Kristie J’s review of Fully Ignited (Boston Fire, Book 3) by Shannon Stacey
Contemporary Romance published by Carina Press 01 Mar 16
Sadly, this one wasn’t really fully ignited for me. While I love Shannon Stacey’s writing, every so often I come across a dud where I haven’t enjoyed it but others have.
I didn’t really ‘feel’ either Jamie or Scott, and when I can’t really get into their characters, the book suffers from it. There isn’t anything wrong with them exactly and I fully understand the next reader may totally get them. As judging by the number of much higher graded reviews, in fact, it looks like they do.
Something else I’m uncomfortable with is the supervisor/supervisee roles of the two. I’m always somewhat uncomfortable when there is a boss and employee love relationship – of either gender, whether she’s the boss or he’s the boss. For me it makes it an unequal partnership.
They are both okay characters, but that’s about it for me. Scott is a reformed dog, looking to settle down with one woman and hopefully have a family. He is looking for someone who is willing to stay home and raise their children. He’s a firefighter and makes enough money. As I think stay-at-home mothers are just as valuable as working mothers, I’m very good with what he is looking for. And to me, Jamie just isn’t it. She loves her job and has worked hard to get where she is, and there’s nothing wrong with that either. She’s a career woman. Once they get past the boss/employee issue, this is their main conflict.
Scott gives in and says he is good with her continuing to work if they have children. But a very large part of me also hopes they never do. If it was just going to stay the two of them, then I would be okay with their mutual decision. But once they bring in children, that changes things. Feminists unite and stone me, but with her wholehearted dedication to her job, I think she would make a lousy mother. She doesn’t really seem to give a rat’s ass if she has a dangerous job and her children lose their mother due to an accident. At least she would have died doing something she loves, and I take a total different view of this. When you have children, they become your number one priority, not a job. And since Scott is also a fire fighter, there is a possibility that said potential child/children could lose both parents in a bad fire.
I honestly don’t see this relationship lasting. I think they are just blinded by lust since there is a very large gap between staying at home with children and doing a potentially very dangerous job.
Because of these issues, alas, this one is not a keeper for me.
Grade: C-
Summary:
When Jamie Rutherford takes a temporary assignment as lieutenant of Boston Fire’s Engine 59, she doesn’t anticipate any problems. She’s been in the fire service for a long time and, even though she’s fairly new to Boston, she knows how to make any firehouse her home. What she’s not prepared for is her reaction to firefighter Scott Kincaid.
Scott is looking for a wife. It’s been a fun ride as a single guy, but he’s tired of being the third wheel, and nearly losing his brother-in-law finally made him realize just how much he wants a family of his own. When the new guy at the firehouse turns out to be a capable, confident and very attractive woman, his plan is completely derailed.
Hooking up with a fellow firefighter has never been part of Jamie’s plan, but she’s tempted by Scott—even though getting involved with him could tarnish the reputation she’s worked so hard for. And Scott can’t stop thinking about Jamie, despite the fact that she’s his superior and not sticking around. Chemistry can crush the best-laid plans, though, and while Jamie and Scott might not be each other’s future…there’s no resisting the right now.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
