ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ SLOW BURN BY ANNE MARSH

Title: Slow Burn (Smoke Jumpers, Book Two)

Author: Anne Marsh

Expected Release Date: March 26, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

The second in Anne Marsh’s pulse-pounding Smoke Jumpers series ripples with nail-biting suspense and sensuality, giving an inside look at a special brand of hero and the kind of woman it takes to win him.

It’s not every man who’ll risk his life jumping into the flames of a woodland inferno. Then again, Evan Donovan isn’t like other men. No matter how great or how treacherous the challenge, he gets the job done. But when he agrees to look in on a friend’s ex-wife after a suspicious brush fire, Evan learns that some jobs are too hot to handle…

Faye Duncan is a photographer on a mission, shooting fires for a magazine. Her first encounter with a wildfire isn’t nearly as wild as her first night with Evan Donovan. Things really heat up when Evan learns she may have taken a photo of the arsonist setting the fires. Evan is determined to keep Faye safe—but first, he’ll have to open up his heart…

Book Review 

This is my first book by author, Anne Marsh, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I will scour the bookstores for more of her work, as she writes strong, believable characters with great sexual chemistry. 

Although this is the second book in a series, this can be read separately and not leave the reader confused with the story's plot. And trust me ~ I WILL be purchasing book one, BURNING UP,  to read later. 

Nestled in the California hills is the small town of Strong. Three brothers --  Jack, Evan, and Rio --  work together as smoke jumpers, parachuting from a DC-3 to battle hotter-than-hell blazes that threaten to consume acres of wildlife. 

Faye Duncan, photographer extraordinaire, has left L.A. shortly after her divorce has been finalized. Cashing in her 401k and with very little money left to her name, she heads to Strong to take pictures of the small town fire department. Along the way, Faye runs through the beginnings of a bush fire--literally. Pulling over, she snaps photos of a mysterious man near the fire, unaware that he is the arsonist who has started the blaze.

Evan Donovan is a  smoke jumper--a man of few words, protective of his men and his brothers, as well as the woman who took him in at age ten to raise him. The small town of Strong is his home, his life, and fighting the fire will always come first in his life. 

Evan has been asked to look after his friend's ex-wife, who is on her way to Strong. And guess what? She is the photographer assigned to taking photos of the to-be-renovated firehouse. Small world and all that, lol. 

Faye isn't looking for another serious relationship, but she thinks that Evan can provide her with some serious fun-time. When Evan realizes that she has seen and photographed a possible arsonist who is a part of his team, the two strike a bargain --Faye will hold off sending her pictures to her editor until Evan can find the person responsible for setting the fire. 

But something happens during the small amount of time Evan and Faye are together. The two grow closer, opening up to one another, and what was once a summer fling could be something more...

Overall, Slow Burn is an enjoyable romantic read with a tinge of suspense and an endearing secondary romance between Ben and Nonna. I look forward to reading Rio's book (?). Hopefully Anne Marsh has plans to continue this series to include the last of the brothers.