Wild Heat (Hot Shots: Men of Fire Book 1)

After reading the first 7 Sullivan books I was looking for more from Bella. This firefighters series caught my eye and did not disappoint. The story kept my kindle burning almost straight through and I can't wait to read number 2.

Bella Andre always delivers and this book was no disappointment. The story of Maya and Logan was go good and the story surrounding the rest of The Hotshots that I found it hard to stop reading. I've already ordered the other two books in the series and can't wait to get started on these books.

Bella Andre always delivers and this book was no disappointment. The story of Maya and Logan was go good and the story surrounding the rest of The Hotshots that I found it hard to stop reading. I've already ordered the other two books in the series and can't wait to get started on these books.

I love Bella' s stories.....just wish there was a longer timeline till they fell in love. Five days is just too quick and unrealistic....takes away from the believability for me....but I always love Bella books....keep on writing;)

I had a hard time finishing this book because the way it portrayed wildland fire fighters was not reality. It portrayed the hot shot crew taking risks as being normal. There are 10 Standard Fire Fighting rules that all fire fighting personnel are expected to follow, bottom line if a fire fighter ends up in a fire shelter or gets burned over they have failed to follow the 10 Standard orders. While Hot Shot crews are the most experienced and best trained crews they are not except in a very small fire in charge of fighting the fire. They are one of the many resources that are deployed to suppress the fire.

Firemen are so very hot. Unexplained fires have brought suspicion to Tahoe. Maya plans to investigate the fires and the death of her brother also a firefighter. Logan is her prime suspect and also the guy she slept with six months ago. The fires crank up the pressure as the arsonist tries to kill Maya and Logan.

Hotshots or Hotshot Crew is an elite group of highly trained wildland firefighters. They respond to the largest, highest-priority fires. The hero of this story, Logan Cain, is a leader of one of these crews located in Tahoe Pines. He and his crew are in the middle of putting out a raging fire set by an arsonist. They think it's under control, but something goes terribly wrong.

The heroine, Maya Jackson, works for Cal Fire investigating arson. A few months ago, she'd lost her brother to a fire set by an arsonist. The two met in one night when Maya was at her lowest. After their encounter brief, she never expected to see the man again. Her mission then was to find the arsonist that killed her brother. It still is.

As fate would have it, an investigation sends her back to Tahoe Pines and the man she was to investigate is none other than Logan Cain. What was between them isn't over no matter how much Maya tries to deny it. When someone tries to kill her, she thinks it's the person who murdered her brother. The question is could that person be Logan?

Normally I don't warm up to a book that has a sex scene so soon into the story, but the way Maya was grieving, she wanted to forget. Her primary reason for going into the bar was to get wasted, but then she met Logan who was so handsome. The connection with him made her forget her pain and her loneliness. No sooner was it over, she realize the mistake and left. The scene was well done and not graphic. It's later, when the two get together again, the fire between them heats up to an explosive level with a couple of serious "whoa" moments.

What I enjoyed more was the action and suspense. I found myself racing through the book just to find out who the arsonist was. The story was seriously intense up until the arsonist was revealed. Simply said, I didn't buy it. Other than the ending, I thought this was a fantastic read. I look forward to more books written by Bella Andre!

Even though this book was published in 2009, a great book like "Wild Heat" never goes out of style. With an arsonist on the loose, Maya the arson investigator, and Logan the hotshot leading his crews to fight the fires, you just know this is going to be an explosive combination. Bella Andre tells stories like no other and this one will keep you guessing. Full of suspense, romance, a bit of sadness at times, fast paced and a HEA for Logan and Maya, this is a must read for romantic suspense readers. 4.5 Stars!

Maya' s rookie fireman brother died in a Lake Tahoe apartment fire six months earlier and she refuses to accept the fire's cause as accidental. Then as a Cal fire arson investigator, she is assigned to investigate the origin and cause of the forrest fire raging on the outskirts of Tahoe. The primary suspect, Logan, is a seasoned Hot Shot with a secret past and a magnetic presence. She places him on suspension while she looks into the evidence against him. Then shortly after her arrival, someone sets fire to her motel room and leaves a personal note threatening her. Evidence against Logan increases, yet Maya' s instincts tell her he is one of the good guys. And it becomes clear the actual arsonist is a long way from being done with both of them. This is a very engaging book. I recommend it and will reread it.

The Hotshots Series:

Wild Heat

Hot As Sin (Coming Nov. 24, 2009)

Action, mystery, romance, hot love scenes, ultra hot men... Bella Andre included them all in this book. I'm very happy to have found a new author I like. Andre's first book in her firefighter series is packed with adrenaline. Her heroine is smart and independent, without being TSTL. (For newer readers, TSTL = Too Stupid To Live/Like/Love) Her hero is strong, sexy, loyal to his fellow firefighters, brave in the face of possible death, and thoroughly in love with his woman. ~Sigh~ I want one.

For 15 years, Logan has been fighting wild fires in the mountainous terrain of Lake Tahoe. For 12 of those years, he has been the leader of the firefighting team known as the "hotshots". When fires break out in the vast acres of forest land, the hotshots stand between the flames and the innocent lives of the citizens. Logan takes personal responsibility for making sure none of his men are harmed is the process.

Tragedy strikes when a fire explodes in the Lake Tahoe forest. At first, the hotshots think it is just another job. When fire happens, they do what it takes to put an end to it. However, this fire is spreading and rebreaking before their eyes. Someone is setting more fires to thwart the efforts of the firefighters. Logan's men face danger like never before. Just when his team needs him most, a representative of Cal Fire arson investigations has arrived on the scene. She claims to have received anonymous tips that point the finger at Logan.

Maya Jackson is in a tough spot. The man she has been sent to suspend from his firefighting duties is the same one she had a small tryst with 6 months ago. Determined not to let her personal feelings interfere, she suspends Logan and sets her sights on finding the evidence to prove either his guilt or innocence.

Logan doesn't know whether to kiss Maya or hate her. One thing is for certain, he needs to be leading his men. Whatever he has to do, he's going to find the real arsonist. In the few days since the fire broke, two of his men have been hospitalized. Whoever is starting the fires is going to pay.

While working side by side to solve the mystery, Logan and Maya have no choice but to put their trust in one another. The more Logan risks his own life to save others, the more confident Maya is that he could never have started the fires. More than ever, she is willing to risk everything to prove his innocence.

I loved the characters in this book. As strong and independent as Maya is, she is also smart enough to let more qualified people handle risky tasks. When someone needs to go into the fire area to collect evidence, she allows Logan to "suit up" and go collect it for her. She hates sending him into danger, but knows that he is a far better choice for the job because he has been trained for it. Many authors would have had their heroine insist on going into the fire with him. That sort of thing always makes me roll my eyes. Bella Andre made her characters "real". They felt fear, got hurt, made tough decisions that made sense, showed vulnerability, joked around when tension needed to be released... Great writing from a new author.

Why 4 stars instead of 5???
There were a few times in the story when things didn't make sense...
People could be sitting in chairs, with a big desk between them... suddenly they are standing face to face without ever moving to get there.
In another scene, Maya is forced to jump into a backyard pool and stay there for about 15 minutes. Her cell phone is in her pants pocket. In the next scene, she pulls the phone out and makes a call. The author seemed to forget that the phone would have been destroyed.

Other than these editing problems, "Wild Heat" was a terrific read. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Here is the link:

Hot as Sin: A Novel

Grieving the death of her brother Hotshot firefighter Tony, Maya Jackson is in Lake Tahoe seeking to bring her sibling's killer to justice, but officially his death was caused by an accidental fire. Additionally, Maya's firefighting father is dying from cancer caused by decades of smoke inhalation. Desperately needing a drink, she stops at the closed Tahoe Pines Bar and Grill where the bartender serves her. They end up having sex before she flees. Wildland firefighter Logan Cain wants her again, but her weeping shook him.

Six months later in Desolation Wilderness near Tahoe, Logan and the McKenzie brothers flee for their lives from an out of control fire set by an arsonist. He fears his mentor retired firefighter Joseph Kellerman may have lit the fire as the elderly man is starting to lose his mind. Cal Fire arson investigator Maya is nearby ready to begin inquiries into this inferno. The evidence points towards Logan. She watches him and one of the brothers save the life of the other sibling.

Maya informs Logan he is suspended and under suspicion when she recognizes him. He is irate as he has a job to do, but vows to protect Joseph. He asks her about six months ago, but she responds she can do the job in spite of their connection. Someone tries to kill Maya with the evidence pointing at Logan. As they fall in love, she does not want anything to do with a firefighter especially one she believes is a killer-arsonist; he needs to persuade her otherwise.

Readers will feel they are working alongside the Hotshot firefighters as we feel the WILD HEAT and danger they face. The admirable lead couple cares about others as well as one another; although Logan turns super-stud when he is hurt in a bad vehicle explosion, but instead of obtaining medical help and notifying police, he has sex with Maya. With a strong arsonist subplot even with a final spin feeling off kilter, fans will appreciate Bella Andre's exciting romantic suspense tribute to firefighters.

Harriet Klausner