I'm giving this story three stars on the writing alone. The writing flowed fairly well, but the story did seem to drag at times. There isn't a lot to the story, not a lot of drama or chemistry. Erin and Jake are okay I guess, but I wasn't a fan of Erin at all. She runs through the whole story, and it's never explained why. She says she doesn't like being smothered by her family, but here's an idea, how about not living with your mom when you're 28? That might help a little. Even the last chapter when she's running (yet again), she keeps looking for Jake to show up and beg her to stay. Why would he do that? SHE walked away, not him. I wasn't a fan of this one, but I would be willing to give this author another read.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

I was so looking forward to reading this book. With a title like "Burning Up" I had high hopes. This book was more like a simmer.

This one kind of dragged on. There was nothing really happening plot wise. We were told over and over Erin didn't want to be home. She hated it and had to get out. No real back story as to why.

Jake is a single dad, who shockingly has no real back story either, and his daughter is never with him. She is always at a friend's house, a family member's home or camp.

The love story dragged on and then was rushed at the end. It just didn't work for me.

In theory, this should’ve worked for me – childhood crush on her brother’s best friend, “fake dating” and forced proximity – but, unfortunately, something just felt missing.

“That morning, I’d just been accepted into an elite training for a hotshot crew. And then Maisey dropped the bomb. So I threw out my one wish to the universe.”
“What did you wish for?” she asked.
The muscle in his jaw feathered as he stared at the fountain. “I hoped I’d be good enough for my kid.”
Erin swallowed hard. She realized that this was prob- ably the day that Jake had turned from a bad boy into a good man. And she felt slightly guilty because the rst thing she’d wish for—if she did believe in wishes—would not be something so altruistic. Maybe she’d save that for the third or fourth penny.
“I never looked back. She’s always come first.”


Erin took off for college in California without telling her family – and now, after a Master’s degree and several years as a middle school science teacher, she’s back for the summer, jobless and already ready to leave again. Jake is a fighter fighter, and one of Erin’s brother’s best friends. He’s a single dad to Bailey, who’s twelve, and has pretty much built his world around being everything for her, since her mother abandoned them both when Bailey was a few days old. When they have a funny meet cute at a bagel shop, sparks fly, and Jake impulsively asks her to be his plus-one to his sister’s wedding. Both agree nothing can happen between them, though – Erin’s got one foot out the door to go back to California, and Jake doesn’t want to break Bailey’s (or his) heart with someone who won’t stay – or can it?

There’s very little angst or drama in this book, and there’s some pretty funny moments (the bagel incident, for one, or raccoons infesting Erin’s hotel room so that she has to room with Jake), but it also felt like a deeper connection between Erin and Jake was missing. He continually ran so hot and cold on having a relationship with her that by the end of the book I was half rooting for her to dump his butt and head back to California. I especially didn’t like that part of Jake’s resistance to dating Erin was that he somehow thought he needed her brother’s permission. After the whole book of them going back and forth about whether they should be dating at all, I found the ending abrupt, and I wasn’t completely sold on Erin’s reasoning, or that she wasn’t staying simply because of Jake.

Part of this was because I felt like there was a lot of things with Erin’s family left up in the air. Her family relationships were contentious, to say the least. She doesn’t get along with her firefighter older brother who’s been in a grouchy mood since his longterm girlfriend dumped him. She doesn’t get along with her younger sister, who mysteriously dropped out of college. She doesn’t get along with her mom – and this part, at least, I understood, since her mom was completely overbearing. I did find it hilarious that though her mom is famous for her gourmet PB&J food truck in downtown Portland, Erin prefers Jif to her homemade peanut butter. It’s Erin’s entire response to life in a nutshell – go for the expected easy thing rather than deal with her family or anything hard. At the end of the book, while Erin had taken steps to repair those relationships, I wasn’t left feeling confident that she’d be able to manage that. I understand this is the start of a series, so I’m guessing the next books will be about her siblings, but I wish we’d had more resolution on Erin’s side.

Overall, while I think my review reads as mostly negative, it was still an enjoyable story, though I’m not sure I’ll pick up the next book in the series. If you like romances with a childhood crush or single dads, I’d still recommend this book to you.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, to read and review Burning Up, and since the book description peeked my curiosity, I accepted. My opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Blackwood. The story has decent pacing, and an intriguing concept. The writing flows smoothly and has the right amount of description to give me a clear picture without taking it too far where nothing is left to my imagination.

Erin Jenkins’ character is a mixed bag for me. I would have liked more depth to her character. I did not understand why she felt so strongly about leaving Portland in the first place, and why she is so determined to get out of Dodge as soon as possible. Overall, I never became vested in her character.

The best part of Jake’s character is his overwhelming love for his daughter, and that he is not a player, just a nice guy. Unfortunately, that did not give me much insight into personality. I’m not even sure why he falls in love with Erin, especially since I did not care for her. Again, his character needs more depth.

Let’s talk the romance element. It is the central theme of this novel. There is sexual chemistry between Jake and Erin. There is no doubt they are physically attracted to each other, but for me, the emotional connection is not strong, and that’s what is most important to me when I’m reading a romance.

Unfortunately, Burning Up was not my cup of tea, but I could appreciate the author’s witty banter and humor. Opinions are always subjective, and other will love this book. I would have liked a bit more action and emotional romance. Happy reading!

2.5 Stars!

I was very excited to read this book. First time reading this author and what was sure to be a HOT firefighter romance. Yes, sign me up please!

Erin has been recently let off from her beloved teaching position back in California. She is spending her summer applying for jobs and nursing her mother back to health after surgery. Back to her home town in Oregon, her family is wanting her to stay longer and she can't wait to escape again.
She runs into an old crush, who so happens to be her brother's best friend and fellow firefighter.

Jake is a devoted single father. His daughter's mother left them both a long time ago, and he hasn't opened up to anyone since. His job and his daughter are what is most important to him.
He's starting to feel pressure from his mom to date again, so when he bumps into Erin at a local bakery, he asks her to be his plus one at his sister's wedding. And so begins there "romance".

Let me just say, I appreciated the action packed firefighting parts of the story. They were written really well.
It pains me to say this but I must be honest, I didn't like much else in the story. I didn't feel their chemistry and I don't think anything romantic was built up enough. It just wasn't there. The author dedicated too much time to them as individuals struggling in their separate ways. I didn't even feel a genuine friendship.

Burning Up wasn't quite the story I was expecting, but I loved it! Erin and Jake were great together and add in his daughter and it was awesome.

Erin ran away from Portland as soon as she could. She had to get out of there and never really wanted to come back. It was too suffocating for her with her family always in her business. So she got out and moved to CA and is a teacher there, but, unfortunately, she lost her job and is trying to find a new one without much luck. When her mom has surgery and needs some help for the summer Erin reluctantly heads home to help out.

Jake is a single dad who is adamant he is not going to date until his daughter, Bailey, is out of the house. He tried it once and it didn't work out and hurt Bailey so he will just wait until she is older. Besides he doesn't have the best of luck with women sticking around.

Jake and Erin were awesome together. When Jake needs someone to accompany him to his sister's wedding and he sees Erin he invites her. And then things turn fun because they both are super attracted to the other, but Erin is not staying and Jake has Bailey to think about. Plus Erin's brother is his fellow firefighter and he doesn't want to get in trouble with his best friend for hooking up with his friend's sister. Because that is all it could be, a hookup. They certainly had the chemistry between them, they were super hot together, but they also like each other. You can see how much they really care, it is just a not so good situation. With Erin needing to get out of Portland and Jake having a life there it was like will they be able to work this out? I wanted them to so much because they are perfect together, but I also understand Erin and her need to get out of her hometown. I did the same as her when I was younger, though not for the same reasons. It was fun getting to know these characters and watching them grow together.

Erin Jenkins is desperate to find another teaching position, but with not many available at the moment she worries she'll never get back to living miles and miles from her family. However, being home for the summer isn't all bad once her brother's best friend, Jake Bennett, asks her to accompany him to her sister's wedding. Will Jake be able to convince Erin to stay in Portland or will she break his heart?

Ms. Blackwood is such a talented author, so I was absolutely looking forward to this first book of her Flirting with Fire series and I've got to say that she does not disappoint. Right from the beginning, this story had me hooked, as being home with her family isn't easy for Erin. There's only so much she can handle from them, which is understandable because her sister is constantly whining about anything and everything and expecting Erin to do something about it. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time that made this story a total page turner, as there's lot of chemistry between these two, but with him being her brother's best friend they both know they're off-limits to each other. Will Erin and Jake be able to resist each other?

Both the main characters are enthralling due to their back stories, the way they meet and I liked every interaction between them, as each time they're together it gets harder and harder to keep things platonic. How long will it take to give into their feelings? The way Jake and Erin met had me smiling, as Jake should be a little annoyed with the heroine, and yet, he takes what she does amicably. Moreover, the heroine is resilient when it comes to getting her career back on track and I liked that she didn't give up on finding a job, even when things get a little disheartening. She's also brave in coming home and having to deal with everything she does including her mother's persistence in getting her to give Jake a chance.

While the hero, it's understandable that he's cautious when it comes to giving a woman a chance because of the fact that the mother of his child left him. Can he finally move forward with someone new, knowing that Erin is more than likely to leave if she gets a job? Furthermore, the hero is confident, a good father and I liked that he gave into his feelings for the heroine, as they're really good together. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero was the close relationship he shared with his family. They worry about him and I found his mom an absolute delight. She's just as bad with wanting Jake settled as Erin's mom is in wanting her settled in a good relationship and home for good. Will their mothers get their way?

Overall, Ms. Blackwood has delivered a really good read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was intense; the romance was hot; and the ending had me hoping for the best for this couple and I'm glad I got my wish since I liked how things worked out for these two, especially with the heroine having a big decision to make. I would recommend Burning Up by Jennifer Blackwood, if you enjoy the brother's best friend trope or books by authors Kate Meader, Shannon Stacey, Stefanie London and Erin Nicholas.

When Erin Jenkins returns to her home town to help out her mom for the summer, the last thing she expects is to run into her long time crush, Jake Bennett. And when Jake makes a spur of the moment decision to invite Erin to his sisters wedding, the plan is to catch up with an old friend, nothing more.
But the more time he spends with Erin, the harder it is for him to deny his attraction to her.

Despite his vow to stay as far away from Erin and the Jenkins house as he can until she returns to CA in the fall, he can't seem to keep his mind on anything BUT her. And with his daughter away at camp for three weeks, he has no distractions to take his mind off her.

As Jake and Erin spend more time together, both of them begin to realize that her leaving in the fall will break them both, but her life and career as a teacher are all back in California.

Burning up is full of hot, steamy scenes, but the best part of the book for me is the growth and development of a relationship built on years of friendship and shared history. Jake is tender, sweet, and sexy as hell. And good lord, I can't wait for more of these sexy fire fighters!

This was a cute story. Erin and Jake have known each other since they were teenagers. Erin is back and in town and at a turning point in her life. She gets reacquainted with Jake and his sassy 12 yr old daughter. She is torn between leaving again to go back to her old life or stay and make a new home in her life. Nice little story about old friends becoming new lovers.

Did someone say hot single Dad who is a firefighter? Yes please! Jake Bennett is a great dad to his young daughter, loves his family, and his city. When his best friends younger sister comes home for the summer, he is reminded of the bro code. He isn't allowed to be attracted to the sexy teacher, but that doesn't stop him. Erin doesn't want to be home with her meddlesome family. She lost her job and is frantically trying to find a new one so she can leave at the end of summer. That is until she meets her high school crush. Erin and Jake always got along, and had fun together growing up. Now that they are grown up, their feelings, and attraction, are much more heated. This is a hilarious and hot story of finding your heart's desire and taking a chance. The banter was fun, the story was sweet and the passion was fiery! I really enjoyed this charming, heartwarming and steamy romance.

Erin is back in town for the summer when she gets a chance to attend a wedding with her secret crush Jake. Jake is a firefighter and single dad. The couple decide to have a fling but what happens when it turns into more? A sexy, fun romance that is great for a quick read.

I received an arc via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

When Erin and Jake are together, they just feel right, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Not only do they have off the charts chemistry but they laugh and have fun together. But long time habits are hard to break and Jake isn’t sure he can take that leap of faith on Erin, not when she has one foot out the door already. And with each day that passes, Erin isn’t so sure her life in California is all it’s cracked up to be. Being back home with her friends and her crazy family and now Jake makes Portland feel like home again. But is she ready to give up her dream job in California for a chance at forever with Jake?

These characters were easy to read and likable. They were ordinary everyday people that were struggling with normal everyday problems. Erin was torn about her career. For years she’s been moving and changing jobs but when she gets side swiped by budget cuts that leave her high and dry she feels cornered and pressured into reclaiming that job, that life. She finds herself in a rut and has tunnel vision when it comes to what she thinks she wants and what will make her happy.

Jake was such an endearing guy. Single parenthood is never easy but he was so dependable and loving with his daughter that you automatically fall into Team Jake and root for his HEA. I really loved him, he back peddled a bit but it was understandable why he was so hesitant to take that next big step with Erin. His daughter came first and Erin wasn’t exactly the poster child for a steady relationship. I really did fall for him and absolutely loved how he manned up and laid all his cards on the table with Erin. It was a risk that paid off but for a second or two, I was at the edge of my seat wondering how it would all pan out. The ending was sweet and left me smiling *sigh*

Burning Up by Jennifer Blackwood is somewhat engaging but really lacks anything to draw you in. Both main characters, Erin and Jake, had so many hang ups about their lives that I think maybe they may have been better off without each other.

So much of the book was about the characters back and forth of will they, they do but they shouldn’t, back to will they again? Both characters had what I saw as flaws, which I know most characters do, but Erin and Jake didn’t do anything about theirs.

Erin had me rolling my eyes wanting to slap her. She had problems with her family but didn’t try to talk to them about it. She just whined about it.

Jake, although a firefighter and a single dad – two things that would put him at the top of my BBF list – was a wimp. He should have talked to his best friend about his attraction to Erin.

I wish I could give this book a higher rating because on the surface everything about it is what I want in a book, but regretfully the execution of this story line is lacking.

After being laid off from her teaching job in California Erin returns home to Portland to spend the summer with her family. After high school she couldn’t get away from her overprotective family and escape to college fast enough, so this is the first time she has been home for anything longer than a quick visit but that doesn’t mean that she isn’t looking for a new job back in California.

Jake has been a single father to his 12 year old daughter since his wife left shortly after she was born and she is the only woman he needs in his life long term. When he needs a date for his sister’s wedding he decides that his best friend’s sister, Erin, would be the perfect choice as because of her brother there is no way it would develop into anything more.

The attraction between them surprises them both as Jake never expected the feelings she raised and while Erin has had a crush on the sexy fireman for a long time she didn’t think he would ever see her as anything more than his best friend’s little sister. Their relationship is complicated by Jake’s uncertainty about letting a woman into his life, especially around his daughter, while Erin
must decide how important returning to California is to her.

I enjoyed the debut of this author’s new series and I would like to see stories about Erin’s siblings. I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

This was good overall, but it didn’t match the synopsis in my opinion. I’m giving this 3.5 out of 5 stars. This review is for an ARC, and reflects my honest opinion.

Despite a slower start, I did like this one. Jake was amazing (yay for single dad romances), and I liked Erin quite a bit too. I got a little annoyed with her sometimes though. I was expecting more of a fling given the synopsis, but this was more of a slow burn romance (honestly more friendship than anything) until it wasn’t…and that was towards the end of the book.

I liked Hollywood a lot, and I’m pretty sure he’ll get a book of his own in this series. Reece was kind of meh for me. I liked Bailey. One highlight of this book was that there were some pretty funny parts; I found myself laughing quite a bit.

If you enjoy shows like Chicago Fire (but with less drama), you’d probably like this book. The firefighting wasn’t a huge aspect, but it was nice to see Jake on the job. This was dual POV, and I liked seeing both sides. The voices were unique enough that it worked. It was a solid book, but I might have liked it more if I wasn’t expecting something else based on the synopsis.

Erin Jenkins has come home to Portland for the summer. She lost her job as a teacher due to cut backs and has come home to help her mom with the family business. She runs into her brothers best friend Jake whom was also her childhood crush at the bagel shop one thing leads to another and he invites her to be his date to his sisters wedding .

Jake Bennett is a firefighter and a single dad raising his daughter since she was a baby. He has created a safe and happy life for them both, not letting anyone too close. He runs into Erin and he has an instant attraction to her, he knows her stay is temporary and decides its the perfect no strings attached situation.

When they both realize that they have feelings for each other will it be enough to make Erin stay in Portland?

This was a good book and drew me in from the very beginning. I mean who doesn't love a hot single dad book?

Advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

Burning Up

**received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

This is the first book in Jennifer Blackwood’s new series, Flirting With Fire, and there will definitely be some flirting going on. Erin is a sassy, determined woman who knows what she wants and Jack is a handsome father who will do anything to protect those he loves. When these two come together sparks will fly and they will challenge each other like no one has before.

Erin is home to help out her family and to look for a new job, back in California. But her mother would love nothing more than her daughter to move back to Portland. For Erin she left this life 10 yrs ago, there is nothing here for her, or is there.

Jake knows that Reece’s sister Erin is off limits when she comes to town and he has no problem with that until he runs into her and needs her help. He can’t get over how much she has changed and how attractive she is all grown up. But he needs to remember that she is off limits and he just needs her help for the weekend.

As Erin and Jake dance around one another the sparks between them continue to fly. And soon they are unable to stop themselves from giving one another a chance. But is Jake willing to take a risk on Erin when he has so much at stake? And is Erin willing to give up her life in California for a life with Jake?

Jake and Erin have harbored feelings for each other fire years, but he is her brothers' best friend. When she comes back to her hometown after ten years, she accidentally takes his bagel order and sparks are reignited. Even though he knows he shouldn't, he invites her to his sister's wedding, which she accepts. Once there, circumstances keep pushing them together, and eventually the spark combust.
She had one foot out the door, because she plans on going back to California. He is cautious, because he has a young daughter that he has to protect. Just when everything seems to be going well, she gets her wish. Jake realizes that he can't ask her to stay, even though he wants to. When she tells him that things are over, he is torn up, and so is she. If it hurts this bad, how can it be the right choice? Will Jake give her another chance when and if she realizes she was never meant to be anywhere but with Jake?
Lived this book from beginning to end. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

***ARC Provided by the Author and Montlake via NetGalley***

4.5 Stars

I think I read this book at exactly the right time. I was in-between jobs through no fault of my own, kind of like Erin and I could really relate to her desire to put down roots while struggling with the unknown and where she would even be living in the next six months.

Jake is a single dad, so roots are all he knows. Roots, and caution, and playing it safe, and not getting involved so he doesn't get hurt. He says it is for his son, that he is cautious for him...but really it is to protect himself from getting hurt...so of course he falls for a woman who is leaving.

So many books are about people who are opposites, or who have reasons that their relationships won't work. But occasionally, there are books like this one, that you believe and that speak to you in a way that really resonates with you and where you are in your life.

Oh, and there is a kraken. Well, a reference not a real kraken (totally different book at that point, huh?) and, really, who can resist reading a book with a kraken?

I enjoyed this title, and I recommend it.

“Burning Up” had the ingredients I usually like in a book: firefighter, childhood friends, brother’s best friend/best friend’s sister, single dad. There were at least the firehouse camaraderie or close-knit community one grew up in to look forward to. Alas, for all the potential this book had, it just didn’t work for me.

I’m not sure which troubled me more, the characters - considering none of them endear themselves to me, not the leading hero/heroine nor the supporting ones - or the info dump scattering all over to process. There is disliking the characters but still loving the story, then there is disliking the characters and they just ruin the whole thing for you. Sadly, for me this book fell on the later.

For someone who seemingly bright and liked by many people, Erin just felt selfish and annoying to me. She left Portland for California sun and some “personal” reason had to do with her family. But I just didn’t get that smothering vibes on the story. I did feel she was annoyed at a lot of people and quick to quarrel with her family. There were also her favorites “I’m only here for the Summer” and “I’ll be leaving soon” that made her sounded like a broken record, yet I still didn’t get what (cause) had her running and her resentment over staying.

On the hero part, Jake was perhaps a tad better than his love interest as in him trying to do the best for his daughter. That saying, this firefighter - a lieutenant at that - was prone to bury his head in the sand to avoid some issue, like refraining from texting back (not dealing with it would solve the problem) or just evade/ignore the person(s) altogether. Me think this was not an attractive trait at all.

Also let’s not forget the hot and cold tango between Jake and Erin. The endless push and pull were just too exhausting to read. In fact, I have no idea what attracted them both to each other, other than lust. I’m not buying their instant attachment went deeper than that (and don’t get me started on Jake’s supposedly close friendship with Erin’s brother, Reece, or the bro-code he staunchly held). In the end, I didn’t have it in me to care whether they ended up together or if the grand gesture was enough to salvage the story. Which was really sad.

This is my first time reading Jennifer Blackwood’s books and it’s so unfortunate to experience this the first time around. I was so excited to start a new series from a new-to-me author that I trudged on reading, even while frowning over a scene to another. Well, I guess the writing style just didn’t click with me. If nothing, there’s a pair of (supporting) characters I found a tad interesting from a couple of scenes here. But I’m not sure, I guess I shall take the wait and see stance for now.