Once again Ms Collins has delivered a HEA filled with passion, tension, sorrow and intensity. From the onset, the story takes hold and hangs on to the conclusion. The dynamics between Vin and Jac is sexy hot, filled with emotions and complexities. With Vin's need to protect Jac from her pain and sorrow, emerges a relationship that is passionate and intense. They help other heal, while at the same time accept what was driving them together. I don't think this story could have gotten any better until the heart stopping end and tug at the heartstrings conclusion.

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

Jacqui Edwards is back in Glacier Creek after losing her firefighter husband. Needless to say it has been rough of her.

Vin Kingston is one of Jacqui's late husbands best friends/coworkers. Now that Jacqui is back to Glacier Creek, she is leaning on Vin a lot. She know he is someone she can lean on and not be afraid to cry of. What starts off as a friendship, leads to more.

While I love firefighters (or in this case smokejumpers), I am not so much of a fan of a widow falling for her husband's best friend. It seems like a bro code violation to me. I know Jacqui should move on with her life, but this didn't work for me.

3.5 "I want a man who actually loves me." Stars

Scorch had the potential to be a great read with some emotion injected into it and, whilst Vin and Jacqui were particularly likeable and I was won over on the premise of the grieving widow and her husbands best friend, I have to say that I wasn't overly enamoured with one of the primary parts of the story: I find the whole my-marriage-was-perfect-until-my-husband-died-and-now-I'm-realising-he-didn't-love-me-the-same-way a weak plot.

"He was lucky to have been loved that much. If he was destined to die young, well, at least he had that."

Nevertheless, it was an easy enough read: Vin and Jac do indeed scorch when they cross the line, and I did enjoy catching up with characters who featured in the author's Love in Montana offering. Overall though it's one of those that I've read, enjoyed but will likely forget, however it has tempted me into checking out a couple more in the Firefighters of Montana series.

Scorch by Dani Collins is a steamy, passionate story with a cast of imperfect characters who command your attention from the start.

3 Nothing Is As It Seems Stars
* * *
When we love... we hope and even pray your partner loves you just as intently...Yes, there may be times when couples ebb and flow in the shifting of desire and caring...But overall if they are a good match... it all evens out in the end.

This is the topic of concern in this story...and the main character, Jacqui, finally comes to terms with the reality of what her marriage really was...A wish fulfillment... a marriage where she was the one who loved... and loved totally...while the man of her dreams cared about her...but not the way she had truly wanted.

There is another equally important thread to this tale...A man who has had a rain cloud over head...from the very start. Vin was shuffled around from Foster Home to Group Home...Where he learned not to think anything good was ever going to happen because there was always someone ready to steal it away... Vin learned these lesson well and very rarely dared to think he would ever have anything of his own like a home or family or roots...

The one time he did go down that path...It wasn't long before the woman he married became frustrated with the sexy smoke-jumper she went after.. All the excitement of a man who was a firefighter...a hero and on the edge of death lost its glory once they were married and she spent nights alone while he fought the fires. Divorce happened and Vin lost the house that was supposed to be his home...and once again it was a self fulfilling prophecy of nothing ever working out for him.

Jacqui and Vin knew each other because Jacqui's husband was the Captain of Vin's Unit. Jacqui had been the office manager and all around right hand person there. Everyone knew everyone in this small town and Russ and Jacqui's relationship was the town's personal love story.

They were married for years, did all of the events and seemed to perfectly happy....and in many ways they were but everything was not as it seemed....

And then tragedy struck. Russ was out in the field jumping into a fire and the wind shifted without warning...He was killed before he hit the ground.... and Vin had to bring his body out of area...Guilt and what ifs tortured him...He felt responsible even though there was nothing anyone could have done.

Jacqui is overwhelmed and has to get away...she goes to Florida to stay with family for awhile, thinking she will move there permanently. While she is away, she and Vin stay in touch with him doing finishing touches to the house she left and taking care of her pooch.

These two develop a deep friendship and she has decided to sell Vin the house. He feels maybe he will finally have a home. When she comes back to finish up loose ends...the pull of the Firehouse and how much she loved her life here calls to her. She decides to stay, keep her job and is happy with the decision she has made.

Vin only hears she is staying....he only is thinking once again a dream he allowed himself to have is being stripped away...And the worst part of all of this is the feelings he is having for this woman....

We are give a story of two people who have had very different lives ...each with their own issues...and how through determination and our gal's stubborn resolve...a happy ending.

It is Jacqui who see things clearly... mistakes from the past...but also love for a man gone. She is ready to grab life and move on...and this time she plans on it being equal and real... not out of "the right thing to do." She goes after Vin with two-fisted desire and makes a damaged man see the light.

This is part of new series. It focuses on men and women who throw themselves out of planes... fighting fires and rescuing others in their time of need.


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

A young widow moves ahead with life after her husband tragically dies. She falls for one of his smokejumper colleagues, but he's afraid to trust in the relationship. There is tremendous emotion displayed in this story, and one must admire Jacqui as she comes to terms with her first marriage and new love. Excellent character development.

Book two in the Firefghters of Montana series, Scorch is every bit as fast paced as Smolder. The series enables readers to get to know peripheral characters, but each story stands alone just fine. With two to three hours of story between the covers they make for perfect Saturday afternoon reading.
Scorch is a story of second chances both for Jacqui, widow of Russ Edwards, the highly regarded former captain of the Glacier Creek smokejumpers, and Vin, his best friend.
This story has plenty of angst as both Jacqui and Vin come to grips with their relationships to Russ and to each other. Of course there is also plenty of action, and if you're into toned, muscular male physiques you'll find enough to fire your imagination.
I was amazed at the amount of information that was packed effortlessly between the first page and the last. Dani Collins has done a rip snorting good job here and I just loved it.

Jacqui must learn to live again and Vin wants to help but has to let go of the past. Second book on the firefighters of Montana series. Definitely a page turner.
Ebook from netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

Great "hot" smokejumpers series

This is the second book in the FIREFIGHTERS OF MONTANA series. The first was SMOLDER by Tracy Solheim, which I also read and enjoyed. In fact, I enjoyed both of these books so much that I bought the other three books in the series - IGNITE, HEAT, and FLAME, all by different authors.

First of all, at least so far, these books are much more focused on romance rather than than the smokejumper aspect. Yes, there is some firefighting going on but front and center is the couple the romance is about.

SCORCH was a romance but it was also very sexy so be forewarned if you are not looking for explicit sex in the books you read.

Jacqui Edwards is back in Glacier Creek, Montana after going off to Florida after her husband, the Captain of the smokejumpers group, was killed in a fire jump. She has kept in touch with Vin Kingston, who was a friend of her husband's and of her. He's been living in their house, planning on buying it, after going through a divorce. Neither Jac or Vin expect the mutual attraction when Jac comes back to town.

I thought the backstory of both Jac and Vin really added to the story, liked both of their characters, the locale, and boy, was it "hot."

I received this book from Tule Publishing through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

A quick read, but hard to put down romance between the widow and best friend of a hero. A little frustrating at times, with how Vin pushes her away a little too much, but otherwise I liked the book. Jaci was perky and fun, and my heart went out to her. Highly recommend this book and series of smoke jumpers in Montana.