Defensible Space

The Everyday Heroes World

by Lane Martin

Lane Martin’s Defensible Space is a charming performer and firefighter contemporary romance written in K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes Worlds project.

Penny

The whole world knew me… but I didn’t know myself. When I wasn’t performing—my life was sterile hotel rooms, lukewarm room service, and binge-watching cooking and home improvement shows on cable. I did what I was told to do and went where I was directed to go. I don’t know what made me get in my car and drive to Sunnyville that day. Was it fate? Destiny? I’m not sure. Maybe. Everything in my life changed that day, and I finally learned who I was meant to be.

Carson

I grew up in a small town. My life was planned—the job, the house, the girl. Even the dog. As a firefighter, I knew how fast things could change, and yet I wasn’t prepared for what began that Thursday. There was no Defensible Space—no buffer that protected me from the loss of everything I thought was my future. Instead of facing my fears, I packed it up and headed to Sunnyville. Some might have said I was running.

Running.

Funny—That’s exactly what I was doing when I ran into Penny Anderson while chasing my wayward dog.

At the time I didn’t know it, but she found me when I was lost.

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2021

About the author

I never thought that I would write a novel, although my English teacher my freshman year in college told me that he would hunt me down if I wasn’t published by the time I was thirty. Thirty came and went. I was busy being a wife and working mother of two and nobody came looking for me.

I doubt my sister thought she was about to change my life forever when she got me a book of “Mommy porn” for my birthday in 2012, but that’s exactly what she did. After reading the first book in the trilogy, I rushed out and got the other two books. I became obsessed and read the series several times before learning about Fanficiton. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get enough. The idea fascinated me and I thought, “I can do that.” I was a nervous wreck when I posted my first story, a one shot about my new favorite couple. One story lead to another and then another. My readers encouraged me to write something original, so that‘s what I did. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me. I couldn’t have done it without you.

I love reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with my family.

Thank you for going on this journey with me.

Reviews

[Kelly G (Now Accepting Book Boyfriend Applications) · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this was not an "ugly cry" book..... it most definitely pulled out its fair share of tear from me! From the very beginning... I knew....I KNEW I was going to love Penny! I knew she was going to be a heroine that I could totally get on board with. She showed from the very beginning that she had a spine and that she had compassion. And whew! Carson was a 4 alarm fire all on his own! (totally fanned myself a time or 12) .... he was sweet, supportive and dominating when he needed to be. He didn't try to fight her battles for her but made it very clear, to her and anyone that was around, that he was right beside her as she fought them on her own. An absolute 10 on the swoon-meter!

Now I said that I cried.... and I DID! But I am not going to tell you what made me cry (you will have to read it yourself to find that out) but I will tell you that there were tears of sadness, tears of frustration, tears of pride and tears of joy! This book has made me want to go on a Lane Martin binge to see what else she can make me feel!

[Tiffany Readz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Day, Another Hero...

And that's fine by me. I really am glad to have stumbled upon this Everyday Heroes World series, as they have all been a great read! This time around we have a hunky firefighter and a stuffy violinist, pretty much an opposites attract read if you will.

Carson St. James or Saint as he's know around the fire station, is new to the small town of Sunnyville. Running from, escaping or whatever you want to call moving on from a bad past very quickly, is what he's doing. Living in a literal mobile home (a camper) he's happy with his dog, job and life for the moment. Until the dog changes everything.

Penny is a stuffed shirt if you will. A professional violinist who at twenty five, is feeling burned out in her job, her life and her family. She stumbles upon the small town of Sunnyville and has her eyes opened to what a "real life' can be and decides that may be just what she needs at the moment.

I liked Penny and Carson from the get go. They were both pretty down to earth, her maybe a little more dramatic, but that's a given with her prim and proper upbringing. I knew it was going to be a treat to see how these two polar opposites try make things work with the families, town and past baggage surrounding them.

The book is well written with all of my reading requirements checked, angst, sexy and a good storyline. Along with Carson and Penny, we meet a handful of friends to help bring thier story to life. Defensible Space reads as a standalone with a little epilogue and is a nice addition to The Everyday Heroes World.

Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I want you to be my reason for everything."

Awwwww! I finished Defensible Space by Lane Martin and OMG! I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!
Well this book is part of the K. Bromberg Everyday Hero World and I've to say I love this world! It's so awesome that so many different authors write and wrote stories set in Sunnyville! I'm definitely HOOKED! ♡

So Defensible Space is the story of Penny and Carson and OH MY GOODNESS!! I instantly fell in love with both right from the beginning! I devoured their story because I absolutely loved it!! It seemed like Penny and Carson were totally different but they complement each other soooo good! Aww!!!
Penny is a professional violinist, lands in Sunnyville and stays a night in a B&B. But really quickly she finds out that one night won't be enough! And then suddenly the really handsome Carson sweeps her off her feet... well actually it's his dog Rascal at first. LOL
But anyway I won't say too much!!
READ THIS BOOK!
I loved the chemistry between Penny and Carson! It was just so wonderful! Their whole story was really emotional and intense! I laughed, I cried and OH YEAH needed cold water because their sexy times were sooooo HOT! OMG! Dirty Talk alert!! ♡
So Defensible Space had everything I love in a good romance novel: emotions, funny moments, drama, suspense and lots of love! ♡

P.S. I'll definitely check out Lane Martin's books! I loved her writing style! :)

Thanks to Grey's Promotions and Lane Martin for this copy! This is my honest review. ♡

[Amy Reierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by Lane Martin. Not knowing any of her work prior I can definitely say she nailed it, when it comes to taking us on a journey through Sunnyville and spending time with the Malone's and the crew from the fire house she didn't miss a thing.

First there's Penelope a music prodigy and has lived a very sheltered life. Sure she's traveled the world, played her violin in enormous stadiums and beautiful concert halls, but every moment has been scheduled and laid out for her to accommodate her parents life style.
Ending up in Sunnyville was just supposed to be a random one and done thing she would allow for herself.

Then there is our Saint aka Carson St. James all drool worthy fireman, and handyman extraordinare. Seems in Sunnyville he's also everyones friend and willing to lend a hand when ever one is needed. Carson's road to Sunnyville is far from easy he's running from the fire he couldn't save his home town from and the life he thought he was supposed to live.

What unfolds isn't about their drama but about what happens when you find your "home" and truly begin to live your life to the fullest.

I have voluntarily left this review.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Penny and Carson’s story. Carson is a firefighter who is new in Sunnyville, where he is perfectly happy living in a campervan with his dog Rascal for company. Penny is a professional violinist who at the age of 25 is burned out, and she drives into town where she stays on a B & B for 1-night, which she know is not enough, and fate brings Carson into her life when Rascal knocks her off her feet. This is a beautifully written story which is an emotional roller coaster, with amazing chemistry, engaging characters, which all leads to a humorous, witty, and steamy addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carson is a small town firefighter who went through a horrible breakup and a devastating fire. Penny is a well known musician who just needs a break from the world and her family. When these two literally collide into each other it’s instant fireworks and chemistry! While working on her new fixer upper they develop a relationship that they both were not expecting. I truly Enjoyed this quick read. They side characters were very entertaining and definitely add an entertaining element to the book.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penelope is an accomplished violinist, but the demands and stress of her life has taken its toll. When she decides to take some time to regroup she never imagined the effect a sexy fireman and his dog would have on her life.

When Saint’s life went up in flames he needed a new beginning and where better than Sunnyville. He is content with the life he has created but when his life collides with Penelope’s he sees that he could have so much more.

Hot chemistry, great characters and all the feels as Penelope and Saint draw you and have you invested in their happy ever after.

[Jaime Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love heroines that are so fierce and determined you instantly fall in love with them. Penny is this character and I knew she would give Carson a run for his money and help him at the same time. This world is filled with fantastic stories and their story is a terrific addition you do not want to miss out on.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defensible Space was the first book that I have read by Lane Martin and it definitely won’t be the last. I enjoyed going on Penny & Carson’s journey.

Penny & Carson had amazing chemistry and banter! Carson was beyond swoon worthy. And Penny had amazing strength. I loved how much Penny & Carson were there for each other.

I can’t wait to read more by Lane Martin.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it! Hot fireman Carson and famous violinist Penelope "penny" couldn't be more different... I really enjoyed reading this book... Would love to read more by Lane Martin...

[Tracy Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was another in in this wonderful town of Sunnyville . I am head over heels in love with Penny and Carson's story. She is sweet and smart, he is brave and sexy. What an amazing combo!!

[Shirin Rasheed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defensible Space by Lane Martin is a part of The Everyday Heroes World and I Loved it.

I Highly Recommend it to all Readers. A Must read.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lane Martin’s Defensible Space is a contemporary romance written in K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes Worlds universe.  Wonderful story with characters you can fall in love with and who bring forth all the feeling.  Well written story with angst, emotion, and steam.

[Amy Dickinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As I’ve explained in other K.Bromberg universe stories, I have not read her three stories in the Everday Heroes universe. I do know that, someday in the near future, I will, if stories such as Defensible Space are any indication. Without having read Grady and Dylan’s story, I was able to pick up easily with Lane Martin’s newest book. Her hero, Carson, and her heroine, Penny, provide you with what I imagine are some of the same feelings and thoughts as K. Bromberg’s Combust, the second book of her Everyday Heroes series. Carson is a firefighter who has run from a tragedy in his hometown to Sunnyvale. Martin’s heroine, Penny, crosses his path when she escapes from the pressures of perfection engrained in her from her childhood. A prodigy, Penny is heralded as a top violinist in the world, but all she has ever wanted is love and acceptance from her family. Like Carson, she runs from the stricture of that life to find a life lived on her own terms. At the core of Defensible Space is the idea that we can be fearful, but we must still face our fears in order to keep moving forward. One of them makes this choice to face their fears, while the other hides from them. It is in that struggle where Martin creates the delicious tension found in the best of romances.

What did I like?

The chemistry between Carson and Penny. It is equal parts sweet, sassy, and steamy. These two meet when Carson’s dog, Rascal, entangles them. From there, Rascal plays more matchmaker, while Carson and Penny fall deeply for each other. They play off of each other well, and they don’t waste any time acknowledging their interest in the other. That’s probably one of the best parts of the book. Their issues lie in later accepting the depth of their feelings and stating them.

The growth of Martin’s characters. Both Carson and Penny struggle with overcoming fear. What I love most is Martin’s willingness to illustrate the gravity of that issue through her heroine. Honestly, it takes Carson most of the story to move beyond the trauma of his past whereas Penny keeps engaging her fears and working through them. It feels powerful to read about a heroine who holds the strength of character in a story.

Obviously, the extended cast of characters brings you back to Bromberg’s Sunnyvale. As you encounter Dylan and Grady, along with the other firefighters and businesses in this small-town, it breeds nostalgia for Bromberg’s stories. Without having read them myself, it piqued my curiosity for them, willing me to pick up Combust to read it.

That fact that this is set in Northern California. As a resident of Southern California, I am an expert on fire season in California. While I haven’t encountered personally this tragedy, I am very familiar with it. I love that Lane Martin is able to connect us to the plight of Northern Californians who have been devastated by fires. It creates empathy in her readers.

What I might have changed?

Martin is fairly “on the nose” with her allusions to the world of music and firefighting. Whether it’s a simile or a metaphor, they seem fairly overwrought in this story. I’m not a personal fan of that.

The moment of tension between Carson and Penny (I won’t divulge their eventual issue) feels contrived. The choices made by the characters doesn’t align, in my opinion, with their overall characterization in the story.

A defensible space is a space or perimeter around something (a house, some land, a heart) meant to protect whatever sits in the middle. Lane Martin’s newest book does a satisfying job of showing us that this space is meant to be temporary, not permanent. If we don’t remove our protection of that space, we might miss out on saving something bigger than that “thing” in the middle. If you love small-town romance with a dreamy firefighter and his intelligent, independent heroine, then you’ll want to read this book.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of the Everyday Heroes before this book. I will say Carson can be my hero any day. Gushy moment over for now, Let me tell you what I loved about this book.

Being from California and now living in the forests of Oregon, I have lived with the fears of wildfires. I have lived through the glow, the heat and smoke. I have never suffered like Carson, the loss of his home, his family's history. Heart breaking. Defensible Space was a reminder that anyone can suffer from PTSD.

Penny is a role model for young women everywhere. She grew from a cowering, fearful girl into an independent and strong woman. She found the right place, the right people and the best reasons. All it took was that first step, a new direction.

I have a weakness for small town romances. Sunnyville is a great representation of a small town. Everyone know your business. All the grandmas know what is best and happily tell you their opinion.

If you like opposites attract; you can't get two more different people than Carson and Penny. He is a firefighter living in a trailer after his house was destroyed. Penny is a world renowned violist, from money and having her own money, that just might have a pair of jeans, if she can only find them.

And of course a main requirement of any romance is a happily ever after. The ending had me beaming. It was beautiful. It was cute. It was award winning.

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one definitely had me interested from the start. Even had me wanting to go back and read Grady’s story from Bromberg’s original series. I liked the characters a lot as well. Both had great back stories and were very well flushed out through the story. I like that even when things were brought in as the dramatic problems to overcome, the characters were able to take a minute to think about it, and realize that they either overreacted or needed to put effort out to fix it. Without taking a long time or needing a big push from someone else to do it.

The story kept me involved and it was a quick read as my interest was held the whole time. The only complaints I had were that there were some things that I feel were left out and would have made for good scenes in the story. Like when Penny’s best friend came to visit, we only got a tiny bit of when he first arrived, and then no time spent with all of them as he stayed. There were a few other events like that as well. The steamy scenes were good, although also needed maybe just a bit more? Some of the way they talked during those scenes didn’t fit exactly for me as I read. But overall, this was a really good story, and I hope to read more by this author in the future!

Review first appeared on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm back in Sunnyville again, and it's an amazing place to spend my time. Penny is a professional violinist who has become burned out, so when she finds herself in Sunnyville, it quickly becomes apparent that it's the perfect place for her for the time being. Carson is running from his past, and finds himself in Sunnyville working at the firehouse deciding he doesn't need anything else but his job, and his dog. However, his dog (or fate) had other plans for him, because he's chasing his dog when he runs into Penny. These two are totally opposite, but we all know that opposites attract and all, but it's not going to be easy because while I loved Penny, she has some uptight issues. There's a lot of angst, characters I love, sexiness (yummy firefighters are the best), and just an all around good time despite all the past baggage that Penny and Carson have. Once again, I hated leaving Sunnyville since it's a place where I need to be, and I know you'll feel the same way once you experience all of it's goodness for yourselves! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 

[Lisa Petty (Book Bangers Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in California we have had our fair share of fires the last few years so understanding how Carson feels the need to fun is totally understandable. When devastation is too much for him he runs to Sunnyville to be a firefighter. He helps his friends and the community. What he doesn't expect is to run into someone new literally. Penny needs a break from her life and that of it being run by others. She plays the violin and when she starts to drive away there is no destination in sight. When she dives into the small town of Sunnyville she doesn't realize her life is about to change. Now she's the new music teacher, and the man that keeps running into her well he's making her feel things she doesn't want to. Now, these two want to move forward, but Carson has to much baggage and it's about to get even worse. Can Panny be there to help him through it all or will Carson finally push her away for good and lose her?

[Aaly · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Penny needed space from the world, she met the man who might have wanted her not to.
Carson is new in town and trying to move from his past relationship.

They are different but still they met perfectly halfway. A smoking hot chemistry from the beginning and a meet cute that made me smile. I was already rooting for this couple.

Two people who learned to heal together and create this new beginning together step by step.
I enjoyed reading about a strong heroine who kept engaging her fears and working through it.

The main characters didn’t waste time to acknowledge their feelings and make it work even through the hard times. They might not have known for a long time but it didn’t feel less real.

I appreciated Lane Martin’s writing, telling a passionate story mixed with some angst, sexy and witty.

[Kylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defensible Space takes us into the Everyday Heroes World and takes us on an emotional journey between Carson and Penny. Two people trying to make a new start get tangled up in each others path and the chemistry is immediate even if it is a little hot tempered. A story with plenty of passion, heat and drama to have you captivated and enchanted by this couple. As their story intertwines with a story from the original that stole our hearts, it just adds more depth and emotion to an already amazing storyline. Their is plenty of push and pull and heartfelt moments to have you falling in love right along with the characters.

[Mom's Guilty Pleasure · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I could still understand the feeling of loss. The only difference was, I didn't know what was missing.”

This book was filled with surprises. It brought out many emotions that I was not expecting. It had several layers of depth with the perfect balance of lightheartedness sprinkled in.

“The fire she lit was uncontrollable, but we were both on borrowed time.”

Get ready for a read filled with a heavy storyline...lighthearted friendships...chemistry...steaminess...tear jerkers...humor...this book has it all and brings you back to Sunnyville...once you visit you don’t want to leave!

“...tears were the words the heart could not say...”

[Sandie Chraponski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lane Martin has written a lovely story of two people who found themselves by finding each other.

Penny is an award winning musician who has spent her life trying to be perfect in her family’s eyes, but always feeling like something was missing. Enter Carson St James, an alpha male with eyes only for Penny. Together theirs is a journey of self growth as they find their best selves within their love for each other.

This is a beautifully written story with not a lot of drama but plenty of emotion and steam. It has found a perfect home within KB World’s Everyday Heroes.

[Angi Everett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author will start a scene and then have the character flashback to something and then come back to the current scene with no cuts or changeof font. It's confusing and annoying. Just show us in real time as it happens. Even the Epilogue had two lol
I hate that there was no closure with her family or whether she fired her father or not.
Repetitive but a cute read

[Latifa Morrisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Penny and Carson's story. While this brilliant an ugly cry, it definitely managed to get a few years from me. Defensible Space is a so fearful addition to The Everyday Heroes World Series and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

[Mari (Mystics & Metaphysics Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fire and it's not just because Carson is a firefighter. The way they meet had me smiling and the itself had me crying but it's not an all-around cry-fest. I just felt their emotions. Both characters grabbed me and didn't let me go until the end.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another new to me author ... and the book didn't disappoint. I will say the opposites attract play here was different the hot firefighter and the stuck up violinist are just that. Penny is all aboyt perfection but she's burnt out. Super cute small town romance that kept me laughing. Carson is moving on from a bad past but he thinks he's content with his dog. Quick read that was fun.