4.5 stars Consumed by J.R. Ward is the first novel in her newest series, Firefighters. Ward shocked me, tugged at my heartstrings and curled my toes as she pulled me into an arson investigation with a surprising twist. A unique heroine, troubled hero, and burning fire await you in Consumed. Look for my full review at Caffeinated Reviewer and Amazon on October 2nd.

Mystery, romance, tragedy, ghosts in the closet for characters, and fire fighting action make this a good read. First book I've read by J. R. Ward. Would read another!

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed and Consumed is a book you will not be able to put down!

After Anne makes a decision at a warehouse fire that changes her life forever, she is thrown into a new career as an arson investigator, not quite the exciting adrenaline life she had always craved.

However, a series of suspicious fires changes all that. Anne teams up with Danny McGuire a stellar fireman, best in the area, but Danny has his own issues he is dealing with. When Anne starts to find the arsonist, the arsonist starts to find her and targets her.

I read this book in 24 hours, it was a non stop thrill ride, with twists and turns at every corner.
I found my heart was beating a little fast at certain points, and when a book can do that , you know you know the author has created a masterpiece.

5 STARS!
I feel Burned.
I'm scorched, seared, and forever branded by this multi-faceted narrative of courage and rising from the ashes.
Consumed is a story of grief, healing, forgiveness, redemption, and love. These feelings touch on multiple layers of relationships, and not just of the main couple.

I know that all sounds so vague and cliche, but don't want to divulge too much.

First of all, before even picking up this book, I would HIGHLY suggest reading the two FREE PREQUELS titled: The Wedding From Hell, Parts 1 & 2. You will get a better insight into the complex background of Anne Ashburn and Danny McGuire.

After an engrossing, explosive, and heart-pounding first chapters, firefighters Anne Ashburn and Danny McGuire find themselves sitting in the middle of a life that they both did not ever anticipate. They are two broken souls who share a transformative experience. This book tells the story of how they try to pick-up and rebuild.

Ward builds a cast of complicated, yet noble, characters bonded by their firefighting roles. The camaraderie of the first responders - Fire, SWAT, Police - is forged in trust and respect. What happens in Consumed tests all that. Ward spotlights the human aftermath that is often ignored: the mental anguish and coping mechanisms of these everyday heroes as they process some gruesome events that they are forced to face as a normal part of their job. She explores beyond the surface and gets in-your-face real. It's shocking and brutal. But life doesn't have a slow-mo or pause button.

The three points of views made an interesting path of dropping hint nuggets that built the mystery story line. I liked the distinct voice Ward gave to each character and how that voice developed and grew as the story unfolded. I felt the timeline was well-paced and the prose... oh JR Ward's prose wins the blue ribbon! It is witty, laced with lots modern references ("The Office" bits were hilarious!) with sarcastic asides. Absolutely amusing! They served as a perfect Yang to Yin's dramatic scenes.

I've read the first book of JR Ward's popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but it wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't relate to the fantastical element they had. But this, this book hit all the points for me! It felt authentic with the rich raw details. It felt relatable with the character's actions, their flaws, defeats, and triumphs. It won my heart with a slow-burn love story between two characters that find salvation in each other, in more ways than I ever would have hoped.

Thank you to publisher Gallery Books for granting me an early copy (ARC) of this spitfire of a book in exchange for an honest review.
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Book one in her new series and it didn't fail to impress! J.R. Ward is amazing and has given us another great story. I can't wait for more!

When I lucked into an ARC of Consumed I couldn't believe I had my dirty little hands on a brand new J.R. Ward series. Blurb? What blurb? Who needs to read the blurb when it's The Warden?

I waited to start it until I could read all the prequels of The Wedding from Hell first. Because the prequels were so much fun, I just couldn't wait to get to Consumed.

Happy little me started reading and in no time at all...

BAM --- BAM! ---BAMBAMBAM!!!

...then sad little me lay curled up on the floor crying my heart out.

Now, Ms. Ward, is that any way to do your committed readers? (I hear evil laughter in the background)

Gah! What a story. Tummy turning trauma and heart breaking heartache.

Yup, I loved it.

*Read the blurb if, unlike me, you want to know what it's about before you read the book.

Consumed – J. R. Ward

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Anna Ashburn is one of New Brunswick, Massachussetts' leading firefighters, and is assigned to the crew of the 499. Like any firefighting crew, she is ‘tight’ with her team, consisting of Danny Maguire, Emilio Chavez, Patrick Duffy, Deshaun Lewis, and Christopher Baker. As the book opens, the crew is dispatched to a box alarm, and drive up upon a working structure fire within a warehouse. As the team splits up to handle their respective assignments, Anne and Emilio head inside to clear the building of any occupants. As a couple of vagrants are shown to safety, a big explosion triggers a collapse of the building trapping Anne and her partner inside. As the team struggles to free their injured team members, Danny finds himself with a hellish choice to make – and almost loses his own life in the process.

Flash forward several months later. Anne, unable to return to her former position as a fire fighter, opts for arson investigation instead. The warehouse fire that ended her career weighs heavy on her mind, and as she investigates the site of yet another fire, she can’t help but wonder if they are connected. As she begins to research the buildings, she learns that the majority of the buildings are owned by one individual – and as she sets her sights on him, someone else is watching Anne. But the danger may be much closer than she realizes…
I was hooked from the first page and could NOT put this book down. Filled with a colorful, unforgettable crew, each with their own demons to overcome, this novel was filled with rich dialogue and quiet introspection, giving each character a depth you don’t often see. And as Anne and Danny face their individual challenges and attraction to one another, you can’t help but to cheer them on. I truly LOVED this book!!

Consumed by J.R. Ward is draws me in like a moth to a flame. Irresistible to the flame, I couldn't stop reading this book. Emotionally gripping, hot, and full of risks, this writer captures my full attention. The plot moved quickly. Attitude, loss, grief, and romance fill these pages. I enjoy watching the two siblings give each other shit. It was funny. They obviously care about each other but show it differently than most. Then, there's the attraction between two firefighters who have a knack for danger. Just as they go on a scene they end up in a situation neither thought they would be in...the reality comes and shakes their world. Sending it breaking into pieces. Their confidence shatters. But with time and a team that still cares, they might just survive...unless someone they trust tries killing them and succeeds. Overall, this book consumes. It takes me in deep and does not let go.

"You've got it all wrong, Danny. Fire is like cancer. It doesn't care what it kills. We mean nothing to it because its not alive. You're not battling a beast. There's no monster there."

If you've been following the novella releases for this story like I have, then you've gotten a little taste for what author JR Ward has in store for us with her exciting new Firefighters Series. Personally, I haven't read anything by this author since I dove into the world of The Black Dagger Brotherhood a few years ago. So, when I heard about Consumed, I was really excited to not only read something new from this author, but to also experience her take on Contemporary Romance.

Right off the bat, this author doesn't hold back. If you're familiar with the 3 part novella series she released prior to Consumed, you know what I'm talking about. If not, that is totally ok. The first 4-5 chapters are from part 3, so you will not be lost at all. And if you're like me and have already read said novella's, it's the prefect recap to get you back into this new world. So, like I said the author does not hold back. She starts this story off with one heck of a bang and doesn't look back. Anne's life has been forever changed since the fire that almost took her life. She's been handed so many obstacles since that fateful day, one of the biggest is a change in career. She now finds herself working as a fire inspector instead of on the lines with her comrades. She is determined to figure out who has been starting fires and putting those she loves at risk....Danny also has been the same since that fateful night when Anne almost lost her life. He's taking crazy risks and his friends couldn't be more worried about the path he's heading down. The last thing Danny ever planned on was being teamed up with Anne again. But, that partnership might just be what the doctor ordered.....

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. This story was well written and definitely intrigued me. True to JR Ward's writing style, this story is told from multiple points of view and has many plot lines. You are given a taste for the story and there are many layers being built. I enjoyed seeing the stage of this story being set and all the little bread crumbs dropped along the way, but not really knowing 100% what was going to happen next.

Consumed totally consumed me and had me devouring the pages. I couldn't wait to see what was in store for Danny and Anne and was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved the feeling of family, friendship and camaraderie that I got from this story. The Firefighters as a whole were loyal, true and took some amazing risks. This story was sexy and suspenseful with some great twists along the way.

Consumed kicks this series off to a great start. The world/stage has been set. Characters have been introduced and the plot has me curious as to where this series will go next.

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Consumed is the first in Ward's new Firefighters series. I found the back and forth perspective from characters to be a nice change from single person narrative. I am not familiar with this author, so I dont know if this is her usual style. The book is well-written and addresses subject that is not normally found in contemporary romance. Loss of limbs, addiction - of which there are many forms, etc.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy to read and give my opinion.

I'm a big fan of this author so I was excited to get an ARC to this new series. I just have to say this.... I was consumed by this book. I was on an airplane as I read and I don't even remember the flight. The author just grabs you and JUST DOES NOT LET GO. Freaking amazing. Danny and Anne were just hot as a nuclear fire. What they go through is just horrifying and you just cheer throughout this book that they will make it through. I'm not going to spoil anything but be prepared to get swept.

What did I like? Amazing characters. You could just feel their pain and just suffer right along it was so intense. Fire fighters do such an amazing job and the author just nails them. I had a long relationship with a fire fighter and its amazing how much she captured.

Would I buy this book? Absolutely, I just know I'm going to love this series just as much as her others.

Thoughts for the author? The way you wrote this book was just phenomenal. I can not describe how much this book sucked me in so much that I did not want to put it down. Five amazing stars!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
I am so excited to read these smokin’ HOT firemen. I absolutely love JR. Ward’s vampires but I think this series is going to be just as good. When this book started I was stressed to no end. That first fire, one mistake, and two lives changed. That on mistake left one finding a new career field and the other feeling guilty and responsible.
Anne is one strong willed, hard headed, and courageous woman. These things are what kept her going when she wanted to give up but she fought and came back a stronger woman. I loved Anne she doesn’t back down and is so ballsy.
Danny, yeah he got my heartrate going. He is just as strong willed and hard headed as Anne but toss in that he is an Alpha that there is a triple threat.
The chemistry between Anne and Danny is off the charts and we see it from the beginning. They are like magnets when facing opposite directions they do not fit but turn them around and BAM they go right together. It takes them a while to figure things out as both of them are trying to find themselves after THE fire that changed their lives. I cannot even start to tell you everything that is going on in this book but there is much more than just Danny and Anne. There are things the other guys in Danny’s fire station that are dealing with some heavy stuff. Plus there is Anne’s brother WOW he has a lot on his shoulders.
The twists that happened in this book blew me away I didn’t see any of them coming. Let’s just say I was floored so many times. I am so excited for this next book. I need to find out what is going to happen with the entire group of firefighters not just Danny and Anne’s group but her brother’s too.

I loved this book!!! I loved J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series but had yet to be captured by any of her other books until now.
I enjoyed everything about the Consumed. The beginning starts with a bang, when the heroine losses her hand in a fire. The hand is removed by the man that loves her, also a fireman who runs into the flames to rescue her. He gets her out of the fire and then the building collapses on him.
The story then follows both characters as they come to terms with what happened and how they reinvent themselves after the fire. The book then takes a twist or two as an arson investigation into warehouse fires "heats" up. I am trying not to give anything away so people will enjoy the story, as I did.

Anne Ashburn is a third generation firefighter. During one fire she is trapped and becomes unable to continue being a firefighter. Her lover Danny McGuire is trapped but saved.  During their rehab and healing, they  lose touch with each other. Ann can't fight fires anymore and becomes an arson investigator. Danny goes back to work with the Engine company where Ann's brother is chief. When a warehouse burns down and it appears to be arson. Ann becomes consumed with finding the arsonist and the reason for it. Is there a pattern? Is it a firebug or is there another, more sinister reason? What if the arsonist is closer to Ann than she knows? She is being targeted by the arsonist. Will she survive this case? Danny comes back into Ann's life and feelings that never left, spark into flames. Full of action and excitement. You won't want to put it down until it is finished. I received this book from Net Galley and Hachette Books Australia for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.

Available Oct 2: Consumed by J.R. Ward
****4/5 stars

A fabulous action-thriller-romance starring two firefighters with chips on their shoulders.



Recommended readers:

JR Ward, Laura Griffin or mystery-thriller drama plots
for action-adventure-romance lovers
if you're a fan of CSI TV series, you'll love anything Laura Griffin
Here's my Rankings:

4/5 for characters
5/5 for plot
4/5 overall
3/5 steaminess
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:
Ann Ashburn has a legacy of firefighters in her family - even her brother is the fire chief. And one questionable - though brave - decision changes her career as a firefigher forever. She's still recovering from her physical and emotional wounds when she becomes an arson investigator. A series of suspicious and deadly fires throws her back into the thick of it - and even closer to her ex - sexy, arrogant Danny McGuire. 

As you expect from any J.R. Ward thriller, there's so break in the action in the page-turning Consumed. From action, passion and mystery there's no putting this book down.

Available Oct 2: Consumed by J.R. Ward

While missing the one liners of the Brotherhood you still get the camaraderie feel of the group. The story is fast paced and ends without a cliffhanger. You get a peek into the other's lives just enough that leaves you wanting to read their stories. Annie and Danny are perfect for each other and I loved the addition, even though it was small, of Soot. Will be reading more of this series.

Anne and Danny are kindred spirits. They compliment each other is a very subtle way, pretty much unnoticeable. Of course, being completely in love with one another while working side by side in a firehouse makes things very complex.

Having slept together once, they try to maintain a normal working friends' relationship.

When a tragedy hits and Danny is forced to do whatever he must to save Anne's life, his already traumatic past takes a plunge to some serious self-destruct.

I think Anne's involvement in Danny's recovery is very special, considering her own loss and trauma. Also, the fact that she's now following a different career path and trying to prove a crime only complicates things between them, as well as their surrounding friends.

I'm still not sure how I feel about reading a human WARDen series, but for now I like it.

I have never read anything but PNR by this author but I really liked this new series starter. It's looking like a combination of sexy with a healthy dose of romantic suspense/mystery that will certainly keep you guessing and hold your attention. There are some very intense moments in this book that made me gasp and not in a good way. Anne and Danny may not fall right into their HEA, but that's a good thing. Everything that happens to get them there is what makes this book so good.

Thank you yo Netgalley for this ARC.

I have to admit that I am a little impatient.

I was hooked on the tragedy of Anne losing her arm at the very beginning and how Danny was the one who assisted in that. I saw Anne and Danny's love story developing. However, I grew tired of the switching between different story lines out of nowhere in each chapter. A lot of the conversations and words felt like filler in order to meet some type of page quota. I wanted to finish the book so hopefully I would understand how some of these stories connected to the overall plot. The book's summary focuses on an arson investigation and search for a killer. The first 50% of the book felt drawn out because it only addressed the night of the fires, the follow up to Anne losing her hand, and the background lives of the characters.

The ending helped the book redeem itself a bit. I realized that some of the things written in the book connected to the outcome of the story. This book is advertised as the first in a series, but I honestly think that the series should end here as it is. I also think that this book needs to be condensed. I don't think that it needed to be over 400 pages in order to drive this plot line home. Overall, I was genuinely surprised at the ending because I honestly did not expect that.

Side note: The author wrote decent erotic scenes, but calling human genitalia "sex" during a sex scene makes me cringe.

WOW!!! This book grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go. Hold on for a rollercoaster ride, this book has it all...I couldn't put it down.