Exploring themes of friendship, trust, following your dreams, family, grief, trauma, and moving on, Flashpoint, Book 1 in Skye Jordan’s Forged in Fire series, is contemporary romance about Natalie and Cole, two close friends who are at the precipice of becoming more, but all sorts of barriers and complications are standing in their way. Jordan’s vivid and detailed description, character development, and detailed exploration of life for firefighters and their families, especially for their widows and families after the death of a firefighter family member, elevates this contemporary friends-to-lovers romance to an intensely emotional, entertaining, and engaging must read.
Evan has been in love with Natalie for a long time – from the first time he met her before she married Evan, after she married Evan – and he’s still in love with her even now that she’s his widow. He’d firmly walled up those feelings and his emotions so he could just be her friend and be there for her after his best friend’s and her husband’s death. Knowing the last thing Natalie will ever do is marry another firefighter makes it easier for him to deny his feelings for her, especially with the secret he is keeping from her. It’s for the best since Evan lives for his job as a firefighter. But an earthshattering kiss they share after a fight sparked by Natalie’s first date after Evan’s death breaks down that wall, bringing those feelings rushing back to the surface. That mind-blowing kiss also reveals she may have feelings for him too. One complication after another must be overcome before they can explore those shared feelings and the intense attraction they share.
The interactions between the characters and their development may be one of the best things about flashpoint. Each of the relationships and interactions felt genuine and effectively moved the plot along. The characters are relatable, likeable, and well-developed. Evan’s and Natalie’s relationship and their interactions are filled with chemistry and emotion. Natalie’s and Cole’s relationship is most impacted by Evan’s death. Evan as his best friend and Natalie as his wife/widow obviously, but their close friendship also has been deeply affected. Cole is burdened by the secret he is keeping from her and guilt about that and his feelings for her. The last thing Natalie wants from her closest friend is to be treated with pity or as a duty to be fulfilled. But, unfortunately, after Evan’s death, that’s the vibe she gets from Cole and his dropping by to fix things but disappearing without hanging out like he used to. Losing his friendship on top of losing Evan makes things more difficult and increases the loneliness. Once Natalie and Cole kiss, the barrier blocking each of their denied feelings for each other falls away and their intense chemistry is revealed. Crossing the line from friends-to-lovers is scary for both, but for Natalie being with Cole in this new way has her questioning some things about herself and her relationship with Evan she has never considered before. Her self-reflection helps her along the path to healing. After finally being intimate with Natalie as he has longed to Cole begins to confront whether his need to prove himself through career advancement and focusing on his career to the exclusion of all else, should continue to be the driving force of his life or is there room or if there is room for love, family, and Natalie.
Natalie’s relationship with her mother is developed and explored, not just written as a side note and is key to the story, Natalie’s character, and her development. It’s through her mother’s eyes that we see more of not just who Natalie is, but also Evan and Cole, as well as an outside unbiased perspective of Natalie’s relationships with both men. Natalie’s interactions with other widows and firefighter family reveals and further develops her character, helping us to connect to her. I especially loved the friendship between Tucker, Logan, and Cole. We see them working, hanging out, and supporting each other in a variety of settings, which reveals who they are and their connections to each other, adding to Cole’s character development, allowing us to see different sides of him that may not come out around Natalie and connect to him. Their love and respect for each other comes through clearly. They’re not just co-workers, but friends and brothers. I can’t wait to read Tucker’s and Logan’s books and learn more about them. Natalie’s progression as she works through the grief of losing her husband to making an affirmative choice to start living her life again for herself and following her dreams is affecting and flows naturally.
Flashpoint is a poignant, angsty, sweet, and steamy romance that is about so much more than the journey from friends-to-lovers. It is about finding peace in the storms of life and discovering who we are and want to be separate from our loved ones and all the emotional drama attached to our relationships with them.