, which spread across both books (which doesn't really make sense, especially in the case of the second book because it was kind of integral to the relationship but still...)
September 4, 2014
I really enjoy Jill Shalvis's books. This was the second book of her fireman trilogy. I think you would definitely benefit by reading the first book for the over-arching storyline, but the main characters from the first book aren't even really seen in this one. Shalvis has an amazing way of writing dialogue and making the reader understand the plot in such a short book. I've read a few duds lately so it was a great contrast and refreshing to read a well put together book.
May 17, 2013
Yah, I was in the mood and read this whole thing in one day. The characters were ones I enjoyed with a bit more of characters from the previous book in the series. It also continued on with a mystery from the first book that I sort of thought was solved but wasn't. And I had just watched Chicago Fire too. It all made for hot feelings. And I just love Jill Shalvis. She knows how to write to grab my emotions of all kinds. And I can trust her not to shatter my heart completely.
March 14, 2014
A smoking hot quick read that follows Flash point but doesn't disappoint! Aiden and Lexi are thrown back together after several years apart right from the get go when the former soap actress finds herself on a boat that's fully in flames! Aiden recognized her almost right away and his heart flipped flopped as the memories can rushing back. Follow Aiden and Lexi through their heartbreaking memories and enjoy the smokin heat as they face adventure, deception, and even ghosts?!
November 30, 2014
4.5 stars
Six years of being able to walk away and then she walks right back in, throwing his life into chaos. On top of that his friend is accused of arson which really doesn't make sense, but it is under investigation. Getting mixed to find out the truth has already gotten one person hurt, but did it kill another. Can his heart survive the onslaught of her being here, getting into trouble and trying to keep he safe? great read, hihgly recommended
Six years of being able to walk away and then she walks right back in, throwing his life into chaos. On top of that his friend is accused of arson which really doesn't make sense, but it is under investigation. Getting mixed to find out the truth has already gotten one person hurt, but did it kill another. Can his heart survive the onslaught of her being here, getting into trouble and trying to keep he safe? great read, hihgly recommended
December 18, 2015
2nd book in the firefighters series. Its about Aiden the firefighter and Kenzie his brother firefighters sister. They were a couple years ago before she joined a soap opera in LA. After her brother Blake is presumed dead in an arson fire he was involved in Kenzie 's soap opera career has ended, and she comes back to Santa Rey to mourn Blake and prove he's innocent. Aiden rescues Kenzie when Blake's boat explodes when she happened to be on it.
August 31, 2010
Some good, some okay. Fairly typical Blaze offering with some decent story, some steamy action, and too short to do justice to the characters or the plot. ;-) Not as good as Shalvis' recent Blaze books, but a fun way to spend an afternoon. One comment: the "reveal" was clunky and not very believable. Shalvis doesn't usually do that, so I forgive this one.
July 28, 2012
I love this book. It took me longer than it should have to complete because RL got in the way. Darn obligations! I also just noticed that this was book 100 for my reading challenge for the year!! What a great book to hit that number with!!
**SPOILER**
I am so glad that Blake was cleared! I felt for all those that were affected.
**SPOILER**
I am so glad that Blake was cleared! I felt for all those that were affected.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews