Books & Spoons Review: CONTROLLED BURN by Shannon Stacey

Rick Gullotti lives the good life. He fights fires, dates beautiful women—though none long enough so they cast wistful glances at jewelry stores—and has great friends. And thanks to helping out the elderly couple who own his building, his rent is low. But when concerns about their health lead him to contact their only son, his life starts getting away from him.

Jessica Broussard has no interest in leaving sunny San Diego or her cushy corner office for Boston, but her father—who happens to be her boss—dispatches her to deal with the grandparents she's never met. She's unprepared for the frigid winter, loving relatives who aren't the monsters she's been led to believe, and the hot, scruffy firefighter who lives upstairs.

At first, Jessica is determined to get back to her comfortable life as quickly as possible. All she has to do is talk her grandparents into selling their monstrosity of a house and moving to a retirement community. But she underestimates Rick's dedication—and his considerable charm. Nobody's taking advantage of his friends on his watch, even if that makes the tempting southern California girl with the long legs his adversary. Unfortunately for them both, the only thing more urgent than the matter at hand is their sizzling chemistry, and it's quickly becoming too strong to resist.

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​Another charming and delightful firefighter romance from Shannon Stacey in the Boston Fire Series.
It is easy to like this story, and let it sweep you away, with the adorable family of heart, the brotherhood of the firefighters, cold Boston winter, and the sizzling romance between Rick and Jessica are all valid points to enjoy it.
The author clearly knows a lot about the daily life of firefighters. The daily challenges, triumphs and trials of the job. The dangers as well as the satisfaction of a job well done, the expectations of the community at large, and the community of firefighters, the feelings and the solidarity of the tight knit family they form, was so well described to the readers.
Joe and Marie are fantastic, I love them. They are honest, straight shooters, caring, and genuine people. The relationship they have with Rick is something so special, something to be treasured, and something that tells a lot about what kind of man Rick is. 
Jessica was the odd ball for me in this story. I understand her father wasn't very emotionally stable, I guess you could say, and that Jessica can come off a bit cold. Her relationship with her father was the oddity, just didn't sound like a woman in her mid thirties, not standing up to her father before, having the difficult conversations with him earlier in life. 
But when she is with Rick, she is a different person, the chemistry between them is churning, she is filled with wit and passion, despite the freezing weather outside, they are burning up the scenes. There's several completely swoon worthy scenes, that made me sigh, and at least as many where I was chuckling aloud. I loved how they had to build part of the relationship over the long distance affair, giving them time to really get to know each other by long talks on the phone, with no distractions. Yes, those two won my heart completely. 
This is a story I can definitely recommend, it will warm up your heart with the sweet  moments, heat up the pages with smoldering passion, and make you look at the hockey jerseys in a new way. 
Just a 'don't do it at home', or while travelling, advice to you all... If you already checked your luggage at the airport, and then for whatever reason decide you are not travelling after all, take care of your luggage first, before leaving the airport. Please. The chances of the airplane leaving without you, but with your luggage, is just about 0%, and there's other people sitting on the hot airplane, waiting for the airline to fix the matter, and might end up being late for the connecting flight. Yes, I have experience of this...
But the story itself, that was pure fun and romantic entertainment! 
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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