From the moment they prepared to sky dive, Shane Travis feels a connection with Brandt Wilder. It's a good thing he's leaving for a gig soon, or he might be tempted and it's clear his sister Shelby is interested in Brandt as well.

When Shelby disappears, it turns out she's left Shane with a small momento of her time with Brandt -- a sweet little baby named Jewel. With no where else to go, Shane packs up his RV and sets out to find Brandt and deliver the news of his new daughter.

I really loved these two guys. They are men with character and they don't fall apart -- they figure out what they need to do together and while doing so, their attraction lights up. And in spite of knowing he's going back on the road, Shane decides to give up his reservations about Brandt and they spend some quality time exploring each other while learning to take care of an infant. To be honest, I thought they had it fairly easy -- I was expecting a bit more confusion. I was impressed Shane traveled alone with an infant. As I said, these are good men and it was easy to get behind their happiness.

They do have to make some decisions after a point -- such as custody arrangement and for Shane, an opportunity that is just too good to pass up. But he's invested in Brandt and his niece and has a difficult time with that decision.

Overall this is a low conflict, lots of M/M sex story. There isn't much by way of smoke jumping, but that was okay, I really liked this sweet story of two men facing fatherhood and all that entails. It's a very nice addition to this M/M series from Annabeth Albert.

A complementary copy was provided by the publisher for review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Up in Smoke is the fourth installment in the Hotshots series. It can be read as a standalone without issue.

Brandt and Shane met previously when Shane's sister takes him tandem skydiving for his birthday. He notices Brandt and the way he feels while they are strapped together. Shane knows nothing is going to come of the encounter considering the way his sister is flirting with Brandt.

When Shane's sister skips town almost a year later leaving a newborn with a birth certificate with the father's name. Brandt is shocked when Shane and a baby show up at his doorstep. Brandt's a fire jumper and knows he can't do this one his own. Luckily, Shane decides to stay, at least until they get the DNA test results.

I loved watching the slow burn between Shane and Brandt. I really enjoyed these characters and was so invested in their journey! I can't wait for more from this series!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series, and this one is a slight outlier to the others, and so could be read as a standalone I think. Each book deals with forest firefighting, but each is unique in its setting and style, so they have all been engaging reads.

In this installment we meet Brandt, who loves to being a jumper, and who has a nomadic lifestyle, staying wherever he is posted and then next season moving on. He didn't have a stable home as a child, and so has no real understanding or need of steady. Then Shane comes to his door with his sister's baby, claiming Brandt is the father. It was so well written that I could feel the shock coming off the page!

As the story unfolds and we get to see how it may have transpired, we get a sense that Brandt will do the right thing by the baby and by Shane, although the errant sister is inevitably going to cause more drama. That said, the drama levels are thankfully low (compared to earlier books) and even these are enough to make Brandt rethink his lifestyle now he has responsibilities.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of hotshot and not yet famous country singer, both having to care for a small baby who always came first, and had the very worse timing when it came to them thinking about making out!

A good addition to the series, and a reminder of just how quickly things can go wrong, or right!


Angie – ☆☆☆
I was so excited to read this book; then once I started reading it, I found myself to be skimming and bored. The burn was too slow, and I couldn't connect with Brandt or Shane. I honestly kept skimming hoping it would get steamier or less boring, no such luck. Miss for me but I'm sure some will love it.


Erica – ☆☆☆
Up in Smoke is the fourth installment in the Hotshots series. It can be read independently as a standalone with little to no confusion.

Brandt and Shane meet briefly nearly a year before, when Shane's sister takes him skydiving. Brandt was using his off season as an instructor, when his main profession is putting out wildfires on a smoke jumper team.

I need to be quite honest here. The beginning portion truly threw me off of their budding romance. Had I not read that at all, learned of Brandt and Shane's connection versus saw it firsthand, I might have enjoyed the story more.

Why was I thrown?

Brandt met Shane and his sister on the same day, felt sparks when helping Shane skydive, and still he chose Shane's sister for a night of fun. Nothing like reading a couple hundred pages in a novel when I felt as if Brandt saw Shane as second best. If he liked him so much, he would have chosen him from the get-go. I realize this takes away the entire reason for the novel to take place, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

A musician, Shane hunts Brandt down with some precious cargo, needing to pass his niece off to her father, after his sister took off and left the baby with him. This is a good setup for an angsty romance. As I stated above, had Shane and Brandt never met until he shows up with an unexpected baby, I would have enjoyed it more. The fact that Brandt chose Shane's sister, someone who wasn't quite mentally stable, I ended up feeling as if he truly wasn't into Shane nor was he perceptive or responsible enough to raise the baby if he would sleep with such an unhinged woman.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate when a writer in the MM genre doesn't vilify the female characters. Had that prologue not occurred, I wouldn't have batted an eyelash nor been so focused on the fact that Brandt picked Shane's sister over him. Just annoyed me.

I need to state that I am not an MM reader who cannot abide by a woman in the story – this isn't a case of that. I just wish Shane and Brandt didn't meet until Shane showed up with the baby, that's all. Meeting both siblings on the same day and choosing the sister made it difficult for me to see Brandt as actually wanting Shane versus being with him because he was "there." Convenient and helping to take care of the unexpected baby that was related to both of them.

Two single men and a little lady. The romance is centered around raising the baby. If you adore a child taking center stage, then Up in Smoke is for you. If you enjoy kids in the novel for a realistic vibe but need the main characters to control the story, then you may find the vibe too far into the baby fever realm. While I adore children in novels to round out the realistic feel, I never got into the headspace where I gushed over the "Diva."

That drove me bonkers, calling the baby Diva because she is demanding, when she is no different in her needs than any other infant. It's not demanding – it's survival. While empathetic when it came to the baby's mother, I thought calling her Diva was in poor taste, as if all women are demanding and spoiled for asking for their needs to be met.

As you can see, the book just rubbed me wrong in all directions because I took it too seriously. Probably my mood, no doubt. I do believe fans of MM romance, particularly single dad romances, will enjoy this warm and fuzzy story.

I need to warn that this doesn't have the same vibe as its predecessors, not truly having much to do with smoke jumping and firefighters. Another warning, Shane isn't the most likeable character, difficult to warm up to for the reader. I felt his serious personality belied what I envisioned for a country musician, which I saw as more of a go with the flow personality.

On the romance front, slow-burn featuring close-proximity situations. Shane and Brandt make the baby their focus, where she is the one who brings them together. I never felt as if their personalities were a good balance, never felt a spark (perhaps because it was stuck in my head how I saw Brandt as being more into Shane's sister after the beginning). Everyday situations, where they learn to take care of a baby, roommates turned friends turned lovers with barely a spark. I felt as if they were merely choosing to be together versus feeling the desire and drive to "need" to be together.

Overall, this was probably my least favorite of the series. I'm glad I read this installment, but it won't be on my reread list.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
2.5 stars
M/M Romance
Triggers: Baby abandonment

Brandt loves his job as a smokejumper. He has always looked for adrenaline challenges and this is right up his alley. When he is helping a buddy out with regular old skydiving, he meets Shane. While Brandt is sexually fluid, he doesn't advertise that much.

Shane is an up-and-coming singer who wants to make it big, but also has a troublesome sister and a career that isn't taking off like he hoped. When his sister shows up with a baby in tow, Shane isn't quite sure what to do.

As Brandt and Shane figure their new reality out, they also have to see if their attraction is something they want to pursue.

This was a VERY slow burn. So slow that sometimes, it felt backwards. I didn't really feel that they had great chemistry, nor did it seem like they were more than just friends who happen to be lovers. The baby aspect was good, but it felt that it was what held the couple together.

Overall, I was underwhelmed with this book.

3.5 Stars

Up in Smoke is the fourth book in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. It's easily read as a standalone. I love this series, but I struggle with this one.

Brandt and Shane are reunited when Shane shows up with Brandt's baby in tow. With baby Jewel being abandoned by Shane's sister, suddenly the two men are left with a baby.

There are a lot of readers who don't like siblings sleeping with the same person. If you are one who hates that, run from this book.

Personally, I can overlook the sibling thing, but I wish they had met when Shane shows up with the baby, and not the year before. I think that would have helped me connect with them more as a couple.

They're hot together, but it all falls a little flat for me. The baby stuff is good, both sweet and cute. I love the way they are with Jewel. I enjoy how easily their lives and priorities change.

Family is a large aspect here, with two men who both never had their feet firmly planted in a family unit. With Jewel, and the two falling in love, they find themselves with a family for once.

I usually love the author's writing style. Written in alternating first person pov, with a pleasant tone, and plenty of humor, it's an easy read. But this one definitely is slow and drags a bit. I found myself skimming during the middle.

I think I found myself waiting for a scary moment for Brandt with his job, like we've seen before, but that never happens.

Overall, Up in Smoke is a good read. This Annabeth Albert book is my least favorite in the series as far as the romance is concerned, but I still enjoy it.

Up in Smoke is the fourth book in Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series about wildlife firefighters and smoke jumpers based in rural Oregon, but it’s got a slightly different tone (and a very different sort of cover) to the other books in the series. Smoke jumping does feature in the story, but it’s more of a backdrop to the main storyline – about how the two leads learn to adapt to the unexpected circumstances in which they find themselves – and the slow-burn romance.

Smoke jumper Brandt Wilder occasionally helps out a friend who runs a sky-diving school. The clients on this particular afternoon are a brother and sister – Shane and Shelby Travis; it’s Shane’s birthday and the jump is his sister’s present to him. Shane is quiet and clearly a bit nervous – and also obviously used to fading into the background around more ebullient sister – but something about him captures Brandt’s attention. Shane supposes he should have known that Shelby’s sudden interest in jumping out of a plane was somehow related to her interest in a hot guy; Brandt really is gorgeous, but Shane deliberately tamps down the frisson of awareness he feels every time Brandt touches him as he readies them for the tandem jump. Afterwards, with his feet back safely on the ground, Shane has to admit that the jump really had been exhilarating – and that the short time he’d flown with Brandt Wilder is something he’ll never forget.

Almost a year later, the last thing Brandt could ever have imagined is opening his front door to find Shane Travis on his doorstep – with a baby in tow. He’s completely stunned when Shane tells him the baby is his, the result of the one-night stand he had with Shelby the night before Shane’s birthday. He explains that Shelby turned up in Portland (where he was auditioning for a TV talent show) with the baby a few days earlier and was gone the next morning, most likely off to Canada with one of her friends. Brandt can’t believe it – but Shelby named him as baby Jewel’s dad in the note she left for Shane and had Brandt’s name put on the birth certificate.

Shane has spent most of his life clearing up Shelby’s messes, but nothing could have prepared him for being left literally holding the baby. Unable to bear the idea of Jewel being put into care, Shane decides his only option is to take her to her dad, but it’s only once he’s arrived that he remembers that Brandt – who jumps out of planes to fight fires for a living – is as far from ideal fatherhood material as he is himself; an itinerant musician trying to build a career isn’t going to be considered able to properly care for an infant either. But he didn’t know what else to do; he’s worried and sleep deprived, he’s driven for hours to get to Painter’s Ridge and is too tired to be able to make any coherent decisions. But one thing is clear. No matter what sort of ‘dad material’ he may be, Brandt is the only person Shane can turn to for help.

Brandt is shell-shocked by the idea of being a dad, but having been a foster kid himself, he likes the idea of handing Jewel over to social services as little as Shane does. When Shane’s rested and they’re all fed, they talk about the next steps, and when Shane offers to stick around for a while, Brandt offers him the spare room – “two sets of hands is better than one” after all.

Over the following days and weeks, Brandt and Shane go from unexpected roommates to friends, sharing baby duties and bonding over shared new experiences with her. They slowly fall into a routine of caring for Jewel – taking turns at feeding and night-time duty – and caring for each other, preparing meals, sharing chores and shopping trips and generally being a solid support for one another. I loved watching them doing things together so seamlessly that they don’t quite realise they’re doing it. It’s a really well done getting-to-know-you phase, and alongside it, the attraction that sparked between them a year earlier is bubbling along beneath the surface. Neither man has a great deal of sexual experience with guys; Shane isn’t really out – he plays a lot of super rural communities where it’s just easier to keep himself and his sexuality to himself, and Brandt just… likes who he likes and has never felt the need to put a label on it. He’s been with more women than men, but certainly isn’t averse to a little exploration and fun with Shane. It doesn’t have to be anything permanent – neither of them is looking for that – but it can be more than a one-time thing (baby duties permitting) for as long as they both want it to be.

Up in Smoke is a quiet, but sexy character-driven romance about two lost souls finding love and purpose and partnership, and building the family neither of them ever had. It’s a low-conflict, low-angst story; the biggest obstacle to the romance is the fact that both Shane and Brandt have been used to living a rather nomadic lifestyle – unencumbered and going where the work is – and both will finally have to deal with emotional baggage that has made them (understandably) cautious about allowing themselves to trust wholeheartedly in another person. But ultimately, they’re two decent guys trying to do the best they can in difficult circumstances, and there’s never any doubt that baby Jewel is their priority. Ms. Albert’s descriptions of the challenges involved in parenting a very young baby are pretty spot on, too.

While Shane’s frustration with Shelby is palpable and well-written, neither he nor Brandt hate her for what she did, and I appreciated that she’s never demonised or made out to be the villain of the piece. Dumping her baby with her brother is a crappy thing to do, and she definitely comes across as somewhat unstable, but she’s troubled, not evil, and needs help.

Shane and Brandt are engaging and easy to root for, their emotional connection comes through strongly and this was an easy book to get lost in. I really liked the descriptions of Shane’s musical talent and songwriting skills, the cameo appearances from Jacob and Linc (Burn Zone), and the way the author still manages to convey the dangerous nature of Brandt’s job even though there isn’t a major fire or incident in the story (a deliberate choice which Ms. Albert explains in her author’s note). I have a couple of reservations, however; mainly that the guys embark on their fling a bit too quickly, and also that the late-book conflict is maybe a little drawn out for two people who have been communicating so well, but those things apart, Up in Smoke is a nice mixture of sweet and steamy, and I’m happy to recommend both it, and the entire Hotshots series.

Grade: B/4 stars

This is the fourth book in the Hotshots series. I have really loved this series and this book was no exception. The characters are well developed, and the pace was wonderful. This installment brought in new challenges that the wild fire fighters encounter and handled it wonderfully. I can’t wait for the next installment.

On Shane Travis’ birthday, he goes sky diving. Not because he wants to, but because his sister, Shelby, talks him into it. Shelby wants to spend more time with Brandt Wilder, a one-time hookup and one of the diving instructors. But Brandt ends up tandem jumping with Shane and the attraction sizzles between them, even though Shane knows there’s no hope for anything more.

Eleven months later, Brandt is in Painted Ridge, Oregon for the season, fixing up an old house before he moves on. The last thing he expects is to find a baby on his porch, and the little girl’s uncle to be none other than Shane. Brandt is convinced the baby can’t be his, but there’s no doubt he’s the baby’s father. Shelby has taken off, leaving the infant with Shane, and it’s up to Shane to navigate the waters between the baby and Brandt.

The attraction is still there between them, and both men have the baby’s best interest at heart, which means co-parenting for a while. The domesticity only enhances their feelings and has adrenaline junkie Brandt reevaluating his life. He knows he has to do what is best for his daughter, and a scare during a demo jump has him truly thinking about his life as a smoke jumper. And there’s Shane to consider as well. Brandt wants nothing more than to have Shane with him on his journey of life and love, but Shane has dreams he has the chance to make come true. Can the men find a balance between fatherhood, their love, and their dreams?

In this latest installment of Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series, we meet two new men with a new set of challenges. There are some cameos from other installments in the series, but this is Shane and Brandt’s book, and more than the others, can be read as a standalone. It fits well within the series though.

What I really liked about this book is that it’s relatively low angst, and that the MCs are really good at communication. There’s no big black moment that drives them apart, though there are some insecurities that cause them to question whether they can work, Shane in particular. Throughout the book, the MCs’ chemistry drives the story. The baby definitely plays a role in them being together, but it’s not the main drive, and I loved that their attraction was the biggest draw between them.

Both Shane and Brandt are well drawn characters, and we spend a good amount of time with them both so we know exactly where they are coming from. I liked the growth and change we saw in them both, and really appreciated that it was more growing into themselves than truly changing who they were at their core. Albert does a great job really delving into both men’s motivation and letting us really see who they are and how they work together.

Brandt has always been on his own, and he’s a wanderer. He takes jobs at different stations, never staying in one place for too long. He craves adventure and he needs to be on the move. He has no family and nothing really to anchor him, and never expected to have it either. Brandt shows the most change in that regard, now having his daughter and Shane to consider. He is willing to make concessions and to find solutions that works for all of them. He really endeared himself to me for this, as well as the way he rolled with each new challenge.

Shane had an unconventional upbringing and wants more stability for his niece than he ever had, which is why he seeks out Brandt in the first place. He’s a musician and song writer, and he is chasing his dreams, which he puts on hold for the baby. I loved how dedicated he was to the baby, and how he wasn’t resentful of putting things on hold, but he knew that a life in an RV and on the road was no life for her. He has some insecurities in regards to Brandt that he need to work through, but Brandt is there to reassure him, by action and word, that he’s needed. And not just because of the baby.

Their romance is wholly believable, as Albert does a great job of showing not only their attraction, but showing that it’s not just the baby that keeps them together. Sometimes that’s a challenge in books where kids are involved, and especially when said child is the catalyst for the MCs meeting or getting together. Here’s it’s very clear that although Shane and Brandt are exceptional co-parents, and heavily rely on each other in that regard, there is so much more to their relationship than that.

All in all, I liked this story. It doesn’t have quite the same impact as the rest in the series, but there’s an easiness to it that I really liked. It’s not all easy and perfect, and the MCs definitely have to work through challenges on their HEA, but it’s not quite as dramatic as the other books. I really liked the MCs and their connection, and that drove the story.

I had a hard time liking this one started reading it then running off & reading something else. I even ended up purchasing the audio book thinking that I would enjoy it more, I didn't. Jewel was too much front & center, yes I understand that is why they got together, but they couldn't even have a conversation that they cared about each other. People with kids have relationships every single day. Also, if Brandt liked Shane, why did he run off with Shelby on their first meeting? Plus Shelby just ups & leaves and no one seems to bat an eye about it? I just really had a hard time with this one.

Single dads is currently one of my favourite tropes so this story was right up my alley and I've enjoyed the Hot Shots series so far.
Brandt is totally caught by surprise when he literally finds a baby on his doorstep. Luckily, her uncle is right there with her as Brandt has no clue what's going on but then Shane's not much better off either since his sister took off one morning, leaving Jewel with him and the name of her dad.
Together, they learn to rely on each other for support as they muddle through learning what a new baby needs whilst dealing with the fallout out and figuring out how to move forward. With all of that going on, Brandt and Shane slowly act on their attraction to each other whilst being aware that they're both a bad bet on a future with each one having an unstable childhood and not being known to stay in one place for long.
Firstly, Jewel is darn adorable and how Brandt and Shane move everything to rake care if her tugged on my heart. I felt for them both as they've been, basically dumped with a baby neither of them had any knowledge of prior to that and just have to learn on the job. They do a great job and are able to recognise in each other when a break or help is needed. Considering they barely know each other except for a tandem skydive the year before, they make a great team. I liked how they took time with anything physical between them, needing it for themselves and because of the situation they are in. Both men have trouble believing that they are someone to stick around for with parents really not being a stable factor in their childhoods and so relying on someone else is something they both have to get used to pretty quickly.
I enjoyed how the story developed overall with Brandt's paternal side quickly developing and him becoming aware of his own mortality in regards to being a smoke jumper. Shane's story also takes priority with his music having been the main focus of his adult life so far. Jewel and Brandt soon take up his time but he needs nudging and reminding that he is just as important. It all comes together nicely and is overall a nice story that is paced well and has some fun and hot times between two good men.
I received an ARC via NetGally and am happily giving a review.

Up in Smoke was the book in the Hotshots series that I've been waiting for. Annabeth Albert struck just the right balance between romantic chemistry, family-issues, excitement, and emotion, and left out all the unnecessary drama. For me, it was a big win.

I went into Up in Smoke without high expectations. I haven't loved any of the other books in the series thus far, and the reviews from my friends were all over the map. However, I found myself getting more and more enthralled in the book the further I read.

I'm pretty careful with books with babies and lots of family-dynamic complications, but I think Annabeth Albert did a great job with this one. The baby was a central driving figure in the book, but she wasn't the whole story. The plot was squarely focused on the relationship between Brandt and Shane, and I really enjoyed how they went from tentative partners to full-blown love.

Of course, I loooooved me a virgin. Give me a steamy first time and I'm a happy camper! Pair that with a confident bisexual guy (view spoiler) and you've got me. My only criticism is that the sex came a little earlier in the book than I would have wanted, but I was pleased with the heat level.

I think the book might read as a little slow for some readers, but I appreciated the lack of drama and sudden plot twists. Things progressed organically and naturally for these two, and I loved the little epilogue at the end.

A very nice addition to the Hotshots series, Annabeth made me happy with this one.


*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I don’t read all that much M/M but I am trying to diversify my reading, so when I saw this one had a cute premise, I picked up the offered ARC from the publisher, and I’m glad I did. For a very Harlequin-y premise - Surprise! You’re The Daddy! - this has a lot of deep and meaningful character exploration in it. It also has a LOT of sex scenes, and more explicit than you’ll find in a Harlequin romance as Shane and Brandt spend time exploring their relationship physically as well as emotionally.

Brandt is a smoke jumper and Shane is an aspiring country singer-songwriter, and though this series is primarily about the firefighters, in this book the author chose to dwell more on the mechanics of Shane’s career as there was enough drama involved with the two men trying to figure out not just how to take care of baby Jewel, but do what was best for her legally too. A big fire and Brandt’s life at significant risk would have been unnecessary and indeed distracted from the emotional core of the story.

Perhaps the only quibble I had here was that there was a bit too much sex for my tastes; after about the fourth scene I found myself skimming a bit, but I’m not going to mark down for that as I know it’s exactly what some readers will absolutely love! Five stars for a story full of heart.

The 4th book in the addictive Hotshots series, Up In Smoke works perfectly as a stand-alone read. Up In Smoke centers on freewheeling smoke jumper Brandt Wilder and wanna-be country musician Shane Travis' story.

With an opening of several months earlier between the main characters, we're introduced to loveable Shane and his off-beat sister as they have their first meet with Brandt. The meet sets us the significant premise for the story as we jump eleven months forward when Shane reconnects with Brandt with his baby niece. The kicker? The baby may be Brandt's.

As the two men support each other with the care of the baby, the tension brews beautifully while both men work hard at fighting their growing attraction. The last thing either man needs is more complication in their lives.

A super enjoyable single-unexpected-dad romance with a variety of tropes tucked in the pages too.

I've been a huge fan of Annabeth Albert's books since I first read her Out of Uniform series and I have been happily reading through her entire body of work. The Hotshots series has been one of my faves (how can I pick a favorite?) and I've loved getting to know the new characters in each novel. Up in Smoke presents a new couple and a trope that I haven't read much of -- surprise baby! I love single dad stories and this one delivered all the feels. It's low angst and gentle, with a deep and powerful love story that had me smiling and happy sighing.

I enjoyed learning all about Shane and Brandt, two guys who are not prime dad material but together made it work and earn the "super dad" label! They both have their own baggage of coming from unstable childhoods, and they both want the very best for baby Jewel. Similarly, they're both novices when it comes to having a steady relationship and it's difficult for them to trust and be comfortable with needing and wanting another person. Their emotional journey is deeply touching and full of sweet and heart-wrenching moments. I also appreciated that the novel explores Shane and Brandt's life outside of their budding relationship and family bubble, with focus being given to their careers, friends, and family.

As always, Annabeth Albert delivers a feel good story about love and family. Up in Smoke is tender and lovely and just what I needed!

Although this fourth installment in the Hot Shots series doesn’t feature firefighting, the main character is a smoke jumper and the thrill of jumping from a plane is quite realistically portrayed. Some of the characters from the previous books make brief appearances, but the author took the series in a different direction by focusing on the characters more than their job situations.

Brandt Wilder has been a smoke jumper for over ten years, moving from job to job looking for his next adventure. Why put down roots when he can fully experience life anywhere he chooses? Things are going well until Shane Travis shows up on his doorstep with his sister’s baby and the announcement that Brandt is named on the birth certificate.

Shane is a hot, young, aspiring country music singer and songwriter. He and his sister met Brandt nearly a year ago so Brandt is shocked, but believes Shane’s story and the two set out to care for the infant together until Brandt can prove paternity and get custody and Shane can leave to pursue his career. But what happens is not all about the baby. Brandt gets past Shane’s stoic reserve to find a warm-hearted, loving man, and Shane learns that there’s much more to Brandt than the fun-loving thrill seeker he portrays for others. Together, slowly, they move from friends with benefits to so much more than their hearts can hold. Coupled with their sweet baby girl, this book brings all the good feels.

Each man came from a less-than-desirable family background but found family with one another and the baby. Their relationship was slow to build, their trepidation about commitment harking back to their own backgrounds. Brandt was raised in the foster system and Shane, with his sister, had parents who lived the free life, never putting down roots in one place.

I fell in love with the characters as the author gave us a chance to really get to know each man. And though Shane was “a starched shirt” as my mom would say, once he got to know someone, he opened up and gave them his whole attention and, to Brandt, his whole heart.

I can’t put into words how much I enjoyed being present to watch these men grow to love each other, to watch baby Jewel become more interactive as she grew, to listen to Shane’s music as he created songs from the depth of his heart where his love for Brandt and Jewel continued to grow, and finally to be there when it all came together and their little family became their joint commitment to their happily ever after.

How can two men who’ve experienced little family or home create stability for an infant? And how does Annabeth Albert write new fathers who are actually sexy, when they have a little diva on their hands? To learn, you’ll need to read the newest addition to her standalone Hotshots series, “Up in Smoke!”

When singer Shane’s hard-partying sister, Shelby, drops her baby in his lap and disappears, he seeks out the father. That man, named on little Jewel’s birth certificate, is the sexy smoke jumper with whom he’d done a tandem parachute jump, Shelby’s birthday gift to him, the prior year.

Raised in foster homes, Brandt’s only family has been the different fire crews he’s worked with each season, though he’s moved from site to site by habit. When Shane presents Jewel to him, he quickly decides his daughter must have a better start in life than he did. It helps that Uncle Shane seems equally invested. But Shane and Shelby barely had their own childhoods, trundled on their dad’s musical road trips. So yeah, the two men are committed to Jewel’s and completely attracted to each other, but “forever” is not a word either understands.

Any romance has tension. Does he feel the way I do? But Ms. Albert adds suspense in what is otherwise a sweet, gentle romance. Will Shelby return to claim Jewel? How can Brandt keep a risky profession like a smoke jumper as a dad? “‘Trust me that I’m the last guy someone wants as a husband and father,’” Brandt tells Shane. And will Shane walk away when he gets his next musical break? “Home for him was the stage, how he felt with his guitar, the friction of strings on his callouses.”
‘
Then again, with their unstable childhoods, these guys recognize each other as no one else has. “It was rare, finding someone who understood how instability burrowed under a kid’s skin, left scars, and made it hard to relate to people who’d had that picket-fence life.” Which makes Jewel one lucky infant.
As they decide to enjoy what they have, for as long as it can last, readers are left to worry for them. “This thing between them was like the early summer weather, warm but also fragile, rapidly shifting from moment to moment. Impossible to plan for, but still worth enjoying.” It’s an apt description of the book, as well.

Annabeth Albert manages it all. “Up in Smoke” is steady and tender, as we would want for a new family. It’s hot and heavy, as we want for new lovers. And it’s a smooth, well-written novel, like we hunger for as readers!

Okay, we need to begin by addressing the proverbial elephant in the room. Brandt is potentially the baby’s father, and Shane’s sister is the baby’s mother. This setup is the epitome of talk show fodder, but somehow, it just works so well. Brandt and Shane are a wonderful co-parenting team and they both adore Baby Jewel so much.

The development of their relationship is somewhere between friends-to-lovers and slow burn. Neither of them have much experience with serious relationships, so there’s a good deal of “just this once” and “get it out of our systems”, but it’s clear that there are mutual deep feelings from the beginning.

It’s so heartwarming to see these two wandering souls find happiness since both of them experienced instability throughout their childhoods, and they’re determined to give Jewel a better life than what they had.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I do want to say that any issues regarding who Jewel should live with were handled through proper legal channels, and all parties were treated with compassion and grace. Nobody got shamed, despite the choices they made, and that was a nice thing to see.

I would absolutely recommend Up in Smoke. This the fourth book in the series, but it functions well as a standalone because there’s not any important backstory from earlier in the series. As an aside, I would have liked to have seen more of the guys from the previous books, but the addition of one adorable “diva” made up for the lack of familiar faces. Plus, there’s a nice mix of smoke jumping action and Shane trying to make it as a country star, so that was a nice change of pace. I’m looking forward to reading more from Albert in the future.

I received an ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley

Annabeth Albert is my favorite MM author and I don't say that lightly, I don't even read the book blurb most times before I dive in because it doesn't matter I know whatever she writes is going to suck me in from the very beginning and not let me go. And that is just what happened with this book.

Up In Smoke is the fourth book in the Hotshots Series, each of which can be read as a standalone, this is Brandt Wilder and Shane Travis' story. Shane is a trying to make a name for himself in the country music world and Brandt is a Smoke Jumper, they first meet on Shane's birthday when his sister talked him into going sky diving for his birthday and Brandt was the instructor.

Now fast forward eleven months and Shane shows up on Brandt's doorstep with a baby in his arms...a baby that may just be Brandt's if the birth certificate his sister left with her is correct. Is Brandt the babies daddy? Can these two men find common ground and work through their feelings while caring for a baby? So many questions and the only way you're going to get answers is to grab a copy for yourself.

I highly recommend not only this book but each book in the series because they are all great reads. If you enjoy Surprise Baby Romances, MM Romances, Virgin Hero Romances, Close Proximity Romances, Firefighter Romances, or Musician Romances then this book is for you.

Happy Reading!!!

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** My blog post will be live on release day 4/27/21

I am loving the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. In Up in Smoke we get a slow burn surprise baby story with so many feels. When Brandt finds himself with a baby on his doorsteps, it changes everything. Brandt is the father of Shane’s niece and somehow they find themselves taking care of her together. As they spend more time together, the attraction they feel to each other grows. Both men have separate issues they are working through as the story develops. There is some angst with their history, but the connection between them is there from the start. Up in Smoke by Annabeth Albert is a charming read.

Happy reading!

3.5 stars
Brandt Wilder is a smokejumper and sometimes parachute instructor. He grew up in the system and still tends be a wanderer. He thrives on adrenaline and lives life to the fullest.

Shane Travis is an aspiring country music singer and songwriter. He is more cautious, dependable, and looks before leaping. But he comes from a flighty family and his sister has just dropped a bombshell on his doorstep.

One memorable meeting. Two guys and a baby who are now in over their heads. An MIA sister/baby mama. Temporary roommates and baby helpers while everything is being sorted out. But along the way they become more than roommates. They never planned to get attached and they both don't usually stick around one place very long.

This is a surprise baby, temporary roommates and friends-to-lovers, sweet, sexy, M/M romance about exploration, trust, found family, and taking a leap of faith. Two lost souls finding purpose, partnership, love, and home.

This had interesting story elements and likable characters, but for some reason I did not get completely invested and connected to it. Not sure if it was the point of view, that there was not too much conflict, or it is was just my mood. I did like that they were both experiencing new things together in and out of the bedroom. They really were cute together as they took care of the diva and found themselves playing house. They were not looking for anything, but the diva brought them together. And there were good life lessons and healing found along the way.

This was such a sweet and heart-warming m/m romance about two absolutely endearing guys falling in love at the same time as their whole lives got turned upside down. It was a truly enchanting story about stepping up to the biggest responsibilities of all, to realize that things you’d taken for granted in your life might not be what you actually need or want, and about finding happiness, love and family in the most unexpected way.

Up in Smoke is the fourth book in the Hotshots series, but each book can very well be read as complete standalones. They are all set in the smoke jumping world, but with different characters and with focus not specifically on the smoke jumping work as such but on the characters and their story and growth. But just let me say that it sure doesn’t hurt that there are a lot of brave firefighters in the stories…

Brandt Wilder is a freewheeling smoke jumper who thrives on adrenaline. He’s popular and fun-loving and not at all looking to settle down or form lasting relationships. It’s a lifestyle that’s served him well…right up until the day he finds a baby on his doorstep.

Shane Travis is the semi-closeted country-singer whose music career still hasn’t hit it off, and who’s spent most of his life cleaning up after his sister Shelby’s messes. But even though he’d stopped being surprised by her recklessness, he’d never in a million year expect her to ditch and leave a baby behind and for him to be the one to have to tell Brandt Wilder the big news. Especially not since the hot fire jumper has been on his mind ever since his sister took them skydiving together the year before.

I loved Annabeth Albert’s writing style and the wonderful dynamic between Brandt and Shane. I loved their banter and the humor, and not to mention the chemistry… It was absolutely sizzling! I really appreciated that this story was so low-key and focused on Brandt’s and Shane’s relationship and their character growth, and not going for the clichés with baby mommy drama or making Shelby into a pure evil character. Leaving your baby is a completely unforgivable thing to do, but Annabeth Albert does a wonderful job to make Shelby a complex character with mental health issues that does make her actions more understandable.

That said, I didn’t really like the beginning of this book though. The whole situation with Brandt hooking up with Shelby at the same time as her brother intrigued him never felt right. And the way Shelby left the baby and how Brandt just accepted being the father of the baby without stirring up the world to search for Shelby felt a bit too unrealistic. But those minor complaints set aside, this was a beautiful, sweet and addictive read with some really amazing character growth!

What I loved most about this story was the slow-burning romance and how the instant attraction between Brandt and Shane was allowed to grow into respect for each other and a solid friendship first. The sexy parts were quite explicit, but still very sweet. They really showed how both Brandt and Shane felt vulnerable from having had very little experience from being with other men, but how they allowed themselves to open up and trust each other to explore new things in a safe and respectful way.

All in all, Up in Smoke was a sweet, low-angst and heart-warming story about finding love and a home with your chosen family. There was no unnecessary drama just for the sake of it, which I really appreciated. Finding out that you’re a dad and falling in love with your baby’s uncle and trying to navigate the way through a completely new life situation is overwhelming enough. It was my first read by Annabeth Albert, but it will certainly not be my last!

Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for the ARC and blog tour invitation for this wonderful book! All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Thanks Netgalley for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]

It's a sweet story, well written but very simple. There's no conflict, only a cute love story (and a cute baby). There are some issues like mental health but they're treated superficially. The couple is very sweet and likable.
Perfect for any time you need a simple story without drama and with a sweet love.