Contemporary Romance published by Yarros Ink, Inc. 26 Apr 22
It’s always nice when you take a chance on a new author, love the first book of theirs you read, hope the next however many you dig into are just as good, and then discover your hope is right on the money. Rebecca Yarros is one of those authors for me. Her books are now right up there with my all-time favorites for whom I anxiously await every release day.
When I decided to read this book, I didn’t know it’s part of a series. You don’t have to have read the first two, though, to get lost in the lives of Knox and Harper. He’s her big brother’s best friend, and she’s on the list of keep your hands off my little sister. Harper has been in love with Knox forever. He has the same feelings, but he keeps them hidden for the sake of all the relationships involved. Seven years have passed since their one and only kiss, each going their own way, seeing each other only when necessary. Things, however, have now changed.
Harper needs Knox’s help and he doesn’t hesitate to give it. Her friend was just killed in an auto accident, leaving two little boys who don’t truly understand what has happened to their lives. Harper steps up to give them a temporary home – in Knox’s house, because her apartment is flooded and won’t be ready in time. So Harper, Liam and James move in, get settled into a routine, and that’s when Knox shows up on his own doorstep. In no time, both of these adults are so in love with those boys, they step up to the plate one more time to become adoptive parents when the kids’ father can’t be found.
While all of this is going on, the town’s premier firefighters, who lost their fathers in a devastating fire, are in the midst of training and re-organizing the legacy of their fallen. I really enjoyed those scenes during the training and then actual fires when they are called out to assist. They are up against more than mother nature and they handle it all admirably.
Then there’s the brothers, Liam and James. Their story is heart breaking and you hope against hope everything works out the best for them. As you do for Knox and Harper, because not all goes as well as you’d expect. But just when you think all between them is lost, I’m happy to say they finally work together to make everything right. Liam and James end up exactly where they should, and they all survive the heart-wrenching emotional ride they never saw coming.
Now that I know there are two previous books in this series, I will be reading them both very soon. Wonderful characters who will steal your heart in situations that make them stronger are the best reads, and Ms. Yarros is one of best to give readers that.
Grade: A
Summary:
“I’ll take them!”
That’s what I tell the social worker when my pre-k student and his baby brother need an emergency foster placement. I’ll do anything to keep the brothers from being split up. But my apartment’s flooded and there’s only one house I can take them to on such short notice…his.
Knox Daniels, my older brother’s best friend, offers his new place without hesitation. He’s not moving back to our tiny town until next month—that’s when all our hotshot firefighters are returning for their one and only chance to rebuild our fathers’ fallen, iconic crew.
It doesn’t matter that I’ve been silently in love with Knox since we were kids.
It can’t matter that we pretend that reckless prom night kiss never happened.
It won’t matter that my feelings for him could destroy his lifelong friendship with my brother and threaten the certification of their hotshot crew.
Because I’ll be out of his house long before he gets back.Except Knox just walked in…a month early.
And the icing on this awkward cake?
He’s gorgeous as always and I’m covered in baby puke.
He takes one look at the boys and tells me we can make this work—
We can temporarily fake a relationship to keep them from being separated by the system.Suddenly, everything matters.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
