Veena’s review of Wild Heat (Northern Fire, Book 1) by Lucy Monroe
Contemporary Romance published by Hachette Book Club 28 Apr 15
Ms. Monroe has been a long-time favorite author and I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into her new contemporary second chance at romance set in Alaska. Tack has been in love with Kitty all his life, starting from when they were in kindergarten together, but she broke his heart when she moved on and married someone else. Now she’s newly divorced, looks traumatized, and is back in his hometown. Is there a second chance for their romance? More importantly, does Tack even want the second chance?
Tack is a rugged outdoorsman who grew up in Alaska and now makes his living in the great outdoors that he loves, providing wilderness tours. He’s put behind his youthful love and now enjoys the tour groupies. In fact, his partners in the business say he has more cruise miles based on the amount of time he’s spent in the staterooms on those cruise ships than the passengers themselves. Kitty’s return and the haunted look on her face, along with comments from one of her aunts, clues Tack in to some of the unpleasant facts about Kitty’s marriage.
Under the watchful eyes of family and friends, the two begin to rebuild the threads of their friendship. I love how Tack researches into details about abuse and eating disorders and gently handles their families, while trying to help restore Kitty to the once vibrant woman she had been. There are just so many sweet, tender moments, like when he brings her pictures of wild flowers to add to her wild flower bouquets or making her the right kinds of foods to tempt her or helping deflect well-meaning friends and family.
It’s a refreshing change to read a sweet, romantic story with no murder mystery or other diversions, except the ex-husband as a distant villain. There’s the strong family element between her aunts and his family, as well as the very public nature of life in a small community where everyone knows your business. The emotional elements between Tack’s journey at letting go of his resentment and deep-seated anger with Kitty and the understanding of her motivations is what raises the story out of the humdrum and makes it a compelling read.
I absolutely love the end where Tack has to get a strong jolt of reality from his cousin to kick him out of his inertia, and then, of course, there’s no stopping the man once he’s decided his course. A delightful start to a new series, which I’m looking forward to seeing evolve.
Grade: A
Summary:
Sometimes old flames are the hottest of all . . .
In the quaint little town of Cailkirn, Alaska, it’s impossible to keep a secret, especially one as juicy as the unexpected return of Kitty Grant. Tack MacKinnon remembers her wild red curls and even wilder spirit—and still feels the sting from when she shattered his heart in college. But there’s a pain in Kitty’s gorgeous eyes that guts him to the core and Tack is determined to do whatever it takes to see the woman he still loves smile again—even if it means taking on her demons as his own.
After fleeing an abusive ex-husband, Kitty decides that the best way to heal her broken heart is to come back home. But she gets a whole new shock when she sees how undeniably sexy Tack has become. More handsome, more muscular, more charming—more everything—he’s impossible to resist. Before she knows it, they’re reigniting sparks that could set the whole state of Alaska on fire. Yet trust doesn’t come easy to Kitty anymore, and as things heat up between her and Tack, she can’t help but wonder if one of them is going to get burned . . .
