4.5 Stars
I am loving these firefighters! This is book 3 in The Firefighters of Montana series and it features Ace Clark and Lina McArthur. This book was written a little different than the first two in this series. Ace's firefighting job is not the base of this story line. It played quietly in the background while his past crept into his present. Lina is a great character. She was strong and she knew the only way to find herself was to move away from her overpowering family. This story was about facing the past and moving on.

I'm looking forward to reading book four.

If you enjoy being inside the heads of the main couple in your romantic read, you will surely love this one, folks. But be prepared for lots of internal back and forth, conflicted monologues that hash and rehash pretty much every aspect of their lives. From their past, how they think others perceive them, how they view themselves, should they be doing what they are doing, and, of course, the big secret that is like a self-imposed brick wall between them that is sooner rather than later going to come tumbling down upon them. That aspect takes up quite a bit of the storyline.

For me, I have to admit I just didn’t see what the big deal was all about. Lina figured things out right away and vice versa. It was that obvious. So what if she didn’t reveal that she knew this to a certain someone for a couple of months. More importantly, why was Ace continuing doing what he was doing. He hadn’t committed a major crime. He wasn’t a fugitive from the law. To put it more specifically, he should have made contact a long time ago. If nothing else, a brief proof of life note was in order, IMHO.

I took greater exception to being told Lina had the reputation of being a smart, successful doctor with an ice princess persona, but instead we were given a blushing virgin heroine who didn’t even know how to dress right, flirt, or kiss a guy. I just couldn’t reconcile those two images. Besides, I’m just not fond of feeling embarrassed for the leading lady, folks. I would have preferred her being a sexy siren that set him on fire hotter than a five alarm house fire. Sure, he was attracted to her but it was more of a cool guy decides to go for the unlikely girl at the bar set-up.

If you also like leisurely, touch by touch, not in a rush, lengthy, steamy scenes, you’ll likely enjoy their eventual smexy time together, as well. With Ace only getting called out on one firefighting job late in the book, the couple had loads of time to get to know each other.

Having enjoyed book 3, Scorch, I’m reading this series out of order. Now with book 2 under my belt, I hope to backtrack and read book 1, Smolder. Sam, the fire chief, you’re next, buddy. I can’t wait to see Laurel bring you to your senses and help you get over your grief after losing your wife.

Title: Ignite, Series: Firefighters of Montana (Book 3), Author: Nicole Helm, Pages: 160, stand-alone but part of a series written by various authors, doctor heroine, smooth talking firefighter hero hiding a secret, virgin heroine, pushes her away, hiding a secret, a few steamy scenes, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, former ladies man/flirt. Rating: 3.5 stars

Book 1 - Smolder (Sam & Laurel), Pages: 147, 6/7/16 by Tracy Solheim
Book 2 - Scorch (Vin & Jacqui), Pages: 150, 6/14/16 by Dani Collins
Book 3 - Ignite (Lina & Dean), Pages: 160, 6/21/16 by Nicole Helm
Book 4 - Heat (Callie & Tyler), Pages: 126, 6/28/16 by Karen Foley
Book 5 - Flame (Cady & Dex), Pages: 128, 7/5/16 by Victoria Purman

(This review is based on an advanced reader copy distributed via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher/NetGalley.)

3.5 Stars- this is another emotional entry to a strong series about flame-jumpers. It has that Marietta feel because it is a centered in a town not far from there.
This tale had two people who were running away from their past and reinventing themselves... the catch was both were tied deeply from That past... Her by her friendship to his sister...
We go on the journey of these characters thinking they will hide their truths... and play each other for information... only for them to fall hard.

I’m not even sure where to begin. This book was irritating. I couldn’t even remember the two main characters names to start the review. I had to go back and look.

Lina McArthur is an Emergency Room doctor in a fairly small town. She moved from an even smaller town to escape her family. Her dad is a doctor in that small town and her family name gave her privileges, wealth and an elitist, arrogant attitude. It also kept anyone from asking her out.

Ace Clark is a smoke jumper. He ran away from home 10 years ago, leaving his sister, Jess, behind. He has reinvented himself into someone he actually likes. His sister has been looking for him since he left.

Lina just happens to be Jess’s best friend. She thinks she recognizes Ace as Dean, the long lost brother, but Ace has perfected his cover story and the lies roll off his tongue easily.

So many issues with this story. If you truly want to escape your past, wouldn’t you change your entire name, not just your first name? Wouldn’t you relocate further away than the next bigger town? And if you knew you’d just found the brother your best friend, who has been the one solid person in your life, has been trying to find for 10 years, would you really withhold that information for months for selfish reasons?

I didn’t connect with either character.

This book was published in 2016 and since I just received a copy, I assume I received the published copy. It needs further editing for typos and sentences that don’t flow well or make sense.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy from NetGalley.

Lina gets away from her past in a new job however comes across a patient who is connected to her past and touches her heart. Ace and Lina work to find a future together. 3rd book in Montana firefighters series that keeps the reader turning pages. Am enjoying my visit back to Montana.
Ebook from net galley and publishers with thanks. Opinions entirely my own.

The nuances of attraction
The intense focus on the two lead characters shows Nicole Helm’s craft creating strong, believable characters and emotionally complex stories. The author limits the action almost completely to her main characters and what a powerful portrayal is conveyed of two beautiful and damaged people, connecting in the most unexpected way.
This book was not very long (about 150 pages) but I really enjoyed it, I love Nicole Helm’s stories. This apparently unlikely couple – a smokejumper and an emergency doctor –, who have more in common than one might think, grew on me. I really liked the apparently cold and not very lovable heroine who gets through the hero’s self-destructive tendencies. And we can see the little boy going from foster home to foster home in the man he’s now.
The dialogue is great and the depth of emotion touching. Nicole Helm never disappoints.

This storyline exemplifies what can happen when life throws you a monkey wrench. More importantly is how these flawed characters handle it. Wonderfully designed and written!

From the short synopsis, I thought this was going to be better than it was...

Lina McArthur is creating a new life for herself in Kalispell, Montana, having moved away from her hometown to step out of the spotlight of her father's reputation. Although she's a successful ER doctor, her father has always made her feel like she's not quite what he wanted.

Ace (Dean) Clark left the same hometown but for very different reasons, 10 years ago. He felt leaving would make a better life for his sister Jess, whom he was hiding from. Ace is a smokejumper who is treated in the ER by Lina - whose best friend happens to be Jess who is engaged to Lina's brother.

I couldn't really connect with either one of these characters. Everything seemed too cliche. She's a successful doctor but is still effected by her father's words. Ace is a successful smokejumper, yet even in 10 years he doesn't think he's worthy of his sister's love? These two themes, especially his, were repeatedly brought forward. It became irritating to me - yes, we know why Ace is hiding from his old life but he can't seem to stop running and reconnect with his sister after all of this time?

Maybe because it was a short story? I don't know but I just didn't feel that invested in the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and Tule Publishing for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

Enjoyed Lina and Dean's story. Lina is an ER Doctor in a new town to get away from her family's influence. Dean is a smoke Jumper with a secret. Once the secret is revealed they discover they lives are connected through their past.

I read Ignite by Nicole Helm in one afternoon. (Who cared if the family wanted dinner, I couldn’t tear myself away from Ace and Lina.) I have read Firefighters of Montana in backwards order, so while I had met Ace and Lina in Heat and Flame I was in no way prepared for such a sweet emotional story.

As I was reading I remembered Lina’s inflexible father and brother, Cole, along with Jess from Keep Me, Cowboy, but did not remember it being as an emotional read. I understood Lina desire to be her own person not an extension of the family. Seeing how she slowly went about doing that made this such a pleasurable read. Of course, a time or two I would have liked to knock some sense into Ace, especially near the end when all is exposed. It is sure to become a favorite of Tule Publishing Montana Romance fans, I can certainly vouch for that.

Lina and Ace's story. I enjoyed this one for the most part, but more details on why Ace felt the need to leave his sister would have been nice. I never quite got the full impression on the why of the story. Other than that, I liked the fast pace and the sparks between them. Fun book. A good quick read for the summer vacation. Highly recommend this book and series.

This sweet story is ripe with heartbreaking reality of the loss of family and then finding your way back. Ace and Lina have a connection that was unparalleled in gentleness and passion. The author perfectly captured the emotions that the two of them found when they least expected to. There were times when Ace's struggles with his past nearly brought me to tears...the unexpected strength it took for Lina to help Ace to stop running from his past was heartwarming, while at the same time Ace's patience in showing her how to love and opening himself up to love himself was written so succinctly that their coming together was bittersweet.

This series has been riveting in the lives of the smokejumpers, so much so that I'm looking forward to reading the next installment.

This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.