Friday 11 November 2016

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: SAVED BY THE FIREFIGHTER by RACHEL BRIMBLE


Enter to Win a $25 Amazon Gift card
 
 
Saved by the Firefighter
Templeton Cove #6
By: Rachel Brimble 
Releasing November 1, 2016 
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.
 
Buy Links:   Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
 
 

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.
 
"Hi, how can I…” Her heart stopped. Trent Palmer stood just inside the door. “Why are you here?”
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!
 
 Author Links:  Website Facebook Twitter | GoodReads
 
 


 

1 comment:

  1. I've read all the books of this series. It's really good. Then again, what book by Rachel Brimble isn't good? If you've read her work, you'll know what I'm talking about.

    ReplyDelete