Saved by the Fireman

Gordon Falls #5

by Allie Pleiter

Building their future

Charlotte Taylor isn't good at playing it safe. Reeling from the sudden loss of her job and her beloved grandmother, Charlotte knows buying a dilapidated cottage in Gordon Falls isn't exactly practical. Especially since she just hired the one man who may love the property more than she does to help renovate it. Volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Sykes can't stay mad at Charlotte for very long. Though she snatched up the home he'd planned on purchasing, Charlotte's dreams are big enough for both of them…if only she'd let him in. Charlotte promised she'd never fall for a first responder, but is it already too late?

Genres: Love Inspired, Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

An avid knitter, coffee junkie and firm believer that “pie makes everything better,” Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four novels at a time. The bestselling author of over fifty books, Allie has enjoyed a twenty-year career with over 1.5 million books sold. In addition to writing, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on the creative process, publishing, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management for writers. Visit her website at www.alliepleiter.com to learn more.

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun revisiting the town of Gordon Falls in this, the fifth book in the series by Allie Pleiter. In this one Charlotte Taylor assures her, Mima, (grandmother) all is going well at her job. Shortly after she loses her job due to the company downsizing. To make matters worse her Mima passes away suddenly. Heartbroken she moves to Gordon Falls buying a cottage she has had her eye on. She knows quite a few of the towns folks and they welcome her in. She moves in and makes a celebratory cup of tea in the cottage with the ancient stove that is there. Unfortunately,the stove catches on fire due to faulty wiring. This is when she meets volunteer firefighter and part-time contractor Jesse Skyes. Now problem is Jesse has had his eye on buying the cottage for a long time and almost has the amount saved up to put an offer up for it when it gets scooped up right out from under him. As he is at the fire putting it out at "his" cottage he tries not to feel resentful of the new owner. She is so darn good looking though but he must be professional. He offers his contractor services to her to fix the dilapidated place up. She has granny's money and she told her before her passing to only use it for her dreams. This is a big dream for her. As Jesse and Charlotte spend time together working on the cottage they talk and fall in love. Sweet story and I look forward to reading more books in this series.
Published October 21st 2014 by Love Inspired.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saved by the Fireman is book five of the Gordon Falls series by Allie Pleiter. The book is in a category of “inspired love and uplifting romance with faith, forgiveness and hope”. This Christian based book did not involve explicit sex or graphic violence. The only violence involved is the violence caused by fire.
Charolette Taylor was stunned to hear she was being laid off. Yes, she knew the company was not doing as well as it had been; but she never dreamed she would be one of those laid off. Coming on the heels of her having lost her beloved grandmother Mima, it was almost more than she could take. However, Mima had helped instill more strength in her than that. She simply began putting her life back together. Mima had been an adventurous woman who had traveled extensively after her husband died. She encouraged Charolette to take risks and to live life instead of having it run your life. Now with the inheritance that Mima left her, Charolette set out to do something she had thought about for a long time- buy a cottage in Gordan Falls. She had intended it to be a vacation cottage; but for now, it would be her home. She knew it had to have extensive renovations so kept her Chicago apartment for now. When she got a new job, she would decide what to do about the apartment. She would still have the cottage for vacations.
Jesse Sykes always felt he could never live up to his parents’ expectations like his little brother Randy did. Randy had a good job, money, a nice car, a nice apartment, traveled, etc. The only thing he didn’t have was a wife; but at one time he even had that. Jesse worked for a construction company and volunteered for the local volunteer fire department. He intended to start his own company doing renovations but had to have a house to start flipping to show what he could do. He had a house in mind and was only two months away from being able to afford to purchase it. Maybe then, he would get the acceptance from his parents that he needed. However, when the fire alarm rang for a house fire one day, he rushed with the others to the cottage he wanted to buy only to discover that it had been purchased by Charolette Taylor who had inadvertently started a small fire with her outdated stove. What a way to have his dreams dashed!
Charolette took Jesse up on his offer to help her renovate her house. She thought he was doing it because he needed the money and because her best friend was his Fire Chief’s wife. He did need the money; but he also had a need to be in on fixing up this cottage. Can they work together to fix up her house and perhaps their lives?

[Joanne Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte Taylor finds the need to shift gears after discovering the loss of both her job and her grandmother all at once. The purchase of a run-down cottage in Gordon Falls proves to be just the right medicine for her wounded ego and her broken heart. And the man who offers to help her with the project has more invested than she could have ever dreamed.

Jesse Sykes works to win his father's approval but never quite measures up. His plan to purchase the same cottage Charlotte purchases gets thwarted by the beautiful newcomer. And landing a job as her contractor draws more than his expertise to the table, he ends up surrendering his heart.

Told with a perfect blend of nostalgia and intrigue, Saved by the Farmer has been one of my favorite Love Inspired picks.

[Mary Shreffler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte lost her job just 2 months after losing her grandmother. She decided to use her inheritance to buy a cute cottage where her best friend and cousins lived. First thing in her house she set a fire alarm off because of a faulty stove. She met fireman Jesse who did construction along with volunteer fireman. From there the 2 found God and his love

[Mary Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book took too long to get to its climax. I have read others in the series I liked better.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Left off on page 100. I liked the idea of the story but it was a little too boring.

[Swhe641200 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woopla. Fun romance. Love Inspired Romance.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when Charlotte Taylor thinks her life is perfect, she is in for a rude awakening. Just as she had assured her grandmother that things were finally settling down at her job and her financial future looked secure, her grandmother wasn't as sure as Charlotte was. Now that her grandmother had passed away leaving her an inheritance she wasn't supposed to use for anything but for fulfilling her dreams and having fun, Charlotte learns she is about to laid off. Seems like her grandmother had insight into her future she didn't even though the signs were right in front of her.

So Charlotte decides that she will take her grandmother's advice and follow her dream even if most in her situation wouldn't recommend what she is about to take on. Buying a cottage she has dreamed of owning and renovating it the way she envisioned. She knows it will only be a matter of time, before one of her resumes lands her another job and she has the time invest in completing the project right now. Following her heart, she buys the small cottage in Gordon Falls but soon realizes that it will need more work than she thought.

Jesse Sykes is just two months away from saving enough money to buy the cottage he knows he can easily renovate and turn it around to make a tidy profit. Just what he needs to launch his own company and begin to buy and flip even more properties in the future. His parents, despite their best intentions, have never seemed to offer Jesse much encouragement in career as a volunteer firefighter. They don't understand why he would put his life on the line without getting any monetary compensation to do it. He's hoping that if he can purchase this cottage, he might be well on his way to proving them that he can make something of his life.

Only he didn't plan on someone beating him to it. When he learns that Charlotte has purchased "his" cottage, he is less than thrilled. But since she is friends with the Chief's wife, he knows that he can at least ensure she isn't taken advantage of in the repair costs to renovate it. It will at least be something he can profit from since he can do the work and perhaps build up his own nest egg to buy another property later. Only what he doesn't plan on is falling for Charlotte in the process. Will he be able to keep a professional distance from her or will God have something bigger in mind for her in the future.

I received Saved by a Fireman by Allie Pleiter compliments of Harlequin Love Inspired Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. The Love Inspired division of Harlequin Romance is such an way to read a wonderful romance with the values you'd come to expect in a Christian Romance novel. These are small enough to fit in your purse to read anywhere you find the time, and feel like you've read a much larger novel in the process. I love the idea of a dream renovation and romance all in one, especially with a fireman who can cook a wonderful meal including dessert!! I highly recommend and can rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[Carol Cassada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saved by the Fireman is a sweet romance about finding love and faith when you least expect it.

The couple in this book is Charlotte Taylor and Jesse Sykes. After losing her job, Charlotte moves to Gordon Falls and buys a cottage, which she plans to renovate. Helping her with the renovation process is firefighter/contractor Jesse, who originally had his sights set on the cottage.

As the two work closely together, they find their new friendship turning into more. Yet, Charlotte’s fears and Jesse’s doubts in God and faith could break the couple apart.

Charlotte and Jesse are two characters I could relate to. Charlotte has fears about finding a new job after losing her old one and she’s at a crossroads with where to go in life. As for Jesse, he’s someone who has big dreams, yet it seems like bad luck tends to come his way. Plus, he’s trying to do something good with his life, but doesn’t get any recognition from his family. This is one of the reasons why I found Charlotte and Jesse to be a good fit.

I liked how the author took her time developing Charlotte and Jesse’s relationship, it didn’t feel forced it felt natural. It takes a lot of incidents to happen before they realize their love for each other.

This was a very sweet, inspirational story about romance with a lesson in trusting faith.

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:

Charlotte Taylor has officially lost it. After losing bother her job and her loving grandmother, she has had what seems to be a mid-life crisis of sorts when she buys herself a cottage to renovate. Not long after buying said cottage she hires someone to take over the repairs. Jesse Sykes, didn't expect to receive a call about a kitchen fire at a cottage that he himself planned to buy. He finds out now, much to his dismay that it has a new owner. And if the blonde beauty who had bought the place would not of been so pretty, he probably wouldn't of offered to help her renovate it either.

True, that Charlotte finds Jesse to be both charming and mighty handsome, but she doesn't believe that the first responder is the one for her. Her family and friends feel very different as far as Jesse is concerned. Jesse feels that they have a future together if she would just let him in. Soon God is at work in the lives of the two of them and they both may just see a future that wasn't quite clear to them before, or do they?



**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from CFBA.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avis, Central patron, June 2016, 5 stars:

Saved by the Fireman by Allie Pleiter is a contemporary Christian romance novel that tells the story of Charlotte Taylor and Jesse Sykes. After losing her job in the textile industry, Charlotte impulsively buys her grandmother's cottage and starts to refurbish it with the inheritance her grandmother left behind. She almost sets the house on fire, and in doing so, meets Jesse Sykes, a volunteer firefighter and contractor who'd had plans to buy the same cottage to start his own business. He ends up helping Charlotte fix up the house, and falls in love with her in the process.

This was a light, fun read. The characters were fun and quirky. Jesse, who had an apathy for God at the beginning, finally accepts the truth of God's love and grace though his interactions with Charlotte and the rest of his team at the fire station. Charlotte, who'd struggled to see where God was leading her, learned to trust and wait on the Lord instead of rushing into her own decisions. I really like this author's writing style because she weaves the element of faith into the story-line without being overbearing.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon Falls
Book 5

Though I like to have drama in my book, this was still a good read. There wasn't really much going on - Charlotte loses her job and decides to take her inheritance from her grandma and buy a run-down cottage to renovate. But she doesn't know that volunteer fireman and contractor, Jesse Sykes, is planning on buying that same cottage in just a few weeks to start his own remolding business.And that's basically the story...Oh, not to mention that she doesn't want to date a fireman because "it's dangerous work" (like that plot line doesn't get REALLY OLD!)

I was going to give this a three star rating, but I really liked the last fifty pages of the book. I thought what Jesse did for Charlotte showed that he really loved her, and I like how everything turned out so well in the end (even though Charlotte's miracle cure to her job situation was a bit too unbelievable to me). But this was a really sweet book - which is what LI is made for.

I really like this author's writing! I've loved several of her books, and will probably like several in the future.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saved by the Fireman is a great book to read when you're in the mood for a sweet contemporary story.

I loved the chemistry between Charlotte and Jesse, but also thought it was great that it wasn't an instant relationship that worked perfectly - they had to deal with a few things first.

This was my first read in this series but I found the characters and the setting to be very enjoyable. I will definitely be reading more books in the Gordon Falls series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Saved By The Fireman by Allie Pleiter. One of the Gordon Falls series. Jesse Sykes is a volunteer firefighter and a contractor. He works for a company but is trying to save money to start his own business. He is saving to buy a cottage to remodel and sell to show the work he can do. Before he has the money to buy the cottage, someone from out of town buys it. Charlotte is Jesses age and she hired Jesse to remodel the cottage. Lots goes on between them, before they end up together. A good read.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are well developed. From the beginning getting to know Charlotte as she gets laid off from her job not long after her grandmother dies. Following her as she buys a fixer upper in Gordon Falls. Meeting Jesse when she starts a fire using her stove for the first time. Charlotte wants no part of dating a first responder. she hires Jesse to do a lot of the repairs and remodel of the house. I enjoyed their story very much

[Katreniah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this Love Inspired series, because it focuses on the romance with a religious side that doesn't feel forced and doesn't preach; it's just how these people live their lives.

One of the things I enjoyed about this particular story is that both people are misguided in what they think will make them happy, and it's interesting to see them fumble their way around their lives, just like the rest of us.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for an easy read and found it. Fluffy romance about girl who was fired and now is lost trying to live her life and volunteer fireman who is in construction and wants his own business but has been lazy about going after it. She is very religious, he isn't. Of course he finds God and they get together, happily ever after.

[Harlequin Books]

"The genuine characters will take the reader through a range of emotions as they’re reminded of Mima’s words: 'God’s never late, and He’s never early.'" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK!).

Miniseries: Gordon Falls

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jesse Sykes, Pipes, to his volunteer firefighter friends, loses his dream cottage to newcomer Charlotte Taylor. Charlotte has just lost her job and her grandmother. Her grandmother left her enough to but the little cottage and renovate it, but what about a job? And what about Jesse?

[Harlequin Books]

received 4 1/2 stars TOP PICK! @ RT Book Reviews
Miniseries: Gordon Falls

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice little book