Synopsis
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series comes a brand-new novel about arson investigator, Ann Ashburn, who is consumed by her troubled past, her family’s scorched legacy, and her current case: chasing a deadly killer.
Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed…
By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.
Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.
Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn’t believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again–until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.
Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.
From the creator of the bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood, get ready for a new band of brothers. And a firestorm . . .
My Review:
“I never believed in love . . . I thought it was just a word, a title folks gave to daydreams and misconceptions about destiny, a lie folks told to themselves to make them feel solid in this imperfect, unreliable, and mean-ass world. Now I know it can happen between two people. And it doesn’t have to make sense because it’s not about logic. And it doesn’t have to have good timing because forever is like infinity, without beginning or end. And it doesn’t have to be defined because truth is like faith—it just is. So, let’s toast to love.”
Firefighting is in Anne Ashburn’s blood. She’s tough, brave and fiercely independent. Love is for other people, not her. As a female in a male-dominated profession, she’s not about to give up her career. She’s a thrill junkie, great at her job and assigned to one of the Top firefighting stations in the city.
Written in J.R. Ward’s trademark brisk, no-nonsense style, the dangers faced by firefighters are thrillingly outlined and painstakingly described. Called out to a brutal fire one night. Anne’s life changes forever, and Danny McGuire feels responsible. Anne distances herself from Danny and is assigned to an arson investigation detail. No one works harder than Anne but she lives a very lonely life. Her family, her fellow firefighters and her friends all try to stay close with her but Anne is determined to keep everyone at arm’s length.
”Anything that was provided by someone other than yourself, whether it was money or position or emotional support, could be, by definition, taken away from you.”
Danny and Anne’s story begins in the free prequel novellas, The Wedding From Hell. I highly recommend you read these first so that you get a sense of the characters and story. Although each ends on a cliffhanger, ‘Consumed’ is a stand-alone story. Danny and Anne h e incredible chemistry and their relationship develops with a great deal of poignancy and their scenes together are perfectly sexy.
“I don’t care if you forget my name right afterward. I just . . . I need you, Anne.”
Although it took me a little time to get into this book, I couldn’t wait to get back to it every time I JD to put it aside. The author really did her rear hand and she doesn’t shy away from the problems and PTSD faced by firefighters on a daily basis. The brave men and women risk their lives over and over again in life-threatening situations. This is a thrilling romantic suspense story that’s the beginning of a series of books about the members of Station 499 and is sexy, fast-paced and wickedly funny.
”I’m going to think about you,” he whispered. “You can stop us from ever doing this again, but you can’t control my mind or my dreams.”
(With thanks to the publisher for an advanced review copy.)
