Falling Embers

Men of Fairlake #2

by Romeo Alexander

One freak accident is all it takes to rip open the closet doors and threaten the peace I’ve fought my entire life to gain.

Isaiah Bently is everything I’m not. Rich and charismatic, with a smoking hot body earned through years of hauling people out of burning buildings, he’s the kind of guy everyone either wants to be or wants to be with.

So imagine my surprise when an on-the-job injury forces us together, and I’m faced with the realization that what Isaiah wants…is me.

His sweet, playful touches re-awaken a part of me I’ve spent my entire life trying to deny, and it isn’t long before the simmering attraction between us turns explosive. Behind closed doors, I give him everything he asks of me and more.

But secrets like ours never stay hidden for long. And when my lifelong tormenter discovers I’ve fallen hard for another man, I’m faced with an impossible choice. Bring my relationship with Isaiah out into the open, and risk losing everyone I’ve ever cared about…

Or turn my back on the only person to love me, all of me, exactly as I am.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Firefighters, LGBT, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Friends To Lovers

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2023

About the author

Romeo Alexander lives in Michigan, USA, with his dog and two cats. As a certified night owl, coffee and a wicked sense of humor keep him going most days, as does playing with flavors in the kitchen.

As a proud gay man, Romeo doesn't just write characters—he breathes life into them, infusing them with real-world trials, tribulations, and triumphant love stories. He doesn't just believe in love; he champions it, weaving narratives that prove love's healing power time and again.

Ready for some heart-melting, tear-jerking, and smile-inducing stories that stay with you long after you've turned the last page? Dive into Romeo Alexander's world where love always finds a way. Sign up for his newsletter to be the first to know about his latest literary adventures and grab some freebies along the way! https://romeoalexander.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Cat the bookworm (still at the cottage in AO3 land) · Rating 2 out of 5]

How to rate a book you keep forgetting WHILE you’re listening to it?

I don’t think this has happened to me before: a book I’m listening to (admittedly while being busy around the house), where I needed to skip back again and again because I kept zoning out.

It’s not bad. In fact, it’s a grumpy x sunshine, bi awakening romance between Isaiah (the sunshine) and Julian (the grump), both firefighters in a small town. Both get injured during a rescue mission, and during their recovery, they get close.

It’s… boring. Nothing happens. Julian has some minor issues accepting he’s attracted to Isaiah because his father was a dick and used to call him “sissy”, but tbh the “trauma” (if you might call it that) didn’t feel particularly traumatic. We’re TOLD he has issues, but he’s ok with everything they do. The steamy scenes weren’t steaming, it was just… idk. Ok I guess.

Reading a book like this makes me appreciate the really good books even more tbh. All the ingredients were there, but it was a bit bland.

Dnf, and rating it because I made it to 60% - I’m just not interested in both characters and plot. I feel a bit bad, seeing all the 5 stars reviews and wondering what’s wrong with me because I don’t like it better 🤷‍♀️ but I can’t really rate it higher, I’m sorry.

[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book

4.5*

I loved this book. One of my favourite tropes is the grumpy giant who's only soft for their person and we got that in spades here.

Issiah is a sweetheart but he's lived through his own pain and torment so he can see there's more to Julian than the quiet and somewhat reclusive firefighter portrays.

An accident on a job leads to them spending time together and as Issiah slowly breaks down Julian's walls, we get to see the wonderfully kind-hearted but badly hurt man underneath.

With a bisexual awakening subplot, a hideous family who don't deserve to have him, and the dawning awareness that he can be who he should be, Julian comes out of his shell bit by bit.

I adored everything about this book.

[Marthea · Rating 5 out of 5]

4+
Nie wiem, czy ta książka jest rzeczywiście dobra, czy po prostu idealnie się wstrzeliłam z nią w odpowiedni czas, ale naprawdę mi się podobała - i chyba to ma największe znaczenie 😁

Niezmiernie podobali mi się bohaterowie - zwłaszcza Julian. Cichy, praktycznie nic nie mówiący, wiecznie patrzący spod byka na innych. W jego głowie dzieje się masa rzeczy, ale nie wie, jak to przełożyć na słowa, żeby zostać odpowiednio zrozumianym i żeby nie obrazić ludzi - to woli nie mówić nic. W dodatku nie za bardzo generalnie lubi ludzi (mój facet - piąteczka, Julian 😁), nigdy nie spotkało go od nich nic dobrego - to mu to jakoś nie przeszkadza. Nie znosi zwracać na siebie uwagi, co proste nie jest - jest naprawdę dużym facetem z rudymi włosami - wybija się z tłumu czy tego chce, czy nie. Toksyczna rodzina, z której pochodzi - ojciec, przemocowy alkoholik i homofob, klasyczny "twardy facet", który uznaje tylko prawo pięści i że mężczyzna ma być mężczyzną, który odszedł od rodziny, gdy Julian miał 8 lat, ale zdążył narobić szkód w jego umyśle, które wydają się nieodwracalne; matka, która non stop się o wszystko martwi, o najmniejsze rzeczy, która po odejściu męża rozsypała się po prostu, która nie daje sobie rady w świecie i która nie chce zobaczyć, że świat wokół niej jest inny, niż ona to sobie wyobraża; Tristan, młodszy o 4 lata brat - manipulujący, rozpuszczony, egoistyczny bachor, który posunie się do wszystkiego, byle postawić na swoim, który ma problemy z temperamentem i który jest hipokrytą - ale też jest ukochany synem mamy, tym, który według niej ma świetlaną przyszłość przed sobą. Julian praktycznie całe swoje zarobione pieniądze przesyła swojej matce, sam żyje w spartańskich warunkach...

Isaiah pochodzi z bogatej rodziny, znanej w miasteczku, która aby zostać w dalszym ciągu bogata, przeniosła się w inne miejsce. On został - i tak nikt go tam nie chciał. Wyrzekli się go, bo nie chciał robić tego, co oni chcieli - czyli siedzieć cicho, poślubić kobietę, mieć dzieci i pracować, by oni mogli się bogacić. Od 18 roku życia żyjący na własny rachunek, Mając do wyboru załamać się, płakać lub praktycznie każdą sytuację traktować śmiechem, wybiera to ostatnie - w końcu od płaczu jeszcze nic nikomu się w życiu nie zmieniło (tym razem piąteczka dla Isaiaha 😁). Strażak od lat, nie kryjący się ze swoją orientacją seksualną przed nikim, lubiany przez wszystkich, takie słoneczko, które praktycznie zawsze świeci. I jak się okazało, udało mu się także przedrzeć przez te gradowe chmury, które od zawsze wisiały na Julianem...

I bez względu na to, czy to naprawdę dobra książka, czy tylko się dobrze wstrzeliła, to po prostu najzwyczajniej w świecie podobała mi się. Koniec i kropka 😁

[Ronie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started with the strangest of circumstances. Guilt, a favor and a back rub!

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really solid enjoyable read from Author Alexander. Our MC's were both firemen, one with a homophobic family background and the other not really looking for love but finding it any. Some fire fighting action but mostly interaction between the two really different kind of guys.

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

❤️‍🔥Firefighters
❤️‍🔥Grumpy-Sunshine
❤️‍🔥Grumpy is a cinnamon roll🥹
❤️‍🔥Forced proximity
❤️‍🔥First times
❤️‍🔥Hurt-Comfort
❤️‍🔥Toxic families
❤️‍🔥Found family

Julian and Isaiah's story was incredibly touching and engaging.

Julian is apparently a grumpy introvert but he hides a sweet soul with a heart of gold, who only needed to be cared for and loved for the first time in his life.

Isaiah is a man who had his heart broken by his family, and had to learn to build his life by himself. Found himself good friends and a new family.

While these two beautiful souls barely speak in the beginning, they go through so much together and watching them getting to know each other and discovering the most vulnerable parts of one another really melted my heart.

I found them incredibly compatible, it was like Isaiah's sun shone on the darkest corners of Julian's soul and make both of them shine together.

I cried a few times because for one reason or another I could relate with both their stories, but also because seeing Julian's change was incredibly touching. The love they had and showed to one another was so strong, a rare type of love.

Grateful for another wonderful story by Romeo that left me with a big book hungover and two new beautiful characters to protect at all costs.


Content and Trigger Warnings

Homophobic and toxic families
Parental neglect and abandonment
Conversations about loneliness and being suicidal (MC is NOT suicidal)
Mention of a firefighter's suicide in the past
Mention of hunting (side character)

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great second book in series

I liked Isaiah in the first book, where his friendship with Bennett made me laugh. We get more of them in this book, and they're still very good value for money. Julian was a mystery then, silent and brooding in the background. Now he's silent and brooding in the foreground.
Julian's family were and still are his problem while Isaiah has put his family behind him and is living the life he wants. When Julian is badly injured at a fire, Isaiah persists in helping his incapacitated colleague, gradually breaking down the sky-high walls Julian lives behind.
I loved how sunny Isaiah was, full of beans just like his friend Bennett, but also how he was very intuitive, especially when it came to Julian. It hurt to watch Julian trying to articulate his thoughts, bless him, but when he came out of his shell it was beautiful to watch.
The book contained a good cast of characters, with Bennett and Adam, and Chase and Devin (who are next), and the fire station gang. I loved their boss, Borton, very much.
I liked that Romeo didn't betray Julian's character when it came to the situation with his useless mother and her shortcomings, but I loved the comeuppance that Isaiah helped orchestrate to the villain of the piece. The whole story kept me captivated from start to finish.

[K T · Rating 1 out of 5]

this author is not for me…

This is my second dnf in this series. I made it to 52% but it’s really just exhausting to read from a structural standpoint.

The sentences are all over the place from incomplete to run on and some are just worded weirdly.

This book has a lot of descriptions. It’s a lot of telling, not much showing. In one scene, Bennet tells Isaiah that he made Julian jealous. That could have been a really great scene to see ON PAGE. It’s completely meaningless as an after thought the way it was written.

Exactly two interesting things happen in the first half. The fire and The BJ.

Those two things were well done. Unfortunately, every thing is outside of those 10 pages was boring and clunky.

Adding as dnf author, but they are well loved by a lot of people so don’t take my word as law. It’s just not for me.

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a very big bone to pick a quarter of the way through the book.

Timelapsing the first few days when Isaiah had come over to take care of Julian was lazy. I mean the author even has Julian doing the stupid "I'm talking to you but I don't know why" schtick which is the worst. A character not knowing why they are doing something has got to be the laziest writing to ever exist. If Julian just starts saying stuff "out of the blue" that he has to "piece together what [he] meant", then we as the readers better have been informed about why he's doing things. At this point, we've just been told that Julian was somehow finding himself more amenable to Isaiah enough to talk about what made him dislike him in the first place. We should've seen Julian and Isaiah interact enough to the point where that was believable and by not showing that, the author basically threw away all the "Julian doesn't want to interact with Isaiah" characterization they spent the first 25% of the book establishing. I want to read the evolution of the MCs relationship and not "they talked and are now acquainted, trust me."

Having said that, the scenes leading up to the massage were pretty good at establishing that Julian and Isaiah had gotten more comfortable with each other. It also did a good job characterizing both: Isaiah as a man unapologetic about his sexuality and Julian one still damaged by his father's abuse.

The massage itself was pretty sexy and the intimate, but I take bit of issue with how far Isaiah had taken Julian. I mean a BJ to a semi-drunk guy he previously thought was completely straight was already a bit much especially considering it was Julian's first experience with a man, but fingering him too? Much too far even if they'd both been sober. Then skipping over more firsts like Julian giving Isaiah a BJ was so weird. Like 80% of what makes a sexual awakening interesting and hot is the combination of arousal and vulnerability over doing something unfamiliar. The slight taboo of engaging in sex with a fellow man despite only previously being with women. It was incredibly disappointing for the story to not only make Julian's first gay sex experience go too far, it was also a crime to have him experience reciprocating a BJ to a timelapse.

I liked how the story acknowledges that people can still find others aside from their partner attractive. Like when Julian saw Terry and realized he liked his biceps. Far too often, stories make the MCs act as though they're blind to everything else other than each other. To others that might be romantic, but to me that's basically fated mates and makes their romance feel less special.

I'm not sure I understood why Julian was acting so concilliatory to his PoS brother when he already took the fall for his crime? Was it really just because their mother was a nervous wreck? I also didn't get Tristan's motivation for why he was such an ass. Was he really just meant to be a one dimensional villain? Then somehow Julian is ok barraging his mother with revelation after revelation and I just kept on asking myself "Why did he takr this long to come forward about what his brother was holding against him?" It's not like Tristan hiding that he got expelled + is doing porn had anything to do with what Julian was hiding from his mom (if anything, knowing that Julian was doing even worse things theoretically was a point against telling her off he was worried about her anxiety)

Also did Julian ever actually bottom or was that just built up then never shown?

The story has a lot of individual elements that I liked: Julian and Isaish getting to know each other, showing attraction to others, good communication. But a lot more that I didn't: Timelapsing what made Julian comfortable enough to start talking to Isaiah, skipping sexual firsts, Julian's not clear reasoning for why he was letting his brother blackmail him. The scales are tipped too heavily on favor of the things I disliked, so I'm giving this a 2.5 rounded down.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 5 out of 5]

old post reposted


Not sure what I want to read right now (reading slump mixed with mild seasonal depression). However, Romeo Alexander's "Men of Fairlake" has been on my TBR list for a while now, so I figured I'd start there. The second novel is "Falling Embers."
["One freak accident is all it takes to rip open the closet doors and threaten the peace I’ve fought my entire life to gain.

Isaiah Bently is everything I’m not. Rich and charismatic, with a smoking hot body earned through years of hauling people out of burning buildings, he’s the kind of guy everyone either wants to be or wants to be with.

So imagine my surprise when an on-the-job injury forces us together, and I’m faced with the realization that what Isaiah wants…is me.

His sweet, playful touches re-awaken a part of me I’ve spent my entire life trying to deny, and it isn’t long before the simmering attraction between us turns explosive. Behind closed doors, I give him everything he asks of me and more.

But secrets like ours never stay hidden for long. And when my lifelong tormenter discovers I’ve fallen hard for another man, I’m faced with an impossible choice. Bring my relationship with Isaiah out into the open, and risk losing everyone I’ve ever cared about…

Or turn my back on the only person to love me, all of me, exactly as I am."]

This book made me sooooob. For like 20-30 minutes I just had tears streaming down my face while I continued to furiously read. Fucking fictional characters breaking my heart.

And broke it they did. It was such a sweet and slow burn and soft and spicy and perfect book. It healed your soul before leaving you wondering where humanity is heading only to make everything better again (with soup-filled bread-bowls on top--instead of whipped cream?--though Isaiah would probably loooove if we added whipped cream on top of Julian).

Trigger Warnings: firefighting action and on-the-job injuries, homophobia (including homophobic slurs), internalized homophobia, toxic families, alcoholism, mental health problems, mental abuse, physical abuse, economic abuse, blackmail, and more

#mybestfriendssecret #fallingembers #seekingsanctuary #cuffsandcommitment #oncebrokentwiceloved #cakeandcomfort #mychaoshiscalm #menoffairlake #menoffairlakeseries #romeoalexander #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I could not put this book down!
I’ve got to say I really liked Isaiah. He is just one fun loving guy who’s got a massive heart. Which is really surprising when he has been hurt so much by his family. In fact the only family he believes in is the family that he’s got where he lives that includes all the guys at the fire station and his best friend. Isaiah is openly gay never hidden, all the guys at work know and there was never an issue He does so much for his community and ever since Julian came to work at the fire station Isaiah thought he looked hot. He knew Julian was straight but that didn’t stop his heart from a fluttering when he saw him .
Julian was on his last chance really as he got transferred from his own station he kept himself to himself very quiet usually one word answers. He really had been hurt in the past he would do anything to help his family after his dad left. So he sacrificed himself to make sure his mum and younger brother had everything they needed. Julian couldn’t help but like Isaiah but he had to stay strong and not giving to his attraction but after there is an accident whilst fighting a fire with Isaiah that was really hard to do because Isaiah virtually moved into his flat after he was injured. when Julian relaxed with him everything felt perfect. Even to the point of giving in to his attraction.
That is all you are getting this is brilliant read, I got very emotional reading this book because I hate when people take advantage of somebody else. Also when someone is scared to be the person they really are. But I will tell you that when Isaiah and Julian came together when they were alone everything was just so perfect it was nice to see Julian come out of his shell and I really enjoyed the banter that they shared. And let me tell you about the passion of the charts hot.
I have really really enjoying this series and I cannot wait for the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claire Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I listened to the audiobook of Falling Embers, usually, I only listen on the way to and from work but with this one I couldn't turn it off once I got home and had to keep listening and listening, to that end nothing much got done for the last two days but I did finish this fabulous story.

I loved bright sunshiny Isaiah and stoic Julian and how they were together. Both carry some heavy baggage, but both deal with it in different ways. Isaiah chooses to be himself and his family can go to hell but he is happy with who he is, whereas Julian chooses to hide who he is from his family, shouldering the blame for his brother and supporting his mother to the point he is a pretty unhappy man.

I really enjoyed how Isaiah managed to wangle his way into Julian's life after their work accident and how he slowly crept into Julian's heart, first as a friend and then as so much more, challenging Julian and helping him to open up and heal, making him happy for the first time in many years. The chemistry between them was smoking hot and I really enjoyed Isaiah's slow seduction of Julian.

There are some twists and secrets that come out in regard to Julian's past and if I hadn't disliked his family before, I disliked them even less after the secrets come out into the open. People like his mother, brother and especially his father don't deserve any respect. I loved the way Isaiah was eventually able to be there for Julian when the fallout came because it had to come, no one could live the way he was and survive.

I enjoyed the cast of characters, their workmates and Isaiah's friends and I'm looking forward to catching up with all of them again.

The narrator Michael Dean is not one I usually enjoy too much, but in the case of Falling Embers, I found him fabulous to listen to which really helped with how much I enjoyed this story and how much I didn't want to stop listening.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Isaiah and Julian have such completely opposite personalities! Isaiah is charismatic, fun, and open about who he is. Julian is the quintessential definition of the strong, silent type. Isaiah will talk your ear off, while getting anything other than a grunt out of Julian is worse than pulling teeth - until Julian is hurt on the job and Isaiah feels it is his responsibility to help him out, creating an environment where they spend a lot of time together.
I love the way Isaiah listens to Julian and has the patience to give him time to figure out what he wants or needs to say, it definitely shows the deepening connection between them. Julian is intelligent but struggles with expressing himself. Both of these men had a traumatic childhood, but how they've dealt with it is vastly different. Following Julian as he deals with his personal past was heartbreaking to read, but it was healing for him, and brought them closer. Their sexual explorations start out slowly but are filled with intense heat and grow more so as time passes. They have some ups and downs on their journey together, but an unexpected disaster throws a wrench into their relationship, sending Julian back to his grunting, unhappy self, and Isaiah falling into such sadness. Once past this bump, their love is acknowledged, and they head towards a truly hard earned HEA.
This book was very well written, it is fast paced and flowed smoothly, has enough humor to balance the seriousness, complex, yet realistic characters whose situations will pull the emotions out of you, and great friends and co-workers that enhance the story.
This book was an emotional landmine but it was worth it in the end, and I would definitely recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaiah and Julien are both firemen at the same station. Isaiah is very outgoing and charismatic, liked by all, even Julien, although he doesn’t show it, and Isaiah thinks Julien doesn’t like him at all.
Julien is very quiet and keeps to himself, a man of few words and one who takes a good deal of time to process his thoughts before saying things.
The two are the initial truck called to a house fire, and even though it is against protocol to enter the house without backup, Isaiah enters to rescue 2 little girls from the second story while Julien waits below to catch the girls. Once the girls are out but before Isaiah is, the house collapses and Julien goes in after him, then Julien is trapped, breaking both arms.
Once home, Isaiah comes around daily to help with things Julien has difficulty doing. Isaiah has a way of breaking through Julien’s shell and the two become friends, then something more as an attraction grows between them.
All goes well until Julien’s past catches up with him and Isaiah finds a way to help him yet again.
I loved these two characters and the growing bond between them, led by Isaiah’s openness, his intuitive understanding of things that motivate Julien to act as he does, and his ability to get Julien to verbalize his thoughts and feelings, something very foreign to him. The development of the relationship is natural and realistic, and the reader is drawn along with both men on this journey. A very good read in my opinion, one I invested in early and had satisfaction with at the end. I really like Roman’s books, and this one reinforced that feeling.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dear Reader 0801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great addition to this series! This is book 2 of the Men of Fairlake series. While characters from the first book appear in this one and their story is alluded to, this can be read as a standalone. This book focuses on Julian and Isiah’s story and they had such an interesting story. Romeo Alexander has a way of crafting such complex characters and gives great detail on how the romance develops between them.

Julian and Isiah work at the same firehouse and are exact opposites. Julian is extremely quiet, doesn’t socialize very much and is a man of very few words and more shrugs. Isiah is friendly, sociable and known about town due to his family name. Both men share having troubling issues with family though. I really enjoyed how the author focused on their relationship and how it builds, first out of necessity but eventually out of trust and connection. Seeing Julian open up and become more than a stoic silent character was great.

The small town feel and the surrounding characters was definitely fitting in the book. Instead of the nosey neighbor vibe, there is a care and concern for both characters from the people that surround them, which they are lacking due to toxic families. I enjoyed their absolutely well deserved ending and the epilogue. It was fitting and gave a warm HEA feel but that things and people are always a work in progress.

I definitely look forward to more from this series. The other characters in the book are intriguing and curious to see who gets their story told next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaiah and Julian’s Story . . .
Isaiah Bently and Julian MacComb are firefighters in Fairlake , Colorado. Isaiah has an outgoing personality and good friends. Julian is on the grumpy side, dealing with some difficult issues. During a rescue effort, Isaiah falls through the fire-weakened floor and is injured. Julian rushes in to pull him to safety before the rest of the building collapses and Julian is also injured. Uncomfortable about intruding uninvited into Julian’s life, Isaiah still shows up to offer help to Julian as he recovers. Every-day routines everyone takes for granted are difficult to perform when both arms are injured. And firemen being “family” are there for each other. Establishing a routine, Julian begins to relax and the tension resolves between them. However, when Julian’s toxic family intervenes and Julian, still hiding his sexuality won’t acknowledge Isaiah’s relationship with him, will they give up on each other? Will Julian pay the blackmail money his disgusting brother is demanding? Or can Isaiah encourage Julian to stand up to them, be himself, and live a life that makes him happy?

This is a well-written story where the reader will experience many emotions as we see Julian taken advantage of by his family and then helped by Isaiah to begin to heal and accept himself. The narrator for the audiobook version is Michael Dean. He does a great job with the voices to personalize the story and make it easy for the listener to get an accurate impression of what each character is like. It helps to set the mood, familiarize the characters, and is a pleasant way to “read” and enjoy the book.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling Embers (Men of Fairlake series) by Romeo Alexander ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

❤️ Firefighters
❤️ Grumpy/Sunshine
❤️ Co-workers to lovers
❤️ Hurt/Comfort
❤️ Small town
❤️ Found family

An incident on the job leaves firefighter Julian temporarily injured and needing daily help. Feeling partially responsible and intrigued by the stoic man, fellow firefighter Isaiah steps in to aid him. As the two start spending more time together they both realise that neither of them match the preconceptions they had of each other. Isaiah breaks down Julian's walls and starts to see the kind man beneath the grumpy introverted exterior. Isaiah is unlike anyone Julian has met before, he's patient and gives him time to organise his thoughts and feelings and express them in his own way.

This book was such a beautiful and emotional ride. Isaiah is such an amazing character, he's truly selfless and so unbelievably supportive to Julian even when Julian pushes him away. Julian is a lot rougher around the edges, he has a lot to work on, fighting his own demons that stem from his childhood and treatment from his father. You could really feel his internal struggle and how hard he was clinging on to doing what he thought was right for his family rather than what was really right for him.

The epilogue filled me with so much joy and it was wonderful to see the characters so openly happy together ❤️

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Humour: 🤭🤭
Intimacy: 🫂🫂🫂
Angst: 🥺🥺🥺

First person dual pov 👀

CW: homophobia, homophobic language, parental neglect, mention of physical and mental abuse of a minor, mention of suicide, hospitalisation.

[Lesetiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧Audiobook Review🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Falling Embers is the second volume in the Men of Fairlake series and I was captivated from the start.
The story is exciting and emotional. Isaiah and Julian are firefighters in Fairlake. Have I mentioned that I love stories about firefighters!!! The two colleagues couldn't be more different. Isaiah is a sunshine, he's fun-loving and has lots of friends. Julian was transferred here and he doesn't really talk much to his colleagues and always keeps to himself. Then there is a dramatic fire incident in which they are both injured.
Julian needs help after the hospital, which he consistently refuses, but Isaiah is persistent. An initially friendly relationship slowly develops between the two. The two men are sympathetic and both have more or less complicated pasts. I really enjoyed seeing how soon friendship turns into something more. But can the relationship last when the past comes crashing down on Julian?
The story is well written and as a reader you experience a lot of emotions. The relationship between Julian and Isaiah has ups and downs and I suffered a lot. As already mentioned, I was very quickly captivated and it was difficult for me to interrupt the audio book.

This was also due to Michael Dean, who did an absolutely outstanding job narrating. I could feel every emotion and he read very vividly. He gave Julian and Isaiah a voice to match and brought the story to life in a great way. He was a pleasure to listen to!
I enjoyed volume two even more than the first volume and now I am already eagerly awaiting the next volume in the series.

[Babara-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh now we get the inside story of the flirty mischievous openly gay Isaiah and the grumpy silent straight Julian!

Isaiah had a crush on the grumpy Julian the minute the red headed giant started working at the fire station at Fairlake and then Julian got hurt in a freak accident while trying to assist Isaiah….

This is where they start to get to know each other on a more personal level when Julian needs assistance….

I loved how their banter and camaraderie turned into a deep emotional friendship that brought out Julian’s true quirky, eccentric personality that awoke something in him that he kept dormant as a child until his mother and brother came for an unexpected visit….

“Giving up my family meant giving up everything I’d ever known, even if it was often messy and ugly. Giving up Isaiah meant going right back to where I was and losing the one thing in my life that had been beautiful and wonderful.“

Will the fear ingrained in Julian as a child keep him from experiencing the best thing that has ever happened to him?

A sweet, emotional love story about finding trust, love, self acceptance and found family!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jimbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

How could you go wrong with a story as sweet as two men, one straight, one gay, and both firemen with family secrets?

After saving two kids from a fire, Isaiah and Julian find themselves in a hospital. Julian saving Isaiah's life and getting bagged up and broken because of it. Isaiah decides that he will help care for Julian because he has no one to do it for him.

Eventually, although knew that Isaiah was gay and he asked him point blank if he was attracted to him. Isaiah didn't lie. He was since the first time they met.

Families get in the way as Julian fights with the realization that he likes Isaiah, even though his father's wretched humiliation and beating for kissing a boy when he was only eight swims within his conscience and screams at him even when Isaiah and he finally kiss.

Deep wounds by people who are supposed to love never heal, not really. The scars are always there as a reminder and sometimes, without the knowledge that there is someone there that does love you, you never can heal properly.

Isaiah is that medicine to help Julian be the person he truly is inside.

[Janice Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaiah and Julian are firefighters in Fairlake and they end up in a secret relationship after Julian gets injured on the job and Isaiah pursues him. Julian is scared to come out, but a bully who has tormented Julian most of his life is threatening to have his secret out in the open. Together, Isaiah and Julian must decide how to move forward, but does Julian have the courage to live and love out in the open or will their relationship burn up and fall like embers.

I loved reading this book. The story was well-written and had such a good vibe. The characters were well-developed, with Isaiah’s positive attitude and openness and the private, grumpy ways of Julian. I enjoyed watching the MC’s falling for each other as Isaiah helped Julian after he was injured. I admired how they communicated about coming out and the consequences of owning up to their relationship. This book has lots of heat and lots of sweet love. I am glad that they got their HEA.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love visiting Fairlake

Fairlake continues to be a town I’d like to visit. I loved the first book in this series - My Best Friend’s Secret - and I’ll be 100% honest, when I started this story I was a bit trepidatious. I was excited to learn more about Isaiah and his story after his introduction as Bennett’s friend in the first book. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a story that centered on his relationship with Julian - who really came across as a grumpy dick in his few scenes in the first book. Should have had more faith! I thought how the relationship evolved between Isaiah and Julian felt genuine. They had clearly both had issues growing up that they were in different places in dealing with, but they seemed to be able to help each other along the way. Without giving too much away - watching Julian’s interactions with his family was heartbreaking for a myriad of reasons. There is no question the story delivers the payoff in the end and proves that there are good stories that can continue to be told in Fairlake and I am certainly here for them!

[Kayla (cozyrosybookrecs on insta) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Romeo Alexander and always enjoy his works but Falling Embers is a whole new level!! It is definitely going to be a new favorite!! Julian and Isaiah have such a rich story!! I loved going on their journey and see them go from just coworkers to close friends to lovers. Julian, especially experienced so much growth and it was heartbreaking and wonderful to witness.
One of my absolute favorite things about this book is that while Julian and Isaiah kept their relationship a secret for Julian’s sake, Julian actually talked to Isaiah about where his head is at. I have read many books where there is a secret relationship and the one partner always avoids talking about coming out, but not here there was actual communication. And the arguments they had were talked through they didn’t just disappear. Honestly I think this is one of Romeo Alexander’s best works.

TW: talk of physical abuse at the hand of a parent, internalized homophobia

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 4 out of 5]

story of Isaiah and Julian

This is a coworkers to lovers romance, featuring Isaiah and Julian, and is the second book in the Men of Fairlake series.

Isaiah and Julian are firefighters, ding dong! They get called out to a fire and whilst rescuing a couple of kids, Julian saves Isaiah’s life but then gets trapped in the house and ends up breaking both his arms.

Isaiah ends up helping Julian around the house while he recovers and during that time they get to know each other, one therapeutic massage and wink wink.

This book was really good, I’m liking the series so far, pretty low angst and some witty moments. The story was tracking along nicely too and then omg I did not see the drama coming. Wow!

Michael Dean once again delivered a great performance with the narration, love all of his narrations so far.

Things to expect in this MM romance are:
Firemen hotties
Grump/sunshine
Hurt/comfort
Bi-awakening
First times / some spice
Family drama
HEA

[Tony Farnden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian and Isaiah are both firemen working in Fairlake, a small town in Colorado. Julian is very quiet and Isaiah isn’t so it’s going to be a match made in heaven when Isaiah offers to help Julian following a fire where they both got injured. They both live with the consequences of less than good upbringings. As they learn to trust each other they begin to feel something more than friendship.

This is a rocky love story where two tough guys find they have a lot to learn from each other and their found family. It is a story of joy and love tempered by sadness and rejection. There are secrets to be revealed and bad memories to be buried. A well written story that will give you a smile of two.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! We got Julian and Isaiah's story and it was just as great as I thought it would be. I love a good grumpy/sunshine story, and watching Julian slowly emerge from his shell and learn how to better relate to people was so heartwarming. I love how in this series there is someone who gets their comeuppance at some point during the story and I'm so glad when it happened in this story. I thought the massage scene was one of the most sexually charged scenes I've ever read about a man being with another man for the first time. Looking forward to more antics in this small town of Fairlake and the antics these boys get into there.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Akame · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isaiah Bently i Julian skradli me serce :) Jeden słodki, gadatliwy, drugi spokojny, nie radzący sobie ze słowami. Dwa różne typy osobowości, uzupełniały się w stu procentach. Podobało mi się, jak Julian powoli wychodził na świat, odkrywał nowe uczucia, stawał się otwarty przy Isaiahu, zaczynał w końcu żyć naprawdę :) Jego matkę i brata pozostawię bez komentarza, bo nie wypada kląć publicznie :P Jeden z bogatej, bigoteryjnej rodziny, drugi wychowany przez matkę, po odejściu agresywnego ojca alkoholika. Obydwaj mają za sobą ciężkie chwile, trudne wybory, a Julian musi stawić czoło swojej przeszłości i rodzinie. Bardzo przyjemnie spędzony czas, mam nadzieję, że jeszcze przeczytam o chłopakach z Fairlake ;)

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I've been hooked to Romeo Alexander's work and read about two dozen books, but this one is one of my favorites. I just completely fell in love with Julian and Isaiah. They were such well developed characters- beautiful, flawed, with their own insecurities and demons to fight. I love this journey they took together where they grew over the course of the book and fell in love. Steamy chemistry and I loved how they were paced. It wasn't a smooth road to their happy ending, but very sweet and all the more rewarding to read it. I also really liked the supporting characters. There was some beautiful dialogue there, and some very funny as well. A fantastic read! 5 stars.

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Audio Review**

Second book in this series and I'm soooooooooooooo hooked. Loved Isaiah and Julian rollercoaster relationship from coworkers, friends to lovers. I don't know what happened but, the author was writing about me when he thought of Julian...definitely we are soul buddies...he had soooooooo many of my traits...I loved him...LOL...loved how Isaiah was able to bring him out of his bubble and get him to see "family" around him. Loved the captain (rough but understanding)...love everything about this romance. But the icing on the cake is the narrator...he did a marvelous job bringing this story to life. I really can't wait til the next book in the series...love it!

[Bailie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and I’m loving this series even more than I did the others! The trauma that Julian suffers from in this book and his defense mechanisms hit a little close to home for me; however his ability to overcome them is one of the biggest reasons that I love this book! And I love the character development that we get to see in him but that he never really changed in the way he communicates his emotions and how he communicates with Isaiah. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series and hopefully toward the end of the series we get to see some of these characters come back and dig deeper into their relationships!