If you know me, ya'll know I'm trash for Opal Carew. And Opal brought the heat (pun intended) in this one, just like she brings it in every story she writes. Every story I read from Opal just makes me more of a fan. If y'all like heat and sensuality in your romances, then pick this one up. Then read more Opal Carew. You won't be disappointed.

A fair spicy read that will be loved by those who love a good firefighter story, but the main character was just a bit to whiney and really needed to get over her shit.

Overcoming the past to embrace the future…

This author knows how to write ménage with all the heat and angst that comes with it! Rikki had lost her first love and wasn’t interested in risking her heart again. Too much pain, too much heartache but what happens when two men tempt her resolve? Simon and Carter were handsome firefighters who were beautiful, inside and out. And oh my my, were they tempting her…

This read was all kinds of hot as Rikki worked through her reservations and Simon and Carter worked to convince her taking a chance on them was worth it. With her photography work they were thrown together quite a bit so lots of opportunity to chip away at her defenses.

The back and forth was flirty and heated and offered a glimpse into how a ménage can work, and work well. While I did wish this story hadn’t been so hung up on Rikki’s fears, as it overshadowed the storyline at times, theirs was an entertaining journey and the ending made it all worthwhile. And, really, people – FIREMEN!!!! ~Diane, 3.5 stars

I didn't really like this book, it didn't really seem to have a plot instead it was just a sex book. I kept hoping for a plot but the characters just continued having sex.

Rikki was in love with Jesse and had planned to give him her all until he died three weeks before her 18th birthday. Needing a fresh start, Rikki packed up and moved away, and with the help of her college buddy Cassie found a place to live and was able to work using her passion for photography. Cassie has a job and thinks that Rikki is perfect for it - she needs a photographer for the firefighter calendar. Rikki is reluctant at first as Jesse was a firefighter. Before her first meet, Rikki goes out with her new roommates to a bar. It is at the bar that she captures the attention of not one but two guys Simon and Carter. Rikki feels instant attraction with the both of them and starts to step out of her comfort zone. However, though she is happy to give herself to both of them. They are nice guys and don't want to take advantage of her. She heads home feeling a tad embarrassed. The next day though she will discover that they are both firefighters. The one type of guy she was hoping to avoid as she can't put herself through the same hurt she felt when she lost Jesse. Can Simon and Carter persuade Rikki to give them a chance? What happens though when she starts to get cozy with them and then tragedy happens, and she nearly loses one of the pairs? Will this cause Rikki to withdraw and put her walls back up or will they show her that no matter what happens, she will never lose them and that through their job comes with risks, sometimes in life, we all need to take risks, and sometimes the risks are worth everything in the long run?
Find out in this threesome M/F/M novel by Opal Carew.

This book was a cute story with a lot of potential, it just was a bit confusing to me the way she treated the men. It was a lot of back and forth and it gave me a little whiplash. I loved the fireman aspect, because those men are sexy hot and they are protectors. I love any books about protectors of any type. I think it could have been better, but overall it wasn't bad either.

While I really hate giving bad and/or totally negative reviews, in this case, the best thing I can say about this book is that I forced myself to finish reading it.

When I first read the blurb about a 17-year-old girl losing her first love, a 24-year-old fireman, in a fire, and remaining a virgin until she finally moves to a new town and starts over, begins pursuing a career as a photographer, whose first gig is creating a sexy firemen calendar, it sounded interesting. Sadly, it was all downhill from there, and gets a one-star rating from this reader.

First night in a new town and Rikki (the heroine) goes to the local pick-up bar with her former college girlfriend, where she is picked up by not one, but two very sexy men. She gets a "feeling" every time she touches the right man, or in this case men, so this shy virgin, getting more drunk by the minute, goes home with them. At least they have enough honor to realize she's too drunk to make this decision, but when she sobers up in their apartment the next morning, it's game on, and the innocent, never been touched virgin, decides to lose her virginity to both men, she's suddenly adept at fellatio, can't stop the dirty talk, and loses her virginity to both extremely well-hung men without even a twinge of pain. Give me a break! If my eyes had rolled any further back in my head, I'd have been able to see behind myself.

The next day she goes to the firehouse and it's no surprise that both men, Simon and Carter, are firefighters there. That's when the waffling begins and it doesn't let up at all. Most of it consists of "I can't fall in love with a firefighter because Jesse (her first love) died in a fire, but I love them both, oh my, what shall I do?" If the author had left Rikki's age at 17, this infantile, inner debate might have been more believable, because at 26, the whole insta-love plot line, when they've all had way more sex than learn anything about one another, might have been more than laughable. The men are in insta-love with her too, except what they're really in love with is the fact that their little virgin is ready and willing to have sex with them, in any position at any time, anywhere. Rikki barely bats an eye when they suggest double penetration to this newly deflowered virgin.

I've read a lot a erotic romance over the years, and there are some wonderful writers in the genre, who somehow manage to include a plot and backstory that makes you care about what happens to the characters. I'm fairly new to this author, but after finishing this book, I realized that it was little more than one sex scene after another, none of them particularly titillating, and held together with almost no plot, no character development, a thready backstory (only about the heroine, there no backstory on the two men), and not much else. The heroine was too emotionally immature to be taken seriously and all of the characters behaved as if they were still in grade school. I'm sorry to say that this book was a total miss for me, and I highly recommended passing it by.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I voluntarily read an advanced reviewers copy of this book

I thought this book was cute and packed a lot of heat. The only downside was her issues with firemen. I felt like she kept pushing them away all while tugging them closer and left me and the men in her life very confused.

Overall not a bad book

Eh...this book was just okay for me.

Rikki just got on my nerves; I found her to be a whiny brat in all honesty. I get that she lost the love of her life who happened to be a firefighter but it seemed like everything revolved around this. She used this as an excuse for everything in her life.

The threesome was HOT, but I didn't feel like they got to know each other much outside of the bedroom. I wanted them to connect outside of the bedroom and we never got there.

** ARC received from Netgalley **

Smokin' hot! Like most Opal Carew books, this book has lots of heat with enough of a plot and characters that are developed well enough to keep them interesting. Not my favorite of her books, but it was entertaining.

There's not much to say about this one, except that it's a steamy romance and certainly worthy of your time!

Heat's the third book I've read by Opal Carew and I think it may have been the best one. I'm not really such a fan of menage à trois, but damn, Opal Carew knows how to write hot threesomes! I also much preferred her writing style in this one (compared to Nailed). But what may have surprised me most was the amount of dialogue vs sex scenes. There was a lot more plot and dialogue than I expected and that's probably part of the reason why I liked this book so much .

Anyway, if you like sexy firefighters and you don't mind getting hot and bothered, this book is definitely for you!

I was grateful to receive a free copy of Heat. This book did not disappoint. I loved the chemistry between the characters. "Sizzling" would be a good reference. The ending was a little blah, but overall this was a great read, and I'd recommend it to friends and family.

Heat has some heat, but the execution is really lacking. Rikki has moved to a new town to start over and be near her college friend. She's never gotten over losing her high school love, a firefighter 7 years older than her. When she's asked to do a shoot of the local firefighters, she doesn't want to, because of her anxieties over her loss. But, when she meets two hot firefighters, Simon and Carter, she can't get over how attracted she is to both of them. Pretty soon, all 3 of them are steaming up the fire station and she's handing them her v-card, but she's adamant, at first, that it's not going to lead anywhere, because she's still not over Jesse, her first love.

While I have to admit the sex scenes were pretty steamy, the rest of the story went nowhere good for me. Rikki is a really annoying character. She's immature, wishy washy and inconsistent, and has absolutely no coping skills. Plus, once she started having sex, all the sudden she's a porn star or something, with how well she's giving the guys bj's and talking dirty. I'm sorry, but that's just not realistic, at all. One time in bed does not a porn star make!

Also, I have to note that my copy was almost unreadable. I am going to assume the final published version isn't like mine, or at least, I hope not. My copy was formatted really badly. There were out of place words, the chapter headings were in the wrong place (interrupting paragraphs most of the time), words were smashed together without spaces, and paragraphs weren't given the proper spacing. I can't tell you how many times I stopped reading because trying to figure out the formatting was giving me a huge headache.

Then add in the annoyances I had with Rikki's character, and I just had a really hard time with Heat. I've read one of Opal's other books, A Fare to Remember, and I liked it much more than I liked Heat, so I know that Opal's writing is usually better than here in Heat. Here's hoping her next story is better executed and features a more likable heroine.

Carew offers another spicy romance with the firefighters in Heat. Rikki is a sweet, yet curious photographer who is swept away by both Simon and Carter when she's assigned to photograph the firefighters for a calendar. Sparks fly between the three, there's a bit of angst and drama to make it interesting, and Carew rescues the romantic spirit with this threesome.

Heat by Opal Carew
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 4/5 stars
My Review:

Is there anything hotter than a fit and fine firefighter? How about a whole house full of them ready to bare all for a good cause? Yeah, Rikki’s job as a photographer just sucks 😊

Since the death of her boyfriend many years ago, Rikki just hasn’t been able to move on. In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Rikki packs her bags and moves to a new city. With three new roommates and her old college roommate, Cassie for support, Rikki is hoping to get a fresh start, to move past the pain of losing her boyfriend. First up, getting roped into Cassie’s firefighter calendar project. All Rikki has to do is hang out at the firehouse, take loads of pictures, and help put together the charity calendar. With so many hot men all willing to work with Rikki, the project should be a walk in the park. Unfortunately, every time the alarm sounds, Rikki is reminded of her loss and the fear she feels at the men rushing out into danger is quite nearly crippling.

Added to the fear is Rikki’s particular interest in two of the men, Simon and Carter. From the moment she saw them, Rikki knew both men were meant to be hers. Her connection to both is instantaneous and powerful, but so is her fear of losing them. With a degree of bravery she never knew she possessed and some sexy persuasion, Rikki decides to take a chance on love. Her reward is two dead sexy men with nothing but her pleasure and well-being in mind. Simon and Carter are attentive and kind, caring and concerned, and just the right amount of naughty. They adore Rikki and have no intention of giving her up. As each day goes by, Rikki learns to trust in her men a bit more, and understands their job is risky, but they’re well trained and as careful as they can be when out in the field.

Life has a cruel sense of humor though and just as things seem to be on track and really good for Rikki and her men, the rug is pulled out from under them. In one fell swoop, a suitor from Rikki’s past makes an appearance and a very attractive offer and a nasty call threatens everyone’s lives. Old fears and new one crop up, loyalties are questioned, and before it’s all said and done, everyone is broken and in need of repair.

The Bottom Line: Heat is a typical Opal Carew read with some totally unrealistic bits, a decent plot, characters who are easy to root for, and A LOT of naughty bits. Simon and Carter and their fire house crew sort of steal the show in this one. The men are all such dominate and commanding personalities that this could easily be expanded into a series with each man getting his own HEA. As for the women, I liked Rikki and her best-friend Cassie well enough, but each is just a bit too meek and mild for my liking. With that being said, Rikki doesn’t allow Simon and Carter to dominate her; it is simply this, Rikki’s less commanding personality is a good fit for the strong alpha males she’s chosen. As always, the naughty bits are plentiful in this read, but I wouldn’t have minded a bit more variety. If everyone is going to but I would have liked to have seen a bit more variety. If everyone is going to share, then everyone should share. That is, let the boys get it on with each other with as much enthusiasm as they have with Rikki. At the end of it all, I still liked this read as I do with most of Opal Carew’s books. I already know what I’m going to get when I dive in so I’m often neither blown away nor disappointed. Such is the case with Heat.

Hot doesn't even cover this and I'm not talking about fire. Love me a great MFM story. Simon and Carter are just super sexy men who know who and what they want. And it's Rikki.

I really like this author and I liked the storyline for this book. It seemed like Rikki's inexperienced character did not match the actual sex kitten character. There was something missing that should have transitioned the innocent to the slutty....and I mean that in a good way. I look forward to more books by this author.

I might sound like a broken record, but Opal Carew is definitely one of my favorite erotic romance authors. She hit it out of the park with her recent Dirty Talk series. Her latest release, Heat, is another super hot, emotional story that I enjoyed.

Rikki has moved to a new town in hopes of getting a fresh start. Her first love, Jesse, was a firefighter who was killed in the line of duty. Even though it has been years since he passed away, she has never fully healed or recovered from that loss. Additionally, Rikki has a policy against ever dating a firefighter again.

When Rikki goes out on the town with her new roommates, she meets two sexy guys, Carter and Simon. There's a strong attraction between all three of them, made more electric when the guys reveal that they're so close that they share everything. Unfortunately, Rikki has a little too much to drink that night, so even though she wants to explore something physical, the guys refuse to take advantage of her. (+1 for Carter and Simon.)

Meanwhile, Rikki has been hired as a photographer to shoot images for a firefighters' calendar to benefit charity. She's surprised, though, when she attends a meeting at the fire station and in walk Carter and Simon. Yep, they're firefighters.

At first, Rikki's firmly against pursuing a relationship with them because of the inherent danger of their jobs. Also, she still feels loyal to Jesse, even though he's gone. But then the guys convince Rikki to explore the chemistry between the three of them, made more complicated because Rikki is quite inexperienced sexually.

There's a lot going on here: the ménage aspect, Rikki's grief, and the fact that she's a virgin (though not for long). As Rikki's relationship with Carter and Simon grows, she learns to move forward and no longer be trapped in the past.

Carter is the sweeter, more laid back of the two, where Simon can be a bit of a hot head and quicker to become jealous. When an old friend from Rikki's past surfaces, a new conflict is added to their already complicated arrangement.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. Rikki has been through so much tragedy and I just wanted her to find happiness. For the most part, her interactions with Carter and Simon are playful and sweet--when they're not hot and dirty, that is. Although there is an angst factor to the story, it's dealt with appropriately and in a sensitive way.

I can always count on this author to bring the heat with her books, which makes that a fitting title for this book. The story also satisfies on an emotional level, which makes it another great read from Carew.

When your one love passes away on duty you are determined to never be in that situation again, This is what Rikki to;d herself, however when her friend convinces her to photograph firemen for a charity calendar she ends up in the same situation. Not with one firefighter but two at the same time together.
This is a story about letting go and giving in to something you never thought you would be interested in.
I thought it was a good story and the heat factor is very high

Four alarms and a cool rag! Wow, this was one hot story. The author sure knows how to light things up and still tell a story! Opal Carew covered all the bases on this one with not just one buff guy, but a whole firehouse full of them! And we had to settle for the story of just two – bummer. Maybe she’ll continue with this and give us more of the same.

It’s a little more erotic than maybe some people are expecting but the hot scenes should cause an instant meltdown to readers! One virgin photographer and two experienced guys – but she’s not as inexperienced as you might think. At least her thoughts have kept her satisfied along with BOB, but with the real thing staring at her, she’s just not going to let it pass her by anymore! Fun read, lots of hot scenes, and a story in there somewhere I’m sure.

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for this review.