I got a little tricked on the ending of this one as it actually ended at 80% on my kindle and the rest was chapters of a different book, such that when the climax/denouement came, I still expected there to be something more and then it was just over. That being said however, I enjoyed the story and was happy to see this couple get back together (after breaking up in book 5). It's been nice to visit these characters again, as I had lagged at finishing the series. But all's well that ends well!

Flare Up
Boston Fire, Book 6

I Picked Up This Book Because: #Roll100 slash knocking down some old Netgalley ARCs


Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Hoopla via RC Public Library
Stars: 4
Narrator(s): Tatiana Sokolov

The Characters:

Grant Cutter:
Wren:


The Story:

I’m not sure what made me request book 6 in a series I haven’t read. Likely I had no idea it even was part of a series when I requested it half a century ago. Or maybe I realized this story would be right up my alley and didn’t care. Even though this is far along in a series I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Grant and Wren’s story is completely told in this one edition. I was expecting more of a confrontation at the end but again the story felt complete without it.

This was a really good start to my 2023 reading year.

The Random Thoughts:

To be clear I have a Negalley copy but listened to the audiobook.

Interesting and great story.

I liked the flow and the characters. There was a great amount of conflict and interest to keep page turning.

Attractive title and cover.

Recommend.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review one of your titles. Unfortunately, this title didn’t work for me and I have chosen not to review it.
Please also let me extend my apologies for this being so incredibly late (as I am guessing it’s more than obvious I didn’t review at this point) as I like to hold negative or DNF reviews until a title is no longer available on NetGalley, and sometimes posting once it has been archived slips my mind.

FLARE UP - Shannon Stacey

#6 in the Boston Heat romance series

FINISHING UP A GREAT SERIES - 3 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Grant Cutter accidentally reconnects with the missing Wren, his former lover, when he rescues her from a fire. He loves her and wants to rekindle their relationship, but he's also still feeling hurt about their breakup. Wren, for her part, has now revealed the reason that she ran and hid, and she's still running scared.

Writing - 3 stars - Stacey always captures my interest from the first page. She writes in a casual and pleasant style that is easy to read. I like the characters she designs, and the setting for this series is somewhat familiar to me, so I feel comfortable there. However, the story was a bit of a let-down, and the ending felt rushed.

Characters - 3 stars - Grant is a great hero. He's a strong and conscientious firefighter without being too alpha. He's willing to be patient and loving with Wren since he cares about her enough to consider her feelings and go at her pace. At the same time, though, I felt that he tended to dismiss her feelings a little bit when he felt she was being overly dramatic about her situation. Wren is a warm and very sweet woman who is fiercely independent and willing to work hard. And I liked that she recognized that Grant wanted to take care of her, but he wasn't necessarily belittling her ability to get by on her own. But there was something about them that just didn't particularly click for me. I didn't get the HEA vibe from them that I've gotten with previous couples from this series.

Title - 4 stars - This is a good title that really sets up the entire story up in just two words. There's a rekindling of their relationship, plus there's an exciting mystery about to explode.

Cover - 3 stars - Nothing wrong with naked male abs and I understand this cover fits in with the other covers in this series, but there's nothing special about it. Typical for this genre.

Overall - 3 stars - This has been a great series, and we've gotten to know the various members of the department throughout. This particular book has been my least favorite. The characters were very good on their own--both independent and solid. But the spark between them felt missing to me. They discussed the problems they had with getting back together, but that never really felt resolved to me. They were unsure, then suddenly everything was fine. The wrap-up seemed rushed and a little unsatisfying. And although the solving of the mystery and the results of Wren's ex situation was realistic, it was anti-climactic and seemed to fizzle. Overall, although I enjoyed this book, it was disappointing compared to the rest in this series and I felt a little let down.

Another great book in a fun series! We've met these characters in previous books, and for some reason I wasn't sure I'd love Wren too much, like she was messing with Grant? but I really did enjoy reading their story! Loved everything I've read by this author!

I absolutely loved this book and was honored to have been able to read and review. It was such a phenomenal read and had amazing characters as well as an amazing story line. I just could not get enough of it and once I started reading it I could not put it down. I recommend that you read it.

I didn't have time to read this book before release so I will not be leaving a review. If I choose to read this book at some point I will grab a finished copy from my public library and post a review to my Goodreads account.

Probably not my favorite of the series, but it was definitely satisfying to see what happened with Wren. Grant was awesome. Glad to catch up with the rest of the crew.

I really loved this. When I requested this title, I didn't know it was book six in a series and in my opinion you can read this book without having read the previous titles.

I really liked the thriller element to the story. Wren, the main character, has a stalker ex-boyfriend and he followed her to Boston. When Wren got a whiff of him being around, she took off, leaving Grant in the hopes that her ex would not hurt him as he had hurt her brother years ago. Her ex had beaten her brother to a pulp on the sidewalk after hearing her brother tell Wren to leave him. She didn't want the same to happen to Grant.

Years later there's a fire in the hovel that Wren is hiding in, and Grant's crew is the one that shows up on the scene to put out the fire - bringing the two back into each other's lives in a way neither expected. When Grant finds out why she really left him, they attempt to rebuild their relationship and their trust in each other. Just when it seems that they're back on good footing, the ex shows up again. Only Wren chooses not to continue the cycle, and Engine 59 does everything it can to protect Wren from him and put an end to this situation once and for all.

I really loved a lot of the characters in this book, but the main character was, unfortunately, one I wasn't really a fan of. She just wasn't super believable and her reasons for leaving didn't seem good enough to me.

I loved Grant, as well as all the other members of Engine 59, and it's made me excited to pick up the other books in the series. I have a feeling I'll like their books more than I'll like this one.

The thing that I think detracted from this book the most was that at times, the writing was really stilted and pulled me out of the story. Things just didn't flow quite right, I couldn't really place what it was.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and plan to read the books that came before this one.

I just didn't care for this book at all. It's the 6th book in the Boston Fire series, and I'd read and enjoyed book 5 (Under Control) so I was looking forward to reading more about these fire fighter folks. It just felt like nothing *happened* and what lead up there was to any sort of a dramatic plot was resolved REALLY abruptly. Not a fan, and I doubt I'll be reading any more by Shannon Stacey.

Nursing a broken heart while everybody around him seems to be drowning in happiness has Grant Cutter wondering whether staying with Engine 59—or even Boston Fire—is in his future. It’s tempting as hell to pack up what fits in his Jeep and hit the road. But then a 911 call brings the woman who shattered his heart back into his life, and he knows he won’t ever be able to fully leave her in his rearview mirror. For a few months, Wren Everett had thought the nightmare of her past was behind her and she might live happily ever after with Grant. Until she got the phone call letting her know the time her ex had spent in jail for assault hadn’t cooled his temper or determination that she belonged with him. Cutting ties with Grant was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do, but it was also the only way to keep him safe. Now that Grant is back, he’s not letting Wren push him away again. And even with the trust issues between them, Wren dares to hope she and Grant might have a future together after all…if they’re willing to fight for it.
This was an ok story. I hadn’t realized that the first part of their relationship had played out in previous books. I’m not sure if that would’ve made me like it more or not. I really liked Grant and totally felt for him and his broken heart. I felt wishy washy on Wren so it took me a bit to be ok with her.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This book was such a good read.
It pulled me in and kept me flipping the Pages. And is adored the characters so much.
They had so many pieces to them and were so well constructed. And I really enjoyed their individual stories and pasts. And how they effected them and changed how they interacted with each other.

It was just such a well balanced and sweetly romantic story.
And I give it a solid 5 stars

I had mixed emotions about this book. While it was well-written, it seemed to lack substance. I didn't buy the reason for Wren leaving Grant, particularly because the ex had not been violent with her. It seemed a really weak reason to run, and since she stayed in town, it seems like she would have been spotted by someone she knew.

I also thought that the relationship between Wren and Grant lacked chemistry. The lack of trust they seemed to have in each other diminished their bond. They were likable, but they seemed more like a tired old couple--which isn't exactly exciting to read about.

As for the ending, it was rather anticlimactic. I was hoping for a bit more suspense and build-up, but it just didn't happen.

Truly enjoyed this book. entertaining plot, characters I actually liked, and a satisfying ending. looking forward to reading any future books in this series.

Flare Up is the 6th book in Shannon Stacey's Boston Fire series, and It fits in well. I so appreciate the humor with which Ms Stacey infuses her dialogue. Even this second chance at love romance had it's human moments. There are appearances from other series characters in each of the books, but that does not prevent Flare Up from being a stand alone. I thought the primary couple appealing and their happily ever after was deserved. The female lead comes off as a little remote, possibly as a result of her back story. There is some suspense in the novel, however it resolves rather easily. All in all, Flare Up moves along a very strong series, filled with the kind of connections I like to see in my series characters. I look forward to the next read.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

4.5 Stars
This is book 6 in the Boston Fire series and it features Grant Cutter and Wren Everett. Their past is full of questions and five months later she’s back with answers. The love is strong and sizzling HOT! The sense of family is envious in this book and series. This huge family is made up of Kincaid‘s Pub, Boston firefighters and EMTs and ALL their families. When you enter this circle of friends as Wren did, you have so many people looking out for you. All she had to do was trust in Grant and their extended family.

There was so much build up in regards to Ben. He played a large role in this story line and I felt such a big let down when he ended up being nothing more than a sentence towards the end. The story line was still fantastic but I just felt he needed a bigger sendoff. This is a great story to end this series. I loved Tommy’s reflection at the end.

Flare Up is the sixth novel in the Boston Fire series by Shannon Stacey, and it's the fourth novel in the series I've read, so I've already encountered the couple featured in this installment, Wren and Grant, and was eager to see how this second chance romance turned out, but was somewhat disappointed in the overall telling of their story, and can only give Flare Up 3 stars.

First, I'll admit to being a sucker for both second chance romances, and firefighter/first responder stories as well. I loved the camaraderie between all the firefighters, EMTs, and their wives in this novel, and the way they were portrayed as mutually supportive friends and family. I also loved Grant, the hero, who was man enough to show how brokenhearted he was when Wren broke up with him and disappeared without an explanation--just as he was about to propose marriage. His overt reaction made him seem more human than many heroes I've read about over the years, who act too tough to let anyone see their emotions.

Wren was a whole other story. Her former boyfriend, Ben, was a total control freak and although he never physically harmed her, he had a violent streak. When Wren's brother, Alex, tried to convince her to leave Ben for good, Ben beat Alex so severely that he nearly killed him, an act that landed Ben in prison for a year--too light a sentence, in my opinion. Wren has been hiding out in a shabby apartment in Boston for the past 5 months, when her apartment building catches fire and Grant is stunned to discover that the woman he just dragged from a burning building is Wren. He'd tried to find her after the break-up, and was stunned that she was still in Boston, but she remained off the grid, still fearing that Ben would come after her, and anyone she cared about when he was released.
I didn't like the way she broke up with Grant at all. I would have much preferred that she was honest with him from the start, and yet even though she says she never stopped loving Grant, I would have thought it more decent of her to have given him a reason, even a phony reason, rather than merely disappearing without any explanation at all.

Since Wren has nowhere to live after the fire, the firefighters and their family members are all willing to help her until she's back on her feet again, and Grant is willing to risk his heart to her again, but is doing so with some trepidation, since he fears she could disappear again without any notice. Once trust is lost, regaining that trust is very hard to do, but sweet, kind, honest and charming Grant is willing to bend over backwards for the woman he loves, although the reasons why he loves her were just a much a mystery to this reader by the end of this novel as they were at the beginning.

My other problem with the novel was Wren's ex-boyfriend. Most of the novel centers around her fear of him and what he might do to Grant and anyone else who helps her, but the firefighters and their police connections keep checking on his whereabouts in Virginia and assure her he's nowhere near Boston, although there are clues that he might be. Throughout this novel I kept waiting for the big confrontation when Ben would finally catch up with Wren and how Grant and his fellow firefighters would take care of him so that Wren would never have to fear him again. A slight spoiler: that confrontation scene never happens, and the fact that his capture and arrest by the police is handled as merely an "off-screen" footnote in this novel was beyond disappointing. Instead, we get a very short, abrupt, and emotionally unfulfilling denouement and an abrupt HEA ending.

Ms. Stacey is a good writer who is adept at plotting her novels, and while I loved most of the characters in this novel, and was engrossed in Grant and Wren's attempt to come back together as a couple, I felt that the brevity of ending was a huge let-down to what was otherwise a good read, that would, with an expansion of the ending have been a great read.

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

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Grant Cutter has never gotten over the fact that his year-long girlfriend, a woman he really wanted to marry, just left him. He loved Wren Everett to distraction, and with her gone, and everyone around him drowning in bliss, he is thinking of leaving Engine 59, or even Boston Fire completely. But in his latest fire, one of the people he saves is none other than Wren.

Sad to have left Grant, Wren had very good reason. She has had a quiet few months and she is convinced that the nightmare she led due to her previous ex is over. But, not only has he been released from jail due to an assault, she is burned out of her temporary home. She literally finds herself in the arms of the one man she truly loves, Grant. He carried her out of a very serious, and completely destructive fire.

Grant is truly happy that Wren is okay, but he wants to just walk away. After all, that is what she did to him. Instead, he realizes that he is determined to win her back, even if understanding her actions is near to impossible for him.

This second chance romance in Flare Up is wrought with problems. Wren has to regain Grant's trust as to why she left him, but also why she stayed close in Boston. As Grant worked on trusting her again, his hope for a forever future with her definitely had its doubts. I had doubt of my own as it seemed that once the explanation was made and processed, they could move on. Watching Grant and Wren get comfortable in their desire to move ahead was a bit long. However, Grant had a heart of gold and it was truly nice to see him - and all of their friends in common - envelop Wren in their arms.

This romance had a bit of suspense as the guy harassing Josie had to have his comeuppance. This is part of the Boston Fire series and is the final book. I enjoyed the limited time I have had with this series and look forward to reading more by Shannon Stacey.

Many thanks to Carina Press and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I usually enjoy Stacey's books, but Wren made it so hard to finish the story. In fact, I put it away twice before finishing. Wren is a character I just did not like.

Grant is too good to be true. Despite the anguish he felt when Wren ended things with him, he and his friends go above and beyond to help her out. I found this a little unrealistic, but Grant is a great guy.

I'm looking ahead to the next Stacey book, one that will be more like her previous stories.