This second book in the Men of Marietta series continues where the first book, Tempting the Deputy, left off, seamlessly moving forward with Lyle (Logan's younger brother) and Emily's (Charlie's twin sister) story...moving on with the underlying theme of Harry's House, but focusing on the travesty of Logan and Lyle's childhood and the lingering affects of having had an abusive, alcoholic father.

The tender moments between Lyle and Em as the story of his childhood is brought to the surface is wonderfully touching...Lyle's vulnerability is center stage in his reluctance to have anything less than a superficial relationships. As Em brings to light Lyle's struggles, my heart ached for the little boy's fears still living within the man. Ms Hardy created very believable characters who were unique in their viewpoints of love and family.

With two books in the series down, I'm looking forward to Jonah's story up next in Daring the Pilot.

This book was provided by the Publisher and Netgalley, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

When I finished Charlie and Logan's story I was eager to read this book, which is the twin sister of Charlie (Emily) and Logan's brother (Lyle). Emily and Lyle make a great team once they get through each other's barriers. I actually enjoyed this book more than the first one, as I felt more familiar with the story-line and the characters within this series already. I must say I would really like to find this calendar of all these hunky men, and I am eager to read the next one in the series. Great book and author, and must also state that the books by different authors about the bachelors in Marietta, Montana have really been a fun read. I have not been disappointed yet.

The second book in the “Men of Marietta” series and another wonderful story about two lovely and good-humored people with hidden scars. Lyle is the consummate charmer and Emma is the first person to see the wounds behind his facade.
I’ve really enjoyed this story, it’s so well-written, the characters multi-layered and full of surprises… and it was great to watch the heroine’s relationship with her twin. I loved to meet the couple from the previous book, where we had Lyle and his big brother’s relationship more developed.
The plot is quite simple but enjoyable and, as in the first story, the British touch is very appealing. The scene with the missing condom was hilarious and I read it as a joke about all the stories we read where there’s always (!) a condom available. But somehow this scene felt more believable than those.
I loved Emily’s quirks and the fact that she is a strong and successful woman and how she encourages and supports the hero (and vice-versa). And who doesn’t love a yummy Beta hero who sings to the cows?

Flirting with fire? Yes please! Or maybe just the man. Hee hee. Great book and series

Flirting with Fire is the second book in the Men of Marietta series and continues from Tempting the Deputy. I loved Lyle and Emma they were so well match and their interaction melted my heart. I look forward to reading more of this series

a good read

Lyle and Logan Tate had such a horrendous childhood at the hands of their father who turned to drink after his wife’s and their unborn child’s deaths He was a mean drunk, and until his death he took his anger at fate out on his older son Logan in some of the most cruel ways possible. While Lyle was the younger brother, he still knew that his brother was protecting him, and taking the beatings meant for him as well. Logan was under the mistaken assumption that Lyle was too young to remember – he wasn’t. And the guilt at not standing up to his father and trying to protect his older brother has taken a toll on his life to this day, long after the man who was supposed to love them not harm them had died. Over the years Lyle has lived behind a persona of a happy go lucky, carefree flirt who will never settle down. A risk taker, always there to lend a helping hand but never to stay and develop a relationship with any woman. No one has seen through his act, not until one special woman enters his life, one who knows that he deserves to be loved even if he won’t believe that himself.

Flirting With Fire takes up almost where Tempting The Deputy left off in this story of brothers who faced one type of abuse, and twin sisters who faced another type of abandonment might find that elusive thing called love in the people they weren’t expecting. When Emily, Charlie’s twin sister, finally tracks her down long enough to have a decent conversation Em discovers that Charlie has finally found happiness in the American state of Montana – of all places. Her sister sounds happy but Emily has spent her entire life picking up after Charlie’s actions and she’s not really trusting that her sister is truly happy and not being taken advantage of for her money. Emily decides to make a surprise visit – one that will change not only her life but Lyle’s as well. She may not know it yet, but she is exactly what one cowboy smoke jumper needs.

It’s hard to read Flirting With Fire and not feel anger and sadness at what these characters went through in their lives. Especially Lyle, there are so many layers to this man who remains hidden behind a mask made of his unnecessary guilt. While it would be very easy to dislike Emily on first impression, don’t give up on her, she’s facing her own issues and as the older sister (by 2 minutes) it’s up to her to protect Charlie. I liked this couple. And I’m very glad that we got Lyle’s story immediately after Logan’s.

If this is the first of the Men of Marietta series that you’ve read, I’d strongly suggest that you pick up Tempting The Deputy. It’s quite a unique situation and Tempting The Deputy explains so much that is assumed to be already known in Flirting With Fire... in my opinion anyway. Back story information is given when needed in this story, but the impact isn’t quite as strong. Besides, they’re both amazing stories.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Emily Foster has come to Marietta to check on her twin, Charlotte and her love, Logan. She wants to make sure that Charlie is okay. When Em arrives, she has a encounter with a mud puddle thanks to Lyle. When they officially meet, sparks fly. She thinks that he's shallow and he thinks that she's uptight. I loved watching their interaction. It's a mixture of attraction and irritation. Em enjoys the small town friendliness and caring. It's nice to feel part of the community. Lyle is reckless and a flirt. It made me sad that he felt such guilt that he couldn't stop his drunken father from hurting Logan. I wanted Lyle to put the past behind him and get the chance at happiness that he deserved. Em and Lyle both endured painful childhoods. They have a unique bond. Kate Hardy wrote a very special story. This romance was both tender and passionate. Bronte, the rescue pup, added so much cuteness and humor to the story that I had to smile. I'm loving the Men of Marietta series. It's so enjoyable.
I received a copy of this book. I voluntarily read Flirting with Fire and my comments are my honest opinion.

How Tule Publishing's fictional town of Marietta has grown...and without appearing like a sap, I'm rather amazed at how many of the authors contributing to the the incredible stories built around this scenic, picturesque place have give me such entertaining reads along the way.

'Flirting with Fire' is yet another one of those charming, easy and light reads which gave me more than a few hours of fun escapism. I hadn't read the previous books in the series, but Lyle and Emily certainly hold their own quite easily throughout. With more than a few hints of pride and prejudice in it, the slightly antagonistic attraction between them was great to follow and I thoroughly enjoyed how the attraction slid into something deeper as both fought a connection that couldn't possibly be forged in a mere few days. Or could it?

There are several issues to be untangled - although it seemed a little overblown on Lyle's side - as I'd expected, but Emily impressed me somehow, with her no-nonsense, cool stance, displaying none of that hysterical desperation (sacrificing dignity and self-worth in the process) that I typically detest when push comes to shove. Both characters - perhaps more of Lyle really - aren't quite who they seem and Kate Hardy has made sure Lyle/Emily can only be together after their veneers have been stripped. The ending is somewhat abrupt and rushed though - with an almost-harried solution that made me wonder if their Happy-for-now would last - and I'd hoped I could see how they got on some time down the road.

Nevertheless, the Men of Marietta series is making me perk up, because there are still several stories to be told and I'm eager to see it get on.

Rating: 4.5/5

My Review:

This is the second story in the Men of Marietta series, the first being Tempting the Deputy by Heidi Rice. It continues on from the Bachelor Bake-off series but you don’t need to have read those stories to appreciate this one, though it does mean you know many of the characters and places involved. The key elements for this new series are the hunky first responders - cowboys, firefighters, medics, lawmen, pilots, etc - who are to pose for a calendar to raise money to help fund the development of Harry’s house, a community driven project to honour Harry who was tragically killed whilst trying to help an elderly couple. The project is to develop a safe place for children to go before and after school, a place where they can have support, activities and so much more whenever they need it. This first story tells how the idea of the pin up hotties calendar started and stars Charlie Foster and Logan Tate . . . this one has their siblings as the main characters!

Emily Foster is Charlie's older twin sister and she's always been the sensible, rule follower - exactly the opposite of Charlie. When Charlie lets her know that she's fallen in love and going to be staying in Marietta, Emily just has to secretly go to ensure Charlie isn't being fooled by a money-grabbing man who is out to use her trust fund, something that's happened to Emily in the past. When she goes for her first walk in the town a driver goes straight through a puddle, drenching Emily in the muddy water. After this inauspicious start, Em discovers that Charlie seems to be liked and appreciated in the town and everyone seems to say good things about the love of her life, too. She goes out to the Double T ranch to surprise Charlie and then discovers that the driver of the vehicle which soaked her is none other than Charlie's future brother-in-law, Lyle Tate. Lyle has a reputation for being a charming, adrenaline junky who rescues others but he's anything but charming to Emily - they clash from the outset! However, both have secrets and their attitudes are used to protect their vulnerable hearts. They're also very attracted to each other! Can they learn to trust each other and their feelings? Will they reveal their secrets and let their love grown and blossom?

This is another brilliant addition to the series with great characters, plenty of back story for both main characters and anguish galore before they can achieve their HEA. I'm looking forward to reading more from this series and can't help be remain impressed with the way the Tule team bring to life Marietta and its inhabitants whilst having a team of authors completing different books in the series - talk about brilliant collaboration and cooperation!

I received a copy of this story via NetGalley and this is my honest review after reading it.

Book 2 of the Men of Marietta Series is Flirting with Fire by Kate Hardy. Besides the connecting themes of the calendar and Harry’s House, it also has direct connection to Book 1 since this involves the siblings of Logan and Charlotte. The opposites attraction is amusing since the Lyle and Emily are also the exact opposite of their siblings. That could have seemed repetitive to some but Ms. Hardy breathes new life is these tropes making it quite an enjoyable read.
I didn’t see Lyle as a bad boy at all just an impulsive one with a big heart and a superior work ethic. Emily manages to stay cool, calm and collected but so in need of a change in her life. While their personalities seemed opposite their past had some of the same issues giving them common ground which worked well in this short novel.

I liked everything about this warm hearted story except felt as if the conclusion was quick. Perhaps since Flirting with Fire started out with Logan and Charlotte, the readers will get more on Emily and Lyle in the next book. I would certainly like to see that happen. As far as being a stand-alone, enough of the backstory is given so that it is not necessary to have read Tempting the Deputy, but, hey, why not read all of this entertaining series.

4.5 - "No regrets and no consequences." Stars!

Book Two in the Men of Marietta series; Flirting with Fire gives us Lyle Tate’s story, a man fond of calling the ladies 'Sugar' had me giggling regularly at his sweetness!

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Ladies man and general good-egg Lyle had me eager to read his story after his inclusion on the first book of the series, his waxing and naked photo-shoot escapades added a few laughs to the story-line his brother took the lead in. But the hints were also there that there is a lot more going on behind the smile with this guy, and I think on the whole Kate Hardy managed to do him justice.

"This is just getting something out of our systems. It’s not going to last. It’s not even going to mean anything."

The author essentially had the opposite character traits to deal with in this book as her predecessor. Emily Foster is in town to check that the man her sister has fallen in love with, is not just after her money, Logan and Charlotte were the subjects of the first book, and whereas she was free-spirited and he the buttoned up one, we reverse that trend with Lyle being the life and soul, and Emily the glass-half-empty personas this time. Their chemistry again goes from dislike to hot and heavy pretty quickly and again we are left wondering if one of the Foster sisters is going to stay the course.

She wanted all of him. The strength of the firefighter, the fearlessness of the smoke jumper, the tenacity of the rancher, the sweetness of the singer… All of him.

But for me it was the pasts of the Tate brothers that kept me reading because both Logan and Lyle have a lot of shared past between them, and most of it hasn’t been discussed. I was itching to get to this part of the book because essentially you are looking at two alpha males both trying to deal with things that they went through as kids, and still beating themselves up for their own perceived shortcomings, I was expecting tears, but I didn’t totally get there, mainly because it was dealt with a little too quickly for this readers liking, hence the fact the book was rated half a star less than it’s predecessor.

"I don’t make promises."

That-said, the first two books from this series have both been read in one sitting, and I have really enjoyed both of them, cannot wait to get my hands on the next book; Daring the Pilot, it’s time for the elusive Jonah Clark to give up his secrets.

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ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was an absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.

An excellent opposites attract story! Emily Foster arrives in Marietta to check up on her wild and crazy sister Charlie. They may be twins but they couldn't be more different. Charlie was the risk taking wild child, Emily the rule follower, but they love each other fiercely. So when Charlie decides to settle down in Marietta, Emily knew she had to check out the town and the guy her sister was so crazy about. Thankfully she really like Logan. He seems perfect for her sister. His brother Lyle on the other hand has a way of driving Emily crazy. Until he doesn't.....

Another entertaining read in this new series. I definitely recommend it.

The second in Tule Publishing's Men of Marietta series brings us a budding romance between Lyle Tate and Emily Foster: siblings of Logan and Charlotte who found love in book one, Tempting the Deputy.

"She’s the rule-breaker, and you…"
"I’m the boring one."

I loved Lyle as a secondary character, funny, cheeky and flirty I was pretty certain that he would be harbouring some deeper inner torment based on his childhood so I couldn't wait to dive in and see how his story would unfold. Emily is very much his opposite: arriving in Marietta with a bit of a stick up her rear, their first impressions of one another leave a little to be desired.

"Any other insults you’d like to throw at me while you’re on a roll?"

What soon becomes evident is how alike they actually are underneath their protective exteriors. And whilst I enjoyed this, and Lyle and Em as characters, I have to be honest in that I found the chemistry between them a little on the weaker side, taking that bit longer before they clicked for me.

"I’ve learned that I need to be just me."

But click they did and Kate Hardy has brought a good addition to the series with a lovely couple and one that definitely gathers momentum as the story progresses. And I can't not mention Lyle's fondness of calling the ladies sugar because intentional or not, it was was a little stroke of genius that tickled me hugely.

Onto #3 to see what the next man of Marietta brings.

This is the second book in Men of Marietta featuring the sexy first responders. Emily, the rule follower has arrived in Marietta to check up on her twin sister, Charlie, who has met the love of her life, Logan. Emily soon meets Lyle, smoke jumper and younger brother of Logan. Neither are looking for lasting relationship but a fling would be fine in both of their minds. Soon they find they are both opening their hearts with their unhappy upbringings. Are either one willing to make this more than a fling?

Loved this story of finding love when you least expect it. Great characters, who are broken but soon are able to help each other.

I highly recommend this book. I think you should read the first book in the series first though.

Emily is a B**** and a snob. I can't imagine why anyone would ever date her, much less Lyle, the romantic interest of the story.

Emily isn't a cute little spitfire. She is unpleasant and disagreeable and snooty. I really hated this character. She is a contrast to every other character in the book, which is a shame.

4 When You Can't Hide Any More Stars
* * * * 1/2
There is something to be said for a series that tackles the feeling of guilt and shame. These feelings are more common then we would like to think...and are caused for any number of reasons...The most important thing to address, though, is the way to make those who feel it for totally unnecessary reasons ...let it go. What I appreciate so much is a book which brings these issues to the forefront and Flirting with Fire does just that.

But what is even more impressive is the way Tule Publishing has brought another Marietta Montana series together with the idea of creating a place for kids to go to where they feel safe. A beloved member of the community was killed while helping another. This man had touched everyone... through his friendship, his work with the First Responders and just always being "That Good Guy".

This series has taken the need to raise additional money to rehab a donated house. The condition of this free house is time sensitive. The town has already come together with a huge bake sale (another Multiple Author Series) raising over $30,000. The problem is a newly discovered plumbing and drainage issue is causing the timing of rehab to be in jeopardy.

In the first book, we were given the foundation; a British, Snazzy, Free Spirited Photographer who crossed paths with a part time Deputy/full time Rancher. These two butt heads from the start and with our gal wanting to give the Deputy Payback...she came up with the perfect way to raise the money for Harry's House. Since she was an award winning photographer with the goods to back it up...

She suggested the group of hunky guys before her at Greys Bar do a Calendar...a tasteful Calendar with strategically placed items covering the important goods...In other words... Nude men who's bodies deserved to be seen by everyone...She had just done this with Chicago's Firemen and they had raised $50,000 in one month.

Now the tale of how all of this went down is in the first book... and it was a winner for me...It also gave a taste of all the guys who will be getting their own stories. The one fella who was willing to bare all was the Deputy's younger brother.

Lyle...Friendly, Charming, willing to go the distance for any of his fellow First Responders and did one of the most dangerous jobs there is... A Fire Jumper...Yes, that is what I said... He and others jump from planes and land in forests where they are in flames... work to contain them and then get out of there.

Lyle is the risky one of his family and his brother was the strong, protective one. Lyle was the younger of the two and both these men did not have a great childhood. The love they knew left them when their sweet mother passed too soon. That left them with their father....and he became another man after that...He became a drunk... quick with his hands and the older brother made sure Lyle never felt any of it. This childhood took a toll on the both of them.... and each carried it in their own way.

In this book our photographer's twin sister comes out to see if her sister's love for the Deputy is real.

Emily was the older twin by 2 minutes and she took on board the big sister theme. She and Charlotte were the children of parents who thought babies were the perfect accessories...cute in designer outfits, wonderful ways to garner photo ops...and the necessary items to inherit their trust funds.

Once Emily and Charlotte were out of the "Cute and Usable Years" Mummy and Daddy shipped them off to boarding schools where Charlotte was the risky one trying to get the parents attention that way... and Emily thought being perfect was hers. Neither behavior worked...but what did happen was a pattern of Emily always bailing Charlotte out of whatever situation she was in....and Emily Always standing by Charlotte's side.

So we have these two people, Lyle and Emily, who seem so opposite brought together because of their siblings. Their first meeting isn't the best... and assumptions are formed... with Emily seeing Lyle as crass and him seeing Emily as stuffy...

But as the story unfolds...sparks simmer and stir...and Emily has the ability to see through the Happy Go Lucky ways of Lyle and sees a man who is hiding his pain and guilt. Lyle sees the woman Emily is, not the perfect front... He see a woman who has been taken advantage of...and wants to show her she is worth so much more than her pocketbook.

When these two people finally drop their masks and just be together...it is something to enjoy.

All of this is happening with the addition thread of Harry's House, the calendar and close knit community of Marietta, Montana. For me, this series is addictive... like trying to just have a bite of something...and then consuming it all. You have heard of Binge watching...well, think Binge Reading.

Tempting the Deputy (Men of Marietta, #1) by Heidi Rice Tempting the Deputy (Men of Marietta, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I really like Lyle, he is a lot deeper than he wants people to believe. Emily is a toughie, who is also hiding her true self.
Overall, a super sweet, enjoyable romance that I connected with and just wanted to keep reading

Flirting With Fire is the second in the Men Of Marietta series and this story is a corker! It moves along at a cracking pace and had me wondering from very early on until almost the very end how on earth the protagonists would resolve their issues. Both Emily and Lyle are complex characters whose outlook on life is very much shaped by events in their past and their less than satisfactory parents. Interestingly in Emily's case she is the controlled sibling, always trying to be responsible while her sister is the rule breaker whereas Lyle is the carefree sibling and his brother always does the right thing.
This book hooked me immediately and held me throughout. Author Kate Hardy clearly worked closely with Heidi Rice, author of Tempting The Deputy, which is the first book in the series, because the stories gel really well together. It's not vital to have read book one to enjoy book two but it will enrich the story. This one worked really well for me.