Dinca’s review of Flashpoint by Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Blaze 1 Jul 08
Jill Shalvis defiantly lights a fire with this one. The sparks are flying from page one. I can’t believe the hammock the hero is lazing in doesn’t go up in flames when the heroine’s gaze lusted upon him. Talk about hot stuff.
The story is about Brooke O’Brian, who takes a temp job as an EMT with the Santa Rey Fire Department where Zack Thomas also works as a firefighter. The camaraderie and friendship are strong. The place runs like a winning team with all the players functioning at their best during an emergency call. But around the firehouse it’s more like an elementary school yard. They even give Brooke a nickname and refuse to call her anything else except ‘New Hire’.
Brooke has inherited a house from her grandmother she had never met. Her six-week temp job allows her the time to pack it all up before putting it on the market and moving on. During the packing up she runs across some old diaries of her grandmother that has her wishing she had known her. Since she’s never lived long in one place compliments of her wanderlust mother, she wonders what that would be like, to fit in and belong somewhere. More than the house and the diaries are making her feel that way. Zack is taking hold on her as well.
Zack Thomas does not do commitment. He doesn’t even know what it is when it comes to personal relationships. He’s committed to his job and his coworkers/friends. That’s all he knows. His parents died in a fire when he was young and his brother raised him until he turned eighteen, and then he moved to L.A. Since then he’s been on his own with no family ties. No commitments. He knows he wants a taste of Brooke, but will one taste be enough?
Zack suspects arson in several of the fires throughout the book. He thinks it’s a coverup and starts investigating on his own. The fire inspector, who Zach feels knows his job, keeps telling him to butt out. His boss also tells him the same — or his job is on the line. In every chapter I’m thinking it’s a different person, so I will let you wonder as I did. I was truly surprised at the ‘who done it’ in the end.
Ms. Shalvis has written a wonderful tale and I am glad I had the opportunity to read her work. This is my first of her books, but I can assure you I will look for the opportunity to read her work again.
Grade: A
See Sandy M’s review and Holly’s review.
Summary:
Zach Thomas risks his life battling flames every day. But since sexy EMT Brooke O’Brian joined the crew, he can’t resist playing with fire. Brooke is feisty, a little uptight…and sexy as hell. And as Zach soon discovers, she’s definitely hot stuff between the sheets. Still, every firefighter knows that the hotter the blaze, the faster the action’s over….
After the whirlwind ride Zach’s been taking her on, Brooke is ready to do anything for this man in and out of bed! But she knows footloose and fancy-free Zach doesn’t do commitment. So she plans to build up a five-alarm fire between them. The kind he won’t ever want to put out…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
