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The Muller's of McLaren Vale #2
Chasing The Flames
Sometimes the hottest fire burns with an old flame.
Trisha Carne has loved Brian Muller, of Muller's Field vineyard, for as long as she can remember but the moment has never been right. Then an unexpected kiss on New Year's Eve has Brian looking at her in a new way. Has she finally caught his attention?
Brian's been doing it tough since his wife left him, and has retreated into the safety of bachelorhood. So he's surprised to find this new fling with an old flame is starting to bring him back to life.
Until his ex-wife turns up in McLaren Vale and he's thrown into a state of confusion.
Will Brian and Trisha let their pasts keep them from finding true happiness? Or will they have the courage to chase the flames that still smoulder between them?
Trisha Carne has loved Brian Muller, of Muller's Field vineyard, for as long as she can remember but the moment has never been right. Then an unexpected kiss on New Year's Eve has Brian looking at her in a new way. Has she finally caught his attention?
Brian's been doing it tough since his wife left him, and has retreated into the safety of bachelorhood. So he's surprised to find this new fling with an old flame is starting to bring him back to life.
Until his ex-wife turns up in McLaren Vale and he's thrown into a state of confusion.
Will Brian and Trisha let their pasts keep them from finding true happiness? Or will they have the courage to chase the flames that still smoulder between them?
- GenresRomance
234 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Adnams
12 books33 followersCheryl Adnams has published four Australian rural romance novels and three Australian historical novels. Cheryl has a Diploma in Freelance Travel Writing and Photography and has lived and worked in the United States and Canada, and spent two years working with a tour company in Europe.
While she loves to travel overseas, especially to Italy, her favourite writing retreat is her own home on the stunning blue coastline of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.
When she's not writing, Cheryl is still creating in her busy full-time job as a learning designer
While she loves to travel overseas, especially to Italy, her favourite writing retreat is her own home on the stunning blue coastline of South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula.
When she's not writing, Cheryl is still creating in her busy full-time job as a learning designer
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 19, 2024
4.5 stars
2nd book in the Muller’s of McLaren Vale series.
Endearing and romantic story set in a vineyard in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Picturesque, mouthwatering, charming and filled with drama and sweetness.
2nd book in the Muller’s of McLaren Vale series.
Endearing and romantic story set in a vineyard in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Picturesque, mouthwatering, charming and filled with drama and sweetness.
November 28, 2014
New Year’s Eve – a night of the year that Brian Muller, heir to Muller’s Field (one of the oldest wine estates in the region), hates with a passion, so much so that for the past three he’s refused to accept any invitations to parties, instead choosing to go MIA. This year, however, he’s had to make an exception, as he’s run out of excuses!
Trisha Carne, on the other hand, can’t wait for her day at her catering business, Market 180 Café and Catering, to end. Although she, too, isn’t particularly fond of the New Year’s celebrations, this year she’s excited that she’ll be getting to see her high-school sweetheart - the man she lost her heart to all those years ago, watching from the sidelines as he got married and then moved away to the city. Somehow, even though he and his wife Maria have divorced and he has been back for a while, the timing has never been right to let him know exactly how she feels – “That – and her being a giant scaredy cat – meant years continued to pass by without a single move on her part”. She’s hoping that this night will present an opportunity.
However, with a number of drinks under his belt, thanks to the very annoying journalist, Liz Lawler, who persists in aggravating him and his brothers with her questions, by the time midnight comes around, Brian is absolutely blitzed and Trisha finds herself holding him up and leading him outside for some fresh air. As strains of U2’s “New Year’s Day” blast out of the door of the hotel, Trisha suddenly finds herself in Brian’s arms in which can only be described as a mind-blowingly sexy and heated kiss.
Even though this is not how Trisha envisioned their first encounter to play out, the already low burning flames begin to smoulder, threatening to singe your fingers as you turn the pages. But the journey for our hero and heroine is by no means over. As her and Brian begin to see one another on a more regular basis, Trisha has to fight against her own insecurities when she begins to wonder if Brian’s just out for good sex without any commitment. But, when his ex-wife, Maria, arrives on the scene, it throws a further spanner in the works for these friends to lovers as Brian is faced with a decision that only he can make.
After reading a number of incredibly long and deep novels prior to this one, I was strongly in need of something short and light-hearted, and Chasing The Flames thoroughly satisfied that need. I certainly got far more than I bargained for when I went into this book and the more I read, the less I wanted to put it down - yes, it was that engrossing!
This is book number two in Cheryl Adnams' rural-romance trilogy about the Muller brothers who own and run the family winery in McLaren Vale and she has packed so much into this little novel. Unlike your typical romance novel, it has a lot of substance, with Cheryl introducing us to a wonderful ensemble of characters whose individual stories all weave together perfectly as they interact with our hero and heroine, giving us a well-rounded story in which I was able to feel the connections between them all.
She assuredly shows her talent for character development, from the young heart-breaker who won Trisha’s heart when they were still at school, to the disillusioned man that Brian has become after the breakdown of his marriage, even while displaying such dedication to his volunteer work with the Country Fire Service; the loveable and bubbly Gabby; Brian’s endearing dad Harry, who imparts his years of knowledge to his sons; Ruby, who keeps the family fed and cared for; Brian’s brothers, Seth and Andrew, who seem able to predict his actions before he does; to the dreadful journalist, Liz Lawler and the spoilt, petulant Maria.
Told in alternating POV's by both Brian and Trisha, her background too is given to us throughout the narrative, some by way of flashbacks, and we begin to see how much she has grown from the wild child that she used to be to the successful catering business owner she has become.
Cheryl uses all these characters to move her story forward at a fast pace, adding depth by showing their past hurts and vulnerabilities, and that is the stand-out for me. Along with the well-structured story, engaging characters and a fantastically rendered background of life in the Fleurieu Peninsula, I’m sure that those of you who have read Bet On It, will feel like you are visiting old friends. For those of you that haven’t, you will have no trouble keeping up with the storyline, so it can quite easily be read as a standalone.
I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for further books by Cheryl Adnams as I feel that she’s another Aussie author who’s going to leave her mark on the rural romance sub-genre and definitely one who’s earned her place on my bookshelf.
Trisha Carne, on the other hand, can’t wait for her day at her catering business, Market 180 Café and Catering, to end. Although she, too, isn’t particularly fond of the New Year’s celebrations, this year she’s excited that she’ll be getting to see her high-school sweetheart - the man she lost her heart to all those years ago, watching from the sidelines as he got married and then moved away to the city. Somehow, even though he and his wife Maria have divorced and he has been back for a while, the timing has never been right to let him know exactly how she feels – “That – and her being a giant scaredy cat – meant years continued to pass by without a single move on her part”. She’s hoping that this night will present an opportunity.
However, with a number of drinks under his belt, thanks to the very annoying journalist, Liz Lawler, who persists in aggravating him and his brothers with her questions, by the time midnight comes around, Brian is absolutely blitzed and Trisha finds herself holding him up and leading him outside for some fresh air. As strains of U2’s “New Year’s Day” blast out of the door of the hotel, Trisha suddenly finds herself in Brian’s arms in which can only be described as a mind-blowingly sexy and heated kiss.
Even though this is not how Trisha envisioned their first encounter to play out, the already low burning flames begin to smoulder, threatening to singe your fingers as you turn the pages. But the journey for our hero and heroine is by no means over. As her and Brian begin to see one another on a more regular basis, Trisha has to fight against her own insecurities when she begins to wonder if Brian’s just out for good sex without any commitment. But, when his ex-wife, Maria, arrives on the scene, it throws a further spanner in the works for these friends to lovers as Brian is faced with a decision that only he can make.
After reading a number of incredibly long and deep novels prior to this one, I was strongly in need of something short and light-hearted, and Chasing The Flames thoroughly satisfied that need. I certainly got far more than I bargained for when I went into this book and the more I read, the less I wanted to put it down - yes, it was that engrossing!
This is book number two in Cheryl Adnams' rural-romance trilogy about the Muller brothers who own and run the family winery in McLaren Vale and she has packed so much into this little novel. Unlike your typical romance novel, it has a lot of substance, with Cheryl introducing us to a wonderful ensemble of characters whose individual stories all weave together perfectly as they interact with our hero and heroine, giving us a well-rounded story in which I was able to feel the connections between them all.
She assuredly shows her talent for character development, from the young heart-breaker who won Trisha’s heart when they were still at school, to the disillusioned man that Brian has become after the breakdown of his marriage, even while displaying such dedication to his volunteer work with the Country Fire Service; the loveable and bubbly Gabby; Brian’s endearing dad Harry, who imparts his years of knowledge to his sons; Ruby, who keeps the family fed and cared for; Brian’s brothers, Seth and Andrew, who seem able to predict his actions before he does; to the dreadful journalist, Liz Lawler and the spoilt, petulant Maria.
Told in alternating POV's by both Brian and Trisha, her background too is given to us throughout the narrative, some by way of flashbacks, and we begin to see how much she has grown from the wild child that she used to be to the successful catering business owner she has become.
Cheryl uses all these characters to move her story forward at a fast pace, adding depth by showing their past hurts and vulnerabilities, and that is the stand-out for me. Along with the well-structured story, engaging characters and a fantastically rendered background of life in the Fleurieu Peninsula, I’m sure that those of you who have read Bet On It, will feel like you are visiting old friends. For those of you that haven’t, you will have no trouble keeping up with the storyline, so it can quite easily be read as a standalone.
I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for further books by Cheryl Adnams as I feel that she’s another Aussie author who’s going to leave her mark on the rural romance sub-genre and definitely one who’s earned her place on my bookshelf.
October 10, 2014
Trisha has had feelings for Bryan for nearly thirty years. They were close as children, with Trisha often spending time at Bryan’s family’s vineyard property and then there was one night when they were 17 and 18. But since then Trisha has seen Bryan move away, get married and then divorced and return to the family home. A drunken kiss on New Year’s finally seems to have Bryan seeing her in a new light. Is he ready to realise that she’s been there, waiting for him the whole time?
At first it seems that way. But there are so many things that keep complicating their new fledgling fling. Trisha knows that she’s light years ahead of Bryan in terms of feelings – he’s retreated back into himself since his wife left him for another man but she’s been patient for a long time now and she can give him the time he needs to catch up. But between a particularly pesky reporter and Bryan’s ex-wife, who has returned looking to rekindle their marriage, Trisha isn’t sure she’s ever going to be the number 1 priority of Bryan’s.
Although it’s not obvious at first, Chasing The Flames is actually linked to Cheryl Adnams’ previous book Bet On It which introduces Bryan Muller and his two brothers and details one of those brothers finding his HEA. I haven’t read Bet On It and although I briefly wished I had just to have that background knowledge about the Muller’s and what they do, this book does mostly read pretty well as a stand alone. And people who read and enjoyed Bet On It will probably appreciate the role that Seth and Gabrielle play in this book.
Bryan Muller has recently turned 40 and personally, he doesn’t have much to show for it other than a failed marriage that has left its mark on him. Professionally, he’s very successful and his family’s winery has long been one of the premier properties in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Doing his younger brother Seth a good turn leads to Bryan imbibing a little too much alcohol on New Year’s and he and his longtime friend Trisha end up sharing several very powerful kisses. It’s been a long time since Bryan really thought about Trisha that way and in fact he hasn’t really thought about any women that way since his marriage ended. He finds himself wanting to explore this new possibility with Trisha, but at the same time he’s still carrying some emotional baggage.
Trisha had a very difficult childhood and if not for Bryan’s mother and a devoted Muller family friend, she might’ve gone down a very different path. They helped her, giving her a haven when she needed it, when her home life became too difficult. I found Trisha’s upbringing really heartbreaking and I admired her for really putting herself on a successful path, even staying in a town where she’d been the subject of gossip and occasionally, judgement. Trisha was a great character, although at times her devotion to Bryan and patience with him became a bit baffling. There were many times during the book when I wondered how Trisha hadn’t been snapped up by someone fabulous at some stage – she was smart, attractive and owned her own business. It seems that her feelings for Bryan had endured through years of them being separated and him marrying someone else.
Bryan on the other hand, was a bit of a dill. It did kind of amaze me that someone could get to his age and be so clueless about women. There are several times in this book when he really makes hurtful blunders that he doesn’t see as potentially upsetting or hurtful and you wonder how he doesn’t see it. When his ex-wife arrives, he doesn’t want to see her or have anything to do with her but he proves to be remarkably patient with her and treats her with much more consideration than she deserves. I’m not sure if that was supposed to make me think that Bryan was such a stand up buy that he’s even incredibly nice and generous to the ex-wife that left him for another man but I ended up just wanting him to actually assert himself a bit. The ex-wife is quite a stereotypical ‘other woman’ villain, attempting the reconciliation with Bryan, pouring it on thick and provoking his sense of (misplaced?) chivalry whilst savaging Trisha to her face when Bryan isn’t around.
Having seen what bushfires can do, both when I was a teen and then in the disastrous Victorian Black Saturday fires, they’re a very real part of the rural Australian landscape and although it formed a rather tragic part of the story, I enjoyed the incorporation, showing the Muller boys working as volunteer fighters and being quite involved with the defense of the local area against an arson bug.
There’s one more Muller brother left so I assume there’s another book coming to give him his story and I definitely enjoyed this one enough to give that one a go. I liked the family dynamic between the brothers and their father and I really enjoyed the setting. I haven’t read many books set in South Australian wine country and I’d love to read more about the ins and outs of the business.
7/10
At first it seems that way. But there are so many things that keep complicating their new fledgling fling. Trisha knows that she’s light years ahead of Bryan in terms of feelings – he’s retreated back into himself since his wife left him for another man but she’s been patient for a long time now and she can give him the time he needs to catch up. But between a particularly pesky reporter and Bryan’s ex-wife, who has returned looking to rekindle their marriage, Trisha isn’t sure she’s ever going to be the number 1 priority of Bryan’s.
Although it’s not obvious at first, Chasing The Flames is actually linked to Cheryl Adnams’ previous book Bet On It which introduces Bryan Muller and his two brothers and details one of those brothers finding his HEA. I haven’t read Bet On It and although I briefly wished I had just to have that background knowledge about the Muller’s and what they do, this book does mostly read pretty well as a stand alone. And people who read and enjoyed Bet On It will probably appreciate the role that Seth and Gabrielle play in this book.
Bryan Muller has recently turned 40 and personally, he doesn’t have much to show for it other than a failed marriage that has left its mark on him. Professionally, he’s very successful and his family’s winery has long been one of the premier properties in South Australia’s McLaren Vale. Doing his younger brother Seth a good turn leads to Bryan imbibing a little too much alcohol on New Year’s and he and his longtime friend Trisha end up sharing several very powerful kisses. It’s been a long time since Bryan really thought about Trisha that way and in fact he hasn’t really thought about any women that way since his marriage ended. He finds himself wanting to explore this new possibility with Trisha, but at the same time he’s still carrying some emotional baggage.
Trisha had a very difficult childhood and if not for Bryan’s mother and a devoted Muller family friend, she might’ve gone down a very different path. They helped her, giving her a haven when she needed it, when her home life became too difficult. I found Trisha’s upbringing really heartbreaking and I admired her for really putting herself on a successful path, even staying in a town where she’d been the subject of gossip and occasionally, judgement. Trisha was a great character, although at times her devotion to Bryan and patience with him became a bit baffling. There were many times during the book when I wondered how Trisha hadn’t been snapped up by someone fabulous at some stage – she was smart, attractive and owned her own business. It seems that her feelings for Bryan had endured through years of them being separated and him marrying someone else.
Bryan on the other hand, was a bit of a dill. It did kind of amaze me that someone could get to his age and be so clueless about women. There are several times in this book when he really makes hurtful blunders that he doesn’t see as potentially upsetting or hurtful and you wonder how he doesn’t see it. When his ex-wife arrives, he doesn’t want to see her or have anything to do with her but he proves to be remarkably patient with her and treats her with much more consideration than she deserves. I’m not sure if that was supposed to make me think that Bryan was such a stand up buy that he’s even incredibly nice and generous to the ex-wife that left him for another man but I ended up just wanting him to actually assert himself a bit. The ex-wife is quite a stereotypical ‘other woman’ villain, attempting the reconciliation with Bryan, pouring it on thick and provoking his sense of (misplaced?) chivalry whilst savaging Trisha to her face when Bryan isn’t around.
Having seen what bushfires can do, both when I was a teen and then in the disastrous Victorian Black Saturday fires, they’re a very real part of the rural Australian landscape and although it formed a rather tragic part of the story, I enjoyed the incorporation, showing the Muller boys working as volunteer fighters and being quite involved with the defense of the local area against an arson bug.
There’s one more Muller brother left so I assume there’s another book coming to give him his story and I definitely enjoyed this one enough to give that one a go. I liked the family dynamic between the brothers and their father and I really enjoyed the setting. I haven’t read many books set in South Australian wine country and I’d love to read more about the ins and outs of the business.
7/10
October 19, 2014
Chasing the Flames continues my run of reading novels set in South Australia (definitely not a bad thing, although I still don’t understand the FruChocs love). It has the added distinction of being set in McLaren Vale, which is an absolutely gorgeous wine growing region with a ginormous hill for both cars and cyclists. What I didn’t know about McLaren Vale is that it’s also home to some of Australia’s most desirable bachelors, the Muller brothers. This is the second book in a planned trilogy (the first book is Bet on It) focusing on one brother at a time.
For Chasing the Flames, it’s Brian’s turn. Brian’s the most sensitive and possibly the most damaged Muller brother. He’s quiet and cautious, even more so after his disastrous divorce from Maria. But Trisha, who has been his friend since childhood has a hidden secret – she’s loved Brian since she was little. As they’re both now pushing 40, that’s a long time! Just as Trisha works up her courage to tell Brian how she feels, Maria returns to McLaren Vale. She’s your stereotypical gold-digger who will use all her charms to lure Brian back to her lair. Add to that pesky journalist Liz, who is researching the Muller boys for an article and never, ever misses an opportunity to try one on and you’ve got a serious case of missed chances and misread signs.
Despite having not yet read Bet on It, I easily understood the world the Mullers inhabit (in fact, I think it would be even more fun now to return to that story to see how Gabby and Seth got together). The scenery is gorgeous and the brothers quite jovial and teasing – the closeness of the trio shone through the pages. I did find Brian a little more dense that your average hero (how can he not realise what he has with Trisha is gold?) and his eagerness to never hurt anyone, even a gold-digging ex-wife a little perplexing. He’s lucky that Trisha is a very strong, persistent woman who has taken the bad things in her life and used them to build character. I think Trisha as the heroine shone more brightly than Brian – he’s more of man candy to me. Hopefully Trisha will wake him up to what’s going on in the world.
The thing I enjoyed most about Chasing the Flames was that it didn’t follow the conventional progression of a romance novel. Trisha and Brian got together very early on and things were super steamy (now I understand why there are so many 40˚C days in South Australia). Everything seemed peachy until the arrival of Maria and Liz getting her claws stuck into Brian. There was not just one, but several roadblocks to the pair’s happiness and the climax was excellent. Not only was it hot, but it covered an important part of Australian summer (I’m not going to spoil the surprise here). I loved the deviations and how at times I really wasn’t sure if Trisha and Brian would ever find their happiness.
Chasing the Flames combines wit and comedy with serious issues, but still gives the reader a happy-sigh worthy ending. Great for a weekend read.
Thank you to Random House for the eARC.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
For Chasing the Flames, it’s Brian’s turn. Brian’s the most sensitive and possibly the most damaged Muller brother. He’s quiet and cautious, even more so after his disastrous divorce from Maria. But Trisha, who has been his friend since childhood has a hidden secret – she’s loved Brian since she was little. As they’re both now pushing 40, that’s a long time! Just as Trisha works up her courage to tell Brian how she feels, Maria returns to McLaren Vale. She’s your stereotypical gold-digger who will use all her charms to lure Brian back to her lair. Add to that pesky journalist Liz, who is researching the Muller boys for an article and never, ever misses an opportunity to try one on and you’ve got a serious case of missed chances and misread signs.
Despite having not yet read Bet on It, I easily understood the world the Mullers inhabit (in fact, I think it would be even more fun now to return to that story to see how Gabby and Seth got together). The scenery is gorgeous and the brothers quite jovial and teasing – the closeness of the trio shone through the pages. I did find Brian a little more dense that your average hero (how can he not realise what he has with Trisha is gold?) and his eagerness to never hurt anyone, even a gold-digging ex-wife a little perplexing. He’s lucky that Trisha is a very strong, persistent woman who has taken the bad things in her life and used them to build character. I think Trisha as the heroine shone more brightly than Brian – he’s more of man candy to me. Hopefully Trisha will wake him up to what’s going on in the world.
The thing I enjoyed most about Chasing the Flames was that it didn’t follow the conventional progression of a romance novel. Trisha and Brian got together very early on and things were super steamy (now I understand why there are so many 40˚C days in South Australia). Everything seemed peachy until the arrival of Maria and Liz getting her claws stuck into Brian. There was not just one, but several roadblocks to the pair’s happiness and the climax was excellent. Not only was it hot, but it covered an important part of Australian summer (I’m not going to spoil the surprise here). I loved the deviations and how at times I really wasn’t sure if Trisha and Brian would ever find their happiness.
Chasing the Flames combines wit and comedy with serious issues, but still gives the reader a happy-sigh worthy ending. Great for a weekend read.
Thank you to Random House for the eARC.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
October 1, 2014
3.5 stars
I am really enjoying this series, the family dynamics of the Mullers, the love interests of these boys and the Aussie humor that is throughout these books. This was real Aussie storyline with no alterations to make it more universal and I liked that because it captured the Aussie nature and spirit.
Chasing the Flames is the second in the series centered around the Muller brothers and takes place in the McLaren Vale wine region of South Australia and I enjoyed the use of real places so I could visualise where the story was taking place. Even though you could read this as a stand alone I recommend you read the first book, Bet On It so you have a greater connection to this family.
Brian is the eldest Muller brother, in charge of the administration and overall running of the family vineyard. He returns to Muller's Field to spend more time with his family and support his parents as his mother is gravely ill. Following the heartbreaking loss of his mother he also suffers a marriage breakdown thanks to his cold-hearted ex. Too scared to risk love again he retreats further into himself and the family business vowing never to suffer a the hands of at woman again. Trish has been an adopted part of his family for as long as he can remember but only sees her as a friend. When he starts to question his true feelings for Trish, can he let go of the past and take a chance on the future? Brian did annoy me with his cluelessness with regards to Trish. For a seemingly intelligent businessman he was oblivious to her feelings for him and, at times, I had trouble believing he was that blind. Having said that, when he did confront his true feelings and fought for Trish, he won me over with how he went about winning her trust and her heart.
Trish is the owner and operator of the towns local cafe and bakery and a childhood friend of Brian and the entire Muller family. She comes from a broken childhood, her mother emotional and physically absent, but was lucky enough to be taken under the Mullers' family wing, offering her the love, protection and support that was sadly lacking in her life. Trish believed she was tainted by her mothers shocking reputation around town, so had fought long and hard to prove to everyone that she was nothing like her mother. She had built up her successful business and had shown she had savvy and intelligence, generosity and caring. Never did she forget what the Muller family did for her, particularly their mother. She had also loved Brian from afar for as long as she could remember and when circumstances push them together she decides to take a risk and see if there is any future for her and Brian. I admired Trishs' strength and determination to leave her past behind, and the way she learned to set boundaries around her relationships.
I went through a myriad of emotions while reading Chasing the Flames. There were moments of fun-filled antics, cute heartwarming and sweet loving, and angsty, dramatic situations as well as a fair share of frustration at the characters stubbornness and actions. As well as focusing on Brian and Trishs' story we gain more insight into the Muller family history and we see more of Seth and Gabby's relationship, which was great. I am looking forward to Andrews story. I think he will give us a run for our money.
copy kindly provided by Netgalley and the author/publisher
I am really enjoying this series, the family dynamics of the Mullers, the love interests of these boys and the Aussie humor that is throughout these books. This was real Aussie storyline with no alterations to make it more universal and I liked that because it captured the Aussie nature and spirit.
Chasing the Flames is the second in the series centered around the Muller brothers and takes place in the McLaren Vale wine region of South Australia and I enjoyed the use of real places so I could visualise where the story was taking place. Even though you could read this as a stand alone I recommend you read the first book, Bet On It so you have a greater connection to this family.
Brian is the eldest Muller brother, in charge of the administration and overall running of the family vineyard. He returns to Muller's Field to spend more time with his family and support his parents as his mother is gravely ill. Following the heartbreaking loss of his mother he also suffers a marriage breakdown thanks to his cold-hearted ex. Too scared to risk love again he retreats further into himself and the family business vowing never to suffer a the hands of at woman again. Trish has been an adopted part of his family for as long as he can remember but only sees her as a friend. When he starts to question his true feelings for Trish, can he let go of the past and take a chance on the future? Brian did annoy me with his cluelessness with regards to Trish. For a seemingly intelligent businessman he was oblivious to her feelings for him and, at times, I had trouble believing he was that blind. Having said that, when he did confront his true feelings and fought for Trish, he won me over with how he went about winning her trust and her heart.
Trish is the owner and operator of the towns local cafe and bakery and a childhood friend of Brian and the entire Muller family. She comes from a broken childhood, her mother emotional and physically absent, but was lucky enough to be taken under the Mullers' family wing, offering her the love, protection and support that was sadly lacking in her life. Trish believed she was tainted by her mothers shocking reputation around town, so had fought long and hard to prove to everyone that she was nothing like her mother. She had built up her successful business and had shown she had savvy and intelligence, generosity and caring. Never did she forget what the Muller family did for her, particularly their mother. She had also loved Brian from afar for as long as she could remember and when circumstances push them together she decides to take a risk and see if there is any future for her and Brian. I admired Trishs' strength and determination to leave her past behind, and the way she learned to set boundaries around her relationships.
I went through a myriad of emotions while reading Chasing the Flames. There were moments of fun-filled antics, cute heartwarming and sweet loving, and angsty, dramatic situations as well as a fair share of frustration at the characters stubbornness and actions. As well as focusing on Brian and Trishs' story we gain more insight into the Muller family history and we see more of Seth and Gabby's relationship, which was great. I am looking forward to Andrews story. I think he will give us a run for our money.
copy kindly provided by Netgalley and the author/publisher
September 6, 2016
Chasing The Flames was a Kindle Deal going back a few weeks so I know I got it at a sale price, but I enjoyed the story enough to recommend it at full price.
It’s the first book I’ve read by this author, and I liked it very much as a story with older main characters (both Brian and Trisha are over 40).
It’s set in McLaren Vale which is one of the wine region gems of Australia and it’s a place I know well having lived in SA. I thought Cheryl Adnams depicts the hills, small-town community, festivals/events, wineries, vineyards and beaches of the area beautifully.
I liked Trisha right from the start. She’s loved Brian from a distance, (except for one time when they were teenagers – they got up close and personal) and she’s been his friend through a disastrous marriage and break-up. Brian took me a little longer to warm up to. He is an intensely loyal and polite man – admirable qualities to be sure – but this means he tends to try to do the right thing way too often, rather than standing up the people in his life who are standing in the way of what he wants, and blocking the man he wants to be.
The fire brigade/fire fighting emergency that provides the ‘flames’ for the book title was well done. Definitely South Australia has faced its fair share of fire bugs, and all this felt very genuine which showed really good research and/or life experience by the author.
Chasing The Flames provided airport and plane reading for me (coincidentally returning from a family holiday in South Australia at the time); and I enjoyed it well into the following week. It’s very true to life with a family of endearing characters, and an ending that made me go: “awwww.”
4.5 stars
It’s the first book I’ve read by this author, and I liked it very much as a story with older main characters (both Brian and Trisha are over 40).
It’s set in McLaren Vale which is one of the wine region gems of Australia and it’s a place I know well having lived in SA. I thought Cheryl Adnams depicts the hills, small-town community, festivals/events, wineries, vineyards and beaches of the area beautifully.
I liked Trisha right from the start. She’s loved Brian from a distance, (except for one time when they were teenagers – they got up close and personal) and she’s been his friend through a disastrous marriage and break-up. Brian took me a little longer to warm up to. He is an intensely loyal and polite man – admirable qualities to be sure – but this means he tends to try to do the right thing way too often, rather than standing up the people in his life who are standing in the way of what he wants, and blocking the man he wants to be.
The fire brigade/fire fighting emergency that provides the ‘flames’ for the book title was well done. Definitely South Australia has faced its fair share of fire bugs, and all this felt very genuine which showed really good research and/or life experience by the author.
Chasing The Flames provided airport and plane reading for me (coincidentally returning from a family holiday in South Australia at the time); and I enjoyed it well into the following week. It’s very true to life with a family of endearing characters, and an ending that made me go: “awwww.”
4.5 stars
September 16, 2014
30 years is a long time to wait for unrequited love. Yet that is how long Trisha has waited for Brian to finally notice her, not as a friend, but as the woman of his dreams.
Chasing the Flames by Cheryl Admans is the second book of the series regarding the Muller brothers. Not knowing that I understood almost from the get go that this was the sequel, yet, no having read the first book I had no trouble in following the story. Which is always a good thing for those how haven’t been able to follow the series.
This book has an assortment of moments: fun, adorable, quiet, cute, memorable, confusing, steamy, irritating, dramatic and there was this one moment that I just said WTF!
Trisha was a character that I really liked. She is a strong complicated woman with a very sad and difficult past that found a way to escape from it and move one with her life. What she couldn’t move past was her love for Brian, who apparently is the blindest man in Australia. That is to say that I found the leading man confusing and daft. Mister perfect when it came to its job, his brothers and his community, and when it came to women he transformed into a bumbling idiot. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
The book was a fun read, and strangely I learned a lot about Australia in addition to reading an entertaining romance.
I got this book from netGalley.
Chasing the Flames by Cheryl Admans is the second book of the series regarding the Muller brothers. Not knowing that I understood almost from the get go that this was the sequel, yet, no having read the first book I had no trouble in following the story. Which is always a good thing for those how haven’t been able to follow the series.
This book has an assortment of moments: fun, adorable, quiet, cute, memorable, confusing, steamy, irritating, dramatic and there was this one moment that I just said WTF!
Trisha was a character that I really liked. She is a strong complicated woman with a very sad and difficult past that found a way to escape from it and move one with her life. What she couldn’t move past was her love for Brian, who apparently is the blindest man in Australia. That is to say that I found the leading man confusing and daft. Mister perfect when it came to its job, his brothers and his community, and when it came to women he transformed into a bumbling idiot. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
The book was a fun read, and strangely I learned a lot about Australia in addition to reading an entertaining romance.
I got this book from netGalley.
October 2, 2014
ARC provided via NetGalley by Random House Australia Pty Ltd for an honest review.
Things you should be aware of: This book is part of a series even tho it does not point to that in the blurb of the book. The first in this 'series' is Bet On It. The series is about the Muller brothers. You do not have to read Bet On It before you read Chasing The Flame. I didn't and did not feel any loss at all while reading. I didn't even know Bet On It existed, actually! LOL
OK, on to the story at hand! I LOVED IT! It was cute, funny, hot, dramatic at times and had its share of 'huh' moments! I liked both characters but was especially humored by our hero Brian! He was a successful business man and great family man and friend, but when it came to women he was dumber than a rock LOL (read and you will find out why! lol)! Our heroine Trisha was one determined woman. No matter what, she was going to get our hero to see they were meant to be together!
This was quite a fun read overall and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sassy and flirty romance novel!
Things you should be aware of: This book is part of a series even tho it does not point to that in the blurb of the book. The first in this 'series' is Bet On It. The series is about the Muller brothers. You do not have to read Bet On It before you read Chasing The Flame. I didn't and did not feel any loss at all while reading. I didn't even know Bet On It existed, actually! LOL
OK, on to the story at hand! I LOVED IT! It was cute, funny, hot, dramatic at times and had its share of 'huh' moments! I liked both characters but was especially humored by our hero Brian! He was a successful business man and great family man and friend, but when it came to women he was dumber than a rock LOL (read and you will find out why! lol)! Our heroine Trisha was one determined woman. No matter what, she was going to get our hero to see they were meant to be together!
This was quite a fun read overall and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a sassy and flirty romance novel!
October 7, 2014
***ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
Holding on to the hope of love for 30 years seems a little extreme to me but hey...I guess, if you have a soul-mate, you have a soul-mate. And in Trisha's case, it is Brian...Brian who went away and got married. Brian who never really saw her as anything more than a friend...until now. I admire Trisha's determination and patience - a kind of like if I won't settle for less attitude...and it does pay off but not without drama...and lots of it. Brian seemed more confused and clueless than anything and I wanted to smack him upside the head a few times. In some instances, I felt Trisha could have done better but...it was a roller coaster emotional ride. The second in the series featuring the Muller Brothers, you won't need to read the first one to enjoy this.
Holding on to the hope of love for 30 years seems a little extreme to me but hey...I guess, if you have a soul-mate, you have a soul-mate. And in Trisha's case, it is Brian...Brian who went away and got married. Brian who never really saw her as anything more than a friend...until now. I admire Trisha's determination and patience - a kind of like if I won't settle for less attitude...and it does pay off but not without drama...and lots of it. Brian seemed more confused and clueless than anything and I wanted to smack him upside the head a few times. In some instances, I felt Trisha could have done better but...it was a roller coaster emotional ride. The second in the series featuring the Muller Brothers, you won't need to read the first one to enjoy this.
July 31, 2015
very good book of love that takes 30 years to come to fruition. Brian & Trisha have been friends since childhood & Trisha has loved him since then. Brian is just now recovering from his divorce & the death of his mother. Having been invited out for New Years Eve again he goes & ends up being taken home by Trisha because he is drunk. He regrets his actions & the next day goes to apologize which leads to a date, which leads to more dates & then to what they don't know until his ex comes back into the picture along with a good looking journalist hell bent on doing a book on the Muller Brothers & a firebug determined to cause damage in the area. So many emotions run the gamut in this book....happy, sad, frustrated & humour. Very well written & I will definitely be looking for more by this author.
September 28, 2014
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This story is the second one in this series. This is a very sweet story yet full of emotional hills to climb. Trisha has been in love with Brian for 30 years. She has been through so much in that time. Brian has been married heartbroken and divorced. I liked the banter between the Muller brothers and Gabby. The family dynamic was one of the best parts of this story.
dnf-or-no-thank-you
March 22, 2015DNF at 27%.
I thought this was going to be a me book but it is not at all. I thought the characters were going to be younger (the MCs are 40). I usually don't have a problem with reading about various ages but I feel no connection to either character. If you enjoy romance books with slightly older characters, check this out. I won't be finishing because life is too short to read books you know you won't enjoy.
I thought this was going to be a me book but it is not at all. I thought the characters were going to be younger (the MCs are 40). I usually don't have a problem with reading about various ages but I feel no connection to either character. If you enjoy romance books with slightly older characters, check this out. I won't be finishing because life is too short to read books you know you won't enjoy.
May 14, 2015
Cute, fun, romantic story set in Australia! This was engaging and kept me up until I could finish it! Enjoyed the characters as much as the storyline!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
October 4, 2014
Review to follow
September 26, 2014
Thanks Netgalley for ARC
October 17, 2014
This was a cute, romantic book. If you are looking for a sweet romantic story, then choose Chasing the Flames.
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