3 Stars
This first story in the Ellery Mountain series follows firefighter Max and cop Finn as they meet under extenuating circumstances and fall instantly into lust with one another.
There isn’t much to the plot, with a small mystery surrounding the identity and motives of the firebug that began the fire that introduces Max and Finn. The reveal of which was a bit ridiculous and fairly unrealistic, but seeing as the whole story had a fast paced feel, with limited character or plot development, I basically focused on the sweetness of the characters and their blossoming romance, and the potential for further stories within the series.
This book may be 4 years old, but I actually think I’ve read it too soon. You see, the revised/newly edited edition is coming out in May (2017) and I didn’t know about this re-release until I was more than halfway through reading. I now wish I’d waited because, yes, the older version I just read was rife with grammatical errors, with words missing, characters names being interchanged willy nilly, and even the odd use of British spelling in a book that is set in rural Tennessee. Generally, I can brush these niggles aside, but unfortunately it did detract from my overall enjoyment.
And can I just ask who the new (blue) cover models are meant to be? Sure, they are a damn good step up from the original creepsters on the yellowish cover, but if Max is the blonde (which he must be), then why is Finn the older gentlemen on the left? Finn is meant to be all young, slender and pretty, with green eyes that shine for miles, but this guy is clearly older and all rugged. It’s just off.
Overall, despite my minor issues, this was a sweet story, featuring a cast of likeable characters. I look forward to reading more about the Ellery Mountain men at a later date.