Chasing Fire

The Fire #1

by Billie Lustig

Callie Reyes:

What would you do if you woke up on a superyacht, but you had no memory of how you got there?

Yeah, well, welcome to my life.

The Carillo brothers think they can keep me. Use me as collateral against my father in their war.

But I’m stronger than that.
And the Carillo brothers need to be careful. I’m not some wallflower, that’s for sure.
I bite.

Although, there’s something about Kane that I can’t seem to stay away from…


Kane Carillo:

What would you do if you seduced the wrong girl, but loved it enough that you wanted to do it again?

Callie Reyes is the daughter of our biggest enemy, and my brother and I plan to use her to our advantage.

But I need to remind myself that her pretty green eyes are luring me in with their deceit.
That she’s bad for me.
She needs to be reminded that I’m the bad guy. The one they warn you about.
I bite.

Although, I can’t seem to stop myself from finding ways to be alone with her…

**This is book #1 in the Fire Duet, comes with a trigger warning and ends with a cliffhanger.**

Genres: Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance, Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Crime

Kindle Edition

First published March 25, 2021

About the author

Billie Lustig is a Dutch girl who has always had a thing with words: either she couldn’t shut up, or she was writing an adventure stuck in her head. She’s pretty straight forward, can be a pain in the ass & is allergic to bullshit, but most of all, she’s a sucker for love. She is happily married to her own alpha male who taught her the truest thing about love: when it’s real, you can’t walk away.

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Reviews

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable. Callies character was a major highlight. Cant wait for the next book.

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ❤️🤔🤔⭐️s

A very intriguing and suspenseful mafia romance read.
Kane was a fantastic antihero and Callie an amazing badass heroine, they shared a great banter and their chemistry was off the charts.
Slow burn, with some repetitive and dragging issues.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's refreshing reading about a h who is such a strong, badass, fearless character.
Can't wait for the second book!

[Lucía · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callie, the daughter of the Spanish mafia’s leader, is kidnapped by the Carrillo brothers to get their revenge on her family.
There’s betrayal, secret, lies and heartbreak.

The heroine is a badass bitch.
She just didn’t give a fuck about anything, there were 12 men pointing guns at her, after killing 3 of their gang, and Callie was just living her best life talking shit to them.
She didn’t back down from the hero and his brother’s bullshit, which it’s a major plus for me in a mafia story.

The hero was a bit rough with Callie to enforce respect but he didn’t dare hurt her.
He will killed anyone who touched or said anything about her, not even his brother was safe.

It ends in a cliffhanger so June can’t come soon enough!

[Ellie Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Book review - Chasing Fire - Billie Lustig - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★✨

Everybody just stop what you’re doing right this second. Do I have your attention? Good. GO AND PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK!

Enemies to lovers and dark mafia romance is my favourite genre and this book was all of it! I live for an alpha who will torment the shit out of his girl but will not let another single soul treat her like that. And that my friends is Kane fucking Carrillo. He is a GOD. Book boyfriend number 306 is added to the list!👏

Kane is reckless, dominant and hard core. A famous crime lord that you just don’t fuck with. So he’s everything you expect him to be. But lemme warn you huns.. he’s got a god damn heart in there and believe me I DIED when he realised it! Callie is a fucking badass. I kinda just want to be her please. How she refuses to submit to Kane is priceless and I love the emotions she can bring out of people.

The storyline is incredible. The whole story is literally on a yacht (take a shot every time Kane reminds us of that) and the setting is perfection. Billie’s writing is exquisite. You can really picture everything that’s described to you. She has a wonderful way with words! HOWEVER the ending has sent me down a lovely spiral of anxiety. The last quarter of this book had me on tender hooks. I just couldn’t call it! The amount of emotions I went through was one hell of a rollercoaster. Oh and we all know Ellie doesn’t cope well with a cliff hanger so imagine my reaction at the end!😂

Don’t get me started on the chemistry either!!! I haven’t read hate sex quite like it before. You can literally feel the hate radiating off both of them for each other and for themselves because of what they’re allowing themselves to do but my god damn. It’s pure hateful lust and it is ✨chefs kiss✨. The dirty talk, the dominant/ submissive elements. And my biggest guilty pleasure is when alphas call there gals ‘baby’ and ‘baby girl’. If a guy ever said this to me in real life I think I’d vomit on his face but there’s something about a mafia king saying it 🤤

Billie you are an incredible author and I am SO grateful you gave me a spontaneous arc of this, trusting me to be a lil cheerleader for you and letting me scream at you through voice notes 😈💜 Easy 5 stars★ ★ ★ ★ ★

[Valentina · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This story had all the marks of an intriguing tale, and in fact was nicely unfolding to be a part romantic suspense, part enemies to lovers with a great amount of sexual tension. It actually had moments of humor. Unfortunately, it was too slow to start. I would not characterize it as overly descriptive; in fact, it was well-written (save some errors in Italian), but just too much of a slow burn to continue to hold my interest. Kane (and his brother) were two antiheroes I would love to meet. They were bad boys, sexy, confident, and alpha. I was not as fond of the heroine Callie. A lot of contrived push, sarcasm, sassiness which I admit is not my preference — hate it in fact. A lot of male attention focused on her while she held herself at bay.

The story has intrigue, mafia / crime vibes, romantic suspense, some great male characters, and if you like this kind of heroine, great. It was just not for me. It was definitely not dark, too much of a slow burn, delayed intimacy being intermingled through too many flashbacks (another slow burn effect), and a heroine who was not endearing.

[Zoe (zoe.s.a) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those books that you get to like 90% and you can just TELL what’s going to happen at the end, and even though you know what will happen it still doesn’t eliminate the heartache that hits you............. yeah screw you Billie, you best have book 2 ready for me by tomorrow because there’s no way I will be able to survive this emotional trauma.

Throughout the whole book you grow more and more emotionally attached to Callie and Kane for different reasons. Callie continues to show us what a bad bleep she is, how to survive in a mans world and wanting and needing to demand more for yourself as a woman. Kane is our resident knife throwing psycho, we watch him go from cold and heartless to absolutely infatuated and entranced by Callie and her brazen ways and watching his ice heart melt by our Callie’s fire made this a fantastic read.

There’s fights, guns, sex, blood, eyeballs, sex, family wars and more sex. Did I mention lots of steamy hate sex. So really, what more can you ask for in a mafia romance????

Absolute 5* read and I am now desperate for more!

[Echo's Journey Through Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an epic story that kept me utterly captivated from the first sentence to the very last!

From the prologue and onward, I was HOOKED! I was absolutely swept into the story and I never wanted it to end. I fell in love with the plot and the setting. I fell in love with the characters straight away, even the secondary ones. And I fell in love with the beautiful and vivid writing.

Callie is a warrior, she's a freaking badass. She takes no shit from anyone and won't let any man control her. What a queen! Her comebacks and the fire she has in her is simply everything. Like yes girl, show them whose actually the boss! Kane, oh boy! He is ruthless and feared by everyone but he's also the most loyal and protective guy, how can you not fall for him?

Despite of Kane's plans to use Callie as currency to get back at her father before killing her, he has a soft spot for her. He can deny it all he wants but he has another thing coming for sure. I loved that so much; the way he could torture and kill without blinking an eye, but will stop at nothing to protect his girl. Not that Callie needs protecting, she's a badass all on her own; you really don't wanna mess with her.

The way this uses the setting of mostly only a yacht is wonderful. That's a bold move to make, I think, and Billie Lustig made it work brilliantly. I also loved the past chapters following Callie before she is taken, and even more the first time Callie meets Kane and all I'm gonna say is, oof hot damn!

I live for dark mafia romances and even more when it's enemies to lovers and OH MY GOD this hit the spot for me, thousands of times. I absolutely adored every single thing about it. Callie and Kane's dynamic is incredible! The sizzling chemistry. Wow. The anger. Wow. The tension. Wow. The fire. Wow. And the push and pull. Wow. It's all-consuming and full of passion; they are freaking epic!

So much happens in this book and it will leave you shook. I loved the twists so much. There's so many layers into this story that it's simply marvelous. And wow that ending left me gaping and it definitely took my heart with it.

Chasing Fire took me on a storm of emotions and made my heart pound with its intensity! I can say without a doubt that I discovered a new favorite!

"Being with you is like chasing fire. I'm drawn to the heat, the sparks, the beauty of the flames. But if I get too close, I'm bound to get burned. You will burn me. - Baby girl, you've already burned me."

*I received this ARC from the author but the thought are completely my own.*

[Pisces · Rating 4 out of 5]

Booksprout review ;

The fact is; It's nurtures clichés throughout.
The story is blessed with straight forward plot, a predictable twist here & there and with a good amount of smut.

So, the entire time I was just waiting for the ending, which I knew would be a cliffhanger, with a big bang !!

And god, that was some major cliff hanger. hugs & kisses


I always look forward to finding new authors but it's a risk nonetheless (hence booksprout). But at the end of the day, this book was far better than half of the crap I have paid to read.

Excited for part 2❤️

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Fire is book one in the Fire Duet and the debut from @billielustig This duet is dark mafia romance, with enemies to lovers vibes too, so lovers of both will absolutely devour it!

This book will have you hooked from the first pages and I dare any of you not to love Callie from Chapter 1 because I bet you can't! She is a bad b*tch in the best ways and everything I love in strong female characters. The push and pull between her and Kane creates a palpable electric chemistry. Kane is not a hero. He is the bad guy. Bad intentions, bad behaviour, but at the same time bad at resisting the attraction to Callie.

The timeline flicks between past and present, but each snippet of the past gives us greater insight into these characters and the situations which led them to where they are in the present. Billie's writing of their inner monologue's allows the characters to feel more relatable to us. She writes how you would think, but balances it with enough detail for you to visualise the surroundings and actions. Kane and Callie are suspicious of each other, rub each other the wrong way and pulled to each other in equal measures. The dialogue is one of my favourite things throughout this book. The banter, sarcasm and witty insults are perfect, and inject rays of humour in the right moments. And let's not forget all the steamy hot goodness 🥵🔥🥵🔥

Secondary characters are often just as important as the mains so we, as readers, get a whole feel for the world rather than a goldfish bowl experience. This is something that could have been difficult in this story due to the settings for the most part (you'll see what I mean), yet Billie has managed to create enough intrigue around the secondary charcaters and their roles in the plot of the story. Liam, Gen, Junior, Creepy Fernando (my personal nickname) and even Ronnie already have me questioning motives, experiences and also if any of them will get their own books *cough* Liam *cough* Gen 👀.

Of course, as the first in a duet, as expected we are left with a cliffhanger (something I personally love!). This one left me with so many theories and opinions on characters and how the next book will develop. You'll also be dying for more Callie and Kane interaction after how we leave our duo, wondering where these stubborn, strong willed, suspicious pair could possibly go from here.

I honestly could keep going, but you'll definitely be sick of me and I would end up walking the line of spoilers which I always try to avoid. So I'll leave it there, and simply tell you to read this book.

[Sheryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything!!! WOW. I need book 2 now!!!
Kane is my tattoo alpha king... He is so f**king hot!
And Callie who doesn't love a strong, firey redhead woman?
I adore this couple, the rollercoaster of emotions are amazing. The steamy scenes are next level hot!!!
What a debut novel, I am in love.

[Lια ☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 "Little Dragon" Stars!!!

Chasin Fire is the first book in the Fire Duet and it's the beginning of Callie and Kane's story. It alternates between P.O.V'S and past/present, giving us so much insight into both characters. The story starts with Callie waking up on a Yacht and realizing her one night stand from a couple of nights ago is her captor. You add to that a crazy family and owing money to another criminal family and you have right there the beginning of a roller coaster where you know it's only getting crazier as you go.

Kane! One of the heads of a criminal empire that is feared by many. His reputation does proceed. He was confident and sure of himself, dominant, ruthless, reckless and a little psycho. But when he lets his soft side show he can be a protective and vindictive teddy bear for the right person. I loved how he could see Callie's strength and that made him respect her. He was not thrown off by her attitude at all, that's actually one of the main reasons why he liked her, she kept him on his toes. You need a strong man for a strong woman and Kane was definitely that.

"She keeps me sharp. She challenges me. She keeps me on my game."

Callie! OMG, this woman is a freaking badass. She was the highlight of the book for me, no questions asked. Since page one I loved her and there was no going back even though she did frustrated me by the end of the book. She has so much attitude and sass, she doesn't scare easily, she knows how to shoot and fight, she doesn't need the white knight since she can save herself. There was no taming this girl, she was confident and sure of herself, definitely didn't knew when to shut up since she just made her situation worse and my entertainment better lol. It's so hard for me to really love a heroine and I love when authors can do that. There was a point in the book where heroines usually make the wrong decision and when she did the right one I was done for. I.LOVE.HER!!!

"He tried to portray me as incapable, naive, and weak, but we both know I'm none of those."

Since the first moment they crossed eyes, there was so much chemistry, even when they were fighting you could just feel their fire burning. Like Liam said they seemed like a married couple bickering, they back and forth was so funny. I love how Callie wasn't your usual submissive, they fought for dominance and it was amazing.

"How can someone infuriate and incinerate me at the same time?"

This book was fast paced and had so much going on. We have funny and steamy moments, great characters, action, torture, fighting, a frustating cliffhanger...I mean everything I love in a book and I can't wait for more!!! I can't believe this book is a debut work, the writing and the story were amazing. This book was so intense and I can't wait for the continuation and hopefully Liam's book later on.

"True love will give you a sense of fear you can't deny, but one you also can't run away from. It will cause a heat to run through your veins that drives you nuts but that you can't cool down. It will give you the heaviest feelings, making it feel unbearable to live with, but you do anyway because the alternative is even worse...and every touch will make your skin crawl in the best yet worse kind of way."

P.S. When I saw the cover the knife really intrigued me and I loved the meaning. She was the reason for some really funny scenes lol.

*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

[Thea™ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to begin? 😊 Lots and lots of things I liked about this book; the 🔥 chemistry between Kane and Callie being one of them! Still, it took me a while to really get into the story.
For me, the second half of the book was definitely better than the first half. Especially in the beginning, the writing style was ‘too descriptive’! Like... the endless descriptions of e.g. the interior of the yacht. This really diverted my attention from the story. Just an example: "We stop in front of a white door with a handle that has the same shade of gold as the rest of the yacht." Really? The color of the door handles?? Who needs to know that? 😆
"There’s the same herringbone hardwood floor as the hallway, with an ocean blue rug on the right side and a cream-colored king-size bed on top of it." And this 'herringbone floor' keeps coming back!
{Funny detail: I worked in the super yacht industry my whole career, so it was cool to read about a trip on a yacht. When Callie thought "Who the fuck has a glass staircase?" we (the readers) didn’t know she was on a yacht, but while reading that sentence, a few of my company's projects with glass staircases flashed through my mind. Funny finding out a few pages later that Callie was on a yacht.}

Lots of inner dialogue; that, combined with the back and forth between '4 days ago' and 'present day', made following the actual story hard(er). However, lots of those inner dialogues were really funny, which was definitely a good thing. 😁
Callie was a kick-ass heroine.... but at times almost 'too feisty'? (Hard to believe!)
And Kane was definitely not as badass as the author would have us believe, or as he thought himself to be 😏 at least not towards Callie. Besides throwing a knife now and then and withhold some orgasms, he let Callie get away with everything. He fell fast and hard for her.

Bottom line: a book with a lot of good things, which I enjoyed reading... but also a few things that didn't quite work for me. However, knowing this book is Billie Lustig's debut novel... I'm impressed!!! And that she's a fellow Dutchie is so cool! 😎

I'm honored that I could get my hands on this book early! Although I knew about the cliffhanger... I still hated it! 🤬🤣 Needless to say book #2 can't come soon enough!!!

Thank you Billie Lustig for the ARC!! 🥰



🖤★✩★🖤★✩★🖤★✩★🖤★✩★🖤

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew I was going to love this book when I read the first 2 chapters that were released for promotion. Billie had promoted it in a FB group, and it captivated me from the start. Those first few chapters are IT, and did exactly what a book should do; draw me in and make me so excited that I want other people I know to share my excitement.

Blurb

Callie Reyes is the daughter in a crime family that she wants nothing to do with. However, her family’s exploits often reach her, and she finds herself once again kidnapped because of her family’s actions.
However, the one who captured her is the one whose bed she was in four days ago. Not being able to forget him, she is now facing him again as his captive, and Callie is too memorable and enticing to Kane to just leave her in a cell…

The Main Characters

Callie Reyes

Callie is such a breathe of fresh air for a heroine (h) in a mafia book. She spits fire as red as her hair. She is independent, badass, sassy, and so different from other h’s I’ve read in mafia books, who are usually demure and subservient to men before they have their awakening in the book. Callie kills three men and escapes out of her cell in the first chapter. Need I say more? Despite her hard exterior, she has a heart that she fiercely protects, only allowing room for her mom and cousin Imogen. She’s hard yet soft, and I loved reading her.

A game of chess played by men thinking I’m a fucking pawn when all these mother-fucking alpha males need to realize I’m the goddamn queen.

Kane Carillo

Oh Kane. Kane, Kane, Kane. I don’t know what else to say other than I love him. Blonde, tattooed, hotheaded; he is temptation wrapped in a blanket. He’s cocky, but bows down to his queen. He is like most mafia bosses, but this is one stereotype that I will never get tired of. He is a good complement to his brother, Liam and his personality.

Callie & Kane

”Being with you is like chasing fire. I’m drawn to the heat, the sparks, the beauty of the flames,” she confesses.
“But?” I ask, wondering what comes next.
“But if I get too close, I’m bound to get burned. You will burn me.”
I smile at her answer, thinking she has no idea. She has no idea, and until just now, I don’t think I even knew. But hearing her put it into words, voicing whatever this is? Makes me realize I do know.
“Baby girl, you’ve already burned me,” I confess before my lips
crash into hers.

Callie and Kane are one fiery couple. They are a match and stick. Flint and iron. Anything that creates a spark is the only way to describe them. Two fiery people that create a firestorm when they are together. Their banter, their softness with each other, you could feel it throughout the book. They respect each other, which you don’t normally feel in other couples. They are great matches for each other.

The Writing

Billie has a note before the book begins warning that she swears a lot in it. It’s actually hilarious. I love her writing style. It’s the perfect mix of flowery writing and keeping it real. Some romance authors go overboard in their writing, writing poetic love lines that are so unreal it makes me cringe. Seriously, who says/thinks stuff like that? Especially during smut scenes, where the descriptions can be downright comical. Billie finds the balance, being realistic while at the same time capturing the emotions and feelings of the characters using metaphors that I can actually understand. She uses simple language when needed, and it’s refreshing and feels more realistic. Also, her chapters end on mini cliffhangers that will drive you crazy if you need to put the book down. The first half of the book switches between the past and present, and Billie weaves the past chapters into the story seamlessly. Her creativity shines in her writing as well.

Some lines that I liked/loved:
1. “If you don’t want the dragon to burn you to ashes, make sure she doesn’t spit fire,” (48).
2. “I can knock her out and throw her back into that cell she cracked out of like a baby dinosaur,” (25). (This makes me lol every time I read it)
3. “But in order to deceive people, you have to learn how to listen,” (253).
4. “From now on, you’re eating with a plastic knife,” (282).
There were so many other lines that I highlighted or underlined because they made me heart squeeze, I loved its concept, or I laughed because Billie is hilarious.

The Plot

I love me a good kidnapping trope, and this one? *chef’s kiss*. Kane sleeping with Callie knowing that he was going to kidnap her just days later? It drew me in so fast. However, this is the ONLY miscommunication trope that I will allow, because I love the book and characters so much. But please Billie, do not do it again, it kills me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Miscommunication between characters in books makes me want to bang my head against a wall. But like I said. I will accept it just this once.

I think the plot was well done. I wasn’t bored, nor did I feel like one part of the book was slow.

Some final thoughts
- I LOVED the story about the bees, and how it used in the book. It was such a cool idea to have.
- Liam and Imogen maybe??? Hopefully??? I would love
- Callie's last line of “I’ll see you then” is just so good idk how to describe it I just like it so much
- Callie telling Imogen to take a spa day and then the next chapter explaining the spa day!! This is the kind of cool intentional chapter placing that I was talking about
- Kane saying the smallest little things about Callie or to her that made my heart squeeze because it showed how much he actually cared about her
- THIS IS A DEBUT NOVEL????? I AM SO EXCITED FOR BILLIE’S FUTURE

A five star read for me.

[Brianna - Mindfulnessreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fire of a Debut!
4 stars!
“Being with you is like chasing fire. I’m drawn to the heat, the sparks, the beauty of the flame. But if I get too close, I’m bound to get burned. You will burn me.”

Ok, hello, WOW! Y’all another amazing new author with another amazing debut. Chasing Fire had me chasing every single page to get to the last and it did not disappoint! Where to begin, where to begin. Immediately you’re thrown right into action within the first chapters and it never really slowed down from there.

Callie and Kane are on freaking fire, plain and simple. They are both ruthless in their own right yet they’ve got that heart. Although Kane shows it a little less than Callie, unless you are Callie. Kane’s got that brother, Liam, and man, he’s in a league of his own that y’all need to read. I loved how Callie was able to worm her way into both of them. And no, this isn’t MFM, but I won’t lie and tell you guys that I thought I was gettin some vibes with Liam, but that may just be because of his personality.

Like I mentioned, this book didn’t slow down, and I loved the chapters with the flashbacks of Kane and Callie that lead up to the present. Their chemistry was off the charts from the moment they met and you kept feeling it throughout. Getting to the last couple of chapters, knowing what they planned isn’t going to go as planned had me on edge! If you are a fan of cliffhangers, then you may want to hold off until the next book comes out, cause lord I’m still reeling at what just happened! Part of it was that classic case of “not hearing the whole story and jumping the gun” but that's what made this so much better! Cause if y’all knew the promises Kane and Liam made then… whooo.

The only reason why I knocked this a star was because of the constant inner monologue - and dialogue really - of the figures of speech that had to do something with the word fire. In my opinion, trying to relate it to the title, so that got me a little. But other than that, I loved it! Some of the story also gave me slight whiplash, but I didn’t mind it so much with these two. And when you read, you’ll see why!

[MyDogAteMyBookReview · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A game of chess played by men, thinking I’m a fucking pawn. Well all these motherfucking alpha males need to realize, I AM THE GOD DAMN QUEEN”

When I got an email this morning from Billie saying she was going to release the arcs a day early, I screamed (at work, like a crazy book lady) I then left work early to go home and devour this in one sitting. I REGRET NOTHING! Food & rest are for the weak 😂

I know it’s only March, but this book is a TOP READ of 2021. HOW IS THIS A DEBUT NOVEL? IT IS FUCKING PERFECT!

Callie is everything I love in a heroine! A spine of steal, smart mouth and a good heart.

Kane, even when I wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth, I still loved him.

Neither one of them want to bend
Yet they yield to one another
The love/hate dynamic
The toe to toe action
The steam
*CHEFS KISS*

READ THIS BOOK!

[AllyG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one heck of a debut novel! Take a Hot knife throwing Alpha, mix in some good old fashioned kidnapping, add a beautiful and fiery red head and you’ve got yourself, Chasing Fire!
Right away, Callie’s character had me rooting her on! She started off strong and stayed that way, handling herself when faced with the worst. Like, oh I don’t know, being kidnapped thanks to her A-hole of a Father? Enter Kane, a blast from Callie’s recent past. He’s unapologetic and more than ready to settle the score with Callie’s father. She’s just a means to an end...isn’t she?
Loyalties are tested, unsettled debts come to light and nothing is as it seems in this fast paced steamy read. Can Kane and Callie find their way amoungst all the chaos and their rocky start? Or will their story be over before it even began? Trust me, by the first chapter you’ll be hooked!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4 1/2 stars

~Alex

[Navss (read.yourbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝑺𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒎 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉?” 𝑰 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒔𝒌.
“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔, 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒕. “𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 $150 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏.”

Aaaah! I really wanted a HEA even though I know this is a duet series ಥ‿ಥ

Callie is amazing. She's filled with sass and humour and speaks freely with no filter. Her attitude gets her into some situations which could be avoided, but what's the fun there
¯\(°_o)/¯ I absolutely loved her personality and was grinning at her comebacks!

Kane, on the other hand is not exactly Callie's opposite, but not exactly the same either. He's the fun psycho brother who's smirk makes me blush, because aaaah! Smirk! Hello? Also, I really wanna know more about Liam.

The present and past change in chapters is really good and kept everything totally in loop. The storyline was entertaining and had blood, fights, a gag worthy moment, sparks and steamy chemistry and yup, some sweet moments too.

The plot kept me interested and even though it's a 300 page novel, I devoured it in one sitting and still wanted more! The end, ugshsh if only they would communicate!

I'm excited to see what book 2, the final book will hold as the Italians are also involved.

PS: Junior is creepy af, please kill him.

A great debut novel for sure!!♡

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Fire Duet and it is Callie and Kane's story and omg I am hooked. Callie has gone through a lot in her life especially after her mother died and now she is in debt to a dangerous family and can't seem to find a way out so Callie and her cousin Imogen decide to go to a club for a drink and that is where she meets Kane but what she doesn't expect is her reaction to him. Callie has been kidnapped from her apartment and Wake-up in a cell thinking that it is the person that she owes money to only to escape and find out that it is Kane the man she spent a night with and she is so angry but she doesn't know why he has kidnapped her. Kane has kidnapped Callie to make her father suffer and Kane and his brother will also make her suffer before they kill her but what has Callie's father done to Kane and his brother to make them do this to her. Omg I was on the edge of my seat while reading this book and I couldn't put it down as I had to see what would happen next and it was so addictive. The connection and chemistry between Callie and Kane was so hot that you could feel it sizzling of the pages of this book and I can't wait to read the next book to find out how it all ends and wow what a cliff hanger at the end. The characters and storyline pulled you in right from the first page and with all the twists and turns along with danger, secrets, betrayal, kidnapping, hope, love and the emotional situations I definitely recommend you read this book but just remember that you need to read the next book to finish the story. Billie Lustig is a new author to me and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future as this book was so well written and definitely worth reading.

has kidnapped Callie to make her father suffer as her family has taken something from them and they want it back and he intends

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been one of my most anticipated reads of this year and it definitely didn’t disappoint!
Chasing Fire is a great debut!!
A perfect combination of mafia and enemies to lovers, this story will grab you from the first page!

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦.”

Callie was my favorite type of heroine; strong, mouthy, fierce, loyal, and badass. Callie and Kane have scorching hot chemistry from the start and I really enjoyed their push and pull and banter between them!
Kane is a notorious crime lord who can’t help but be drawn to Callie. I really loved his possessiveness towards her, I just wish there was a bit more showing instead of just telling how ruthless he is.
Secondary characters also added to the story and I couldn’t help but be intrigued by most of them. I hope they will get their books!
The story definitely picks up in the second half and there are a lot of things at play. Since this is book one in the Fire Duet, it ends with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more right away!

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much more than I expected. I think sometimes when I read books from author friends, I get nervous. Like what if I don’t like their book, what if its not a good fit for me. But I’ve been continuously blown away by these authors. Chasing Fire was another one for me! The author immediately throws you into the storyline which I love. I love a fast pace. Theres also 2 perspectives in this book. A female and a male perspective. I loved the crime/mob aspect.
What I also love and extremely appreciated was, the author gave a huge content warning for
Which could be huge for someone who could be affected by it.

[L.J. Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billie Lustig’s debut and wow did she smash it. It was just so good. The FMC, Callie, is one of the best FMCs I’ve read for a while; sassy, takes no shit and just such an interesting character. Her relationship with Kane was just pure 🔥 but at the end (warning about the twist which I wasn’t actually mad about because it made sense but I still need the second book ASAP) I felt so unsettled. Everything I thought I knew, I suddenly doubted myself, and I’m waiting not so patiently for the second book.

[Hanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing Fire is Ms. Lustig’s debut novel.
It’s the first bk of a duet.
The story is told in duel POV
The author did an amazing job of giving details and descriptions of the characters and the environment.
I really liked her writing style.
How parts were told in the past then go to the present to tie everything together.
My only complaint would be the repetitive descriptions of how the characters viewed each other and the thoughts going through their heads about one another.
Kane is a powerful mob boss.
He’s cunning and his reputation proceeds him.
He’s ruthless with his enemies.
And shows no mercy.
Kane is sexy and women fall at his feet.
But he doesn’t do love or relationships.
Callie is the daughter of a Spanish mob family.
She’s smart and sassy.
Being who she is always has her at a disadvantage.
She is used as leverage against her father.
So she’s learned to take care of herself.
Callie is no one’s fool and doesn’t take kindly be used by others.
When Kane and Callie’s path crosses things are about to ignite and explode.
The plans Kane has for her are about to fly out the window because of the impact she makes on him.
And when Callie learns who he is she is livid.
But she too can’t keep away from him.
Their interactions and conversations are intense and dynamic.
Their sexual attraction and chemistry is hot and sizzling.
The plot is filled with action and suspense.
There are secrets and suspicions that are hinted at.
But aren’t fully revealed yet.
The pace and flow of the storyline is smooth and everything blends well together.
Looking forward to reading the rest of Kane and Callie’s story.

[Laura Sunday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chasing Fire is the first book in the Fire duet by debut author Billie Lustig.
Billie has been all over my Social Media for some time and I have loved all of her teasers and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. In fact, Chasing Fire has been on my TBR collection on my Kindle since it’s release!

I started it and couldn’t get into it (which has nothing to do with Billie’s writing or the story but external factors) and after giving it another try the other day, I was able to dive into the story, even though the beginning of the story was a tad too slow burn for me.

CF plays on a super yacht and deals with the daughter of a Spanish gangster by the name of Callie Rayes, who is kidnapped by the Carillo brothers, Kane and Liam, as form of payback. The majority of the story takes place on the yacht (so is kinda closed/forced proximity as well!) and features violence, sex, banter, sex, arguments, sex... did I mention sex? Not complaining... nope. Not at ALL.

Callie has lived quite the traumatic life that has made her such a strong, feisty character... yet her inner monologue shows how often she grasps for control, how vulnerable and scared she is sometimes. Kane is such an alpha... cold, calculated, hard... yet he fell incredibly hard for Callie. I loved that the story started with them already knowing each other so the fireworks were through the roof.

The story finishes on a cliffhanger and thank god for me procrastinating... because I can dive right into Catching Fire!
(The titles are so similar, I always need to google which is which! 😂)

[Claire Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome 5 star mafia/ captive romance.
It’s full on action, a whole lot of steam, alpha male, and strong female character that is badass and funny as hell.
I absolutely loved reading this. It’s got everything you would expect & want from a mafia romance plus so much more.
Kane is a typical alpha hole! But oh so tempting, and there is definite chemistry between him & Callie.
My imagination has come up with something amazing for him 🤭
Callie is an amazing badass, funny as hell, no fear, no filters, strong women. She had me laughing a lot during this.
This story was a real page Turner,I couldn’t put it down.
It ends on a bit of cliffhanger, and I literally messaged Billie to ask where the rest of it was 😂 the suspense is killing me now! I need the next book ASAP.
Kane’s brother is very interesting too so hopefully we will get to hear more from him at some point, but I’m loving Kane & Callie’s story and can’t wait to find out more.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes mafia/ captive romance or even if your a newbie to this kind of book. I can promise you won’t be disappointed. Billie has 100% delivered on this.
5 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Read as an arc review, with all my own thoughts & comments.

[Rion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being held hostage as currency, smack dab in the middle of a very sticky situation is where we meet Callie Reyes. A badass, feisty red head with a big problem named Kane Carrillo on her hands. Enter Kane, the hot as hell alpha asshole who doesn’t like to be challenged—unless the one challenging him is Callie.

Callie is the girl you want to have your back. A smart mouth with skills to boot. She is a hell of a time. Kane is sexy, ruthless and powerful, the bad boy you want in your bed, not as your enemy.
Callie and Kane have undeniable chemistry and I loved watching the push and pull between them. The struggles they were both facing and fighting only added to the fire between them.
The story bounces back and forth between past and present and gives you a wide view of Callie and Kane and how they ended up in the situation they’re in. Only thing is...will they find their way out or burn in the process?
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This book is hands down amazing! I’m not a mafia romance girl by fault, but this book made me one! If you love dark romance, mafia romance and enemies to lovers—you need this book in your life!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She plays poker to get close to her targets. But I'd thought if I had a royal flush in my hand I was guaranteed to win this game. Right now though, I feel like I went in with a pair of twos."

Listen, I'm gonna need to get started on the next book PRONTO because I am so mad and heartbroken at that ending I just can't.

I really didn't think that mafia romance was for me, but plot twist, mafia romance is for me... at least this one is. Oh my crime lord I was hooked from the get-go, to the point where I hadn't even finished reading the free sample before I bought it on my kindle.

Callie is one boss ass bitch, like seriously! She truly, truly is a little spitfire and I would not want to get in her way. Watching her refuse to bow down to Kane was incredible, like yes girl! Although, that being said, the chemistry between the two of them was insane, and the SPICE, oh girl. Seeing Kane slowly start to understand his feelings for Callie was one of the greatest aspects of the whole damn book, honestly I think the chapters from his perspective were my faves.

The storyline is so good, so intense, I really couldn't put it down. I thought I had it all figured out, but I was so far from what was happening, I was shook! I've instantly bought the sequel, and now I'm torn between bingeing it in one go, and making it last since this is just a duet and I'm not ready to let these characters go just yet. That being said, if there's a Liam/Cristina book, I'm soooo here for it please and thank you!

Oh, and by the way, don't let Kane or Liam hear you calling it a boat... it's a yacht, don't you know.

[A.R. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark romance is a huge love of mine so when I heard about this I knew I had to read it, and I wasn't disappointed.

Fiery heroine, dark hero. Yes please!

Both Callie and Kane have strong personalities, and their constant head butting along with the sexual push and pull keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Callie is used to living on the fringes of the law and when she is faced with a situation most would bulk at she takes it in her stride, and uses her fearless exterior to give a middle finger to Kane who is bloody delicious and deadly.

The energy of the story is bursting throughout and the sex scenes are 🔥
not to mention that 90% of this story is located in one place, they are on a boat giving Callie no room for escape, the author manages to keep the flow and story moving despite this happening in a reoccurring environment. It didn't feel repetitive or lacking. In fact it really stuck with me that Billie was able to progress the characters in such a confined setting. I can't wait to read more about these characters and Liam, Kane’s brother!

Amazing debut!

[Kathrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The story follows Kane and Callie, you are from two different crime syndicates. Callie tries to live a life away from her father and her brother who only sees her as a pawn and Kane does exactly that, he takes her as leverage against her father. But both of them cannot the chemistry they have when they are together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and the characters. I loved how headstrong Callie is and that she does not take shit from everybody while one can still notice her vulnerability. Kane on the other hand knows exactly what he is doing until Callie comes his way. The chemistry between these two characters is undeniable and I absolutely love their banter. I really appreciated the family relationships that were portraited between Kane and Liam as well as Callie and Imogen. The end of the book has destroyed me a bit emotionally and I cannot wait to read the second one.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. Chasing Fire is the first part of the dark love story between Kane and Callie. It is a story of revenge, heartache, betrayal and family. Callie is not what he expected at all. The need the brothers have to make her father pay is strong. So when he sleeps with her and then kidnaps her, things are not going quite as planned. Callie knew her life was rough but things just got worse. She will have to get thru even more trauma now. They both are conflicted on what they should feel and actually do feel towards each other. The story is dark, gritty and dangerous with that undercurrent of growing attraction. It made it hard to put down

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.