Down in Flames

by Angie Titus

Leora Walker and Dylan Parker have been frenemies since they met. They can't seem to be in the same room together without bickering. Their friends are tired of being referees and decide to solve things once and for all. To do this, they bet Dylan and Leora that they can't live together for one month. Two people who irritate each other. Thirty days. What could go wrong?

204 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2022

About the author

Angie Titus lives in a tiny house in Nova Scotia with her dog and three cats. She started writing short stories and novels when she was fourteen years old. She works as an elementary school librarian where she gets to think and talk about books all day long.

Reviews

[Lucy Appadoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this light-hearted love story between Leora and Dylan who start living together after their friends make a bet about how they wouldn't last one month in his house due to their constant bickering. I particularly liked Dylan as a character who was a strong, authentic hero who helped Leora in a lot of ways. I also found their groups of friends interesting with their light-heartedness and humour. The only character I didn't particularly like was Leora, who, in my opinion was irritating, self-centred, and not willing to go the extra mile to help make things smooth for Dylan. She always seemed to be a damsel in distress, and I found her character to be a bit weak and almost childish. But this is only my opinion, and others might not see her that way. I also didn't see the point of having multiple viewpoints of other characters in the story when they were only minor characters. But generally, the story was entertaining.

[Chrystal Unruh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick, read! I really enjoyed seeing how the story developed, and even though it was fairly easy to see how it would all turn out, I liked going on the journey with the characters.

[Darren Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the interest of full disclosure, I need to state two things:

1) The author is a friend of mine, and I bought this book to support her new endeavor.
2) I don't normally enjoy -- or even read -- romance novels. However (see item 1), I know the author's writing style, and I was willing to give it a shot.

Having said that, I fully recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy. It is full of humor and hijinks. The characters are fun to "watch" (sorry -- I envision books as movies as I read), even when they're both being obtuse and blind.

The basic premise, which you know if you read the synopsis, is that two people who bicker like a married couple are challenged to live together for a month. Their friends even bet on the arrangement. Some of the friends say they won't last a week. Some believe they'll go the distance.

What actually happens is... all in the book. So read it!

I had the privilege of reading this in its "warts and all" form shortly after she finished writing it, and it has only gotten better through revision. I love the way Angie's characters interact with each other. They feel like friends and not just words on paper. You can hear the snark in Leora's teasing voice, and you can hear the mocking in Dylan's responses.

Romance is not a genre I tend to enjoy. I think I have read two other romance novels in my life, and they both left my eyes rolling so much I thought they might fall out of my skull.

This one? I loved it.
I can't wait for the movie.

[Cheri Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story that was very well written. I loved the idea behind the entire concept - two people who didn't get along thrust into a world where they have to cohabit. :) The author has a great way with her words to make you really envision the scenes you're reading about.