Up In Flames

Dark Reserves #0.5

by C.S. Joyce

Harry’s Halloween night is going well, until his fire crew are called to a bonfire that’s out of control. When a lapse of judgement causes Harry to make a terrible mistake, suddenly his night takes a turn for the worst.

Waking up in a hospital shouldn’t be a good thing but Harry is just happy to be alive. Fragmented memories of the night haunt his dreams, but it’s the memories of one man, his touch and caring voice, that linger.

For Harry, risking his life comes easy, but risking his heart never has. Until now. Suddenly fires are scorching everywhere and for once Harry wants to let them burn.

Up in Flames is a prequel in the Dark Reserves series.

Genres: M M Romance, LGBT, Short Stories, Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks, Firefighters

20 pages, ebook

First published October 26, 2018

Reviews

[Gabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Nice teaser to a new series. I liked it. Not too steamy, and it was left open-ended, but I enjoyed it.
If you're looking for a scary Halloween read, this is not it.

[The Celtic Rebel (Richard) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prequel to a new series set to release in 2019. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the series. I really hope that we get to see more of the characters here. Even in a short format, they developed enough that I became interested in their budding romance. I really loved that it was an open-ended conclusion and not a summed up and rushed happily ever after.

[Patrice Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short, sweet, adorable read is the starter for a series. Unfortunately..as much as I liked this one, and I really did, I won't be reading book 1. The MC is only 23 years old and that is a hard pass for me. Which is unfortunate because the MC's in this one were awesome! And they were grown-ass men. Harry was 40 and Quinn was a year or two shy of that so they were my perfect idea of the ages I want MC's to be in the books I read. Maybe, since this was a prequel, we'll eventually get their full story after the events of this one. A reader can hope, right? :)

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free copy received for signing up for the author’s newsletter.

To be honest… this was not my favourite. Queer firefighter and older man finding romance? Should be right up my alley. And, yet, this left me wanting. The writing was just okay, the plot was hazy, and the relationship felt clunky. And then, just as it was getting sweet, there was a really rushed leap into D/S territory that didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the story. I get that this is a prequel to a series that seems to lean heavily into that sexual trope, but here it seemed very out of place.

[fishreads (back? from hiatus)]

(DNF@50% on March 31st, 2025) For a supposedly 20-page short story, this one feels like it’s dragging on forever. I’m really not enjoying the characters, and their developing romance seems somewhat forced. The dialogue is stiff and clunky, and everything about the story feels slightly off, as if it’s being pushed forward by predefined plot points.

Themes: single POV, firefighter/EMT, injury, daddy kink

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little short with just a fire-fighter who is injured at work and the paramedic who worked on him starts visiting him in the hospital and Harry realizes that the guy is attracted to him and they start flirting and getting to know each other. It's just the start of their relationship. So short and cute quick read.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another promising storyline, and again way too short. We meet Quinn and Harrry in Theo’s Game. Their relationship already established. We’ve hardly skimmed the surface of their characters. We just start to care about them and then it ends. So frustrating. What is definitely needed is a book expanding on this couple and Gabriel and Mikey (Members Only book).

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish there had been a bit more to this story. It felt like just the first few chapters of a longer book. I love Harry and Quinn together and would like to read more of them. How is Quinn as a Daddy? Do they move in together? Go to a club or live DDlb 24/7? How is Harry as a Little? Does he have toys? I wanted more.....the whole HEA.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice but very short story that, at the last minute, went down a way I wasn't expecting and sadly ended way to soon. Outlining the huge dangers firemen experience, and a paramedic who kinda falls for the life he saved. Short, sweet and over in a flash.

[Jenn (not Lily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Really short, not much backstory on Harry (none for Quinn) but good connection between them. Surprised by their kink, but happily so. I'm more likely to read the first in the series now than before I read this little ficlet.

[Denise GremoryKohta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start to the series. I hope we hear how they are doing in the coming books. I’m curious if the other guys will be getting stories as well.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

The writing was terrible and the story was all over the place.

[Macky · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️2.5⭐️

[James Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a nice start to a new series.? Two guys funding love and one has a dangerous job. It will be interesting to how the books turn out.

[Kim Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this author before but not this series. This novella is about Harry the firefighter and Quinn the paramedic. Great story of their meeting. I want more!