Occasional Fires and Saints

by A.E. Jensen

Noah
Firefighter Noah Byrne always thought his biggest obstacle in life was being a gay man and the only son in a large Irish-Catholic family. Noah has turned hiding his sexuality into an artform, getting by with the occasional anonymous hookup. But lately, not even that works out for him, leaving him unsatisfied and unhappy. But when police officer Joe Pérez comes into his life, Noah’s entire world is tipped on its axis. With the increasing sexual and emotional attachment to Joe, strange and terrifying memories start to resurface, making Noah question what the real reason for hiding his sexuality is.

Joe
For police officer Joe Pérez it’s lust at first sight when he runs into the hot firefighter with the soulful eyes. Joe doesn’t have the best track record with men—but he’s tired of just being a good time. He wants someone to share his life with. Someone he can take dancing and whisper Spanish endearments to. Someone he can take home to meet his Cuban mami. But if Joe thinks being with Noah is gonna be easy, he’s wrong. But most things worth having rarely are, and Joe has a feeling that Noah is worth it. On paper, Noah and Joe couldn’t be any more different. But who cares about paper when two souls connect and sparks fly? Because occasionally we all need fire in our lives. The kind that sets our body aflame and awakens our heart. And sometimes, we need a saint, too. Someone who sees us and fights alongside us when the ghosts of the past threaten to destroy us.

Occasional Fires and Saints is a slow burn, hurt/comfort novel with moderate angst, a little lace and a whole lotta love.

Please note: Occasional Fires and Saints is an MM romance with mature content and adult themes.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Slow Burn, Mental Health, Friends To Lovers, Queer

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2024

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5***** stars

“Noah’s gonna need you when he breaks.”

Heartbreaking and beautiful. So so beautiful. All my love for the gentle giant, Noah and his cheeky Cuban boy, Joe.

“You think everyone gets me going like this, Firefighter Byrne? It’s you, Noah. It’s you, driving me fucking wild with your soulful eyes and your fucking tattoos and your big fucking heart.”

♡♡♡

But not only Noah & Joe have my heart but Noah and his niece, Maeve, too. These two together melted my heart to a puddle so damn fast.

I think this won’t be the last time I’m trying a book from this new-to-me author.



*Please heed Trigger Warnings

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 stars.
An emotional and beautiful romance between a quiet Irish-American firefighter, Noah, and a radiant Cuban policeman, Joe.
The storyline was very balanced, never boring, never rushed.
The characters (main and secondary) were drawn carefully. I loved both Noah and Joe, how they went from physical attraction and curious interest to a strong love.
I can't comment on the portayal of Noah's condition/trauma, but it seemed treated with care and knowledgement.
The plot wasn't overly angsty, there was no drama and no miscomunication.
I loved how both MCs had a different loving background, friends and families. I didn't love everyone (I mean you, Noah's dad) but I did love someone espescially.. Maeve, Noah's niece. The scenes with her were the best in the book, sorry not sorry. Noah interacting with her was written in such a lovely way, I wished there were more scenes with Maeve.

Be aware of the TWs that the author mentiones in her note at the beginning of the book.

Thanks Kati for recommending this beautiful book!

Ps I cannot not nitpick it seems, but: please dear authors, no more sex in the epilogue...

[E.L. Ough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story, done so well.

Noah is a fire fighter from a big family full of meddling sisters, he loves his job but sometimes when he’s home alone he struggles with the secret he’s been hiding, he struggles with dating and would rather just stay home. But then there’s Joe.

Joe is policeman, when he’s in uniform he’s all professional with a side of sarcasm, but underneath his uniform is a sexy Spanish, salsa dancer with some fine piercings!! He’s taken a liking to the quiet Noah but can he break through his tough shell.

Noah’s trauma broke my heart, his pain and self loathing will hurt you. His internal suffering will make you cry. But Joe, Joe is a shining light, he’s fun and sexy but he’s also caring and patient and he’s an amazing friend to Noah. It’s beautiful how he helps to heal Noah, gives him the tools he needs to live again.

Of course A.E Jenson takes you on a rollercoaster of a ride and your not quite sure if theses guys are going to make it, but even thought Anja loves a broken boy she will always make sure they get there HEA.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

🔥Hurt comfort
🔥Slow burn
🔥Firefighter
🔥Policeman
🔥Opposites attract
🔥Lace
🔥All the feels

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

A great read. Incredibly emotional. Hard at times too. Joe and Noah had to fight hard for the HEA but they sure did get it. A beautiful story

[Colleen (colleenreads40) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Occasional Fires and Saints is a standalone novel by A.E. Jensen. Here's what you can expect from Joe and Noah:

🔥 MM contemporary romance
🔥 Third person dual point of view
🔥 Guaranteed happily ever after
🔥 Open door spice
🔥 Hurt/comfort
🔥 Men in uniform (police officer and firefighter)
🔥 Size difference
🔥 Repressed trauma
🔥 Lace, piercings, dirty talk, and Spanish endearments

Ensure you review the content and trigger warnings to decide if this book is right for you. Note this list of warnings may be incomplete. Please take care of yourself while reading.
⚠️ Delayed recall of sexual assault
⚠️ Repressed trauma
⚠️ Flashbacks of sexual assault
⚠️ Recount of sexual assault in therapy session
⚠️ One main character experiences panic attacks and severe anxiety
⚠️ Homophobic and culturally derogatory slurs and conduct by side-characters
⚠️ One main character hides his sexuality
⚠️ One main character loses a parent before he is born
⚠️ Mentions of child abuse (side-character)
⚠️ Mentions of domestic abuse and miscarriage as a result of domestic abuse (side-character)
⚠️ Mentions of work-related incidents of violence and death in connection with the two main characters working as a police officer and a firefighter
⚠️ One side-character suffers a heart attack
⚠️ One main character refers to his butt hole as boy pussy which may be offensive to some

Occasional Fires and Saints was my first A.E. Jensen novel, and it had me hooked on her work! I decided to do a re-read with the imminent release of The Loneliest Hour and take the opportunity to refresh my original review. This book captivated me just as much the second time as it did to first time. Joe and Noah's story is a beautiful but painful one filled with trauma, self-discovery, and soul-searching love.

Anja took an important topic that doesn't get discussed enough, and approached it in a thoughtful and careful way. Noah's story is so important, and I appreciated the mental health representation woven throughout the story. We are on this journey with Noah, and it isn't always easy, but I loved watching him grow and really come into his own throughout the book. His relationship with Joe truly allows him to be himself, and amplifies the best parts of him. Joe is such a fun character. I loved how outspoken and hilarious he could be, and I think some of those traits are what make him such an awesome police officer. My heart hurt for Noah, he goes through so much in this book. I appreciated that his love for Joe didn't automatically cure him, but it gave him an even stronger support system to allow himself to heal. The spice in this book was incredible and also approached in a thoughtful manner considering Noah's trauma. His and Joe's connection just shone through every sentence in the book. And the final epilogue of the book is probably one of my absolute favourite epilogues I've ever read! I remember it had me in tears the first time I read it, and I'm so excited to get glimpses of them in Lulu and Xavi's upcoming story.

If you love hurt/comfort, characters were thoughtful depth, and a love story for the ages, you won't want to miss Anja's trademark writing in Occasional Fires and Saints.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!

A.E. Jensen's books just get better and better. Occasional Fires and Saints had all the qualities I want in a story. An intriguing plot, great MC's and side characters, deep connection between MC, and soooo many feels! Really felt so many emotions, and I love that! It was beautifully written. I very much enjoyed seeing Noah and Joe as they navigated the path to their much deserved HEA. Fantastic read, definitely recommend (4.5 stars)!

[Mariansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024
Another beautiful story with layers and depth from this author, and I once again find myself in loss of words ♥️
I was lucky to beta read this story, and really looked forward to reading the final story ♥️ I love Joe and Noah to pieces, and I’m always impressed by Anja’s way with words and how she writes her characters ♥️ Slowburnish, hurt/comfort, broken character and lots of dirty talk has become a trademark for this author. And endearments 😍 I’m so weak for those ♥️
Joe has my heart from the start, with his easygoing and sparkling personality ♥️ And he has layers! He’s sensitive and caring, and so freaking perfect for Noah. I’m so glad Noah has his Joe!
Noah, my beautiful broken boy ♥️ Tries so hard to take a chance, give himself a break and let Joe in ♥️ I love his relationship with his niece and sister, and how we get to see his whole personality develop in front of us ♥️ My heart ♥️ And I’m so happy when he let up his walls and opens up ♥️ Love his reflections and thoughts when he reads his favourite stories ♥️
The pacing is perfect for the story ♥️ I’ve cried both from laughing and from heart ache ♥️ So many emotions in this beautiful story! And yes, I do need Xavi and Lulu to get a story ♥️
What do expect from this story:
❤️‍🩹 Hurt/Comfort
❤️ Men in uniform
❤️‍🔥 Slow-burn
❤️‍🩹 Friends-to-Lovers
❤️ Opposites Attract
❤️‍🔥 Size Difference
❤️‍🩹 Repressed trauma
❤️ Coming-out
❤️‍🔥 Lace & lots of endearments

[Crystal Kersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars.

This book was beautifully written, as expected. Joe is literally the most lovable character. He had me laughing. And his mouth 😮‍💨 spicy Cuban boy, my gosh.

Noah was the sweetest man. And so broken. I cried for him.

I hated to see him break. But Joe was an absolute angel for him. Giving him whatever he needed to just survive. Ugh. The pain and trauma was handled so well.

Another beautiful story of love overcoming all for a hard won HEA. Well done, Anja.

Please be sure to check your trigger warnings!

[Leelah🍁♋️ Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 top 5 book for me.

The authors note said this was for Noah and I truly think Noah would be proud. Mind your triggers with this one. I won’t go into the details about this book because I honestly wouldn’t do it justice. Reading the authors note alone tells you everything you need to know. Thank you for sharing Noah and Joe with us. I will remember them always. And thank you thank you so much for giving Noah a voice. I can’t begin to tell you how many people needed this. Me being one of them.

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up!

Well, then. Another beautiful book by AE Jensen. She's quickly becoming my favorite new-to-me author of this year, honestly. Every book I've read so far has been amazing and full of all the feels, and this one is no different.

Occasional Fires and Saints tells the story of Noah and Joe. It's a story of being brave, of fighting for yourself and your future, of being your true self, of letting yourself be loved. It deals with some sensitive subjects, yes, but as always, AE Jensen handles it with sensitivity and care. I felt so much for Noah and I just wanted to wrap him in blankets and tell him everything is going to be okay. And Joe... Ohhh Joe. He's such a bold, beautiful, kind soul and I love him so much. These two were everything, honestly.

And Noah's niece Maeve is the MVP, because she's a perfectly written child character and reminds me of my own daughter. So there. Also, I have a weakness for Hispanic/Latino characters in books, because the Spanish endearments??? I melt. Every time.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book, but do mind the trigger warnings, lovelies.

[Wren Vale · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful story blew me away with it's sincerity and tenderness. The love and understanding Joe gives to Noah is everything. Noah's story broke my heart and I'm so glad he met his Joe and they found their way together.

Both Joe and Noah are loveable characters, there is also an abundance of amazing side characters, each one of them likeable and relatable.

I am a huge fan of A.E Jensen's work and this story was no exception.

I cannot recommend this story enough but please read the trigger warnings and take care of yourself.

@anjalovesbooks has written yet another beautiful story

[S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here we have a 5 year old talking about her fish being tr*nsgender..because apparently the male fish feels its actually a girl inside...wth is wrong with people. And using a lil girls character to spew the propoganda was a nice touch by the author. Why write a gay book when according to the propoganda same sex attraction isn't actually real the guy suffering from internalised homophobia and homophobic family could just be with a tr*nsgender then right no need for him to deal with his family's homophobia then if its all the same.

[M.R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sad to say but this was a DNF for me. I noticed that around 50 % I was just skimming. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and I was somewhat bored. This book also tried to be more profound than it actually was with the constant descriptions of lust or love or whatever.

[Rachel]

Dnf. Found one of the mc's really annoying.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has been on my TBR all year, and I’ve put it off because I love A.E. Jensen’s books so much I don’t want to eat through them so fast! There is something about the writing, it’s gentle, and quiet. It’s like the book is whispering to me? That might sound really weird, but as I was reading that all I could think. Noah and Joe were whispering their sweet love story to me. The way their story unfolds is so natural, and it often gave me a swoopy feeling in my tummy. Anya has a way of writing some of the most emotional books, but also some of the filthiest dirty talk, it’s a true gift to readers. Noah and Joe are both searching for the missing parts of themselves. One who wants to just be himself and one who wants intimacy more than anything. One who lost himself in trauma and one who misses someone he never met. Both of them search for the person who will love them through it all, the good and the bad, the happy and sad, and through all of the ugly. In the end Joe and Noah show that love isn’t always easy, but getting to love someone is never a hardship it’s always a gift.

[Ana Nimity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous hurt-comfort romance

I'm grateful for reader friends who recommended this beautiful book. A.E. Jensen created a world that drew me in and characters who stole my heart.
For some, Noah's story may be triggering as he navigates from victim to survivor, from not knowing he's broken to taking control of his life and feelings with Joe's help. The path heartbreaking, and I shed more than a few tears, but the lovely happy ending made it worth feeling the pain of all involved.

[Sharanya Hariharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC*** Occasional Fire and Saints by AE Jensen

Occasional Fire & Saints left me speechless. It took a while to put this review into words, I needed the book to settle and my mind to take a step back from the Noah and Joe spell that I was under. And because, this book is all feeling and emotions, the kind that you can’t just explain or put into words, the kind you can only feel and experience.

This book was an exceptional read! AE Jensen weaves the most beautiful story with characters you cannot help but adore, all while addressing relevant issues delicately and with sensitivity. There is so much to appreciate in this incredible book, from the complexity of the characters to the sheer richness of AE Jensen’s writing and the subject she delves into.

Occasional Fire & Saints revolves around Noah, a firefighter and Joe, a cop. Noah and Joe have an instant connection when they meet. Joe is out and proud, easy going, open and is generous with his affection for people close to him. Noah isn’t and has had a turbulent past that he is trying to come to terms with, this has a big impact on how he leads his life and his lack of being able to connect emotionally and physically with people. This book depicts a relationship is that it is so real, it takes you through a relationship that encounters challenges, ones that are so deep rooted that often times you really wonder how they would find the strength to overcome them.

Reading Joe and Noah’s story made me realize that they are meant to be, there is no other way to describe it but that one cannot exist without each other, they would be empty without each other. I don’t want to say more about their relationship because one needs to journey through all of it, as they go through the stages of their relationship and the waves of emotions they experience.

As always, in true Anja style, there is always kink involved, this one is a bit of a surprise, at least for me and I am here for it!

💙💙💙 @anjalovesbooks thank you for this ARC, I can’t think of a better way to end 2023…ending it with this phenomenal read. 🫠🥹❤️

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe & Noah - LOVE them! ❤️❤️🔥🔥

Occasional Fires and Saints
By A.E. Jensen 

Book Review🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Book Review

“A lace wearing literary scholar of a firefighter with the physical appearance of a god. F*ck me to f*cking Heaven and back. He was so f*cked.”

Yes, I am in a book-boyfriend heaven. Meet Joe, who is one of the hottest and sweetest men in the MM romance world. My my, what a mouth he has, it still makes me smile. I am absolutely in love with these two men - Joe and Noah. They are everything! ❤️❤️

“…he was the most beautiful thing Noah had ever laid eyes on. Noah was mesmerized by the primal undertones of this simple act.”

Joe, who is a police officer, finally meets the man of his dreams. Noah, who is a firefighter and has a beautiful soul, also hides trauma that he does not remember. My heart breaks for Noah and he has a healing journey to come through.

“His Noah. The kindest, sweetest man he’d ever met. His Noah. And the thought of that filled him with an unprecedented rage, making him ready to tear down the entire f*cking world if he had to.”

While reading, I felt that rage too when Noah remembers what happened to him and why he lived in limbo until he met Joe. 

This MM romance, hurt/comfort book was one of the most realistic and beautifully written books I have read. This book has everything - love, passion, hotness, acceptance, hurt, comfort, understanding, healing, family, and love that conquers all. A.E. Jensen has written another masterpiece and this is her third book. She writes sensitively about trigger warning topics, which need to be enlightened.

Anja, your words are poetic and authentic. I am in awe of your writing style. ❤️

I laughed, I cried and in the end, I was so happy for Joe and Noah. Their love story is breathtaking. I highly recommend reading this unconditional love story and also her other books - Home Then, and Loud Places. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Advised to read TW.
This is my honest ARC review.

[Trinity · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶/5

TW - delayed recall of SA / rape, repressed trauma, SA / rape (past, recounted incl flashbacks), panic attacks, severe anxiety, homophobic slurs, culturally derogatory slurs and conducts, MC hiding his sexuality, death of a parent (mentioned, before he was born, traffic accident), death of a grandparent (mentioned), death of a child (sc, loosely recounted - suicide bomber), child abuse (mentioned, sc), domestic abuse and miscarriage as a result (loosely recounted, sc), work related incidence of violence and death (mentioned), heart attack (sc, parent, aftermath on page), cheating (scs), self loathing / deprecating thoughts, depression

CW - “papi”, toys

Tropes - hurt x comfort, friends to lovers, men in uniform, mental health rep, opposites attract, coming out

Joe (MMC, 27) came across as very one dimensional to me in this book. Most of his POV were about sex or something along those lines. We do get hints about how empathic he is and how he loves so much and so hard and I really wish that was explored more. Noah (MMC, 24) on the other hand I felt was more developed than Joe and I think that was because of the trauma that he has to deal with and the fact that he hasn't come out either so the author had spent more time on him; also, if you read the author's note you can immediately tell that the story would centre on Noah based on the story A.E. Jensen wanted to tell.

The MCs meet while at work. Noah is a firefighter and Joe is a police officer both reporting at the scene of a fire. Joe is openly gay and does not shy away from his sexuality and for Noah, that is not his own experience so you can tell that he’s taken aback when Joe starts openly flirting with him. One thing I will say is that I wish we had more of them at work.

I'm pretty sure one of the tropes for this book was slow burn. I'm anti-slow burn 💀 so I was skeptical going in but I personally don't think this book was a slow burn. I didn't think it took too long for them to become sexually involved. If your slow burn scale (for books where someone has a dick) is dependant on penetration, then this is defo a slow burn as that doesn't happen until spoiler: the end of the book. it does happen before but it's more of a short cock warming scene than anything else. Other than that, the pair were defo sexually compatible and it was nice seeing them explore each other, especially for Noah who hasn't had something like this before.

Joe was really Noah's rock in this book and I loved seeing him unapologetically slip into that role even when Noah tried to push him away.

Noah's sister comes out as bi to their family and they take it pretty well given that they're religious which is one of the reasons why Noah has been so hesitant; his parent's claiming that they had an inkling that she was bi. Given that, you'd think they'd be okay with Noah coming out as gay to them? Nope. They acted very shocked, his mum came around quickly but the dad didn't until a further conversation. Idk I thought that was weird. Idk if they acted liked that because he's their only son and like father-son stuff (????) or if in their minds there is something inherently different between bi, lesbian and gay 🤷🏽‍♀️. His eldest sister acting like he's damning them all to hell when her husband is committing adultery was comical to me.

Anyway, the book was fine. I'm here again to say that I find 3rd POV books hard to read. Idk if anyone else had this but I felt like they say each other's name in dialogue an unnatural amount to the point where it felt very robotic (especially the therapy session) and kept taking me out of the book.

Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪

🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List

[Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book and it blew my expectations out of the water. First of all Anja gives us characters who feel so reflective of the human experience, their shades of trauma, loss, grief, fear, joy, search for healing and connection and community all very relatable in so many ways. And then the writing is beautifully descriptive and emotional.

The story builds slowly and Noah and Joe have a tough journey as they fight to be together. Joe, larger than life but seeking something deeper, finding ways to be true to who he is, so unbelievably caring, resilient and strong, instantly finds himself irrevocably drawn to Noah. Noah has so much buried pain under his sweet, kind, gentle but numbed exterior and the way Joe inspires him to climb out into the light is everything. These two are absolutely scorching hot and stunningly beautiful together. Their story is deeply emotional specially in the second half, parts of this were hard to read making me tear up for what these protagonists go through… at one point I wasn’t convinced there would be an HEA that could work here. But that wind up to the ending was ecstatic and spectacular.. Uff that was needed and it came together in the best way.

I’m trying hard not given any spoilers to this beautiful story but also there are some heavy, sensitive subjects dealt with so please read the trigger warnings if needed which the author has provided.

Expect:
* Policeman x Firefighter
* Hurt comfort
* Opposites attract
* Dirty talk
* Lingerie loving MC
* Found Family
* Tattooed MC
* Size Difference
* Coming out

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Swoon: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Angst: ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[Natalie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I sit here and write this review, I'm finding it hard to put into words how utterly phenomenal this book was. Anja has a way of creating characters that are so raw and full of emotional turmoil that you can't help but feel everything when you read one of her books.

Noah absolutely broke my heart. I sobbed uncontrollably at parts of this book and literally felt every one of his feelings as he broke into a million pieces.

And Joe 🥺 the literal saint of this book, I loved that man from the first chapter he was in, and I fell more and more in love with him as the book went on. He is funny and sweet and so understanding, and I couldn't have asked for a better character in a book.

Noah and Joe are the epitome of the perfect couple. They compliment each other in every way, and I just love them together. Their connection is everything, and I loved every minute of them falling in love.

Noah and Joe's HEA is very hard won and there were times in the book that I didnt know how they were going to get there, but I always had faith, I knew Anja would do that to us!!

As always this book brought the spice Joe is such a dirty talker and really brought Noah out of his shell when it came to sex and exploring his sexuality and allowed him to do it at his own pace and it was so wonderful to read.

Anja definitely knows how to write the hurt/comfort trope, and she does it exceptionally well. Her writing is so heartfelt and emotionally charged and is so unique in the way that she delivers the story, making you feel totally imersed and so invested in the characters.

I am beyond grateful that I have the utter pleasure of reading Anjas books, and I can't wait for more in the future.

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

ANOTHER GREAT BOOK. BY THIS AUTHOR. It had me on the edge of my seat because you could see where the plot was going but the development between the two characters was amazing. It was fun, sweet, and steamy and you just can easily fall in love with the two characters. It had me on the brink of tears. It felt like such a good representation of this matter and your heart just broke for Noah. But it was easily put back together.

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d at 10% the Joe character made me rage quit

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noah & Joe. I didn't know how this story was going to go, but I needed to know. You have the big hunk of man, Noah. A fireman growing up in a traditional Irish-Catholic family. You quickly realize that Noah is so shy, has trauma that impacts his daily life, and he's not out. Up walks, Joe. This short, flamboyant, flirty, out & proud Cuban-American, cop. He couldn't be any more different than Noah. There's an energy, a pull towards each other, but poor Noah has no clue what to do with that. You soon realize that there's more to Joe than what he projects to the world. He is the stability, loving Noah through it all, and it was beautiful.

This was a beautiful love story. A story of acceptance, of finding yourself, of trust, of working through trauma, of realizing that your trauma does not make you less. Less of a person, less of a friend, uncle, brother, son, partner, or boyfriend. Having people support you through it all can make all the difference. ❤️‍🔥

I love the authentic way that the author writes the hard moments. The coming out to family. The conversation with Noah's dad was one of the most authentic conversations I've read in a book in a while. It was such a moving moment. The moments working through and going through the trauma are so authentic. I felt it all.

The biggest thing that I look for in a story is that it can make me feel. Occasional Fires and Saints absolutely did. All the emotions. Another beautiful story from A.E Jensen

"𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓵𝓾𝓲𝓭, 𝓼𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱 𝓽𝓸𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭𝓷’𝓽 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓯𝔂. 𝓛𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮. 𝓝𝓮𝓮𝓭, 𝓭𝓮𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓵𝔂. 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓮, 𝓽𝓸𝓸, 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓾𝓼𝓹 𝓸𝓯 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮. 𝓘𝓽 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓪 𝓼𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓬𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪 𝓭𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓮𝓻 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓬𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓲𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓭."

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lonely Hearts Hunting

A E Jensen has given us a Forty Chapter story about Noah Byrne Fireman and Joey Perez Policeman. So glad that she took the time to delve deep into their characters to show us exactly who these men are and where they are coming from.

Also liked the inclusion of Noah’s Literary taste (I’ve also checked out his favourite read, now on my TBR).

Noah and Joey meet for the first time at the scene of a huge fire. Joey is a fabulous flirt and he is attracted to Noah from the get-go. Noah doesn’t know what to make of this guy with his huge smile and flirty eyelashes. But he got butterflies in his belly.

Thankfully, Joey is a tenacious flirt and pursues Noah at every opportunity.

Noah especially, a huge man, suffering a trauma that he no memory of until snippets of events pop up at unexpected moments. My heart broke for now Noah struggled when his memories became clearer.

Live would be wonderful if everybody had a friend like Joey, he just snook right in a took up home in my heart and his Mom is a dote too.

I was a bit on tenterhooks initially about Noah’s family, I was worried that the Irish Catholic background would be toxic.

However both men did have great support systems, especially Joey with his work partner Monroe. Very happy to see Xavi and Lulu are getting their own book.

Anja has also provided a lovely Playlist, so check that out too.

Give this book a high place on your TBR shelf for your reading pleasure.

[Amanda Large · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not gonna lie, this one started out a little slow. I love everything she writes so I wanted to give this one a fair chance. I am so glad I did. I loved it! I wasn't sure where the story was heading at first but where it went was not what I expected and I wouldn't change anything about that. The way Joe was everything Noah needed and Noah was the perfect person to love Joe. The story was beautiful.

I am glad that there were rough patches when Noah was coming out. While in a perfect world, everyone is accepting and no one thinks you're wrong. That's not the case in real life. There will be people who don't approve. It made the book more real to have that included. Even if they did end up coming around and accepting Noah.

Casey kind of came out of nowhere. I was dead set to not like him based on the comment he made in the beginning. But by the end, I was glad Noah had him in his corner.

My favorite scene would have to be when Noah meets Joe's mami. She's so adorable, I just want to squish her. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and blew through Noah's anxiety and nervousness.

I seriously recommend all of Jensen's books.

[Regitse Liljadorff · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful journey this book took me on! I felt so strongly for both men from the very start of the book. Seeing them meet, become friends then witness the love start to blossom between them, and with Noah’s trauma getting in the way but Joe being his person through it and seeing them fight together for the future they both wanted was so beautiful. The trauma was described so realistically and Noah’s inner thoughts about it was so sad but again realistic. I loved how Joe was this sunshine of a man that knew what he wanted and fought to keep Noah. This is one of those books I’ll always remember. Loved it ❤️

[MN Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional and beautiful romance between an Irish-American firefighter, Noah, and a Cuban policeman, Joe.

I loved both Noah and Joe, how they went from physical attraction and curious interest to a strong love.

The plot wasn't overly angsty, there was no drama and no miscommunication the relationship, but Noah's history was heartbreaking.

Both MCs had loving background, friends and families. Especially Maeve, Noah's niece. She was the best and I love the way they interacted with each other.

Be aware of the TWs mentioned at the beginning of the book.

[Ezra · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a serious note...four stars for a sensitive and insightful story about sexual assault (date rape) perpetrated by a man towards another man.

But....I'm sorry but I want to take one star away because one of the MCs calls nipples "little boy titties" and arseholes are"little boy pussies" when having sex with the other MC.
I just couldn't!!!! 😫

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC COPY BOOK REVIEW**

"Like a massive ocean wave. Even though you instinctively knew that you should turn around and run, it just looked so fucking inviting that you wanted to throw yourself against it. Let it swallow you up completely."

Y'all Occasional Fires and Saints by @anjalovesbooks has me literally gobsmacked...the beauty of both of their hearts..the utter gut wrenching pain that you feel coming from both Noah and Joe..the repressing...the love...the moment they meet..the fire that simmered between them...the slow burn...the dirty talk...it is amazing how she puts you right there in the book..feeling like you are there like a fly on the wall watching everything right before your eyes...it is a pure talent that is rare and my heart longs for when I read a book..the way she takes traits that you as a reader has and like she gets right into your soul and puts them into her characters..and that is one thing she did with my sweet heart, Noah..how I resonated with him about his feelings for books and especially quotes...and Joe, oh my sweet beautiful Joe...we all long for a Joe in our lives that will fight those fires with you..even though you ask them to leave..they are there pounding on that door wanting you to let them in...

I am not gonna put any spoilers or even talk about anything that was in this phenomenally, heart wrenching book..because this is one of those books that you need to experience all on your own..one that has a journey that should go in blind and discover and feel each and every emotion that Anja brings out..you are there with them in the trenches in each and every one of those 368 pages..I will say that there will be tears and there will be some smiles...and in the end a beautiful HEA that both Noah and Joe is so so deserving of..

I do want to share one more quote that had me literally bawling in my bed...one that touched me way down into my soul..“You made my bed, Joe,”😭😭😭