Books & Spoons Review: Fire Away by R.L. Syme

When two people fall for the same cupcake, more than tempers flare...

Claire Milton moves back to Somewhere, TX with her life in shambles. She lost her job, her savings, and the support of her parents. But she has an idea that will put everything back on track. And she needs Meg Klein's help. The MatchBaker. When Claire attends her scheduled taste-testing at Meg's Bakery in Old Town Somewhere, TX, she doesn't expect to have company, let alone her first crush.

And what a crush he was.

Strapping fireman, town sports hero, all around hunky and currently quite single. So what is Aidan doing at a wedding cake tasting?

Captain Aidan Conley doesn't get out much. He's been mostly in limbo, trying to avoid the town gossips who only want to talk about him and his late wife. When doing his sister a favor puts him in the path of Claire Milton, his high school best friend, he can't stop thinking about how much he wants to kiss her. But when a cold case at the fire house puts his career in jeopardy and Claire is the only person standing between him and a life sentence, he has to put his feelings aside and fight for his life.

But a fireman who knows entirely too much about how to investigate fires must be under suspicion when his wife dies suddenly in a house fire. Even if they were the happiest couple on earth. So when Claire discovers evidence that they weren't as happy as they seem and it casts a light on Aidan she doesn't want to admit, she has to choose between her resurfacing feelings and her own safety..

---

Review:

Anxiety and tension rises, when ten year old murder case has been taken under a fresh investigation. Intriguing setup and start on the story pulled me in. There's tension and jitters at the cake tasting that's unexpected. And soon as the story unfolds, secrets are brought into the daylight, more questions answered, the reasons for all the angst starts to make sense.
Aidan is a stand up guy, a hero firefighter, who feels like an outcast in his hometown, only going there to work, keeping to himself and to the neighboring town to avoid the gossip of his late wife's death.
Claire is having a rough time in her life, and came to visit relatives in her old hometown. Her unrequited childhood love towards her best friend, and brother-in-law, has kept her away from relationships, and from the town.
As soon as Aidan and Claire has a chance to sit down and make acquaintance, Aidan is arrested for the ten year old murder of his wife, Claire's sister.
Claire's faith in Aidan's innocence is infectious, but if Aidan is not the killer, who is. Claire and Aidan starts take a closer look into the past, and nothing seems as they thought it was. On the hunt for the truth, they don't know who to trust. There's something very sinister with the sheriff's department, and more people from the force might be entangled with the crime, than no one knew before.
The connection between Aidan and Claire is strong, the pull immediate. The mental connection of high school best friends is there, but now mixed with the strongest of attractions. The build up of the relationship between them is great, but the ending comes quickly, and I had hopes for more insights. I appreciated Aidan's maturity and insights for the past events, being able to look back and understand the reasons for them. 
The story is a quick, enjoyable read, with mysteries to solve, plenty of suspects and culprits to choose from, mixed with burning heat, and lots of emotions between the hero and heroine.
~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side