This book was really slow to start. I enjoyed it, but parts seemed to drone on. I enjoy her other books a lot better. I will still continue to read this author though. ( )

This book was really slow to start. I enjoyed it, but parts seemed to drone on. I enjoy her other books a lot better. I will still continue to read this author though. ( )

Burning Up is the start to a new series, and what a start it is!

I loved Jake and Erin's story. She's had a crush on him forever--he was her brother's best friend growing up--but he shut her down years ago. As soon as she had the chance, Erin left town and has barely looked back since...until her mother's health takes a turn for the worse. Newly out of a job, she plans to spend the summer finding a new one as far away from her hometown as she can and avoiding her mother's meddling at all costs.

For years Jake's life has revolved around two things--his daughter Bailey and his job as a firefighter. He doesn't need the complications that dating would bring, but still jumps at the chance to take Erin as his plus one to a family wedding, if only to prevent a maternal set-up with her neighbor the cat lady. It's not like a relationship with Erin could go anywhere--her brother Reece is his coworker now, and anyway, she's leaving before the summer's over. It's just a friendly date, right?

Riiiight. ;)

I loved the two of them together, even if they took turns making me crazy. Jake's hesitancy to get involved with his friend's sister and to start something with someone who's got one foot out of town already was understandable--mixed with his undeniable attraction to Erin, though, it made him go hot and cold constantly. Erin spent the summer wishing she were somewhere else (literally, at one point--I loved the scenes at the town wishing fountain!), except when she was with Jake...and with her friends, and her family, and...gah! couldn't she just see how right her hometown was for her? (Not living with her mom, though. That's never the right choice when you're almost 30.) Watching Jake and Erin grow closer and let go of their fears was a lot of fun, and I'm anxious to get glimpses of where their relationship is going in future books.

Burning Up is only my second book my Ms. Blackwood but definitely not my last--I can't wait to find out what's going on with Sloan (Erin's BFF) and Reece. Fingers crossed that book 2 is theirs!

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. ( )

A new, steamy hot romance series that the first book features a firefighter who is a single dad is just my kind of series. Of course, there is history, there is family meddling, but the steamy hot romance is what won me over. While Jake’s heart is guarded due to his daughter’s mother running out on him when she was just a baby. Then he runs into his best friends little sister, who is so off limits but his heart has other plans.

The instant chemistry between Jake and Erin was perfect. The hints at the flirting that may have happen during high school was fun. I love that there was a history between them and they didn’t hide from it. If anything they embraced it, respected it, and pulled the good from it to make their current relationship ever better.

The secondary characters give the reader a glimpse of potential future storylines and there were a few hints of who may hook-up with whom. I am excited to read more of Jennifer Blackwood’s book and hopefully catch up with Erin and Jake while learning more about the rest of the Flirting with Fire Family. ( )

Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) We meet Erin who returns home to Portland to assist her mother since she had an operation. Erin dreads being home, she left at the age of 18 after feeling suffocated from her mom, she loves her family she does but her mom has no boundaries, so she is counting the days to return to her home of sunny San Fran, unfortunately she was laid off as a teacher so now she is on the job hunt. She ends up running into her crush Jake, who also happens to be her brothers best friend, and she thought she no longer had that crush but boy was she wrong. Jake is interested in Erin, but he tries to remember the Bro Code and also he has a daughter that he does not want to hurt by bringing someone to their lives to just leave again..But plans change..Enjoy! ( )