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Braving the Heat #2
Taming Fire
Steam
Yoga instructor Louise Pine is the ultimate caretaker. Everyone around her seems to have an emergency, but Lou hasn’t met a fire she couldn’t put out—until she’s faced with the hunky, bossy firefighter who crashes into her own backyard—and her life. No one tells Lou what to do, yet somehow the guy’s take-charge style makes her tingle . . .
Simmer
Phoenix “Nix” Jones is used to calling the shots, whether he’s dealing with his younger siblings or taking on a dangerous blaze. Luckily, the fire at Lou’s is a false alarm. But the heat the fit and feisty woman ignites is far from dying out . . .
Afterglow
As the sparks turn into 5-alarm passion, can two strong-willed people end up engulfed by love—or will they crash and burn?
Yoga instructor Louise Pine is the ultimate caretaker. Everyone around her seems to have an emergency, but Lou hasn’t met a fire she couldn’t put out—until she’s faced with the hunky, bossy firefighter who crashes into her own backyard—and her life. No one tells Lou what to do, yet somehow the guy’s take-charge style makes her tingle . . .
Simmer
Phoenix “Nix” Jones is used to calling the shots, whether he’s dealing with his younger siblings or taking on a dangerous blaze. Luckily, the fire at Lou’s is a false alarm. But the heat the fit and feisty woman ignites is far from dying out . . .
Afterglow
As the sparks turn into 5-alarm passion, can two strong-willed people end up engulfed by love—or will they crash and burn?
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2018
5 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Leora Gonzales
42 books282 followersLeora is a former snake milker that now enjoys the okayest job of balancing motherhood and writing contemporary romance. *Some with a sci fi twist*
A sucker for dirty talk, both the sexy kind and the type that leads to the discovery of new curse words, Leora catches all the craziness in her head on the cracked screen of her laptop. Squeezed into a small workspace in her Florida garage, this author uses her imagination *and cannabis* to explore the worlds she has created.
Her work has been praised extensively by her mother—who pinky promised to read the sexy parts with her eyes closed—and ignored by the rest of her family. Some critics have made compelling statements about her work such as “foul mouthed woman” and “nothing more than porn”. When asked for a comment regarding those reviews, the author’s answer was, “f$&% yeah!” with an enthusiastic nod and accompanying finger guns shooting in the air.
Check her out at LeoraGonzales.com or on social media for updates, new releases and random little weirds she overshares when she’s bored.
A sucker for dirty talk, both the sexy kind and the type that leads to the discovery of new curse words, Leora catches all the craziness in her head on the cracked screen of her laptop. Squeezed into a small workspace in her Florida garage, this author uses her imagination *and cannabis* to explore the worlds she has created.
Her work has been praised extensively by her mother—who pinky promised to read the sexy parts with her eyes closed—and ignored by the rest of her family. Some critics have made compelling statements about her work such as “foul mouthed woman” and “nothing more than porn”. When asked for a comment regarding those reviews, the author’s answer was, “f$&% yeah!” with an enthusiastic nod and accompanying finger guns shooting in the air.
Check her out at LeoraGonzales.com or on social media for updates, new releases and random little weirds she overshares when she’s bored.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 6, 2018
***Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review***
This was hot, funny and sexy book!! Nix a Alpha male fireman and Louise a yoga instructor had an intense chemistry that was obvious from their first meeting. The story was steamy, fast, fun & sweet!!!
This was hot, funny and sexy book!! Nix a Alpha male fireman and Louise a yoga instructor had an intense chemistry that was obvious from their first meeting. The story was steamy, fast, fun & sweet!!!
November 26, 2018
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
The characters in this book meet under unusual circumstances. Louise's 4 year old nephew calls 911 when he sees a fire in the backyard not knowing that his aunt is outside and there is no danger. The fire department shows up with sirens and flashing lights and breaks down her gate to put out the fire. Nix is immediately taken with distraught Louise, but Louise has her hands full and is no mood to flirt.
Nix and Louise meet again at a friend's backyard barbeque and sparks fly. As they get to know each other, they have to decide if what they have is real and if they can make it work with the demands of a firefighters life.
A cute story of how a chance meeting can lead to so much more.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
The characters in this book meet under unusual circumstances. Louise's 4 year old nephew calls 911 when he sees a fire in the backyard not knowing that his aunt is outside and there is no danger. The fire department shows up with sirens and flashing lights and breaks down her gate to put out the fire. Nix is immediately taken with distraught Louise, but Louise has her hands full and is no mood to flirt.
Nix and Louise meet again at a friend's backyard barbeque and sparks fly. As they get to know each other, they have to decide if what they have is real and if they can make it work with the demands of a firefighters life.
A cute story of how a chance meeting can lead to so much more.
~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~
November 25, 2018
4 stars
November 18, 2018
Taming Fire (Braving the Heat #2) by Leora Gonzales
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Addiction
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This is the second book in this series and I did not read book 1. However, I never thought that I was missing something.
Louise is always willing to help out her family. She knows that since she is the oldest, her family has come to rely on her to pick up the slack. She knows that she is not what some would think of as typically beautiful, but she's comfortable with herself and her friends.
Nix is a seasoned firefighter who has been around the block in terms of the pole bunnies that hang around. He has also started to notice that his friends have begun to find women who are worth holding on and having real relationships with.
On a call, Nix meets Louise who is flabbergasted why there are firefighters breaking down her back gate. When she realizes that she scared her nephew who is staying with her temporarily, she immediately goes to comfort him. But, not before Nix gets an eyeful of Louise's robe clad body.
What follows are several events that help Nix and Louise develop a friendship and relationship. They have amazing chemistry and I love how Louise isn't afraid to stand up to Nix and how Nix isn't one bit threatened by Louise's ability to say what she wants, means and needs. Louise's family, for the most part, leaves something to be desired. I wanted to yell and scream at some of her family members, and found myself thinking some choice words whenever they came up in the story.
I hope we get to see more of this fun loving group!
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Addiction
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
This is the second book in this series and I did not read book 1. However, I never thought that I was missing something.
Louise is always willing to help out her family. She knows that since she is the oldest, her family has come to rely on her to pick up the slack. She knows that she is not what some would think of as typically beautiful, but she's comfortable with herself and her friends.
Nix is a seasoned firefighter who has been around the block in terms of the pole bunnies that hang around. He has also started to notice that his friends have begun to find women who are worth holding on and having real relationships with.
On a call, Nix meets Louise who is flabbergasted why there are firefighters breaking down her back gate. When she realizes that she scared her nephew who is staying with her temporarily, she immediately goes to comfort him. But, not before Nix gets an eyeful of Louise's robe clad body.
What follows are several events that help Nix and Louise develop a friendship and relationship. They have amazing chemistry and I love how Louise isn't afraid to stand up to Nix and how Nix isn't one bit threatened by Louise's ability to say what she wants, means and needs. Louise's family, for the most part, leaves something to be desired. I wanted to yell and scream at some of her family members, and found myself thinking some choice words whenever they came up in the story.
I hope we get to see more of this fun loving group!
November 20, 2018
The way Louise (Lou) and Nix meet in this story is beyond cute, and really sets up their personalities. We get to see Nix’s playful yet protective nature and Lou’s play by the rules with sass and spunk nature. So much fun.
I really, truly, deeply want to meet Lou’s family and give them a piece of my mind. Honestly, how Lou is such a wonderful person when her family is so oblivious to the fact that they are a bunch of greedy, lazy, self-absorbed, clueless people is beyond me. Lou has quite the backbone with people who aren’t family, probably from being taken advantage of by her family so much, so it was good to see her use that backbone with her mom and sister later in the story.
Such amazing chemistry between Nix and Lou. Not only their initial attraction and sexual chemistry. They seemed to be in synch in so many other facets of their lives. I adore the way Nix learned to take care of Louise while also letting her be a strong and independent woman. Speaking of her being independent and having a backbone, I absolutely love the grit Lou showed when the conflict between her and Nix presented itself. She may have been misreading some things, but she wasn’t going to be a doormat and I appreciated her strength of conviction.
There are some loose ends in this story, but it’s not a cliffhanger. Just a facet of the story that can continue to weave throughout the series since this is, after all, a series about firefighters. I enjoyed getting to see the progression of the other relationships that have already been told in this series and appreciated that Lou was added to the tight friendship between Winter and Jazz seamlessly.
One of the things I really respect about this author is the growth. I haven’t read her other series, but in this series I’ve seen her tighten up and hone her craft and I appreciate the work she’s putting into her stories and writing.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
I really, truly, deeply want to meet Lou’s family and give them a piece of my mind. Honestly, how Lou is such a wonderful person when her family is so oblivious to the fact that they are a bunch of greedy, lazy, self-absorbed, clueless people is beyond me. Lou has quite the backbone with people who aren’t family, probably from being taken advantage of by her family so much, so it was good to see her use that backbone with her mom and sister later in the story.
Such amazing chemistry between Nix and Lou. Not only their initial attraction and sexual chemistry. They seemed to be in synch in so many other facets of their lives. I adore the way Nix learned to take care of Louise while also letting her be a strong and independent woman. Speaking of her being independent and having a backbone, I absolutely love the grit Lou showed when the conflict between her and Nix presented itself. She may have been misreading some things, but she wasn’t going to be a doormat and I appreciated her strength of conviction.
There are some loose ends in this story, but it’s not a cliffhanger. Just a facet of the story that can continue to weave throughout the series since this is, after all, a series about firefighters. I enjoyed getting to see the progression of the other relationships that have already been told in this series and appreciated that Lou was added to the tight friendship between Winter and Jazz seamlessly.
One of the things I really respect about this author is the growth. I haven’t read her other series, but in this series I’ve seen her tighten up and hone her craft and I appreciate the work she’s putting into her stories and writing.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
August 25, 2018
Nix is an “ask questions never” type of guy and Louise is a “yes” woman who’s trying to learn to say no. Together they pretty much combust. Loved this book!
January 3, 2019
Louise is startled when her back gate is knocked down by a bunch of firefighters while she's in her backyard trying to enjoy her fire pit along with some wine and chocolate. Her nephew had seen the fire and called 911. Oops. But it was pretty fortunate because she met Nix (Phoenix), the hot firefighter who lead the crash into her backyard. When Nix comes back to fix her gate the next day, Lou's not exactly at her best, but Nix is still so smitten that he asks her out. Well...he doesn't really ASK as much as demand, and it gets Lou's back up. She's not one to be bossed around, so no is her only answer to his command.
Thankfully fate has other things in mind for them, and their mutual friends invite them both to a barbecue. Maybe Nix can do things right this time because he still wants Lou and he knows she wants him, too. But can Lou submit to being bossed around in the bedroom, and keep her independence outside the bedroom?
I liked Taming Fire much more than I liked the other book I've read in this series, Melting Snow. Nix and Lou are a hot couple and the way they work through their issues as a couple makes for a very entertaining read. If you like hot firefighter romances with a bossy alpha and a sassy heroine, Taming Fire should definitely be on your TBR list.
ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
Full review posted on Live Through Books Blog.
January 23, 2019
Taming Fire in the second novel in the Braving the Heat series, but it is the first book I've read in this series as well as the first book I've read by this author, and to say I have mixed feelings about this novel is putting it mildly, but for the reasons which I'll get to, I am giving it a 3-star rating.
The heroine in this novel is Louise (Lou) Pine, a somewhat overweight yoga instructor, and the person her many family members turn to when they need something from her, a babysitter, money, having her walk their dog--so she's basically the family doormat, and when we meet her she's two weeks' into caring for her nephew, 4-year-old, Junior, while her brother, Junior's single father, is in a rehab facility for his alcoholism, and Louise is happy to help her brother, especially since her mom and her siblings all refused to put themselves out for the little boy.
After a busy day, Junior has been put to bed and Louise is in her fenced backyard, enjoying a bottle of wine at her blazing fire pit, when suddenly sirens are blaring, and hunky firemen pour into her backyard, and knocking down her gate. Apparently, after visiting the firehouse for a safety lesson, Junior saw the fire and called 911 to report it. The sirens and crash scare Louise, who then spills her red wine all over herself. The hunkiest and first fireman into the backyard is Phoenix (Nix) Jones, who checks out Louise by opening her bathrobe because it looks like she's bleeding, and gets an eyeful, and very sexy eyeful at that. When Nix tells her she's going out with him the following night, she refuses, and Nix is dumbfounded.
Nix is what I'd call a manwhore, and he's had sex with most of what he refers to as pole bunnies, sluts who hang around the firehouse and are happy to service the sexy firemen for no questions asked, no promises made, one-nighters. Nix can't recall ever being turned down, and oh yes, he's sexually dominant and always wants to be in control. To say I found him to be crass and vulgar is understating my feelings about him in this novel. I read quite a bit of erotica, and have no problem with dominant men who are into BDSM, but Nix and his references to women really an d their body parts, put me off, and no matter that he eventually somewhat redeems himself, I couldn't forget his crassness.
However, I really got to like the heroine, Louise, who wasn't afraid to tell him off and who didn't like taking orders from him. I liked the fact that she was a kind and caring person with a good heart, but she was taken advantage of by her parents and her siblings from age 10. Well, she's not 10 anymore and I enjoyed watching her finally begin to speak up for herself, both to Nix and to her family. Eventually she and Nix develop a friends with benefits relationship, a first for Nix, and again, what happens in the bedroom becomes quite frequent and quite graphic, and if BDSM is a turnoff for you, you may be offended by some of it. I wasn't offended by the sex, but it's hard to like a novel when you really dislike the hero, even if he somewhat redeems himself by the ending.
As I stated at the outset, this in the second novel in a series, but I had no trouble becoming acquainted with the cast of characters, who, except for Louise's bitchy sister, Maggie, were all likable. There's also an arsonist in town, who is occasionally mentioned, but we are given no clues as to his identity, and I'm assuming he'll be apprehended in a later novel, but I do wish the author had given this reader a little more in the way of a plot that extended beyond Nix and Louise's sexcapades, and her clueless, self-centered, and dysfunctional famil,y because in my opinion, there simply wasn't enough of a plot to hold this story together.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
The heroine in this novel is Louise (Lou) Pine, a somewhat overweight yoga instructor, and the person her many family members turn to when they need something from her, a babysitter, money, having her walk their dog--so she's basically the family doormat, and when we meet her she's two weeks' into caring for her nephew, 4-year-old, Junior, while her brother, Junior's single father, is in a rehab facility for his alcoholism, and Louise is happy to help her brother, especially since her mom and her siblings all refused to put themselves out for the little boy.
After a busy day, Junior has been put to bed and Louise is in her fenced backyard, enjoying a bottle of wine at her blazing fire pit, when suddenly sirens are blaring, and hunky firemen pour into her backyard, and knocking down her gate. Apparently, after visiting the firehouse for a safety lesson, Junior saw the fire and called 911 to report it. The sirens and crash scare Louise, who then spills her red wine all over herself. The hunkiest and first fireman into the backyard is Phoenix (Nix) Jones, who checks out Louise by opening her bathrobe because it looks like she's bleeding, and gets an eyeful, and very sexy eyeful at that. When Nix tells her she's going out with him the following night, she refuses, and Nix is dumbfounded.
Nix is what I'd call a manwhore, and he's had sex with most of what he refers to as pole bunnies, sluts who hang around the firehouse and are happy to service the sexy firemen for no questions asked, no promises made, one-nighters. Nix can't recall ever being turned down, and oh yes, he's sexually dominant and always wants to be in control. To say I found him to be crass and vulgar is understating my feelings about him in this novel. I read quite a bit of erotica, and have no problem with dominant men who are into BDSM, but Nix and his references to women really an d their body parts, put me off, and no matter that he eventually somewhat redeems himself, I couldn't forget his crassness.
However, I really got to like the heroine, Louise, who wasn't afraid to tell him off and who didn't like taking orders from him. I liked the fact that she was a kind and caring person with a good heart, but she was taken advantage of by her parents and her siblings from age 10. Well, she's not 10 anymore and I enjoyed watching her finally begin to speak up for herself, both to Nix and to her family. Eventually she and Nix develop a friends with benefits relationship, a first for Nix, and again, what happens in the bedroom becomes quite frequent and quite graphic, and if BDSM is a turnoff for you, you may be offended by some of it. I wasn't offended by the sex, but it's hard to like a novel when you really dislike the hero, even if he somewhat redeems himself by the ending.
As I stated at the outset, this in the second novel in a series, but I had no trouble becoming acquainted with the cast of characters, who, except for Louise's bitchy sister, Maggie, were all likable. There's also an arsonist in town, who is occasionally mentioned, but we are given no clues as to his identity, and I'm assuming he'll be apprehended in a later novel, but I do wish the author had given this reader a little more in the way of a plot that extended beyond Nix and Louise's sexcapades, and her clueless, self-centered, and dysfunctional famil,y because in my opinion, there simply wasn't enough of a plot to hold this story together.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 12, 2018
This is a fun, hot read and for the most part, I enjoyed it. Louise (which apparently in the US is an old person's name, which amused me, seeing as there's a huge amount of Louises around my age in the UK) is her families dogs body. She runs around after them getting very little in return. Nix, a local firefighter comes around to her house after her nephew called the fire brigade thinking that the firepit at the back of the house was a house fire. Things soon get pretty hot between them.
I liked the characters in the book. I liked the more relaxed attitude to alcohol, no clutching of pearls because she was drinking while looking after her four-year-old nephew. We all know most four-year-olds lead to the odd bottle of wine after all. I also liked the way that she didn't completely bow down to Nix, who, to be honest, could be a bit of an arse.
What I wasn't so keen on, was the dismissive way he spoke about women who had been his conquests in the past. 'Pole bunnies' who were only after a good time. They were continually talked about as though they were nothing and that they didn't have any feelings. Fine, if they're all on board for just a good time, but throw away comments by the likes of her sister Maggie/Rose that she thought she might have been in the right place and the right time for more commitment combined with how jealous these women seemed to be, would suggest that they didn't just see it as fun and games. It's a minor point in what was otherwise an enjoyable story, but I don't like it when male characters are so disparaging of female characters who are just like they were until recently.
Overall, this was a good read. I hadn't read the previous books and while these characters were mentioned, it didn't detract from the book to have not read the rest of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I liked the characters in the book. I liked the more relaxed attitude to alcohol, no clutching of pearls because she was drinking while looking after her four-year-old nephew. We all know most four-year-olds lead to the odd bottle of wine after all. I also liked the way that she didn't completely bow down to Nix, who, to be honest, could be a bit of an arse.
What I wasn't so keen on, was the dismissive way he spoke about women who had been his conquests in the past. 'Pole bunnies' who were only after a good time. They were continually talked about as though they were nothing and that they didn't have any feelings. Fine, if they're all on board for just a good time, but throw away comments by the likes of her sister Maggie/Rose that she thought she might have been in the right place and the right time for more commitment combined with how jealous these women seemed to be, would suggest that they didn't just see it as fun and games. It's a minor point in what was otherwise an enjoyable story, but I don't like it when male characters are so disparaging of female characters who are just like they were until recently.
Overall, this was a good read. I hadn't read the previous books and while these characters were mentioned, it didn't detract from the book to have not read the rest of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 10, 2018
I received a copy of this e-book via Bet Galley and am voluntarily leaving an honest opinion of this story.
Louise "Lou" is a Yoga instructor who has recently had her 4 year old nephew Junior come to stay with her due to his dad going to an alcohol rehab for treatment. As the oldest child in her family, they have always deferred to her for any family issues, including her parents. As a matter of fact, they really do abuse her and no one is ever makes a commitment to help her. There is always an excuse.
Phoenix "Nix" is a fireman and a definite alpha male. He has a need to control because of something that happened in the past. He love his job and his "Brothers" in the fire department.
The ladies love him of course but he has no interest besides the occasional "pole bunny".
Lou is in her back yard, by the fire pit with a glass of wine, trying to wind down at the end of the day when the fence comes crashing down and firemen rushing through. It seems Lou's nephew thought there was a fire...LOL.
This is Nix and Lou's first meeting, what a beginning! The beginning of passion and headbutting...
Will they ever become a couple?
I absolutely loved this story! I was hooked from the first page and wanted to see these two together. Their story is super steamy and has a great cast of characters.
I really liked that Louise is a "typical" woman. As a yoga instructor she isn't stick thin, she actually has some "curves". She definitely has a lot of sass, as much as Nix has arrogance These two will never become bored with one another.
Bringing this all together is the sense of humor the author has, as she gives her characters. There were many LOL moments along with the steam and heartache.
I would love to read more about these firefighters and also Lou's brother who is dealing with the alcohol issues.
Louise "Lou" is a Yoga instructor who has recently had her 4 year old nephew Junior come to stay with her due to his dad going to an alcohol rehab for treatment. As the oldest child in her family, they have always deferred to her for any family issues, including her parents. As a matter of fact, they really do abuse her and no one is ever makes a commitment to help her. There is always an excuse.
Phoenix "Nix" is a fireman and a definite alpha male. He has a need to control because of something that happened in the past. He love his job and his "Brothers" in the fire department.
The ladies love him of course but he has no interest besides the occasional "pole bunny".
Lou is in her back yard, by the fire pit with a glass of wine, trying to wind down at the end of the day when the fence comes crashing down and firemen rushing through. It seems Lou's nephew thought there was a fire...LOL.
This is Nix and Lou's first meeting, what a beginning! The beginning of passion and headbutting...
Will they ever become a couple?
I absolutely loved this story! I was hooked from the first page and wanted to see these two together. Their story is super steamy and has a great cast of characters.
I really liked that Louise is a "typical" woman. As a yoga instructor she isn't stick thin, she actually has some "curves". She definitely has a lot of sass, as much as Nix has arrogance These two will never become bored with one another.
Bringing this all together is the sense of humor the author has, as she gives her characters. There were many LOL moments along with the steam and heartache.
I would love to read more about these firefighters and also Lou's brother who is dealing with the alcohol issues.
January 1, 2019
A sizzling hot, fun, and quick read with plenty of intriguing points brought up, from charming characters and their dysfunctional families to the stress of loving a firefighter, and the dangers that lay within the job.
Louise Pine is a loyal, caring, kind, and hardworking woman. She has a big heart, dirty mouth, and a family that drives her mad. She is no prude, by any means, but she is not looking for a relationship at the moment, yet one has landed into her life and is not thinking about moving out.
Phoenix “Nix” Jones is a man who needs to be in control and in charge of everything affecting his life. He used to sleep around more than most, yet lately, he has felt the desire for settling down, finding the one, falling in love. He grew up as an only child for a single mom (despite what the blurb informs) and he is not used to sharing his life, the challenges of his job, or his home with anyone.
The chemistry between Nix and Louise is tangible, the detailed sex scenes proving the connection between them to be true. Nix's interest and need of being in control, a little spanking, some toys, and ropes come clear yet it is done tastefully and the story doesn't go too deep into the world of S/M.
I truly enjoyed the story, the characters easily won me over with their wit and charm. It is a delightfully sexy tale yet it has some serious points in the backstory that brought some 'meat' into the pages.
There's absolutely nothing I didn't like about the book, but all the possibilities to dig even deeper with the dysfunctional family issues, dangers to the firefighter's job, Nix's need for control, or even the conflict arising between Nix and Louise, were not taken advantage of and thus the scoring of four Spoons.
But it is great as it is; an entertaining, tantalizing, and engaging tale!
~ Four Spoons
Louise Pine is a loyal, caring, kind, and hardworking woman. She has a big heart, dirty mouth, and a family that drives her mad. She is no prude, by any means, but she is not looking for a relationship at the moment, yet one has landed into her life and is not thinking about moving out.
Phoenix “Nix” Jones is a man who needs to be in control and in charge of everything affecting his life. He used to sleep around more than most, yet lately, he has felt the desire for settling down, finding the one, falling in love. He grew up as an only child for a single mom (despite what the blurb informs) and he is not used to sharing his life, the challenges of his job, or his home with anyone.
The chemistry between Nix and Louise is tangible, the detailed sex scenes proving the connection between them to be true. Nix's interest and need of being in control, a little spanking, some toys, and ropes come clear yet it is done tastefully and the story doesn't go too deep into the world of S/M.
I truly enjoyed the story, the characters easily won me over with their wit and charm. It is a delightfully sexy tale yet it has some serious points in the backstory that brought some 'meat' into the pages.
There's absolutely nothing I didn't like about the book, but all the possibilities to dig even deeper with the dysfunctional family issues, dangers to the firefighter's job, Nix's need for control, or even the conflict arising between Nix and Louise, were not taken advantage of and thus the scoring of four Spoons.
But it is great as it is; an entertaining, tantalizing, and engaging tale!
~ Four Spoons
November 17, 2018
This review first appeared on the blog Ally's Appraisals: https://wp.me/p37L0Q-13P
Taming Heat was a quick and punchy read. While enjoying a nice glass of wine next to her fire pit, Louise (or Lou or Aunty Loulou) is interrupted by the fire brigade as they kick down her fence. It is here that Phoenix (or ‘Nix’) meets Lou. The story follows the pair as they hit it off, get turned down, and then fall in love.
Taming Heat is a romance that not only takes us on a journey as Lou and Nix fall in love but takes us along for the ride as they each grow as people. Throughout the course of the book Lou begins to stand up for herself and Nix begins to realise some tough truths about his previous lifestyle.
I’m going to be honest, at the beginning of the book I really did not care for Nix. Just as Lou takes issue with being told she is going to dinner with him (see the above reference to being turned down), I too took issue with his controlling nature. No pulling punches – Nix came off as an arsehole.
However, he does redeem himself very quickly. Nix won me over with his honesty – he is honest about his feelings for Lou and he is honest about his past ‘relationships.’ I can get behind a male lead who is willing to confront past behaviour and undergo a little personal growth.
Taming Fire had an excellent pace, some excellent spicy scenes, and I really came to enjoy the characters. While the book isn’t a stand alone, I found it quite easy to pick it and read it by itself.
I would really recommend Taming Fire for someone who was looking for a quick, spicy, and entertaining read! The fact that it features a smoking firefighter and a curvaceous female lead, doesn’t hurt either.
Taming Heat was a quick and punchy read. While enjoying a nice glass of wine next to her fire pit, Louise (or Lou or Aunty Loulou) is interrupted by the fire brigade as they kick down her fence. It is here that Phoenix (or ‘Nix’) meets Lou. The story follows the pair as they hit it off, get turned down, and then fall in love.
Taming Heat is a romance that not only takes us on a journey as Lou and Nix fall in love but takes us along for the ride as they each grow as people. Throughout the course of the book Lou begins to stand up for herself and Nix begins to realise some tough truths about his previous lifestyle.
I’m going to be honest, at the beginning of the book I really did not care for Nix. Just as Lou takes issue with being told she is going to dinner with him (see the above reference to being turned down), I too took issue with his controlling nature. No pulling punches – Nix came off as an arsehole.
However, he does redeem himself very quickly. Nix won me over with his honesty – he is honest about his feelings for Lou and he is honest about his past ‘relationships.’ I can get behind a male lead who is willing to confront past behaviour and undergo a little personal growth.
Taming Fire had an excellent pace, some excellent spicy scenes, and I really came to enjoy the characters. While the book isn’t a stand alone, I found it quite easy to pick it and read it by itself.
I would really recommend Taming Fire for someone who was looking for a quick, spicy, and entertaining read! The fact that it features a smoking firefighter and a curvaceous female lead, doesn’t hurt either.
November 27, 2018
Taming Fire is a great addition to Leora Gozales Brave the Heat series and brings together the imposing and domineering Nix, and a the very independent, Louise.
With responsibilities up to the wazoo, the last thing Lou needs in her life is a man who thinks a woman requires his care and protection. Lou has been doing it on her own and quite often pretty tough, all her life, so where does Nix get off ordering her on a date? Nix has been described as a caveman Viking on more than one occasion. He’s big, buff and drop dead gorgeous, but he likes things done his way, and isn’t afraid to let his overbearing side loose. But Lou may be the one woman who can make him realise that sometimes it’s OK to let the reins go and have someone else take care of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Nix and Lou’s relationship, the easy flow of the storyline and the absolute madness of Lou’s family too. Unfortunately, many of us know what it’s like to be related to people who constantly take you for granted, and Lou’s family are some of the worst. I also loved the growth in Nix’s character and his lesson in vulnerability.
I can’t wait for more of this series and gladly recommend it as a quick and satisfying read.
With responsibilities up to the wazoo, the last thing Lou needs in her life is a man who thinks a woman requires his care and protection. Lou has been doing it on her own and quite often pretty tough, all her life, so where does Nix get off ordering her on a date? Nix has been described as a caveman Viking on more than one occasion. He’s big, buff and drop dead gorgeous, but he likes things done his way, and isn’t afraid to let his overbearing side loose. But Lou may be the one woman who can make him realise that sometimes it’s OK to let the reins go and have someone else take care of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Nix and Lou’s relationship, the easy flow of the storyline and the absolute madness of Lou’s family too. Unfortunately, many of us know what it’s like to be related to people who constantly take you for granted, and Lou’s family are some of the worst. I also loved the growth in Nix’s character and his lesson in vulnerability.
I can’t wait for more of this series and gladly recommend it as a quick and satisfying read.
December 1, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing Corporation and Leora Gonzalez for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.
Taming Fire is certainly an intense steamy romance that at times almost borders on erotica — at least I think so, based on never having read it before. It was a bit more than I bargained for. Let’s just say that Nix likes things rough, is dominant, and aggressive at times. He knows what he wants and communicates that to his partner, but it’s not for me. Also Nix is very presumptuous that Louise will like him and the things that he enjoyed. This is explained later, so we learn to understand him more. Also the descriptions of women’s bodies, “fat” or “thin” sometimes worked and many times didn’t.
Now onto the things that I did like. Louise’s family takes advantage of her generosity and kindness. I’m glad the book focused on her learning to stand up for herself. Louise as a person is wonderful. I would love to read even more about her, not necessarily with the romance.
Overall, I enjoyed many aspects of the book, but was put off by some of the bedroom happenings. Maybe it’s for you though. Not for me, but I can still recommend it to others.
Taming Fire is certainly an intense steamy romance that at times almost borders on erotica — at least I think so, based on never having read it before. It was a bit more than I bargained for. Let’s just say that Nix likes things rough, is dominant, and aggressive at times. He knows what he wants and communicates that to his partner, but it’s not for me. Also Nix is very presumptuous that Louise will like him and the things that he enjoyed. This is explained later, so we learn to understand him more. Also the descriptions of women’s bodies, “fat” or “thin” sometimes worked and many times didn’t.
Now onto the things that I did like. Louise’s family takes advantage of her generosity and kindness. I’m glad the book focused on her learning to stand up for herself. Louise as a person is wonderful. I would love to read even more about her, not necessarily with the romance.
Overall, I enjoyed many aspects of the book, but was put off by some of the bedroom happenings. Maybe it’s for you though. Not for me, but I can still recommend it to others.
August 29, 2018
What a fun and emotional ride this was. Here are two outspoken people both in need of something or someone who don’t realize it until they meet face to face.
I loved how the author brought these two people together. I loved the reaction that Louise had when she first meets Nix. She is both embarrassed by her outfit and her reaction to Nix, angry about the fence and confused as to what just happened. Once she found out it had to do with her nephew though, she dropped everything to make sure he was ok. To me, that spoke volumes on who Louise is as a person.
I have a love/I want to throat punch relationship with Nix. He is a very demanding man. He is like this in both his professional and personal life. The woman he is with before Louise know the score and really like it. Louise however isn’t too sure. A loved reading about the maturing of Nix from the start of the book till the end. He hadn’t had a relationship before so in the beginning he comes across very arrogant. Nix is at his best when he is communicating with Louise and being vulnerable.
I highly recommend this book.
I loved how the author brought these two people together. I loved the reaction that Louise had when she first meets Nix. She is both embarrassed by her outfit and her reaction to Nix, angry about the fence and confused as to what just happened. Once she found out it had to do with her nephew though, she dropped everything to make sure he was ok. To me, that spoke volumes on who Louise is as a person.
I have a love/I want to throat punch relationship with Nix. He is a very demanding man. He is like this in both his professional and personal life. The woman he is with before Louise know the score and really like it. Louise however isn’t too sure. A loved reading about the maturing of Nix from the start of the book till the end. He hadn’t had a relationship before so in the beginning he comes across very arrogant. Nix is at his best when he is communicating with Louise and being vulnerable.
I highly recommend this book.
September 12, 2018
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) This was the second book in this series however I started with this one, at the time I did not know that it was second book in the series but as I was reading I figured it out and no you do not have to start with the first book I am however going to go back and read it just so that I can appreciate it more. This is Louise and Nix's book. Louise is a very nice person who unfortunately gets taken advantage of by her horrid family. At the time that she meet Nix she is taking care of her 4 year old nephew Junior, who calls the fire department when she is in her yard relaxing with a glass of wine and bonfire, he thinks they are burning. The fire department who is lead by Nix destroys her fence and Nix is captivated by Louise even though she is not the type of woman that he tends to go for, 1 she is nice, 2 she is thicker and many other traits. What kind of bugged me was how this love affair or their relationship happened, they went out on one date and he practically moved in. But all in all it was an entertaining read and I will pick up the next one, and we hopefully never hear about her horrible family again. Enjoy!
December 7, 2018
This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.
Louise and Nix were such a fun couple to see progress in a relationship as they are not a typical couple! At first, Lou seemed kind of turned off by Nix and his bossy ways but then you could see she kind of liked it.
It was kind of sad how badly Lou's family treated her and used her and just didn't seem to care about her feelings. I loved when you read that she finally sat them down and said that was not going to happen any longer.
I wasn't sure if Nix could handle a relationship, he was so nasty when Lou tried to help out when he first came home from the hospital. It was great that she did not put up that behavior and was ready to walk out on that treatment.
Thr only thing that was not really discussed was Nix's lack of talking to Lou about his job as a firefighter and if he started to open up more to Lou.
Louise and Nix were such a fun couple to see progress in a relationship as they are not a typical couple! At first, Lou seemed kind of turned off by Nix and his bossy ways but then you could see she kind of liked it.
It was kind of sad how badly Lou's family treated her and used her and just didn't seem to care about her feelings. I loved when you read that she finally sat them down and said that was not going to happen any longer.
I wasn't sure if Nix could handle a relationship, he was so nasty when Lou tried to help out when he first came home from the hospital. It was great that she did not put up that behavior and was ready to walk out on that treatment.
Thr only thing that was not really discussed was Nix's lack of talking to Lou about his job as a firefighter and if he started to open up more to Lou.
December 8, 2018
Louisa is taking care of her nephew when out of the blue her back gate gets knocked off its hinges and a firefighter is looking at her and saying where is the fire? Nix is surprised to see the women in the back yard and the surprised look on her face when they came through her gate. Now he cannot get her out her out of his mind. Going back the next day to fix her gate she says no when he says go out with me instead of asking. Not ever having any women say no to him he is surprised when she shows up at one of the guy’s party with her nephew. After clearing up some confusion she decides to go on a date with him. After the date you are left with a very good story about two people getting to know each other and some very hot scenes. A well written book with good characters. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
February 21, 2019
This was okay for me. The writing flowed okay, but it did start to get hard to get through about half way through. I liked Lou for the most part. Her family was pretty crappy, and I was glad to see her start to stand up for herself, I just wish it would have happened sooner. Nix came off as a big jerk to begin with, and honestly it was hard to like him. I don't mind the bossiness in the bedroom, but I'm not a fan of thinking everyone's just going to do what you want because you say so. Also, I know that Nix and Maggie only have one outing, but it's weird for me to see Lou going out with the same person her sister did. I was able to eventually put that out of my mind, and the ending was sweet. This was a first for me in this series, but I wasn't lost at all. I would give this author another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
August 31, 2018
Louise is taking care of her nephew while her brother is in rehab. With a large family, you would think she could get some help from her family members. Nope. We meet Nix - who is a fire fighter - when he responds to a house fire at Lou's house. Only, the fire in question is only a fire pit. Lou's little nephew saw fire and called 911.
Nix asks Lou out and is turned down.
They meet again at a mutual friend's gathering. Nix is on a 'date' with Lou's flakey sister.
And here is where the meat of this story starts.
I thought this story had great potential, but somewhere around the 30% point it lost my interest. I did skip ahead to the ending - I thought that part was sweet.
This is part of a series, but I read it on it's own with no issues.
This is my first book by this author.
Nix asks Lou out and is turned down.
They meet again at a mutual friend's gathering. Nix is on a 'date' with Lou's flakey sister.
And here is where the meat of this story starts.
I thought this story had great potential, but somewhere around the 30% point it lost my interest. I did skip ahead to the ending - I thought that part was sweet.
This is part of a series, but I read it on it's own with no issues.
This is my first book by this author.
October 27, 2018
Taming fire was a fun read. I loved Louise’s I don’t give a shit attitude. Her character was fully developed, with a great sense of humor. I enjoyed the pacing of the relationship between Nix the fireman and Louise. Nothing was rushed and there were plenty of interesting supporting characters. The sex scenes between Nix and Louise were what I would call hot, but not X-rated. Overall this was a well written contemporary romance. And if you enjoy series, this is clearly going to have more books coming the author included an excerpt of a forthcoming title at the end. I had never read anything by this author but would recommend her to anyone who enjoys a fun romance.
March 2, 2023
I found Leora Gonzales on TikTok and her quirky personality made me curious, so I decided to check her out. I liked the story of Louise and Nix. And to her credit, there were no typos or grammatical errors, which are often found if books that are published independently. Even the spice level was just right, not too much, right in the middle. I didn’t quite like the ending, it seemed quite abrupt. HFN always leaves me a little unsatisfied, though. It’s part of a series, though, so when my TBR isn’t a mile long, I’m going to revisit and read the entire series if that makes it feel more complete.
September 5, 2018
Taming Fire was a wonderful read. I did not want to put it down once I started. Louise is a strong independent woman who is tired of being walked all over and taken advantage of. Nix is a take charge kind of guy and loves to be in control. He is immediately taken by Louise and has to learn to reign in his bossy side. I absolutely love Louise and Nix together, their chemistry together is scorching hot. I immediately fell in love with them and all of the characters in Taming Fire. This is my first book by Leora Gonzales book and I am hooked.
August 26, 2018
Nix is sometimes in shock with his woman, “I’ll pick you—” Nix was talking before her answer registered in his brain. “Wait, did you say no?” Nix looked at the woman..." Nix is a considerate man, “now get some sleep so I don’t feel bad about waking you up in the morning to go again.” Louise doesn't mind crossing lines, “are you wearing underwear?” Louise asked, certain he wasn’t after seeing the clear definition of his ***k under the slick fabric." I liked this book, I loved Nix.
November 18, 2018
I've received a ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. It was filled with funny, sweet and smexy moments between Louise and Nix. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the series and how well written it was. It's a must read!
I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. It was filled with funny, sweet and smexy moments between Louise and Nix. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the series and how well written it was. It's a must read!
November 27, 2018
First time reading from this author. Want to read more... A great series about firefighters it is a sensational romance story. Incredibly hot chemistry characters. A well-written book. It was a pleasure to read this book. I voluntarily read and review an advanced reader copy of this book.
November 28, 2018
Book 2 in the Braving the Heat series, Taming Fire is a terrific read. Nix and Lou are great characters, the interaction is engaging and the storyline well written. I will definitely be reading more by this author
November 28, 2018
I really enjoyed this fun, entertaining and steamy read. The characters are great with steamy chemistry and their story has plenty of drama and emotion. I was hooked from beginning to end. A good read.
January 2, 2019
Total easy read - great romance and likable characters. Louise and Nix are relatable and easy to like. Not a super long story but long enough to cover all bases and make sense. Not to miss the sexy hotness too!! Definitely recommend!
January 7, 2019
Louise and Phoenix did not have an auspicious first meeting, but sparks fly and seemingly opposites attract. I enjoyed watching them (and their families) navigate their relationship as they fell in love. Fun read!
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