Play with Fire

by Sophie L. Henderson

I may look dainty, but I’m just as tough as every other firefighter. That might all go up in flames when my ex walks into the fire hall…

As the only woman in the fire hall, I’ve worked hard to earn my crew’s respect. But my plan to pass probation without drama goes up in smoke the moment my ex-boyfriend Brodie – the hottest reporter in town with serious Clark Kent energy – makes me the star of his latest feature.

The fire hall is in trouble, and the only way to save it? Prove the city needs telling my story in the process. As Brodie and I are forced to work together, I can’t help but notice his attempts to impress me. But it won’t work. I’ll never forget how he broke my heart when he dumped me three years ago.

When I take a risk at a call out and recklessly enter a burning room to rescue a young mother, the first person to come to my rescue is Brodie and I feel the heat between us as he manhandles me back to safety. I can’t start things up again with him…can I?

The captain’s ‘no-dating’ rule means my job is as much on the line as my heart. I’m the one keeping the city safe from danger, but Brodie makes me feel protected in a way I’ve never known before.

Can I say no to my smoking hot ex to save my career or will playing with fire mean I’m going to get burned again?

An addictively spicy second-chance, forced-proximity romance perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Stephanie Archer and Amy Daws.

You’ll love Play with Fire if you also ❤️ Second chance romance ❤️🎇 Forced proximity🎇🧯 Star-crossed lovers 🧯🔥 Lots of spice 🔥🧨 Tortured heroes 🧨🚒 Workplace romance 🚒

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Second Chance

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 24, 2026

Reviews

[❀ Tia ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

| ARC REVIEW | 🎧 ~ Audiobook

This was a cute and emotional second-chance romance between firefighter Savannah East, and journalist Brodie Holt. Brodie has been assigned a project with the local fire department and Savannah has been chosen to be the centre of this project. The problem is, Brodie also happens to be Savannah's ex-boyfriend.

I thought the plot was fun and unique, but the execution wasn't fantastic. I'm not often a big fan of second-chance romances but I did find this enjoyable enough. It was clear that the spark and accompanying emotions were still there between Savannah and Brodie after all the time that had passed, but the constant lust-driven comments within Savannah's inner monologue — particularly the frequent mention of what being in Brodie's company did to her hormones — were kind of eyeroll inducing. And although I LIKED both of the main characters, I didn't particularly LOVE either of them. I just felt that, despite the emotion, their connection was still missing something.

Savannah's personality, emotions and history were very detailed, making her feel very well-rounded and life-like. However the frequent mentions of how tiny/pintsize/petite she was did grate on me. She was such a strong, badass character so the constant focus on her ✨ tininess ✨ felt like it slightly overshadowed other aspects of her character. In relation to this, I did feel that Brodie's character was slightly under-developed in comparison.

I liked the narrators and felt that their performances very effectively portrayed their own characters' emotions and personalities. I wasn't too keen on Katie Beudert's impressions of male voices, but I was impressed with Davis Brooks' vocal range when it came to impersonating other characters in the book. His range made it very clear whether it was Brodie talking, or somebody else.

Chapter 31 was an emotional rollercoaster that blew me away! That chapter had me hooked! But on a related note: A word of warning, without giving too much away, there is a third act… fall out... for want of a better word. In the majority of cases, I really dislike a third act break up, but this particular one really irritated me. I felt that Brodie had such minimal drive to fight for Savannah and was so defeatist about it all which really riled me up.

The humour was sometimes a bit hit or miss with some phrases feeling a bit repetitive, and also occasionally coming across as more British than I would've expected. But nevertheless, this was still a fun and enjoyable book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie L Henderson, and Bookouture Audio for gifting this audiobook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Laura❄️📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Bookouture for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was a second chance romance, a category of romance that I’m rather fond of. As a a character I really liked Savannah, she was very relatable and I love that she wanted to be a firefighter because she felt the calling. I did well up a little bit when we find her reasons for wanting to be a firefighter and what happened to her mum. I loved her friendship with Nix, I need to find out when happened between Springer and Nix though. I think it must have been tough for Brodie as he came from a family of firefighters but he broke the mould and followed his calling to be a journalist. I really enjoyed Savannah and Brodie’s story, their first meeting after all those years was a tad awkward that had me cringing for them both but I was hoping that they would get their happily ever after despite Savannah’s fathers actions. Savannah’s father behaved more like a gangster than a father. I liked Brodie’s brothers Brad and Brock (Springer), I’m hoping that they get their own books, particularly Springer and Nix. Overall a really enjoyable read.

[shelbysbookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook! this was such a cute firefighter romance, i would absolutely read books for the rest of the crew.

savannah is the total hero of this book. she goes against her fathers expectations to follow her dream of becoming a firefighter. she is smart and great at her job.

brody broke up with savannah three years ago after graduating college. he is now a reporter assigned to write about her and her fire station. savannah is obviously reluctant to work with him. brody still lacks self worth because of his relationship with his family and i wish he had had a little more conviction when it comes to savannah after all these years.

both of the narrators were great!

[gracie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I knew 5% in when she was talking about how small she was and how big the other guys were that I would not like this. It got even worse when she pulled the, "I don't know what he did but he's always been nice to ME" card. It didn't help that the main characters were boring or that the writing wasn't the best. I genuinely did not have fun reading this.

The male audiobook narrator needs to cut out the vocal fry for the sexy scenes, it made me unable to hear him properly.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[zahh · Rating 3 out of 5]

✧ 𝓟𝓻𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 ✧
Thank you Bookouture Audio & NetGalley for the audiobook 🫶🏻
I’m really excited to start this one.

✧𝓟𝓸𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 ✧
This was a fast, enjoyable read. Binged it in a couple of hours.
I loved the narrators, they did an excellent job bringing the story to life.
I didn’t connect with the main characters, but I really enjoyed the second chance romance and seeing how they fell back in love and reading more about the brother’s relationship.

𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 come out: 𝟮𝟰 𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

[.✦ ݁˖ Kenzie .✦ ݁˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC 🩷🔥

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This was a sweet second chance romance. I loved the FMC being a firefighter and her emotional reasoning for it. She’s unexpectedly forced into telling her story to a reporter, who happens to be her ex boyfriend. This book was emotional and spicy, with no miscommunication trope. My first time listening to these narrators and enjoyed their performances.

ALC Audiobook dual narration by Katie Beudert Davis Brooks

[Rae-Lyn Bodker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an ALC and a very enjoyable audio. It has all the things that make a really good romance (for me) - second chance, forced proximity, workplace, all the things! I think what | loved most was the maturity of the characters, even though they were only in their early to mid-twenties. After no communication for years, our FMC (firefighter Savannah) and MMC (writer Brodie aka Clark Kent) are thrust together in a working relationship when he is chosen to write an article highlighting her and the fire station she works at. While their first go at love in college didn't work out due to outside interference, this time around both the MMC and FMC make it clear they're both still in love with each other and want to give the relationship another try. When it appears someone is trying to pull strings to force them apart again, both are made to confront the issue and either give in to that force or choose each other. The way this man is nearly immediately done for by her.. AH!!! I loved it. There is quite a bit of spice, so if that's not for you, you may want to skip this one. Since this was an audiobook, it’s worth mentioning that the narrators were great. I loved their voices and thought they fit their roles perfectly. I am excited for the release and more books in the series.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was so adorable! I loved that Savannah was a fire fighter! She is one BA lady and I loved how strong she was. Brody was an adorable MMC and I loved how we got chapters from his POV along with Savannah’s POV. The story was so good and I really enjoyed it. I was on edge when Savannah’s dad came on scene because he acted like such a mob boss which was a somewhat hilarious addition to the book. This was a great and spicy second chance romance. I am looking forward to more books in this series.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Play with Fire by Sophie L. Henderson in exchange for an honest review.

Probationary firefighter Savannah finally feels like she's on the right track. She ditched grad school to join up as a firefighter and she's kicking butt at it. She's strong, she's competent, and the guys on her fire crew have her back. Sure, there are a few wrinkles: her billionaire father doesn't know she quit school to run into burning buildings, and she's not over a long-ago breakup with Brodie, the man she thought was the love of her life. She's also still processing the grief of losing her mother in a fire when she was a kid. But otherwise, things are just great.

Until they aren't. Her firehouse needs good PR, so the captain insists that as the only female crew member, she's going to be the focus of a feel-good story for the local paper. There are two problems with this. First, her father owns the paper so he'll learn the wrong way about her career change, and second, ex-boyfriend Brodie is the reporter who will shadow her, because of course he is.

For his part, Brodie is thrilled about the opportunity to reunite with Savannah. He never wanted to break up with her, but her billionaire father forced him to. That the article comes with a shot at a serious promotion just makes it better. Unfortunately, Brodie's obnoxious brother Brock also works at the firehouse, and Savannah wants nothing to do with him OR the article.

Good guy Brodie offers to turn down the article and promotion if Savannah prefers, but of course, she eventually comes around to the idea. Their natural chemistry does it's thing and it's not long (really, not long at all) before all that heartbreak heals up and they have to face other challenges on the way to last happiness. Like the no fraternization rule at the firehouse; as long as Brodie is shadowing Savannah, their relationship is verboten. (Not that that stops anything...) And then there's the ultimate boogeyman: her father.

In general, it's a quick read. It's not terribly unique or groundbreaking, although it does flip a few things around (she's the tough firefighter with commitment issues; he's the marshmallow who prefers laptops to bunker gear, for example.) All the best parts are related to the firehouse and fighting fires.

The thing is, though that this is one of those plots where the plot hinges on the characters keeping secrets and refusing to communicate. For some readers, this might be a dealbreaker. Savannah refuses to talk to her father about her career choices. Brodie doesn't tell her until WELL after they reunite why he broke up with her three years prior. Brock keeps secrets and so does Savannah's father. Nobody wants to have a grown-up conversation, and that can be very frustrating.

If you don't mind this kind of drama, Play with Fire is a straightforward, second change romance. It ends well, and there is an obvious sequel couple.

[Brittanie Chavis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Club Rating Summary

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3.5 rounded to 3

Play with Fire is what I consider a great everyday comfort read. While it did not quite reach can not put it down status, it was consistently enjoyable and easy to settle into. You know the ending will be happy, and sometimes that is exactly what you want.

Savannah really carried this story for me. Her connection to why she chose to become a firefighter gave the book emotional grounding and a clear sense of purpose. However, the repeated focus on her size and appearance felt unnecessary and occasionally distracting, especially in a professional setting. Properly fitted gear is important for firefighter safety, and tailoring exists, so those details did not add to her characterization and at times pulled attention away from the stronger aspects of her role.

Brodie was fine as a MMC, but his emotional investment in the relationship felt uneven. At times, it came across as if he could take the relationship or leave it, which made their connection feel slightly unbalanced compared to Savannah.

What gave this the half star bump was how well the characters stayed true to themselves. Their decisions felt aligned with their personalities rather than driven by unnecessary drama. I really appreciated that, especially since strong FMCs are often written making choices that do not make sense for who they are. I also found myself genuinely interested in the possibility of a Brock and Nix story, which says a lot about how engaging the supporting characters were.

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Medium
There were on page spicy scenes, but the buildup and sense of anticipation were not always there. The connection did not consistently develop in a way that heightened arousal or tension, and at times it felt like the scenes were happening because the story expected them to rather than because the chemistry naturally escalated. It worked in places, but not consistently enough to fully elevate the spice.

Cover Art: 🎨🎨🎨 Solid
The cover fits the story and genre well, but nothing about it stood out as particularly memorable.

Audiobook Performance: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 Very Good
This was a great and easy listen. The narration was engaging and comfortable, which made the audiobook format especially enjoyable.

Duet Performance: 🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️ Strong Duet
The duet narration worked well overall, with good pacing and chemistry that supported the emotional tone of the story.

Overall, Play with Fire is a comfortable everyday romance. It has strong Hallmark movie vibes while trying to lean into spice, and even when that balance did not fully work, it still made for an easy, enjoyable daily listen

[Sonja Charters · Rating 5 out of 5]

My very first read by this author and omg, what a book to start with.

I was completely obsessed right from the start.

 

Now, we've all read a few firefighter romcoms before, but this was something else, with our firefighter being our FMC, Savannah.

She was small but feisty and could definitely hold her own in amongst all the other male colleagues - and I absolutely fell in love with her from page 1!

 

When we meet Brodie, I wasn't too sure how things would play out, but as soon as we got a hint about his background and the history between him and Savannah - as well as his connection to the fire hall - I couldn't help but root for the whole thing to get sorted and for him and Savannah to get back together.

 

I don't really want to say too much more about the plot given the many spoilers that could be let slip - but I just ate this whole story up.

 

I felt so sad for the pair who clearly had always been in love - but circumstances had put paid to that and the heartbreak that it had caused them both.

I was willing them to just open up and talk about what had happened and for the whole truth to come pouring out.

 

Hurrah for Nix - Savannah's room mate and best friend - who stayed calm throughout and uncovered the meaning behind everything that was going on - especially during our third act breakup.

I normally hate this part the most - but loved how quickly things got turned around and the outcome being more perfect than I could have imagined.

 

These characters - including all the side characters (especially the brothers!) - have my heart and I found them so easy to relate to and empathise with.

I actually can't wait to see who will be the focus of future books.

 

The narrators did an amazing job throughout making this a joy to read and had me hanging on every word.

 

Brilliantly written, I was on an emotional rollercoaster with our couple and it was packed with excitement and humour too - I am so glad that this forms the start of a new series - The Vancity Fire series - because I honestly can't wait to get my hands on book 2!!

 



 

[Misha]

🎧 DNF at 20% (2h into the audiobook)

This book has one of my most hated plot points and I just can’t get over it. MMC broke FMC’s heart in the past, and we find out pretty quickly he did it because her father blackmailed him into it. I hate this trope, especially when it’s kept secret “for the other person’s sake,” because apparently keeping people from making their own decisions is considered romantic nowadays. It’s annoying as a reason for a third-act breakup, but it can also ruin any book for me long before that point. I just can’t imagine moving past it and rooting for the characters to get back together, because you wouldn’t do that to someone you respect.

Another major con for me was the story progression. So far we had FMC being notified about an upcoming interview, then MMC getting notified about an interview he has to do, then FMC telling her friend about their disaster of a meeting, then MMC telling his brother about the exact same thing, then FMC trying to get out of the interview unsuccessfully. Guess what MMC does next. This type of storytelling felt extremely repetitive and killed all my excitement. The premise is fun. I love reading about capable people, and I expected a lot of it in this book since we have a female firefighter and a hot-shot reporter. Sadly, we don’t get any actual firefighting yet, but we do get MMC, the reporter, fistfighting someone on the job in a totally professional way.

The nail in the coffin for me was the female narrator. She sounded really chipper all the time, even when she was supposed to be mad, and it took away basically all emotional impact of the story. The male narrator was fine, his voice was pleasant, but in my honest opinion, his voice for female characters could use some work.

For plot critique, check other people’s reviews, since I didn’t get far enough to comment on it.

ALC via NetGalley
I am leaving this review voluntarily

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an eArc of this book in return for an honest and willing review!

This book was so cute! I loved our main characters from the very start and only continued to love them, and even the side characters, even more throughout. I especially loved the found family that you could feel build up during this book and I really hope that the hints of a potential sequel couple is correct cause I already wanna root for them SOOO hard!!

Our MC's both come from vastly different families but both carry the same heavy weight of expectations that they can't bare to deliver on, instead choosing to follow their own heart in their careers much to the disappointment of their families. I have to say I absolutely loved that this book didn't shy away from not accepting familial expectations as a lot of people deal with this and may not be confident enough to step away from the wants of their family.

If there's one thing that's a MUST in second chance romances, its the tension in the will-they wont-they situations and I can say that this book delivered with that amazingly! Knowing they still want each other so bad but not knowing if they could bare to go through their heartbreak a second time if anything ever went wrong again. I loved seeing our MCs work past this together despite the difficulties and insecurities they faced both together and as individuals!!

I ended up binging this is one day so it was definitely keeping my attention! The plot flowed really well and at the perfect speed - there are no parts that I felt dragged to long or were too rushed. My only complaint is that I do wish we got to know a little bit more about Savannah and Brodie personally that wasnt entirely relevant to the plot, just to allow me to get even more attached to them as characters.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun second chance romance that has the perfect amount of plot and romance!

[Baelfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished 2/13/2026
3.5 rounded up to 4.

CW/TW: death/grief of parent, mental trauma, on page fire fighting, past child emotional abuse, misogyny, victim blaming

Firefighter FMC. Reporter MMC. Love a woman in uniform! I liked their little angst at the beginning and him being jealous. Them having to reopen their conversation about the past and falling for each other again was great. His comfort and praise for her was also pretty cute. Always love a drunk confessional scene. The fire fighting was such a good emotional scene, I loved being in her mind during that especially with her past trauma. Overall, their relationship was really cute and I was very interested the whole time.

First time author for me and looks like more set up to be interconnected standalones for the Brock and Nix and I'd love to continue that!

Audiobook narrators: Katie Beudert, Davis Brooks
Dual POV, First Person
Tropes: Second Chance, Workplace, Forced Proximity, Women in Uniform, First Responder
Notable Microtropes: MMC wears glasses, Shower scene, MMC cute drunk confessional scene
Spice: 2/5 (Personal Scale) - 5 Open door scenes. Vanilla monogamous sexual acts. No kinks. Plot still drives story and probably won't miss plot details if skipped.
Spicy Chapters: 22, 26, 27, 36, 38

Listened at 2.0x speed. I tried at my normal 1.75x speed but they still felt too slow for me therefore moved it up.
First time listening to both narrators and they did a good job. They both were expressive most of the time but did have some monotone moments. They both had a good range of other character voices, I didn't mind either of their opposite sex voices. I'd love to listen to these two again!

Thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for providing an ALC.

[Kaila Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Play With Fire – Sophie Henderson
Thank Netgalley & Bookouture for the ALC: Sav is a single woman working in a firehouse, and her ex, Brodie, the guy who broke her heart three years ago in college shows up to write an article about the firestation. Forced proximity, second chance love, unresolved feelings, and a high-energy setting made this one hit my radar.
I enjoyed seeing Sav in a traditionally male-dominated space. There were moments where the banter worked and the chemistry between Sav and Brodie peeked through but the romance didn’t fully land for me. Brodie’s past actions felt heavier than the story really addressed, and I struggled to connect with him as a love interest. Sav’s emotional arc had potential, but at times it felt rushed or underdeveloped, especially given how deeply the breakup impacted her. It was like their history wasn't overly touched on or their chemistry outside of sexual tension wasn't much and I wanted more accountability, more growth, and more depth before buying into their reunion. The spice was WAY more than I anticipated though-at times it felt more written by a male than female and made me laugh. Sav's dad also played a big role in the breakup and their future and I feel like it held a big piece of their story as well as Sav's mom's passing being a bigger part of who she was.

Overall, this was a decent, quick read with an engaging premise and some enjoyable moments, but it didn’t quite bring the emotional payoff I was hoping for. Worth picking up if you like second-chance romances and unique settings. Hopeful for a story about Nix though!

[R Mmm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Savannah and Brody haven’t seen each other in three years—not since Brody walked away and left Savannah heartbroken. Now he’s back at her firehouse, assigned to write a feature article as part of his push for a long-awaited promotion. The complication? Savannah is a probationary firefighter, and she’s the focus of the article.

Since they last saw each other, Savannah dropped out of Stanford and walked away from the master’s degree everyone assumed would lead her to taking over her father’s media company. Instead, she chose a completely different path. After losing her mother in a house fire, Savannah’s dream has always been to become a firefighter—even if that choice puts her at odds with her tough, no-nonsense businessman father. If the article is published, it will bring that career change into the spotlight, something Savannah very much wants to avoid.

Brody has his own battle to fight. Coming from generations of firefighters, he chose a writing career instead, a decision his father and brother never fail to remind him was the “wrong” one. This promotion is his chance to prove that his work matters and that he belongs, even if it means facing the woman he never quite got over.

Forced into close proximity and stuck between personal and professional stakes, Savannah agrees to the article to help save the firehouse. As they spend more time together, old feelings quickly reignite, proving some sparks never truly go out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Áža Sládková · Rating 4 out of 5]

🔥KNIHA VYCHÁZÍ 24. února 2026! Za poskytnutí ARC děkuji @netgalley 🫶

Příběh vyprávěn z obou pohledů a audioknihu skvěle namluvili Katie Beudert & Davis Brooks. 🎧

Když jsem viděla nabídku na NetGalley, tak mě kniha hodně zaujala, a to i neobvyklým prostředím. Musím říct, že bych se asi měla více zaměřit na knihy z různých profesí. 🤭

Savannah East je hasička, která opustila nalinkovaný život, který pro ni připravil její otec, a rozhodla se splnit si sen – zachraňovat životy. 🧑‍🚒 Jednoho dne se u ní v práci objeví její bývalý Brodie Holt, který pracuje jako novinář, a ještě ke všemu má článek napsat právě o ní!

Celý příběh se poslouchal strašně dobře a já jsem si užívala oba dva pohledy. Oba dva hlavní hrdinové to nemají lehké a každý si v sobě nese své problémy z minulosti. Jejich rodiny na ně mají doopravdy vysoké nároky a oni se i přesto snaží prosadit svou cestu. ♥️Z vedlejších postav jsem si oblíbila Nix – nejlepší kamarádku Savannah a strašně moc doufám, že vyjde další díl, který bude právě o ní. 🔥

Mít v audioknize tři bratry a jména na B bylo občas matoucí, takže než jsem si srovnala Brada a Brocka, tak mi to trochu zabralo. 🚒

Nejlepší kapitola, kterou jsem si hodně užila, byla, kdy Brodie našel odvahu a postavil se svému otci. Celkově kniha měla výborný spád a najdete zde i zajímavý zvrat! V příběhu trochu nahlédneme do minulosti postav. Otce od Savannah jsem měla sto chutí dokopat.

Pokud hledáte spicy romantiku z hasičského prostředí, tak rozhodně doporučuji! 🧑‍🚒

🚒 Druhá šance
🧯 Nucená blízkost
🧑‍🚒 Hasička & 📰 novinář
🚒 Osudová láska

⭐ 4/5 🌶️1/5

[Tanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading has always been a constant in my life, and romance is the genre that feels most like home. Over the years, I have discovered certain tropes that always pull me in, and second chance romances are one of my favorites. I love watching characters confront their shared past, grow as individuals, and discover an even deeper connection than the one they had before. Because of that, I was really excited to read this book.

One of the things I appreciated most is that the story is told in first person with alternating points of view. Being able to see inside both characters’ thoughts and emotions made their journey feel more personal and meaningful. The subject matter of the book also stood out to me. As someone who nearly lost my father to a fire before I was even born, I am very aware of how devastating fires can be. At the same time, I have a deep respect for the bravery and selflessness it takes to pursue firefighting as a career. That personal connection made this story hit even harder for me.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It had heart, emotion, and a romance that felt both earned and sincere. Knowing that this is the first book in what appears to be an upcoming series makes me even more excited. I am definitely looking forward to reading what comes next.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[jensbooknookclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

This was a really cute binge worthy read. I loved seeing our FMC taking the hard path and following her dreams. I don’t know how many time I cheered her on say yah girl while reading this story, loved seeing her kick ass in a man dominated world. Then you have our tortured hero MMC with all his Clark Kent vibes, yes please. I cant forget to mention my favorite side character: Aunt Linda, the firehouse gossip, she’s a hoot. Do yourself a favor and add to your TBR.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Savannah is a probie firefighter at fire hall eight and is risking it all to follow her dream. The station chief just asked her to be a feature in an upcoming article that would help save the station. One big problem: her dad owns the media outlet and she dropped out of graduate school to do this and he doesn’t know. Turns out she has another big problem the reporter they sent is Brodie, her college ex who broke her heart.

Brodie is up for a promotion and he needs to nail this next feature article to secure his future. His boss though drops a bomb that he has to write about his brother’s fire hall, which he has strong feeling about. The last thing he expected to find when he got there was the girl he always loved, Savannah. Now they have to figure out how to work together and not let was once was keep them from their futures.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“What’s on the menu?” Please say you. All of you.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Second Chance - 3 Years Later
* Female Probie Firefighter x Reporter
* He’s Always Loved Her
* Working Together on Feature Article
* High Stakes for Both of Them
* Star Cross Lovers Vibes
* Difficult Dads & Complex Relationships
* Vancouver, BC Canada 🇨🇦
* Dual POV w/ Spice

💙🧑‍💻🚒🔥💙🧑‍💻🚒🔥💙

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUhM5WvFA...

[Melissa MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another easy five stars.

Play with Fire is a powerful reminder of what it looks like to choose yourself first. Watching Ellie step into her strength as the only woman in the fire hall was incredibly inspiring. She carries her past with her, but instead of letting it define her, she uses it to fuel her growth, her confidence, and her determination to prove she belongs exactly where she is.

What made this story hit even harder was that growth didn’t stop with the FMC. Seeing Brodie confront his own past, his mistakes, and the ways he needed to change in order to be worthy of a second chance added so much emotional depth. This wasn’t just a second-chance romance, it was two people doing the work on themselves before trying to rebuild something together.

The forced proximity, workplace tension, and very real stakes around her career made every interaction feel charged. The chemistry is there, the spice is absolutely present, but at its core this story is about self-respect, healing, and learning that love should feel safe, supportive, and earned.

As an audiobook, this one was also a standout. Katie Beudert and Davis Brooks delivered the emotion beautifully. Every vulnerable moment, every spark of tension, and every shift in their dynamic came through clearly and authentically.

Empowering, emotional, and deeply satisfying, Play with Fire is a story about becoming whole on your own and then finding a love that truly matches your strength.

[Chanté Dove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with access to this novel in exchange for my review.

Honestly, the first half of this novel had me feeling quite frustrated with the main duo of Savannah and Brodie. Initially the story sets off with us meeting Sav in the firehouse she now works in after leaving her writing/journalism course at college, and Brodie arriving to his work as a journalist with the news that he needs to write an article on a local firehouse in order to gain a promotion at work. Off the bat it is clear that Sav and Brodie have some history, and that their relationship may have ended on a bad note, but that disappears quite quickly as they rekindle their relationship. I really didn't enjoy how quickly they fell back into each other without addressing the reason for their split in the first place- it just felt a bit childish and insta-lusty, as opposed to sentimental and destined.

The second half of the novel however, is where the story really starts to pick up. We get into the deep and gritty bits of Sav and Brodie's relationship and with this we find out more about their past, their characters and honestly the depth of the author's writing ability. The later stages of the book are really reflective and thoughtful, and show the growth that the characters have actually endured since their relationship in college.
I'm quite excited to see where the story goes, as we seem to be set up for a book on Nix and Brock.

[storieswithlizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for an advanced copy of Play With Fire by Sophie L Henderson.

This was a warm, emotionally driven second-chance romance that blends lingering tension, genuine connection, and moderate on-page spice in a thoughtful, character-focused way.

The story follows Savannah East and Brodie Holt, former lovers who are unexpectedly brought back into each other’s lives. Forced into close proximity, they must navigate unresolved feelings, past choices, and the possibility of rekindling what they once had while maintaining professional boundaries.

The emotional history between Savannah and Brodie adds depth to their relationship, and their chemistry feels natural and earned, rooted in familiarity as much as attraction. I especially appreciated how the second-chance dynamic heightened the emotional stakes and made their interactions feel meaningful.

While there were a few slower moments, they didn’t significantly detract from my overall enjoyment and may appeal to readers who prefer a more reflective pace.

Fans of second-chance, workplace romances with forced proximity, particularly those who enjoy emotionally driven stories with moderate spice, will likely find this an engaging and satisfying read. Overall, it’s a heartfelt romance that thoughtfully explores revisiting the past while remaining open to new beginnings.

[Chapters of Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Play With Fire by Sophie L. Henderson was such a special read for me, not only because I genuinely loved it. but because it was my first ever ARC!! Makes this one extra memorable. This is one of those books where I really wish Goodreads allowed half stars because it deserves a solid 4.5.

I was immediately drawn in by the firefighter romance and it did not disappoint. There’s something about the high stakes, emotionally charged nature of that profession that added an extra layer of intensity and heart to the story. The romance felt engaging, warm, and grounded..the kind that sneaks up on you and makes you root hard for the characters.

What truly stood out to me though was how thoughtfully the book handled father–daughter relationships and the weight of strained family dynamics. Those moments felt real, layered and emotional without being overly dramatic. It added so much depth to the story and made the characters feel fully human rather than just romantic tropes on a page.

Play With Fire delivered romance, emotional growth and meaningful relationships in a way that really worked for me. I’m so glad this was my first ARC experience and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Sophie L. Henderson!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars An overall good story, just some ehh moments. Some of the romance and tension felt surface level, I am also just not a fan of some of the language choices, but personal preference there.

As the only woman in the fire hall, I’ve worked hard to earn my crew’s respect. But my plan to pass probation without drama goes up in smoke the moment my ex-boyfriend Brodie – the hottest reporter in town with serious Clark Kent energy – makes me the star of his latest feature.

The fire hall is in trouble, and the only way to save it? Prove the city needs telling my story in the process. As Brodie and I are forced to work together, I can’t help but notice his attempts to impress me. But it won’t work. I’ll never forget how he broke my heart when he dumped me three years ago.

When I take a risk at a call out and recklessly enter a burning room to rescue a young mother, the first person to come to my rescue is Brodie and I feel the heat between us as he manhandles me back to safety. I can’t start things up again with him…can I?

The captain’s ‘no-dating’ rule means my job is as much on the line as my heart. I’m the one keeping the city safe from danger, but Brodie makes me feel protected in a way I’ve never known before.

[Patricia Holloman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two things I'm always a sucker for are a good second chance romance and and a FMC who follows her heart (especially when people think she's making the wrong choice).

Savannah is a new probationary firefighter who has a history that brought her to her chosen career. Brodie is a journalist who has been tasked with writing a feature piece on one of the local Fire halls and when he arrives he realizes he's coming face to face with the woman he walked away from in college.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author told this story, the way that she developed the characters, the crafting of the dialogue was fun and witty and charming. probably one of my favorite things about this book though was the relationships between Brodie and his two brothers. The Sibling relationship that was built throughout the story felt so natural and realistic so many authors tend to miss the truth of relationships between siblings that are built on love but carry tension.

The only thing that would really hold me back from giving this book five stars was the fact that the pacing was off for me for probably the first half of the book it was a little slow and it took a little too much time to get to the meat of the story. I will however be looking forward to future books in this series.

[Megan Ketcher Gayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5!

Savannah dropped out of grad school and became a firefighter. Except she never told her dad. While she didn’t have any plans to tell him yet, she gets told that she will be the focus of a new article coming featuring her department…In the newspaper her dad owns. But that’s not all. When the reporter shows up, it’s none other than the guy who broke her heart 2 years ago. What could go wrong?

I really enjoyed this book! The first two chapters had me hooked! Savannah’s journey to becoming a firefighter was so wholesome. Her second chance romance with Brodie was cute! While I ultimately wanted a little more chemistry between the two, it worked well for these characters. There were also some serious elements to the story that make you stop and reflect. The end of chapter 31 crushed my soul. 😭 If you’re into firefighter romances or even romances where the FMC is strong, this is a great read!

Audiobook Narrators: This book was dual narration (female voice reads the female POV chapters, male voice reads male POV chapters). I enjoyed the male voice. The female voice was okay, but anytime she tries to talk in a man’s voice, I cringed a little.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[Gourmandise_littéraire · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars - ALC REVIEW

This was a cute second chance romance. The plot was fun and unique enough to keep me interested in the beginning, but got a little repetitive towards the middle of the book. I wanted a little more action or drama around the 35-40ish% mark. Then the last half of the book was really good and is what saved this read for me. Each character were dealing with their own past trauma and their own things and it made it interesting to see how they would evolve from that. I loved the fact that she was the firefighter and he was the nerdy writer. I loved seeing a woman in a male dominated field as well. I really enjoyed how well developed Savanah's character was but felt that Brody her male counterpart was maybe a little lacking because of that. The spice level was ok for this type of book. It wasn't overpowering and you could see the second chance and the way they actually never really stopped caring and lusting after one another.

Overall the book was a great listen and it was enjoyable. I am left very intrigued about book 2 and would definitely recommend this book to friends. It was a good entertaining listen and the narrator's did a good job.

thank you NetGalley for the ALC of this book.

[Caise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

One of my favorite book tropes is second chance romance, so I was really excited to pick this up, especially since it’s my first ever firefighter romance.

Savannah is a firefighter who unexpectedly runs into her ex boyfriend, Brodie. He’s a journalist assigned to a project that centers on Savannah and her fire station, which brings them back into each other’s lives in a pretty intense way.

I loved the fact that the firefighter was a woman. That alone made the story feel fresh and empowering.

Throughout the book, we get to know both of them better. I really liked the background behind Savannah's career choice. It was emotional, meaningful, and showed real dedication. Her relationship with her father was complicated and layered, and I was glad she eventually got some clarity and peace.

I didn’t really like Brodie, even though I did feel sorry for him being treated like the “lesser” child just because he didn’t choose a “braver” career.

The book felt a bit rushed overall, but I still found myself wanting to get to know more members of the firefighter crew, which says a lot.

And the audiobook? Really fun to listen to, great pacing and engaging narration.

[Chanelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was enjoyable, though it never quite reached can’t-put-it-down status. It was easy to settle into and consistently pleasant, and sometimes a guaranteed happy ending is exactly what you’re in the mood for. The premise—former partners reuniting to write an article in order to save a firehall—was interesting, and the gender-role reversal added a refreshing twist compared to typical rom-coms.

That said, I found the first half fairly slow, with much of the story focused on the main characters rehashing past hurts and arguing back and forth. Once the story picked up, it leaned heavily into the spice, to the point where it felt like that became the main focus. Later, the plot circled back to more emotional stakes, including the FMC revealing her secret to her father and Brodie’s conflicts with him, which helped ground the story again.

As an audiobook, the narration was a highlight. Both narrators did a great job conveying their characters’ emotions and personalities. While I wasn’t fully sold on Katie Beudert’s male character voices, Davis Brooks impressed me with his vocal range—it was always clear when Brodie was speaking versus other characters. The level of spice was higher than expected, but overall this story felt like something that would translate well into a cute straight-to-TV movie.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!