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Hope #1
Hope Flames
When it comes to love, they already know the rules…by heart.
Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she’s not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.
That’s fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he’s devoted to the only faithful companion in his life—his police dog. Still, there’s something about Emma he can’t shake.
When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they’re giving each other something they thought they’d lost forever…hope.
FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!
Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she’s not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.
That’s fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he’s devoted to the only faithful companion in his life—his police dog. Still, there’s something about Emma he can’t shake.
When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they’re giving each other something they thought they’d lost forever…hope.
FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
328 people are currently reading
6520 people want to read
About the author
Jaci Burton
153 books8,293 followersJaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 85 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, book information and contests.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 667 reviews
June 19, 2018
It was somewhat of a letdown.
The first 30% of the book was wonderful, but after that, the story dragged a lot to the point that I got bored and became frustrated with the slow pace. The book was overly long, given that there wasn’t much of a story to tell, which I had to skim through many pages just to finish it.
Although it wasn’t a total delight as I expected, there were still many good things about this book.
The hero: Luke is such a sweetheart. He’s hardworking, attentive, understanding, caring, and laid-back. A man of my dream!
The romance: The chemistry between Luke and Emma was sizzling like the summer heat. There was a lot of sexual tension which I could feel it instantly the moment their eyes first met.
The animals: There were dogs, cats, horses, and more—so cute! They are my utter weakness!
***SPOILER ALERT!!!
Around the end of the third quarter, I was thinking about giving 3 stars to this book. But unfortunately, at 85%, when Emma's ex came back out of nowhere, I think it was way too far-fetched and unconvincing. The whole I-am-an-independent-woman thing didn’t make sense to me at all. When Luke saved Emma from her psycho ex-boyfriend, instead of letting Luke cuddle her all night, she kicked him out of her house and broke up with him. Arrrgh! This woman seriously pissed me off!
This is what Emma’s friend asked her…
“Sorry. But I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around the fact that the guy you are more afraid of than anything in this life shows up where you work, Luke comes in and helps you out, and then you thank him by dumping him.”
And this is what her father said…
“One guy’s a certifiable nutcase, and the other’s perfect so she throws him out. Sometimes my daughter makes no gosh darn sense.”
Damn right!
And this is what Emma thought...
Fear had made her do stupid things. She and Luke had settled in to what had become a perfect relationship. Until Vaughn had shown up and ruined everything.
No. That wasn’t right. She couldn’t even blame Vaughn for what had happened. She was the one who had ruined everything. She and her own stupid fears. Now she had to figure out how to fix it.
Uh-oh! Wasn’t it too little too late, woman? And what upset me the most was that she didn’t even have to grovel! Gah! Enough said!
The first 30% of the book was wonderful, but after that, the story dragged a lot to the point that I got bored and became frustrated with the slow pace. The book was overly long, given that there wasn’t much of a story to tell, which I had to skim through many pages just to finish it.
Although it wasn’t a total delight as I expected, there were still many good things about this book.
The hero: Luke is such a sweetheart. He’s hardworking, attentive, understanding, caring, and laid-back. A man of my dream!
The romance: The chemistry between Luke and Emma was sizzling like the summer heat. There was a lot of sexual tension which I could feel it instantly the moment their eyes first met.
The animals: There were dogs, cats, horses, and more—so cute! They are my utter weakness!
***SPOILER ALERT!!!
Around the end of the third quarter, I was thinking about giving 3 stars to this book. But unfortunately, at 85%, when Emma's ex came back out of nowhere, I think it was way too far-fetched and unconvincing. The whole I-am-an-independent-woman thing didn’t make sense to me at all. When Luke saved Emma from her psycho ex-boyfriend, instead of letting Luke cuddle her all night, she kicked him out of her house and broke up with him. Arrrgh! This woman seriously pissed me off!
This is what Emma’s friend asked her…
“Sorry. But I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around the fact that the guy you are more afraid of than anything in this life shows up where you work, Luke comes in and helps you out, and then you thank him by dumping him.”
And this is what her father said…
“One guy’s a certifiable nutcase, and the other’s perfect so she throws him out. Sometimes my daughter makes no gosh darn sense.”
Damn right!
And this is what Emma thought...
Fear had made her do stupid things. She and Luke had settled in to what had become a perfect relationship. Until Vaughn had shown up and ruined everything.
No. That wasn’t right. She couldn’t even blame Vaughn for what had happened. She was the one who had ruined everything. She and her own stupid fears. Now she had to figure out how to fix it.
Uh-oh! Wasn’t it too little too late, woman? And what upset me the most was that she didn’t even have to grovel! Gah! Enough said!
January 28, 2014
Cute and occasionally hot story about a sexy cop and the town vet--neither who are looking for a "relationship", but eventually find themselves right smack dab in the middle of one.
Dark haired, blue-green eyed Luke is overcoming a bad marriage/divorce by becoming a one-night-stand kind of guy. He's through with putting his heart out there, only to get it stomped on. And that suits him just fine. He's got a police dog/partner (Boomer) for companionship and all the one-nighters he can handle. Who needs the trouble of a "relationship"? But then he meets the new town vet (32-year old Emma)...Emma doesn't look like his usual one-nighters--this woman screams relationship, but darn if he isn't drawn to her anyway.
Luke...
Emma...
Little does he know that pretty brunette Emma, who recently returned to her hometown of Hope to buy the local vet practice, feels the same way he does about relationships. She escaped a serious one (that turned abusive) by the skin of her teeth, and carries around a bit of baggage that makes her uneasy and mistrustful of men. Now Emma's all about being Miss Independent--who needs the trouble that men bring? But one night Luke brings Boomer in for treatment, and he and Emma hit it off. They both think that they can be "just friends" and hang out together, but there's so much chemistry and a real connection between them that they eventually give in to their desires. Uh-oh. Do they want to try and put their pasts behind them? Are they ready to give this thing between them a fighting chance? Can they both learn to trust others (and their own decisions) again? Or would it just be easier to walk away?
Boomer...
and Daisy. Best buds who get a lot of page time...
I liked this one. It wasn't particularly compelling or original but it had characters I liked and a decent plot. Maybe Emma flip flopped a bit on what she really wanted from Luke and at times that irked me (this guy was perfect for her!), and maybe she thought about the rat she was involved with six years ago, giving him way too much power over her life still--but I generally liked her. The book didn't end in a HEA (more of a HFN) which made sense, since it took them long enough to decide if they even wanted a relationship.
So, a nice start to a new small-town-where everyone-knows-your business series. There's lots of characters to choose from for future books (I believe Luke's rancher brother Logan gets the next one--Hope Ignites and there's also a novella that precedes this one about Emma's friend Jane and Luke's friend Will (Hope Smolders. Jaci Burton specializes in more erotic stuff (Play by Play series) but she does contemporary romance pretty well too. The writing's good, the characters are well developed and the sex scenes are hot. All enough to keep me interested and looking forward to Hope Ignites. A solid 4 stars.
Dark haired, blue-green eyed Luke is overcoming a bad marriage/divorce by becoming a one-night-stand kind of guy. He's through with putting his heart out there, only to get it stomped on. And that suits him just fine. He's got a police dog/partner (Boomer) for companionship and all the one-nighters he can handle. Who needs the trouble of a "relationship"? But then he meets the new town vet (32-year old Emma)...Emma doesn't look like his usual one-nighters--this woman screams relationship, but darn if he isn't drawn to her anyway.
Luke...
Emma...
Little does he know that pretty brunette Emma, who recently returned to her hometown of Hope to buy the local vet practice, feels the same way he does about relationships. She escaped a serious one (that turned abusive) by the skin of her teeth, and carries around a bit of baggage that makes her uneasy and mistrustful of men. Now Emma's all about being Miss Independent--who needs the trouble that men bring? But one night Luke brings Boomer in for treatment, and he and Emma hit it off. They both think that they can be "just friends" and hang out together, but there's so much chemistry and a real connection between them that they eventually give in to their desires. Uh-oh. Do they want to try and put their pasts behind them? Are they ready to give this thing between them a fighting chance? Can they both learn to trust others (and their own decisions) again? Or would it just be easier to walk away?
Boomer...
and Daisy. Best buds who get a lot of page time...
I liked this one. It wasn't particularly compelling or original but it had characters I liked and a decent plot. Maybe Emma flip flopped a bit on what she really wanted from Luke and at times that irked me (this guy was perfect for her!), and maybe she thought about the rat she was involved with six years ago, giving him way too much power over her life still--but I generally liked her. The book didn't end in a HEA (more of a HFN) which made sense, since it took them long enough to decide if they even wanted a relationship.
So, a nice start to a new small-town-where everyone-knows-your business series. There's lots of characters to choose from for future books (I believe Luke's rancher brother Logan gets the next one--Hope Ignites and there's also a novella that precedes this one about Emma's friend Jane and Luke's friend Will (Hope Smolders. Jaci Burton specializes in more erotic stuff (Play by Play series) but she does contemporary romance pretty well too. The writing's good, the characters are well developed and the sex scenes are hot. All enough to keep me interested and looking forward to Hope Ignites. A solid 4 stars.
February 8, 2014
Seriously, one look at that eye candy on the cover and I just had to read Hope Flames! I knew I’d get steamy moments but I was happily surprised by the likable characters, and sweet story within.
At thirty-two, Emma Burnett has finally realized her dream of becoming a veterinarian, but even better she’s back in her hometown, Hope, to practice. She’s settled in and business is off to a promising start when Luke McCormack, an officer, comes in with his injured dog, Boomer. Chemistry and sparks immediately fly between them, but Emma is not looking for love, or a relationship. She was burned badly in the past and doesn’t plan on ever repeating that. Emma’s happy she got her life back on track and is focused on making her career a success. But as usual life doesn’t always comply with our plans.
Luke is immediately drawn to the town’s new vet, Emma, but a relationship is the last thing he wants after suffering a failed marriage. He has no desire to travel down that road again and keeps women to a one-night stand status and nothing more. Even though Luke can tell Emma is not that type of girl, he can’t help finding excuses to see her again.
Emma and Luke had absolutely no plans for a relationship or love, but still they gradually burrowed a spot in each other’s heart. There was a magnetic pull neither could ignore:
"Before she could say goodnight, he'd pulled her against him, his mouth on hers in another of those mind-melting, blistering hot kisses that made her forget all her logical reasonable convictions."
I loved how maturely Emma and Luke dealt with their relationship. It seemed each time one had doubts or a hang-up would arise, the other would give space and time for adjustment. That’s not to say there weren’t bumps, but nothing that was pull-your-hair-out frustrating.
Just because there wasn’t big troubles between Emma and Luke didn’t mean the story wasn’t addictive. With a series of burglaries plaguing the town and scary drama from Emma’s past resurfacing there’s no need for couple angst to provide excitement. Emma was a strong independent woman so she didn’t allow the situation make her hole up in the closet and hide. She did something, but she wasn’t so overly confident to the point where she made stupid decisions. Love a smart protagonist!
Both Emma and Luke had friends and family there to give good advice and we got to know them enough to see future stories in the making down the road.
Hope Flames was a sweet, easy going romance, with sizzle! This was my first read by Jaci Burton, but it won’t be my last. I can’t wait for the next in the series,Hope Ignites which centers on Luke’s brother, Logan, the moody, broody, horse rancher and Desiree, the Hollywood starlet.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Come visit The Readers Den for a chance to win a copy of Hope Flames.
At thirty-two, Emma Burnett has finally realized her dream of becoming a veterinarian, but even better she’s back in her hometown, Hope, to practice. She’s settled in and business is off to a promising start when Luke McCormack, an officer, comes in with his injured dog, Boomer. Chemistry and sparks immediately fly between them, but Emma is not looking for love, or a relationship. She was burned badly in the past and doesn’t plan on ever repeating that. Emma’s happy she got her life back on track and is focused on making her career a success. But as usual life doesn’t always comply with our plans.
Luke is immediately drawn to the town’s new vet, Emma, but a relationship is the last thing he wants after suffering a failed marriage. He has no desire to travel down that road again and keeps women to a one-night stand status and nothing more. Even though Luke can tell Emma is not that type of girl, he can’t help finding excuses to see her again.
Emma and Luke had absolutely no plans for a relationship or love, but still they gradually burrowed a spot in each other’s heart. There was a magnetic pull neither could ignore:
"Before she could say goodnight, he'd pulled her against him, his mouth on hers in another of those mind-melting, blistering hot kisses that made her forget all her logical reasonable convictions."
I loved how maturely Emma and Luke dealt with their relationship. It seemed each time one had doubts or a hang-up would arise, the other would give space and time for adjustment. That’s not to say there weren’t bumps, but nothing that was pull-your-hair-out frustrating.
Just because there wasn’t big troubles between Emma and Luke didn’t mean the story wasn’t addictive. With a series of burglaries plaguing the town and scary drama from Emma’s past resurfacing there’s no need for couple angst to provide excitement. Emma was a strong independent woman so she didn’t allow the situation make her hole up in the closet and hide. She did something, but she wasn’t so overly confident to the point where she made stupid decisions. Love a smart protagonist!
Both Emma and Luke had friends and family there to give good advice and we got to know them enough to see future stories in the making down the road.
Hope Flames was a sweet, easy going romance, with sizzle! This was my first read by Jaci Burton, but it won’t be my last. I can’t wait for the next in the series,Hope Ignites which centers on Luke’s brother, Logan, the moody, broody, horse rancher and Desiree, the Hollywood starlet.
A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Come visit The Readers Den for a chance to win a copy of Hope Flames.
April 28, 2014
Originally posted at The Book Nympho
Quick Summary
Emma Burnett returns home to Hope to buy the veterinary practice of a retiring doctor. This is a fulfillment of a dream delayed by an awful relationship. Policeman Luke McCormick was badly burned during his marriage and has soured on committed relationships, other than the one he has with his canine partner, Boomer. When the dog requires medical care, it sets off something that neither Luke or Emma saw coming.
So, what changed?
After a rocky start, Luke and Emma figured they'd work well as friends and possibly with benefits. A series of break-ins at facilities with pharmaceuticals threw them together even more and, well, they really made the best of it:)
How was the romance?
I loved their journey to friendship. Most of the story was about their individual discoveries, really coming to intensely like each other. And, the benefits weren't bad, either (actually, pretty steamy). This was truly a friends to lovers romance but this time, we were in on the development of the friendship.
Other characters?
Luke's older brother, Logan, was queued perfectly for his upcoming story. And Emma's friend, Chelsea, is funny, gorgeous and primed for a relationship.
The bottom line
There was a sweetness about this story, primarily because of the couples' devotion to and care of animals, telling you so much more about their characters. An element of suspense was in the background because of the break-ins and baggage from Emma's past (culminates near the end). It wasn't terribly exciting but I really enjoyed being a voyeur as they created a relationship. This is the perfect book to settle back and immerse yourself in when you just want a feel-good story. I'm still liking this series.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
Quick Summary
Emma Burnett returns home to Hope to buy the veterinary practice of a retiring doctor. This is a fulfillment of a dream delayed by an awful relationship. Policeman Luke McCormick was badly burned during his marriage and has soured on committed relationships, other than the one he has with his canine partner, Boomer. When the dog requires medical care, it sets off something that neither Luke or Emma saw coming.
So, what changed?
After a rocky start, Luke and Emma figured they'd work well as friends and possibly with benefits. A series of break-ins at facilities with pharmaceuticals threw them together even more and, well, they really made the best of it:)
How was the romance?
I loved their journey to friendship. Most of the story was about their individual discoveries, really coming to intensely like each other. And, the benefits weren't bad, either (actually, pretty steamy). This was truly a friends to lovers romance but this time, we were in on the development of the friendship.
Other characters?
Luke's older brother, Logan, was queued perfectly for his upcoming story. And Emma's friend, Chelsea, is funny, gorgeous and primed for a relationship.
The bottom line
There was a sweetness about this story, primarily because of the couples' devotion to and care of animals, telling you so much more about their characters. An element of suspense was in the background because of the break-ins and baggage from Emma's past (culminates near the end). It wasn't terribly exciting but I really enjoyed being a voyeur as they created a relationship. This is the perfect book to settle back and immerse yourself in when you just want a feel-good story. I'm still liking this series.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
August 19, 2018
This was the average, typical, small town romance that you would expect. Nothing more and nothing less.
I liked both of the main characters individually as well as the relationship and chemistry between them. My one criticism is that I felt the ending was rushed. I felt that the relationship was going at a good pace for the majority of the novel, but at the end so much was happening and that the characters were resembling different personalities than who they started the novel as.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and quick read but not one that I would necessarily recommend. If I did recommend it, it would be as a book to pick up from the library. It’s a good story but one that has been told many times before so there really isn’t much new to gain from it.
I liked both of the main characters individually as well as the relationship and chemistry between them. My one criticism is that I felt the ending was rushed. I felt that the relationship was going at a good pace for the majority of the novel, but at the end so much was happening and that the characters were resembling different personalities than who they started the novel as.
Overall, this was an enjoyable and quick read but not one that I would necessarily recommend. If I did recommend it, it would be as a book to pick up from the library. It’s a good story but one that has been told many times before so there really isn’t much new to gain from it.
January 8, 2014
I have a two strikes and you’re done method when it comes to trying out authors that my fellow bloggers and readers love. I bought and read Taking a Shot last Christmas and wasn’t very impressed with it. But a lot of people I know love her books, so I decided to give it another go and requested Hope Flames.
After years of hard work, Dr. Emma Burnett has purchased her own veterinarian practice in her hometown of Hope, Oklahoma. She meets police officer Luke McCormack when he brings in his police dog, Boomer, after hours to be checked out after the dog hurt himself chasing after a suspect. I had to hold back a sigh when the monologue went on about her noticing his manly arms and hands. Luke is the footloose fancy free guy that prefers the revolving door method when it comes to his women.
Emma’s past is briefly hinted about at the beginning of the book, and because this novel held absolutely no surprises, I knew the ex would be making a return sooner or later. Luke knows he makes Emma uneasy so he offers to take her out, as his friend. Insulted, Emma believes he’s asking her out on a pity date (which isn’t too far from the truth) and rejects his offer outright. She’s moony over him after meeting him once. Why? I have no clue… in the text, he doesn’t exactly come out as a real prize.
Luke’s character isn’t anything I haven’t read a thousand times before. His ex-wife did him wrong and he’s strictly all about casual sex now. But he’s intrigued by Emma and Emma accepts his offer of a friendly date after he comes to her rescue when a break in at her clinic occurs. Everything is so spelled out in their interactions that it became almost downright painful to read. Emma is perceptive about guessing Luke doesn’t want to remarry because his ex was hell on wheels? Oh please. There is nothing resembling subtlety and nuance here, at all.
Emma and Luke move into casually dating/sleeping with one another, and more hints about Emma’s past are dropped along the way as you’re reading. Once they establish what they are to each other, or more precisely, what they’re not – the book settles into a fairly smooth groove. The romance is amicable, if unremarkable . The heat level is quite a bit lower than her Play by Play series, but the love scenes still manage to be fairly sensual.
Emma’s ex-boyfriend doesn’t make an appearance until the last 15% of Hope Flames and since Emma has long since spilled the beans to Luke, how this comes about is terribly predictable. There are a lot of animal bits which does make sense as Emma’s a vet, but I tended to skim or even skip those parts altogether. Unfortunately, the book did not work for me at all. It tended to be more boring than interesting, and I’m not remotely interested in reading her again.
- Ronnie
After years of hard work, Dr. Emma Burnett has purchased her own veterinarian practice in her hometown of Hope, Oklahoma. She meets police officer Luke McCormack when he brings in his police dog, Boomer, after hours to be checked out after the dog hurt himself chasing after a suspect. I had to hold back a sigh when the monologue went on about her noticing his manly arms and hands. Luke is the footloose fancy free guy that prefers the revolving door method when it comes to his women.
Emma’s past is briefly hinted about at the beginning of the book, and because this novel held absolutely no surprises, I knew the ex would be making a return sooner or later. Luke knows he makes Emma uneasy so he offers to take her out, as his friend. Insulted, Emma believes he’s asking her out on a pity date (which isn’t too far from the truth) and rejects his offer outright. She’s moony over him after meeting him once. Why? I have no clue… in the text, he doesn’t exactly come out as a real prize.
Luke’s character isn’t anything I haven’t read a thousand times before. His ex-wife did him wrong and he’s strictly all about casual sex now. But he’s intrigued by Emma and Emma accepts his offer of a friendly date after he comes to her rescue when a break in at her clinic occurs. Everything is so spelled out in their interactions that it became almost downright painful to read. Emma is perceptive about guessing Luke doesn’t want to remarry because his ex was hell on wheels? Oh please. There is nothing resembling subtlety and nuance here, at all.
Emma and Luke move into casually dating/sleeping with one another, and more hints about Emma’s past are dropped along the way as you’re reading. Once they establish what they are to each other, or more precisely, what they’re not – the book settles into a fairly smooth groove. The romance is amicable, if unremarkable . The heat level is quite a bit lower than her Play by Play series, but the love scenes still manage to be fairly sensual.
Emma’s ex-boyfriend doesn’t make an appearance until the last 15% of Hope Flames and since Emma has long since spilled the beans to Luke, how this comes about is terribly predictable. There are a lot of animal bits which does make sense as Emma’s a vet, but I tended to skim or even skip those parts altogether. Unfortunately, the book did not work for me at all. It tended to be more boring than interesting, and I’m not remotely interested in reading her again.
- Ronnie
November 9, 2018
I am feeling all sorts of good things about this series...
Here's hoping the next book lives up to expectations.
Here's hoping the next book lives up to expectations.
July 29, 2016
DNF at 38%. I tried, but the story and romance is so bland. This book makes me sleepy and there nothing worse than forcing yourself to read a book that makes you want to take a nap.
June 6, 2021
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January 8, 2014
Girly squee! I love Jaci Burton's books. They're always fun and sexy and just a good time. She can write some make you squirm erotic romances that's for sure. But I'd never read a straight contemporary from her before and damn if she didn't do a fucking fantastic job with that too. Hope Flames had it all. Sexy times, a bit of danger/mystery, an awesome heroine and a sexy cop of a hero who just played nicely off each other, great romance and a pretty darling cast of furry characters to round it all out.
I really enjoyed both Emma and Luke. They're interesting characters, don't always understand each other which leads to some excellent moments and are really dedicated to what they do--he loves his work in law enforcement and she's passionate about helping the furry community members. I really liked that they were pretty normal/down to earth people. There's nothing too fancy or wild about them. They're just...them. Which to me, I don't know, made me comfortable with them and made me want to spend more time with them. I also kinda liked seeing them on the job. And, again, nothing glamorous...just them.
Luke has some sexy going on and damn but I am a sucker for a guy that loves animals. They're both a little damaged by their past relationships so it was really wonderful seeing them work past that and find something together. It was pretty fun watching them quip with each other and dance around their attraction and when things finally get steamy they really work nicely together.
One thing I wouldn't normally point out but that was just really nicely done so I wanted to say something and give Burton kudos for was Emma's job. In my real life I'm in animal rescue so I spend a ton of time in the veterinary world so reading a book based on that and that has animal rescue as part of it is something I usually avoid because they usually are pretty far from accurate. But. Burton damn near nailed it. I was so impressed with the feel and reality she brought to Emma's career and found myself nodding my head a lot going yup. Mmhmm. Exactly. So, to Jaci--awesome fucking job. Thank you for representing the field so well!
I enjoyed the mystery as well. Though I would have liked a bit more of an 'omg' factor with who was behind the break ins and the stealing of pharmaceuticals throughout the town it was exciting to be part of the investigation with Luke and the frustrations he went through on the case. It kept me on my toes waiting to see what would happen next and that's always a fun feeling.
Overall, I really loved Hope Flames and am so excited that it's the start of a new series. There were some excellent secondary characters...his brother, friends and her employees that I can't wait to hear more about. It's a neat little community that just sucked me in and makes it easy to recommend.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
I really enjoyed both Emma and Luke. They're interesting characters, don't always understand each other which leads to some excellent moments and are really dedicated to what they do--he loves his work in law enforcement and she's passionate about helping the furry community members. I really liked that they were pretty normal/down to earth people. There's nothing too fancy or wild about them. They're just...them. Which to me, I don't know, made me comfortable with them and made me want to spend more time with them. I also kinda liked seeing them on the job. And, again, nothing glamorous...just them.
"...I know you get called out on emergencies sometimes, but if it hadn't been me today, you might have been facing one hell of a speeding ticket."
Her smile faded. "You're right. In the future I'll be more mindful of that. I was only thinking about the cow."
He tipped her nose with his fingertip. "Thank about your safety first."
"Oooh, I get all tingly when you talk cop stuff and the law."
He stepped closer. "Don't tease me, Emma. I have handcuffs."
Her eyes went dark. "Yeah? And you know what to do with them?"
In an instant, he'd jerked her against him. "If we weren't standing in front of the Miller's house right now, both of us covered in cow--whatever-- I'd show you exactly what I could do with handcuffs."
Luke has some sexy going on and damn but I am a sucker for a guy that loves animals. They're both a little damaged by their past relationships so it was really wonderful seeing them work past that and find something together. It was pretty fun watching them quip with each other and dance around their attraction and when things finally get steamy they really work nicely together.
"Wait," she said.
He frowned. "Is this too fast for you?"
"No. Definitely, no. I just need to look at you." She gave him a slight push so he'd take a step back.
She took in the sight of him. Well-sculpted shoulders, a wide expanse of chest, and oh, God, those abs. She was going to have to spend hours exploring his abs. With her tonight.
She took a deep breath, then sighed.
"Are you ogling me?" he asked.
"Maybe a little. Okay, yes. I've missed seeing you naked."
His lips curved. "You're killing me, Emma." He moved in and kissed her again, this time laying a very possessive hand on her breast. She gasped, especially when he deftly pulled one side of her bra down to brush a thumb over her nipple. If she came while he did that, it would be so embarrassing. Then again, she might not care..."
One thing I wouldn't normally point out but that was just really nicely done so I wanted to say something and give Burton kudos for was Emma's job. In my real life I'm in animal rescue so I spend a ton of time in the veterinary world so reading a book based on that and that has animal rescue as part of it is something I usually avoid because they usually are pretty far from accurate. But. Burton damn near nailed it. I was so impressed with the feel and reality she brought to Emma's career and found myself nodding my head a lot going yup. Mmhmm. Exactly. So, to Jaci--awesome fucking job. Thank you for representing the field so well!
I enjoyed the mystery as well. Though I would have liked a bit more of an 'omg' factor with who was behind the break ins and the stealing of pharmaceuticals throughout the town it was exciting to be part of the investigation with Luke and the frustrations he went through on the case. It kept me on my toes waiting to see what would happen next and that's always a fun feeling.
Overall, I really loved Hope Flames and am so excited that it's the start of a new series. There were some excellent secondary characters...his brother, friends and her employees that I can't wait to hear more about. It's a neat little community that just sucked me in and makes it easy to recommend.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
September 4, 2016
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: C
Emma has moved back home to Hope and has taken over the local animal clinic after the town’s long time vet retired. She’s put everything she has into her new business and is ready to get her life back on track. She’s been rebuilding since leaving an abusive relationship and she’s finally happy and content.
Luke is a cop who works with his dog Boomer and is known for his love em and leave em attitude when it comes to women. He’s a one night stand kind of guy and doesn’t want to think about having a relationship. He went down that road with his now ex-wife and doesn’t want a repeat performance. But when Boomer is injured and he takes him to see Emma for treatment, he can’t stop thinking about the pretty vet days later.
Luke and Emma start out just being friends since neither one wants a relationship, but they’re both single and in Emma’s case maybe a bit lonely and gun-shy. They have quite a bit in common from their love of dogs (who are really sweet throughout the story) and the outdoors, so a few “friendly” dates end up leading to much more and before they know it, they’re in that relationship that neither one wanted.
I have no complaints about these characters, both Emma and Luke are so darn likable there’s really nothing to frown at. If I had any issue with them it was their need to make their relationship harder than it was. They’re good people, they complement each other and I loved how they included their dogs as part of the family. But that said, their romance felt a bit bland. Don’t get me wrong, Jaci Burton writes some sexy love scenes and Emma and Luke certainly benefit from that, but there really wasn’t anything that made their romance stand out.
The small town setting of Hope is charming and we meet a few supporting characters who I’m interested to see lead their own books soon, including Luke’s older brother Logan, Emma’s wandering sister Molly and Luke’s close friend Carter.
In addition to the romance between Luke and Emma which is the main focus of the book, there are a couple smaller suspense storylines, one related to a case Luke’s working on and the other related to Emma’s ex. Not much time is given to the ex storyline and it almost felt tossed in at the end with how it all played out, but it served more of a purpose with regards to Emma and Luke’s relationship and giving us a little bit of angst for Emma to deal with.
I will always go along for the ride with a Burton romance, especially one set in a small town setting. I like the set up for this new series and I am interested to see who’s up next but for Luke and Emma, I felt a bit underwhelmed with their romance. They are the perfect couple, but there wasn’t anything about them that made me stand up and say wow. A good read, but I was left wanting something more.
Blog rating: C
Emma has moved back home to Hope and has taken over the local animal clinic after the town’s long time vet retired. She’s put everything she has into her new business and is ready to get her life back on track. She’s been rebuilding since leaving an abusive relationship and she’s finally happy and content.
Luke is a cop who works with his dog Boomer and is known for his love em and leave em attitude when it comes to women. He’s a one night stand kind of guy and doesn’t want to think about having a relationship. He went down that road with his now ex-wife and doesn’t want a repeat performance. But when Boomer is injured and he takes him to see Emma for treatment, he can’t stop thinking about the pretty vet days later.
Luke and Emma start out just being friends since neither one wants a relationship, but they’re both single and in Emma’s case maybe a bit lonely and gun-shy. They have quite a bit in common from their love of dogs (who are really sweet throughout the story) and the outdoors, so a few “friendly” dates end up leading to much more and before they know it, they’re in that relationship that neither one wanted.
I have no complaints about these characters, both Emma and Luke are so darn likable there’s really nothing to frown at. If I had any issue with them it was their need to make their relationship harder than it was. They’re good people, they complement each other and I loved how they included their dogs as part of the family. But that said, their romance felt a bit bland. Don’t get me wrong, Jaci Burton writes some sexy love scenes and Emma and Luke certainly benefit from that, but there really wasn’t anything that made their romance stand out.
The small town setting of Hope is charming and we meet a few supporting characters who I’m interested to see lead their own books soon, including Luke’s older brother Logan, Emma’s wandering sister Molly and Luke’s close friend Carter.
In addition to the romance between Luke and Emma which is the main focus of the book, there are a couple smaller suspense storylines, one related to a case Luke’s working on and the other related to Emma’s ex. Not much time is given to the ex storyline and it almost felt tossed in at the end with how it all played out, but it served more of a purpose with regards to Emma and Luke’s relationship and giving us a little bit of angst for Emma to deal with.
I will always go along for the ride with a Burton romance, especially one set in a small town setting. I like the set up for this new series and I am interested to see who’s up next but for Luke and Emma, I felt a bit underwhelmed with their romance. They are the perfect couple, but there wasn’t anything about them that made me stand up and say wow. A good read, but I was left wanting something more.
January 16, 2014
Originally posted at http://fictionvixen.com/review-hope-f...
I have several friends that have read and enjoyed Jaci Burton’s Play by Play novels so when I saw that she was starting a new contemporary series and was offered an ARC in August for review, I decided to give it a shot. (The initial publication was scheduled for September but for whatever reason was bumped to January 2014.) I’m a dog lover, so the premise of a heroine as a veterinarian intrigued me. Add a hot police officer hero and I was pretty much sold. Unfortunately after the first eight chapters, I was not engaged enough in the storyline or the characters to continue.
Emma Burnett has moved back to her home town of Hope and is now the new owner of the local vet clinic. Officer Luke McCormack meets Emma when he brings his police dog, Boomer, in with an injured leg. Emma is definitely attracted to Luke’s hot body as well as his care and concern for Boomer but her inner dialogue constantly reminds her she does not need a man or a relationship that includes one. Luke finds Emma attractive as well but after a failed marriage, he is gun-shy about women and prefers one-night-stands to relationships.
It was obvious that Emma had a bad relationship in her past that resulted in her lack of dating (for years) or desire for a man. It was also evident to Luke that Emma was not the type of woman who engaged in one-night-stands. Therefore, he determined that was not an option. When both hit it off as friends and voice a mutual understanding that neither one are interested in a relationship, they decide to have a “non-date” without expectations. After their first “non-date” to a baseball game and then dinner at Emma’s house they fall into a passionate kiss and then into bed. Once the sex is over, Emma kicks him out claiming she has to be up early to clean her house and catch up on paperwork on her day off. Luke claims he’s not offended as he wouldn’t have stayed anyway. And this is where I stopped reading.
For Luke to claim he and Emma had “off-the-charts chemistry” I never felt it. In fact, Emma appeared so detached from anything other than her dogs and work, I was floored that she jumped into the sack with Luke after the first “non-date”. It was clear she did not do “casual sex” so when it came out of nowhere and then she didn’t even want to cuddle, I was dumbfounded.
Overall, I just found the start of the relationship unbelievable giving the contradictory nature of the character’s actions and I did not feel enough chemistry to look beyond it and continue on.
DNF
December 27, 2015
Emma is a vet who's come back to her home town and opened her own vet surgery. Luke is the town cop with a dog called Boomer, who gets hurt during the pursuit of a 'perp'. Luke and Emma both have some commitment issues due to some bad past relationships. And then they fall in love.
This book is NOT horrid. That's the best I can do. It's just that it's somewhat bland. There's something missing: there is nothing unique, the characters have all been done before, and there's little to draw you in. The sex scenes are written well, but they are not enough to keep the reader turning the pages. The dogs make lovely additions as supporting characters, but even they were a little too Disney-esque for me. And the storyline is extremely predictable.
Best Bit: Boomer the dog. Loyal. Disciplined. And he has no dialogue.
Worst Bit: The dialogue. The most unbelievable, unnatural, formal, stilted, unfunny, try-hard dialogue I've come across this year. Urgh.
Best character: Logan... Luke's brother. Alone on the ranch, deep, brooding, strong, confident... I'm sure he gets a story of his own.
Funniest Bit: This book was a little too bland to have funny bits. The mother, I suppose, was meant to bring a little 'curve of the lips' (most over used expression by the way) to readers, but I found her lacking.
Most complex villain or obstacle: There is nothing complex about this book.
Recommendation: Urgh. Give this one a miss.
This book is NOT horrid. That's the best I can do. It's just that it's somewhat bland. There's something missing: there is nothing unique, the characters have all been done before, and there's little to draw you in. The sex scenes are written well, but they are not enough to keep the reader turning the pages. The dogs make lovely additions as supporting characters, but even they were a little too Disney-esque for me. And the storyline is extremely predictable.
Best Bit: Boomer the dog. Loyal. Disciplined. And he has no dialogue.
Worst Bit: The dialogue. The most unbelievable, unnatural, formal, stilted, unfunny, try-hard dialogue I've come across this year. Urgh.
Best character: Logan... Luke's brother. Alone on the ranch, deep, brooding, strong, confident... I'm sure he gets a story of his own.
Funniest Bit: This book was a little too bland to have funny bits. The mother, I suppose, was meant to bring a little 'curve of the lips' (most over used expression by the way) to readers, but I found her lacking.
Most complex villain or obstacle: There is nothing complex about this book.
Recommendation: Urgh. Give this one a miss.
September 11, 2017
Ok, so here's the thing: I don't particularly like romance novels.
I don't mind a bit of romance in my books, I actually like it a lot, but a purely romance novel is just not my thing...
But I needed a palette cleanser after all the fantasy YA I read and the hope series by Jaci Burton happened to be on my e-reader, so I thought: why not?
I thought the story was flimsy, they were just love scenes with a bit of dialog, but not a whole lot of interesting plot in between, but still I read 3.5 books over the past weekend...
Every time I finished one, I thought: Ok, time to pick up a "real" book, but I still ended up reading the next book in this series...
What is it with romance novels that is just so addicting???
Just because of that, I'm giving this series (because let's be real, all the books are basically the same, just with different characters) 2.5*
I don't mind a bit of romance in my books, I actually like it a lot, but a purely romance novel is just not my thing...
But I needed a palette cleanser after all the fantasy YA I read and the hope series by Jaci Burton happened to be on my e-reader, so I thought: why not?
I thought the story was flimsy, they were just love scenes with a bit of dialog, but not a whole lot of interesting plot in between, but still I read 3.5 books over the past weekend...
Every time I finished one, I thought: Ok, time to pick up a "real" book, but I still ended up reading the next book in this series...
What is it with romance novels that is just so addicting???
Just because of that, I'm giving this series (because let's be real, all the books are basically the same, just with different characters) 2.5*
December 6, 2019
Sweet, DOGS, and a cute couple. I just didn’t absolutely love the gun stuff....being a teacher in the world today makes me cringe away from reading about casual personal firearm use - don’t @ me unless you also go to work and practice hiding from bad guys with kindergartners 🙈 I know, that’s a tiny part of the book but it’s what made me go from a 4 to a 3.
January 11, 2014
Jaci is fabulous at Smoking Hot and Sexy Reads, but she sure knows how to write a heart-warming and emotional Contemporary Romance, and that's what she did with HOPE FLAMES.
Applause to you Ms. Burton...
Firstly, Luke McCormack...Oh mama!! and the way he loves Boomer, his German shepherd and best friend...MEGA SWOON! You have to love a guy who loves his dog!! (Even if his bitch of an ex-wife didn't like dogs....Guess you can see what she is the EX)
Emma Burnett was an awesome heroine. I loved how strong she was, and with such perseverance she had to become what she always wanted, even after all that she faced in an abusive relationship with an older man. She didn't rely on a man, and didn't have any plans to ever again, but she could see when a good man came along...and he came strolling into her life, and didn't have any plans on walking away, even though he wasn't looking for a relationship either. These two had me pulling out my hair, but the sexual chemistry was off the charts.
I truly enjoyed HOPE FLAMES. Jaci Burton pulls at the heart-strings, and I am hanging on for the Next Installment, HOPE IGNITES, with Sexy Brother Logan (YUM), and HOPE SMOLDERS, the Novella featuring Jane and Will, who you meet in HOPE FLAMES, which will release as a stand-alone on Feb 25th.
Grab HOPE FLAMES, and Get lost in the Romance!!
Applause to you Ms. Burton...
Firstly, Luke McCormack...Oh mama!! and the way he loves Boomer, his German shepherd and best friend...MEGA SWOON! You have to love a guy who loves his dog!! (Even if his bitch of an ex-wife didn't like dogs....Guess you can see what she is the EX)
Emma Burnett was an awesome heroine. I loved how strong she was, and with such perseverance she had to become what she always wanted, even after all that she faced in an abusive relationship with an older man. She didn't rely on a man, and didn't have any plans to ever again, but she could see when a good man came along...and he came strolling into her life, and didn't have any plans on walking away, even though he wasn't looking for a relationship either. These two had me pulling out my hair, but the sexual chemistry was off the charts.
I truly enjoyed HOPE FLAMES. Jaci Burton pulls at the heart-strings, and I am hanging on for the Next Installment, HOPE IGNITES, with Sexy Brother Logan (YUM), and HOPE SMOLDERS, the Novella featuring Jane and Will, who you meet in HOPE FLAMES, which will release as a stand-alone on Feb 25th.
Grab HOPE FLAMES, and Get lost in the Romance!!
January 26, 2014
3.75~~~This was a great feel-good read:) I loved the characters and the fact that the lead female was a vet. Some of the vet procedures were not true to life, but a lay person wouldn't know that. It didn't bother me, because I didn't read it for a technical manual;) The story moved well for me and kept me interested and reading straight through. I could have used more edginess and the danger factor wasn't used to its full potential. The romance was well developed and character motivations made sense to me. Intimacy was passionate, emotional, and tasteful. A nice read!
April 19, 2015
Who says you can't go back? Emma Burnett learned a hard life lesson that still leaves a mark and also a determination to stay away from men since she obviously can't choose them right. But now she is living her dream of owning her own veterinary practice back in her home town. She has her parents and her best gal pals and she is resigned to a long cold spell with her love life until attractive Luke McCormack brings in his police dog, Boomer, in for a strained leg. Not long after that, she's on a Just Friends date and its tough to remember why she put a moratorium on men. Luke isn't the guy who hurt her, but she doesn't dare give up the hard fought for independence and she can't possibly lean on a man for help ever again no matter that a rash of robberies around town even a break in at her own vet office makes her nervous.
Luke swore 'Never Again' when he saw the back of his ex-wife. He didn't get women and he wasn't putting his heart out there ever again. Hook-ups? Sure Relationships? Not Happening. So why was he constantly thinking about the sweet attractive vet and why was he going out with her again? Between dinners with the folks, dogs getting along like family, baseball game, weekend at the lake, shooting lessons and sleepovers, his resolve weakens and he starts to want something with the skittish Emma if only she would want him back.
This was a first of series story set in small town, Hope, Oklahoma. It was a gentle story in pacing, plot and development. The scenes move along in a lazy manner that was a pleasant thing to experience though I will admit to wanting to pick up the pace sooner than it did. The small ranch town atmosphere and the glimpses at fun activities like the minor league ball game, the pet adoption fair and the weekend at the lake were so well drawn and engaging. There was a little mystery for Luke and Boomer to work on with the prescription drugs thief. The inclusion of time with family, friends, and those adorable dog pals was great too.
The romance was nice and by necessity slow developing even though it had a sultry build of tension as they fought and yielded to the attraction. Both of them got burned in the past. At first, there was this thing about laying off the opposite sex forever just because of one mistake for each and that is a way of thinking that drives me nuts, but I let it go discovering that it was more than that. Luke was abandoned by his mom and his wife after his wife showed her true colors and it had all been a lie before so he did have the sense that this is what women did once they hooked a man's feelings. Emma only had one bad relationship experience, but it was a doozy. It was very abusive and not just physically. She was mentally abused as well which took the heftier toll on her psyche. So in the end, I was really rooting for these two to overcome their fears and believe what the facts and their own eyes were telling them about each other.
All in all, I found this a nice cozy read and would recommend it to those who love small town settings, slightly spicy romance and a gently developing plot.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Luke swore 'Never Again' when he saw the back of his ex-wife. He didn't get women and he wasn't putting his heart out there ever again. Hook-ups? Sure Relationships? Not Happening. So why was he constantly thinking about the sweet attractive vet and why was he going out with her again? Between dinners with the folks, dogs getting along like family, baseball game, weekend at the lake, shooting lessons and sleepovers, his resolve weakens and he starts to want something with the skittish Emma if only she would want him back.
This was a first of series story set in small town, Hope, Oklahoma. It was a gentle story in pacing, plot and development. The scenes move along in a lazy manner that was a pleasant thing to experience though I will admit to wanting to pick up the pace sooner than it did. The small ranch town atmosphere and the glimpses at fun activities like the minor league ball game, the pet adoption fair and the weekend at the lake were so well drawn and engaging. There was a little mystery for Luke and Boomer to work on with the prescription drugs thief. The inclusion of time with family, friends, and those adorable dog pals was great too.
The romance was nice and by necessity slow developing even though it had a sultry build of tension as they fought and yielded to the attraction. Both of them got burned in the past. At first, there was this thing about laying off the opposite sex forever just because of one mistake for each and that is a way of thinking that drives me nuts, but I let it go discovering that it was more than that. Luke was abandoned by his mom and his wife after his wife showed her true colors and it had all been a lie before so he did have the sense that this is what women did once they hooked a man's feelings. Emma only had one bad relationship experience, but it was a doozy. It was very abusive and not just physically. She was mentally abused as well which took the heftier toll on her psyche. So in the end, I was really rooting for these two to overcome their fears and believe what the facts and their own eyes were telling them about each other.
All in all, I found this a nice cozy read and would recommend it to those who love small town settings, slightly spicy romance and a gently developing plot.
My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2014
Oh boy. You can't get any better than a super hot cop who loves animals and falls for a vet with a damaged heart. This book was so sweet, yet so hot and I loved every second of it!
Emma Burnett has finally opened up her own vet clinic in her hometown. After falling for the wrong guy in college and destroying any confidence and trust she had in men, Emma is more focused than ever on her career and her dogs. But when Officer Luke McCormack walks through her door with his injured police dog, Emma starts feeling things she hasn't felt in a very long time. After having her heart torn apart, though, Emma doesn't know if she's ready to start something with Luke, especially since he hasn't had a serious relationship of his own since he divorced his wife years ago. Can they both learn to open their hearts again?
This book was just too perfect. I love animals, so the fact that Emma was a vet with two dogs and Luke had a dog added the adorable canine factor to this romance. I loved when they went on runs with the dogs or took the dogs out for a walk with them. They were so adorable, both the dogs and the main couple of this book. Luke and Emma's relationship was really fun to watch progress, and the chemistry between those two was undeniable.
Not only were the animals and romance great in this novel, but there was actual substance to the characters and story. Luke was chasing a criminal who was stealing drugs around town, and Emma was dealing with the drama from her last boyfriend who she had to have a restraining order taken out against. I love how there was a lot of depth to the characters and they had truly deep emotions that were products of their damaged past relationships. Luke and Emma really connected not only on who they are now, but also their past lives as well.
Overall, this was the perfect contemporary romance to cuddle up at night with. I loved the characters and the story was even better. If you want a couple that's too cute for words and dogs that are even more adorable, I'd recommend checking out Jaci Burton's latest novel. And it's the first in the series, so you have many more stories from the cute little town of Hope to look forward to!
Emma Burnett has finally opened up her own vet clinic in her hometown. After falling for the wrong guy in college and destroying any confidence and trust she had in men, Emma is more focused than ever on her career and her dogs. But when Officer Luke McCormack walks through her door with his injured police dog, Emma starts feeling things she hasn't felt in a very long time. After having her heart torn apart, though, Emma doesn't know if she's ready to start something with Luke, especially since he hasn't had a serious relationship of his own since he divorced his wife years ago. Can they both learn to open their hearts again?
This book was just too perfect. I love animals, so the fact that Emma was a vet with two dogs and Luke had a dog added the adorable canine factor to this romance. I loved when they went on runs with the dogs or took the dogs out for a walk with them. They were so adorable, both the dogs and the main couple of this book. Luke and Emma's relationship was really fun to watch progress, and the chemistry between those two was undeniable.
Not only were the animals and romance great in this novel, but there was actual substance to the characters and story. Luke was chasing a criminal who was stealing drugs around town, and Emma was dealing with the drama from her last boyfriend who she had to have a restraining order taken out against. I love how there was a lot of depth to the characters and they had truly deep emotions that were products of their damaged past relationships. Luke and Emma really connected not only on who they are now, but also their past lives as well.
Overall, this was the perfect contemporary romance to cuddle up at night with. I loved the characters and the story was even better. If you want a couple that's too cute for words and dogs that are even more adorable, I'd recommend checking out Jaci Burton's latest novel. And it's the first in the series, so you have many more stories from the cute little town of Hope to look forward to!
November 11, 2014
New from JB yay! I love Jaci Burton's Play by Play series, huge fan if I must say. I picked this because I decided to try Jaci Burton's other work. Anyway, I enjoyed this book!Okay, I really liked this book for a few reasons and total biased at that. I'd love to share these reasons to you guys but I'm lazy to write a long, compact review. So I'll just go with... If you like a cosy read where there's no angsty and drama, but lots and lots of love that feels like butterflies in your stomach, you could go for this. Also if you love animals, too. And a loving, gorgeous, hot, sexy man in uniform too. So, yeah. Recommended.
January 14, 2014
This was sooo good!!! I loved Luke and Emma. They were so perfect for each other. We get to see Luke and Emma build a relationship nice and slow. No rushing, which I really liked. They start as friends and grow from there. The book wasn’t slow moving at all, but it didn’t really get steamy till about halfway and then it got STEAMY!! :) This was my first book by Jaci Burton and it won’t be my last. I think I’m going to try her Play by Play series next. I really enjoyed Hope Flames and can’t for more to come in the Hope series.
January 13, 2014
It was just so... Bland. Nothing really special, it barely held my interest, and the climax was pretty damn anti-climatic.
January 28, 2014
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2014/01/15/...
Thoughts on the heroine
Marlene: It’s impossible not to admire the way in which Emma has turned her life around. Recovery from physical and emotional abuse is an ongoing struggle. She took her life back and pressed charges. She’s regained the independence that her abuser tried to erase. But in her need to maintain her boundaries, she fears that letting herself lean on anyone is a slippery slope to another abuser. She still doesn’t trust her own judgement about men, and while it’s hard to blame her, it makes her a tough choice for a romance. She’s not up for a no strings attached affair and she’s not ready for any kind of relationship. The story isn’t just about her learning to trust Luke, it’s about her learning to trust herself so that she can trust her judgement about Luke.
E: I enjoyed Emma as a character. She had the courage to leave a bad situation and start over. Not start over from the rock bottom just trying to exist but she went back and finished school so she could accomplish her dreams without depending on anyone. Her drive to succeed combined with her obvious love for animals made me enjoy seeing her at work in her chosen profession. I loved how she made it plain that she wasn’t looking for a man temporarily or otherwise without coming across as someone who hated men. As Marlene said above, this wasn’t just a story about her attraction to Luke but also the completion of her emotional healing.
MinnChica: Like the others, I adored Emma. I thought she was such a strong woman to crawl out of the abusive relationship she had been in and find the strength and will to do something different, to be someone different. For her to be willing to take like by the horns and live the way she wanted, to follow her dreams, it was wonderful to watch. I loved the fact that she wasn’t ready to jump into any kind of relationship. Instead, she needed to take things slow, to become friends, to see that anyone she would put her trust in wouldn’t crush her. I loved the slow progression that she took to her relationship with Luke, and although this book wasn’t nearly as steamy as Burton’s other books, I liked the changed!
Thoughts on the hero
Marlene: Luke doesn’t exactly start the story as relationship material. He’s an admitted man-whore and he likes his life that way. He’s not a bad person, he’s upfront about not wanting a relationship, and it seems like he leaves his one-night stands satisfied, but he must have exhausted the single population by now, or close to it. He was burned once and isn’t interested in getting burned again. He tries being just friends with Emma and is pretty pitiful about it. He doesn’t know how. And of course Emma isn’t interested in his pity. Once Emma stands up to him, Luke can’t stop himself from pursuing her, even though he knows that she isn’t a candidate for one of his infamous one-night stands. But because he starts the story with a lot more confidence in himself, it is easier for him to let himself slide into a relationship, even if he has a hard time calling it that.
Luke’s problem is that his need to protect people is a big part of who he is. That’s why he went into law enforcement. And his need to protect Emma is in a headlong collision with her desperate desire to remain independent at all costs. There’s almost a no-win scenario here that they need to get past.
E: I have to admit Luke made me laugh. He cared deeply about his canine partner and thought the new woman vet, Emma, not only knew what she was doing but was good looking. Her resistance to his usual charm intrigued him, but when she was honest with him about her reasons he tried to just be friends. His attempts at conversation and social events that were not precursors to hopping in bed, needed some assistance and kept me amused. And yet as hard as it was for Luke to learn how to build a friendly relationship with a woman, he was extremely dedicated to protecting people. I loved seeing his focus when he switched back into police mode even though that same focus triggered an immediate rejection from Emma. Watching them work through his need to protect and Emma’s need for independence gave me hope for their future together. I thought it added an additional dimension to his character along with ensuring Emma remained true to her character.
MinnChica: Like Emma, I adored Luke as well. His devotion to his K9 partner had me melting at every turn. I’m a sucker for a guy who loves animals, and Luke takes that love and devotion to a whole new level. I also liked that Luke’s transformation from total rake to loving boyfriend didn’t happen overnight. He struggled with even his friendship with Emma, because it wasn’t what he was used to, what he wanted to keep his own little world orderly and safe. I loved that we had to watch him go from this total “man-whore” (as Marlene so wonderfully put it) to a guy who cared for a female friend for the first time in a really long time, to a man wanted nothing more than to keep going back to one woman, time and again. He was an amazing character, and I hope Burton writes more heroes like him in the future!
Favorite scene
Marlene: I loved it every time the animals got involved. The dogs provided just the right amount of unconditional love for their emotionally damaged owners, but also some very much needed comic relief when scenes got either the suspense or the emotions got too tense. And Boomer is such a hero!
E: My favorite scene is one of Emma’s mental conversations. While I enjoyed the entire scene there was one line that summed up who she was and kept me admiring her as a heroine. “Hell, no. She was independent. Not stupid.” I loved seeing that line because it meant she stayed as an intelligent competent woman regardless of the situation.
MinnChica: While I loved all the scenes that Marlene and E picked out, I’ve been craving books with strong female friendships and bonds, and Burton delivered. Every time Emma was out and about with her girlfriends, I loved that we got to see such strong bonds between them. They were supportive with each other, and trusting in one another and they genuinely cared about seeing one another succeed. I love that in my romance books!
Dislike about the book
Marlene: The drug thief case that took up so much time and energy didn’t just turn out to be a complete red herring, but totally anticlimactic. The way the suspense kept building up about how clever the thief was, I was expecting him to be Vaughn, Emma’s creepy-stalker ex. Also, the climactic scene with Vaughn wasn’t quite as climactic as I expected. I think I wanted the catharsis of someone seriously damaging him. (Bad Marlene, no cookie)
E: Like Marlene, I had mentally combined the drug thief with Emma’s ex and I was disappointed when they turned out to be totally separate. I could see the role of the drug thief in building a trust and connection between Luke and Emma so the final confrontation occurred without tempting me to chuck the book. However, I did want to see Vaughn get repaid for the extensive torment he put Emma through.
MinnChica: I think we all agree on the disappointing aspect of the book. I’ve read some of Burton’s other suspense books, and I know that she can deliver a powerful punch in that regard. Like Marlene and E said, the combined suspense plot between the drug thief and Emma’s stalker was weak and fell a little flat. Especially compared to the strong relationship aspects.
Any other misc. thoughts along with the grade
Marlene: It was obvious that creepy-stalker ex Vaughn was coming back from the beginning of the story. Emma needed resolution of the big bad in her past in order to move forward. And that’s okay.
This felt like it was Emma’s story. There’s a lot about her setting up her veterinary practice and how hard she is working to make a go of her new business. It is so important to her that she get her life started after the disastrous detour she took with crazy stalker ex-Vaughn. Her road to recovery is not easy but it is awesome. I like that Luke is the icing on the cake and not the cake.
While the story does contain oodles of the author’s trademark smoking hot chemistry between Emma and Luke, the romance took center stage for this reader.
I give Hope Flames a B+
E: This was quite a change from the sports centered romances I have read by Burton in the past. I enjoyed the shift to a small town type of romance with its slower pace and gradual build into love. While Emma’s journey was perhaps more of an outward struggle, I loved watching Luke attempt to become friends. I think that provided me with needed comic relief based on the seriousness of Emma’s previous situation. As enjoyable as this was to read, I did need to go back and flip through the book as a few weeks had passed between my initial reading and writing down my thoughts, which I found unusual for a Burton story. I found Hope Flames a sweet romance with two characters who relearned to trust their judgement and finally put their personal ghosts to rest.
I give Hope Flames a B
MinnChica: All in all I enjoyed this change of pace from Burton. Unlike her other stories, the heat level in this book is nowhere near her others. Also, the high action we got from the Biker series isn’t there as well. That being said, I loved the slowed down pace of the relationship. The way Emma and Luke had to learn to trust one another and confide in one another. The relationship progression was so fun to read and so much fun that I think this small town series will become a new must-buy for romance fans.
I give Hope Flames a B
Thoughts on the heroine
Marlene: It’s impossible not to admire the way in which Emma has turned her life around. Recovery from physical and emotional abuse is an ongoing struggle. She took her life back and pressed charges. She’s regained the independence that her abuser tried to erase. But in her need to maintain her boundaries, she fears that letting herself lean on anyone is a slippery slope to another abuser. She still doesn’t trust her own judgement about men, and while it’s hard to blame her, it makes her a tough choice for a romance. She’s not up for a no strings attached affair and she’s not ready for any kind of relationship. The story isn’t just about her learning to trust Luke, it’s about her learning to trust herself so that she can trust her judgement about Luke.
E: I enjoyed Emma as a character. She had the courage to leave a bad situation and start over. Not start over from the rock bottom just trying to exist but she went back and finished school so she could accomplish her dreams without depending on anyone. Her drive to succeed combined with her obvious love for animals made me enjoy seeing her at work in her chosen profession. I loved how she made it plain that she wasn’t looking for a man temporarily or otherwise without coming across as someone who hated men. As Marlene said above, this wasn’t just a story about her attraction to Luke but also the completion of her emotional healing.
MinnChica: Like the others, I adored Emma. I thought she was such a strong woman to crawl out of the abusive relationship she had been in and find the strength and will to do something different, to be someone different. For her to be willing to take like by the horns and live the way she wanted, to follow her dreams, it was wonderful to watch. I loved the fact that she wasn’t ready to jump into any kind of relationship. Instead, she needed to take things slow, to become friends, to see that anyone she would put her trust in wouldn’t crush her. I loved the slow progression that she took to her relationship with Luke, and although this book wasn’t nearly as steamy as Burton’s other books, I liked the changed!
Thoughts on the hero
Marlene: Luke doesn’t exactly start the story as relationship material. He’s an admitted man-whore and he likes his life that way. He’s not a bad person, he’s upfront about not wanting a relationship, and it seems like he leaves his one-night stands satisfied, but he must have exhausted the single population by now, or close to it. He was burned once and isn’t interested in getting burned again. He tries being just friends with Emma and is pretty pitiful about it. He doesn’t know how. And of course Emma isn’t interested in his pity. Once Emma stands up to him, Luke can’t stop himself from pursuing her, even though he knows that she isn’t a candidate for one of his infamous one-night stands. But because he starts the story with a lot more confidence in himself, it is easier for him to let himself slide into a relationship, even if he has a hard time calling it that.
Luke’s problem is that his need to protect people is a big part of who he is. That’s why he went into law enforcement. And his need to protect Emma is in a headlong collision with her desperate desire to remain independent at all costs. There’s almost a no-win scenario here that they need to get past.
E: I have to admit Luke made me laugh. He cared deeply about his canine partner and thought the new woman vet, Emma, not only knew what she was doing but was good looking. Her resistance to his usual charm intrigued him, but when she was honest with him about her reasons he tried to just be friends. His attempts at conversation and social events that were not precursors to hopping in bed, needed some assistance and kept me amused. And yet as hard as it was for Luke to learn how to build a friendly relationship with a woman, he was extremely dedicated to protecting people. I loved seeing his focus when he switched back into police mode even though that same focus triggered an immediate rejection from Emma. Watching them work through his need to protect and Emma’s need for independence gave me hope for their future together. I thought it added an additional dimension to his character along with ensuring Emma remained true to her character.
MinnChica: Like Emma, I adored Luke as well. His devotion to his K9 partner had me melting at every turn. I’m a sucker for a guy who loves animals, and Luke takes that love and devotion to a whole new level. I also liked that Luke’s transformation from total rake to loving boyfriend didn’t happen overnight. He struggled with even his friendship with Emma, because it wasn’t what he was used to, what he wanted to keep his own little world orderly and safe. I loved that we had to watch him go from this total “man-whore” (as Marlene so wonderfully put it) to a guy who cared for a female friend for the first time in a really long time, to a man wanted nothing more than to keep going back to one woman, time and again. He was an amazing character, and I hope Burton writes more heroes like him in the future!
Favorite scene
Marlene: I loved it every time the animals got involved. The dogs provided just the right amount of unconditional love for their emotionally damaged owners, but also some very much needed comic relief when scenes got either the suspense or the emotions got too tense. And Boomer is such a hero!
E: My favorite scene is one of Emma’s mental conversations. While I enjoyed the entire scene there was one line that summed up who she was and kept me admiring her as a heroine. “Hell, no. She was independent. Not stupid.” I loved seeing that line because it meant she stayed as an intelligent competent woman regardless of the situation.
MinnChica: While I loved all the scenes that Marlene and E picked out, I’ve been craving books with strong female friendships and bonds, and Burton delivered. Every time Emma was out and about with her girlfriends, I loved that we got to see such strong bonds between them. They were supportive with each other, and trusting in one another and they genuinely cared about seeing one another succeed. I love that in my romance books!
Dislike about the book
Marlene: The drug thief case that took up so much time and energy didn’t just turn out to be a complete red herring, but totally anticlimactic. The way the suspense kept building up about how clever the thief was, I was expecting him to be Vaughn, Emma’s creepy-stalker ex. Also, the climactic scene with Vaughn wasn’t quite as climactic as I expected. I think I wanted the catharsis of someone seriously damaging him. (Bad Marlene, no cookie)
E: Like Marlene, I had mentally combined the drug thief with Emma’s ex and I was disappointed when they turned out to be totally separate. I could see the role of the drug thief in building a trust and connection between Luke and Emma so the final confrontation occurred without tempting me to chuck the book. However, I did want to see Vaughn get repaid for the extensive torment he put Emma through.
MinnChica: I think we all agree on the disappointing aspect of the book. I’ve read some of Burton’s other suspense books, and I know that she can deliver a powerful punch in that regard. Like Marlene and E said, the combined suspense plot between the drug thief and Emma’s stalker was weak and fell a little flat. Especially compared to the strong relationship aspects.
Any other misc. thoughts along with the grade
Marlene: It was obvious that creepy-stalker ex Vaughn was coming back from the beginning of the story. Emma needed resolution of the big bad in her past in order to move forward. And that’s okay.
This felt like it was Emma’s story. There’s a lot about her setting up her veterinary practice and how hard she is working to make a go of her new business. It is so important to her that she get her life started after the disastrous detour she took with crazy stalker ex-Vaughn. Her road to recovery is not easy but it is awesome. I like that Luke is the icing on the cake and not the cake.
While the story does contain oodles of the author’s trademark smoking hot chemistry between Emma and Luke, the romance took center stage for this reader.
I give Hope Flames a B+
E: This was quite a change from the sports centered romances I have read by Burton in the past. I enjoyed the shift to a small town type of romance with its slower pace and gradual build into love. While Emma’s journey was perhaps more of an outward struggle, I loved watching Luke attempt to become friends. I think that provided me with needed comic relief based on the seriousness of Emma’s previous situation. As enjoyable as this was to read, I did need to go back and flip through the book as a few weeks had passed between my initial reading and writing down my thoughts, which I found unusual for a Burton story. I found Hope Flames a sweet romance with two characters who relearned to trust their judgement and finally put their personal ghosts to rest.
I give Hope Flames a B
MinnChica: All in all I enjoyed this change of pace from Burton. Unlike her other stories, the heat level in this book is nowhere near her others. Also, the high action we got from the Biker series isn’t there as well. That being said, I loved the slowed down pace of the relationship. The way Emma and Luke had to learn to trust one another and confide in one another. The relationship progression was so fun to read and so much fun that I think this small town series will become a new must-buy for romance fans.
I give Hope Flames a B
June 25, 2024
Emma has returned home at 32 to set up her own veterinary practice. She hasn't dated in years. She has an abusive ex-boyfriend in her past. Luke is a police officer and has a canine partner. He doesn't date either, having no use for women after his ex-wife (well, except for sex and he is a fan of the one night stand- sounds like a gem, right? And the ex had different goals and wants, so she's a bitch- because of course she is!).
Anyway, typical small town romance. Everyone knows everyone's business, gossip is strong. And if one isn't into the "small town atmosphere" and wants more, well, they are a horrible person or are hiding something! Well, the women are anyway (Luke's ex Becca, Emma's sister Molly). No such shade is thrown in Reid's direction (the younger brother of Luke and Logan who left to pursue school and his career). Emma and Luke are decent enough, if a bit vanilla, bland. They do have decent chemistry. The secondary characters (those we "meet"- Logan, Carter, and those we don't- Reid, Molly) didn't jump out at me and I don't have any burning curiosity to read further.
Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo- Cover has an animal on it
Anyway, typical small town romance. Everyone knows everyone's business, gossip is strong. And if one isn't into the "small town atmosphere" and wants more, well, they are a horrible person or are hiding something! Well, the women are anyway (Luke's ex Becca, Emma's sister Molly). No such shade is thrown in Reid's direction (the younger brother of Luke and Logan who left to pursue school and his career). Emma and Luke are decent enough, if a bit vanilla, bland. They do have decent chemistry. The secondary characters (those we "meet"- Logan, Carter, and those we don't- Reid, Molly) didn't jump out at me and I don't have any burning curiosity to read further.
Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo- Cover has an animal on it
June 9, 2021
This was my first Jaci Burton book, so I didn’t really know what to expect. This was an okay book. Nothing memorable, but some things did make me mad.
Emma and Luke were actually good together. They were just the only ones who couldn’t see it. Hell, even their dogs got along. The book spent so much time on Emma and Luke's inner monologue going back and forth about how they didn’t want a relationship. That and a lot of their everyday life. While I liked them both, Emma made me want to shake her a few times. If you’ve read this book, then you know why.
I kept asking myself when we were actually going to get the suspense. Once we got to the suspense plot, it was rushed and some things didn’t really make sense. A few things felt like they were there just for shock value.
I did enjoy the majority of this book, so I think I will continue with book two about Luke’s brother Logan.
Emma and Luke were actually good together. They were just the only ones who couldn’t see it. Hell, even their dogs got along. The book spent so much time on Emma and Luke's inner monologue going back and forth about how they didn’t want a relationship. That and a lot of their everyday life. While I liked them both, Emma made me want to shake her a few times. If you’ve read this book, then you know why.
I kept asking myself when we were actually going to get the suspense. Once we got to the suspense plot, it was rushed and some things didn’t really make sense. A few things felt like they were there just for shock value.
I did enjoy the majority of this book, so I think I will continue with book two about Luke’s brother Logan.
August 14, 2016
Review posted on Kindles & Wine
Kindles & Wine is absolutely honored to kickoff Jaci Burton’s official blog tour for the first novel in her new series, Hope Flames, which releases tomorrow! This book has pretty much everything anyone could ever want in a romance novel. Strong and capable woman? Check. A hot guy in uniform? Check. Very solid secondary characters that provide tons of laughs? Check. And best of all? DOGS! Read on to find out why this should be the next book on your To Be Read list!
After seeing my rating of Hope Flames, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I really loved the heroine, Emma. There’s no way I could give an A- rating to a book that doesn’t have an amazing heroine. Emma has had to overcome a lot of sadness and anger to get to the point she’s at in the beginning of the book, but I don’t want to say much about it because the author slowly reveals details as the story progresses. What I can say is that she picks herself up and keeps moving forward.
After graduating from veterinary school, Emma has come home to Hope, Oklahoma to take over the town’s vet clinic from the doctor who’s retiring. She’s up to her eyeballs in debt, but she loves having her own practice and loves taking care of animals. She worked her butt off to get to live her dream, but that was only one of the many reasons I loved Emma. She’s also a great friend. I LOVED the scenes between her and her two girlfriends, whether it was eating lunch together or having a girls’ night in. But above all of that, the thing I loved most of all about Emma? She talks to her dogs! I do the same thing so it was nice to have confirmation that I’m not crazy! Anyway, Emma’s finally getting her life to the place she’s always wanted and things are looking great…until a drop-dead gorgeous man walks in to her practice with his dog!
Luke is a police officer in Hope, and his K-9 partner, Boomer, was injured while chasing down a bad guy. Oh wow, Luke was SO hot, with his chiseled cheeks and rock hard abs! Of course, Luke is much more than just his good looks. He loves his job and the feeling of satisfaction he gets by keeping the town safe. The scenes with Luke and Boomer working together were a lot of fun for me. I found the police dog angle very different and ended up really enjoying it, since I’d never read any books that focused on a police officer and his police dog before. Plus, for me, any man who treats his dog well is automatically a keeper! I also really enjoyed the relationship between Luke and his brother. I could easily see the love between them, but they still harass and insult each other and they fight, just like real brothers would!
I think Emma and Luke are perfect for each other. When they first meet, the chemistry between them is palpable. The author clearly knows how to write a hot scene! I thought it was really funny to be inside Emma’s head as she’s trying to talk herself OUT of thinking that Luke is hot. And when Luke and Emma’s dogs hit it off with each other, you know that they need to end up together!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series. There are so many potential future stories and it’s going to be fun to see where Jaci Burton takes it.
Bottom Line
Hope Flames was so much fun to read! All of the characters, even the secondary characters, felt absolutely real. People who are already fans of Jaci Burton will love this first novel in her new Hope series, and she’ll gain new fans in whoever gives this book a try.
Rating: A-
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Kindles & Wine is absolutely honored to kickoff Jaci Burton’s official blog tour for the first novel in her new series, Hope Flames, which releases tomorrow! This book has pretty much everything anyone could ever want in a romance novel. Strong and capable woman? Check. A hot guy in uniform? Check. Very solid secondary characters that provide tons of laughs? Check. And best of all? DOGS! Read on to find out why this should be the next book on your To Be Read list!
After seeing my rating of Hope Flames, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I really loved the heroine, Emma. There’s no way I could give an A- rating to a book that doesn’t have an amazing heroine. Emma has had to overcome a lot of sadness and anger to get to the point she’s at in the beginning of the book, but I don’t want to say much about it because the author slowly reveals details as the story progresses. What I can say is that she picks herself up and keeps moving forward.
After graduating from veterinary school, Emma has come home to Hope, Oklahoma to take over the town’s vet clinic from the doctor who’s retiring. She’s up to her eyeballs in debt, but she loves having her own practice and loves taking care of animals. She worked her butt off to get to live her dream, but that was only one of the many reasons I loved Emma. She’s also a great friend. I LOVED the scenes between her and her two girlfriends, whether it was eating lunch together or having a girls’ night in. But above all of that, the thing I loved most of all about Emma? She talks to her dogs! I do the same thing so it was nice to have confirmation that I’m not crazy! Anyway, Emma’s finally getting her life to the place she’s always wanted and things are looking great…until a drop-dead gorgeous man walks in to her practice with his dog!
Luke is a police officer in Hope, and his K-9 partner, Boomer, was injured while chasing down a bad guy. Oh wow, Luke was SO hot, with his chiseled cheeks and rock hard abs! Of course, Luke is much more than just his good looks. He loves his job and the feeling of satisfaction he gets by keeping the town safe. The scenes with Luke and Boomer working together were a lot of fun for me. I found the police dog angle very different and ended up really enjoying it, since I’d never read any books that focused on a police officer and his police dog before. Plus, for me, any man who treats his dog well is automatically a keeper! I also really enjoyed the relationship between Luke and his brother. I could easily see the love between them, but they still harass and insult each other and they fight, just like real brothers would!
I think Emma and Luke are perfect for each other. When they first meet, the chemistry between them is palpable. The author clearly knows how to write a hot scene! I thought it was really funny to be inside Emma’s head as she’s trying to talk herself OUT of thinking that Luke is hot. And when Luke and Emma’s dogs hit it off with each other, you know that they need to end up together!
I can’t wait for the next book in this series. There are so many potential future stories and it’s going to be fun to see where Jaci Burton takes it.
Bottom Line
Hope Flames was so much fun to read! All of the characters, even the secondary characters, felt absolutely real. People who are already fans of Jaci Burton will love this first novel in her new Hope series, and she’ll gain new fans in whoever gives this book a try.
Rating: A-
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
January 22, 2014
2.5 Stars
Source: eARC for Honest Review via Penguin Publishing
After reading the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton I became a fan as I love that series. Seeing this series and reading the synopsis I was stoked to read this but....after reading it I wasn't wowed with it.
I liked it. I thought it was cute but throughout the whole book with the transitions, characters, relationship even with the angst and drama I found it too sweet and clean cut. Everything seemed just too perfect even with the drama. I don't know why it didn't jive with me but it didn't . However after saying that I still did like it just didn't love it but I will be continuing to read this series because this book did a good job setting up the other characters for the series in the future.
In Hope Flames, Emma had her secrets and was starting over but scared to love.
Luke once burned chose to be a player versus ever loving again.
A chance meeting through 'Boomer' and fate ties these two together.
The idea of the book was good and I did like Emma and Luke and their HEA. I wanted to love them but sadly that was not the case. Maybe it was my mood. Who knows? In summary, I still love Jaci, and I will continue with this series because I have a sneaky suspicion that this series is just going to get better.
Source: eARC for Honest Review via Penguin Publishing
After reading the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton I became a fan as I love that series. Seeing this series and reading the synopsis I was stoked to read this but....after reading it I wasn't wowed with it.
I liked it. I thought it was cute but throughout the whole book with the transitions, characters, relationship even with the angst and drama I found it too sweet and clean cut. Everything seemed just too perfect even with the drama. I don't know why it didn't jive with me but it didn't . However after saying that I still did like it just didn't love it but I will be continuing to read this series because this book did a good job setting up the other characters for the series in the future.
In Hope Flames, Emma had her secrets and was starting over but scared to love.
Luke once burned chose to be a player versus ever loving again.
A chance meeting through 'Boomer' and fate ties these two together.
The idea of the book was good and I did like Emma and Luke and their HEA. I wanted to love them but sadly that was not the case. Maybe it was my mood. Who knows? In summary, I still love Jaci, and I will continue with this series because I have a sneaky suspicion that this series is just going to get better.
January 7, 2016
The first book in Jaci Burton's Hope series. Set in Hope, Oklahoma, Emma Burnett is finally opening up her veterinary practice. There she meets police officer Luke McCormack and his K-9 partner, Boomer.
A pleasant read. I liked it. Lots of furry characters and human too. Both have commitment issues they have to overcome. Moved at a nice leisurely pace. Contemporary Romances lovers will like it.
A pleasant read. I liked it. Lots of furry characters and human too. Both have commitment issues they have to overcome. Moved at a nice leisurely pace. Contemporary Romances lovers will like it.
May 7, 2019
3.75 Stars!
February 13, 2015
Review originally posted on: Mischievous Reads
This isn't my first Jaci Burton rodeo. I've read almost every book in her sexy sports romance series, Play by Play, which I absolutely adore. And did I mention that she's got the sexiest book covers ever? EYE CANDY ALERT!
Dr. Emma Burnett returns home to Hope, Oklahoma, now that she finally owns a vet practice which she'd purchased from a retired veterinarian. On her first day of business, she meets Officer Luke McCormack who brings in his injured German Shepherd sidekick, Boomer, and all the sexual chemistry just begins from there. Pretty Doctor meets Sexy Officer, equals, "sparks". The only problem is, both Emma and Luke haven't been on the dating wagon in so long, with Emma being busy preparing for her big business break, and Officer Luke just not in the zone for the "R" word, but they can't resist the chemistry they've got... and the cute dogs.
"Hope" is where the heart is.
Our heroine, Emma, is a victim of an abusive relationship from the man she walked out on, prior to her return to grad school. Due to the terrible experience, she's vowed never to be the weak one and a victim again, and has morphed herself into a strong independent woman. It's actually refreshing to read about her character going through a positive turn around in her life. Jaci Burton's female leads are always the best there is, because of how they're a representation of strong willed women. Now that she's opened her very own vet clinic, she's not on the lookout for a relationship, just the same as Luke.
On the other hand, Luke has been burned by his ex-wife; a city girl who can't handle the country life, and just hightailed it out of Hope, away from him when she finally thought it was too much. Poor Luke. He's such a sweet character, that can be quite dense sometimes when it comes to women, but everything else about him is perfect: a handsome protector, and an animal lover at that? I need me a Luke.
Not exactly as flaming as I thought.
Judging from Jaci Burton's sports contemporary romance series, I should know her romances are often explosive and do well for me. For me, she's the Queen of Sports Romances. However, I'm assuming, since this book is a new set up and has nothing to do about sports, it had a bit of a downfall.
Hope Flames was definitely a good book to start the series. Although I'd have to say, it wasn't a huge welcome slam that knocked me off my feet. Not what I expected, but I wasn't disappointed much... okay, maybe a little. The whole book turned out to be somewhat bland.
Sure enough, there was chemistry between Emma and Luke, in the form of short circuiting electricity -- one minute it's there, then the next thing, it's gone. Something constantly appearing and disappearing. Their relationship was truly sweet, but there wasn't just enough flame to grab me and leave me intrigued.
The whole time they spent with each other in the book was mainly "hanging out" with a little bit of steamy sex coming from here and there. It wasn't exactly a 'Friends with Benefits' trope, since there was no specific discussion about it in the book. I'd rather call it a Friends-To-Lovers trope, judging from the romantic development as they spend more time with each other, alongside their adorable sidekick doggies.
I love it... kinda
I read a lot of sweet, small town romances, and I surely consider this as one of those. Although, there were a series suspenseful scenarios, with the break ins and the robberies in the book, it wasn't exciting enough. Then again, this book isn't exactly a romantic suspense novel.
Did I mention there are lots of dogs in this book? Boomer, Daisy and Annie, these three munchkins may be just extras, but they're worthy secondary characters to this story. As an animal lover, I enjoyed their presence in every scene they were in the book, which was literally most of the time! I love how Jaci Burton formed a story around these lovable pets, and not in a manner as if they were just thrown in for the sake of Emma owning pets just because of her profession.
Hope Flames is basically just a feel good novel, that will make you swoon and sigh, and giggle. If you're into light feel books, with a little dash of suspense, this book is definitely for you.
This isn't my first Jaci Burton rodeo. I've read almost every book in her sexy sports romance series, Play by Play, which I absolutely adore. And did I mention that she's got the sexiest book covers ever? EYE CANDY ALERT!
Dr. Emma Burnett returns home to Hope, Oklahoma, now that she finally owns a vet practice which she'd purchased from a retired veterinarian. On her first day of business, she meets Officer Luke McCormack who brings in his injured German Shepherd sidekick, Boomer, and all the sexual chemistry just begins from there. Pretty Doctor meets Sexy Officer, equals, "sparks". The only problem is, both Emma and Luke haven't been on the dating wagon in so long, with Emma being busy preparing for her big business break, and Officer Luke just not in the zone for the "R" word, but they can't resist the chemistry they've got... and the cute dogs.
"Hope" is where the heart is.
Our heroine, Emma, is a victim of an abusive relationship from the man she walked out on, prior to her return to grad school. Due to the terrible experience, she's vowed never to be the weak one and a victim again, and has morphed herself into a strong independent woman. It's actually refreshing to read about her character going through a positive turn around in her life. Jaci Burton's female leads are always the best there is, because of how they're a representation of strong willed women. Now that she's opened her very own vet clinic, she's not on the lookout for a relationship, just the same as Luke.
On the other hand, Luke has been burned by his ex-wife; a city girl who can't handle the country life, and just hightailed it out of Hope, away from him when she finally thought it was too much. Poor Luke. He's such a sweet character, that can be quite dense sometimes when it comes to women, but everything else about him is perfect: a handsome protector, and an animal lover at that? I need me a Luke.
Not exactly as flaming as I thought.
Judging from Jaci Burton's sports contemporary romance series, I should know her romances are often explosive and do well for me. For me, she's the Queen of Sports Romances. However, I'm assuming, since this book is a new set up and has nothing to do about sports, it had a bit of a downfall.
Hope Flames was definitely a good book to start the series. Although I'd have to say, it wasn't a huge welcome slam that knocked me off my feet. Not what I expected, but I wasn't disappointed much... okay, maybe a little. The whole book turned out to be somewhat bland.
Sure enough, there was chemistry between Emma and Luke, in the form of short circuiting electricity -- one minute it's there, then the next thing, it's gone. Something constantly appearing and disappearing. Their relationship was truly sweet, but there wasn't just enough flame to grab me and leave me intrigued.
The whole time they spent with each other in the book was mainly "hanging out" with a little bit of steamy sex coming from here and there. It wasn't exactly a 'Friends with Benefits' trope, since there was no specific discussion about it in the book. I'd rather call it a Friends-To-Lovers trope, judging from the romantic development as they spend more time with each other, alongside their adorable sidekick doggies.
I love it... kinda
I read a lot of sweet, small town romances, and I surely consider this as one of those. Although, there were a series suspenseful scenarios, with the break ins and the robberies in the book, it wasn't exciting enough. Then again, this book isn't exactly a romantic suspense novel.
Did I mention there are lots of dogs in this book? Boomer, Daisy and Annie, these three munchkins may be just extras, but they're worthy secondary characters to this story. As an animal lover, I enjoyed their presence in every scene they were in the book, which was literally most of the time! I love how Jaci Burton formed a story around these lovable pets, and not in a manner as if they were just thrown in for the sake of Emma owning pets just because of her profession.
Hope Flames is basically just a feel good novel, that will make you swoon and sigh, and giggle. If you're into light feel books, with a little dash of suspense, this book is definitely for you.
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