I am hopeful that this series will continue. Shelley Shepard Gray creates a world I long to visit, with characters that are not only relatable, but believable. This 2nd book to the series did not disappoint.

Moving Forward

by Shelley Shepard Gray

What does it take to be a firefighter? A lot! A lot of physical and mental strength, courage, commitment to saving others, and stamina. Also, focus, alertness, decisiveness, and the ability to follow orders.

Moving Forward introduces some current and potential firefighters and their families and friends. The protagonists are the very handsome (Mr. March for a charity calendar) and kind firefighter Greg, and the sweet owner of a plant/landscape shop Kristen. Greg is a former Major in the Marines, and he has lived through a lot of horrible events in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has PTDS, and he tries to keep it a secret. Kristen’s life is deeply affected by a congenital heart condition which means she has several secrets of her own. The two need to get beyond their pasts and secrets if they are going to share a life together.

There is a side plot involving Jen, a new high school graduate. Her mother’s alcoholism, which developed after Jen’s father died, has curtailed Jen’s social life and future plans. She works for Kristen at the plant shop, but she develops a desire to become a firefighter. To accomplish this goal, however, she will need to establish some independence from her mom, engage in tough academic and physical training, learn how to drive, and spend a lot of time at the fire station doing grunt work. Fortunately, she has a supportive boyfriend and siblings.

Many of the characters in this book have painful backgrounds, but face life and the future with courage and moral standards. They have to learn to trust again and to share their secrets to develop meaningful relationships with others.

This appears to be a series that follows a group of firefighters focusing on individuals for the course of each book. The very nature of firefighting means teamwork so other members of the team are part of the plot.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Romance

Notes: Moving Forward is #2 in the Woodland Park Firefighter romance series, but I had no problem enjoying it and would like to read #1 in the series—Coming Home.

Publication: August 22, 2023—Penguin Random House (Berkley)

Memorable Lines:

It was always like that. An adrenaline rush in the midst of extreme focus, the slight edge of panic without which he wouldn’t perform to the best of his ability, followed by the sense of satisfaction that came from seeing only smoking embers.

That was what she’d been doing with her life—with relationships—Kristen realized. It was time to stop being so worried about the bad thing that might happen and start concentrating on all the good things that could.

Two people knee-deep in a pool of attraction, and neither one anxious to swim into deeper waters or return to the shallow end.

This is a good book. The main characters are Kristen and Greg. Kristen owns a nursery. Greg is a firefighter. Kristen has a fire at her nursery and Greg comes to put it out. There is an instant attraction. Greg asks her out on a date, she turns him down. She says she will only be friends with him. He gets her to do things with him. They start dating. They each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

I forgot I read this! It wasn't a forgettable book, I just read too much! Even after all this time, I remember the chemistry, the desire, and the longing between the main characters. Fighting their past and potential future and taking risks was nice to see. It's real life and all too often we let what we believe are hinderance stop us from fully living. I enjoyed this title and look forward to more in this series.

MOVING FORWARD is the second book in the new series by Shelley Shepard Gray called A Woodland Park Firefighters Romance. Usually I am reading one of Ms. Gray’s Amish Fiction books, but this one is small town romance and it is fantastic! I really love the small-town setting of Woodland Park, Colorado, where everyone knows everyone else and the people are always there to help whenever they are needed. I loved the characters in the first book, Coming Home and couldn’t wait to meet new ones as well as check in with my firefighter friends once again.

MOVING FORWARD starts off increasing the reader’s heart rate right away. Kristen is trying to live her life on her own, away from her hovering mother while taking care of her faulty heart. Her health is the reason why her fiance ended things with her. My heart immediately goes out to Kristen and I just want to hug her. Will she ever be able to tell Greg how she really feels? While she is struggling with all of this, Greg finds himself wanting to protect Kristen, but he must be careful because he doesn’t want Kristen to feel smothered. Greg has his own issues with PTSD, doesn’t let anyone know how bad it can be, and thinks he is handling it on his own. Until he isnt. What a crazy story that will pull at the reader’s heart strings.

MOVING FORWARD is a quick read and you will be flipping the pages like mad trying to hurry to see what they are going to do next! I know I did! Meeting a new person that fills your heart with hope feels like coming home and this story is sure to give the reader all the feels! MOVING FORWARD is such an emotional read, you won’t be able to help yourself from getting into all of the characters business. I have read many of Shelley Shepard Gray’s other series as well as some of her other stand alone books, and I really feel like she writes with a heart for people. I know this series will definitely be a great one!

My emotions were all over the place as they always are reading a Shelley Shepard Gray story and I can hardly wait to see what firefighter gets the next story! I loved how she made me feel all of the anxiety and tension that the characters were dealing with. Besides all of that, there is also romance, forgiveness, and healing. Kristen and Greg’s romance is sweet and heart warming. I just wanted them to be happy. A perfect way to spend the day on the couch with your favorite beverage, lost in the pages of a heart tugging but beautiful story. MOVING FORWARD is the perfect name for this wonderful story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

No matter what genre Shelley Shepard Gray writes in she does it well.
This is the second book in the Woodland Park Firefighters series taking place in the scenic foothills of Colorado.
Former Army captain Greg Tebo has retired and settled into life in Woodland Park, Colorado as a firefighter. Though not dating right now he's very interested in having a wife and children someday.
Just another day in the office when a call comes in from a garden shop about someone having a possible heart attack, figuring he'd get the elderly person to the hospital quickly he's very surprised to see young Kristen Werner. She's in her twenties and doesn't want to be a burden to her family and move back home after her medical diagnosis. Owning and running a garden shop has been a dream of hers and this is where she feels comfortable after being dumped by her fiancée hours before her wedding because he wasn't able to deal with the knowledge, she had a medical condition. If he couldn't deal with it, she's better off without the jerk.
Finding himself drawn to Kristen he feels she would be a great match for him. She's going the friend's route though, not trusting him or any man to start a relationship. As love seems to be blooming will she let love into her heart and trust into her soul? Can this relationship possibly progress when they are hiding pretty big secrets from each other that if found out they believe the other won't want to be with them? I really enjoy this author's books and have read quite a few of them including Amish, contemporary and suspense. I'm not sure if this series will continue but would enjoy if it does. You can't have trust without truthfulness in any relationship.

Pub Date 22 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Two very different romances develop slowly, while exploring the effects heart-breaking hardships can have on relationships of any kind.

Like the previous book in this series, this one tackles plenty of hard issues in a thoughtful way, such as PTSD and learning to trust again after getting burned. Kristen’s issues were thoroughly explored throughout the book. In contrast, we didn’t learn much about Greg and his demons until much later on.

I feel as if the focus was more on Jen and Ryan’s budding relationship and Jen’s dreams of becoming a firefighter. They had more relationship development than Greg and Kristen. The two teens were super cute together and I loved the way they navigated all the challenges thrown their way.

This book’s title is spot on. Both Greg and Kristen desperately needed to move on from their ghosts. While I didn’t really connect with them as a couple, they did help each other with this moving forward process. I love this author’s writing and that kept my interest all the way to the end. The characters are real and flawed, but capable of making changes.

Moving Forward stands well on its own, though I can definitely recommend reading Coming Home as well.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a story about moving forward from feeling inferior--unworthy of love or affection from others. Overall, this was a sweet story, and I am normally a big fan of Shelley Shepard Gray. Lately, though, I have noticed she has been writing some novels that are edgier and push into PG and PG-13 ratings--which is unexpected from an author who proclaims that she is a Christian. There are several references and outright cursing, references to the expectation that sex before marriage is a given, and many references to alcohol and "sharing a 6-pack" between 2 people. I'm disappointed. If this novel did not have those references, especially from an author who also writes books that have been marketed as faith-based, then I would happily give it five stars.

I got to read this book a bit early thanks to the publisher. This is a solid continuation of the series and I enjoy the continuity of characters from the first book. There are plenty of new people to get to know and I liked the counterplay of two different relationships to follow. The title is so appropriate, and actually...don't we all have to continue to move forward from the past in order to have our very best life?

This is a really good book and I highly recommend it. This author always keeps me engaged and this book is no exception. I always enjoy the internal conversations with self which gives some back story.

Moving Forward by Shelley Shepard Gray is book two in the Woodland Park Firefighters series.
I like this small town firefighter series!

Greg is a former Army captain and he's happy to be be in Woodland Park as a firefighter. Kristen owns a local garden center and when the fire department is called for an emergency the two meet. Both are working through their own struggles and I liked seeing these two get together.

I enjoyed this sweet contemporary romance and am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Thanks Berkley Romance for my copy!

I didn't read the first story in the series but was able to jump right in. I can identify with Kristen and her need to keep things close to her chest. Mr. March seemed to be quite a dreamy character. I also enjoyed the subplot of Jen and Ryan. Jen was a girl who had gone through so much but was still pushing on.



Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

Moving Forward is a nice addition to the clean contemporary series, Woodland Park Firefighters, by Shelley Shepard Gray. It is book two in the series. Book one, Coming Home, was a favorite of mine last year. Moving Forward can easily be read as a stand alone if you haven’t read book one. It is a clean story, not one of the author’s Christian novels, so be aware that there are a couple of mild curse words and some mentions of drinking beer and wine, in case that is something you are sensitive to. Nothing is done to excess, however, and I found this to be a compelling story.

I liked that there was a main couple, Kristen and Greg, as well as a side couple, the recently graduated young adults, Ryan and Jen. I really enjoyed reading about both couples. It was interesting in this story that not only Kristen and Greg felt that they had to carry the weight of their burdens on their own before they could share about them with each other, but Jen had also been struggling silently under the weight of her mother’s mental health issues for the last couple of years. I really enjoyed seeing her receive support from her siblings, as well as Ryan, to help her move forward with her own life.

This story kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next and the characters felt very real to me. I enjoyed the sweet epilogue and look forward to more in this series.

(4.5 stars)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

In the normal, delightful fashion of this author, she brings us another sweet romance that you will be sure to want to add to your collection. This is the second book in her Woodland Park Firefighter romance series. However, it can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone book.

We meet main characters, former Army captain turned fireman, Greg Tebo, and nursery owner, Kristen Werner. They meet when her nursery caught fire and she had a medical emergency.

As friendship develops between them, they both have issues they have to come to terms with before they can be totally truthful with each other. It is very interesting to get into their heads and hearts as they learn to work through their issues and develop this friendship.

This is a book you will not want to put down until you finish it. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Shelley Shepard Gray delights her fans with a tender, touching and terrific new contemporary romance, Moving Forward.

Former Army Captain Greg Tebo feels like he has found somewhere he belongs in Woodland Park, Colorado. Having joined the fire department at Woodland Park and gained a reputation for being a fearless firefighter, Greg cannot wait to settle down and have a family of his own. When he is called out to a fire at the Garden Center and is informed that somebody at the store had a heart attack, Greg thinks that he is going to be assisting an elderly customer – not beautiful and spirited twenty-something Kristen Werner to whom he is instantly drawn to.

Kristen has put her blood, sweat and tears into her business and is not about to let her heart condition get in the way of making all of her professional dreams a reality. Having left her loving but meddlesome family behind in Houston, Kirsten has made far too many sacrifices and given up far too much for her business and nothing and nobody is going to stand in her way – not even a gorgeous firefighter who might just make her believe in love…

Kirsten has had her heart broken in a million pieces by her ex and she had vowed never to go through that pain ever again. But is Greg worth taking a chance on? Is she ready to put her heart on the line again? Or will Greg end up running for the hills when she tells him that she cannot give him the family he craves?

Shelley Shepard Gray’s Moving Forward is a gorgeous contemporary romance that sparkles with humor, charm, pathos and heart. A book that will make you laugh and cry, Moving Forward is a wonderful page-turner about belonging, second chances, healing from the past and falling in love that I couldn’t read fast enough.

I adored Greg and Kirsten and their love story was one that kept me glued to its pages and hopeful that these two flawed, complex and believable characters would get the happy ending they so richly deserved.

Shelley Shepard Gray’s Moving Forward is another enjoyable contemporary romance by a talented writer who never misses.

I enjoyed reading about the firehouse and some of the requirements needed by the firemen. I wasn't too sure about the relationship between the two main characters but it seemed to work out.
It was a quick read.

Book 2 in the Woodland Park Firefighters Romance series, author Shelley Shepard Gray writes a story that is sometimes hard to read (think PTSD) and sometimes so funny (think calendars). I will admit I enjoyed book 1, Coming Home, much more than I did this one but it was still a good read.

We meet two adults trying to find their way through the hurts of life, as well as two recent high school graduates who are just starting in adult life and are looking for guidance. The characters in this book are well developed and realistic. There is always something behind an attitude, isn’t there?

For myself, I would have preferred just the “grown up” story line and leave the kids out but Gray did weave them together skillfully. As always, I love stories about small towns.

Do note that this is not Gray’s typical Christian fiction but is clean romance. It does have a few cuss words and drinking. Nothing horrible, just not CF. I did appreciate the main characters determination to remain celibate. And the ending was so sweet. As I said, she does deal with PTSD as well as alcoholism and loss just in case any of those are triggers. But it’s done honestly and definitely not gratuitously. Give it a read. You’ll enjoy it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

More than 5 stars for this book! What I love about Shelley Shepard Gray is her versatility in writing. She's so talented! I was hooked from the very beginning.

Her characters are so realistic and genuine that you are immediately involved in their "lives." Their challenges touch your heart. Their triumphs are to be celebrated! Kristen, with her heart issues, Greg with his PTSD, Jen struggling with a mother who is depressed and turns to alcohol- all happening currently to someone.

The romances are sweet- G rated!

All in all, this is a book I will remember for quite some time.

I was provided a copy of the book from the author/publisher via NetGalley. ALL thoughts and opinions are my own.

Greg, a former Army Captain and now firefighter, hasn’t felt a serious attraction for someone until he encounters a feisty woman while putting out the fire at her garden center. He can’t help but check in on her while she’s at the hospital, and it seems their attraction is mutual.

Kristen knows she is better to be safe and get checked out after the fire but resists as she’s tired of doctors and hospital visits. When Greg shows up at her hospital room and declares an interest, Kristen is hesitant to take a risk even if he is gorgeous and sweet. Her last relationship ended after her fiancé found out the extent of her health issues and she’s not keen on another rejection. However, Greg isn’t easily discouraged.

Greg has his own struggles dealing with PTSD and doesn’t want to reveal just how bad it can be for him. Both Kristen and Greg had reasons they didn’t feel good enough, and Kristen was skittish on top of that because of her failed engagement, but their attraction made it impossible to stay just friends. Their romance was a gradual, sweet and touching!

There’s also a secondary romance between Jen, Kristen’s employee at her garden center, a recent high school graduate, and Ryan one of the more popular kids in high school. Jen had a crush on Ryan while in school but figured he never noticed her since they moved in very different social circles. Jen had also been dealing with the death of her father and her mother’s depression.

Despite some of the issues the characters face, this was an easy-going, small-town romance that’ll warm your heart! I love how both couples were supportive and accepting of each other! I loved the close-knit community of Woodland Park! They were ready to offer a helping hand, a listening ear, or some sage advice.

Moving Forward was the second in the Woodland Park Firefighters series but can be read as a standalone.

A long time ago, I read Shelley Shepard Gray’s Lone Star Hero series. I loved all three stories and wanted more from the author, but realized most of her work tends toward Amish fiction. Amish fiction is not my thing, so I sort of forgot about Gray and her work. Then a few weeks ago, I was asked to review Moving Forward and I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. Moving Forward is a 3-STAR story for me. I did enjoy it and I am glad I read it. It is a very sweet and endearing Contemporary Romance that has a distinct Hallmark-movie vibe. This book follows four main characters: Greg and Kristen, and Ryan and Jen. Of the two storylines, I found the teenage story the most engaging. I really loved the chapters and scenes with Ryan and Jen. Gray captures teens very well. I love how Jen sets out on her own course and refuses to follow what others think she should do. And I really love her personality. She is so well-rounded. I also really appreciate how Ryan bucks his social system and carves out the life and love he wants. And their relationship is super cute. I totally cheered them on! As far as Greg and Kristen go, they are fine. I didn’t really connect well to either of them. This is through no fault of the author; I just couldn’t connect deeply to Greg or Kristen. Sometimes it happens. When it comes to the various themes discussed, the idea of moving forward resonated with me. All of the characters deal with being metaphorically paralyzed by their lives. There is a lot of indecision, conversations that should happen but don’t, major family issues, personal-health issues, and traumas. Each character is bogged down by something and each has to figure out how to move forward with their lives. This facet to each character is totally relatable. I fully know what it feels like to have life blow up in your face and then feel like you can’t breathe, let alone think. Each character deals with their issues uniquely, but all figure out that they have to stop worrying about all the potential bad that could happen because it’s just keeping them from so much potential good. I really loved this reminder!

Moving Forward is a sweet Contemporary Romance that I recommend. If you love Hallmark-esque Romances with realistic characters and timely themes then Moving Forward is definitely the book for you!

I received a galley copy of this novel in eBook form the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, via NetGalley, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.