Firecracker

When Tyler was 14 he had a crush on his best friend’s older sister Arden and it lasted for years. Of course, to her, he was just her little brother’s nerdy friend. Arden left for college, married a NFL player and lived a spoiled life of luxury. That is until 10 years later when her husband died and left her homeless and penniless. Her little brother, Jamie was now a millionaire, and his sideline was buying run down properties and fixing them up. Well ... he didn’t fix them himself, he hired his best Tyler to work on them on his days off from firefighting. Jamie offered Arden a free place to live, but it was under construction ... so she moved back home to Chicago rather than in with her parents in Florida. Arden can hardly believe her eyes when Tyler comes to work on her apartment. He’s far from the nerdy kid he was when she last saw him at 16 ... now he’s tall, dark, handsome and built! Tyler thought he was over his crush on Aden, but the minute he sees her, he realizes that he was always going to have a crush on the prom queen.

Tyler ... you’d have to be dead not to fall in love with him. He was your typical protective alpha male but what got me was his vulnerability. And Arden ... even though she started out being a spoiled princess, she learned the hard way that you have to be able to look after yourself. As always in Ms Jamieson’s books, the banter between the characters is very realistic and draws you in to the story. A great read that will warm your heart!

I received an early copy courtesy of the author through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I love Kelly Jamieson, her stories are always great, filled with fun, drama & very steamy love. This book is no different with the crush that never ended to the loss of not only a husband but a life that wasn’t really real. Tyler & Arden were very sexy & had an amazing chemistry right from the start. Both are feeling like disappointments to the ones they love & Arden isn’t sure she can ever know what love is. Kelly Jamieson brought out the angst of guilt & the fear of failure as she weaved this story of love & forgiveness together. Definitely recommend.

3.5 stars--FIRECRACKER by Kelly Jamieson is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on Chicago fire fighter Tyler Ramirez, and widow Arden Lennox Hughes.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Arden and Tyler) FIRECRACKER follows the building relationship between Chicago fire fighter Tyler Ramirez, and widow Arden Lennox Hughes. Arden Lennox’ husband died one year earlier, and in the aftermath, our heroine had to sell everything in order to survive. Returning to Chicago was never in her plans but as her life continued to spiral out of control Chicago was the perfect stop on her journey to heal, a journey that would bring her face to face with the man with whom she would fall in love. Enter her brother Jamie’s best friend and fire fighter Tyler Ramirez. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Tyler and Arden, and the fall-out as Arden struggles with demons from the past.

Arden Lennox has made a decision not to get involved with a man, ever again. Having barely survived her husband’s death and the ensuing aftermath, Arden refuses to accept anything beyond friendship even though her attraction and desire for Tyler continues to grow. Tyler Ramirez has been in love with his best friend’s sister for as long as he can remember, and her return to Chicago means Tyler has a chance at his own happily ever after but Arden continues to struggle with what happened and why, and in doing so, pushes Tyler out of her life.

The relationship between Tyler and Arden is a best friend’s sister to lovers romance that falters with Arden’s inability to let go of the past, blaming herself for her husband’s demise. Tyler is willing to accept a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship but his heart wants what it cannot have. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Arden’s brother: businessman and IT specialist Jamie Lennox, and his friend Mila; Arden’s boss and Shenanigan’s bar owner Liam, and his sister Sorcha; Arden’s bestie Emma; Danny aka Honey Deville; and Tyler’s cousin Norton. Hopefully the author has plans for Danny and Liam, as well as Jamie and Mila; Emma and Norton.

FIRECRACKER is a story of family, friendships, acceptance and love. The premise is engaging; the romance is flirty and fun; the characters are colorful and energetic but I struggled with Arden’s immature attitude, and selfish behavior as it pertained to her relationship with Tyler.