Blaze

by Maya Blake, Sally Clements, Catherine Coles

Coombethwaite, the lakeside town where passions run deep, is the setting for the stories in Blaze, the first anthology from The Minxes of Romance. 8 scorching tales from The Minxes of Romance. Romance is in the air for Coombethwaite's retained firefighters, and none of them will escape its heat unscorched! MEMORY'S FLAME by Maya Blake A fiery reunion - when Ellie returns after twelve long years to bury her grandfather, the last person she expects to see is her first love, Jake Spencer. One look, one touch and they know memory's flame is as sizzling as ever! THE FIRE INSIDE by Romy Sommer Fire fighter Sam Redfern is used to being seen as just one of the boys. Until TV talent scout and celebrity Ryan Morgan shows up in Coombethwaite and starts to make her feel very much like a woman. A woman with needs. A SMOULDERING ATTRACTION by Suzanna Ross Shelley Fox is finished with all things romantic. So is Harrison Reid - until he meets Shelley and realises he might easily be persuaded otherwise. LOCKED INTO LOVE by Catherine Coles Journalist Cassie Parker returns to Coombethwaite with her dream in tatters-the last thing she needs is to rely on her ex for anything but on her second day back she needs hunky fireman Ben Spencer to release her from handcuffs! HOT, BOTHERED AND BEWITCHED by Kat French All alone on her birthday, Wiccan vet Seraphine conjures up more than she bargained for when she casts a Halloween love spell. Five minutes later a knock on the door heralds the arrival of handsome fireman Isaac Quinn, complete with a stray black cat. Is it just coincidence, or has Mother Nature answered Seraphine's request with lightning speed? LIGHTING LOVE'S SPARK by Sally Clements Primary school teacher Annabel Jackson knows flirting with the parents is a no-no, but when single father Daniel Walker arrives at Coombethwaite Primary in full fire fighter garb clutching an axe, how can she resist? WORTH THE RISK by Tara Pammi Baker Annie Bennett has always stood on the sidelines while life passed her by. And it has brought Annie nothing but loneliness. With the New Year coming in, Annie decides it's time to come back home, risk her heart with the man she's always loved. Will her risk pay off or will Marcus never see her as anything but his best friend? A KINDLING ROMANCE by Lorraine Wilson Stressed out lawyer Polly Minton felt trapped in her city job and now she's trapped again, this time in a Lake District chimney; hunky fire fighter and local landowner Drew Reynolds has problems of his own but will he be the one to set her free in more ways than one?

Genres: Romance, Anthologies, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Adult, Short Stories

239 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2012

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a quick easy read filled with hot fireman finding love Blaze is the book for you. Blaze is an anthology of eight short stories, containing a calibration of eight different authors. The stories are fast paced relationships but still held onto the delightful, sweet and romantic touches required for a good read.

I received this copy of Blaze from Patchwork Press in exchange for a honest review.

[Mariel Hoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC from Netgalley. Thank you.

Coombethwaite. Sounds very rural and slow. In this anthology series, it proves anything but. I loved that all the stories revolved around Nick and Lizzie’s wedding and the local (hot!) firefighters. The anthology starts with a bang (literally) with Ellie and Jake rekindling an old flame (puns intended throughout) then goes onto an explosive new romance between Ryan and Sam, a slow burn with Shelley and Harrison, Ben realizing that the fire between him and Cassie never really died, Seraphine casting love spells for love and ending up finding it with Isaac, Annabel falling for Daniel first through the pages of his book and then falling for the man himself, Annie kindling a spark with friends forever Marcus and lastly, a sooty first meeting between Polly and Drew ends up with them burning up the sheets. This was a “couldn’t put down” read for me. Finished in one go. Though the characters don’t intermingle in the stories as you would think a normal community would, the weaving of all the romantic events around the one event (wedding) and peppered with people from the town(as you would expect it) was really fun for me. It didn’t hurt that all the writing was sexy and surprisingly thorough for such short novellas. Wish I could visit Coombethwaite and see what fires I can stir up!

[Sarah Louise]

Free on amazon

[Desere · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of fire fighter hero's I could not get to reading this book fast enough and WOW what a incredible book this was.

A collection of passionate,intriguing mind blowing tales of romance in a small town filled with hunky fireman and even sexy fire woman and the men and woman who bring them to their knees.

From the first book that offers a look at old flames being reignited ,to parent and teacher doing more than talking education to a stressed out lawyer getting stuck in a chimney and being rescued in more ways than one,each and every read was spectacular.

Fun, flirty, sexy, romantic, and not only were the descriptions of the authors sexy as sin fireman absolutely stunning the book was also a very easy read,and I finished it in a hour.

Each author did a spectacular job at zeroing in on the emotions of their characters and I also loved that all stories were set in the village of Coombethwaite, giving it that close knit family feeling.

Eight short stories all very well written.

The definite pick me up for when you need some rescuing. Nicely done ladies!

Deliciously hot and tempting

5/5 star review

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually really cool. Each story is based in the same town in the UK, and they all work for the fire brigade there. Each story is wriiten by a different author & different characters. This was the first book I have read like this, but since then I have read a couple more. It's a pretty good concept for an anthology book!

Worth the read!

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cleverly-put-together anthology of romance stories about the retained firemen (and woman) of Coombethwaite. Each of the stories is well-written and sexy, and it's fun getting to know each of the characters.

[AH]

Kindle free download 2/14/13.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firemen are hot but this was just a tease. Now I remember why I dislike novellas...they're just a tease. They were all good short stories but I was just left wanting so much more.

[Rochelle Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous read, all short stories about firefighters finding love, some with old loves and sone with new.

[Peni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please see individual stories for review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blaze gives us 8 short love stories. I love how the stories all slightly intertwine with the characters and they are all set in Coombethwaite, England. We catch the odd glimpse of a character from another story in Blaze, but at the same time the stories can all stand alone. The title "Blaze" is so appropriate because every story features a hot firefighter from Coombethwaite!! All the better!

Memory's Flame by Maya Blake...Ellie is back in Coombethwaite for her Grandpa's funeral, to sell his house, and get out again as quickly as she can. Until she runs into Jake...the love she left with no explanation when she ran off from Coombethwaite all those years ago. Jake has never gotten over Ellie, no woman can measure up to her, and he's determined to get some answers from her before she runs off again! But it's more than answers Jake is hoping for, and the heat between them is still sizzling. Can Ellie can stick around long enough to give them another chance?

The Fire Inside by Romy Sommer...Ryan is in Coombethwaite from London for a friend's wedding when he meets Sam. Sam is a firefighter, and all the guys on her team see her as just one of the guys. Ryan definitley sees the woman in her, and definitely wants to know her better! Will Sam find the courage to follow her dreams, and maybe Ryan?

A Smouldering Attraction by Suzanna Ross...Shelley and Harrison have both sworn off the opposite sex and relationships. They are definitely attracted to each other, but it isn't until fire fighter Harrison is injured on the job that Shelley realizes he just might be worth the risk.

Locked into Love by Catherine Coles...Cassie and Ben were childhood sweethearts until Ben took it upon himself to decide Cassie would never follow her dreams if he was around, and he wasn't going anywhere, so in his mind he 'sent her off to follow a dream'. In Cassie's mind he broke her heart. Now Cassie is back, being rescued by Ben, and maybe following a new dream...

Hot, Bothered and Bewitched by Kat French...Seraphine is the new vet in town. She's also Wiccan, it's Hallowe'en and her birthday. She's hoping for a fresh start in Coombethwaite, where no one knows her family history and she won't be judged. Just as Seraphine is lighting the candles for her love spell, there is a knock on the door...one hot fire fighter complete with black cat. Has fate finally knocked for Seraphine as the sparks fly between Seraphine and Isaac?

Lighting Love's Spark by Sally Clements...Annabel, a teacher doesn't trust men with her heart after her last relationship ended in disaster. She's also new to Coombethwaite, hoping for a new start in life. When she meets her student Chloe's father Daniel though, she might just have to reassess her views on men. Who can resist a fire fighter in uniform and his sweet daughter? Daniel's other self might be the final pull to lure her in too!

Worth the Risk by Tara Pammi...After leaving Coombethwaite and cutting off ties with her best friend Marcus, baker Annie is back for good this time. She's always secretly loved Marcus, now will be the time to see if he can feel the same way about her - if he can forgive her for leaving in the first place. Will her revalations push Marcus away or bring love into their lives?

A Kindling Romance by Lorraine Wilson...finally in Blaze we meet Polly and Drew who meet each other in the most unconventional way! She's new to Coombethwaite and Drew is happy to come to her rescue in more ways than one! You will laugh a lot with this short romance!! Will Polly find what she's searching for in Coombethwaite?

As I mentioned, I really enjoyed all of these short romances. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a quick romance that is just that! Blaze gives us lots of love at first sight, heat and laughs! All of the characters were so well described and easy to picture...as well as some of the secondary characters that we saw in more than one story. I highly recommend Blaze for any romance reader!

[Snarky Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Excerpt of a review originally posted on SnarkyMomReads. Blaze was received in exchange for an unbiased review for NetGalley.)

Blaze (A Minxes of Romance anthology) is 201 pages of firemen romance stories for just $3.99. All stories are based in the town of Coombethwaite and all eight stories are written by different authors: Maya Blake (Author), Sally Clements (Author), Catherine Coles (Author), Kat French (Author), Tara Pammi (Author), Suzanna Ross (Author), Romy Sommer (Author), Lorraine Wilson (Author). (If you want to know more about the “Minxes”, check out their website.) While the book promises “scorching hot romances”, please be aware that these are not erotic romances – while there is some sex, it’s more “smoke” than “fire” when it comes to those scenes. If you’re feeling the need for fireman love, these are great short stories to read while in the carpool lane. It’s also interesting that all the authors based their stories in this village, and the stories weave in & out around different things that happen in the village, or feature the same old busybody neighbor, for example. However, the one thing I kept thinking was that for a small village, they sure did have a LOT of fires! LOL!

Bottom line? If you’re looking for short & plentiful, pick “Smokin’” with its 17 stories. Want little bit longer short stories? (I know. Oxymoron.) Try “Blaze”. Want the stories to set you on fire? “Smokin’” is it for you! Just want a little smoke started? Check out “Blaze”!

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blaze is an anthology written by eight women known as the Minxes of Romance. All the stories center around the firefighters of the small town of Coombethwaite, England. I found this book on Netgalley and grabbed it up since I love a good firefighter story. And this book is jam packed full of good stories.

Each story is unique and has it's own flavor, yet since all the stories are about the firefighters of one town, we see familiar names from story to story. By the time you have finished the anthology, you really feel like you have gotten to know not only the firefighters, but the town itself. As with any short story, the romance has to happen fast, but in several cases the characters have known each other for years - the timing just wasn't right. In one case the story actually skips ahead a couple of months, giving the characters time that a novella doesn't normally provide.

Each of the novellas is around 25 pages long and includes a page about the author with information like their websites and latest books. This is a very nice way to find out some information on a new author and how to read more of their work. I would read more by these authors and look forward to a seeing what else they can come up with. I am giving this one 3 stars on Goodreads.

[Rjsmommy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe the great reviews this book is getting. I forced myself to read it...and I love just about anything that has a firefighter in it. Maybe the problem is they choose to try to fit about 8 or 9 stories into one anthology. This is a series of stories mostly set around the wedding of one of the volunteer fireman at a station house full of committed bachelors. It then proceeds to show us how each man, and one woman (to be politically correct I guess), fall instantly in love; and I mean instantly. Meet, fall into bed within hours, and proclaim love with complete strangers. And all within the week of this wedding; talk about waiving reality. Well, all but the first story where the couple had known and dated each other for years but parted. This was also the longest and the only story I actually enjoyed. I guess if all you want is instantaneous sex, this anthology will do it for you, but for me, I enjoy a build-up with meaning. Thank goodness it was free through the lending library!

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, I have never read an anthology before and I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into. I was very pleasantly surprised with this collection of short stories. The setting is in the town of Coombewaithe that is full of hot as hell fireman and a hot firewoman. Oh and one nosey assed neighbor who is constantly looking out the window and spreading gossip.

The different stories were great. They were short, quick, and to the point. I think my favorite was Hot, Bothered, and Bewitched mainly because it was different and funny.

After reading this collection, I will definitely be looking for more from these authors and even checking out more short stories.

**Copy kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!!

[Crystal Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I usually enjoy box sets, this one had left me wanting for more. Although the stories were short, it felt to me like they were on the shorter end of short. There was a lot that could have been added to each of the stories and make them better in my opinion.
Each of the stories has something to do with the Coombethwaite’s retained firefighters. The different authors each chose a different firefighter that they would write about. I enjoyed the fact we learned about different ones each time, but I was also wondering what had happened to the other characters that we had been introduced to in the previous stories.
All in all, if you enjoy short stories about firefighters, then this would be a read to check out yourself.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in a fictional English Lake District village Blaze is an anthology which provides romance and passion from the first spark right up to the blazing inferno. Each story stands alone linked by the setting and the retained fireman characters that live there. There is something for everyone in this anthology from sweet to hot romance. It is easy to dip into and a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
Maya Blake

[Emily (Mrs B's Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

**My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This book is full of 8 very short stories that seem to finish even before they have begun thereby leaving you feeling lacking in the story.

This anthology only seems to give you a very little taste of the authors with stories based in the same town and around members of the fire crew.

I feel that this anthology would have been better with just four stories that could have been expanded to give you something worth reading.

I found this to be a bit of a let down.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do like firemen, and these 8 authors have given their readers short romantic stories about a fire brigade in London. These are easy reads, great for a lazy day, or stretched over a period of time. Of course, there's not a lot of meat to them, as they are meant to be short stories, but each has a likeable couple and a satisfying happily ever after. They served as great author introductions for me, and I would look for more from the authors represented in the collection.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[T.A. McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy from Netgalley

I liked the premise for this boxset...and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. I loved the way all the stories are based around firemen from the same town. They were all quick reads but sometimes you just need that! Each author getting a different couple and a different story works here I think, and I would probably have read more of the stories if they had been in the books. Sometimes you just need a nice quick little something something...and this was it!
Well written and a unique idea!

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this anthology, it was a very neat concept to have various authors write on different characters but those characters all tied together. I felt like some of the stories were a little Wam Bam for my liking but this was an anthology so that's to be expected! I think my favorite story was the first though! Cute quick read! Definitely recommend!

*ARC compliments of Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a honest review*

[Summerita Rhayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of short reads set in the same town and all of them featuring firefighter heroes. Wonderful entertaining and spicy romance-ttes - what else can I call them :) - exploring different issues. It is difficult to set up the environment in a short story...as an author I can appreciate that. The collaborators have done a fantastic job.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaze was a good book of contemporary romance stories about firefighters. How one can love and loss but no matter how many years you put between them that love can conquer all and a happy ever after.

[Victoria James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, steamy anthology from the Minxes!

[Rachel Lune · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some hot and steamy stories - some better than others! A great fun light-hearted read. Great to see A little magic from Kat French too!

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really short stories all about the same town. Cute.

[Ashley F · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

Really short with no level of hotness. Each story is so compact I can't possibly care about the characters in such a short amount of time.

Review to come.

[Jadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different stories, by different authors about the same small town. Some more racy than others.

[Carola · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars