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Saved
by the Firefighter
Templeton Cove #6
Templeton Cove #6
By: Rachel Brimble
Releasing
November 1, 2016
Harlequin Superromance
Harlequin Superromance
In Saved by the Firefighter (Templeton Cove #6) by Rachel Brimble, Izzy Cooper is struggling to cope with the death of her brother. She's alienated her best friend, Kate, and would rather surround herself in work than deal with her grief. Except her brother's friend, Trent Palmer, just won't give up on helping her, no matter how hard she tries to push him away. However, for Izzy, keeping her distance isn't easy, especially when they're forced together, so she can shoot some photos of him for a firefighter calendar.
Although I haven't read the other books of this series by Ms. Brimble, I found this story could easily be read as a stand-alone. Right from the beginning, what happens between Izzy and Trent in chapter one sets the fast pace of this story and drew me in immediately because not only do Izzy and Trent have really strong chemistry, but this book contains the brother's best friend trope; a trope that I really enjoy. So, of course, I was hooked and wanting to read what obstacles this couple would face on their journey to happy ever after.
As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories and what happens on the job for Trent as a firefighter. Dealing with losing someone she loved and was very close to was extremely hard for Izzy, and I could understand why she was so determined to isolate herself from everyone. Why couldn't people just give her the chance to grieve in her own time? Yet, in saying that, I could also fathom why Trent was so persistent to help Izzy. Because the heroine had to deal with the truth, of that there was nothing anyone could do to help her brother. Unfortunately, some people are meant to die. There's nothing anyone can do in certain circumstances. It's just their time. Furthermore, the emotions and reactions were hard not to feel along with the main characters, especially Izzy. She has so much grief locked up inside.
I really liked both characters, even though at times, I was frustrated by the indecisiveness they both had towards their growing relationship. If it wasn't Izzy with her abandonment issues and the fact that Trent has such a dangerous job as a firefighter that she can't trust he'll always be around. It was Trent dealing with his own loss and believing that she'd be better off without him because there are no guarantees in life. Couldn't they both come to the realization that life is too short? However, in saying that, the advice from various secondary characters had me smiling. Both needed to accept the good advice offered, especially when they've already suffered the lose of loved ones taken too early.
Overall, Ms. Brimble has penned a good, emotionally-charged story about healing from lose and finding it in one's heart to forgive. This author also provided a story with a strong romance between the pair, which spilled over onto the pages to do their chemistry justice. The way this story ended had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after. Izzy realizes she can't live without Trent after what happens to him, and I liked that Trent made the right decision when it came to his career; a decision that would keep the heroine from worrying about him too much. I would recommend Saved by the Firefighter, if you enjoy the brother's best friend trope.
OVERALL RATING:
BLURB:
How can she forgive him for what he didn't do?
Photographer Izzy Cooper feels as
frozen as her pictures. Trent Palmer might be the hottest firefighter in
Templeton Cove, but she can never face him again. Not after he failed to save
her brother. But when they're forced together by a calendar shoot, the sparks
between them are undeniable.
Izzy knows it's not fair to blame
Trent for the tragedy, but opening herself up to loss again isn't something
she's prepared to do, no matter how determined Trent is to show her that pain
is part of life and that love—their love—can make any suffering bearable.
The security alarm
chimed. Someone had stepped inside the studio. Exhaling a heavy breath, Izzy
pulled back her shoulders, lifted her head and forced a smile.
His dark green gaze
bored relentlessly into hers, his strong jaw set as he reached behind him and
shut the door. “I came by to see how you’re doing.”
Traitorous
attraction skittered over the surface of her skin before Izzy turned and strode
toward the corner she used for staging portrait shots. The fluffy bunnies, huge
furry dice and toys she’d used to relax a toddler earlier now felt macabre.
She spun around,
clutching a teddy bear. “The same as I was doing yesterday and the day before.
I told you I don’t want to see you. I don’t ever
want to see you. Why do you keep coming back?”
He came closer, his
gaze locked on hers. “You have to talk to me. I was Robbie’s friend. There was
nothing—”
“You could do.
Fine. I get it, but why do you feel the need to keep coming in here and
checking up on me? What do you want me to do? Dance in the street? Kick up my
heels at the fairground? God, just leave me alone.”
“There’s a beach
party tonight. I want you to come with me.”
She stared. Why
him? Why would a man she really liked—a damn firefighter—have to pursue her
like she was someone worth pursuing? “No.”
He looked at the
equipment covering the desk alongside him. He lifted and replaced a camera, the
hunch of his wide shoulders indicating his discomfort. Izzy hated that she drew
no satisfaction from that…only sadness.
He turned. “I want
you to come and show your face to the people who care about you. Kate said—”
“Kate had no right
to say anything to you.” She lifted her chin. “I’m fine.”
"Then come to the
beach.”
“No.”
He crossed his
arms. “Why not? What good is it doing you, hiding away in here
twenty-four-seven?”
“I’m not hiding.” Liar. “My work is better than
it’s ever been. I have lots to keep me busy, and I don’t need you or a damn
beach party to make me feel better.”
“This isn’t who you
are, Iz. You’ve always worked, always been ambitious, but everyone is used to
you taking pictures while you play as well as work. Where have you gone? Don’t
you think Robbie would’ve wanted you to step out into the sunlight now and
then?”
The sound of her
brother’s name on Trent’s lips brought the sting of tears to her eyes. “Don’t
talk to me about Robbie. He would want me to do whatever I wanted and right now
the last thing I want to do is talk to you.” She turned her back to him and
tossed the bear into a plastic crate of other props. She sighed. “Please,
Trent. Just get out of here.”
“You know as well
as I do that Robbie wanted us together. He actively encouraged it.”
“Yeah, he did and
look how that turned out.”
His jaw tightened.
“Are you saying it was no good? That we were no good? God, Iz, Robbie would’ve
loved knowing we finally got together.”
Loss wrapped around
her heart making it ache. “Maybe, but he would’ve also seen we were a bad idea
together too.”
Hurt flashed in his
eyes, before he exhaled heavily. “Look, you might not want to talk to me, but
there’s someone else we have to think about.”
She planted her
hands on her hips, her body humming with irritation and the urge the grip him
by his stupidly large biceps and march him out of her studio. Didn’t he realize
he was invading her only place of peace? “Who?”
“Maya Jackson. We
have to do this calendar, Iz. We promised. If we don’t set up the shoot soon,
it won’t be ready for Christmas. That little girl, her family and Kate are
relying on you…us…to do this.”
She tipped her head
back and glared at the ceiling. There was no way she’d let down Maya, suffering
so acutely with leukemia, any more than she would continue in a relationship
with date the firefighter who’d failed to respond quick enough to save her
brother. No matter how the results of the ensuing investigation had confirmed
it had been a falling beam that killed Robbie at the garage, she had to blame
someone or she’d go insane.
The safest person
to blame was strong, reliable Trent. A man she’d grown to deeply care for and
admire during the four years before Robbie died. A man who knew her and her
brother. Knew her home and her life…and who, God damn it, still wanted to know
her.
He didn’t deserve
her derision; he didn’t deserve everything she threw at him, yet time and
again, he became her target. She had to keep his interest at bay. Better
still—stop it altogether.
Rachel Brimble lives
with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK.
After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent
representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had five books published by Harlequin
Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and three Victorian romances by
eKensington/Lyrical.
Rachel is
a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America,
and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can
Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in
a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream
place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes
nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance
writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
