Summer with a Fireman

by Carolina Jax

Marigold James is new to town and looking to make a sweet impact by opening her new bakery, Cakeology. But when faulty wires and tripped alarms threaten her business, she’s forced to rely on the local fire department to keep her business up and running.

Maddox Baylor, a local Firefighter, is a stud and he knows it. His take charge attitude lacks all the gentleman charm and he quickly becomes the bane of Marigold’s existence. But guess who shows up every time she needs help?

Find out if these two will crash and burn or fly above the flames this summer …

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Small Town Romance, Rom Com

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2024

Reviews

[Mindy Menotti bookishly_mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guess what’s coming in hot 🔥 this summer?!…. Maddox Baylor- our small town, cocky az$, local fireman!! 👨‍🚒

Marigold James is a new transplant who moves into Love Beach (the best small town charm ever) & opens up her own small business, Cakeology 🧁&& while trying to get everything up and running by opening day- her building is not cooperating and the alarm 🚨 keeps sounding…. So who Other than the shmexy grump to come && check out the issues- while acting like a total broody 💩?!

This is a great small town romance, written with characters that will have you laughing, swooning & craving the whole
Read in one sitting. The side characters are epic & the tension between the MC’s is flaming 🔥🫠!

Nothing better than a bunch of firemen spraying those big hoses and getting all the things wet 💦 - Am I right or AM I right?

I Highly recommend this read that is part of the Love Beach Collection. Fantastic job to Carolina - The Queen of small town romance - with a hint of that delicious spicy spice!!🌶️

And I also suggest reading Alexandra Hale’s book next, Summer With A Brother’s Best Friend (as these two share characters, but can also be read as a stand alone).

[Mandy’s Spicy Book Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Let me give you more. Ask me for anything and I’ll give it to you.”

Rating 4/5
Spicy 3.5/5
eARC

I loved Marigold and Maddox’s story! Marigold is new to Love Beach, opening a new bakery, Cakeology. She’s starting a new life in a new town. Maddox is the hot arrogant fireman at Love Beach fire department. He’s grown up in Love Beach and has no plans of leaving. His life is all about work. That’s until he meets Marigold. Her alarm keeps sounding calling the fire department. The banter between these two is electric. So much they find the one fire they can’t extinguish is the one between the two of them. The characters were next level and had me laughing and swooning. I devoured this book. It’s a quick read and so worth it. This is part of the Love Beach series, but can be read as a standalone.

[Readingwithdesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Le Beach where you meet Maddox Baylor and Marigold They meet each other at her bakery because of faulty plug and if you read anything by Carolina you know it’s going to be a warm cozy read with some heat! This story was amazing these two had so much tension! I devoured this book! Definitely the perfect book for summer reading!

[Katja ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, Marigold and Maddox are the cutest! I’ve enjoyed reading their story very much! Handsome firefighter meets cute baker and boom = sparks ignite! Quite literally 🤣 The banter was so funny, and Logan? New best book bestie!!!!! I’m going to start a fire now to have Mads come put it out! 😮‍💨🥵
Another great read by the fabulous Carolina Jax!!!
Ps: I super loved the Easter egg at the end…. 🫶🏻

[Christina Rybka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marigold moves to Love Beach to open up her bakery Cakeology, but there seems to be a problem with the electricity. The firemen show up and Maddox, who is so good looking, but conceited. Marigold opens her bakery and it’s a huge success, but the fire alarm goes off and Maddox always shows up. Can a reformed playboy and a girl who doesn’t trust be together? Great characters and storyline Highly recommended Amazing Book. I love Marigold and Maddox and their dynamic and character development. Great supporting characters. This book has sarcastic humor, small town feel, and the spice is so good. I absolutely love this book and world and definitely want more.

[Lakshmi Praveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddox Baylor and Marigold James!!!

Can I just say anything Carolina Jax writes it's an automatic read for me! I mean you want the warm fuzzies and hot nights, her writing is what is perfect for it. And she definitely did not disappoint on this one. Maddox our resident firefighter and a beloved member of the community of love beach and the new transplant baker Marigold James who is looking to put down her roots in this quaint town. What happens when both of them meet? Fire 🔥 well...I'm not gonna say more. But this cute novella is just right and gives you all the feels you need. Yin and yang that's what Maddox and Marigold are for me! It's just hot hot hot

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG This was a work of fictional genius Carolina Jax has her finger on the very pulse of Love Beach action. Loved every second of reading this extremely funny , inspiring and very sexy book! Maddox the hot fireman is on a shout at a Bakery , what he finds there is chaos and the two friends who are working there:-.. “Saved my ass?” “I’d let him save my ass,” “ I’d let him throw his weight on me.” “Logan!” “Ms. James, you have customers. We can argue later.”… this kind of banter and more is in store and a lot of romance angst. Maddox Bayer is drawn to Marigold James and each shout of which there’s several he loves a bit of banter and joins in with her staff Logan’s quips so he makes one his own , “I like your fire,Goldie” “Goldie, you must be having fun.” I smile. “It’s quickly becoming my favorite ‘F’ word.”…Well you can see how it was going and can guess where they went with it… Maddox has a twin sister who Marigold has already made a very good friend of so it’s a brilliant twist and all while his sister has extra incentives of her own to hope for their happy ending….. Ms Jax , you absolutely nailed it! Awe inspiring ( yes I know I’ve said this word already but it’s true) brilliance ! I could not get enough of them and kudos for absolutely nailing the seamless details that marry between your book and Ms Hale’s I absolutely adored this story and I dived straight into the next book in the series , well they’re twins so it makes sense…😉 Bravo

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

[Angela Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now that I’ve had you, I want it every night.”

I just loved Summer With a Fireman by Carolina Jax! It checks all the boxes for a quick, hot summer read and I do mean HOT! 🔥 it’s part of the Love Beach Collection and can be read as a standalone and the collection can be read in any order.

Marigold moves to Love Beach to start over where she meets a hunky fireman named Maddox who lives for his career. They instantly get on each other’s nerves but keep coming back for more.

This was such a great story. One that had hot, sexy firemen…yes please and funny side characters! I instantly felt a connection with the MFC and her backstory and felt empathy for her. I love the build up of tension towards the last maybe quarter of the book, then the wrap up, done so well! Recommend for sweet and sexy romance with some spice and a HEA.

[Nanna M · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Marigold found out her boyfriend was cheating, she packed up her belongings and left for Love Beach.

When Marigold arrived in Love beach she opened a shop called Cakeology because baking was her passion. Her alarm repeatedly went off and the sexy fireman Maddox would have to come to switch the alarm off. So you know she didn’t get the problem fixed so she could see the fireman.

Marigold wasn’t too keen on Maddox (the fireman) at first. She thought he was a little up-himself, similar to a ladies man. But that soon passed and they were spending more time together which was out of character for Maddox because all his attention was for his job.

It was when Cakeology went up in flames that they both realised they had feelings for one another.

I enjoyed this uplifting read. I liked the dual format so you had an insight to both Maddox and Marigolds thoughts.
I found the relationship between Maddox and Marigold funny at first because she wasn’t keen on him at all. I nearly cried when he proposed to her, it was just the sweetest.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Rebecca Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet and spicy. This was a great quick read, full of banter and chemistry. Maddox is the small town hero that only pays attention to his job until he meets a sassy little baker. Marigold escapes to Maddox’s hometown when leaving her cheating ex. The back and forth between these two were hilarious and made the book. Their love story burned bright and fast. Reading about Maddox finding MJ in the smoke filled building and then losing his mind because he finally realized what it feels like to almost lose the love of your life.

This is a parallel book with summer with my brother’s best friend. They take place over the same summer and the character overlap. Found family & happy ever after.

[Lindsey Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful low angst novella that is a great summer beach read.

Carolina Jax sets the scene with a wonderful small town that welcomes newcomers and rallies around when anyone needs it - one of my favourite parts of a small town romance.
Maddox and Marigold clash from first meeting and have one of those love to hate/hate to love relationships until things hit boiling point and they give in to their feelings.
Both of them have some heartbreaks from their pasts that they have to overcome before it all works out. It was fun to see them work it out and find the love they both needed and deserved.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marigold is the newbie in Love Beach, a little village steeped in an old wives tale of how love blossoms with natures help.

She’s here for a new start and opens a bakery with gorgeous cakes and hand messed items called Cakeology in the village.

Unluckily for her, or lucky maybe, the electrics are faulty and keep setting off the fire alarm which goes directly to the fire house. Cocky Maddox seems to be the one always on call and has numerous visits to the bakery. He says it annoying, but it seems neither Maddox or Marigold mind so much really.

One who has trust issues and the other has always thought Fire is the only thing he needs in life; watch how a love blossoms from the ashes and enjoy the story!

Lovely book, nice level of spice and just a fabulous read.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a short romcom with plenty of spice where he falls first in a small town, look no further. I smiled and laughed so hard this whole book with all the emotions. All the character were amazing, I especially loved Logan, he was just what Marigold needed. Marigold left her whole life behind when her boyfriend of 7 years cheated on her and ended up at Love Beach, opening her own bakery Cakeology, where Logan insisted on being not only her employee by best friend. But the building had so many issues, the FD was called all the time. In comes Maddox, hot as hell firefighter and twin brother to Reece, Marigolds only other friend. The tension and banter between these two from the beginning had me laughing out loud. The story was absolutely amazing, Carolina packed so much into this short read! I can’t wait to read Reece and Isaac’s story next! This was such a great read and just what I needed during this hot summer!!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer with a Fireman by Carolina Jax is the sweet story of Maddox and Marigold (Goldie). She’s just purchased a building and is planning to open a bakery…her life’s dream! But, instead disaster strikes and she has to call out the Fire Department. Maddox is one of the firefighters.

This story was just sweet…Marigold is desperate to get her business up and running. Maddox is determined to help…against his better judgement. There is a wonderful banter between the two…lots of chemistry…and plenty of heat! Feel-good read!

[Shere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kind of wanted to smack Maddox because he starts out as a bit of a jerk. But then he makes you melt into a puddle with things like “ I need to know if your heart is on fire for me like mine is for you” plus the man has a dirty mouth which doesn’t hurt 😏

Marigold is a gem and so sweet, I really enjoyed her character. She’s independent and can do it on her own plus I can appreciate her stubbornness and sass.





This is a fun, light perfect beach day or vacation read.

Spice 3/5
Overall rating 4/5

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your looking for a short, small town, romcom then look no further! Summer with a fireman is a great quick read, full of spice, banter and chemistry!

Marigold is new to love beach, after stumbling across it when she left her own small town and cheating ex behind. She opens up a bakery, cakeology, which has always been her dream. However the bakery has faulty electrics which keeps setting off the alarm and summoning the local Fire Department. In enters Maddox, a cocky local hero, who puts work before everything, leaving little time for anything else. That is until he meets Marigold...

The tension and banter between these two is hilarious, and had me laughing out loud throughout. I loved all the characters in this book (which doesn't happen often!) and I cannot wait to read the other books in the Love Beach series! Carolina Jax packed so much into this short read, I would definitely recommend this book!

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Summer with a Fireman Love Beach Collection. Here we find Marigold and Maddox. She owns the new bakery on town that keeps having issues with its wiring. He’s a firefighter who is way too cocky. Maddox is all about work so it’s wild that he’s even thinking about a girl. She seems to be annoyed by him but that can’t be with, ladies love him. Marigolds was burned by her ex but she’s so drawn to Maddox. Unfortunately, when there is a problem and he goes all caveman she sees something she can’t deal with. Can Maddox fix it before he loses her? I loved the storyline and the characters. I woukd definitely recommend this book and the series.

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

[Lex Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it so much I have pre ordered the next book and have to impatiently wait until November

It may be a 'short' book to some, but you aren't left hanging. Everything is tied up in a bow (that may or may not have been cut by accident). It's a quick read but the story is not rushed at all. Very easy to follow and it has you gripped. So much personality in all of the characters, which was another reason to have me pre ordering the next one. I personally loved the spice, it was hot and perfect for this book.

#smalltown #spicyromance #firemanromance #currentlyreading #booksbooksbooks #lovereading #arcreviewer #bookobsessed #bookbabespr #beachtown #spicy #romancebooks

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When new arrival to town, Marigold opens up a cake shop, she doesn’t want to focus on anything else. But her fire alarm keeps malfunctioning, calling the local fireman to check it out. Maddox is hot, he knows it, and Marigold isn’t interested in what he has to offer. Can he change her mind?

This novella is hot and sweet. It packs all the heart, heat and sweetness with great characters to enjoy. Thank you @carolinajax_author for the e-ARC of this novella. Perfect quick and easy read.

[Marthareadsacouplebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a super cute romance as well as a quick read! The story flows perfectly (honestly could have been longer and I'd love it) and it felt as if it was only a couple chapters! The dynamic between marigold and maddox was incredible and I loved the enemies to lovers that they had with the ups and downs that they had towards the end of the book. I also loved how nicely the book was rounded up with all the problems present in the story all rounded up and resolved.

[Holly broad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️


I absolutely loved this book! Would have liked it to be a little longer though!

Maddox gives me buck from 911 vibes and I’m all for it!

Marigold is trying to start her life over then Maddox swoops in and turns her life around!

I like that is not ridiculously spicy as sometimes it can get a little overbearing and can ruin a story if it is but this has an enough so it doesn’t ruin the book! It’s well written and I want to read more about Maddox and marigold!

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review:

Thank you so much @bookbabespr for sending me an arc copy of summer with a fireman. I absolutely loved this book ☺️

Marigold and Maddox are one of my favourite couples. Maddox I adored reading about and I loved his growth throughout this story. He fell first and deep and so did Marigold and I also enjoyed her growth as well.

This book is so beautifully written and I highly recommend you all read this when it gets released

Thank you @bookbabespr again for this opportunity ❤️

[Brandi Sartin lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you really go wrong with a baker and a firefighter?! Marigold is starting over in a new town. She is opening up a new bakery but it isn’t going the way she planned. There is a fire alarm that just keeps going off and when it dies it brings the firemen. Which might not be a bad thing unless you have to deal with Maddox! He is grumpy and only has his job in his mind. He keeps getting frustrated with Marigold because of the alarm but when does things change for him? Can he put something or someone above his job? And can Marigold open up her hurt after it’s been hurt?

[Nicola Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romantic, small town, sweet and spicy novella! I really enjoyed reading this summer romance between a fireman (MMC) and a cake baker (FMC). I thought the characters and the story were well written. I liked so many of the side characters but especially Logan who bought plenty of humorous moments to the story. I found this book fun and easy to read. I would like to read more books by this author.

[wearehappysadd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting and I couldn’t get enough. *SPOLIERS*

This was such deliciously sweet read, a baker and a fireman in a small town, he falls first?! Do I need to really say much more! Maddox ooof fictional men written by women, yes please! Logan is such a hype man and I am here for it. Merigold, or as Maddox refers to her “goldie”, we’re the sweetest mixture of love with gentleman and some not so gentleman behaviour! A fun loving small romance read!

[Rae Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot on the heels of a break up after finding out her long-term boyfriend was cheating on her, Marigold moves to Love Beach to open a bakery, Cakeology. Unfortunately, the wiring in the building is faulty, and the fire department keeps showing up to handle the fire alarm, and the occasional electrical fire. What starts as hate at first sight for Marigold with fireman Maddox becomes something else very quickly when sparks fly between the two of them.

A mild summer romance that's sweet as frosting. Summer with a Fireman runs parallel to Summer with a Brother's Best Friend, and reading them back to back is an added bonus.

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

[Mia Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was really quick to read and just as enjoyable - I really did not want it to end. The passion and fire (pun intended) ignited between Marigold and Maddox was fun and exhilarating to witness. The fact that they both became aware of their own problems or insecurities and actively strived to change these things in order to be a better man/woman for their partner was inspiring.

The characters were definitely likeable and each had their own real-life problems. Though I like to use books to escape and therefore typically aim to read novels that are not wholly realistic, this one was one amazing exception!

[Cherie Alvaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the Love Beach Collection, I am finding the best thing is all the new authors it introduces to us. Carolina Jax is another new great find for me this year. I liked her style of writing and her character development. I enjoy a fireman romance and this one was very well written. I look forwards to reading more by this author.

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

[Mercedesss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the Love Beach collection - I loved the story between Marigold and Maddox!! It's a perfect small town romance where Marigold gets a second chance at love and business.

The side characters were great and pulled in my interest and made me want to know more.

If you're wishing there was more just like me catch up on the rest of the Love Beach Collection and read Summer With A Brothers Best Friend by Alexandra Hale, where the characters Reece and Isaac get their own story!

[Jen Starkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable small town romance with a sizzling romance between a hot shot firefighter and the new girl in town. It was the perfect amount of sweet and spicy that I couldn't resist. I love that this story is going to be interconnected with Summer with a Brother's Best Friend by Alexandra Hale.