Books & Spoons Review: ALL WRAPPED UP by Kimberly Kincaid

Talk about a hot lead…

Christmas is coming to Pine Mountain—and it has a way of stirring up memories, good and bad. Nick Brennan may manage the Double Shot bar smooth as good whiskey, but his past is a hot mess. When he runs into a burning building to save a little boy, some people start thinking there’s more to his heroism than holiday spirit. And then the local reporter assigned to the story turns out to be gorgeous Ava Mancuso, the girl who got away.

Ava knows what it’s like to have a past. But the changes she’s seen in Nick since she knew him do more than set off her natural curiosity—his warm eyes and gruff charm have her instincts fired up. Still, all the chemistry in the world doesn’t erase history, even when Nick invites her to his little sister’s mistletoe wedding. Does he have a heart under all those secrets? Or is this going to be just another Christmas past?

---

---

The past Nick and Ava have together is filled with bittersweet memories. There are the best of times that they had together seven years ago, the love and adoration they had for each other for a glorious three months, but there's also the pain, and betrayal, Nick felt when Ava left without a word, the time Nick spent looking for her, and love that was lost without a good reason.
Now they are back in each other's life. And after a rocky start, everything goes so well, they have the connection that they had before, it is as fresh and vital as before. The chemistry is burning hot, the feelings inside are bubbling to get out, and the world is a little bit better place because they are in each others arms again.
But trust doesn't come easy, they both have a hard time opening up, communicating about their past, talking about events that changed their lives for good, sharing about the pain and sorrow hidden deep inside.
And as a reporter, Ava wants to show what she really feels about Nick, by telling the world his story, as it should be told. Ava's supervisor at the newspaper doesn't look at the world quite the same way as Ava does, and soon the well intended article turns into something else, something that could break the best thing ever happen to Ava and Nick.
I didn't understand why Ava couldn't be honest about her actions, about the newspaper article she was writing. She knew it wasn't right, since she had to hide it from Nick, so why not talk to him about it, and the reasons behind it.
Nick's secrets coming into light, no matter how or why, changed his life again, and I liked how the firehouse drama was handled.
The story is heartwarming, it is sizzling between Nick and Ava, they obviously belong together, and the relationship is believable. Communication seemed to be their downfall, and once again it was highlighted how important open and honest conversations between people are. A great way to end the Pine Mountain series, and move on to the firefighters at Fairview
~ Four Spoons