Review: Burning Up – Anne Marsh

It takes a special kind of hero to be a smoke jumper. To take the greatest risks. To live or die in the raging heat of the moment. And it takes a special kind of woman to love him. . .
Where There’s Smoke. . .
For Jack Donovan, smoke jumping is a way of life. He lives for the adrenaline rush–the thrill of flying over the burning California hills, the intensity of diving straight into the inferno, the glory of taming the forces of nature. Love is a distant ember compared to the feeling he gets fighting fires–until an emergency call from his hometown brings him face to face with the one woman he can’t forget. . .
There’s Fire
Lily never got over the handsome rogue who once kissed her senseless–and then left. She vowed she was done with love-’em-and-leave-’em men and small town life. Until a series of malicious fires set by a stalker has her running home to hide. Now, their summer is heating up as Jack fights to save her from the stalker’s fiery threats and to convince her to give the passion between them a second chance.

Series:  Smoke Jumpers #1
Release Date:  October 30, 2012
Publisher:  Kensington Publishing
Source:  Provided by Author
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

I love when I get a new Anne Marsh book in my hands.  No matter what the topic, I find myself in love with the story and the characters she’s created.  It doesn’t matter if the hero is a vampire or a firefighter, she always managed to pull me in with the arrogant, but lovable, heroes and the strong heroines they fall in love with. 

In Burning Up, hot shot smoke jumper, Jack Donovan, is brought back to the small Northern California town that because his home after being adopted.  He’s there to help solve the mystery around a series of fires that have erupted that summer, but finds himself in alpha protective mode when the girl he couldn’t have is in the middle of the mystery.  It takes Jack’s arrogance and expertise with fire to bring down the person responsible while giving away his heart to the one person who’s always owned it.

I loved the dynamics between Jack and Lilly.  He was the older boy she had a crush on and she the girl the didn’t think he deserved to have.  While Jack may have walked away from her when they were teenagers, he finds himself unable to reign in the protective alpha streak that wants to claim Lily as his.  So while Jack tries to push his agenda, Lily fights him knowing she could lose her heart and be hurt by Jack when he leaves town again.

That was the crux of their relationship.  Both of them had abandonment issues, which wrecked havoc on both of them trying to establish a relationship.  But while Jack might be willing to give right now, Lily quickly realizes that she needs more than that which leads to many battles of wills between them.

The mystery around the arsonist was interesting, even if it did get a little predictable towards the end.  At that point though, I was more invested in what Jack was going to do to ensure Lily was kept safe than how they were going to take the arsonist down (although I will say the arsonist did get what he deserved).

Most definitely a series worth picking up.  I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series.