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Blaze
Bestselling author JoAnn Ross turns up the heat in a novel of heart-stopping suspense and white-hot passion that takes readers from the sultry South Carolina Lowcountry to the rugged Northern California coast, and ultimately into the darkest reaches of the human heart....Fire cop Tess Gannon is hot on the trail of a pyromaniac who's been setting buildings ablaze throughout Somersett, South Carolina, when ATF Special Agent Gage O'Halloran arrives on her fire scene. Coming out of a self-imposed exile, Gage suspects that Tess's "Flamemaster" is connected to a serial killer he apprehended three years ago.
Tess doesn't like Gage. He's too rude. Too arrogant. Too damn...male. Worse yet, she doesn't trust him. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Tess and Gage race to stop the killer from striking another fatal match. But Gage's fragile hope for redemption is put to the test when Tess becomes ensnared in a homicidal pyromaniac's deadly obsession. And time is running out....
Tess doesn't like Gage. He's too rude. Too arrogant. Too damn...male. Worse yet, she doesn't trust him. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Tess and Gage race to stop the killer from striking another fatal match. But Gage's fragile hope for redemption is put to the test when Tess becomes ensnared in a homicidal pyromaniac's deadly obsession. And time is running out....
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
21 people are currently reading
351 people want to read
About the author
JoAnn Ross
240 books798 followersNew York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross has written over a hundred novels for a bunch of publishers. Two of her titles have been excerpted in Cosmo and her books have also been published by the Doubleday, Rhapsody, Literary Guild, and Mystery Guild book clubs.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
A member of the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors, she's won several awards, including Romantic Times's Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title.
Currently writing a new Honeymoon Harbor series for HQN set on the Washington peninsula, that will launch in April, 2018, JoAnn lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart, who proposed at the sea wall where her Shelter Bay books are set), in the Pacific Northwest.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 16, 2019
Wonderful page-turning action! I loved Tess because she's a strong character.
February 21, 2010
Just too much sex - this is what I have noted the most in this book. It wasn't enough for Ms. Ross to make the male and female protagonists to have sex on their 2nd day of acquaintance, but really expound on each of their many encounters afterwards. All this given that Tess despised Gage from the very first moment she laid eyes on him. And somehow, this clouded the real theme of the story which was arson and murder. Just the same, the story had its twists and turns, and for that, it was just ok.
September 4, 2010
I had overlooked this book several times and now am sorry that I did for so long. It was edge of your seat (my case, edge of laying on the bed) action and intrigue through out the book. The characters were smart and interesting.
Tess Gannon is a fire investigator for the city of Summerset. After losing her fiance' to a fire three years before, she couldn't return to being a fireman. So has since moved on to investigation fires. While investigating a fire where someone dies, she and her partner are joined by a man that is an investigator too. He once put an arsonist away for setting a series of fires that murdered. Now he is after a copycat arsonist that is copying the infamous arsonist that is now sitting in jail. But Gage O'Holloran doesn't expect to be attracted to the little fire investigator from Summerset.
While they track the copy cat arsonist and try to prevent them striking again, Their attraction becomes physical. But will their attraction become love? And will they be able to find the arsonist that is killing in Summerset and may have killed Tess's fiance'?
Tess Gannon is a fire investigator for the city of Summerset. After losing her fiance' to a fire three years before, she couldn't return to being a fireman. So has since moved on to investigation fires. While investigating a fire where someone dies, she and her partner are joined by a man that is an investigator too. He once put an arsonist away for setting a series of fires that murdered. Now he is after a copycat arsonist that is copying the infamous arsonist that is now sitting in jail. But Gage O'Holloran doesn't expect to be attracted to the little fire investigator from Summerset.
While they track the copy cat arsonist and try to prevent them striking again, Their attraction becomes physical. But will their attraction become love? And will they be able to find the arsonist that is killing in Summerset and may have killed Tess's fiance'?
August 13, 2021
My Musings
Wow, I didn't know what to expect t with this book. I had downloaded it some time ago and accidentally c opened it. It's. A fantastic and exciting novel with compelling characters and completely surprising ending. Glad I decided to read it. Happy reading!
Wow, I didn't know what to expect t with this book. I had downloaded it some time ago and accidentally c opened it. It's. A fantastic and exciting novel with compelling characters and completely surprising ending. Glad I decided to read it. Happy reading!
December 13, 2018
I hated the ending, but enjoyed the rest of the book.
October 5, 2023
Not done yet....but it is splendid and i'm looking forward to the ending
April 29, 2008
Two years ago, firefighter Daniel McGee was killed in a warehouse-turned-nightclub fire that has never been solved. He left behind his fiance, fellow firefighter Tess Gannon, his last words over the radio he carried telling her that he loved her and that the years they'd spent together were the best of his life. Now she's a member of the fire police, a virtual fireman type cop who investigates the cause of fires, and Danny's death still haunts her-especially now that an arsonist calling himself The Flamemaster is setting fires around the town of Somersett , South Carolina , and sending letters to the local newspaper threatening more fires.
At the scene of a burned down apartment building, Tess is brought face to face with Gage O'Halloran, a man dressed in jeans and cowboy boots, talking with a distinct western drawl, calling her sweetheart. Tess is soon taken to task, however, when O'Halloran flashes his ATF badge at her. Now there's two fire investigators on the scene, one from ATF and one from the FBI. Gage, though, knows better than most what type of pyromaniac they're after-he's pretty sure that Somersett's Flamemaster is connected to an arsonist serial killer who murdered his own wife.
Now Tess and Gage are facing an arsonist who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. As Tess realizes she needs to face her past and the loss of Danny, Gage discovers that attempting to keep his heart out of his feelings with Tess isn't as easy as he'd thought it would be. A killer stalks closer and closer, and an attraction grows as big as the fires they both try to prevent. For Tess and Gage, finding out who the copycat arsonist-and murderer-is before it's too late is their combined goal.
JoAnn Ross has written another winning romantic suspense tale, with a backdrop of fire and murder. Tess still isn't completely over the loss of Danny, and Gage hasn't come to terms with the death of his wife. His laid-back, alpha cowboy attitude grates on Tess's nerves at first, and Tess's inability to focus on anything except her job drives Gage crazy. As these two fight the passion that burns between them, they never lose sight of their real goal-caching the lunatic who is setting fires all over town, causing death and destruction. But once the danger is over and the threat has passed, will the feelings that Tess and Gage felt for each other during a time of high-adrenaline be able to last?
You'll have to read BLAZE to find out, but it's definitely worth it!
At the scene of a burned down apartment building, Tess is brought face to face with Gage O'Halloran, a man dressed in jeans and cowboy boots, talking with a distinct western drawl, calling her sweetheart. Tess is soon taken to task, however, when O'Halloran flashes his ATF badge at her. Now there's two fire investigators on the scene, one from ATF and one from the FBI. Gage, though, knows better than most what type of pyromaniac they're after-he's pretty sure that Somersett's Flamemaster is connected to an arsonist serial killer who murdered his own wife.
Now Tess and Gage are facing an arsonist who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. As Tess realizes she needs to face her past and the loss of Danny, Gage discovers that attempting to keep his heart out of his feelings with Tess isn't as easy as he'd thought it would be. A killer stalks closer and closer, and an attraction grows as big as the fires they both try to prevent. For Tess and Gage, finding out who the copycat arsonist-and murderer-is before it's too late is their combined goal.
JoAnn Ross has written another winning romantic suspense tale, with a backdrop of fire and murder. Tess still isn't completely over the loss of Danny, and Gage hasn't come to terms with the death of his wife. His laid-back, alpha cowboy attitude grates on Tess's nerves at first, and Tess's inability to focus on anything except her job drives Gage crazy. As these two fight the passion that burns between them, they never lose sight of their real goal-caching the lunatic who is setting fires all over town, causing death and destruction. But once the danger is over and the threat has passed, will the feelings that Tess and Gage felt for each other during a time of high-adrenaline be able to last?
You'll have to read BLAZE to find out, but it's definitely worth it!
Read
March 17, 2025This book was an absolute mess. But after DNFing six books, your standards drop. And to be fair, this was a fun read, if you could suspend disbelief long enough and not be bothered be "male pores" and breasts that swell when the male love interest looks at them. Because sure, that's how breasts work. Absolutely.
The story doesn't make a lot of sense, either, and it hasn't held up well over the years because of that. These people get away with a lot -- screwing on the job, the fact that he's misrepresenting himself as a fed -- that... well, in real life, it'd get them fired and/or land them in jail. Gage himself is a great example of how NOT to treat a woman unless you're gunning for a sexual harassment charge.
So it was better than the six books that came before it, but... not great stuff. Hard to believe she's written over 100 books... especially because you'd think she knows how breasts work.
The story doesn't make a lot of sense, either, and it hasn't held up well over the years because of that. These people get away with a lot -- screwing on the job, the fact that he's misrepresenting himself as a fed -- that... well, in real life, it'd get them fired and/or land them in jail. Gage himself is a great example of how NOT to treat a woman unless you're gunning for a sexual harassment charge.
So it was better than the six books that came before it, but... not great stuff. Hard to believe she's written over 100 books... especially because you'd think she knows how breasts work.
May 7, 2010
Fire cop Tess Gannon is hot on the trail of a pyromaniac who's been setting buildings ablaze throughout Somersett, South Carolina, when ATF Special Agent Gage O'Halloran arrives on her fire scene. Coming out of a self-imposed exile, Gage suspects that Tess's "Flamemaster" is connected to a serial killer he apprehended three years ago.
Tess doesn't like Gage. He's too rude. Too arrogant. Too damn...male. Worse yet, she doesn't trust him. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Tess and Gage race to stop the killer from striking another fatal match. But Gage's fragile hope for redemption is put to the test when Tess becomes ensnared in a homicidal pyromaniac's deadly obsession. And time is running out....
Tess doesn't like Gage. He's too rude. Too arrogant. Too damn...male. Worse yet, she doesn't trust him. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Tess and Gage race to stop the killer from striking another fatal match. But Gage's fragile hope for redemption is put to the test when Tess becomes ensnared in a homicidal pyromaniac's deadly obsession. And time is running out....
November 17, 2015
JoAnn Ross has hit a winner with this book. This book is about fire fighters and investigators. Tess Gannon lost her the one she loved three years before in a raging mill fire where she also lost her partner. It was at that time she moved from fire fighting to investigating these same fires. It was with the help of a California ATF Gage O'Halloran that they realized what they had was an arsonist who loved what he did. Even though they were as different as they could be, these two worked very hard to solve these fires and their need for each other.
November 13, 2012
The story was a bit unrealistic. The couple falls in love in a couple of days. The male character, having survived the murder of his wife, was supposed to be hardened and a bit cynical where relationships are concerned; yet he is openly affectionate and declares his love with little hesitation. At the end of the story, he even goes fishing with her father and brothers - this is all after only a few days together. I love happy endings but this was too easy.
April 25, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. Tess and Gage are a strong duo. Tess is the kind of heroine that I enjoy when reading romantic suspense - strong and smart. Gage is just an alpha male who speaks with honesty, though not always telling everything that he knows. Together they found the pyromaniac and love.
April 3, 2009
I had a hard time understanding the end of the book. I still find it a bit confusing but I did enjoy the relationship between the two main characters. The good thing about this book was that I never would've guessed in a million years who the pyro was.
November 3, 2008
A good, entertaining read for the summer or a rainy, cold day!
February 21, 2009
excellent book!
June 6, 2010
It's a typical romance novel. There are absolutely no surprises and there are frequent and lengthy sex scenes. To put it simply, it's a guilty-pleasure beach read.
January 11, 2011
Second of a series, Fast reading
March 3, 2011
EH! The plot was a little stretched beyond belief, but I guess I could say that it was a good frothy easy read.
November 17, 2011
I enjoyed the book and the character interaction. The story kept me guessing up until the end however I really did not care for how the bad guy turned out. It just didn't seem believable to me.
December 22, 2011
Wow. Turned up the heat is right. This book sizzles. Well done, Ms. Ross!
November 22, 2019
A terrific story with some very surprising twists and turns. The characterization was terrific showing just how complex the human psyche can be.
February 2, 2016
Good story with a three page sex scene.
March 11, 2021
Liked it for the most part up until the ending.
March 8, 2009
Great firefighter romance.
June 17, 2016
Good mystery. Very enjoyable read.
January 20, 2018
The storyline was pretty good but there was a few notable editing errors. I also found some of the complex sentence structures to be distracting. For example, one sentence had three comas (not a list) plus the use of ‘then’ as well as ‘and’.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews