Flames of Love: A FREE Friends-with-Benefits Fireman Romance

This is one free book you don't want to miss and a great beginning to a series. Ms. Wright had me from the first sentence and didn't let go until the last and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. This is the story of Sugar and Jaxson, who meet at the donut shop where Sugar works in the small town that Jaxson moves to as the new firechief. They are intrigued with each other from the beginning, but Jaxson is coming off a bad divorce and trying to regain custody of his sons and Sugar is also coming off of a bad marriage and an emotionally abusive one. Jaxson learns that small towns are both a blessing and a curse when he takes over as the new "paid" chief at the volunteer fire station. His welcome is frosty at best and seems to go aways downhill before it can get better. Unfortunately, not everyone has the full story but all are quick to judge. Jaxson needs to keep this job in order to show the judge that he is a stable and fit parent and deserves joint custody of his two boys. Sugar has not had any easy time of things and is still trying to rebuild herself from her ex-husbands abuse and her parents abandonment. She knows what it is like to be at the receiving end of the town's gossip mill and when she learns that Jaxson is being unfairly judged she decides to befriend him and help him adjust. They soon agree to become friends with benefits. Add in a vengeful volunteer firefighter, a goofy Great Dane, two rambunctious boys and an all seeing small town and you have the makings for a very enjoyable read.

It started off strong, however there was not enough dialog. The climax of the story comes and then it ends abruptly afterwards, jumping months in the future. Like the author didn't know how to end it and needed to wrap it up real quick.

Every now and then, one comes across a book that makes you sulk when it comes to an end, like a kid who’s been denied ice cream! With Flames of Love I wished we could have had an extended epilogue, just so that we could have a few more minutes of Jaxson and Sugar, and of course Hamlet. I loved the introductory chapter and Jaxson and Sugar's meeting. From the initial introduction to these characters, one assumes that they are lighthearted, easygoing people. Nothing can be further from the truth. Their sense of humour has been honed from years of pain and survival, knowing that if they didn't laugh, they would cry. When Jaxson takes on the position of fire chief in the small town of Sawyer, he doesn't realise just how much prejudice and resentment he is up against. With half the town set to jeopardise his future, Jaxson knows that he has his work cut out for him. Nevertheless, among the bad eggs, there are some characters of sterling quality and with their help, Jaxson starts to make inroads into the problems facing him. Both Jaxson and Sugar have vows about dating, but in meeting one another, their rules begin to erode and crumble. They have more in common with each other than they first realise and with Hamlet playing his part, the couple find common ground. The one thing about getting close to another person is that it is difficult to continue keeping secrets. Sugar has been conditioned to believe the lies that have been told to her from the time she can remember, and she is therefore sceptical of Jaxson's acceptance. It takes a crisis to bring both of them to the place where they realise that together they can be stronger. This book is very well written and evokes the reader''s emotions without being mushy or patronising. Issues surrounding divorce are sensitively dealt with, however I would have liked to see Sugar receive the counseling she so desperately needed. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.