Firecracker was a well-done story about moving on after loss. Arden is a young widow who is starting over. She moves back to her hometown of Chicago where her brother still lives. He owns a building that he's rehabbing and is able to offer her free rent on a unit that is still being re-done. It works out as long as she doesn't mind allowing his friend periodic access to perform the rehab. That isn't an issue since it is one of his childhood friends that she knows. What she doesn't know is how much Tyler has grown up from the awkward teenager she remembers. He's now a very fit fire fighter who conveniently lives right across the hall from her.

Arden and Tyler have instant chemistry. Actually, Tyler had a crush on Arden when they were younger but he was her little brother's best friend and she was a popular cheerleader. Now that they are grown, the playing field has leveled out. The only thing getting in the way is Arden's resistance to get into another relationship. She has been damaged by her deceased husband's untimely death and refuses to allow herself to get caught up in that way again.

I enjoyed Firecracker. In addition to Arden and Tyler's developing relationship, I really liked getting to know the other characters and see great potential for more books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ms. Jamieson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was a really loving story, I had to read it in one sitting because it was that engaging, their story will stay with me for a long time.

Arden Lennox's life may be in pieces but she is determined to pull herself up by herself. She may be a widow and broke but she will stand on her own 2 feet. And the under-construction unit that she finds to stay is exactly what she needs to help her get on her feet. What she doesn't expect is for her brother's nerdy high school best friend to be living across the hall. Or for him to have turned into a smoking hot firefighter and be the one to do a lot of the work on her unit. Tyler can't believe his high school crush has moved in next door. Or that he would still be so attracted to her. But when their attraction ignites, will Arden run or will she face her fears and find her happiness?

This story is beyond sweet while still being beyond HOT! Arden went through something that no one thinks will happen to them. And loses everything. But she is strong enough to realize that she can and will move on and stand on her own two feet. Tyler is this sweet and caring man who is beyond hot and I loved him! He is the type of person who will give you the shirt off your back if you need it. My only drawback was Arden wouldn't accept help when she truly needed it. She almost seemed to resent people who offered it to her. And that just bugged me because everyone needs help at some point in their life. Other than that, loved it!

Firecracker is a standalone at this point, but I hope that it will be the start to a new series.

It took me a minute to get into the book, but once I did I started to really enjoy the book.

Arden and Tyler are both likable well written characters. I did find Arden somewhat cold at first, and I wasn't immediately convinced Tyler was someone you could count on forever, but by the end of their journey I did think they belonged together with their own HEA.

The secondary characters were also well fleshed out and I have hope that we will get the stories of the secondary characters as well.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

I received an ARC in exchange of my honest review.

4.5 Stars for Firecracker by Kelly Jamieson.
This story captivated me from the first chapter and there was no putting down until I had read the final line, I needed to know if Tyler and Arden got the HEA they both deserved, I needed to know more about this couple and I wanted more.
Arden Lennox moves across the country to live in her brothers building after her husband committed suicide, she is an emotional reck and is finding it hard to make ends meet so this move seems like the logical thing to do. Tyler Ramirez has been her brothers best friend since childhood and he has secretly crushed on Arden since high school but the timing has never been right could this now be his time.....first he needs to convince her she is allowed to move on and she is allowed to have feelings for another man. Tyler is a very different Tyler to the one Arden knew in high school, no longer a nerdy geek now a hot and hard to resist fireman will she be able keep her feelings under control....
This book has a lot going for it, it has all the feels you want in a great read, it’s emotional, realistic and enjoyable, it has characters who share an intense chemistry as well as deep feelings for each other and it’s well written with a great plot. I loved all the characters in this book so I hope we more stories featuring the secondary characters.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Ok, let’s start off by saying that the cover is super cute. This is a stand alone contemporary romance, and an all around sweet book. Arden has become a widow, and pretty much lost everything in her wealthy lifestyle only to return home penniless, and taking an apartment undergoing renovation. The hot fireman across the hall is the one doing the repairs on her apartment, and he’s her younger brothers best friend. Already I think we can see where the book is going.

What did I like? Honestly all the characters in the book were super fun, and I was really hoping that this was going to be a series. Basically Arden has hit rock bottom, and has to dig her way out of this mess. The more I read...the more I just loved Tyler. Hot sexy fireman who has skills with his hands... yum.

Would I buy or recommend? Did you not seriously just read that there was a fireman in this book? All the men in the book were great, and I hope this gets to become a series. This was a fun book, and I laughed out loud a few times, so do yourself a favor and get a copy.

Thoughts for the author? Congratulations on your release! Four huge stars of entertainment! I received a copy from the publisher to read and give my honest opinion.

While the book sounds exactly my cup of tea, I didn't like it because the hero constantly talks about the heroine as ''the prom queen''. Like she is the perfect, porcelain doll afraid to break, a girl completely out of his reach. I was annoyed when that happened so many times in a book, I wanted to smack him.

I also feel like the heroine overreacted at times, she wanted the attention all to herself and I just... it was one of those moments you roll your eyes at the character's action.

The last two chapters were just ''meh''. Not entertaining, and to be honest - I wouldn't miss them if they were deleted. They didn't add anything to the story.

Overall, this book could be so much better but for me, it just fell flat.

3-3.5 stars.

Not just a my brother's best friend book, so much more! Arden is coming home with her tail between her legs, or so she feels accepting her brother's help after her life has crashed down around her. After living the high life reality dropped her down hard, living in a work zone of an apartment Arden decides she needs to take back her life. But when she meets her floor mate, not the nerdy geeky teenager any more Tyler has become a hot alpha firefighter. But Arden has decided that she's not looking for a relationship but Tyler has had a crush on Arden since a teenager, but now he's a man and his feeling good deeper. Wonderful story of getting your bearings and starting over and opening yourself to more.

This is a sweet romance where the secondary characters play a g\huge role in the story This is a group of friends you would want to be apart of

Tyler had a huge crush on Arden his best friends sister at school but he was a nerd and she was a cheer leader so it was never going to go anywhere She married the local football star and should be having the perfect life. Only problem she is now a widow broke and needing her brothers help because there is no way she is returning to her parents home. So she has moved into a unit block her brother is renovating only problem her new neighbour is her brothers best friend but the nerd is now a screaming hot firefighter who likes to work shirtless on his days off. The attraction between them is instant but there is no way Arden is giving her heart again. Can he convince her he si the one for her. You will have to read to see

Arden is a widow at 28 and she’s lost just about everything she owns and with the help of her younger brother she moves back home to Chicago to leave in an apartment that he is renovating. Tyler is a firefighter, best friends to Jamie, who just so happens to be Arden’s brother, and has had a crush on his new neighbor since he was a teenager.
Arden is trying to find who herself when she comes back home, she doesn’t want a relationship. When she was younger she was the prom queen, had everything going for her. Tyler works hard as a firefighter, despite not having the approval of his mother, but in his spare time he helps out his best friend with apartment renovations. He was always a geek, at least that is how Arden remembers him. After a traumatic event in his childhood, Tyler is very overprotective and it shows when it comes to Arden.
From the moment they met again there was a connection between the two of them, though they both tried to avoid it, well mostly Arden. It just took one storm for them to break and from there things were explosive between Arden and Tyler.
Jamie, Mila, Tyler and Arden were “roommates” and I loved the friendship and pseudo family they built, plus Norton, Liam and Danny added some fun and lightness to the story. This is definitely a group of friends I wanted to go out with. I hope we get more of them in the future!
Firecracker is a sweet brother’s best friend romance that had a little bit of drama, a great group of friends and plenty of romance.

Firecracker is a friends to lovers romance as well as a brother's best friend romance. Arden is a widow and finds herself moving back to where her brother is so she can have some additional support, both emotional and financial, so she can get back on her feet. Tyler is Arden's brother's best friend, a firefighter, who is also does construction and is fixing up the apartment she is staying in.

Tyler has had a crush on Arden since they were teenagers, which seems to come back in full force upon seeing her again. Because of all she has been through with her marriage and her husband's passing, Arden's sole focus is on trying to maintain her independence and standing on her own two feet. But, there was something very very sweet about watching Tyler want to take care of her and work to help her take down her walls and help to realize that leaning on others didn't necessarily mean that she wasn't also strong. Tyler and Arden's chemistry was definitely palpable and off the charts.

I really enjoyed the friends aspect of the book. The book encompassed a larger group of friends that all hung out and lived in the same building, and I enjoyed this part of the book a lot. I struggled at times with Arden's wishy washiness towards Tyler. I understand that her past impacted her current mind set, but I still struggled with her treatment of him at times. I also felt like other parts of the book related to other side characters (Garth and Mila's relationship, Danny etc) maybe needed to be explained or developed further as they seemed to be thrown in here and there and then left to the side leaving me with some more questions, but I did overall really enjoy the story.

I am a big Kelly Jamieson fan, love her writing, the character development and the situations / premise of the stories. Firecracker has all of the these elements and more ( some sadness, regret and do overs). After a loss Arden finds herself living in her brother's building, across the hall from his best friend, Tyler. After a more than re meet cute scene the two develop a friendship, then a relationship that may surprise them ( but not to the surprise of their friends and family) I thought that the relationship developed organically, at a good pace. The scenes to the HEA seemed a bit typical but overall a very good story.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Arden seemed to have everything in life until things got turned upside down upon her husband's death. Now trying to rebuild her life, she leaves Phoenix and heads back to Chicago to live in an apartment that her brother is remodeling in his building. She's basically homeless, penniless, jobless and in despair. She knows it will take time to get back on her feet, but she's glad she'll at least have her brother close.

Tyler is Arden's brother's best friend. He is a firefighter and one of his hobbies is doing construction work, so he is doing most of the work in the apartment across the hall from him. He's always been fond of Arden, but when they come face to face for the first time in years, he's changed so much physically from the gangly teen he was that she doesn't recognize him.

As Arden and Tyler spend more time together, the sparks begin to fly for both of them, but Arden really doesn't want to get involved with anyone. She's trying to find herself, and the last thing she feels she needs is to be in a relationship. Will the chemistry win out or will Arden be able to keep her distance from the man that has turned her head?

Not only did I love Arden and Tyler, I loved the group of friend around them. It just gave the story such a richness. They were all great together; so supportive, loving, helpful and there was even tough love when it was needed. This was such a great story and I really hope we might get Jamie, Arden's brothers story!!

An overall decent read, I loved Tyler but I had trouble connecting with Ardens character. the introduction of all the side characters has me keen for the rest of the series though so I will check out book 2 when it comes out for sure.

Firecracker was a really enjoyable story. That quickly pulled me in, thanks to a whole group of charismatic and absorbing characters, especially the main two Arden and Tyler. Whose romance was not only well-developed, but full of charm, sweetness and heat.

And with minimal angst, some push-pull not to mention moments of miscommunication and misunderstanding, I was completely engaged, and connected enough with the characters and their individual friendships to want to keep reading more about them.

Thus, I would happily recommend Firecracker to others. As it genuinely was an absorbing, well-rounded story with a great romance to boot.

Great slow burn book. Tyler had a teenage crush on his best friends sister Arden. When tragedy strikes Arden, her life is flipped upside down. Rather than move with her parents, she takes her brother up on his apartment. An apartment across from Tyler, who boy has he grown up since she last saw him.

This nook has great chemistry not only between Tyler and Arden, but with the secondary characters in the book. It has steam and some humor along the way, making this another great book by Kelly.


Thank you netgalley for my ARC , and Kelly for allowing me a sneak peek at your newest book

This is a slow burn romance, at its best. Well, for Tyler, I’m sure he feels it could move faster. Tyler, is Arden’s brothers best friend from back in the day. When Arden’s world implodes with the death of her husband, she decides to move back to Chicago, and work on figuring out who she is. She moves into her brothers apartment building, into the last one that needs renovation. Tyler, a firefighter and the one doing the renovation, walks in on Arden, who is naked, they haven’t seen each other in years. During the renovation of the apartment, her and Tyler get to know each other and soon find out that they have a whole lot in common. Tyler, as a firefighter, is used to working in hot conditions, but Arden is definitely his downfall. Will Tyler be able to give Arden the space she needs to grow? Or will Arden realize that she already knows what she wants.

4 1/2 Stars for this Firefighter and Princess Romance!

When Tyler was 14 he had a crush on his best friend’s older sister Arden and it lasted for years. Of course, to her, he was just her little brother’s nerdy friend. Arden left for college, married a NFL player and lived a spoiled life of luxury. That is until 10 years later when her husband died and left her homeless and penniless. Her little brother, Jamie was now a millionaire, and his sideline was buying run down properties and fixing them up. Well ... he didn’t fix them himself, he hired his best Tyler to work on them on his days off from firefighting. Jamie offered Arden a free place to live, but it was under construction ... so she moved back home to Chicago rather than in with her parents in Florida. Arden can hardly believe her eyes when Tyler comes to work on her apartment. He’s far from the nerdy kid he was when she last saw him at 16 ... now he’s tall, dark, handsome and built! Tyler thought he was over his crush on Aden, but the minute he sees her, he realizes that he was always going to have a crush on the prom queen.

Tyler ... you’d have to be dead not to fall in love with him. He was your typical protective alpha male but what got me was his vulnerability. And Arden ... even though she started out being a spoiled princess, she learned the hard way that you have to be able to look after yourself. As always in Ms Jamieson’s books, the banter between the characters is very realistic and draws you in to the story. A great read that will warm your heart!

I received an early copy courtesy of the author through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I just love a good romance that incorporates a set of good friends into the story. I think it brings an extra element of joy to not only see a couple fall in love, but to see that they have a group of friends supporting them. I think it helps draw a reader into their lives like they are one of those friends in the story.

Tyler had so much going for him in this book. He's a geek turned hottie, and now a firefighter. He has this strong protective need in him based off a traumatic event in his past. He's has an alpha personality with that gentler side to him. While his overprotectiveness was portrayed as a bit of a flaw in this book, I actually think it was his best feature. Nothing gets me more than a protective male.

Arden was the cheerleader in high school, the popular girl that extended into her adult life until things came crashing down around her. It was a bit of a wake up call for her that caused a need to stand on her own two feet. That got in her way a lot in this story, but I still really liked her character.

All the characters in this book, from the main characters to all the side characters were fun to read about. I enjoyed this book and I hope we get more with the side characters.

Arden is trying to start over after the death of her husband. First step…moving into one of her brother Jamie’s property in Chicago. Tyler, a firefighter and Jamie’s best friend, also lives in the building and is helping remodel it.

I loved all of the characters in this brother’s best friend romance by author Kelly Jamieson! The characters, the storyline, the heat…it was a wonderful mix! This is a stand-alone full of banter and denial, and moving on and finding out who you are or want to be. 4.5 stars.