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Against - The Raines of Wind Canyon #2
Against the Fire
You can't fight what you can't see. And Gabriel Raines can't be sure just who's setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it's personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.
The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.
Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.
The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who's been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can't believe the kid she's been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.
Determined to convince Gabe that she's right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who's putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist's flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.
408 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 25, 2011
195 people are currently reading
1308 people want to read
About the author
Kat Martin
189 books3,172 followersKathleen Kelly Martin (aka Kathy Lawrence, Kasey Mars)
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
Kathleen Kelly was born on 14 July 1947 in the Central Valley of California, USA. She obtained a degree in Anthropology and also studied History at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She was a real estate broker, when she met her future husband, Larry Jay Martin. A short time after the two became acquainted, Larry asked her to read an unpublished manuscript of an historical western he'd written. Kat fell in love with both the book and the author! Then, after doing some editing for him, she thought she'd try her own hand at writing. She moved on to become a full time writer.
Published since 1988, she signed her books with her married name, Kat Martin, but she also used two pseudonyms: Kathy Lawrence for a book in collaboration with her husband Larry Jay Martin, and Kasey Mars for her first contemporary romances. The New York Times bestselling writer, among her many awards, has won the prestigious RT Book Review Magazine Career Achievement Award. To date, Kat has over eleven million copies of her books in print. She has been published in seventeen foreign countries, including England, South Africa, Spain, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Bulgaria, China, and Korea.
Currently residing with her husband, a Western-writer and photographer, in Missoula, Montana, USA. But when they are not writing, they also enjoy skiing and traveling, particularly to Europe.
"I've always loved books. I was an avid reader, with any number of my own stories rolling around in my head. Writing them down seemed a logical step."
"I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
January 26, 2018
Lovin these Raines men!
July 11, 2015
Very good book with excellent suspense and good romance. Gabe overcame a rough childhood and has become a successful development and construction businessman. When one of his projects is torched by an arsonist, a young teen with a previous record is accused and arrested. Mattie is a successful architect and volunteers with a local Family Abuse Center. When a teen she's been working with is accused of arson, she's determined to show he's innocent.
I loved the initial meeting between Gabe and Mattie. She's passionate about her belief in Angel's innocence and that gets Gabe's attention. Because of his own past, he's willing to give Angel the benefit of the doubt. There's an immediate spark between Gabe and Mattie that he is interested in pursuing, but she is wary. Mattie avoids entanglements with men and devotes herself to her work and her volunteering. Her father passed away when she was young, leaving her and her mother with little to live on, convincing her that it is better to be self sufficient than relying on someone else. Then the man she was engaged to deserted her when she was pregnant, reinforcing those beliefs. She's attracted to Gabe, but reluctant to get involved
When Angel is cleared of suspicion he wants to help find who is targeting Gabe and ends up getting badly injured. Feeling like they're responsible, Gabe and Mattie decide to do some investigating of their own. Constant proximity to each other has the sparks burning brighter and feeling beginning to develop. Gabe hasn't been much interested in relationships and permanence in the past, but the more time he spends with Mattie, the deeper his feelings go. But Mattie's fears have her trying to keep some distance between them. I liked Gabe's patience with Mattie's fears, but he also wasn't above pushing a bit to get her where he wanted her. Mattie slowly realizes that she has fallen in love with Gabe, but trusting him with her heart is something she isn't willing to do. It isn't until their lives are in danger that she's ready to give him everything.
The suspense of the story was excellent, with the attacks on Gabe's properties escalating throughout the book. There were multiple suspects, all of whom had motive, and it was interesting to see them sort through them all. The fires start to take a heavy toll on Gabe's business and his frustration is obvious. He also became very worried about Mattie's safety as the attacks got more intense. I really liked seeing the help and support Gabe got from his brothers, especially Devlin. The final confrontation with the arsonist was intense and very scary.
I also enjoyed the secondary romance between Mattie's best friend Tracy and Gabe's foreman and best friend Sam. Tracy has her own fears thanks to an abusive childhood, and doesn't plan to ever marry. She has no problem using men for physical pleasure, but doesn't trust them. Sam is a really sweet guy who takes the time to show Tracy the respect he feels she deserves. He slowly shows her what real love is and that they can have a future together.
I loved the initial meeting between Gabe and Mattie. She's passionate about her belief in Angel's innocence and that gets Gabe's attention. Because of his own past, he's willing to give Angel the benefit of the doubt. There's an immediate spark between Gabe and Mattie that he is interested in pursuing, but she is wary. Mattie avoids entanglements with men and devotes herself to her work and her volunteering. Her father passed away when she was young, leaving her and her mother with little to live on, convincing her that it is better to be self sufficient than relying on someone else. Then the man she was engaged to deserted her when she was pregnant, reinforcing those beliefs. She's attracted to Gabe, but reluctant to get involved
When Angel is cleared of suspicion he wants to help find who is targeting Gabe and ends up getting badly injured. Feeling like they're responsible, Gabe and Mattie decide to do some investigating of their own. Constant proximity to each other has the sparks burning brighter and feeling beginning to develop. Gabe hasn't been much interested in relationships and permanence in the past, but the more time he spends with Mattie, the deeper his feelings go. But Mattie's fears have her trying to keep some distance between them. I liked Gabe's patience with Mattie's fears, but he also wasn't above pushing a bit to get her where he wanted her. Mattie slowly realizes that she has fallen in love with Gabe, but trusting him with her heart is something she isn't willing to do. It isn't until their lives are in danger that she's ready to give him everything.
The suspense of the story was excellent, with the attacks on Gabe's properties escalating throughout the book. There were multiple suspects, all of whom had motive, and it was interesting to see them sort through them all. The fires start to take a heavy toll on Gabe's business and his frustration is obvious. He also became very worried about Mattie's safety as the attacks got more intense. I really liked seeing the help and support Gabe got from his brothers, especially Devlin. The final confrontation with the arsonist was intense and very scary.
I also enjoyed the secondary romance between Mattie's best friend Tracy and Gabe's foreman and best friend Sam. Tracy has her own fears thanks to an abusive childhood, and doesn't plan to ever marry. She has no problem using men for physical pleasure, but doesn't trust them. Sam is a really sweet guy who takes the time to show Tracy the respect he feels she deserves. He slowly shows her what real love is and that they can have a future together.
February 3, 2011
AGAINST THE FIRE written by Kat Martin
Book #2 in the Raines of Wind Canyon Series
01/11 - Mira - Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
You always get burned when you play with fire but sometimes the heat is passion.
Gabriel Raines is a tough native son of Wyoming turned Texas transplant no matter what way you looked at it. He grew up tough from neglect and bullying; did his time as a Marine and faced his demons on the battlefield; and ran a successful construction and renovation business. But Gabe was no match for the sassy little slip of a woman named Mattie Baker. They met under terrible circumstances and never one to believe in coincidences but Gabe thinks a miracle may develop from this disaster in his life.
Someone is torching his construction sites and when a young man who Mattie is counseling is falsely accused her path collides with the rock hard Gabe and she is going to make him change his mind or else. He quickly realizes that accusing this boy is the wrong road to be traveling down but any road where Mattie goes he just might have to follow. She goes out of her way in her career as an architect and volunteer and trusts so few people that when Gabe comes on too strong her sense of flight kicks in. Gabe is a man used to getting what he wants so the chase is on even though it is derailed by another fire and another construction site burned to the ground. The apparent fact that these fires are personal, not random makes everyone jumpy but Gabe also wants to protect Mattie and do a little pouncing perhaps of his own.
Gabe and Mattie search for answers while the arsonist is getting more aggressive and the attacks more vicious. Gabe has some people angry with him as everyone does but he can’t think of anyone, including ex-soldiers that carry this kind of grudge. Women may have been scorned but did they take their vengeance this far in seeking pay back, Gabe was not buying that simple answer.
The nights are lighting up with Gabe and Mattie and he is wearing down her defenses even though she likes playing some cat and mouse games with him and has a very unusual secret she is keeping from him. Mixed signals are driving Gabe crazy but not having Mattie full time in his life, sleeping in his bed and planning a future together is just not what he wants to think about. Solving the crime and sending the arsonist away forever sounds better and then he and Mattie can hopefully have a life – plans are great aren’t they?
Love this 2nd book in the series it was captivating, thrilling, scary and romantic which is a great combination. You really see so many suspects and no one that fits the criminal profile so when it all comes together you as the reader are completely shocked which is just as it should be. The back story with Mattie’s friend is so sweet and having Gabe’s brothers involved make it all the more well-rounded. Thanks to Kat Martin for a knock down great book.
Book #2 in the Raines of Wind Canyon Series
01/11 - Mira - Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
You always get burned when you play with fire but sometimes the heat is passion.
Gabriel Raines is a tough native son of Wyoming turned Texas transplant no matter what way you looked at it. He grew up tough from neglect and bullying; did his time as a Marine and faced his demons on the battlefield; and ran a successful construction and renovation business. But Gabe was no match for the sassy little slip of a woman named Mattie Baker. They met under terrible circumstances and never one to believe in coincidences but Gabe thinks a miracle may develop from this disaster in his life.
Someone is torching his construction sites and when a young man who Mattie is counseling is falsely accused her path collides with the rock hard Gabe and she is going to make him change his mind or else. He quickly realizes that accusing this boy is the wrong road to be traveling down but any road where Mattie goes he just might have to follow. She goes out of her way in her career as an architect and volunteer and trusts so few people that when Gabe comes on too strong her sense of flight kicks in. Gabe is a man used to getting what he wants so the chase is on even though it is derailed by another fire and another construction site burned to the ground. The apparent fact that these fires are personal, not random makes everyone jumpy but Gabe also wants to protect Mattie and do a little pouncing perhaps of his own.
Gabe and Mattie search for answers while the arsonist is getting more aggressive and the attacks more vicious. Gabe has some people angry with him as everyone does but he can’t think of anyone, including ex-soldiers that carry this kind of grudge. Women may have been scorned but did they take their vengeance this far in seeking pay back, Gabe was not buying that simple answer.
The nights are lighting up with Gabe and Mattie and he is wearing down her defenses even though she likes playing some cat and mouse games with him and has a very unusual secret she is keeping from him. Mixed signals are driving Gabe crazy but not having Mattie full time in his life, sleeping in his bed and planning a future together is just not what he wants to think about. Solving the crime and sending the arsonist away forever sounds better and then he and Mattie can hopefully have a life – plans are great aren’t they?
Love this 2nd book in the series it was captivating, thrilling, scary and romantic which is a great combination. You really see so many suspects and no one that fits the criminal profile so when it all comes together you as the reader are completely shocked which is just as it should be. The back story with Mattie’s friend is so sweet and having Gabe’s brothers involved make it all the more well-rounded. Thanks to Kat Martin for a knock down great book.
December 7, 2014
My thoughts and feelings while reading:
0.0% Excited for this one - an ex-military hero! :D I love military/law enforcement heros (past or present)! :D :D <3 <3
9.0% Smart lady.
Yep she's definitely smart - cant wait to see where this goes :) The case has me really intrigued already :) and Im really looking forward to seeing more of Mattie and Gabe :)
11.0% Her job was all she had to keep her going, the only thing that kept her from total despair.
Oh poor Mattie :(
13.0% not quite certain himself it was a good idea.
Yes she's different to what you normally like but sometimes different is good Gabe! :) <3 besides what youve had before never lasted! :)
15.0% He chuckled, appreciating her honesty.
Me too! I cant stand mind games - honesty and straightforwardness is sooo much better!
18.0% It was the one time Mattie allowed her inner self to surface.
Oh yay! I can see where this is going - so excited
20.0% Gabe couldn’t breathe. This was the Mattie he had imagined, the woman beneath the layers of drab clothing. The woman Mattie had kept hidden until tonight.
<3 <3 <3
21.0% “I plan to kiss you all night, honey, in places you’ve never been kissed.”
Okay this is hot!! <3 <3 (hotter that anything in the first book - i think <3)
22.0% Fine, then he would leave her alone. He’d never had a problem with women. He didn’t need one who didn’t want him.
No! Fight for her Gabe, show her she doesnt need to be scared! Show her you two were meant to be together!
26.0% “Sam did. He said he wasn’t interested in a one-night stand. He said if I wanted to go out to dinner sometime, he’d like that.
Oh yay! I love Sam!! Awwwww - hope we see more of these two! <3
33.0% This thing with Mel was getting out of hand.
Yeah it is... I hope nothing else happens - Im getting a bad feeling about him!
37.0% Jackson
<3 Jackson and he is def a google whiz haha <3
42.0% I like you, too, Tracy Spencer. Which is exactly the reason I’m not taking you to bed. At least not tonight.” Her lips turned down in a pout. “What is it with you, Sam? Don’t you want to make love to me?” Beneath the table, Sam reached for her hand, pulling it over into his lap. He was sporting a raging hard-on and had been since he’d seen her in the doorway of her apartment. “What do you think?”
<3 Sam!
44.0% I love your hair,” he said, brushing a soft kiss on her shoulder.
And i love you Gabe! <3 <3 I love that you wont let Mattie run or pretend! <3
45.0% What is it?” Gabe asked softly. “Tell me.”
Awwww <3 Gabe!!!!! Tell him Mattie, you can trust him!! <3 <3
50.0% She shot him a glare. “That’s blackmail!”
Yes it is! With good and bad intentions ;) haha <3 Gabe!
57.0% Might be.
I knew it - I had a feeling!! :D :D
60.0% The thought brought an unexpected stab of regret. Which meant she was doing exactly the right thing.
Oh Mattie! You know whats really happening - stop trying to fight it! <3
62.0% <3 the snippets of Jackson - I love the relationship between the brothers! <3
64.0% Then my plan is actually working.
Oh yayayayay! I love Sam and Tracy! I love that we get to see quite abit of them! <3
70.0% It took an instant to recognize the lie.
At least you recognize it now you just need to give in! Stop fighting it Mattie! <3
73.0% Tracy was working through her problems. She was allowing herself to fall in love. But Mattie couldn’t imagine ever allowing herself to become that vulnerable.
Yay! <3 Tracy! You can do it too Mattie - for Gabe you can do it!
76.0% Okay, hopefully this will show Mattie she has to fight! Otherwise I have no idea what will!
77.0% Thank god! I hope to god its not too late! <3
79.0% Awww <3 <3 Sam and Tracy! <3
Swearing at me isn’t going to change anything. Take care of your wife and daughter.
haha <3 Jackson! <3
82.0% He cleared his throat. “Can we go into your office?”
:O I was not expecting that!
83.0% Oh Mattie - I love your reason! I just hope Gabe does too! <3 I think he will - at least I hope so! <3
87.0% Oh yay, Thank God! Im actually squealing! <3
90.0% Good spot Mattie - I agree! I think I know whats coming n I know Im not going to like it!
91.0% Smoke was everywhere now, stinging her eyes, making her struggle to breathe.
:O Seriously, my heart is in my throat right now!!!!
93.0% Her eyes found Gabe, but he was already disappearing into the darkness. And Mattie was terrified she would never see him again.
Gabe nooooo!
95.0% He took in his surroundings:
I love that he's prepared n cautious! <3 a marine - Past and present!!!!!! :P
96.0% Nooooooo!
98.0% Holly Raines
YAY! I love that shes now a Raines! <3 <3
99.0% Gabe’s breathing halted. “Tell me this isn’t a joke.” “No joke.”
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! <3 <3
100.0% "I LOVED this book! <3 Mattie n Gabe were awesome! I loved them, I loved the secondary romance (<3 Sam and Tracy!), and the case was amazing! <3 I cant wait to start Dev's story - Im really loving this series! <3
0.0% Excited for this one - an ex-military hero! :D I love military/law enforcement heros (past or present)! :D :D <3 <3
9.0% Smart lady.
Yep she's definitely smart - cant wait to see where this goes :) The case has me really intrigued already :) and Im really looking forward to seeing more of Mattie and Gabe :)
11.0% Her job was all she had to keep her going, the only thing that kept her from total despair.
Oh poor Mattie :(
13.0% not quite certain himself it was a good idea.
Yes she's different to what you normally like but sometimes different is good Gabe! :) <3 besides what youve had before never lasted! :)
15.0% He chuckled, appreciating her honesty.
Me too! I cant stand mind games - honesty and straightforwardness is sooo much better!
18.0% It was the one time Mattie allowed her inner self to surface.
Oh yay! I can see where this is going - so excited
20.0% Gabe couldn’t breathe. This was the Mattie he had imagined, the woman beneath the layers of drab clothing. The woman Mattie had kept hidden until tonight.
<3 <3 <3
21.0% “I plan to kiss you all night, honey, in places you’ve never been kissed.”
Okay this is hot!! <3 <3 (hotter that anything in the first book - i think <3)
22.0% Fine, then he would leave her alone. He’d never had a problem with women. He didn’t need one who didn’t want him.
No! Fight for her Gabe, show her she doesnt need to be scared! Show her you two were meant to be together!
26.0% “Sam did. He said he wasn’t interested in a one-night stand. He said if I wanted to go out to dinner sometime, he’d like that.
Oh yay! I love Sam!! Awwwww - hope we see more of these two! <3
33.0% This thing with Mel was getting out of hand.
Yeah it is... I hope nothing else happens - Im getting a bad feeling about him!
37.0% Jackson
<3 Jackson and he is def a google whiz haha <3
42.0% I like you, too, Tracy Spencer. Which is exactly the reason I’m not taking you to bed. At least not tonight.” Her lips turned down in a pout. “What is it with you, Sam? Don’t you want to make love to me?” Beneath the table, Sam reached for her hand, pulling it over into his lap. He was sporting a raging hard-on and had been since he’d seen her in the doorway of her apartment. “What do you think?”
<3 Sam!
44.0% I love your hair,” he said, brushing a soft kiss on her shoulder.
And i love you Gabe! <3 <3 I love that you wont let Mattie run or pretend! <3
45.0% What is it?” Gabe asked softly. “Tell me.”
Awwww <3 Gabe!!!!! Tell him Mattie, you can trust him!! <3 <3
50.0% She shot him a glare. “That’s blackmail!”
Yes it is! With good and bad intentions ;) haha <3 Gabe!
57.0% Might be.
I knew it - I had a feeling!! :D :D
60.0% The thought brought an unexpected stab of regret. Which meant she was doing exactly the right thing.
Oh Mattie! You know whats really happening - stop trying to fight it! <3
62.0% <3 the snippets of Jackson - I love the relationship between the brothers! <3
64.0% Then my plan is actually working.
Oh yayayayay! I love Sam and Tracy! I love that we get to see quite abit of them! <3
70.0% It took an instant to recognize the lie.
At least you recognize it now you just need to give in! Stop fighting it Mattie! <3
73.0% Tracy was working through her problems. She was allowing herself to fall in love. But Mattie couldn’t imagine ever allowing herself to become that vulnerable.
Yay! <3 Tracy! You can do it too Mattie - for Gabe you can do it!
76.0% Okay, hopefully this will show Mattie she has to fight! Otherwise I have no idea what will!
77.0% Thank god! I hope to god its not too late! <3
79.0% Awww <3 <3 Sam and Tracy! <3
Swearing at me isn’t going to change anything. Take care of your wife and daughter.
haha <3 Jackson! <3
82.0% He cleared his throat. “Can we go into your office?”
:O I was not expecting that!
83.0% Oh Mattie - I love your reason! I just hope Gabe does too! <3 I think he will - at least I hope so! <3
87.0% Oh yay, Thank God! Im actually squealing! <3
90.0% Good spot Mattie - I agree! I think I know whats coming n I know Im not going to like it!
91.0% Smoke was everywhere now, stinging her eyes, making her struggle to breathe.
:O Seriously, my heart is in my throat right now!!!!
93.0% Her eyes found Gabe, but he was already disappearing into the darkness. And Mattie was terrified she would never see him again.
Gabe nooooo!
95.0% He took in his surroundings:
I love that he's prepared n cautious! <3 a marine - Past and present!!!!!! :P
96.0% Nooooooo!
98.0% Holly Raines
YAY! I love that shes now a Raines! <3 <3
99.0% Gabe’s breathing halted. “Tell me this isn’t a joke.” “No joke.”
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! <3 <3
100.0% "I LOVED this book! <3 Mattie n Gabe were awesome! I loved them, I loved the secondary romance (<3 Sam and Tracy!), and the case was amazing! <3 I cant wait to start Dev's story - Im really loving this series! <3
January 17, 2011
Gabe Raines is an ex-marine who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Wind Canyon, Wyoming with his two brothers and an alcoholic mother. Now owning a successful construction company, he’s a long way away from being referred to as one of those “No account Raines boys.” Living the life as a prominent bachelor, Gabe wasn’t looking for a relationship but enjoyed the occasional sleep over with a lovely lady. When one of his construction projects is set to fire he runs into good-looking Mattie Baker, an architect who regularly volunteers at a family help center. He can tell right away that she is not going to be just another easy conquest. Never having to chase a woman before, they usually chase him; getting Mattie to even see him again is going to be a challenge he looks forward to. The circumstances they end up spending time together under however are not ideal and definitely dangerous. An unknown arsonist seems to be gunning for Gabe and the heat is turned up, in more ways then one.
Another sensational read from author Kat Martin in her second installment of The Raines of Wind Canyon series.
Against the Fire deals with real-world issues such as abuse, neglect, sexual harassment and loss. It was a very moving story and well paced with good dialogue and world building. I loved Gabe right away but it took a while for me to get into Mattie. She had very cold characteristics until towards the end when she finally started showing some heart. She isn’t into ‘macho’ men and considered Gabe one. And because of her father’s death and her mother’s struggles afterwards she is of the mindset that the only person you can rely on is yourself, and never a man. Mattie eventually realizes that Gabe isn’t like any other man she has known but by this time it may be too late.
This is a great novel that demonstrates how a person can heal and move forward from a violent past and a bit of a tearjerker towards the end. Against the Fire is also filled with mystery and suspense, some action when we meet the villain face-to-face, heart warming romance and Martins classy love scenes. The story comes to a climatic conclusion that I absolutely loved and I am very much looking forward to the last novel in this trilogy,Against the Law, Devlin’s story.
Another sensational read from author Kat Martin in her second installment of The Raines of Wind Canyon series.
Against the Fire deals with real-world issues such as abuse, neglect, sexual harassment and loss. It was a very moving story and well paced with good dialogue and world building. I loved Gabe right away but it took a while for me to get into Mattie. She had very cold characteristics until towards the end when she finally started showing some heart. She isn’t into ‘macho’ men and considered Gabe one. And because of her father’s death and her mother’s struggles afterwards she is of the mindset that the only person you can rely on is yourself, and never a man. Mattie eventually realizes that Gabe isn’t like any other man she has known but by this time it may be too late.
This is a great novel that demonstrates how a person can heal and move forward from a violent past and a bit of a tearjerker towards the end. Against the Fire is also filled with mystery and suspense, some action when we meet the villain face-to-face, heart warming romance and Martins classy love scenes. The story comes to a climatic conclusion that I absolutely loved and I am very much looking forward to the last novel in this trilogy,Against the Law, Devlin’s story.
March 29, 2011
The first book in this series was a bit lackluster, but I thought this one had a lot more spark to it (no pun intended). There's a lot more depth to the story and it was just more engaging.
Series Note:
Second book in Martin's "Raines of Wind Canyon" series about 3 brothers who had bad childhoods but turned their lives around. I wouldn't necessarily say you need to read the first book first.
Summary:
Gabriel Raines is a successful real estate developer in Dallas whose buildings are suddenly going up in flames. The cops find evidence of arson and suspect a local teen with a history of burning buildings. But Mattie Baker, local architect and shelter volunteer, knows the boy couldn't have done it. In order to prove it, she'll team up with Gabe to help find the real culprit.
In doing so, she puts herself in danger because someone wants to hit Gabe where it hurts. They've got a vendetta against Gabe that they'll put paid on no matter what the cost. Gabe is baffled. He doesn't know anyone who'd want to hurt him. And to make things even more confusing, the sparks between him and Mattie are impossible to ignore. But getting Mattie to give in to the chemistry between them is not easy chore. By the time all is said and done, Gabe hopes to be free from the arsonists and to have Mattie by his side, permanently.
Review:
Compared to the first book, the suspense angle of this book is so much stronger. Martin does a really good job of developing the plot and keeping the reader engaged in all that's going on. I wouldn't put the story on the same level as a full fledged romantic suspense...like that of a Karen Rose whose stories are suspense with enough romance to make it a romance...it's more of a romance with a nicely developed suspense plot to go with it. But it was a well done aspect of the story. It was pretty well written, logical and interesting to read. It kept my attention in the story, unlike the plot of the first book.
The romance is pretty good as well. I really liked Gabe. He came from a rough beginning but really managed to make something of his life. Plus, he comes around as just an all around nice guy. And the patience he has for Mattie definitely ups his good-guy factor. As for Mattie...I mostly liked her, but she did get frustrating with all her hang-ups. At times it feels like she overblows things in her life and the reasons she's pushing Gabe away seem not enough. But on the whole, the romance was pretty good.
For those of you who read the first book and found it to be a bit blah, I think you'll find this one much more readable. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
Series Note:
Second book in Martin's "Raines of Wind Canyon" series about 3 brothers who had bad childhoods but turned their lives around. I wouldn't necessarily say you need to read the first book first.
Summary:
Gabriel Raines is a successful real estate developer in Dallas whose buildings are suddenly going up in flames. The cops find evidence of arson and suspect a local teen with a history of burning buildings. But Mattie Baker, local architect and shelter volunteer, knows the boy couldn't have done it. In order to prove it, she'll team up with Gabe to help find the real culprit.
In doing so, she puts herself in danger because someone wants to hit Gabe where it hurts. They've got a vendetta against Gabe that they'll put paid on no matter what the cost. Gabe is baffled. He doesn't know anyone who'd want to hurt him. And to make things even more confusing, the sparks between him and Mattie are impossible to ignore. But getting Mattie to give in to the chemistry between them is not easy chore. By the time all is said and done, Gabe hopes to be free from the arsonists and to have Mattie by his side, permanently.
Review:
Compared to the first book, the suspense angle of this book is so much stronger. Martin does a really good job of developing the plot and keeping the reader engaged in all that's going on. I wouldn't put the story on the same level as a full fledged romantic suspense...like that of a Karen Rose whose stories are suspense with enough romance to make it a romance...it's more of a romance with a nicely developed suspense plot to go with it. But it was a well done aspect of the story. It was pretty well written, logical and interesting to read. It kept my attention in the story, unlike the plot of the first book.
The romance is pretty good as well. I really liked Gabe. He came from a rough beginning but really managed to make something of his life. Plus, he comes around as just an all around nice guy. And the patience he has for Mattie definitely ups his good-guy factor. As for Mattie...I mostly liked her, but she did get frustrating with all her hang-ups. At times it feels like she overblows things in her life and the reasons she's pushing Gabe away seem not enough. But on the whole, the romance was pretty good.
For those of you who read the first book and found it to be a bit blah, I think you'll find this one much more readable. Looking forward to the last book in the trilogy.
March 13, 2011
Kat Martin jams a suspense filled story in Against the Fire. The story is the second book in the Raines of Canyon Wind trilogy. Gabriel Raines is running a successful construction company. He has several properties under his belt but one night he receives a call that one of the properties is set on fire. His luck is changed and he has to figure out who the arsonist is before they can do further damage.
Mattie Baker is called down to the police station because a teenager (Angel) she mentors is accused of setting a building on fire. She is determined to prove his innocence and she get a little help from Gabe, who believes that the teen is innocent as well. Once they prove that Angel is innocent, a series of events occurred and forces Mattie and Gabe to track down an arsonist.
I have to first commend the author on keeping the suspense going in the story. I got so caught up in figuring out who was setting the fire. With that being said, the romance slipped in the book. I couldn’t connect with Gabe and Mattie like I normally do with a hero and heroine. It is hard to understand Mattie because she has a shell up the entire time which to me didn’t make sense because her past failed relationship is just not enough to keep everyone at arm’s length. She became quite stiff and undesirable in my eyes. Gabe is a total hottie and I loved how he kept pushing Mattie.
The side romance with Gabe’s best friend Sam and Mattie’s friend Tracy is a great addition to the story. Sam has to reign Tracy in his own way and show her that he is a man that sticks around. When she finally sees the truth, it was endearing and sweet. A great way to get two love stories in one!
I finally can’t wait to see what is in store for Dev! He appears to be the love them and leave them type and I’m sure his woman will knock him off his feet.
Mattie Baker is called down to the police station because a teenager (Angel) she mentors is accused of setting a building on fire. She is determined to prove his innocence and she get a little help from Gabe, who believes that the teen is innocent as well. Once they prove that Angel is innocent, a series of events occurred and forces Mattie and Gabe to track down an arsonist.
I have to first commend the author on keeping the suspense going in the story. I got so caught up in figuring out who was setting the fire. With that being said, the romance slipped in the book. I couldn’t connect with Gabe and Mattie like I normally do with a hero and heroine. It is hard to understand Mattie because she has a shell up the entire time which to me didn’t make sense because her past failed relationship is just not enough to keep everyone at arm’s length. She became quite stiff and undesirable in my eyes. Gabe is a total hottie and I loved how he kept pushing Mattie.
The side romance with Gabe’s best friend Sam and Mattie’s friend Tracy is a great addition to the story. Sam has to reign Tracy in his own way and show her that he is a man that sticks around. When she finally sees the truth, it was endearing and sweet. A great way to get two love stories in one!
I finally can’t wait to see what is in store for Dev! He appears to be the love them and leave them type and I’m sure his woman will knock him off his feet.
June 10, 2011
This book was pretty boring. I liked the characters but for the storyline...I don't know - it didn't work for me. Even the sex scenes were...kind of trivial. :(
November 27, 2017
11/2017
March 24, 2011
Against the Fire is book two in the Raines of Wind Canyon trilogy and is the story of middle brother builder/developer Gabriel Raines and architectural designer Mattie Baker.
Mattie suffers scars from being raised by a mother who struggled to provide after her husband died and left her unprepared to earn a living. Mattie also had a devastating affair and pregnancy that has left her determined not to place her trust in any man. She has to achieve and provide for herself, no matter what. This theme runs throughout the book, even at times one wonders when she’s going to realize Gabe isn’t trying to run her life and is exactly what she needs. But I’m getting ahead of myself...
Mattie also has a friend who is a victim of home abuse. She knew, and said nothing, a fact that still disturbs her, which is why she volunteers at a family service center. There, she has become friends with a young Hispanic boy, Angel Ramirez and his mother, and she’s done a lot to help encourage the bright young man to achieve his dream of college.
Gabriel, ex Marine, has worked up from humble construction beginnings to own a sizable construction/development business in Dallas. When arson hits one of his partially renovated projects, the suspect turns out to be Angel Ramirez, and he comes in contact with Mattie who is insistant Angel had nothing to do with the fire. Gabe is instantly attracted to Mattie, but she rebuffs him. He feels there is more to Mattie than her prim demeanor suggests and he’d like to find out. A second arson occurs at another of Gabe’s projects, and a vindicated Angel offers to help find answers on the street. But someone doesn’t want those answers to surface and Angel lands in the hospital. Mattie and Gabe, who now have discovered their mutual desire for hot sex, have joined together to find answers to who is behind the attack on Angel and the fires at gabe’s work projects.
Also in the plot is a touching story about one of Angel’s friends and the budding romance between Mattie’s best friend Tracy and Gabe’s foreman and best friend Sam.
As in the first book, Gabe’s brothers enter into this plot as well. One senses a strong spirit of love and trust among the handsome and sexy Raines brothers,
Again, Kat Martin has provided a story with lots of plot amid lots of sex–a little much for my preference, but if non-stop sex and sexual thoughts are yours, then this might be the series for you. Certainly it is well written and suspenseful. I am liking this author's strong storytelling and look forward to book three in the series.
Mattie suffers scars from being raised by a mother who struggled to provide after her husband died and left her unprepared to earn a living. Mattie also had a devastating affair and pregnancy that has left her determined not to place her trust in any man. She has to achieve and provide for herself, no matter what. This theme runs throughout the book, even at times one wonders when she’s going to realize Gabe isn’t trying to run her life and is exactly what she needs. But I’m getting ahead of myself...
Mattie also has a friend who is a victim of home abuse. She knew, and said nothing, a fact that still disturbs her, which is why she volunteers at a family service center. There, she has become friends with a young Hispanic boy, Angel Ramirez and his mother, and she’s done a lot to help encourage the bright young man to achieve his dream of college.
Gabriel, ex Marine, has worked up from humble construction beginnings to own a sizable construction/development business in Dallas. When arson hits one of his partially renovated projects, the suspect turns out to be Angel Ramirez, and he comes in contact with Mattie who is insistant Angel had nothing to do with the fire. Gabe is instantly attracted to Mattie, but she rebuffs him. He feels there is more to Mattie than her prim demeanor suggests and he’d like to find out. A second arson occurs at another of Gabe’s projects, and a vindicated Angel offers to help find answers on the street. But someone doesn’t want those answers to surface and Angel lands in the hospital. Mattie and Gabe, who now have discovered their mutual desire for hot sex, have joined together to find answers to who is behind the attack on Angel and the fires at gabe’s work projects.
Also in the plot is a touching story about one of Angel’s friends and the budding romance between Mattie’s best friend Tracy and Gabe’s foreman and best friend Sam.
As in the first book, Gabe’s brothers enter into this plot as well. One senses a strong spirit of love and trust among the handsome and sexy Raines brothers,
Again, Kat Martin has provided a story with lots of plot amid lots of sex–a little much for my preference, but if non-stop sex and sexual thoughts are yours, then this might be the series for you. Certainly it is well written and suspenseful. I am liking this author's strong storytelling and look forward to book three in the series.
June 4, 2011
"The Raines of Wind Canyon" is a romantic suspense trilogy from Kat Martin featuring three semi-reformed bad-boy brothers. The Raines brothers endured a difficult childhood, and each overcame their obstacles in a different manner. While they are very close, they are also very strong individuals. "Against the Fire", the second entry in the series, is all about the middle brother Gabriel and his fight against an unknown enemy bent on setting ablaze all that Gabriel has fought to achieve. A former military man who later made a fortune in the construction business, Gabriel is big, tough, and rough enough to take on all comers. However, he meets his match in a petite, auburn-haired architect named Mattie Baker. Their paths cross when one of the children from the family crisis center where Mattie volunteers is supsected of the arson fire at one of Gabe's construction sites. For reasons of her own, Mattie prefers to stay far away from men, especially one as attractive as Gabe. When he breaks down her defenses, and pulls her into his life, she is conflicted about her feelings for him. Gabe falls hard for Mattie, and wants more from her than a casual relationship. As things heat up between the two of them, the arson fires begin to take a heavy toll on Gabe's business world and his peace of mind. The Raines brothers stick together no matter what, and Gabe gets plenty of help and support from his younger brother Devlin, and his older brother Jackson. The danger of an enemy hell-bent on his destruction makes Gabe determined to keep Mattie safe, but she eventually shows him just how strong she is as a woman. The two of them work together to solve the mystery of the freaky fire-bug, and they realize that they have a love to last a lifetime. When their two hearts and minds join as one, things couldn't get hotter!
Review copy provided by Amazon Vine
Review copy provided by Amazon Vine
March 10, 2013
Well...
This is the second brothers story. He's a builder, whose buildings are being claimed by an arsonist. The first suspect was a young mexican boy who frequented a family center where a woman helped him be dismissed as the suspect... Just your basic Guy meets girl on a fluke & man are they meant to be together, but the girl is resisting because of some crappy past man who ruined her potential love life... While they try to find the bad guy.
Not much to say. These books don't seem to be on a really deep level, so it's not really intense. ZThere is a second romance that happens during this book & I kind of liked that one better than the main one.
It was good & I will read the rest of what I have.
This is the second brothers story. He's a builder, whose buildings are being claimed by an arsonist. The first suspect was a young mexican boy who frequented a family center where a woman helped him be dismissed as the suspect... Just your basic Guy meets girl on a fluke & man are they meant to be together, but the girl is resisting because of some crappy past man who ruined her potential love life... While they try to find the bad guy.
Not much to say. These books don't seem to be on a really deep level, so it's not really intense. ZThere is a second romance that happens during this book & I kind of liked that one better than the main one.
It was good & I will read the rest of what I have.
April 24, 2015
Loved Gabe. Hated Mattie.
Her lack of trust in men starts with the death of her father... Yes him dying really shows us how unreliable he was. And then she picks losers and feels justified in thinking all men are not loyal. Her mom tells her that she s getting a job after her new husband is laid off and Mattie says "what kind of work can you do, you have no skills". Umm... Didn't this mom hold down two jobs just to raise her? And are we the readers supposed to take this as yet another example of the unreliability of men? How dare he get laid off in a down turned economy!
Loved Gabe. Hated Mattie.
Her lack of trust in men starts with the death of her father... Yes him dying really shows us how unreliable he was. And then she picks losers and feels justified in thinking all men are not loyal. Her mom tells her that she s getting a job after her new husband is laid off and Mattie says "what kind of work can you do, you have no skills". Umm... Didn't this mom hold down two jobs just to raise her? And are we the readers supposed to take this as yet another example of the unreliability of men? How dare he get laid off in a down turned economy!
Loved Gabe. Hated Mattie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2011
An exciting, suspenseful tale set in Dallas, you will hold your breath as each fire brings even more danger for Mattie and Gabe. I thought I had the fire bug picked out within the first few chapters. So many twists and turns. Finally Dev (the younger Raines brother) steps in with his own theories and adds more suspects to the pile. A definite page turner, I am counting down the days to Dev's book, Agains The Law
February 6, 2012
These people are not super-heroes! I can not even force myself to try the next one. The characters are cardboard cut-outs of characters. The story could not carry the day. The characters could not carry the day. The writing was not so wonderful I could ignore every flaw. If anything, it was just good enough to keep me thinking maybe something wonderful was about to happen. It never did.
February 2, 2011
I'm loving these Raines brothers! I can't wait to read Dev's story!
March 6, 2011
Loved it!!
March 21, 2011
another good story; quick read; good characters
January 1, 2016
3.5 Stars.....Better than a 3 but not quite a 4 :)
February 12, 2021
I go into a Martin novel expecting the worst. She's definitely not a trustworthy or safe author. I got four books from this series free from a bookshop I used to volunteer at, so I wanted to give them a try.
The next worst thing from a virgin heroine is one who hasn't had a lot of sex, or bad sex, or one who hasn't had sex in more than a year. In this case, it's all three. While the hero is out hooking up with women left and right. He says he has no illegitimate kids, that he knows of. Real funny.
Martin's women seem to always wear suits and their hair in a dang chignon. Not my kind of characters. She says she's not a very sexual woman, cares more about her career. Sex is ok for her, but she can take it or leave it.
She was in a relationship with a dud, & when she did have casual sex, it was disappointing and she didn't think she could be a passionate lover. The ol heroine thinking she's cold because of negative sexual experiences trope. Eyeroll. So of course Mr. Hero Sex God will sweep onto the scene and change all that. Spare me from this drivel. You mean not one guy you slept with was good in bed? Halfway decent? They were all disappointing?
I didn't start out liking Gabe. He thinks Mattie's independent because she opens her own car door. Give me a break. He likes feminine women and really only accepted her after he saw her at the club and realized she was feminine underneath her 'drab suits' and that there was an inner sex goddess in there like he thought.
'For an instant, she thought of stopping, ending what would surely wind up a disaster. But the instant she started to pull away, Gabe caught her wrists, lifted and pinned them against the wall above her head.
She tugged a little, testing his determination, felt the implacable strength of his hands. His mouth claimed hers again, a leisurely and thorough exploration that spun her into a world of sensation, and his grip did not lesson. He wanted her and he meant to have her.
Her body relaxed against his. Now that the decision had been taken away from her, she felt free in a way she never had before. Gabe wouldn't let her resist. He was going to take what he wanted.
Give her exactly what she needed.'
This hit me the wrong way. Like she had no choice in the matter, and that because Gabe wanted it, she couldn't say no.
Her alter ego karaoke queen, wearing a short dress and high heels was ridiculous compared to her normal self. I just don't believe you go from proper, suit-wearing professional to singing bombshell.
"That's what you've been needing all along. You're a very passionate woman, Mattie. What you needed was a man." Oh geez.
He held himself back when he knew how little experience she had. When we finally have a heroine who has experience, who became pregnant in the past, why is she then passed off as inexperienced? She may as well have been a virgin! How can she be inexperienced when she was pregnant in the past?!
Somehow despite her never climaxing 'she was one of the most passionate women he'd ever met.'
'Unfortunately, her sexuality was a part of her nature she couldn't afford to indulge. She had an important job, a career. If she allowed herself to get involved in a relationship, her future would suffer.'
What is this bullcrap? So architects can't have relationships?!
He hadn't been in a relationship in 6 months besides his ex who he sometimes had a sleepover with. I kept waiting for her to show up. Thankfully, and surprisingly, she didn't. Then there's a rando woman at an art gallery he used to hookup with who's 'extremely inventive in bed.'
Very corny when the heroines friend gets with the hero's friend. I just knew it would happen. I didn't care to be in Tracy and Sam's POV at all, though I did think Tracy was a good friend to Mattie.
Enrique was a pretty unrealistic and too perfect addition to the story. I mean, a 17 year old kid who tags buildings is getting a contract with an art gallery. Eye roll.
He's one of those heroes, who when the heroine says no, knows she really means yes and doesn't take no for an answer.
'"You know, I should be mad at you. I said no and you didn't stop. Modern women are supposed to be able to say no to a man and he's supposed to obey her wishes."
"Modern women are supposed to mean what they say."'
I didn't like that Gabe was completely ok with her maybe being pregnant after the condom broke. They barely know each other! He's all "even if something happened, it wouldn't be so bad. I like kids. I wouldn't mind having one."
I get exhausted by Martin's romantic suspense. Can she write just romance?
It was interesting hearing most fire victims don't suffer; they die from carbon monoxide before the flames reach them. I've never heard that before.
'She was a woman with needs, she now realized, needs only Gabriel Raines seemed able to satisfy.' I HATE crap like this in books. The heroine has no sexual past or a bad sexual past, is awakened to their sexuality by the hero, and then think he's the only man they can have sex with. I can't.
This book was pretty shallow at times. Everyone was good-looking. The MC's, all of Gabe's brothers. Even side characters are all good looking, and even characters with really small roles. Like the nurse working at the computer at the hospital, and both Gabe's military buddies, as if it's a prerequisite to be good-looking to be in the military. And the bartender. And Angel. And Artie's wife. Even Clayton Sanders, the arsonist was attractive! The guy at city hall is attractive too. Why does everyone have to be good looking?
Guys have to be shorter than Gabe. Because height equals superiority and we can't have our heroes being shorter than other men.
Sam and Tracy went out to dinner and then rode his motorcycle the next day& because they didn't have sex Mattie asks Gabe "there's nothing...you know, wrong with him? Sexually, I mean?"
"You mean is he gay or something? Not even close."
So if you don't have sex after two dates you must be gay. And no, not considering the fact that he had sex with someone like the night before, or mere days before they saw Tracy and Mattie at the club.
One character had 'a double row of thick black eyelashes.' What does that mean?!
I hated she even thought something might have happened between Gabe and Artie's widow, when he had remodeled their warehouse a few years ago.
Idt I've heard of Force Recon before, but they compared it to a Navy SEAL or Green Beret.
Her friend Tracy, although a little screwed up with her hang ups, was a refreshing character in that she was like most heroes are, wanting sex, not having relationships with anyone. She would be a refreshing heroine to read about. I liked that she was a different type of female character than you ever read about.
Like another of Martin's characters, the hero can fly a plane. A contractor who owns a ranch, can fly a plane. It just didn't jive.
Sam and Tracy are in love and gonna get married. These relationships progress at lightning speed.
Aaron clearly liked Mattie, and Mattie kept blowing him off, which was annoying. He was only there for temporary jealousy between Gabe and Mattie. We find out from Emily, the coworker who liked Aaron that Aaron was in love with Mattie until he realized she had feelings for Gabe. We don't even find this out from Aaron himself.
Aaron and Emily are in love. He never even gave her the time of day, had no idea she liked him.
Mattie wore me out which the repetition of not trusting men, not wanting to get too involved with Gabe. We get it, you're independent.
It was very ironic when Sam tells Gabe he's getting married, Gabe told Sam he hadn't known Tracy that long when Gabe brought up marriage to Mattie and they all know each other about the same exact time frame.
I loved during the fire when she asked what if the exit was closed off and Gabe smiled and said "you risked your life to get me out of that room. I'll get you out of here, honey. I promise you." That was a sweet moment.
Gabe's brother Dev was a cool character, how he was a marksman with the rangers, and did all the intel for Gabe in helping him find the suspect.
Gabe annoyed me when he said he didn't wanna be with a woman who didn't want him (although true), that he needed to move on and find someone who wanted him. If he loved her like he claimed, he'd fight harder for her and not give up.
I didn't like that it did turn out to be a tenant at the apartment buildings Gabe bought out who was the suspect. I wanted it to be Clayton, the obvious threat, or the next obvious threat, his rival in construction. Actually Clayton didn't turn out to be a threat at all, cause he wasn't behind any of it.This was multilayered cause there were a few different suspects, and one of the culprits was a woman who capitalized on the fires and killed her husband. So that was different.
Didn't get enough wrapup on what happened to her or her lawyer, and what'll happen to Clayton. Also disappointed it took Angel so long to wake up and his recovery took place off page.
Despite the old gf's offer to hookup, and his old flame offering to get back together, there wasn't any other OW drama. A Kat Martin book where the hero doesn't get kissed/hookup with another woman after meeting the heroine. Blow me down. You could have knocked me down with a feather. It's unheard of. I didn't know it could happen.
I felt like raising it a half star just for that. I was feeling that generous just because it lacked real OW drama. There's hope for Martin. It's slight, but there's still some hope.
The book centered too much on their jobs, which wasn't exciting to read. I wasn't interested in his contracting or her designing. It felt like the same scenes over and over. Gabe shows up at a job, checks in with Sam and his crew. Mattie goes to her office, maybe sees Aaron and stupid Mel shows up for a rude comment, and then exits scene. Then when the suspense kicked in, it was Gabe doing the same thing but now talking to the police and the firemen.
I actually don't even like romantic suspense. Especially when a book focuses so heavily on it like this did. And because it centered on Gabe's jobs, it was all wrapped in together and too much a focus in here. I felt there could have been more scenes to break up all the suspense and their work.
Because most of this was boring to me, I was glad to be done.
It took a while for Gabe to grow on me. I wasn't feeling him or his career in the beginning. Gabe's transformation regarding Mattie was pretty good. Mattie became tiring and annoying the way she clung to her independence and moaned about getting close to Gabe for most of the book. It took too long for her to get it together. The book was best at the end, in the fire scene. Although the HEA was rushed, what with them telling each other they loved them and proposing right there after the fire in front of everyone. That could have been a little better.
I'm super disappointed in Dev's story. I wanted him back with his fiancé! Not some rando person. Although I was gonna be mad he's had sex with hordes of women since.
The next worst thing from a virgin heroine is one who hasn't had a lot of sex, or bad sex, or one who hasn't had sex in more than a year. In this case, it's all three. While the hero is out hooking up with women left and right. He says he has no illegitimate kids, that he knows of. Real funny.
Martin's women seem to always wear suits and their hair in a dang chignon. Not my kind of characters. She says she's not a very sexual woman, cares more about her career. Sex is ok for her, but she can take it or leave it.
She was in a relationship with a dud, & when she did have casual sex, it was disappointing and she didn't think she could be a passionate lover. The ol heroine thinking she's cold because of negative sexual experiences trope. Eyeroll. So of course Mr. Hero Sex God will sweep onto the scene and change all that. Spare me from this drivel. You mean not one guy you slept with was good in bed? Halfway decent? They were all disappointing?
I didn't start out liking Gabe. He thinks Mattie's independent because she opens her own car door. Give me a break. He likes feminine women and really only accepted her after he saw her at the club and realized she was feminine underneath her 'drab suits' and that there was an inner sex goddess in there like he thought.
'For an instant, she thought of stopping, ending what would surely wind up a disaster. But the instant she started to pull away, Gabe caught her wrists, lifted and pinned them against the wall above her head.
She tugged a little, testing his determination, felt the implacable strength of his hands. His mouth claimed hers again, a leisurely and thorough exploration that spun her into a world of sensation, and his grip did not lesson. He wanted her and he meant to have her.
Her body relaxed against his. Now that the decision had been taken away from her, she felt free in a way she never had before. Gabe wouldn't let her resist. He was going to take what he wanted.
Give her exactly what she needed.'
This hit me the wrong way. Like she had no choice in the matter, and that because Gabe wanted it, she couldn't say no.
Her alter ego karaoke queen, wearing a short dress and high heels was ridiculous compared to her normal self. I just don't believe you go from proper, suit-wearing professional to singing bombshell.
"That's what you've been needing all along. You're a very passionate woman, Mattie. What you needed was a man." Oh geez.
He held himself back when he knew how little experience she had. When we finally have a heroine who has experience, who became pregnant in the past, why is she then passed off as inexperienced? She may as well have been a virgin! How can she be inexperienced when she was pregnant in the past?!
Somehow despite her never climaxing 'she was one of the most passionate women he'd ever met.'
'Unfortunately, her sexuality was a part of her nature she couldn't afford to indulge. She had an important job, a career. If she allowed herself to get involved in a relationship, her future would suffer.'
What is this bullcrap? So architects can't have relationships?!
He hadn't been in a relationship in 6 months besides his ex who he sometimes had a sleepover with. I kept waiting for her to show up. Thankfully, and surprisingly, she didn't. Then there's a rando woman at an art gallery he used to hookup with who's 'extremely inventive in bed.'
Very corny when the heroines friend gets with the hero's friend. I just knew it would happen. I didn't care to be in Tracy and Sam's POV at all, though I did think Tracy was a good friend to Mattie.
Enrique was a pretty unrealistic and too perfect addition to the story. I mean, a 17 year old kid who tags buildings is getting a contract with an art gallery. Eye roll.
He's one of those heroes, who when the heroine says no, knows she really means yes and doesn't take no for an answer.
'"You know, I should be mad at you. I said no and you didn't stop. Modern women are supposed to be able to say no to a man and he's supposed to obey her wishes."
"Modern women are supposed to mean what they say."'
I didn't like that Gabe was completely ok with her maybe being pregnant after the condom broke. They barely know each other! He's all "even if something happened, it wouldn't be so bad. I like kids. I wouldn't mind having one."
I get exhausted by Martin's romantic suspense. Can she write just romance?
It was interesting hearing most fire victims don't suffer; they die from carbon monoxide before the flames reach them. I've never heard that before.
'She was a woman with needs, she now realized, needs only Gabriel Raines seemed able to satisfy.' I HATE crap like this in books. The heroine has no sexual past or a bad sexual past, is awakened to their sexuality by the hero, and then think he's the only man they can have sex with. I can't.
This book was pretty shallow at times. Everyone was good-looking. The MC's, all of Gabe's brothers. Even side characters are all good looking, and even characters with really small roles. Like the nurse working at the computer at the hospital, and both Gabe's military buddies, as if it's a prerequisite to be good-looking to be in the military. And the bartender. And Angel. And Artie's wife. Even Clayton Sanders, the arsonist was attractive! The guy at city hall is attractive too. Why does everyone have to be good looking?
Guys have to be shorter than Gabe. Because height equals superiority and we can't have our heroes being shorter than other men.
Sam and Tracy went out to dinner and then rode his motorcycle the next day& because they didn't have sex Mattie asks Gabe "there's nothing...you know, wrong with him? Sexually, I mean?"
"You mean is he gay or something? Not even close."
So if you don't have sex after two dates you must be gay. And no, not considering the fact that he had sex with someone like the night before, or mere days before they saw Tracy and Mattie at the club.
One character had 'a double row of thick black eyelashes.' What does that mean?!
I hated she even thought something might have happened between Gabe and Artie's widow, when he had remodeled their warehouse a few years ago.
Idt I've heard of Force Recon before, but they compared it to a Navy SEAL or Green Beret.
Her friend Tracy, although a little screwed up with her hang ups, was a refreshing character in that she was like most heroes are, wanting sex, not having relationships with anyone. She would be a refreshing heroine to read about. I liked that she was a different type of female character than you ever read about.
Like another of Martin's characters, the hero can fly a plane. A contractor who owns a ranch, can fly a plane. It just didn't jive.
Sam and Tracy are in love and gonna get married. These relationships progress at lightning speed.
Aaron clearly liked Mattie, and Mattie kept blowing him off, which was annoying. He was only there for temporary jealousy between Gabe and Mattie. We find out from Emily, the coworker who liked Aaron that Aaron was in love with Mattie until he realized she had feelings for Gabe. We don't even find this out from Aaron himself.
Aaron and Emily are in love. He never even gave her the time of day, had no idea she liked him.
Mattie wore me out which the repetition of not trusting men, not wanting to get too involved with Gabe. We get it, you're independent.
It was very ironic when Sam tells Gabe he's getting married, Gabe told Sam he hadn't known Tracy that long when Gabe brought up marriage to Mattie and they all know each other about the same exact time frame.
I loved during the fire when she asked what if the exit was closed off and Gabe smiled and said "you risked your life to get me out of that room. I'll get you out of here, honey. I promise you." That was a sweet moment.
Gabe's brother Dev was a cool character, how he was a marksman with the rangers, and did all the intel for Gabe in helping him find the suspect.
Gabe annoyed me when he said he didn't wanna be with a woman who didn't want him (although true), that he needed to move on and find someone who wanted him. If he loved her like he claimed, he'd fight harder for her and not give up.
I didn't like that it did turn out to be a tenant at the apartment buildings Gabe bought out who was the suspect. I wanted it to be Clayton, the obvious threat, or the next obvious threat, his rival in construction. Actually Clayton didn't turn out to be a threat at all, cause he wasn't behind any of it.This was multilayered cause there were a few different suspects, and one of the culprits was a woman who capitalized on the fires and killed her husband. So that was different.
Didn't get enough wrapup on what happened to her or her lawyer, and what'll happen to Clayton. Also disappointed it took Angel so long to wake up and his recovery took place off page.
Despite the old gf's offer to hookup, and his old flame offering to get back together, there wasn't any other OW drama. A Kat Martin book where the hero doesn't get kissed/hookup with another woman after meeting the heroine. Blow me down. You could have knocked me down with a feather. It's unheard of. I didn't know it could happen.
I felt like raising it a half star just for that. I was feeling that generous just because it lacked real OW drama. There's hope for Martin. It's slight, but there's still some hope.
The book centered too much on their jobs, which wasn't exciting to read. I wasn't interested in his contracting or her designing. It felt like the same scenes over and over. Gabe shows up at a job, checks in with Sam and his crew. Mattie goes to her office, maybe sees Aaron and stupid Mel shows up for a rude comment, and then exits scene. Then when the suspense kicked in, it was Gabe doing the same thing but now talking to the police and the firemen.
I actually don't even like romantic suspense. Especially when a book focuses so heavily on it like this did. And because it centered on Gabe's jobs, it was all wrapped in together and too much a focus in here. I felt there could have been more scenes to break up all the suspense and their work.
Because most of this was boring to me, I was glad to be done.
It took a while for Gabe to grow on me. I wasn't feeling him or his career in the beginning. Gabe's transformation regarding Mattie was pretty good. Mattie became tiring and annoying the way she clung to her independence and moaned about getting close to Gabe for most of the book. It took too long for her to get it together. The book was best at the end, in the fire scene. Although the HEA was rushed, what with them telling each other they loved them and proposing right there after the fire in front of everyone. That could have been a little better.
I'm super disappointed in Dev's story. I wanted him back with his fiancé! Not some rando person. Although I was gonna be mad he's had sex with hordes of women since.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2018
I wanted a light read, and this fit the bill. Still just not a huge fan of 'romance novels' - never been into the genre as a whole, but this book at least offered a bit more excitement and character depth than most other romance novels I've read.
July 22, 2021
Gabe is a contractor/real estate developer whose projects are being torched. Mattie is a family friend of the teen accused of setting the first one. Their romance develops as they work together to find the arsonist. I read the ebook. 3/5
February 4, 2015
Gabriel Raines, the middle Raines brother, has a successful construction/remodeling business in Dallas. He buys old properties and restores them, and current projects underway when the book opens include an historic theater and an apartment building that had been condemned. Mattie Baker is a successful, award winning architect, who puts in lots of hours at the office, but also finds time to volunteer at a local family resource center, working with families who are putting their lives back together after domestic abuse/violence. Like Jackson in the first RAINES OF WIND CANYON book, Gabe is not necessarily looking for a wife or a relationship and seems pretty content with his life. Mattie was raised by a single mother after her father died when she was young, and after seeing how her mother struggled, and after a bad experience with an ex, she is determined to never put her trust and reliance in another man. Like Sarah in the first book, she is fiercely independent.
I liked Gabe, though not quite as much as Jackson. Maybe because, even though Gabe has a ranch, he doesn't actually spend much time at it, and so he isn't really a rancher like Jackson. He is, however, ex-military. I also liked Mattie, and felt like I could relate to her a little more than I had to Sarah.
Gabe and Mattie meet at a police station, when a teenager is arrested for setting a fire in one of Gabe's buildings. Mattie, who knows Angel from her volunteer work, is convinced that Angel is innocent, and she intends to prove it. So even though Gabe is the kind of man she'd prefer to avoid being around, she inserts herself into the investigation, insisting that he help her find the real arsonist. Gabe is willing to give Angel the benefit of doubt, plus Mattie intrigues him and he isn't averse to spending some time in her company.
The suspense in this second book was amped up a little more, and the plot felt more tightly drawn and not quite as far fetched as the first book. As the fires continue, Gabe and younger brother Dev compile a suspect list, investigate or question suspects, cross them off, come up with more suspects...I was never sure what direction the story would take next, and had no clue who the real arsonist was until the author actually introduced him to us, the reader, while still leaving Gabe and everyone else in the dark.
And of course amidst all the fires and investigating, Gabe and Mattie get to know each other and get closer. Mattie, being afraid of falling for someone, anyone, runs a little hot and cold, but when she realizes she may have pushed Gabe away one too many times, she bucks up and sets out to rectify that, rather than being all wishy washy. Gabe accepts his growing feelings quicker than Mattie does, but is plagued by doubts of whether she wants him or just wants him in bed. They are very well suited to each other, and the culmination of their relationship was quite satisfying.
Meanwhile, there's a side plot with Gabe's best friend, Sam, courting Mattie's best friend, Tracy, that was very sweet, but which left me asking why they couldn't have had their own book instead of being secondary characters here.
Very enjoyable story, with some great characters and a suspenseful plot.
Originally posted on my blog.
I liked Gabe, though not quite as much as Jackson. Maybe because, even though Gabe has a ranch, he doesn't actually spend much time at it, and so he isn't really a rancher like Jackson. He is, however, ex-military. I also liked Mattie, and felt like I could relate to her a little more than I had to Sarah.
Gabe and Mattie meet at a police station, when a teenager is arrested for setting a fire in one of Gabe's buildings. Mattie, who knows Angel from her volunteer work, is convinced that Angel is innocent, and she intends to prove it. So even though Gabe is the kind of man she'd prefer to avoid being around, she inserts herself into the investigation, insisting that he help her find the real arsonist. Gabe is willing to give Angel the benefit of doubt, plus Mattie intrigues him and he isn't averse to spending some time in her company.
The suspense in this second book was amped up a little more, and the plot felt more tightly drawn and not quite as far fetched as the first book. As the fires continue, Gabe and younger brother Dev compile a suspect list, investigate or question suspects, cross them off, come up with more suspects...I was never sure what direction the story would take next, and had no clue who the real arsonist was until the author actually introduced him to us, the reader, while still leaving Gabe and everyone else in the dark.
And of course amidst all the fires and investigating, Gabe and Mattie get to know each other and get closer. Mattie, being afraid of falling for someone, anyone, runs a little hot and cold, but when she realizes she may have pushed Gabe away one too many times, she bucks up and sets out to rectify that, rather than being all wishy washy. Gabe accepts his growing feelings quicker than Mattie does, but is plagued by doubts of whether she wants him or just wants him in bed. They are very well suited to each other, and the culmination of their relationship was quite satisfying.
Meanwhile, there's a side plot with Gabe's best friend, Sam, courting Mattie's best friend, Tracy, that was very sweet, but which left me asking why they couldn't have had their own book instead of being secondary characters here.
Very enjoyable story, with some great characters and a suspenseful plot.
Originally posted on my blog.
January 20, 2011
The is the second book in the Raines brothers trilogy, and it's the second brother, Gabriel Raines's turn. He's built a successful construction business, and life is looking good until someone starts torching his construction sites.
After the first fire, the police quickly pick up a young man seen near the fire, Angel Ramirez. He had a previous arson conviction, but his family has been getting help from the Family Resource Center, and he's become a hardworking, well-behaved high school student. Mattie Baker, a rising young architect and also an active supporter of the Family Resource Center, visits Angel at the police station, meets Gabe--and convinces him to keep an open mind about Angel, and look for other, more likely, possibilities.
Gabe listens to Mattie mostly because she makes cogent arguments and is completely sincere, but there's no denying he's attracted to her--and she to him. This unacknowledged mix of motives is behind their decision to begin their own investigation in parallel with the official investigation, and when the police quickly uncover evidence that an unusual accelerant was used, and was purchased by a man who looked nothing like Angel, the young man decides that he's going to help, too. Mattie and Gabe tell him to take no chances, to ask no questions, just keep his eyes and ears open, but of course he feels the need to do more than that. The wrong person notices, and hits Angel on the head from behind, landing him in the hospital, in a coma.
The attack on Angel heightens the sense of danger, as do the subsequent fires at other Raines Construction projects, and, for Mattie, mysterious hang-up calls she's getting, which she does not tell Gabe about. As the investigation throws them together, and their mutual attraction draws them together, they are pushed apart by Mattie's fear of relying on anyone other than herself. That fear was created by her father's early death, leaving her mother and herself in poverty, and compounded by a previous romantic involvement that ended very painfully. In counterpoint to Gabe and Mattie's courtship is the courtship of Gabe's friend Sam and Mattie's friend Tracy, who has her own very different yet equally painful issues making it difficult for her to commit to a relationship. Each woman, of course, can see the ways the other woman is frustrating her own happiness.
As the fires continue and threaten Gabe's business, red herrings and confusing clues confound both the official and the unofficial investigations while an unbalanced but very clever and vengeful killer draws closer and closer. Whether or not Mattie and Gabe can find their way to true love will be moot if they don't find the killer before the killer catches up with them.
A good, satisfying read.
Note: I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley
After the first fire, the police quickly pick up a young man seen near the fire, Angel Ramirez. He had a previous arson conviction, but his family has been getting help from the Family Resource Center, and he's become a hardworking, well-behaved high school student. Mattie Baker, a rising young architect and also an active supporter of the Family Resource Center, visits Angel at the police station, meets Gabe--and convinces him to keep an open mind about Angel, and look for other, more likely, possibilities.
Gabe listens to Mattie mostly because she makes cogent arguments and is completely sincere, but there's no denying he's attracted to her--and she to him. This unacknowledged mix of motives is behind their decision to begin their own investigation in parallel with the official investigation, and when the police quickly uncover evidence that an unusual accelerant was used, and was purchased by a man who looked nothing like Angel, the young man decides that he's going to help, too. Mattie and Gabe tell him to take no chances, to ask no questions, just keep his eyes and ears open, but of course he feels the need to do more than that. The wrong person notices, and hits Angel on the head from behind, landing him in the hospital, in a coma.
The attack on Angel heightens the sense of danger, as do the subsequent fires at other Raines Construction projects, and, for Mattie, mysterious hang-up calls she's getting, which she does not tell Gabe about. As the investigation throws them together, and their mutual attraction draws them together, they are pushed apart by Mattie's fear of relying on anyone other than herself. That fear was created by her father's early death, leaving her mother and herself in poverty, and compounded by a previous romantic involvement that ended very painfully. In counterpoint to Gabe and Mattie's courtship is the courtship of Gabe's friend Sam and Mattie's friend Tracy, who has her own very different yet equally painful issues making it difficult for her to commit to a relationship. Each woman, of course, can see the ways the other woman is frustrating her own happiness.
As the fires continue and threaten Gabe's business, red herrings and confusing clues confound both the official and the unofficial investigations while an unbalanced but very clever and vengeful killer draws closer and closer. Whether or not Mattie and Gabe can find their way to true love will be moot if they don't find the killer before the killer catches up with them.
A good, satisfying read.
Note: I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley
August 17, 2012
KcLu's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
4.75 Stars
Against the Fire is the story of the middle Raines brother Gabriel Raines. He lives in Dallas where he runs a successful construction company. They do mostly remodels of office buildings, but there is a problem someone isn’t to happy with him. These fires keep happening at his projects, and the only thing that came from it is he met Mattie.
Mattie Baker approaches Gabe to tell him that the first suspect arrested couldn’t have set the fire even with his history of setting a fire. Angel’s first fire was a way for him to act out against his abusive father, and she knows he wouldn’t take that chance again. After Angel is attacked by the arsonist, Gabe and Mattie work together to find the person responsible. They also have this intense attraction that they can’t fight, but Gabe will have to get around Mattie’s hang ups to do so.
This is an absolutely wonderful mix of suspense and romance. Once again Kat weaves a world that draws you in till the end her way of dealing with all the emotional ups and downs is just down right beautiful. Mattie’s transformation from a closed up self reliant woman to the loveable open women she becomes is handled in a normal transition, and it happens without you wanting to strangle Mattie which happens to often with these types of characters. I truly enjoyed this book, and I am in love with Kat’s writing style. I can’t wait to start Dallas’s book. I hope y’all enjoy this one as much as I have.
4.75 Stars
Against the Fire is the story of the middle Raines brother Gabriel Raines. He lives in Dallas where he runs a successful construction company. They do mostly remodels of office buildings, but there is a problem someone isn’t to happy with him. These fires keep happening at his projects, and the only thing that came from it is he met Mattie.
Mattie Baker approaches Gabe to tell him that the first suspect arrested couldn’t have set the fire even with his history of setting a fire. Angel’s first fire was a way for him to act out against his abusive father, and she knows he wouldn’t take that chance again. After Angel is attacked by the arsonist, Gabe and Mattie work together to find the person responsible. They also have this intense attraction that they can’t fight, but Gabe will have to get around Mattie’s hang ups to do so.
This is an absolutely wonderful mix of suspense and romance. Once again Kat weaves a world that draws you in till the end her way of dealing with all the emotional ups and downs is just down right beautiful. Mattie’s transformation from a closed up self reliant woman to the loveable open women she becomes is handled in a normal transition, and it happens without you wanting to strangle Mattie which happens to often with these types of characters. I truly enjoyed this book, and I am in love with Kat’s writing style. I can’t wait to start Dallas’s book. I hope y’all enjoy this one as much as I have.
October 31, 2012
Against the Fire was a good book from the start. I think what made it so interesting and kept me reading and not being able to put it down was the fires just as much as the couple in the book. I liked that it took Gabe, the lead male character, a little time to get Matty, the lead female character, to trust him and accept him. Matty’s character was interesting, and I understood her unwillingness to get involved with Gabe. I didn’t like that she lied to herself more than she lied to Gabe; besides, she couldn’t lie to save her life. Her lies were obvious and didn’t make sense in the scheme of things. The novel made me keep reading because of all the intrigue and suspense, and I didn’t figure it out. It wasn’t as full of action and suspense as I’m used to, but it was still a whodunit, and I love not being able to figure it out. For a while, I thought I knew who it was, but I was so way off and so wrong; I just stopped trying and kept reading. The ending was good, and I loved how things were wrapped up. Kat Martin did a good job with this one. It was better than the first book in the series. Now, I’m on to Against the Law, the third book.
January 26, 2013
Against the Fire
3 Stars
There is something about Kat Martin's clipped writing style that turns me off - she tends to build her scenes up well but cuts them off at the precise moment they take hold, and the reader is left with a "huh, what just happened" feeling.
The characters are likable and share an intense attraction. Gabe is smart, sexy and down to earth, the perfect match for commitment phobic Mattie, who slowly manages to build trust with Gabe in a process that has a truthful ring to it.
The arson plot has potential but lacks tension. The police and fire department take a back seat in the investigation, which is completely unrealistic, and new suspects keep popping up (as late as 60%-70% into the story) with no foundation or development. Nevertheless, the climax and resolution are fast paced and exciting.
The secondary romance is sweet but superfluous at it adds absolutely nothing to the book, and the epilogue is unnecessarily drawn out.
All in all, a huge improvement on the first book but I remain underwhelmed by the writing and suspense plot.
3 Stars
There is something about Kat Martin's clipped writing style that turns me off - she tends to build her scenes up well but cuts them off at the precise moment they take hold, and the reader is left with a "huh, what just happened" feeling.
The characters are likable and share an intense attraction. Gabe is smart, sexy and down to earth, the perfect match for commitment phobic Mattie, who slowly manages to build trust with Gabe in a process that has a truthful ring to it.
The arson plot has potential but lacks tension. The police and fire department take a back seat in the investigation, which is completely unrealistic, and new suspects keep popping up (as late as 60%-70% into the story) with no foundation or development. Nevertheless, the climax and resolution are fast paced and exciting.
The secondary romance is sweet but superfluous at it adds absolutely nothing to the book, and the epilogue is unnecessarily drawn out.
All in all, a huge improvement on the first book but I remain underwhelmed by the writing and suspense plot.
February 12, 2011
In this, the second book in the Raines Brothers trilogy, Gabriel Raines finds himself targeted when two of his development properties are set aflame by an unidentified arsonist. The police suspect a neighborhood kid, Angel Ramirez of setting the fires. Mattie Baker comes to Angel's defense. Having been in trouble himself as a kid, Gabe gives Angel the benefit of the doubt and works with Mattie to prove his innocence. Can they survive the fire that has ignited between them and identify the true arsonist before a fire becomes deadly?
I really enjoyed this hot, suspense filled story of Gabe and Mattie and found myself catipvated by the characters. This book was well written and smooth reading, keeping my interest throughout. The plot was thrilling and the book gave us peeks of Jackson and Devin Raines on and off throughout. I found it to be a great read and look forward to Devin's story.
I really enjoyed this hot, suspense filled story of Gabe and Mattie and found myself catipvated by the characters. This book was well written and smooth reading, keeping my interest throughout. The plot was thrilling and the book gave us peeks of Jackson and Devin Raines on and off throughout. I found it to be a great read and look forward to Devin's story.
November 27, 2011
I enjoyed this book a lot more then the first and I highly enjoyed the first. You can see, or at least I could, the difference an evolution of the writer from Book one to Book two. I thought the story was a lot more solid and the plot was perfectly paced and laid out. The one issue I had with the first book was it seemed to be all over the place at some points. This book had none of those issues. The mystery was awesome and kept you guessing till the near end. The romance was realistic but hot and powerfully emotional. I also enjoyed the two for one romance. You got Gabe and his Foreman Sam both falling in love! I've never been a big contemporary romance fan but Kat Martin is making me love Contemporary! I highly recommend!
June 3, 2013
I'd give this more of a 3.75 if I could, but I liked it much more than the first in the series. The characters were quite likable but they really had kind of a 1-dimensional relationship--all about sex. That pretty much defined their knowledge about each other throughout most of the book. Now the sex part was hot, don't get me wrong, but there was not a lot of character building here, believe me. The hero Gabe seemed a little over-the-top he-man for my taste, but Mattie seemed perfectly happy with it and that was fine. The arson story was interesting and kept me guessing until the end. My favorite part was the family connection between Gabe and his 2 brothers which is warm and close and supportive. I'm looking forward to the next in the series about the third brother Dev.
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