It was the two main characters that made this one for me. They were so well-developed I feel I would recognize them on the street if I met them! I also appreciated the descriptions of Diesel's anxiety; I could really understand and empathize with what having anxiety and panic attacks must be like. A sweet, hot, all-in-one-sitting bedtime read.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Unfortunately I did not realize this was book three and would like to read the books that were published first, but it is promisng.

This m/m May December romance immerses readers in an emotional but intriguing romance. The Characters are strong and easily draw readers into their story as they don’t really seem to have much in common other than their careers but yet the magnetic attraction is undeniable. Being coworkers, especially with Jack being Diesel’s boss, works against them having a relationship as well Diesel’s past which he trying to keep on the down low. This ensures that he story has quite a bit of emotional turbulence as well keeping readers wondering if Jack and Diesel can reach their happily ever after.

The plot goes from steady to fast paced in a few places as some adrenaline pumping events take place and thrilling suspense builds as first Jack and Diesel launch an in house investigation and then as Diesel keeps looking over his shoulder in regards to his past. Although it does seem as though there should be something more going on regarding Diesel and his past based on the way that Diesel regards it, especially since the author does a great job of getting the emotions and depth of her characters across, this romance easily keeps readers glued to the pages.

I didn't realize when requesting, that this is book #3 in a series, so the fault of feeling a bit lost lies with me.
Therefore, I didn't finish the story and will refrain from reviewing.
I would definitely tell readers to begin in order.

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

I’m a big fan of May-December romance, especially when it’s done well, which meant I was positively chomping at the bit to get my readerly hands on this week’s book. I’m happy to say, Shift’s End by A. R. Barley didn’t disappoint. Not only did it provide a delicious set of main characters I could easily fall for, but they were also firemen. Both of ‘em.



I mean, come on. Talk about a panty fire. 🤣 Thank goodness there were two professionals around to help put it out… or, I dunno, make it worse. But who’s counting? I’m certainly not. Nor am I complaining.



This book was on the milder, lower heat end—with only one really detailed sex scene—but the romance between the two men was so sweet and so hard earned that I can certainly forgive Ms. Barley for glossing over some of the scenes I (as an admitted erotica lover) would’ve loved to see in more detail. Still, for what was there, it was decidedly yummy and you’ll hear no grievances on my end.



I adored the relationship our silver fox and captain of the New York Fire Department, Jack Tracey, had with his first ex-wife, Mona, and sixteen-year-old son, Eric. It was so wholesome and pretty much the ideal situation if a couple with a child can’t make their marriage work. It was refreshing to see a book not treat ex’s as across-the-board dumpster fires not worth the legs they stand on. Because, come on, the truth of the matter is… yes, relationships don’t always work out, but it isn’t always because the other person was a complete monster. I applaud Ms. Barley for taking a jaunt down a less-than-frequently traveled road with the true friendship still in play between Mona and Jack.



Poor Diesel Evers, on the other hand, didn’t get so lucky. But that’s okay, there’s a place for crap head ex’s, too. And, boy, Chase is sure a crap head and then some. Twenty-six-year-old Diesel, who is Jack’s junior by twenty years, fled his old life in Atlantic City to get away from his ex and all the craptastic crap he brought into Diesel’s life. (I’ll let y’all gather those bits of info for yourselves as you read. No spoilers here.)



His transfer brought him into Captain Jack’s house and from the moment those two laid eyes on one another, a low-grade sizzle started. I adore how Ms. Barley allowed the men’s relationship to unfold over a very reasonable stretch of time, rather than trying to cram them falling in love within a few short days. (I’m not saying all quick-to-fall stories are tragically horrible… only the insta-love ones where there quite simply isn’t enough to push the leads into those kind of feelings in such a short period.) But in this case, insta-love wasn’t an issue at all.



And watching the two flirt was pretty much adorbs and a half. Just sayin’.



My only "beef," so to speak, was with the side plot meant to add tension and give a reason for Jack and Diesel to be forced together. Quite honestly, it fell flat for me. A good deal of it felt contrived, and the final payout kind of fizzled and ended on a squeaker. Thankfully, the core of the novel—the relationship between the men—was well handled and overshadowed the weaker "suspense" plot.



Overall, I’d recommend this book to any male/male romance lover—especially those who aren’t into super high heat, but who enjoy a sweet buildup with a moment or two of the hot and heavy. 😘

It was the two main characters that made this one for me. They were so well-developed I feel I would recognize them on the street if I met them! I also appreciated the descriptions of Diesel's anxiety; I could really understand and empathize with what having anxiety and panic attacks must be like. A sweet, hot, all-in-one-sitting bedtime read.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

This is the third book in the series, but I thought that it stood very well on its own since I hadn't read the previous two and I didn't feel lost at all.

Jack is the captain of a fire department, he's been through a couple divorces but is amicable with one of his ex-wives who he has a son with. Diesel is the new transfer to his station, and the attraction between the two is instant. I really enjoyed their relationship in this, I love it when they want to keep things casual - but OF COURSE It never goes that way! :D I love how Jack knew that Diesel was it for him and how hard he fought for him, and really they fought for each other, to keep each other and also their jobs.

There is also a bit of mystery with who is sabotaging things at the station and why, and they work together to see if they can catch who is doing these things. I really love when books about firefighters actually HAVE them doing their job - so many of them have stories where it doesn't deal with their career. I was happy to read about them being active firefighters.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is Book 3 in a series, I've not read either of the two prior books, so I was a little bit unsure how it would read, or if I'd like it. Thankfully, it was pretty good! I didn't need to have read either of the other books, and even though it's clear those stories were probably about two couples that have small parts in this book, I didn't feel like I needed to know their stories at all to enjoy this one. I love when a standalone books is actually, very truly, standalone. There are so many books out there that are labeled standalone, yet after reading them, it's clear that while they kind of are, it would still have been better had I read the previous books. Not the case here. I liked those side characters enough that I might go back and read their stories, but I don't feel like I *have* to do that.

For this book's story, I liked the couple a lot. Each of them were really enjoyable to read, and to get to know as individuals. The attraction between them was really good, although I felt like it could have been developed a little bit more. I did feel like the suspense portion of the story took over a bit from the romance, but only just. There are some really descriptive scenes during actual fires they went out on, and that also pulled me out of the romance portion sometimes, but not too badly.

All in all, this was enjoyable. There were things that I had wished for more of, mostly towards the end when things go down. The last part of the story, when things get really intense, actually could have been a bit more fleshed out and worked through. I wanted more information on the ex, because he is a total head case and it would have been great to get more information about that. It felt kind of glossed over, and actually, when all the terrible information comes out to not only to Jack, but the rest of the firehouse, it was sort of a non-issue. And in the end, it felt like Diesel was not following true to character. But, well... they can't all be perfect. And honestly, I think my favorite character in the book was Jack's kid.

NOTE: this link won't be live until 1:00 p.m. Central time. http://www.xtreme-delusions.com/2018/08/04/pre-release-review-shifts-end-by-a-r-barley/

I loved it!

Shift's End is the third book in the Smoke & Bullets series but it can be read as a standalone with no problem. Characters from previous books appear but not in a way so that you will feel lost if you haven't read their books.

I've really been enjoying this series. The blurb/synopsis really tells you everything you need to know about the story. What I can add is that once I started this book I didn't want to stop. It not only tells a good love story between the two MCs (main characters) but it also has a good mystery and suspense to go along with it.

Jack and Diesel make a great couple. The feelings and emotions between them were palpable and I wanted their relationship to succeed so badly. The mystery and suspense were good but the love story was the best thing for me in this book.

I hope there will be more books in this series.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

This review will be posted to Xtreme-Delusions dot com on August 4, 2018.

The May/December romance trope is a favorite of mine, so that plus the firefighter story caught my attention. It's hard not to love a silver fox and Jack has that covered. Add in his alpha male attitude and his attraction to the new guy with a troubled past and sparks are bound to fly. Along with a budding romance between Jack and Diesel, we also get a bit of suspense by way of possible sabotage plus Diesel's secretive past. While those things do play a part in the story, the focus is on the romance and this pair certainly generates some steam. The age difference isn't the big issue for this love story and really takes a backseat to the fact that Jack is Diesel's boss. Regardless of the issues, past or present, this pair has great chemistry and they're both so lovable that you can't help but root for them. Shift's End is the third Smoke & Bullets book, but works perfectly as a standalone. This is the first in the first in the series for me and I had no problem following the story. In fact, the secondary characters piqued my interest, so I will be checking out this one's predecessors. All in all, Shift's End is an engaging mix of sexy as sin firemen, on the job romance, and lots of action - Of both the firefighting and the steamy kind.

¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ ★3.5 stars

Shift's End follows the same path of the other books in the Smoke & Bullets series. It focuses on the lives of the men working in the NYPD/NYFD. This time, Captain Jack Tracey gets his turn in the romance seat as he battles wits and will with newcomer Diesel Evers.

Twice married Jack only had retirement to look forward to, until the too young Diesel entered his house as a replacement and sent his entire plans to hell in a hand basket. When a series of mishaps started occurring, it will take more than just willpower to solve the mystery and protect the men of the fire house. But everything kept pointing a finger at the newbie, and Jack was determined to find out what is was and how he could protect the man he had strong feelings for.

Diesel only wanted to put the past behind him. He was tired of looking over his shoulder and ready to move on. But how could he when everything happening to his unit always seemed to point a finger back at him. When his past catches up with him, will he be able to fight, for his job and the man he loved?

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the publisher through Netgalley

3 1/2 stars

An enjoyable read, but it didn’t blow me away. The chemistry between Jack and Deisel was there, but I just felt that it could be more. Other than that it was an easy read.

m/m
Shift's End is a seriously sweet firefighter romance. Diesel is young hot and recovering from a seriously bad romance. Jack is older and Diesel’s new boss but the heart wants what the heart wants. I really enjoyed this book.

I've liked all the books in this series so far, but I think that Shift's End might be my favorite so far.

Jack was a man that demanded respect. He not only led his team, more often that not, he was right in the thick of things with them. He was more than a Captain, he was a true part of the team. Diesel had a past that he was trying to get away from. He takes his job just as seriously as Jack though and when they find out that someone's sabotaging the equipment that's meant to keep everyone safe, he doesn't hesitate to offer to help.

This story had action, danger, loyalty and just the right amount of heat to keep the pages turning. I loved the connection between Jack and Diesel and the respect and sense of family that was evident between the crew. So yeah, there were a lot of reasons why Shift's End is one of my favorites. I'm really hoping there's more to come in the Smoke & Bullets series.

I really enjoyed this romance featuring two sexy fire fighters. Captain Jack Tracey who starts to be interested in his new and young recruit Diesel even though he knows it's against the rules and could cause them both a world of pain. But sometimes the attraction is too hot to ignore. I love how Jack's son was accepting of who his dad was and how his relationship with his ex was also on a friendly basis. This book was sexy and went much deeper than I was expecting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Carina Press for a copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars. Even though Diesel & Jack were helluva sexy together, it didn't appear that they had anything in common except for the job. Chase, Diesel's ex, was all kinds of crazy. I did figure out the arsonist but I did not figure out who was messing with the crew's equipment. I liked that Jack's ex was not portrayed as a hateful person. Both she and their son accepted Jack's attraction to Diesel and wanting a relationship with him. I liked the scene where Eric, Diesel & Jack's ex (can't remember her name) are all sitting on the couch playing a video game. I haven't read either of the other books in this series & I will need to rectify that.

Diesel has transferred from the Atlantic City Fire Department, but he wasn't able to leave his panic attacks behind him. How can a fire fighter be safe and save others if he might have a panic attack inside a burning building. Fire house Captain, Jack, might be able to help. But when they develop feeling how can a Captain continue to work with one of his crew, and what about the age difference. Nice to see some familiar characters show up.

Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've only read one other A. R. Barley book, but I enjoyed it enough that when I saw a Barley book with hot firefighters on the cover, I knew I had to request it. Had I known it was third in a series, I might have passed on requesting... but now I will go back and read books one and two.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a good romance, with Jack and Diesel turning into a fantastic couple by the end. I want a firefighter daddy man like Jack... woof! :)

There was a mystery involved, which made it more than just a fluffy romance. All in all, I very much enjoyed this one and will pick up the first two in the series and any subsequent releases in the series. I love me some hot firefighter man love!!!

Diesel is new to the firehouse. He hiding from the ex from hell. The man cost him his job at his last station and lots of pain. He needed to get away so he winds up in FDNY. He's a good firefighter, proud of his work ethic. Being the best he can possibly be.

Jack is the captain. Old enough to be thinking about retirement. Extremely concerned about dumb accidents that have started to happen in the house. Firefighters getting hurt from improper equipment.

Their relationship blooms slowly. So many obstacles, their age difference, Diesel’s past, and the fact that Jack is his boss. They go into it as a temporary thing, basically to work through their intense attraction.

When the accidents put Jack in the hospital and threaten Diesel’s future something has to give. They need to find the person responsible for the sabotage. Diesel’s past catches up and threatens them both.

This is the third book in the series. The others don't have to be read but they are good and give a view of some of the people in this book. Don't know if there will be more books in the series. I will read them if there are.

The May December aspect of Jack and Diesel's romance was what had grabbed my attention. Jack and Diesel worked for me for the most part. The sexual tension was nice. I'm not sure what common interests they had that attracted them to one another, with the exception of the obvious chosen profession but they still made for a sexy read.

The thing that left me feeling like the book was lacking was the drama. Diesel isn't exactly running from his past but he is certainly hiding it from his new team members. Jack isn't without his own problems. His problems are within his firehouse though. Once these issues are put to paper though it just felt weak, not thoroughly thought out.

Shift's End works as a stand alone. It's the only book that I've read from Barley's Smoke and Bullets series. I wasn't lost in any way. I got the impression that Diesel was completely new to the series. I'll probably go back and read On Duty the first book in the series. Troy and Alex have small roles here and I'm a little bit curious about them.