Books & Spoons Review for BURNING BOTH ENDS by Sinclair Jayne

Darington Knight has known a lot of loss in her twenty-six years. She can deal, so she resents it when the commander of her Montana smoke jumper unit sends her on a firefighter exchange program in Australia after her unit suffers a double tragedy. Hooking up with a sexy firefighter her first night Down Under improves Dare’s mood considerably until she realizes her hook up is now her station commander and he has a rule book as thick as her arm. 


Lachlan Ryker did not make senior station officer as a Melbourne Metropolitan firefighter by the time he was thirty by acting impulsively, but when he meets the sexy, brash American in his favorite pub, his by-the-book, measured approach to life gets kicked to the curb. He and Dare ignite one night of smoldering passion he can’t forget. But before he can call for a second date, Dare strolls into his station newly assigned to him for three months. Lock knows he has to keep his hands to himself. He never breaks the rules. Dare, however, never heard a rule she didn’t want to shatter.

---

These Aussie firefighters are stealing my heart and melting my Kindle, quite literally, actually.
Darington Knight was an interesting mix of a sensitive woman with broken heart and loud, impulsive, daredevil who didn't care for the rules (or for the safety). She lost her teenage love at the tender age of 16, and at times it seemed that her emotional development never recovered from the loss of her best friend at such young age. She had a lot of baggage, lot of brokenness inside her, issues she had to deal with, learn from, and move on from before she could embrace the new possibilities ahead of her. 
Lachlan Ryker was not without his own issues, but he was a mature man, he had raised his siblings after losing their parents, and recovered from a failed marriage. His kind heart, considerate mind, tender action, and adoration and desire of Dare were a beautiful thing to witness. The patience he showed to her, the understanding he had about her issues, fears, and problems, his humbleness and compassion just made me admire him even more. He was a true hero in so many different ways, easy to admire and like, even fall for.
The physical connection between Lachlan and Dare was hot, passionate, and lustful, the mental connection between them sweet and gentle. They were friends, co-workers, and lovers, and somehow managed to hold the balance well most of the time. I am assuming that the difference between American and Australian culture shows its head here with the fact that the fraternization was not that big of a deal, and accepted as long as things were working out for everyone.  
I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the fiery world they lived and loved in. There's a lot of push and pull and emotional immaturity from Dare in the story, a bit too much angst coming to the tale from her teenage years. 
I understand that all this was back in her mind because she had just lost three friends in one year, and she still felt fragile from the troubles of her youth, fighting against falling down to dismay again and losing her balance. I just didn't expect such a 'Young Adult' touch in the story that otherwise was very entertaining, even thought-provoking, and fun. These Hot Aussie Knights stories are turning out to be rather addictive in nature because of intriguing characters and the ardent fire burning inside them 
~ Four Spoons

---

KOBO

B&N

---