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Second Time Around #2
Her Holiday Fireman
From his first encounter with the feisty redhead, widower and fire marshal Ryan Owen knows he's in trouble. He's in Vine Beach to heal, not to find romance. As for Leah Berry, she's come home strictly to lay claim to her family's restaurant and fend off developers. Leah is infuriated when Ryan shuts down the restaurant on violations. Both are determined to have their way, even as something unexpected starts blossoming between them. They'll need to learn the hardest thing about love and faith—letting go.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 16, 2012
17 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Y'Barbo
132 books747 followersPublishers Weekly bestselling author Kathleen Y’Barbo is a multiple Carol Award and RITA nominee of more than one hundred novels with almost two million copies in print in the US and abroad.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
A tenth-generation Texan and certified paralegal, she has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award as well a Reader’s Choice Award and is the winner of the Inspirational Romance of the Year by Romantic Times magazine.
To connect with her through social media, check out the links on her website at www.kathleenybarbo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 6, 2020
Leah had her hands full with trying to save her family’s restaurant after her father was admitted to a nursing home and his home burning. He had been the town’s fire marshall but code was not kept at his restaurant. Will the new fire marshall, Ryan, put her out of business or will an element of mystery be discovered?
This was a quick read. I was not required to write a review as this was a used book purchased from a library sale.
This was a quick read. I was not required to write a review as this was a used book purchased from a library sale.
November 22, 2017
Honestly, I just did not care for the writing in this book. It was simple and straight-forward but it read a little too dry and stilted. The dialogue was awkward at times and other times I did not understand what the speaker was trying to convey.
Earlier in the book there was some foreshadowing that you would have to have a pretty thick head not to have noticed. It was all just a little too obvious. If you’re going to add a mystery element to the story, go for it, but there was no subtlety here. There were a lot of issues between the two main characters with miscommunication or even non-communication regarding the bigger issues at hand. I didn’t feel they communicated well. The synopsis made it sound like there was some kind of hate-love thing going on in the beginning and it never really felt like it. The angst was a little too internal to the characters and I didn’t feel like they talked to each other.
The book took place in a small coastal town in Texas within easy driving distance to Galveston and Houston, my neck of the woods so to speak. The fireman main character had purchased a house in the Heights to live with his wife. I would love to know if there are actually firemen who can afford to live in the Heights because I looked into buying a house there and I ended up in the suburbs instead when I saw the prices, not to mention that there is talk of him having a yard for his bullmastiff to run around in. Either that yard was smaller than a postage stamp or it wasn’t in the Heights or he has more money than a fireman’s salary or asked his in-laws for it (doesn’t seem like the type though). Just some huge question marks for me.
The resolution at the end was sudden and the book ended abruptly with no information to the reader about what they decided to do with their future. Are they staying in this little community? Are they going to rebuild the house and is she going to run the restaurant despite everything? Are they going back to their careers in the city, which respective city? His home of Houston or hers of Galveston? I have so many questions which is why I continued to read to the end to find out the answers and pretty much, none of them were answered to my satisfaction.
I’m not too sure about the resolution of who burned down the house either.
Earlier in the book there was some foreshadowing that you would have to have a pretty thick head not to have noticed. It was all just a little too obvious. If you’re going to add a mystery element to the story, go for it, but there was no subtlety here. There were a lot of issues between the two main characters with miscommunication or even non-communication regarding the bigger issues at hand. I didn’t feel they communicated well. The synopsis made it sound like there was some kind of hate-love thing going on in the beginning and it never really felt like it. The angst was a little too internal to the characters and I didn’t feel like they talked to each other.
The book took place in a small coastal town in Texas within easy driving distance to Galveston and Houston, my neck of the woods so to speak. The fireman main character had purchased a house in the Heights to live with his wife. I would love to know if there are actually firemen who can afford to live in the Heights because I looked into buying a house there and I ended up in the suburbs instead when I saw the prices, not to mention that there is talk of him having a yard for his bullmastiff to run around in. Either that yard was smaller than a postage stamp or it wasn’t in the Heights or he has more money than a fireman’s salary or asked his in-laws for it (doesn’t seem like the type though). Just some huge question marks for me.
The resolution at the end was sudden and the book ended abruptly with no information to the reader about what they decided to do with their future. Are they staying in this little community? Are they going to rebuild the house and is she going to run the restaurant despite everything? Are they going back to their careers in the city, which respective city? His home of Houston or hers of Galveston? I have so many questions which is why I continued to read to the end to find out the answers and pretty much, none of them were answered to my satisfaction.
I’m not too sure about the resolution of who burned down the house either.
December 18, 2022
Wow. Best word for this is 'preposterous'.
This was REALLY not good. But then,
#1 in the series wasn't good, either.
No book should have THIS many dog-ears, just sayin'.
Let's start with Ryan. He was into sailing "quite a lot" as a kid. He was on basketball teams as a kid. He was also training for the rodeo circuit as a kid. *IN. WHAT. TIME?!?!?!* With school, that's NOT a possibility, especially if his dad was Fire Chief in Houston - he was obviously not taking little Ryan all over the state for rodeo competitions while also carting him to basketball meets while taking him to lakes to sail. And of course Ryan goes to college on a full basketball scholarship WHILE riding rodeo *AND* taking a full class load. THIS. IS. NOT. FEASIBLE.
By the way, he chucks his basketball potential to be Mr. NBA so that he can follow in the footsteps of his father and do the Firefighter thing. Which... how does that even work with the rodeo? It... doesn't.
Then he gets married to the rodeo queen, who is also a Houston socialite that demands a Power Wedding that he doesn't really want and he never *ONCE* considers his life will involve social obligations if he marries this diva, and is s.h.o.c.k.e.d (!!) at the very idea that it would've been his life, a year after her death. ON THEIR HONEYMOON. GAHHHH!!!!!
Also on their honeymoon, now-dead-diva was talking about him moving away from the city to the seaside, and made him promise that he'd do it, even if she died. (!?!?!?) Because EVERY bride makes her verbal will on her wedding night. (((sigh.))) Bad writing, much? And like she would've done it? She didn't even stick with the 'small wedding' thing she'd told him she'd wanted, and let Mumsy orchestrate the wedding of the century, instead.
The book starts with Ryan taking a 6-month sabbatical from the Houston FD (!!) to take the job of fire chief in Vine Beach. And this is okay with Vine Beach because... why would they want a 6-month stand-in, instead of someone who'd sign on permanently? It. Makes. NO. Sense.
So he's in Vine Beach for his dead wife-of-one-day, having dinner at a seafood place, which was also apparently in dead wife's verbal will - eat seafood on our one-year anniversary. Why, we don't know. None of this jives.
It's there he meets Leah, who is a nineteenth century coastal archeological preservationist (!?) in Galveston... who gives lectures and does projects in London (p131), Barcelona (p131), Paris (p.100), and at the Smithsonian (where she was a consultant). Um, HOW ABOUT NO? 1)Galveston isn't big enough potatoes for *ANY* of that, 2) London, Paris, and Barcelona's archeology are WAY older than the nineteenth century, and half of the cities mentioned here *aren't on any coasts*, hello.
Leah has come home to Vine Beach to take care of the top quality Palomino horses her family raises at the same time as running the local seafood shack full-time. BOTH are full time operations, but we're supposed to believe if she shows up to feed horses once or twice a week, they'll be fine. How about NO?!?
She lives in a cottage on the beach THAT HAS A BASEMENT. I have no idea how that even works... basements on waterfronts typically don't happen. It's that whole water table thing, compounded by the sea level thing. But what do I know...???
The home her daddy (who has Alzheimer's) is staying in put up autumn decorations... for Thanksgiving. Nevermind Fall or actual AUTUMN or Halloween and pumpkin time, it should definitely NOT be time for autumn decorations until the last week of November. (!?!?!)
Ryan makes friends, who invite him to go sailing with the guys. But then - because Y'Barbo says so - the boat owner DITCHES all of the people he invited because his little girls want to sail. Except for the sake of forcing the story, she has him invite Ryan, and it's okay for Leah to come along, too. (((sigh.))) BAD writing.
And the writing is abysmal. "Where else could a trip to the beach less than two months before X-mess include getting wet without shivering?" (pg 47). Well, two months before X-mess would be October, and here in Michigan I've been swimming in warm water with no shivering, so...
pg 191 - He was developing a trust with Leah that he'd never had with Jenna, according to the story. Jenna was his WIFE and they had talked extensively about the wedding, moving to the seaside, eating seafood, relocating eventually to Galveston... HE WAS MARRYING HER, but he didn't trust her? SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! Run, Leah. This guy doesn't know sky from grass, and is completely obtuse about relationships. He's not a good fish.
He also craps all over his mother, promising Uncle Mike to call her, but not bothering until pg 200, and at that, he barely talks to her about anything important in his life. NOT A GOOD FISH!!!
pg 196 - "I think we should stay away from each other for a while." "Why?" (/end chapter). No resolution, and next chapter cuts to sunny day he has basketball with grief guys. Barely a mention of the 'argument'. WHAT IS THAT?!?!
pg 200 - "How many of us can say that we argued with God and went down a path He didn't send us down?" Actually? NOBODY. Wanna know why? God is omniscient and knows what path you're going to take ahead of time, because He puts the rebellion/heart hardening into us as He chooses, so it's STILL of His design/will.
And then we come to THE WORST part of the book - the 'who burnt down the house' schtick. It was Daddy who dunnit, cuz'n he didn't want his daughter to 'watch him die'. WHAT. THE. FARTS?! Like she's gonna drive in to the sunset and NOT visit, not see his decline? She LOVES him, hello - that's part-n-parcel of things. It's stupid as hell.
Worse, all of the financial woes are all solved because great-grand-daddy hid gold coins in a hollow fencepost, and Daddy found it and jammed the coins in a desk that he then conveniently let the local library borrow (!?!!?!) so it didn't burn in the fire... but when they moved it from the farm to the library, and from the library to Leah's cottage, nobody heard the loose coins that Ryan reaches in and scoops into his hands within the secret compartment jinging - not at *ANY* point? Riiiiight.
This was just bad. All the way across the board. And now I see it's #2 in a series, and I read the first one a year ago and it was JUST as bad as this one. ****SIGH.****
NOT worth the time to read.
This was REALLY not good. But then,
#1 in the series wasn't good, either.
No book should have THIS many dog-ears, just sayin'.
Let's start with Ryan. He was into sailing "quite a lot" as a kid. He was on basketball teams as a kid. He was also training for the rodeo circuit as a kid. *IN. WHAT. TIME?!?!?!* With school, that's NOT a possibility, especially if his dad was Fire Chief in Houston - he was obviously not taking little Ryan all over the state for rodeo competitions while also carting him to basketball meets while taking him to lakes to sail. And of course Ryan goes to college on a full basketball scholarship WHILE riding rodeo *AND* taking a full class load. THIS. IS. NOT. FEASIBLE.
By the way, he chucks his basketball potential to be Mr. NBA so that he can follow in the footsteps of his father and do the Firefighter thing. Which... how does that even work with the rodeo? It... doesn't.
Then he gets married to the rodeo queen, who is also a Houston socialite that demands a Power Wedding that he doesn't really want and he never *ONCE* considers his life will involve social obligations if he marries this diva, and is s.h.o.c.k.e.d (!!) at the very idea that it would've been his life, a year after her death. ON THEIR HONEYMOON. GAHHHH!!!!!
Also on their honeymoon, now-dead-diva was talking about him moving away from the city to the seaside, and made him promise that he'd do it, even if she died. (!?!?!?) Because EVERY bride makes her verbal will on her wedding night. (((sigh.))) Bad writing, much? And like she would've done it? She didn't even stick with the 'small wedding' thing she'd told him she'd wanted, and let Mumsy orchestrate the wedding of the century, instead.
The book starts with Ryan taking a 6-month sabbatical from the Houston FD (!!) to take the job of fire chief in Vine Beach. And this is okay with Vine Beach because... why would they want a 6-month stand-in, instead of someone who'd sign on permanently? It. Makes. NO. Sense.
So he's in Vine Beach for his dead wife-of-one-day, having dinner at a seafood place, which was also apparently in dead wife's verbal will - eat seafood on our one-year anniversary. Why, we don't know. None of this jives.
It's there he meets Leah, who is a nineteenth century coastal archeological preservationist (!?) in Galveston... who gives lectures and does projects in London (p131), Barcelona (p131), Paris (p.100), and at the Smithsonian (where she was a consultant). Um, HOW ABOUT NO? 1)Galveston isn't big enough potatoes for *ANY* of that, 2) London, Paris, and Barcelona's archeology are WAY older than the nineteenth century, and half of the cities mentioned here *aren't on any coasts*, hello.
Leah has come home to Vine Beach to take care of the top quality Palomino horses her family raises at the same time as running the local seafood shack full-time. BOTH are full time operations, but we're supposed to believe if she shows up to feed horses once or twice a week, they'll be fine. How about NO?!?
She lives in a cottage on the beach THAT HAS A BASEMENT. I have no idea how that even works... basements on waterfronts typically don't happen. It's that whole water table thing, compounded by the sea level thing. But what do I know...???
The home her daddy (who has Alzheimer's) is staying in put up autumn decorations... for Thanksgiving. Nevermind Fall or actual AUTUMN or Halloween and pumpkin time, it should definitely NOT be time for autumn decorations until the last week of November. (!?!?!)
Ryan makes friends, who invite him to go sailing with the guys. But then - because Y'Barbo says so - the boat owner DITCHES all of the people he invited because his little girls want to sail. Except for the sake of forcing the story, she has him invite Ryan, and it's okay for Leah to come along, too. (((sigh.))) BAD writing.
And the writing is abysmal. "Where else could a trip to the beach less than two months before X-mess include getting wet without shivering?" (pg 47). Well, two months before X-mess would be October, and here in Michigan I've been swimming in warm water with no shivering, so...
pg 191 - He was developing a trust with Leah that he'd never had with Jenna, according to the story. Jenna was his WIFE and they had talked extensively about the wedding, moving to the seaside, eating seafood, relocating eventually to Galveston... HE WAS MARRYING HER, but he didn't trust her? SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! Run, Leah. This guy doesn't know sky from grass, and is completely obtuse about relationships. He's not a good fish.
He also craps all over his mother, promising Uncle Mike to call her, but not bothering until pg 200, and at that, he barely talks to her about anything important in his life. NOT A GOOD FISH!!!
pg 196 - "I think we should stay away from each other for a while." "Why?" (/end chapter). No resolution, and next chapter cuts to sunny day he has basketball with grief guys. Barely a mention of the 'argument'. WHAT IS THAT?!?!
pg 200 - "How many of us can say that we argued with God and went down a path He didn't send us down?" Actually? NOBODY. Wanna know why? God is omniscient and knows what path you're going to take ahead of time, because He puts the rebellion/heart hardening into us as He chooses, so it's STILL of His design/will.
And then we come to THE WORST part of the book - the 'who burnt down the house' schtick. It was Daddy who dunnit, cuz'n he didn't want his daughter to 'watch him die'. WHAT. THE. FARTS?! Like she's gonna drive in to the sunset and NOT visit, not see his decline? She LOVES him, hello - that's part-n-parcel of things. It's stupid as hell.
Worse, all of the financial woes are all solved because great-grand-daddy hid gold coins in a hollow fencepost, and Daddy found it and jammed the coins in a desk that he then conveniently let the local library borrow (!?!!?!) so it didn't burn in the fire... but when they moved it from the farm to the library, and from the library to Leah's cottage, nobody heard the loose coins that Ryan reaches in and scoops into his hands within the secret compartment jinging - not at *ANY* point? Riiiiight.
This was just bad. All the way across the board. And now I see it's #2 in a series, and I read the first one a year ago and it was JUST as bad as this one. ****SIGH.****
NOT worth the time to read.
February 4, 2023
Meet Leah Berry, a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Leah is a long time resident of Vine Beach but between her father's illness and running the business he owned life is tough. Plus, the developers interested in their family land just won't take a hint! Newly minted fire marshall, Ryan Owen has an equally heavy burden to bear. He's a newcomer to Vine Beach but is grieving the loss of his wife and came to the beach to heal. The two find their lives inexplicably intertwined but not always in a good way, despite the budding romance they both feel. Can they find happiness together even if their choices means upsetting each other?
I'll be honest, I don't remember a lot about this book and I didn't love this couple or their story. My favorite parts were down to the pets and those scenes were only a handful. Leah had a lot going on but I didn't think Ryan's concerns as fire marshall were unreasonable. If a business is unsafe then it's up to the business to get it safe again, even if it's tough. Safety is a nonnegotiable and Ryan was just doing his job. Plus, it gives the romance an odd enemies-to-lovers mini twist. Also, if I remember correctly, the faith aspects seemed more like an afterthought than at the forefront of the story. Now, if you're me and you don't mind the faith bits then that's fine but if you're here for a true Christian romance then there are better Christian Inspired books. All that being said, I didn't hate the book - though I'm sure it sounds like it. I enjoyed the mystery twist and the side characters that showed up along the way. It was a romance that did it's job, it just wasn't a very satisfying one. I gave this book 2.5 stars but rounded up to three out of five stars.
I'll be honest, I don't remember a lot about this book and I didn't love this couple or their story. My favorite parts were down to the pets and those scenes were only a handful. Leah had a lot going on but I didn't think Ryan's concerns as fire marshall were unreasonable. If a business is unsafe then it's up to the business to get it safe again, even if it's tough. Safety is a nonnegotiable and Ryan was just doing his job. Plus, it gives the romance an odd enemies-to-lovers mini twist. Also, if I remember correctly, the faith aspects seemed more like an afterthought than at the forefront of the story. Now, if you're me and you don't mind the faith bits then that's fine but if you're here for a true Christian romance then there are better Christian Inspired books. All that being said, I didn't hate the book - though I'm sure it sounds like it. I enjoyed the mystery twist and the side characters that showed up along the way. It was a romance that did it's job, it just wasn't a very satisfying one. I gave this book 2.5 stars but rounded up to three out of five stars.
July 19, 2018
Leah Berry has given up her career as an art curator and preservation historian to return to Vine Beach to run the family seafood diner and care for her father, who is showing signs of dementia. After their historic family home burned down, he is now living in the assisted living section of a nursing home.
Ryan Owen has moved to Vine Beach to take the position as new Fire Chief. He is fulfilling a wish he made to his late wife. First, to celebrate their first anniversary in a seafood restaurant at the beach, and second, to live at the beach. He has left is promising career in Houston for six months, to fulfill the wishes of his wife, who died in a diving accident on their honeymoon.
Ryan heals through the Starting Over grief group at church, and the men help him in several projects. Ryan has fallen in love with Leah, and he naturally starts looking out for her and protecting her. As fire chief, her seafood diner fails his fire inspection. She has to close till repairs are made. But Ryan buys one of her horse to provide money for the repairs, then gets to Starting Over guys for free labor. He repairs the leaky roof of her barn. Each of these things open Leah's eyes to how much this man cares for her.
A book of choices, family love and overcoming grief.
Ryan Owen has moved to Vine Beach to take the position as new Fire Chief. He is fulfilling a wish he made to his late wife. First, to celebrate their first anniversary in a seafood restaurant at the beach, and second, to live at the beach. He has left is promising career in Houston for six months, to fulfill the wishes of his wife, who died in a diving accident on their honeymoon.
Ryan heals through the Starting Over grief group at church, and the men help him in several projects. Ryan has fallen in love with Leah, and he naturally starts looking out for her and protecting her. As fire chief, her seafood diner fails his fire inspection. She has to close till repairs are made. But Ryan buys one of her horse to provide money for the repairs, then gets to Starting Over guys for free labor. He repairs the leaky roof of her barn. Each of these things open Leah's eyes to how much this man cares for her.
A book of choices, family love and overcoming grief.
December 15, 2017
I needed a sweet, romantic pick-me-up kind of story. I think this book fit the bill! It is simple. There's no complex themes or intense mystery, it is a simple Christmas story. I think that is what makes me like it so much- a love story without a triangle, without any sad endings, no unnecessary drama. I feel as if the love aspects are realistically written. Simple, lovely, and perfect for Christmastime.
December 7, 2019
I enjoy this book so much I was captivated by the characters. This book has little bit everything love, loss and animals. Love the unlying story that god can and will change the course of you job and life.
July 27, 2020
Nice pleasant book with a bit of mystery, and great ideas (the whole concept of the 'Starting Over' group). The climax didn't happen until the last chapter.
January 27, 2021
I enjoyed reading the book. Great story and wonderful characters.
June 26, 2025
I enjoyed the story, but the ending was rushed. I felt like I needed more to finish the story satisfactorily.
December 16, 2012
Title: HER HOLIDAY FIREMAN
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Publisher: Love Inspired
November 2012
ISBN: 978-0-373-87779-9
Genre: Contemporary romance
Leah Berry’s father has recently been put into a nursing home. Leah is struggling to run her daddy’s restaurant and fend off developers who want to buy her family home. Well, the land. Ocean front property is pretty valuable, and since the pre-Civil War era house burned, Leah is living in a small shack beside the sea.
Ryan Owan has lost his wife. Now, on what would’ve been his one year anniversary, he’s sitting as far away from what he’d known as possible. Acting as fire chief in this new-to-him community on the sea, it would’ve been perfect—if his wife were by his side.
From the moment Ryan met the beautiful redhead, Ryan knows he’s in trouble. He came to town to heal. Not looking for a new lover. When Ryan shuts down Leah’s Daddy’s restaurant due to fire code violations, Leah is infuriated. Will Ryan and Leah learn to let go—and let God?
HER HOLIDAY FIREMAN is Ms. Y’Barbo’s latest romance. My heart broke when I found out Ryan’s story. Leah is kind to Ryan even without knowing his story, when he inconveniences her and her employees at the restaurant, and that won points with me. Both Ryan and Leah were struggling with loss, Leah with more material things (though with her daddy’s Alzheimers, there is definitely some physical loss) and Ryan with the loss of his wife.
I couldn’t help but fall for these two hurting characters and wanted them to find healing. But first they must learn to tolerate differences. A fun addition to the story was Ryan’s dog and Leah’s cat, because they too much learn to tolerate others. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $5.75. 214 pages.
Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo
Publisher: Love Inspired
November 2012
ISBN: 978-0-373-87779-9
Genre: Contemporary romance
Leah Berry’s father has recently been put into a nursing home. Leah is struggling to run her daddy’s restaurant and fend off developers who want to buy her family home. Well, the land. Ocean front property is pretty valuable, and since the pre-Civil War era house burned, Leah is living in a small shack beside the sea.
Ryan Owan has lost his wife. Now, on what would’ve been his one year anniversary, he’s sitting as far away from what he’d known as possible. Acting as fire chief in this new-to-him community on the sea, it would’ve been perfect—if his wife were by his side.
From the moment Ryan met the beautiful redhead, Ryan knows he’s in trouble. He came to town to heal. Not looking for a new lover. When Ryan shuts down Leah’s Daddy’s restaurant due to fire code violations, Leah is infuriated. Will Ryan and Leah learn to let go—and let God?
HER HOLIDAY FIREMAN is Ms. Y’Barbo’s latest romance. My heart broke when I found out Ryan’s story. Leah is kind to Ryan even without knowing his story, when he inconveniences her and her employees at the restaurant, and that won points with me. Both Ryan and Leah were struggling with loss, Leah with more material things (though with her daddy’s Alzheimers, there is definitely some physical loss) and Ryan with the loss of his wife.
I couldn’t help but fall for these two hurting characters and wanted them to find healing. But first they must learn to tolerate differences. A fun addition to the story was Ryan’s dog and Leah’s cat, because they too much learn to tolerate others. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $5.75. 214 pages.
January 8, 2014
Love Inspired puts out quite a few sweet stories and Her Holiday Fireman by Kathleen Y'Barbo is one of them.
Her Holiday Fireman looks like it takes place at Christmas time from the cover, when actually the story starts a couple of months before then. The story follow Leah, a young women who has taken over running a small eatery in Vine Beach. Even though she has perused the education she wanted, she felt the need to come back home and help her dad take care of things since he started to battle Alzheimer's. Between those two responsibilities, Leah doesn't find those troubling, what she does find troubling is the constant pressure of the mayor as he tries to talk her in to selling her land that she grew up on.
Ryan Owen is a fireman who has temporarily relocated. He is a recent widower, trying to keep a promise to his late wife, to the best of his ability. Ryan takes the position of fire chief in Vine Beach with a six month contract. Ryan doesn't know it at the time, but he is taking Leah's father's previous job. With Ryan now in charge of the small fire department to the resort town, he starts to look into things that had been set aside for sometime with Leah's Pop dealing with his illness. With his job, Ryan starts to investigate the remains of Leah's old family home. The house had burned down two year previous, and the reason has been a bit of mystery. With events and information uncovered, Ryan and Leah find out, not all is what it seems to be.
Her Holiday Fireman was a nice story to read. It offered a little bit of mystery, which is always fun. The characters were well developed. Leah and Ryan each had pasts that they had to face and unknown futures to look forward to. In doing so, they each had to rely on faith for their strength and guidance.
Her Holiday Fireman looks like it takes place at Christmas time from the cover, when actually the story starts a couple of months before then. The story follow Leah, a young women who has taken over running a small eatery in Vine Beach. Even though she has perused the education she wanted, she felt the need to come back home and help her dad take care of things since he started to battle Alzheimer's. Between those two responsibilities, Leah doesn't find those troubling, what she does find troubling is the constant pressure of the mayor as he tries to talk her in to selling her land that she grew up on.
Ryan Owen is a fireman who has temporarily relocated. He is a recent widower, trying to keep a promise to his late wife, to the best of his ability. Ryan takes the position of fire chief in Vine Beach with a six month contract. Ryan doesn't know it at the time, but he is taking Leah's father's previous job. With Ryan now in charge of the small fire department to the resort town, he starts to look into things that had been set aside for sometime with Leah's Pop dealing with his illness. With his job, Ryan starts to investigate the remains of Leah's old family home. The house had burned down two year previous, and the reason has been a bit of mystery. With events and information uncovered, Ryan and Leah find out, not all is what it seems to be.
Her Holiday Fireman was a nice story to read. It offered a little bit of mystery, which is always fun. The characters were well developed. Leah and Ryan each had pasts that they had to face and unknown futures to look forward to. In doing so, they each had to rely on faith for their strength and guidance.
December 7, 2013
SUMMARY: From his first encounter with the feisty redhead, widower and fire marshal Ryan Owen knows he's in trouble. He's in Vine Beach to heal, not to find romance. As for Leah Berry, she's come home strictly to lay claim to her family's restaurant and fend off developers. Leah is infuriated when Ryan shuts down the restaurant on violations. Both are determined to have their way, even as something unexpected starts blossoming between them. They'll need to learn the hardest thing about love and faith—letting go.
REVIEW: Nice clean romance with a touch of mystery that made it interesting.
REVIEW: Nice clean romance with a touch of mystery that made it interesting.
December 19, 2012
I loved how Leah and Ryan's relationship developed. They were drawn to each other from the beginning, but neither was sure what they wanted to feel. Leah wanted to stay away from him because he was the fire chief and he kept thinking he was going back to his of job in Houston..
The only thing I didn't really like about the book was that it didn't show them as a couple that much.
The only thing I didn't really like about the book was that it didn't show them as a couple that much.
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December 27, 2014Miniseries: Second Time Around
Category: Inspirational Romance
Category: Inspirational Romance
January 9, 2013
This was an excellent story! I enjoyed it very much.
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December 27, 2014Miniseries: Second Time Around
Category: Inspirational Romance
Category: Inspirational Romance
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews