#Review: Brave the Heat by Sara Humphreys - 4 Wine Glasses

Title: Brave the Heat
Series: The McGuire Brothers #1
Author: Sara Humphreys
Format: eBook/Paperback, 320 pages
Published: September 1st 2015 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 1402293674
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Linda
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 Wine Glasses

The only fire he can’t put out…

Jordan McKenna is back in town, and Fire Chief Gavin Maguire’s feelings when he sees her after all these years are as raw as the day she left. Then he was just a kid wearing his heart on his sleeve. Now he spends every day trying to atone for the tragedy he couldn’t prevent.

Is the torch he carries for her...

Jordan’s life has not exactly worked out the way she expected. A divorced mother of two with a failed acting career, Jordan’s biggest concern about coming back to Old Brookfield was seeing her first love. But when a series of suspicious fires breaks out, Jordan and Gavin realize that dealing with the sparks between them may be the least dangerous of their problems.

Linda's Thoughts:
A hot man like that was made for more than friendship...

BRAVE THE HEAT by Sara Humphreys is the first intriguing installment in Sara's new The McGuire Brothers series. It's a contemporary romance set in the small town of Old Brookfield, an idyllic New England hamlet. BRAVE THE HEAT is the second chance at love story of Fire Chief Gavin Maguire, aka Captain Hotty Pants McGuire, and Jordan McKenna. I read it in one day as I couldn't put it down once I'd started.

Gavin and Jordan were young lovers fifteen years ago. Then, after an argument, Jordan disappeared, without a word, leaving no trace. Jordan ended up marrying a rich Wall-Streeter and had two beautiful daughters. But all was not roses in that relationship, and Jordan has moved back to Old Brookfield for a new start to be near her parents as her father is ill. Neither Gavin nor Jordan have been able to forget the other. Gavin's dreams ended the day Jordan left and his emotional state where Jordan is concerned can only be described as raw. Is there a do-over in their future?

Gavin is such a sweetheart. He was beyond awesome with Jordan's two girls. I loved his magic tricks! I was pulling for Jordan to give Gavin a chance but could understand her reluctance to take a leap when her girls were involved. Their chemistry jumped off the pages and it was impossible for either of them to deny it. This installment was romantic and suspenseful as there was a fire bug in Old Brooksfield setting fires endangering lives and property. It was over and above scary as the race was on to find the perpetrator as he became more brazen... and deadly.

Following please find a few of favorite quotes from this read:

"I must have a screw loose," she muttered under her breath. Satisfied the counter was clean, she squatted down and put the cleaning supplies away in the cabinet beneath the register. "Yup. There's definitely something wrong with me."
"Are you looking for confirmation on that?" Jordan's heart hitched in her chest as Gavin's familiar baritone filled the shop. "Or am I supposed to argue with you?"
---

"But make no mistake about it, Jordan. When the time is right and you're ready" - he trailed his forefinger along the edge of her palm and stilled when she shivered in response - "I have every intention of getting you into bed. And sleeping will have little to do with it."
---

"You okay?" He moved past her into the kitchen and deposited his beer bottle in the sink. "You're all flushed."
"I'm fine," she said a little too quickly. "It's hot in here, that's all."
Oh sure. It was a little hot anywhere he was. The kitchen...the living room... the polar ice caps...
One of my favorite early scenes occurred when Gavin entered the flower shop where Jordan was working to buy flowers for his mother's birthday. The couple came so close to kissing as Jordan showed Gavin the shop's selection of yellow roses... until Cookie popped in to the picture:
"Did you need Jordan for something, Cookie?" Gavin asked with thinly veiled impatience. Hands back in his pockets, he took a step away from Jordan. "Or do you merely excel at crappy timing?"
"Sorry, Chief." Cookie's short purple-and-blue hair stuck out in a hundred different directions, and she winked when she peeked out from behind the swinging door....
"It's a gift."
"That's not what I would call it," he grumbled.

BRAVE THE HEAT was well-written and populated with an interesting cast of characters. I look forward to reading the stories of the other Maguire brothers. I personally hope that K-9 cop Ronan's is next and I hope his special someone is Jordan's friend, Maddy, who deserves a happy ever after of her own. A bonus is that readers would be treated to Bowser's story along the way. Bowser is Ronan's canine partner. Regardless, each one of the Maguire boys will make swoon worthy heroes. I loved the ending of this book which had me on the edge of my seat one minute and then melting into a puddle the next. If you enjoy second chance at love stories with fast-paced, unnerving, fire-fighting action and featuring sweltering chemistry, you need to pick up BRAVE THE HEAT!