Firecracker

by Claire Foster, Allison Wells (editor), Ever After Cover Design (photographer)

Beau McAbee, the town jokester, effortlessly elicits laughter from everyone with his good-natured antics and southern-boy charm—everyone, that is, except Tessa Jennings. Beau believes he has this feisty firecracker all figured out. However, a series of impulsive decisions and a chance encounter at a swimming hole ignite a summer romance where both Beau and Tessa find that giving in isn’t such a bad thing.

Despite her sharp-tongued comebacks, Tessa finds herself drawn to Beau. But she harbors a big she has long despised small-town life and is determined to land a job in publishing anywhere but her hometown. When her career aspirations lead her to Houston, she ends up moving in with Beau's older brother, Shep, a rising major league star. But living with an old friend isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when he’s determined to get out of the friend-zone.

As she navigates ambition and homesickness, Tessa must confront the possibility that true love may have been right in front of her all along, in the one place she never thought to look. Will she pursue her dreams or will she realize that home—and love—can be found where she least expects it?

Genres: Second Chance, Romance, Small Town Romance, Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Second Chance Romance

391 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[Faith Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Claire Foster might be my new favorite Author… I was fortunate enough to be able to read this as an Advanced Reader Copy and wow, you will not be disappointed. I did not expect the twist towards the end, and wow, was it good. It’s giving best friends brother, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, small town and so much more! I need to know more about these characters ASAP, and I cannot wait to read future books in this series. If you are a fan of Elsie Silver, I think you will definitely love Claire Foster!

[Liz | Bookslizreads90 · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨️Tropes-
🍑 Love Triangle
🍑 Best Friend's brothers
🍑 Small Town
🍑 Southern gentlemen
🍑 Reverse grumpy x sunshine
🍑 He has a nickname for her 🩷
🍑 He falls first
🍑 Multi POV - LOVED THIS!

✨️Holy Crap! I can't believe that this is a debut! Claire knocked this out of the park. I absolutely ate this book up!! I love a good love triangle, and this book killed it! The whole time while reading, I kept thinking of how this would be a great movie!! I don't want to spoil anything, but you have to read this book. There is a HEA, and I'm happy with it! The southern gentlemen in this book are 🥵🔥. There is spice, but it doesn't go overboard and take away from the plot. I absolutely loved this book, and it's definitely been added to my list of favorites for the year! I can't wait to read more from Claire! This is the first in a series, and she's working on book 2 now!! 🩷🍑✨️

Thank you for letting me read and review!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa, Beau, Shep

Best friends brother(s)
love triangle
small town
second chance

WOW just wow. I can officially say that I was not expecting this at ALL. but in such a good way. Tessa is best friends with Peyton who is twins with Beau and Shep her older brother. Beau has always liked Tessa but she never gave him the time of day always pushing him away and ignoring anything he ever said. But the summer she comes back from graduating college Beau finds her secret spot and makes his move. For some reason Tessa allows him to get close enough to kiss her.

She still tries to push Beau away after that, unsure as to why she allowed it in the first place, but she is constantly asking herself if she likes Beau. Tessa has always told herself that she is meant for a bigger city and needs to leave her small hometown, when she finally hears back from a publishing company in Houston, she decides to move. Not really realizing the consequences of her taking a different job and leaving but ultimately she does what she thinks is best for her. While looking for a place in Houston, she bumps into Shep and he offers for her to stay with him at his place.

I will not give anything way because I can NOT ruin it, there are so many emotions from all these characters. You find out more about each of them, their feelings, emotions, they grow right before your eyes and just WOW. Like I've said before, it was so unpredictable and Im very happy with the way it ended. HEA

[Michelle Stoudt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Romance
Tropes: Small Town Romance - Reverse Grumpy Sunshine - Opposites Attract - Unrequited Love - Second Chance - He Falls First - Multiple POV (3) - Love Triangle - Best Friend's Brother(s) <-- Yes, you read that correctly ❤️‍🔥

Small Town Romance At Its Best

WOW - just WOW! Please let me formally introduce you to one of my new favorite books. There's no way this is a debut novel. It's just that good.

Meet Beau McAbee and Tessa Jennings. Pushed together by their small town, it would seem their future was set in stone since they were 4 years old. Beau can charm the pants off of anyone with his care-free, jokester personality and megawatt smile. He's a born and raised farm boy and couldn't imagine leaving their small town. Tessa is a closet rebel hidden beneath the southern charm and beauty of a girl-next-door exterior. Her heart has wings and with dreams the size of hers, she's itching to get out of their small town and never look back.

But leave it to Beau. One summer. One chance encounter at the pond at the end of the peach grove. One kiss, and everything changes. Suddenly they are inseparable. Tessa finds herself drawn to Beau and can't remember why she's fought him off all these years. Their chemistry is undeniable. A match struck that immediately ignites and sets everything in it's path ablaze. From slow dancing in cornfields, to backseat kisses, and mudding in the fields, you are immersed in young love in a small town. It's beautiful and wild and burns brighter than the sun.

But what happens when you play with fire? Somebody gets burned. Everyone has secrets. And when Tessa is offered her ticket out of town she takes it. Leaving behind everything she knows and loves, including Beau. Heartbroken, she ends up in the same town as Beau's older brother, Shep, a rising baseball star. He offers her a place to stay while she figures out her next move. Despite growing up with Shep, they begin to see each other in a new light. Tensions rise and sparks fly the longer Tessa stays with him. Shep and Beau couldn't be any more different, but Tessa finds herself drawn to both of them in ways the other can't match.

Battling with homesickness and determination to make it on her own, Tessa has a choice to make. A choice between a love brighter and better than anything she's ever known, or a life with someone who understands her and wishes for more than small town life can give.

I refuse to give anything away. You have to read this book to see how this all unravels. I couldn't put it down. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about when I could read it again.

Claire, this was amazing. I am in love with your characters. Thank you so much for sharing this ARC with me. It was an honor for me to do this for your debut novel. I can't wait for Book 2!

[Sarah Oberg Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so, so much, Claire and @theauthor.agency for the opportunity to read an ARC of this amazing small town romance!
‌
Firecracker, book one in the Forever McAbee series, is Claire’s debut novel, and she hit it out of the park ⚾️ This was so much more than the simple small town romance I came in expecting. Our FMC, Tessa, craves more than what her Georgia small town can provide, and she grapples with the heavy expectations of her family and friends and choosing between disappointing them or herself. My favorite character hands down was Beau McAbee, one of our two MMCs. Beau’s loved Tessa since they were kids. Tessa not only hates Beau… but she also has the attention of his big brother, Shep, who’s always been one of Tessa’s best friends. This love triangle trope had me on my toes the entire book! The book is written in alternating first person POVs, giving us Tessa’s, Beau’s, AND Shep’s perspective. It was simply *chef’s kiss* 💋
‌
“She’s a tiny firecracker, wrapped up in the sweetest package. I want to hold it in my hands and stare at it. There’s a burn coming. I don’t know when, but it’s inevitable and I couldn’t care less about the pain.”
‌
T R O P E S . . .
🍑 small town romance
🍑 love triangle
🍑 he falls first
🍑 childhood friends to lovers
🍑 best friend’s brothers
🍑 reverse grumpy x sunshine
🍑 unrequited love
🍑 second chance
‌
Rating: 5 out of 5 🌟s
‌
If you enjoy small town romance, this one NEEEEDS to be on your TBR! I’ve already ordered a physical copy (gotta have my book trophies for my fav reads!), and I cannot wait for book two! Claire also made an amazing Spotify playlist for the book, which I’m listening to on repeat 🎵

[Julie Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

From everything I can tell, this is a debut, and a home run at that. It has a great story and relatable characters, and it uses my favorite tropes: small town, brother's best friend, nicknames, and surprises.

Now, this book is not small, and I still read it in a day and a half. It is that good. I went in blind; I knew a little bit, but my expectations were met and exceeded. I love a good love triangle, and I was not disappointed. The dynamic between Tessa, Beau, and Shep is relatable, and their individual stories are interesting. Getting each person's point of view just adds to keeping my interest.
I am excited for the next book!

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

[HeatherDawn the_sarcastic_librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firecracker is Claire Foster's debut novel and let me tell you, this book is hotter than a firecracker and ends with a bang! (whispers to self "That's what she said") If you are an angstwhore like myself, this is the book for you. Firecracker is angsty and emotional book with enemies to lovers, best friend's BROTHERS, love triangle, golden retriever, reverse grumpy/sunshine, growing pains, mental health rep, baseball player, small town/but also gotta get outta this small town vibes. Beau McAbee is top tier boyfriend goals and my heart hurt for him so much in this book. Tessa and Shep were wild cards. There was so much personal growth from these characters, especially Tessa, who I wanted to strangle, until I didn't. She had some growing up to do and her personal growth was the best. When things were happening in Texas, I was gasping and crying, even though I knew this was a love triangle. I knew someone was going to get hurt. Honestly, I knew all of them were going to get hurt. When I tell you I was not prepared for the spice at the end, I WAS NOT PREPARED!!! IYKYK I am so ready for Shep, our sarcastic sad boi baseball player to get his happily ever after. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. I have a feeling Beau's twin sister, Peyton, is going to have a hilarious book. She is a hoot and really the MVP of this book for forcing her brothers and her best friend together at their family cabin when she locked herself in her car and yelled for them to "sort their sh!t out" while driving away. AND SORT THEY DID!

[Colette Pytka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this if you like:

✨love triangle
✨ small town romance
✨unrequited love
✨enemies to lovers

Whew! This book was a wild ride!! It was a little too long and I had a hard time getting into the beginning, but it got so good.

I personally love a love triangle (takes me back to Twilight 😂) and this one was done really well. I loved all the characters in this and the small town setting.

It was sweet but then sooo spicy! The ending was a total shock, but I loved it.

Definitely give this one a read.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

No clue how to rate this, maybe 2.5..? I have so many thoughts, and yet I have no idea where the rating should fall. While the writing was good for a debut, I had a hard time staying focused because there wasn't much angst or enough of that third POV for a love triangle. I expected to have more from Shep's POV, but there were only a few chapters. The time jumps threw me off because I feel like there could have been some info added to bridge the gap between the time that passed, and don't get me started on what happened towards the end -- felt like it was thrown in there for shits and gigs.

[ari ⋆˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆˚࿔ firecracker review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

5! The book had a fast paced start that got us right into the heart of the story! I quickly fell in love with the dynamics between Beau, Tess, and Shep. You could tell Beau and Shep had such a strong brotherly bond but seeing each brother’s relationship with Tess was so fun. I loved that we also got Shep’s POV in love triangles I feel like that’s no often done but it really made me root for him and his happiness. Shep easily became my favorite character and it was because of Claire Foster’s ability to make him so lovable through his own POV. If you like spice, this book also has a lot of it while not taking away from the overall story. If you’re a fan of small town romances Claire Foster is one to keep your eye out for!

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

Thank you for an arc in exchange for an honest and fair review!

[Ansley Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Foster has shown up and shown out! This book kept me guessing & on the edge of my seat! I loved every single minute of it. Now, I am on the edge of my seat to get the next book! This is a must. Read!!!

[Cassies.EndlessReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beau has known that he is going to marry Tessa his whole life, but Tessa wants none of it. She doesn't want anything to do with the small-town expectations or the pressure her parents are putting on her. When she chooses to leave small town Georgia, she moves in with Beau's big brother Shep, who is trying his damndest to get out of the Friend Zone.

"You've been thinking about me for months?"
"I've been thinking about you my whole life, Tess"
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Oh. My. Gawd. I ate this book up! The number of highlights and notes in my notes app! I can not believe this is Claires debut novel!
Not going to lie, I was hesitant at first about the love triangle trope, I think the last time I read a love triangle was New Moon, but this was done so perfectly. I was obsessed with watching Tessa fall in love with (redacted), it was like this aha light bulb went off for her. The tender moments, the firecracker moments... the pain and heart ache.
At the 50% mark, I knew I was going to have my heart broken and damn was I right. Claire did an amazing job of creating a very real scenario for why Tessa would want to be on her own, out of the small town and make a name for herself doing what she loves. Was it selfish? Yes, but she would have become bitter and resentful if she didn't at least go out there and give it a shot.
The forbidden aspects... while I want to talk about it, I can't, I didn't see it coming and I won't be responsible for ruining it for you, but when you get there, hit my DM's please because I NEED to talk to someone about it!

"She's not soft and I don't want her to be. Do I want to bend her over someone's tailgate and spank her ass raw for all the backtalk she gives me? Hell yes, but I also don't want to tame that spark because it makes me come alive."

"She's a tiny firecracker, wrapped up in the sweetest package."

🍑 Love Triangle
🍑 Best Friends Brother(s)
🍑Small Town
🍑He Falls First

[Pageturner_ Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a debut novel?! Getout! Chefs kiss. 💋
I was not expecting this, at all. Just from the teasers alone I thought this was going to be a super sweet love story with a bit of a love triangle. Who was I kidding, this was EVERYTHING and more. This gave me all the feels. Tessa is a strong FMC and y’all know I’m here for that. The banter between her and Beau was top tier. I mean it had angst, passion, and was one emotional ride.

Beau is a jokester, a dirty talker when the time is right, but deep down, he’s just a golden retriever and he can’t be more different than Tessa. Tessa, who is a firecracker in every way and wants nothing to do with small town life. She never gave Beau the time of day, until one moment when she got a little curious and wanted to find out what all the “Beau fuss” was about. It took one kiss, and the girl was 🥵.

Beau had a claim on her since they were kids, but his older brother Shep wanted nothing more than to break that claim. When Tessa is at her lowest he decides it’s time to make his move. How does one girl become so lucky and have the love of two hot brothers and how does it end, PERFECTLY! I’m obsessed!

Now give me some more Peyton, because all the side characters were a hit.

[Laurenreadingrecs · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Tropes:
🍑southern Romance
💚small town
🍑best friend’s brothers
💚love triangle
🍑he falls first
💚second chance
🍑multi pov

Firecracker is a debut book from Claire Foster that I found to be a great read and it tells the story of Beau, Shep and Tessa.

Tessa is from a small town in Georgia where since she was born everyone has paired her up with Beau, her best friend Peyton’s twin brother. Beau has always liked Tessa but she never really saw him like that… until now.

What Beau doesn’t know is that she’s had no interest in staying in a small town and wants the city life, and wants to work with books in publishing. When she gets offered a job in Texas she leaves and goes and ends up rooming with Shep, her friend, and Beau and Peyton’s older brother.

Now enter Shep…well deep down Shep has had a thing for Tessa for a while but has known she’s off limits because she’s Beaus But Houston brings shep and Tessa feelings out and emotions and tension rise.

There are so many emotions from these characters. You see them grow as the story goes on. I could see where all the characters were coming from with what they wanted and felt and it had moments of sweetness and heart breaking moments as well. I really enjoyed this debut book from Claire.

[Staci Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin 😍. This book has my whole heart. I still cannot believe this is a debut novel. It is truly incredible and I want everyone to read it! Thank you so much Claire for allowing me to read the advanced copy. I flew through this book. I didn’t want to put it down. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it and I regret nothing. The character development and banter were amazing! I cannot wait to read her next book(s). She is officially an auto buy author.


Tropes:

Small Town
Love Triangle
Nicknames
Bucket Lists
Grumpy X Sunshine
Friends to Lovers
Best Friends Brother
FMC bookstagrammer
🍑 harvesting
Baseball
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has easily become one of my favorite books. It sucks you in INSTANTLY and doesn’t let you go. I am not a love triangle girly but MAN OH MAN when an author does it right??? I AM. And Claire, you did the thing. This book was ADDICTIVE! You feel EVERY SINGLE FEEL. You squeal and SCREAM at the characters. Please FOR THE LOVE OF GOD read this book! 🖤

[Bookish Venturess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The relationships are relatable, and there are some aspects I can totally believe. This is a great small town romance. Two brothers that like the same girl who is also their sisters best friend. Yeah, that alone keeps your attention. This was a book I couldn't put down and just really enjoyed the entire time.

[OG · Rating 5 out of 5]

www.bookdrunkard.ca

Friends, I have not stopped thinking about this book since I finished reading it.  It’s small town, unrequited love, second chance, he falls first, love triangle,  reverse grumpy/sunshine, best friends brothers (Yes, I said BROTHERS)–all the good stuff. I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel because it reads like a book written by someone with a lot of writing experience! I could not put it down.



Tessa, Beau, and Shep make such a great triangle, I was quite literally swooning all through the book. The banter is bantering, the spice is spicing, and I loved all of it. Don’t even get me started on Beau’s twin sister, Peyton, who is Tessa’s BFF. She’s freakin great! The way she pushes Tessa and her brothers together is a thing of beauty.



The ending is complete fire, and trust me when I tell you that you won’t be prepared. I certainly wasn’t! I really didn’t know that was my thing… IYKYK.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I need it now. Seriously. Call me…

[MichelleLeigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small town romance, 2 brothers and the girl next door who they both love.
This is such a super sweet, cute, 🌶🌶🌶 love story.
I was able to beta read this and I'm so excited to reread this and update my review when I see some of the changes.

I loved the characters, they were all alive, had big personalities and at times I was rooting for them all.
Then that one scene..( excuse me lol 🌶🌶)

There's lots of following your heart dreams and finding love.

Again really looking forward to doing another read of this book.

Claire did great with her debut novel and everyone should read it.

[Alex S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beau and Shep! The most country southern names I’ve ever heard, I love that! I love the Georgia peach vibes and the swimming hole
I liked the story, I liked that Tessa was a stubborn fighter and she didn’t want to get stuck because a whole town shipped her with a guy. Imagine the pressure of everyone just planning your life for you and a small town where everyone knows your business! No thanks!

Even if she did find her way back, it was HER choice now not the towns. Like Miley said “you’ll always find your way back home”

I respected that she needed to pave her own way but I think she was a little selfish when she didn’t tell Beau right away. I guess it’s hard, I don’t know, but she knew he’d stay and she wanted to leave. This is the only time I felt Peyton actually stood up for her brother, telling Tess that she’s being selfish!
But then shacking up with Shep seemed in poor taste! I get that he offered and she needed a place but she should have been looking for an apartment, she knew he liked her and it would happen. She was just acting like she didn’t ask for any of it but I definitely don’t act like that around my male friends! And they’re brothers, there’s a code and it’s gross!

I do like that she found her way back to Beau, I saw them together more than Shep, I just feel bad that he’s still pining for her. The best friend thing never works. It seemed like Tessa wanted her cake and eat it too

I did enjoy the story and I got immersed, the writing itself was very good! The only thing I’d say is that Peyton and her mom were way too cool about Tess trying both brothers. They wouldn’t have that attitude. She broke one’s heart and moved onto the next!! I’d be pissed as a sister and I know my mom would think Tess was dead to her 😂

I could also have done without the cabin scene. That didn’t make sense and was just hard to read.

I also sort of forgot this was a southern setting and I didn’t feel any accents through the whole book. Then at the end when Tess comes back, she notes that her accent came back full swing, it felt like the author was pushing her words to feel more southern. Like suddenly she was talkin’ and walk-in’ and ya’ll… she didn’t say words like that before. I dunno, it was noticeable.

[sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing debut novel!

Tropes:
🍑small town
💥love triangle
🍑friends to lovers
💥best friend’s brother(s)
🍑he falls first
💥”it’s always been you”
🍑slow burn
💥unconventional HEA

💕My Thoughts:
The small town charm & quirks were palpable and created such a vivid setting that the little Georgia town was a character of its own. The well-developed and ever-growing connections between the main characters, as well as the strong emotional insights, made for a very authentic feel.

As for the romance - I usually tend to shy away from the love triangle trope; however, I fell in love with this romance wholeheartedly!

Tessa (FMC) had such a different dynamic with Beau and Shep, and both played a vital role in her journey. I loved how Beau was Tessa’s opposite yet embraced and encouraged her reckless mind. But he also showed her that she can find her wild moments with him, right there at home.

Meanwhile, Shep had the same mindset as Tessa, to get out and find the dream. The way the two of them both calmed each other and validated the other’s dreams was so precious.

In the end, Beau 100% stole my heart but each and every character will forever hold a small part of me.

✨Wishes:
I do wish some of what felt like off page conversations between Shep and Tessa in the last 7 or so chapters, would have been more fleshed out on page. It felt like a quick shift when she made *that* decision.

Only other piece is that I wanted more of the second chance to be on page before the end/epilogue. I love the reconnecting when it’s a second chance romance and it felt mildly rushed. However, this is also probably because of the love triangle trope (which isn’t my usual read) so I didn’t actually hold that against the book.


Thank you to the author & The Author Agency for the opportunity to receive this ARC! This review was not required and is my completely honest opinion.

[redacted · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

I have to admit, Firecracker is a book I’ve been anticipating for months – since I got back into bookish content creation. Claire promises a steamy but heart-warming small town romance between a fiery main character and her best friend’s brothers. Add in splashes of pining-since-childhood, some second chance romance, and a heavy dose of he falls first, and you have some high expectations for this novel.

At least, I did. And I’m happy to report that despite initial skepticism of fitting so many tropes into a debut work, I was extremely impressed by Claire’s ability to make it happen.

What I loved most about Claire’s writing is her ability to sell sell sell the chemistry between her characters. To be frank, I don’t think this is something that can be easily taught to just any romance writer. And to think that she is able to do it so effortlessly on her debut novel? I was shocked. Flabbergasted, in the best way possible.

Beau and Tessa are written in a way that despite the fast-paced, head-first start of their relationship, the chemistry between them is so palpable it didn’t feel like an insta-love sort of situation. I want to emphasize how impressive this is to me because we jump RIGHT IN to the good stuff, and with limited background on the connection the two of them had. Yet, with how they were written, I could still feel the history between them and why it created the tension that it does.

Overall, I really loved this novel and was so impressed with Claire's debut into the writing world. What a start! I can't wait to read more about this world, these characters, and to see her writing evolve further over time.

Thank you to Claire and The Author Agency for an advanced copy of this book so I can give a true and honest review!

[Zoe Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Foster knows how to make her debut!!

Firecracker has everything you could ever want in a Small town love story. Claire’s writing immerses you in the town of Pelahatchie as if you lived there yourself.

This book has the perfect amount of spicy scenes and storyline. Each of the characters is extremely likable, having their own unique personalities. Knowing that Claire has plans for a series, I cannot wait to see the development of the characters I have come to know and love.

[Mary Margaret Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love!!! I had such a fun time reading this book! I couldn’t put it down! It has everything I’m asking for in a romance book. Banter, slow burn, smut smut smut! On top of that Claire writes so well! Her writing style scratches the itch in my brain! Eloquent smut is hard to do and boy did she nail it!! Can’t wait to get more from her!

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given the opportunity to be on Claire Foster’s ARC team for her debut novel, “Firecracker.”

The story takes place in a small Georgia town, known for it's peach groves. It revolves around two southern families who have been intertwined since their kids were born. The girls from each family, Tessa and Peyton, are best friends. The boys are Peyton's brothers, Shep and Beau. While Shep is the oldest by a few years, both boys have chasing after Tessa their whole lives. And let's not forget that the entire town thinks Beau McAbee and Tessa Jennings have been destined for each other since they were children...no pressure.

When Tessa returns from college, she feels confined in small town life and is bursting for adventure and freedom. Unsure if she wants to leave town to chase her dreams, she is ABSOLUTELY sure she does not want the plan her parents have so carefully orchestrated and laid down for her...even if it would be the easiest transition.

Then, there’s this thing with Beau. They’ve been at each other’s throats since they were kids, but when he kissed her at the pond...well, that changed everything.

Tessa struggles with the decisions ahead of her: Stay? Leave? Take over the family business? Chase her dream Job? What in the world is happening with her and Beau? As the story unfolds over the summer, Tessa weighs out her options. But, the longer she stays in Georgia, the more attached she gets to Beau.

I enjoyed watching the growth of the characters throughout the book. Beau believes wholeheartedly in his life's plan, and he does everything in his power to achieve it...even when it seems completely out of reach. I love his determination and faith. Tessa has a tough decision to make, and when she makes that decision we see a very selfish side of her. She is extremely "needy" throughout the book, and being that she is an only child, that tracks. By the end of the book, she has matured and it shows in her decisions and plans. Shep kind of creeped me out since the beginning of the book. And, while I loved the vulnerability he showed during his opening game, and the help he gave Tessa when she needed it, he was not my favorite character in the book. Peyton was the only one with a level head. She was the stability in the book and I was grateful for that!

Firecracker is written in triple POV (point of view) and boasts several tropes including: small town, second chance, he falls first, love triangle, best friend's brother(s), reverse grumpy sunshine, happily ever after, opposites attract and unrequited love.

Oh... and one more thing... I hope you like your peaches really SPICY. 🍑🌶️🍑🌶️🍑🌶️🍑🌶️🍑🌶️🍑

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Debí abandonarlo.
Beau merecía algo mejor.


Beau ha estado enamorado de Tessa desde siempre, pero ella nunca lo ha visto como otra cosa que no sea el hermano de su mejor amiga.

Un día mágicamente ella lo empieza a ver con otros ojos y se vuelven novios. El problema es que ella estuvo mandando cvs a otros estados y nunca le contó que quería irse del pueblo, entonces cuando consigue trabajo en una ciudad ella lo deja y se va a vivir con Shep, quien resulta es el hermano de Beau.

Shep también está enamorado de Tessa, cuando le ofrece vivir con él lo hace para tener una oportunidad con ella.

Ella se la pasa diciendo que extraña a Beau, pero empieza a sentir algo por Shep.

Beau sufre y sufre por la perdida del amor de su vida, sin embargo, quiere recuperarla y tiene un plan, en el cual esperará algunos años para que ella logre independizarse, crezca profesionalmente, disfrute de vivir en una gran ciudad y luego él le pedirá que regrese. Pero su plan no sale como quiere cuando va a visitar a su hermano y descubre que vivien juntos, además de que se entera que tuvieron sexo. El pobre regresa a su casa con el corazón pisoteado y traicionado.

Tessa se siente tan mal por lo que hizo con Shep que se queda a vivir con el tipo por más de un año y se vuelven mejores amigos.
Ella está enojada porque Beau no lucho por ella cuando él pobre se enteró con quien sea acostó ¿? La pobre tiene la realidad bien alterada.

-Hasta esta parte estaba muy enojada con ella y el hermano, pense que no se podría poner peor, pero me equivoque cuando la autora decide incluir en esta locura a la mamá y a la hermana de B y S.-

Peyton y su madre intentan hacer de cupidos para que Tessa le se una oportunidad a Shep, le dicen que aunque Beau siempre ha estado enamorado de ella hace mejor pareja con el otro hermano y que debería intentarlo. Cuando leía esta parte no podía creerlo, el pobre de Beau fue traicionado por toda su familia.

Año y medio después, Tessa se da cuenta que no es feliz en una ciudad, decide regresar a su pueblo y hacer que el "amor de su vida" le dé otra oportunidad.

Shep se siente culpable por lo que le hizo a su hermano y decide ayudar a Tessa. Su idea es que tengan un trío, en donde eso signifique el final de él con ella y el incio de Beau con ella, y el perdón de Beau a él ¿?

Sucede el trío, Beau la perdona y son felices para siempre. Fin.

Ah, Shep sigue enamorado de su cuñada.

[Lucy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-arc release day review

Summary:
Tessa, her best friend Peyton and Peyton's brothers (Beau & Shep) have always been inseparable.
Growing up, there were very few times when they weren't all together.
The town jokester, Beau, has always been sure that he and Tess would end up together, and Tess, well... she wasn't so sure and spent most of her time avoiding the subject.
Fresh out of college, Tessa returns home, a small town in South Georgia, along with Shep who has come home during the off season from Baseball, and for the first time in forever these three are pushed together again.
Over the coming months the lines between family, friendship and love are crossed with both brothers captivated by Tessa, and Tessa realising that maybe love was back home all along.
Wow. I didn't know what to expect from this book but I wasn't expecting that... I am absolutely blown away.
I don't want to give too much away with this review, but the storytelling... the writing... the character progression was on point.
The fact that this is Claire's debut novel just leaves me in total awe of her, the way this story and Beau has my heart in a chokehold... Beau is serious book husband marrrial, nevermind book boyfriend.
Their story is told in triple POV (Tessa, Beau & Shep) and completely takes you through an emotional rollercoaster full of ups and downs. I laughed, I cried and oh boy did I SWOON. The spice was so f-cking on point, I totally ate up the fact that Beau comes across as a cute little puppy but then he is all man when it comes to dirty talk. The church scene, the plane scene & the CABIN will forever be ingrained into my brain. THE CABIN!! Where the heck did that come from?! 🫠🤤
I also found it really refreshing to have TWO MMCs with lighter hair, I'm definitely in the minority here... but I don't discriminate against MMCs that don't have the typical dark hair vibes that booksta goes crazy over.
Their story wrapped up in the most perfect way too 🥹 the way the reveal of Beaus tattoo had me in floods of tears too… I just love this book with all of my heart and I can’t thank Claire enough for allowing me to read this as an arc… bring on book 2!!

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Whoa! I went in blind to this book and was expecting a second-chance, love triangle, sweet, small town love story. I was not expecting this story. It was great!

Beau and Shep are very different even if also very much the same. Both proper Southern gentlemen who treat Tessa like gold. The difference between them is Beau is the jokester who loves his small town and told everyone when they were children he was going to marry her one day and has done everything in his power to do so even if it causes them to fight and argue. Shep is the serious one who couldn't wait to get out and live in the big world while pursuing a career as a MLB pitcher.

Tessa connects with both of them on very different levels. Beau challenges her and treats her as an equal while doing anything he can to hold on to her and show her that life in their small town can be more than enough. Shep understands her need to leave and spread her wings. Understands what it's like to reject the life everyone planned out without any input from her.

My heart broke for Beau and Shep. Tessa, honestly, got on my nerves a little bit. I think she's more than a little selfish and unnecessarily hurt Shep when she didn't have to, but that wouldn't make for a good love triangle, would it?

The whole like last bit of the story hot super hot and spicy super fast. I really wasn't expecting it. Like, it seems like it would be a little awkward and both Beau and Shep seemed like it was all normal and what needed to be done, but I'm not sure...

Wonderful HEA and depending on what the next book in the series is I may continue. Shep for sure deserves his HEA, but I think next is going to be Peyton and some mysterious older man...mmm love me an Age Gap for Peyton.

Thank you, Author Agency and Claire Foster for the ARC.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
4🌶️

Favorite quote:

“I think you’re afraid of disappointing everyone. I think you want everyone to think you’re dutiful and respectful and sweet, but you aren’t. God didn’t make you that way and when you don’t line up with everyone’s opinion, you hide those parts of yourself so you’ll fit into their mold. You lie and you keep secrets because you want to be what they expect, but you aren’t.”

Small Town Romance
Southern Romance
Second Chance
Best Friend's Brother(s)
Love Triangle
Reverse Grumpy Sunshine
Opposites Attract
Triple POV

Firecracker is Claire’s debut book and oh my gosh. She had me hanging on for dear life, it was a wild rollercoaster. This is a little different from books I’ve read recently. It has three POVs and very fast paced. I was satisfied with the amount of time that she spent with each character. I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. I loved seeing some interactions from multiple perspectives. That’s something that I think about when a book is multiple POVs; I’m curious about what the other person is thinking in real time. The book follows two brothers, Shep and Beau, and Tessa. Tessa, Shep, and Beau all grew up together. Beau has always had feelings for Tessa but she never reciprocated those feelings. One summer after she comes home from college that all changes. Tessa has always lived in a small town and wants more for herself. This desire for change leads her on a journey to find out what she really wants for herself. Will that mean a life with Beau or Shep? Claire will leave you wondering until the very end. I am so excited to see more of the McAbbe family.

[Lauren Curley · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5 - 4.5 Stars
🌶🌶 - Spice Level

Tessa and Beau have known each other since practically birth in their small town. Everyone has always said they would be together. Tessa has resisted this pairing for years. She's always wanted more excitement, less small town with every resident in her business. Beau has pretty much danced around her "hate" of him for years. He finally makes his move after she comes home from graduating college. She finally allows him to kiss her after she's been skinny dipping in the peach orchard pond. They start to explore a relationship with spicy smeggsy scenes, but she's still wanting more excitement and moving to a big city to market books in publishing. Beau's brother Shep is becoming a major league baseball player 12 hours from home. Tessa breaks up with Beau for her opportunity to work in publishing in Shep's city. She shacks up with Shep, and things get too close. Tessa isn't as happy as she thought she would be.

I really enjoyed the coming of age for Tessa's character. She really needed to explore beyond her small town living before realizing she now misses it. There's just enough spicy and story with Tessa and Beau. The scene with both brothers is a strange healing of hearts, but steamy. The strange healing between all 3 isn't my favorite, but I don't hate it, which is the only deduction of half a star to 4.5 stars.

I would recommend reading if you like small town romance and like a story of a woman who is getting her feet under her, knowing finally what she's deep down wanted all along.

Now I want Shep's book.

⚠️ Please read trigger warnings!