Once Burned

Firehouse Fourteen #1

by Lisa B. Kamps

Michaela Donaldson had her whole life planned out: college, music, and a happy-ever-after with her first true love. One reckless night changed all that, setting Michaela on a new path. Gone are her dreams of pursuing music in college, replaced by what she thinks is a more rewarding life. She's a firefighter now, getting down and dirty while doing her job. So what if she's a little rough around the edges, a little too careless, a little too detached? She's happy, living life on her own terms--until Nicky Lansing shows back up.

Nick Lansing was the stereotypical leather-clad bad boy, needing nothing but his fast car, his guitar, his never-ending partying, and his long-time girlfriend--until one bad decision changed the course of two lives forever. He's on the straight-and-narrow now, living life as a respected teacher and doing his best to be a positive role model. Yes, he still has his music. But gone are his days of partying. And gone is the one girl who always held his heart. Or is she?

One freak accident brings these two opposites back together. Is ten years long enough to heal the physical and emotional wounds from the past? Can they reconcile who they were with who they've become--or will it be a case of Once Burned is enough?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Firefighters, Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Second Chance

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 21, 2016

About the author

Lisa B. Kamps is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes steamy romance with real-life characters and relatable stories that evoke deep emotion. She likes her men hard, her bed soft, her coffee strong, her whiskey neat, and her wine chilled...and when it comes to sports, hockey is the only thing that matters!

Lisa currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons (who are mostly sorta-kinda out of the house), one very spoiled Border Collie, two cats with major attitude, several head of cattle, and entirely too many chickens to count. When she's not busy writing or chasing animals, she's cheering loudly for her favorite hockey team, the Washington Capitals--or going through withdrawal and waiting for October to roll back around!

For more information, please visit: www.LisaBKamps.com

Reviews

[Mollien Fote Osterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Once Burned
Series: Firehouse Fourteen Book 1
Author: Lisa B. Kamps
Publisher: BimHaven Press
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: March 21, 2016
Genre(s): Firefighter Romance
Page Count: 216 pages
Heat Level: 3 flames out of 5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

Michaela Donaldson had her whole life planned out: college, music, and a happy-ever-after with her first true love. One reckless night changed all that, setting Michaela on a new path. Gone are her dreams of pursuing music in college, replaced by what she thinks is a more rewarding life. She's a firefighter now, getting down and dirty while doing her job. So what if she's a little rough around the edges, a little too careless, a little too detached? She's happy, living life on her own terms--until Nicky Lansing shows back up.

Nick Lansing was the stereotypical leather-clad bad boy, needing nothing but his fast car, his guitar, his never-ending partying, and his long-time girlfriend--until one bad decision changed the course of two lives forever. He's on the straight-and-narrow now, living life as a respected teacher and doing his best to be a positive role model. Yes, he still has his music. But gone are his days of partying. And gone is the one girl who always held his heart. Or is she?

One freak accident brings these two opposites back together. Is ten years long enough to heal the physical and emotional wounds from the past? Can they reconcile who they were with who they've become--or will it be a case of Once Burned is enough?

Review:

Not what you were expecting. The hunky firefighter is a female. Michaela Donaldson (Mike) is a firefighter. She does her job a little recklessly. She parties hard, and is happy living her detached life. Her friends are her fellow firefighters. Nick Lansing was the bad boy in high school with a substance abuse problem. Now he is a respected teacher of all things. A series of coincidences, or maybe it was fate, has brought this high school couple back together after 10 years. What a fiery reunion it is.
The plot has Nick trying to win back his lost love. The girl that he almost killed 10 years ago. He has changed over the years, but is it enough to get Mike to forgive him. Mike just wishes that Nick would leave her alone. She doesn’t want to remember that awful night that almost killed her, or the fact that he left her. She has scars both physical and mental, but she still craves him.
There is a strong chemistry between Mike and Nick. It is something deep and raw. The pacing of this story is pretty fast paced. There was an emotional ending. With good character development.
I loved this story and can’t wait to continue the Firehouse Fourteen series where we learn more about Mike’s best friend, Jay Moore.

Review Copy of Once Burned provided by the author Lisa B. Kamps and Tasty book Tours, for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (10/8/18)!💝

Blurb:
Michaela Donaldson had her whole life planned out: college, music, and a happy-ever-after with her first true love. One reckless night changed all that, setting Michaela on a new path. Gone are her dreams of pursuing music in college, replaced by what she thinks is a more rewarding life. She's a firefighter now, getting down and dirty while doing her job. So what if she's a little rough around the edges, a little too careless, a little too detached? She's happy, living life on her own terms--until Nicky Lansing shows back up.

Nick Lansing was the stereotypical leather-clad bad boy, needing nothing but his fast car, his guitar, his never-ending partying, and his long-time girlfriend--until one bad decision changed the course of two lives forever. He's on the straight-and-narrow now, living life as a respected teacher and doing his best to be a positive role model. Yes, he still has his music. But gone are his days of partying. And gone is the one girl who always held his heart. Or is she?

One freak accident brings these two opposites back together. Is ten years long enough to heal the physical and emotional wounds from the past? Can they reconcile who they were with who they've become--or will it be a case of Once Burned is enough?

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michaela Davidson and Nick Lansing were the happiest of couples, until a reckless decision changed both their lives, and ended any chance they had at forever after. Or so they both thought, when a fire to Nick's residence brings Michaela back into his life. Except she's not ready to forgive nor forget how much Nick hurt her. At least not until they're forced to spend time together to work on a drunk-driving campaign to educate high school students.

What a riveting, fast-paced, highly emotional read Ms. Kamps has penned, encompassing the second chance romance trope, a heroine burying herself in work and using alcohol as an escape to deal with her past, and a hero that is willing do anything to obtain the heroine's forgiveness; even if that means exposing his deepest regret to his students. I really liked how it started with Michaela's fellow firefighters being worried about her, and then quickly figuring out her recent bad mood stems from Nick coming back into her life.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, powerful and emotional as both the main characters have to come to terms with the past. Can they overcome what happened between them? Can Michaela forgive Nick? It seems she's the one making all the mistakes this time around -- while Nick is trying to turn his life around -- which is proven by the emotions and reactions from the heroine's side. No wonder her friend and partner in the fire department is worried about her.

I really liked both characters, although Michaela did annoy me at the beginning. Her way of dealing with her past by drowning her sorrows made me feel sorry for her. However, she's strong, brave, hard-working and I could fathom her anger towards Nick. Yet, despite what the hero did, I thought she was being unreasonable by avoiding discussing their past. Especially when it was dragging her down more and more with every encounter between them. However, in saying that, I'm glad her firefighter partner Jay forced her to face the truth before it was too late. Because that moment did a lot towards healing her bitterness.

While Nick, he's done so much to change his life around. No longer does he act without thinking like he did in the past. Hurting Michaela really gave him the kick in the teeth that he needed to make something of his life. He's gone from the stereotypical bad guy doing everything wrong and getting into trouble, yet, now he's a wonderful teacher. Determined to teach kids that the choices they make in high school can impact the rest of their lives, if they're not careful. Honestly, I felt sorry for the hero. Because seeing how much Michaela is still hurting after so many years affects him just as much as it does her, which is proven through the dialogue and his narrative. How can he forgive himself for the past, if Michaela hasn't forgiven him?

Hot sex scenes spice up the pages, and although it felt like Michaela was using the hero the first time they jumped into bed together, the moments illustrated how much this pair still loved each other despite the pain that caused their past relationship to fall apart. I liked how Nick continued to prove himself to her, despite the fact that she continued to push him away. And the way he forces her to face hard truths did wonders towards healing her, which was what she needed to be happy.

Overall, I really liked this story and I can't wait to read future books to come for this series. Especially because I want to learn more about Jay, Michaela's partner in the fire department since he was such an enjoyable secondary character. The way this story ended had me cheering for this couple. Nick revealed something major that Michaela never expected, which makes her realize that she can forgive but never forget, and paves for a second chance at love. I would highly recommend Once Burned by Lisa B. Kamps, if you love second chance romances or stories about love, loss, healing and forgiveness.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by Tasty Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

This was a story filled with a lot of strong emotions, as it should because I honestly would have felt the same way Mike/Kaley did upon seeing Nick again. While it's clear that he's riddled with guilt over abandoning her and I understand his reasons behind it, what I don't get is why he never made any move to make amends within those ten years. In this day and age, it would have been easy enough for him to locate her if he really wanted to. What he chose to do was to go live his own life without ever looking back, even if he did claim to have never forgotten her. I think it's this decade-long inaction with regards to the one girl that he loved that made me hesitate going all in emotionally. I mean, good for him for cleaning up his act and getting help, but I thought that part of the process of rehab is owning up to past mistakes with the people they've hurt the most. Yes, Nick did that, but only because he was already confronted with his past.

While I was a bit iffy when it came to Nick and Kaley getting back together, I did like how the topic of alcoholism was tackled in this book. It played an important part in Nick and Kaley's story, and that scene involving the high school seniors who were supposed to listen to a presentation about the hazards of drunk driving was a heartrending and poignant one. I was waiting, though, for Kaley's own penchant for drinking to be given a stronger resolution, especially since she was playing it off as nothing more than a leisurely thing for her to do. Even with what I considered a couple of hiccups in the book, this was an overall good read and the kind of series starter that leaves me curious about what else may be in store as the series continues. I'm thinking Jay Moore, Kaley's partner and best friend, may be up next, but whether it does turn out to be Jay's story or not, I'll be looking forward to reading it. Four stars for Once Burned. ♥

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

****.5 "Once Burned" (Firehouse Fourteen, #1) by Lisa Kamps

Lisa Kamps uses the Jaws of Life from the very beginning of the novel and
opens it up so that it draws the reader in from the very beginning. She keeps filling it with so much oxygen and life, that the reader never wants to put the novel down.

The characters are so well written that the reader is living and breathing with them. They are relatable, flawed, strong, weak, accomplished, confused, and so much more. They are me, you, and all those around us.

It is easy to understand Michaela/Mike's feelings: confusion, anger, loss, forgiving or not so forgiving, questioning all kinds of things in regard to what is reality now and what she has hung on to from the past -- an old pattern and/or means of coping.

We can understand where Nick is coming from. Unable to forgive himself, still caring for Kayla despite the decade that has gone by, his own confusion in other areas of his life, his need to understand and to push, yet knowing pushing too hard could lead him into a backdraft, so to speak.

Jay is a dependable, level headed and an amazing friend. He is the water to the fire. He is there when needed, calls Mike out on her behavior, is convinced he will forever be a bachelor, puts himself on the line despite knowing things could blow up at anytime. We all need a friend like Jay in our lives. The voice of reason, the best friend, the person we can count on through the ups and downs, and the one with the water hose to wake us up or put out the flames of negativity, life, and everything in between.

This is a story of firefighters; friends; lovers; second and third chances; forgiveness; moving forward or staying locked in the past; of the heat within us and that surrounds us...and our choices as to whether we get burned...or not.

"...the last sliver of coldness deep inside her melted and disappeared. And was replaced by something so precious, it filled her with a heat that would warm her forever without fear of ever being burned."

[Diane Lynch Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once Burned (Firehouse Fourteen #1) by Lisa B. Kamps Lisa B. Kamps’ Once Burned is a heartfelt and emotional start to the Firehouse Fourteen series.  Michaela (Mike) Donaldson and Nick Lansing were high school loves, an accident in high school tore them apart changing both their lives forever. Ten years later, Michaela is a firefighter and Nick is a school teacher, brought back together to develop an education program, but working together is not so easy.
 
Lisa B. Kamps does a great job with her character development.  It is interesting to see how the same accident impacted both lives so differently.   Nick did a pretty good job turning his life around.  He understandably felt horrible about what happened.  He tries to do what is right.  I think it is noble that Mike becomes a firefighter, so she can help save lives like hers was once rescued.  It is ironic that she likes to drink as much as she does. 
 
I appreciated the concept of feeling invincible when you are young and agree unless you meet someone affected by the situation it has no impact on you.  When I was in college, I became friends with a number of people that were on the wheelchair basketball and track teams.  The majority of them were hit by drunk drivers.  Knowing them, made a huge impact in my life.  Just like I think the situations in this book would do the same for the high-school students whom Nick teaches. The presentation at the end was well-done and full of impact.
 
This story was a bit out of my normal read, but I really enjoyed it.   It moved me, especially toward the end of the story.  Once Burned would make great required reading for high-school students. 
 
Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda Hairston · Rating 5 out of 5]

True life,

Not my normal read but nice. A true romance filled with tragedy, growing up, forgiveness and happy ending. A good read.

[Deb Diem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once Burned by Lisa B. Kamps is a contemporary romance. Ms. Kamps has provided readers with a well-written book. This is a very angsty read, so if you don't like a lot of angst in your books, this probably won't be your favorite book ever. If you do like angst, this book will be right up your alley.

Nick was a teenage alcoholic when he crashed his car with his girlfriend in it. Since that time he's cleaned up his act and is now a high school teacher. Mike (or Michaela) is Nick's ex that was badly injured when their car accident happened and is now a firefighter. Mike and Nick's story is loaded with drama, bits of humor, loads of angst and sex.

While I enjoyed this story, the angst level was a little to much for me to love it. I would be willing to give another book by Lisa B. Kamps a try though. Once Burned is book 1 of the Firehouse Fourteen Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

[Karen Durant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michaela (Mike) & Nick were high school sweethearts until an accident in high school tore them apart changing both their lives. Now 10 years later, Mike's firefighter & Nick's a school teacher, brought back together for an education program. Easier said than done. Mike's reason for becoming a firefighter is to save life's like hers were saved. Nick never stopped loving Mike, but will she finally forgives him? Will they get their HEA? This was a really good book that shows what sometimes happens when youngsters think they're invincible with no care in the world. There can be tragic consequences... Besides recommending it to everyone, i would also tell parents with teens to recommend this book to them.

[Stacey Timmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. The story had potential but some parts just done my head in. Especially Mike (Kayla/Michaela), she was bitter and a bit of a hypocrite, with the drinking. Yeah, I do believe she had a problem, considering that's all she seemed to do or at least think about when things got tuff!! I understand what she went through was horrific and she did have justified anger but to hold onto it for 10 years, that was just bad on her part.

I like Nick. He has suffered with his guilt for 10 years and still she's hell bent on adding to his punishment! He can never forget it forgive himself. But he has tried to move on from it.

Plus they've been in the same place for at least 5 year and only now they're bumping into each other? Yeah, don't believe it!

[Heather Doughty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. Unfortunately, I didn't.

The series indicates that it is about a Firehouse. There was very little written about the Firehouse, the work of the firefighters and EMTs, and why Mike would be involved with community outreach.

Overall, I guess there wasn't enough of anything. Not enough about the backstory. Not enough about how Mike became a firefighter. Not enough about how Nick recovered and found his way to teaching. Not enough of them talking and hearing each other's perspectives (that should have happened more toward the end). Mike and Nick's families were completely excluded, but wouldn't they have something to say about these two working together after what had happened?

In addition, the sex scenes were filled with repetitive descriptions. That was disappointing too.

I would have really liked this book had it been more fleshed out and gone deeper. What a pun to make, but it certainly would have allowed for more complicated sex scenes.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon learning of the health issues with Author Lisa B Kamps, I went thru my Kindle to see if I had a book that was unread, which lead me to reading Once Burned. It was fascinating, reading about a firewoman, which was an occupation that Author Kamps held in her younger years. I'm sure she gleaned a wealth of information and experience to write this book, the first in the series. There is plenty of angst, before coming to terms. Great characters! Loved the solid friendship of Michaela and her partner Jay. The past and the present met for Michaela (aka Mike, aka Kayla) and Nick. An overall great story line and a great message too!

[Ambrosia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off kind of frustrating. Mike/Kayla has a lot of issues (legitimate and understandable, but annoying nonetheless). But the story picks up speed. The author did a nice job of showing how Nick had changed and why - without just telling us. In fact, the memories are realistic in the sense that they’re not clear, thorough and chronological. You have to piece the story together.
Unfortunately when I was finally enjoying the story, it ended. Just like that.

(Also, the author kept misusing the verb “effected” when she meant “affected.” Pet peeve of mine.).

[Tiffany Hannick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great second chance romance. Mike was not happy to see Nick again when they first ran into each other after ten years of being apart. They had to work their way through trauma from a horrible accident that almost killed Mike. She had a difficult time getting past her anger towards Nick. They where thrown together working on a drunk drivers program for high schoolers. They where forced to work through their issues while working together and in the end they both got their happy ever after. I can’t wait to read the rest of the firehouse series!

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how the book tried to deal with the issue of drunk driving and the long term impact it can have in your life. The author did a credible job for the main male character but I was disappointed that she glossed over the mental issues the main female character faced. More could have been done about why she drank so heavily and then more should have been done to explain how she was suddenly mentally fine about the whole situation.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I loved the toughness that embodied Michaela. With her history and her profession, she’s one tough woman! She learns that she doesn’t always have to be, though. That it’s okay the lean on another. She embraces her vulnerabilities. Nick is a changed man from who Michaela knew all those years ago. I enjoyed reading their journey while he proves that to her. Definitely a 5-star read for me!

[a collective of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet (it does have fire) second chance story between Kayla and Nick. I'm glad they got their second chance to love each other again, the person each have become, and to forgive. It was a little dragged on with Kayla going on a self destructive path for 10 years since the accident and refusing to admit and submit to her emotions. Overall it was a great read with lessons to learn.

[Kym · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional second chance love story involving Michaela (aka Kayla/Mike/Mikey) and her first love, Nick. Without giving the story away, regardless of how one feels about the subject matter, a lot of this story surrounds forgiveness - by both parties. While sometimes bittersweet and, at times, hard to reconcile Michaela’s behavior, in the end this is a sweet story of forgiveness and redemption.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

This first book in the Firehouse Fourteen series was amazing. I loved the way the history of the two main characters was carried throughout story. There were a few pieces of their history which I would have liked to know more of but it did not distract from the story. I can’t wait to read this next book in this series.

[Teresa Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something to think about.

Mikayla had been the victim of Nick's drunk driving. The book takes place at least ten years after the incident and is suppose to pick up on their lost love. Though I don't agree with the message behind her forgiveness the book is well written.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

A great read.
I highly recommend this story.
An emotional storyline. Two people struggle
With a devastating past can they forgive and move past
and heal together.
Beautiful story.

[Jaime Moore]

Once Burned

Once Burned was is emotional story about two people that knew each other in high school and were boyfriend and girlfriend. I want to say more but I don't want to give away anything else. All I'm going to say is that it's worth reading and sharing.

[Renae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgiveness

You really brought out your characters emotions perfectly. Forgiveness is first for you then others. Thank you so much for a beautifully written story with real believable characters.

[Kelly C Draper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Great Love Story

The characters in the book overcoming past pain in their past to realize that love will always overcome grief of the past. I recommend this book to all of the romantic lovers in the world.

[Joanne T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good start to the series

This was a good book. Liked the story and characters, but left me with a feeling of it being incomplete. I wish there had been follow through on what exactly went on with her father. Otherwise, it was entertaining.

[SylviaV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once Burned (Firehouse Fourteen, #1) by Lisa B. Kamps.
This is an engaging story with likeable characters. A bit predictable and some of the back ground information was a bit sketchy. A few typos and some minor editing issues. 2 and half stars. This is a stand alone book and book 1 in this series.

[Sania · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFed. Could not finish the book! Don't know, just did not like the main characters from beginning.

[Mary Meullion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Storyline

I loved this book because it was so inspiring and emotional. It was so emotional that I found myself in tears.

[Kathleen Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome reading

It was had great characters and in your face situations and really good ending. I couldn't put it down! If I had it in print it would go on my keeper shelf!😁

[Cheshire Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was okay, the grammar and spelling were fine, it was just too easy to put down and not pick back up because of it's predictability.