I LOVED this book. I was so excited when I found out that this was Garrick's book. Garrick's book was everything I could have hoped for. His connection with Rain was absolutely perfect.

I received an earc of High Heat by Annabeth Albert from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about a book. 

I was looking forward to High Heat. I enjoyed book one in the series as well as Annabeth Albert's previous book. But this one just wasn't for me. From the start, I wasn't clicking with the characters or the story. Which I found strange. I enjoyed Garrick in the first book and I was so looking forward to getting to know him more. But as soon as I was in his perspective, it fell flat to me. 

Both Garrick and Rain were both interesting characters, but that is what they felt like; characters. I love when an author can make me see their characters as real people, but I didn't feel that here. They were entertaining and I liked getting to know them. But they were just on the page.

Garrick is this tough guy that wants to get to the job he was going before the accident. But he can't and it takes him a long time to realise that. I enjoyed seeing this. You all know me I love seeing different types of disabilities in books, and I really liked the way that Annabeth Albert explored it here. Garrett wasn't only dealing with the physical pain of his injury, but also the mental. I think that Albert had a great balance of this. 

Rain was such a character - he did make me laugh several times. But then there were times where I felt that his personality took over the story in High Heat instead of helping it. If that makes any sense at all. 

Overall, I was disappointed with High Heat by Annabeth Albert. I was really looking forward to Garrett's story, but I was disappointed with the outcome. The romance was something that I liked, but I felt the characters were a little flat. I enjoyed the representation of disability and the many aspects that come with it. But the plot didn't grab me. I might continue with the series - I will just have to wait and see.

I enjoyed this book so much more than the first (I really disliked Book 1). Both Garrick and Rain were great characters with real problems and their relationship developed in a natural progression. This book was more serious than I expected and really tackled a lot of problems that you don't usually hear about in romance/erotica book, so I give the author props for venturing down those paths.

We met Garrick in Book 1. He was the smoke jumper who was severely injured after falling from a tree. He's learning to walk again and trying to work his way back into smoke jumping, which is what he loves. Rain is a new character. He's Garrick's neighbor's grandson and 10 years younger than Garrick.

Rain is an interesting character. He grew up in a commune, is kind of a free spirit just wondering from one thing to the next. He loves helping people though, which I really liked about him. He's gay and has an interesting style, not bad, just different.

Garrick is gruff, a bit stand-offish and insecure now that he's unable to do the job that gave him so much self-worth. He meets Rain when an injured dog arrives on his porch and he needs help trying to capture the dog to get her the help she needs from a vet. He arrives at his neighbor Shirley's house to get her help and that's when he meets Rain.

I'd say it was 'attraction at first sight' when they meet each other. They quickly become friends before progressing to something more, which I appreciated. Rain immediately jumps in to help Garrick with "Cookie" and from then on, Rain is always a constant in Garrick's life. He helps Garrick, but never makes Garrick feel less because of his disabilities. Rain is just really good at reading him and knowing when to back away. And Garrick never makes Rain feel less for liking to wear pretty things or things that would be considered unconventional on a man. They really did compliment each other very well, even though it took them a long time to trust each other with their heart.

The ending was really sweet. I'm sure we'll see more of them in future books.

Garrick lives for his job of smoke jumping. When a jump goes wrong he is faced with life changing injuries. Rain is happy with a nomad type of life. While visiting his grandma he meets Garrick. At first it’s just a helping hand with a lost dog, then their chemistry ignites and soon they are involved in a relationship that has an expiration date.

I wasn’t sure about reading this second book in the Hotshots series. The first book was ok but isn’t a favorite. This book was so much better to me. I felt that the handling of Garrick’s disabilities was very well done and addressed personal issues with tact and grace. I liked that their time together had intimate moments that didn’t necessarily involve sex although they were pretty steamy together.

The story was well written and and it’s obvious the author puts in a lot of research on her subject matter. Enjoyable story that surprisingly wasn’t to angsty. I liked it.

HIGH HEAT is a really steamy romance that follows Garrick and Rain. Rain is in town to help take care of his grandmother. However, he can't help but be attracted to his neighbor, Garrick. Garrick was a hotshot firefighter who had a terrible accident that has him in a wheelchair, relearning to walk. The spinal cord injury was not complete, but it has still left him dealing with a lot of physical therapy and with many physical limitations. He is beginning to walk again, but he still tires easily. He dreams of regaining his old abilities and getting back out there.

Rain himself wants to become a firefighter, particularly a hotshot. However, he does not seem to be able to get selected for the programs. When they find a lost dog, Garrick and Rain are set on a collision course. Garrick agrees to foster the dog with Rain's help at walking it and so on, and also agrees to help train Rain to get him into the physical fitness level he needs to have a shot at joining the fire teams. As they spend time together, neither can deny their attraction.

This is a really steamy read that also shows the difficult path of healing and living with disability. Both of them are really great characters, and I loved the build towards a relationship. The firefighting elements were pretty background in this book, but they add some extra intensity later on. Overall, this was a really engrossing read, and I highly recommend for anyone looking for an intense and strong LGBT romance.

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Smokejumper Garrett Nelson’s life changed in an instant. After being severely injured during a jump almost a year ago he is still healing. Nothing is going to stop him from getting back to his crew though. When a lost and injured dog shows up on his porch he knows he can’t capture it on its own. Help comes in the form of his sexy neighbor.

I loved this book! Garrett and Rain were such a cute couple. I couldn’t get enough of them. Garrett not only broke both legs but he also had a spinal injury which has affected more than just his ability to walk. He is determined to be 100 percent again but that doesn’t always happen. Watching him deal with his health issues and facing the facts of his recovery was so emotional and tear jerking. I loved how Rain was always so supportive though and allowed him to work through his problems at his own pace.

“When you’re not here, it feels like I’m missing something essential, like I’m a stack of kindling without the spark.”

Garrett was also an extremely kind man. He was determined to do the right thing even if it broke his heart. If only there were more men like him in the world. Rain was a fun and exuberant human being. He likes colorful and sexy things.. I loved how fun and supportive he was. He was perfect for Garrett because he was supportive and yet pushed him to get out and live again. He doesn’t let Garrett hold himself back but pushes him to find ways to continue to do what he loves.

This was a beautiful book that dealt with many difficult topics. I loved how emotional and connected Garrett and Rain were from the very beginning. I couldn’t get enough of them! I am so looking forward to the next book in the series, which I hope these two will pop up in.

*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*

I was so excited to learn that High Heat was going to be Garrick's book after I met him in book one! I immediately loved his character and then after his accident I was so nervous. But here he is with his own book and his own HEA, even if it looks a little different from the one he was expecting in life. Enter Rain and a dog named Cookie and everything changes. I loved the progression of Rain and Garrick dancing around each other, coupled with the easy acceptance of the reality of one another's lives. Garrick accepts that Rain isn't "traditionally" masculine and Rain accepts that Garrick might not be able to do all the things he used to. Garrick's injury and healing process were handled with grace and his inner struggle felt very true, including not knowing how to act around his friends from anymore. It was a lovely story about growing, acceptance and learning how to be comfortable in your own skin.
I can't wait to see who is up for book 3.

I really enjoyed Garrick and Rain’s story. As I’ve come to expect from this author, she paints such a wonderful picture of her characters and their setting. So much so, I always feel as if I’m a part of her stories. This one was no exception as I was drawn into Garrick and Rain’s world and unfolding relationship. There was so much I loved about each of these men. Rain was such a fantastic free spirit who was wise beyond what his years should suggest. I loved the way he accepted Garrick for who he was. Rather than treat him as someone who couldn’t just “do something” he always found ways to adapt to their situation. In turn, I loved that Garrick had so much passion and determination for living his life. When his recovery didn’t go his way, he didn’t dwell on it long. He didn’t allow his limitations to consume him, rather he focused on what he could do and making those adaptations. I loved the relationship that Rain and Garrick built together. They had some amazing steamy times together, but what I loved best was the realization each man came to in how important their relationship was to each of them. I loved how they came to their HEA and it felt like the best way for each man to live their life to the fullest. This has been an outstanding series and I’m already eager for the last book!

Rain is a breath of fresh sparkly air. I love his style, his giving nature, I love his background. And I love how Garrick embraces Rain for all he is. Garrick looks up Vegan recipes for him, helps him get in shape to work toward his hotshot goals, and is never embarrassed or wanting to hide their connection. He is more embarrassed or frustrated that he's not back to 100%. The bigger push and pull in the story seems to be Garrick figuring out what his future is gonna look like if he can't heal completely.
Besides figuring out if their time together is going to end up being a fling or a staying thing, the love story between Rain and Garrick isn't super angsty, it progresses pretty naturally into a sweet and caring relationship. I also love how Garrick likes to spoil Rain. And I love the rescued doggy and how she plays into it all.

Hotshots is another great series from the talented Annabeth Albert that I highly recommend for all men in uniform groupies. Actually, scratch that. Anyone who likes alpha males badass enough to fight fires should enjoy this series.

High Heat features an age gap and hurt/comfort overtones. Garrick and Rain are an unlikely couple, what with Garrick being a former smoke jumper recovering from a terrible accident that happened in book one and Rain being a hippy vegan.

But Garrick is pan and open about his sexuality. He loves that Rain has a femme side. Garrick and Rain bond over a lost dog that Garrick is most definitely not going to keep. Rain names the dog Cookie and makes himself useful by walking Cookie every day. It has naught to do with wanting to see Garrick. Of course not.

Garrick is struggling with his recovery. He wants to return to smoke jumping, but his body is rebelling. Garrick can walk with the help of crutches, but he mostly uses a wheelchair. He has an incomplete spinal injury and is determined to beat the odds.

My favorite thing about this story was the disability aspect. I LOVE imperfect MCs. I find it so refreshing when authors write about people who are differently abled. Garrick has some sexual dysfunction issues, but Rain is so supportive and completely willing and wanting to explore all the fun ways two people can come together.

Rain's easy acceptance of Garrick and Garrick's devotion to Rain melted my heart.

While I liked having the background regarding Garrick from the first book in the series, High Heat can be read as a standalone. This story is slower paced and dragged for me a little in the middle, but that's a minor compliant.

I can't wait for book three.

THIS. BOOK. I loved it!!! It was different and sexy with characters that sucked me in. Clearly the author researched the type of injury Garrick had and portrayed it in a realistic, sensitive way. Rain was a souful free spirit that just grounded their relationship. Rain was sexy, sweet and I loved the way that he progressed their relationship. Neither was planning on something long term but the author was masterful in how whe not only developed their relationship but also how the helped Garrick come to terms with his future. It's definitely sooo hot but has so much heart as well. Sexy lingerie, an adorable princess puppy and two men with combustible chemistry... the perfect read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I very much enjoyed this second book in the Hot Shots series by Annabeth Albert. What's not to love about sexy firefighters into dudes???

I liked the progression from helping hand to friends to flirting to more. I liked the age difference being there but only being a minor deal. I liked the originality of the characters - representing actual people and personalities.

The drama at the end between them seemed a little forced and out of place, and the way they talk through their feelings got a little repetitive as they kept saying the same things over and over. Men are capable of talking about their feelings, absolutely, and this was a great representation of that, but it was clearly written by a woman. Don't get me wrong, I love MM and the genre is dominated by women, but sometimes it can be hard to read as a gay man, knowing they'll never actually experience what they're writing about. I guess that they're writing what they want for the huge female MM fanbase as well.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one. I was especially impressed with how the author handled Garrick's injuries, recovery, and acceptance of his situation.

Definitely read the first book before this one, but I'd recommend both for some lovely MM good times.

5/5 stars!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for providing me with an advanced E-Arc of this title!

I have been a fan of Annabeth’s books for a while now and she instantly became an auto buy/review author for me! That being said, when I tell you that her last few series have completely stepped up and blown my mind I am not lying. Annabeth has always had a way with characters, they pull at your heartstrings and weeks after finishing these books I am still thinking of her characters. Garrick and Rain are two characters I know will stick with me for a while, their story is so beautiful, it felt so special and so raw.

High Heat is the second in her new series following Smoke Jumpers in Oregon. Now I haven’t read book one yet, but even without reading it I still adored this novel and found myself even more excited for book one. We follow Rain a 23 year old who wants to be a smoke jumper but has a reputation of never staying in one place for too long, and also never staying in one career path for too long. Our love interest Garrick just gripped my heart and held on, Garrick was a smoke jumper and took so much pride in his job, but a year ago he got severely injured during one of his jumps and is now has a spinal cord injury, he is still in PT and is learning to use crutches and his wheelchair, but is hopeful that one day he will be back to smoke jumping.

I have to say what makes this book stand out is the dedication that went into it. Now I’m not an own voices reviewer for the disability representation so definitely look at some own voices reviews, I also highly encourage you to read the authors note at the end of the book where Annabeth discusses the research she did for this book. Garrick was just such a strong and loveable character. In High Heat we are seeing Garrick, who was once a very sexually active male learn how to be intimate again. When I say I love the dedication that went into this book this was a big part for me, we get to see Garrick learn a new form of intimacy and see Rain find a new way to give someone pleasure. This book just felt raw and real like these weren’t just characters in a book, we saw all the ups and downs of their relationship, to them being okay with an age difference, to Rains constant need to move around, to Garrick trying to come to terms with this new life, and to them learning how to be together it just felt so well done.

If you haven’t checked out one of Annabeth books then I highly recommend this one! The characters, the plot, the timing, and even the setting was perfection and I no for a fact I will be rereading this in the future.

I love Annabeth Albert, she has an amazing writing talent.
Unfortunately, it was not my type of a story, I expected romance and this is more like a simple erotica story.

This is an easy read with LOTS of sex and talking about it. MCs are quite likable but I couldn't really believe in their relationship.
This is a book about a guy on a wheelchair finding love and coming to terms with his disability. A lot of space is devoted to sexual problems of ppl with spinal injury and while it was interesting I wish there was more about MCs spending their time together, getting to know each other outside their bedroom.

Another brilliant story by this author. I enjoyed the research that had gone into all aspects of this story, the complexity of a incomplete spinal cord injury and what it takes to come back from that.
The relationship between Garrick and Rain felt genuine, the scenes were steamy and the writing was well paced.

”I’ve had plenty of reasons to jump before, but never such a good one to come back to earth for. You’re something else.”
HIGH HEAT followed Garrick Nelson’s life after the severe injuries he suffered in “Burn Zone” the first book in Albert’s “Hotshots” series. It’s almost a year after the accident and - defying doctors’ prognosis - he could walk again; but it’s still far from his pre-injuries fitness. His friendship with Rain Fisher started when Rain helped him with a lost dog situation and progressing from there.

Garrick intrigued me from his earlier appearance on “Burn Zone” and I’ve been really keen to find out how he fared after the horrible accident. He was as upbeat as I thought of him at first, even during his low moment - which I like in an MC, making the atmosphere of the book not all gloom and doom considering the issue. Rain was a sassy character who farther enlivened the story with his incessant and shameless flirting.

I just loved these two together. Garrick wasn’t exactly out in the previous book, but for him to acknowledge (his pansexuality) to Rain and openly showing affection spoke volume. The chemistry and dynamic between them were obvious; a blend of fun and consuming. Add Cookie the rottie to the mix and the trio became such a cute picture together.

More than the lovey dovey, lusty sequence, this book also told the journey of two opposite characters coming to terms with what they perceived as their dream. Between Rain and his hippie family and Garrick’s more traditional upbringing, I loved the relationship between Garrick and his father - not something common in book world nor in real life - even envy them for it. Which also adding plus point to the overall story.

And I guess I learned to like Linc more in this book. I wasn’t too taken with his (and Jacob’s) book but this second entry is a one eighty of what I felt then. Yes, I wish Garrick would stop burying his head in the sand sooner, yet at the same time applaud both men that they took time to consider. Oh, and this book also introduced a character who would star in their own book after this. I really can’t wait for this next installment to come!


Copy of this book is kindly given by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely fell in love with Garrick and Rain.

Garrick is slowly recovering from a smoke jumping accident where he broke both his legs and has an unresolved spinal cord injury. He is bound and determined to get back with his crew and doing what he loves most and endures hours of brutal physical therapy and has worked hard on beating all the odds. But when a lost and injured dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, but he quickly realized he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbor, Rain.

Gah, I loved so much about these characters. Garrick was determined but also open and vulnerable, which he hated the whole time but still did it, with Rain. And Rain. Oh, Rain. I loved how supporting and understanding he was to Garrick's needs but not in a coddling way. I loved, loved, loved the discussing of the bedroom limitations and all that was associated with the spinal cord injuries. The discussion with his doctor (Urologist) and how that came about was wonderfully done.

The chemistry between the two was really well done and just sparked up the pages. And Rain's kink was just delicious, even more so of how Garrick nurtured that without pushing or diminishing. Well, just Garrick continuously supporting Rain to be exactly who and what he wanted to be. LOVED IT!

All in all, I really loved High Heat. Rain and Garrick were a beautiful couple to read, their relationship progression, their love for and about firefighting and smoke jumping, their shared commonalities, and encouragement of each other's uniqueness was just really well done. I am definitely going to be searching out Burn Zone and the next in the series.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A great return to the Hotshot world. Garrick and Rain (and Cookie) were wonderful characters, I enjoyed seeing how Garrick adjusted after what happened to him in book one. He and Rain were good for each other and their story is an wonderful addition to this enjoyable series and I'm looking forward to my next visit.

*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*

I was so excited to jump back into this series and I was really interested to see what happened to Garrick!

While I enjoyed the first in this series a little more I couldn't put this one down. I really liked how the realtionship between Garrick and Rain unfolded and I love how Albert didn't make us wait long for both men to figure out what they really wanted and be willing to discuss it opening with each other even though it was hard. I thought Garrick's injury and feelings over his life were handled well and realistically and it added any extra layer to his realtionship with everyone around him that felt authentic and not forced.


I'm already looking forward to the next one!

3.25 ★

C'est une histoire assez douce qu'Annabeth Albert nous réserve avec ce second tome de sa série 'Hotshots'. On y retrouve Garrick, gravement blessé dans le 1er tome (ce qui avait donné lieu, pour moi, au meilleur passage du livre, toute cette tension et toute cette action liée à son accident et au sauvetage qui avait suivi), et on fait la connaissance d'un petit nouveau : Rain.

Déjà, avant de commencer, je ne peux pas m'empêcher de souligner encore une fois que cette auteure est la seule, à ma connaissance, à offrir une représentation aussi large de personnages, sur le plan de l'orientation sexuelle ou des origines. Dans beaucoup de ses romans, cette diversité me frappe, et je me fais souvent cette remarque quand je lis un de ses livres.

Ce deuxième tome a un ton complètement différent du premier. Pas de grands éclats ici, pas vraiment de grosses scènes d'action, mais plutôt la description minutieuse du nouveau quotidien d'un homme qui ne vivait que pour son métier et l'adrénaline qui allait avec, et qui se retrouve avec une mobilité réduite et une vie toute chamboulée. Je trouve que l'auteure a très bien décrit cette vie-là, tous ces petits gestes du quotidien que l'on fait tous machinalement, mais qui peuvent être un casse-tête, voire une épreuve, pour des personnes à mobilité réduite. L'aspect psychologique est bien traité également, tout comme la basse réalité financière liée à tout cela.

Rain et Garrick se rencontrent par hasard, et comme le hasard fait bien les choses, on peut dire qu'ils se sont bien trouvés. S'ils commencent par être amis, l'attirance qu'ils ressentent l'un pour l'autre va progressivement donner lieu à un autre type de relation. On a là une romance lente, tendre et douce, et les scènes intimes sont bien écrites (et c'est avec beaucoup de simplicité que l'auteure aborde les problèmes liés à la nouvelle réalité de Garrick).

Garrick et Rain sont charmants tous les deux, et Cookie est adorable comme tout, ils forment une belle petite famille, même si, évidemment, ils devront affronter les traditionnelles embûches pour avoir leur happy-end.

C'est donc un bouquin sympa, mais j'avoue l'avoir trouvé long, et lent ; je ne dirais pas non plus que je me suis ennuyée, mais presque. C'est un livre qui aurait gagné à être un tiers moins long, à mon avis. Je serai au rendez-vous pour le prochain tome, en espérant retrouver de bonnes scènes d'action comme l'auteure sait si bien les écrire !