Wild Fire

Breathing Hearts #3

by A.K. MacBride

Everyone has that one person who makes their skin crawl with irritation. When you see them, you just want to high five them… in the face. For me, that's Gage Calloway. Everyone else might think he’s Mr. Wonderful, but I know better. And if I never have to set eyes on him again, it would be too soon. Unfortunately, the universe likes to torment me. When my bakery catches fire, he is the one to pull me out. And when my little kitchen needs rebuilding? One guess who's assigned to do that job? Yup, Gage freaking Calloway. I have no idea how I am going to get through the next few months of having him in my space all the time. Especially when my heart doesn't hate him at all.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Second Chance

263 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2022

About the author

Introducing A.K. MacBride, a passionate wordsmith with an insatiable love for crafting heartwarming love stories. She brews tales as tantalizing as her coffee and indulges in the bittersweet world of dark chocolate, all while savoring life's sweetest moments in a quaint South African town.

When she's not creating intricate tapestries of love, longing, and untold desire, you'll often find her lost in the aromatic embrace of freshly brewed coffee—her trusted companion in moments of reflection and creativity. As the rich aroma permeates her writing sanctuary, she lets her imagination soar, conjuring captivating characters and delightful encounters that leave her readers yearning for more.

But it's not just coffee that sets her heart aflutter. A connoisseur of the finest dark chocolate, she indulges in the velvety decadence, allowing its rich flavors to inspire her characters' intense passions and the intricacies of their relationships. Just as the delicate balance of flavors dances on her taste buds, her writing tantalizes the hearts of her readers, leaving them craving the sweetness of true love.

Amidst the joyous chaos of her literary world, she finds unwavering support and endless love in her husband and daughter. They are the pillars of her existence, a constant reminder that true romance is not only found within the pages of a book but also in the tender moments shared with loved ones. With their presence in her life, her stories overflow with authenticity, depth, and the promise of happily ever afters.

So, grab a cup of coffee, savor a piece of dark chocolate, and lose yourself in the tender embrace of A.K. MacBride’s enchanting tales. For within the pages of her novels, love blossoms, hearts mend, and extraordinary journeys of the heart await, all crafted with the delicate touch of a romance author who understands the power of a perfectly brewed love story.

Reviews

[Kaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥



What would you do when the man who irreparably broke your heart comes back to fight for you?

Aside from her successful bakery burning down, Frankie also faces that problem when her brother Caden's best friend and the man she has pined her for most of her childhood comes back to town after ten years. Did I mention she also lost her V-card to Gage before he run out of town?

Wild Fire is the third book in A.K. MacBride's Breathing Hearts series, but it can also serve as a great standalone. Having read none of the previous books, I easily got the context and relationships among the side characters without being overwhelmed.

The book hits the ground running and never loses its great pace. MacBride does a fantastic job in building empathy for both main characters. I felt angry and hurt for Frankie, while I sympathize with Gage's dilemma at such a young age.

While there was great drama, everyone, including Gage's super-charming daughter Maia, approached it with maturity and grace. Despite the tried-and-true trope of falling in love with your brother's best friend, I found Caden's response to the situation to be very refreshing.

This book may be wholesome in plot, but it also delivers spice in spades. Ten years of being apart and living in hurt and regret has only left Gage and Frankie's physical and emotional attraction in dormant mode, and like a volcano waking up, the tension simmers and builds until it is ready to explode. And like a volcano eruption, the explosion is a mental sight to behold.

If you're looking for a refreshing, wholesome yet spicy take on a second-chance romance, this is a great book to pick up.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book.**

[FANCHON · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost…. But not quite

This book left me frustrated, I’m going to be honest. Ten years ago, 18 year old Frankie gave her V card to her brothers best friend Gage. Them she wakes up alone and naked in a tent, and he doesn’t come back for ten years. He’s still bff’s with her brother, and even starts a business with him. He just never contacted her. So we start after ten years and he decides he’s coming back to win her back. She is rightfully filled with anger toward him, and refuses him. Except for that annoying plot line : “I hate him , but my body betrays me”. 🙄 I was frustrated with the fact that they progressed to making out and almost sex before the conversation anoint their past happened. It didn’t feel realistic, as she had been destroyed. Almost at the end, we finally get why he left. So anticlimactic and ridiculous. He abandons her and let’s her think he thought if her as nothing more than a wh0re because he was overwhelmed with his feelings of loving her and couldn’t handle it. Wait, what?! That makes no sense. I wanted to like this more, but honestly I skimmed 75% because it was just disappointing.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star Review of Wild Fire (Breathing Hearts #3) by A.K. MacBride

A.K. MacBride is a new author to me and I am surprised I have not come across her books before. This was a well written, entertaining story set in Clearwater Bay that ticked a number of boxes for me. Although Wild Fire is book three in the series I had no issues reading this as a stand alone.
The characters were easy to relate to and I absolutely adored Frankie Barker, what a sassy and feisty woman she is. She is a woman I could easily call friend. I fell hard for Gage Calloway a man who has always had the ability to get under Frankie’s skin like no one else can.
A long time ago Gage hurt Frankie and left town, now he is back and determined to bulldoze his way back into her life. This was a witty, fun entertaining story that I enjoyed. Will Frankie forgive the past? Can Gage convince her to take a chance on him? Or will the tension that exists between them destroy any chance of happiness?
One click and find out.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/3/2023)! 🎁

[Canadian Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Fire is an entertaining story of forgiveness and second chances.

"𝑵𝒐, 𝑵𝒐, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝑰 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓."

Gage and Frankie spent one night together that ended in disaster. Ten years later, Gage has returned to Clearwater Bay and saves Frankie from her bakery while it is on fire. Frankie is furious with Gage and what happened between them in the past but Gage is determined to clear up the misunderstanding of the past and hopefully move forward together.

I love this series and I was excited to return to Clearwater Bay and the sexy firefighters. Gage and Frankie have some serious tension and the banter between them is hilarious. Once they finally come together, it is combustible. Gage's daughter, Maia is great and totally a teenager with her witty remarks. I loved that we got updates about the other characters in the series. I am excited to see what comes next from this author.

4.5 Maple Leafs... Wild Fire (Breathing Hearts 3) is a small town, second chance, single dad, best friend's sibling, slow burn, firefighter romance told in the first-person point of view of Gage and Frankie.

*advanced copy requested and honestly reviewed on behalf of Canadian Girl Book Blog*

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[Victoria Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

brothers best friend/high school crush romance

Cute fast pace read. It was good for a cliche romance 🥰

10 years ago Frankie and Gage had lost their virginity to each other and Gage left town the next day and never came back until now. I loved the beginning back and forth arguments between them. He was trying to win her back after what he did. She was still hurt and pissed by his actions so she didn’t make it easy on him.
Gage turned out to be a great character. He was cute, sweet, funny and had a dirty mouth 🥵
Frankie was smart and caring and after she decides to forgive him her character blossomed. Their relationship development was great!
Gage had adopted a child who changed his life. I loved this added element to the story. I thought Maias character was so cute. I loved that she opened up with Frankie and that she was able to develop a relationship with her birth mother.
The premise of this book is a brothers best friend romance which I thought was going to be a little more of a secret relationship but her brother approved of the relationship. I wished it had more of a “stay away from my sister” vibe but I did like Cadens character.
Romance: 🩷🩷🩷
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jackie Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author but it certainly won’t be the last because after reading Frankie Barker and Gage Calloway’s story, I’m amazed she hasn’t crossed my radar before now. Wild Fire is book 3 in the Breathing Hearts Series but it can certainly be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone.
Gage left town many moons ago and his leaving hurt Frankie but now his back and it seems he wants to rewrite the history this couple share. Problem is will Frankie forgive and forget the past and will Gage convince her to give him one more chance…….
This is a book that ticked my boxes, I adored the sassy, strong Frankie and I would love to have her in my corner, I fell hard and fast for Gage, the characters adorable, the chemistry is sizzling and the banter is witty and once you add all of that together you get an entertaining read. Looking forward to reading the previous books in this series as soon as time permits.

[Candi J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just the book I needed to start off my reading for the year.

I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I loved these two characters. Who knew that second chances could be so much fun and fluttering lol.

AK MacBride did good with this book.

A little love story about two sweethearts that came together after a decade of embarrassment, resent and hurt. Of course there’s a HEA at the end.

The banter was absolutely great. I felt like I was having a conversation with Frankie and Gage. And Maia oh my gosh I fell for that little girl and her big heart.

A sweet second chance love story.

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 4.5 stars for this one!

[Karrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gage gets his second chance with Frankie after setting things straight with her, when he moves back home. Frankie thought she hated him, but really she was just suppressing her feelings for him. They not only become one happy little family with Gage’s daughter, but are happier then they ever thought they would be.

[lf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combustible Passion with a smirk and a dimple

Wild Fire is the third book in the Breathing Hearts series and is the story of Frankie Baker and Gage Calloway. Frankie owns Sugar Booger bakery but in late one night everything goes up like spun sugar. She was at the bakery working when her phone kept ringing. It was her best friend telling her to get out of there as fast as she could as a fire had started in a shop close by and the fire crew were not able to get it under control. Before she could think Frankie things went from bad to worse. But she had a hero fireman who rescued her, Gage. Gage was her older brother's best friend. When Gage decides to come back home to Clearwater Bay and join the town's firefighters things are about to get really hot and combustible. Gage has had more than a few very naughty thoughts about Frankie over the years and she had a crush on him when she was a teenage. So when their paths cross again with Gage pulling her out of the burning bakery you know it is about to get interesting. Frankie is the only woman who could ever get under Gage's skin but he always needed the upper hand. Gage infuriates Frankie in more ways than one and she is not about to let him and his dimple get the upper hand over her, so she wrestles it away from him at every turn, or at least she tries. These two are about to embark on one of the wildest rides of their lives and end up in the place they were always meant to, in each others arms.

This story starts off fast and keeps it going to the end. The story-line is well balanced with drama, romance, family, friends, rivalry, witty banter, fighting, and a lot of passionate smexy fun. I really liked the characters and the way Frankie and Gage play off each other.

[Lorraine Brattin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frankie and Gage, the homecoming!

Frankie has known Gage forever since he is her brother Caden's best friend. They came together when Frankie was 18 and Gage was her first. But sadly, the next morning he was gone.

Now it's 10 years later and Gage is back along with his 12 year old daughter Maia that he recently adopted. He has longed to come back and set things right with Frankie.

Unfortunately Frankie hates Gage for leaving her right after the most special moment of her life. Next thing she knows, she's waking up after passing out after she got locked in her storage room while her bakery burned around her. Gage is the firefighter who saved her.

Now, her brother puts him in charge of rebuilding her bakery as they co-own a construction company. How can she keep him away?

Oh goodness, so much heat in this story! It is so endearing how Gage is with his daughter Maia and how much he will do for her after her previously traumatic life.

Together, can they become a family? Can they get over their troubled past?

Incredible story! Need so much more from this little family. Thank you A.K. McBride. Enjoy!

[Maycee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Fire is the third book in A.K. MacBride’s Breathing Hearts Series. This book is a standalone and told in dual POV. These books are interconnected so if you don’t want accidental spoilers I’d read them in order (All three books are fantastic!) We were introduced to Frankie in book 2 - she’s the BFF to Maddie (the female MC) in Slow Burn. I fell in love with Frankie back in book two. She’s sassy and feisty and way too much fun. Wild Fire is how a brother’s best friend book should be written. No caveman brother forbidding his friend from touching his sister. Yes, Caden is protective, but he lets his sister make her own choices and I am here for it. We learn this is also a second chance romance. Gage and Frankie have a lot of history going way back, and a lot of unresolved issues that make for an angsty journey between the two. Gage is a wonderful book boyfriend- he’s hot, has great character growth, a possessive alpha but in touch with his emotions. Gage is the total package! Wild Fire has a slight lovers - to enemies - to lovers again vibe which in reality is a whole lot of foreplay. The banter between Gage and Frankie is hilarious, their chemistry is hot and I love the emotional connection. Yes they have baggage but it’s fun to read how they process it. We meet some pretty amazing secondary characters that just make the book so much better. I laughed out loud, got a little misty eyed and couldn’t put the book down. A.K. is fantastic at balancing the deep emotions along with the LOL scenes that make it such a fun story. I highly recommend reading Wild Fire, it’s well written and totally binge worthy!
ARC graciously given by the author via Give Me Books PR. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opposites attract or so they say but it is really truth because five minutes and you might debate that fact, but we have to trust fate knows exactly what she has got going on. Two people who have known each other for years but have communication issues. Frankie is great at what she does owning and operating her own bakery (Sugar Booger’s) I so love this name of her bakery running a bakery means staying late some nights and on this night a fire broke out in one of the nearby shops and the fire department aren’t able to get it under control to prevent it from spreading to other shops. Gage one of the sexy as all get out firemen working to put the fire out but let’s go back the is her brother’s best friend and they have been at each other’s throats for a while now but underneath it all is passion, they keep denying it the stronger the pull is between them. Gage has always crushed on Frankie when he realizes it is her shop running to save her by pulling her out of the burning building and then offering his help to rebuild and boy is it hot. If you think the building was on fire well their connection is burning the pages as you read them and the banter between these two will have you laughing but is it enough for them to really communicate hashing out what their issues is and fate proving opposites really do attract?

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

[Vicky Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So i'm not a fan of second chance romances and honestly i'm making sure the next books i read are not them cos this is my fourth in a row now.

One of the things i liked about this story was that the woman wasn't celibate for 10 years waiting for the guy to come back. He even mentions that when he finally decided he wanted her he called and her boyfriend answered the phone. She was in a relationship for 5 years i think she said. Best part of the book that she didn't pine after him for all those years (hate that in books)

Gage was an OK character but his reasons for leaving all those years ago was really stupid and held no merit whatsoever. It ruined the story a little cos he had no reason basically but he had clearly changed and i liked him now.

I liked Frankie. She was strong apart form her whole 'I hate him but my body loves him' (hate that too) but she didn't jump straight into bed with him. I think i got to 50% and they still hadn't kissed so good for her for not been pathetic. 2 of the last books i read the women were pathetic.

The story was just OK, nothing really happened. The 'fight' at the end was over in the next chapter then epilogue then done

We got some scenes with the couple from the last book but not the first which i thought was strange. Not even a mention.

Overall just OK

[Read_withchan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Fire (Breathing Hearts #3) by A.K. MacBride

🔥 Mic-drop tagline: “Nothing says romantic torture like being stuck with the man who broke your heart… and still makes your knees weak.”

Frankie’s life is literally up in smoke—her bakery burns down, her walls come crashing in, and who shows up to save her? Oh, just Gage Calloway. AKA her brother’s best friend. AKA the guy who stole her V-card, ghosted, and dipped out of town a decade ago. 🙃

Now he’s back. In her kitchen. In her space. In her heart. And she wants to high-five him in the face… while also ripping his shirt off. (Relatable, honestly.)

This book is everything:
💔 Second-chance angst that hurts sooo good.
👀 Forbidden brother’s-best-friend drama.
🔥 Steam levels that’ll have you fanning yourself with a cookbook.
👧 A ridiculously sweet daughter (Maia, ily queen) who will steal your heart right along with Gage.

I loved how Frankie is messy and hurt but still strong, while Gage is over here trying to rebuild more than just her kitchen—he’s trying to rebuild her trust. Cue the angst, cue the longing, cue the “omg just kiss already” moments.

And the payoff? Absolute volcano eruption 🌋🔥. Ten years of bottled-up feelings unleashed in the best (dirtiest) ways possible.

If you want a romance that’s sweet, spicy, emotional, and will have you yelling at the characters before hugging your Kindle, this is the one.

[Joy Westerfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is just so much to love about this story of second chances! My heart is full and my emotions are all over the place. This book just proves why I love this author, she always hooks me in with her words and her incredible stories. Frankie is a young woman who owns a bakery, which unfortunately ends up in a fire and needs major repairs. Fortunately her brother has a construction business, but the person who shows up to do the work, is none other than Gage. A man she used to have feelings for, but no more. All she feels is anger and rightly so. But can Gage show her that he’s not the same person from all those years ago?

Gage is bound and determined to have Frankie back in his life, but he definitely has his work cut out for him. Frankie is such an endearing character, you can’t help but love her. And as for Gage, he just proves over and over he is not the man from before, he is so much more. The chemistry between these two is so hot, your fingers will burn as you turn the pages. I hoped throughout that these two would resolve their differences and be together. But life doesn’t always go as planned, or does it? I absolutely loved everything about this book and can’t recommend it highly enough!!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Fire is the first book I’ve read by A.K. MacBride and the first book in the Breathing Hearts series.

Even though it’s the third book in the series, I was definitely not lost. This book can be read as a standalone. It’s a romantic comedy/brother’s best friend romance.

Wild Fire had me laughing out loud with the feisty heroine, Frankie Baker. Her quit wit and hysterical attitude absolutely made this book!

Frankie doesn’t know what to think when she wakes up after being rescued from her burning bakery to a voice that she would never forget, even though she wishes she would.

She didn’t think that he would ever return to Clearwater Bay after he ran away after one eventful night. Now that he’s back, he won’t leave her alone! Gage Calloway always had the knack to get right under her skin and he continues right on doing so now that he’s back in Frankie’s life.

Frankie and Gage have a long way to go, especially with how much Gage hurt Frankie in the past. But if it’s one thing that Gage is, it’s determined!

This beautiful and hysterical romance is one that I highly recommend reading and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this awesome author!

[Joana Dias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma leitura rápida e gira. Foi bom para um romance clichê 🥰

10 anos atrás Frankie e Gage perderam a virgindade um com o outro e Gage deixou a cidade no dia seguinte e nunca mais voltou até agora. Adorei o início das discussões entre eles. Ele estava a tentar reconquistá-la depois do que fez. Ela ainda estava magoada e irritada com as ações dele, por isso não lhe facilitou a vida.
O Gage revelou-se uma ótima personagem. Ele era bonito, doce, engraçado e tinha uma boca suja 🥵
Frankie era inteligente e carinhosa e depois que ela decide perdoá-lo, seu personagem floresceu. O desenvolvimento da relação deles foi ótimo!
Gage tinha adotado uma criança que mudou a sua vida. Adorei este elemento adicional à história. Achei a personagem da Maias tão gira. Adorei o facto de ela se ter aberto com Frankie e de estar prestes a desenvolver uma relação com a sua mãe biológica.
A premissa deste livro é um romance entre irmãos melhores amigos, que eu pensei que fosse ser um pouco mais uma relação secreta, mas o irmão dela aprovou a relação. Gostava que fosse mais do género “afasta-te da minha irmã” mas gostei da personagem Cadens.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in this amazing series and is Gage and Frankie’s story. These two have a history until Gage left town breaking both their hearts in the process. Frankie is sassy and feisty, and is the owner of a bakery, and when this catches fire, it is Gage who is now back in town, that comes to her rescue. Luckily, Frankie’s brother owns a construction company, and it is Gage who arrived to repair the damage. Frankie is full of anger, while Gage is determined to make amends and prove he is not the same guy who left. Gage certainly has his work cut out for him. Will these two be able to resolve their issues and have a second chance at love? This is a well written story which is fun, humorous, and with witty banter, emotions, angst, redemption, regret, tension, turmoil, engaging and relatable characters, combustible and undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining and all-consuming page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankie and Gage were each other's first loves but their youthful first attempt ended disastrously and Frankie has hated him for years. Now he's back and saves Frankie from a fire. She tried to avoid him but he seems to be everywhere and his every mundane remark seems to be sexual innuendo that gets her hot all over. Frankie befriends Gage's young
foster daughter whose mother is an addict.

There were a couple of plot points that didn't totally work for me. The fire scene left me a little confused: what happened, how did the fire start? Gage makes a lot of noise about wanting to explain why he freaked out and skipped town the first time he and Frankie had sex but his explanation amounted to little else than "I freaked out and skipped town". And in the end Frankie tells a lie that seemed weird and unnecessary. Otherwise it was a nice read and I liked it overall. The writing flows nicely and some of the dialogue is quite funny.

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

[Fae]

It was honestly quite frustrating reading this book for so many reasons.

Firstly, we did not get a thorough explanation how the hero and heroine met and how they fell for one another. It was vaguely stated, but it was not enough for me to see that they were really in love. Instead, it started off with them already hating one another. I need the detailed back story.

Secondly, they were always eye fucking and lusting over each other, despite them not actually doing the act. But there was wayyyy too much inner thoughts of them wanting to go to bed with one another. Almost every chapter they were thinking of each other’s body parts and what they want to do with them.

Thirdly, I was a tad bit annoyed with Frankie about the fact she didn’t try to listen to Gage. This lack of communication continues on for the first half of the book, which could have saved a lot of time if they had just talked to one another properly.

These three reasons were enough for me to decide that enough was enough, I did not want to continue reading the book. I am stopping on chapter 20.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do so enjoy traveling to Clearwater Bay, and when I'm finished I'm sad to come back home. Frankie is a very sassy girl who I loved so much which is why I wasn't Gage's biggest fan. See, he ghosted her in the past, and it really hurt her quite a bit so it took me a minute to warm to him despite the fact that he's not a bad man these days. Now he's back, and determined to get Frankie to forgive him which I still think he should have groveled more since he really was gone a lot longer than he should have been before making amends but that's just me. Her bakery catches fire which is how they came face to face again, and it only gets more complicated when he ends up being the one to help her rebuild. There's no doubt the chemistry is still in spades so really, it's only a matter of time but I did want Frankie to make him suffer a bit more LOL! Wild Fire was a super hot second chance story that I enjoyed a great deal so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 

[2kasmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book # 3 in the Breathing Hearts series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and to avoid spoilers, I recommend reading this series in order.

Frankie is just baking as usual when she feels tired and woozy. Next thing she knows she is face to face with a blast from the past she did not want to see. Rescuing her was nice, but coming back for more is just wrong.

Gage wants to move on from the past. He comes back to his hometown with his daughter to start over. Seeing Frankie puts him on alert. Seeing her all the time gets his heart racing. Can they get along long enough to work things out?

This story moved at such a quick pace. The characters are strong with the heated backstory that sets the book on sizzle right from chapter one. Sexy and smart, this was an enjoyable and relaxing read.


***This early copy was given in exchange for an honest review only.

[Rina's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had a mass of emotions rioting through me. A.K. has left me wanting more of Frankie, Maia and Gage.

I knew, after reading the last book that this one would be full of angst, hurt, and redemption. I wasn't wrong.
I hadn't expected the level of fire and sass from Frankie that we got. It wasn't unwarranted—Gage did do her wrong—but boy, that woman was all kinds of scary.

The pain, the regret, the wish for what they had missed out on were plain to see throughout their story.

I absolutely adored Maia. Her quiet but kind nature was the reprieve I needed in between the harder bits. God bless Nan Hes for her brand of crazy, she was hilarious!

I'm a little disappointed it ended when it did, I feel like we didn't get all Gage and Frankie had to share. I hope we get to revisit this beautiful pairing at a later date to see what else their story entails.

[ReadonReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gage and Frankie have a history that ended with broken hearts for both them and a lifetime of regret. The day that Frankie’s life changed forever when a fire broke destroying her bakery is the day that Gage saves her and is back for good. Gage knows he messed up years ago and he has a lot of apologizing and groveling to do, but his main goal is to get Frankie back in his life. Gage and Frankie both have changed over the years and Frankie doesn’t want to see how much of a great guy Gage really is but its hard to do when she meets his adopted daughter. These two have so much chemistry and tension but they have a long road to gain the trust back they once had. This book was one of my favorites in the series and the characters new and old are all amazing. This will be a reread for me to go back and enjoy.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this story! Gage broke Frankies heart years ago and now he is back in town and Frankie makes it very clear she wants nothing to do with him. After a fire in her bakery, Frankie needs to start over, but it is none other than Gage who is doing the work. The chemistry between the two is simmering with Frankie trying her best to push her feelings for Gage down however that only lasts so long. Gage knows he has to make it up to Frankie, he just needs to win her over first. I loved the characters in this book, they had amazing chemistry and went from a hate to love relationship! The storyline was great, had me laughing in parts, lots of drama, passion and a happily ever after. A really enjoyable book!

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

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Sugar Booger bakery catches on fire with Frankie trapped inside, Gage rescues her. He's her brother's best friend, and they have a past. He wants to be with her again - she hates him. Their conversations are wonderful, hilarious at times, mostly honest (except for the denial of her feelings). They're completely combustible together. Gage is surprising, definitely not the same guy who broke her heart, but an all-grownup version, gorgeous, smart, and sexy, a single dad completely devoted to Maia and his grandmother . Frankie's a smart-mouthed, sassy business owner who's finding it difficult to forgive him. Until she falls in love with his daughter. The story line in this book flows so nicely that I didn't realize how far I'd read when I finally took a break. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Floraljoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiery and fun:
I enjoyed this enemies to lovers, second chance romance. It was sweet, yet spicy at the same time and I fell in love with this cute couple.
It took a while for Frankie to get over her hurt and anger at how Gage had ghosted a decade earlier. With him back in town and renovating her store it became increasingly difficult for her to deny the strong pull he still had on her. You could really feel the push and pull between them. Gage's daughter Maia melted my heart and added an emotional depth to the story which was so great.
I also really enjoyed the descriptive pose which drew me in and made me feel a part of the story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[FD · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written, entertaining second chance story. After not seeing Gage for 10 years, Frankie suddenly sees him everywhere. Two likeable main characters. Frankie feisty and Gage intense in his efforts to make amends with Frankie. If Gage hadn&t been so stupid to leave 10 years ago, we would;t have had a story by now, but I have to say I thought he was really stupid. The reason he left, that he waits 10 jasr to come back, beeeh,. I dont know if I would I still want him, but Frankie does and finds the happiness she didnt know she was missing.
Pleasant humorous writing style, reads quickly and easily, some steamy scenes late in the story, no cheating

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

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Breathing Hearts series and it gives us Frankie and Gage's story which we get told to us in dual P.O.V. Gage is Frankie's brother Caden's best friend so she's always had strong feelings when it comes to him they have history. Frankie is at her bakery when it catches fire and she has to be rescued by a heroic firefighter Gage. They have unresolved issues still between them and they still have sizzling chemistry together. You know now that their paths have crossed things are going to heat up. I don't want to say anymore and ruin it for anyone else with spoilers. You really need to read this book to see what happens.

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