Jill Shalvis: Falling into You

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243125028-falling-into-you

Book Blurb:

Some love stories don’t stay buried, no matter how far you run.

Hazel Pierce has three goals for coming back to Star Falls:
1. Help her estranged dad.
2. Keep things strictly temporary.
3. Absolutely, under no circumstances, fall for Tucker Colburn again.

That plan dies a dramatic, soggy death when a rogue wasp sting sends Hazel swerving off the road and into the river—only to be hauled out, half-drowned and furious, by the Star Falls Fire Department’s finest. Unfortunately, “finest” is ex–best friend, ex–one-night mistake, and the man she’s been avoiding for a decade.

Tucker’s always had a way of getting into her head. And now between a family that thrives on gossip and a town that’s way too small for all this chemistry, Hazel’s running out of ways to avoid the truth. As sparks turn into late-night confessions and slow, toe-curling kisses, Hazel has to decide if she’s done running—from her past, from this town, and from the only man who’s ever made her feel like home. And Tucker has to prove that this time, he’s not just her safe place to crash—he’s her always.

Tropes:

*Hambright PR ARC/ALC  *Small town romance  *Second chance romance 

*friends-enemies-more *firefighter MMC  *construction workers (both) *cozy read

*Secrets revealed *banter *meddling family *childhood sweethearts *girl next door

*Slow burn *Spice *family gossip *long term grief *Golden retriever MMC *workplace drama

Thoughts: 

I requested this book through Hambright PR, I just saw the tropes and the blurb and felt it was up my alley and it didn't disappoint, this was a really sweet story of two people once teenagers in love coming to find that even after being estranged from each other for years some feelings never change.  While this is the third book in the series and I hadn't read the first two I didn't feel lost jumping in to Tucker and Hazel's story. 

Hazel left their small town in the dust as soon as she could she once expected Tucker to come with her but when he didn't show up for her she kept going and didn't look back... until many years later when she receives word from her father that his health is declining and he needs help, since she hasn't been back in years and they left on bad terms things are just as you would expect awkward... along with his poor health he's also got another surprise in the form of him dating her horrible high school math teacher oh no!  

Tucker is everything I love in an MMC handsome, caring, tough but gentle for her and he's a real life hero as a firefighter.  When Hazel makes a less than steller entrance into town where she gets stung by a wasp and ends up in the river who shows up to help but the last person she wanted to see again... Tucker... could this day get worse?

Naturally Hazel and Tucker continue to run into each other frequently since they are next door neighbors he bought his childhood home and she is staying (kind of) with her father next door while she helps keep him on track to improve his health.

Tucker is a hard worker and is truly doing too much not only does he work a full time schedule for his families construction business... he also works full time hours for the fire department and he's studying for test that could possibly promote him at the fire department... he has a lot going on so naturally Hazel returning has thrown a wrench into his plans with her sassy attitude and yet even when she's mad at him he can't stay away from her.

I really enjoyed Tucker and Hazel finding their way back to each other it's clear to everyone (but them) that they were meant to be together... even the stars agree.  Tucker and Hazel were once so close could they be together again?  throughout the book we get to know more of their back story and both of them have a lot of issues to discuss... it's just a matter of them both sitting down to actually discuss things.

Hazel is fierce and independant to a fault she struggles to open up to anyone/let anyone in and it causes friction especially when it comes to her believing that maybe she doesn't deserve to be loved the way Tucker wants to love her... it was frustrating that Hazel appeared to have one foot out the door before she even fully came inside most of the book leaving me to feel terrible for Tucker who was all in and wanted her to stay but didn't want to cage her free spirit and from his own past history didn't feel that he was worthy of her staying for him since she already left him once. 

There is a miscommunication/no communication element to the story since Hazel has been guarding some pretty big secrets and doesn't want to rock the boat since they are actually getting a long again... but delaying the news will only make things worse in the long run when the news does finally come out.

I really enjoyed this story it was heartfelt, there was drama, there were complex emotions and a lot of time had passed since they had been together so nothing was an overnight fix so once they finally were together it felt like they both worked for it.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series!  

Have you read this series?  What did you think?  

Danielle Baker: Honor

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221860418/reviews?reviewFilters=eyJyYXRpbmdNaW4iOjEsInJhdGluZ01heCI6MSwiYWZ0ZXIiOiJNakF4TERFM016azBOVEExTXpVNU5EZyJ9

 Read in 2025 book 3 of the Sky Ridge Hot Shots Series (each book is written by a different author but the lead characters in this book are present in the first few books as well)

Xander (our lead MMC) is in his early 40's he has been a hotshot (wildland firefighter) for many years now and even though the job is dangerous he doesn't know what he would do without it he loves it just like his dad did.  As a younger man he watched his parents relationship crumble because his dad chose his career over his wife and kids... even after that Xander went out to work with his dad when he was old enough.  Unfortunately, his dad passed away in the line of duty just months before he was set to retire he died doing what he loved and Xander feels he will head down that same path he's married to his job.

Xander doesn't do long term relationships he doesn't have room in his heart for anyone else (besides his job) and he knows that his job is dangerous and a lot to put on a partner so he stays far away from anyone that might make him want things, things like a future (marriage, kids, the white picket fence etc...).  He has especially tried to keep a distance from his best friend's sister Teddy and for years he was able to do so since she was happily married... but things have changed Teddy has recently become a widow and with 2 young children and one on the way she moves to town to be closer to her brother in the duplex right next to Xander... talk about temptation she's everything that he knows he shouldn't want and she is in mourning. 

Being next door has it's perks including when Teddy goes into early labor who comes to the rescue but Xander he delivers the new little one and maybe just loses a little bit more of his heart in the process.  While Xander had in the past spent most of the time at the station when they weren't out working an active fire he can't help from staying at home (closer to Teddy and the kids... what if they need him).

Teddy is grieving the loss of her spouse they were high school sweet hearts and she has made a pact with herself not to fall in love again losing her husband almost killed her she can't possibly do it again... especially not with the super sweet, caring, handsome as sin man next door with the super dangerous job... not to forget mentioning that he is her brother's best friend and boss.

Can Teddy ever let down her walls and give Xander a chance?  If she gives him a chance she'll also have to accept his dangerous job and the fact that she could lose him just like she lost her first husband, could her heart handle 2 great losses?  If she asks him to give up his job will he, that's a big part of his life.  

Xander towards the end of the book receives some surprising advice from a trusted source that leads him to think that maybe some things could change in his life and it would be ok.  

*Brother's best friend/Boss  *Age Gap  *Hero/Firefighter  *neighbors  *love after loss

*Grieving/loss of spouse   *FMC widowed single mom  *curvy FMC  *pregnancy

*Dirty talk  *Grumpy MMC *supportive family/crew  *spice  

What I liked about this book:

• Xander is really sweet to Teddy and the kids he is truly swoon worthy reading material + he is a handsome firefighter! (as evidenced by the front cover and the description of this guy) 
• I liked the curvy FMC representation and the fact that Xander was very body positive towards her helping her come out of her shell  (minus the scene where he was thinking she was soft everywhere, not toned in a single place... or however it was described) 
• The kids were cute 
• I like that there was more scenes about the MMC's job in this book, if it's going to be part of the "hot shot's firefighter's series" and we had a whole big section at the front with different terms at least some of them were used in this book.
• Had some really sweet sections between Xander and the kids where they were starting to look up to him as a father figure even before the FMC and MMC were officially together and after they were together when it was shown how much the kids loved him and he loved them.  
• The FMC had some very supportive inlaws who came to help with the kids 
• supportive girlfriends for the FMC,  Supportive crew for the MMC
• Happy Ending 

Things that missed the mark for me in the book  (contains spoilers read at your own discretion):

• Xander is 42 he's too young to retire... so what is he doing for work to support the family that is growing and... he wants to have more children, Teddy only works 2 days a week as a dispatcher... I would like to know their secret on how they pay their bills on her salary?  Even if he has savings he isn't getting social security or anything yet.  
• I got the Audible companion for when I'm in the car and while the male voices for the adults were fine it really took me out of the story the first time Teddy was talking to her son Dalton (who is supposed to be 8) and what sounded like a college frat boy was speaking... 
• Xander keeps calling Teddy "momma" I guess it's supposed to be hot (cause she likes it) I thought it was kind of cringe
• A lot of the FMC's sections focus on insecurities around her body, she has had 3 kids... she's not going to look like a Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleader and we as the reader wouldn't expect her to... what else is going on with her?  Is that her personality? 
• I know everyone grieves differently but the FMC was already falling for and having an intimate relationship with a new man less than a year after her husband passed away (while she's still wearing his wedding ring because she's not fully over him and his mom is on board with her having this new relationship).  I kind of wished that the author had pushed that part out a bit more to give it more time... this feels like when my dad's best friend had recently passed away but his wife was already dating another guy before he was even gone.  
• The MMC keeps discussing how "old" he is... I'm around the same age... settle down there 
• A lot of repetitive story line 
• Timeline was a bit spotty/hard to figure out at times (she gets pregnant with another man's baby 3 months? after having her last child)  

Paisley Hope: Protect

 

Sky Ridge Hot Shots Book 2   --> I have read these in order but it could potentially be a stand alone the characters from the first book make appearances in the second book.  

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221979631-protect

This is the second book in this series by a different author our lead MMC is in the first book as well he's a handsome Hot Shot fire fighter and a ladies man Rowan Kingsley could be the dream guy for a lot of ladies and was once Violette's big crush but not anymore not after he broke her heart in high school.  

Violette and Rowan have a past he had always spent a lot of time at her house when they were younger because he was her twin brother Jacob's best friend after being paired together for a high school project they began spending more time together and got close but an incident with the school mean girl and Violette's brother led to him having to back off of their relationship for awhile he always thought he would be able to make things right and tell her what actually happened when it didn't matter anymore... but when Jacob passed away after a work related injury (he was a hot shot too) Violette moved away got married and had a child and Rowan never felt it would be right to tell her the truth and dishonor Jacob's memory.

Violette has moved back to town with her daughter to be closer to family her ex-husband is in the picture (kind of) he is a busy doctor who doesn't really make much time for their daughter and frequently cancels plans.  Violette works as a nurse at the hospital in the burn unit and also covers some shifts at her parents bar for some extra money she's busy and doesn't really have time to mess around with a guy who already broke her heart once... but with him back around she can't help but feel those same feelings again that she used to he's still just as handsome probably more so now.  

Rowan ends up getting injured on the job and it must be fate because his nurse is Violette using his time wisely he takes this as a chance to get to know her again and show that he isn't the complete jerk she thinks he is he will take it as a win that she is talking to him more.  

Violette starts letting down her guard again when it comes to Rowan and the truth comes out about what happened in the past, she can't help but start to fall for him again seeing how sweet he is with her and her daughter in fact he seems to care more about being with her daughter than her ex-husband does.  

There is a big problem though and that is she promised herself to never date or fall for a Hot Shot she lost her brother and it devastated her how could she live thru another huge loss with another hot shot?  But it might already be too late since she's already falling for him.  

I liked this book better than the first one, it also had a bit more of the fire fighting element to it which I felt was going to be a bigger part of the first book (but it wasn't).  

The covers on this series are amazing!  Looking forward to reading the next book in the series (also believe it is the final book in this series). 

If you read this series which book is your favorite?  What did you think of this book? 

*brothers best friend *2nd chance romance *single mother  *spice *dirty talk MMC

*miscommunication/no communication over past issues (10 years)  *walls are up

*high school bully/mean girl in scenes about the past

*some drama with ex- husband *nurse FMC  *golden retriever MMC 

*firefighter MMC  *he falls first  *insta love/lust *happy ending  

Trigger warnings: death of loved one, grieving/loss, anxiety/panic --> read the front pages with the trigger warnings prior to reading

--> dirty talking male some of these parts were not for me I don't personally like when the MMC calls the FMC "slut"  (but I'm not trying to yuk anyone's yum so this part might be a plus for some people)

I enjoyed this book and read it in a few days but I did gather some negatives from other peoples reviews to help with your decision on whether to read the book-->  read at your own discretion might have some spoilers for you:  

• some felt the story line was long and on the boring side and the spicy scenes were vanilla and cringe
• audible version --> voice done for child was obnoxious
• Too much time spent on talking about the child's favorite TV show which is like a Paw Patrol knock off 
• Everyone in Violette's life was pro Rowan right away because he's a good guy, but she wasn't fully divorced yet when they came back into each others lives and she had not started going to counseling to speak about her grief perhaps it was too soon for her to be in a new relationship even if he was a great guy (he did say that he would wait for her as long as she needed)
• First spicy scene happened when they were in high school in flash back scenes (they were 18)
• felt that there wasn't much angst for a 2nd chance romance, it was pretty insta love which led to it being a bit predictable 
• Too many flash back chapters
• repetitive and minimal conflict 
• Slower burn for first half of the book then felt like all the spice was dumped together back to back
• lots of smirking going on from our guy 

Sloane St. James: Fight

 Sky Ridge Hotshots Book 1  Read in 2025

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/221979619

Callahan (MMC) is a ladies man he never stays with one woman long and he never allows a woman to get attached to him.  He hasn't always been that way he was once engaged to his high school sweetheart (Molly) until he found that she was having an affair with his enemy (Dave) since then he hasn't allowed himself to get too close to another woman.  

Callahan is a Hot Shot firefighter (forest firefighter) and when going into this book I thought there would have been more of that part of his life in the book especially since the beginning of the book has a whole dictionary list of terms describing the job (most of which weren't really used) but it is just a brief part of the story as we enter at the end of the season towards the beginning of winter. 

Prescott (Scottie) our FMC comes to town to start a new life she leaves everything she's ever known behind and has been living out of her car and off of her small savings but things are going to change for her soon she does have skills as an EMT and there is an opening after getting the job she can now secure the start to her future by getting an apartment... it's not great but it's got a roof, shower, and more room to move than her car. 

Cal and Scottie meet at a bar and continue to run into each other getting to know each other a bit better through text messages.  They later end up together at a wildfire camp and have a wild night in the back of the ambulance (for anyone in the medical field this was kind of an ick!)

Cal is really starting to like this girl maybe he could make an exception for her except when he starts hearing rumors that she's actually married and sees his nemesis Dave coming out her apartment early one morning he makes remarks like he spent the night and he had been intimate with Scottie... instead of asking Scottie about this he decides to cut her off completely without even telling her why or talking with her.  Scottie is hurt she doesn't understand what caused him to go so cold.  

Scottie is getting used to her new life and is wanting to see more of the area after being sheltered so long in the life she was trying to get away from she packs herself up and goes on a hike... where she runs into Callahan how does she keep running into this jerk?  

When the weather starts to turn and Scottie gets trapped in a life or death situation who will even find her she didn't tell anyone where she was going.  Callahan against his better judgement risks his own safety to find Scottie and they end up having to wait out the storm in the fire tower until the storm passes with all this time together will they be able to move past their miscommunication issues and actually discuss what's going on?  What about Scottie's past why was she on the run will it catch up with her?  Does she actually have a husband out there?  

I plan to read the rest of the series (by different authors) I enjoyed this book for the most part and I love the cover but there were some things that were off for me see below 👇

Some negatives for the book (some spoilers proceed with caution):

• MMC was pretty mean to the FMC without telling her why, Dave gave Scottie a ride home from work when her car died then invited himself in... she was being polite it wasn't anything more than that and it would have been easily cleared up with communication... I don't know why he would automatically trust his enemy to be telling the truth over the girl he's supposedly "falling for" 
• Too much time with miscommunication/no communication
• some of the spicy scenes were kind of cringe (the back of the ambulance, spicy times at the fire tower where they have limited water/soap/cleaning items to wash up with they are probably filthy... in more than the sexy way), spicy times while MMC is having a panic attack 
• the FMC is married (separated) and the situation is complicated but it could potentially be considered cheating since she hasn't started the divorce proceedings yet and when the husband shows back up I was hoping that she would have stood up for herself a bit better since she had been away from the situation for several weeks and he wanted to hold back her self growth. 
• FMC is very naive when it comes to relationships in general (she was sheltered in a religious cult for years until she left) --> she really lets Mr. Red flag Cal off the hook too easily once they are in the one room situation after he treated her so badly she just forgives him and they go back to dirty spice times
• A lot of filler space in some of the chapters --> describing all the items she is getting for her hike, once they are in the fire tower lots of she's reading this book with minimal light, they are rationing their food, they play battleship multiple times Cal is bad at it, there is no cell service... etc... I think some of this could have been shortened it didn't need to be several chapters of playing battleship, eating soup and putting wood on the fire.  
• Everything came together very quickly to finish on a happy note, and even though they had a few conversations it was really fast after that they were "all in" from being no communication prior to their stormed in stay at the fire tower.  

Have you read this series?  which book was your favorite? 

*Fire fighter MMC  *EMT FMC  *miscommunication *spicy  *MMC reformed playboy

 *Forced proximity *one bed/one room *hero/rescue  *insta lust/love  *work place romance 

*like to dislike to lovers *new girl in town  *Small town romance *FMC finding independence 

*us vs. nature *praise/dirty talk

*Dual POV (If you get the audible version it's dual narration they did a good job really takes me out of the book the narrators are too robotic) 

*Trigger warnings: Discussions of PTSD death and past trauma, cheating, religious cult  --> read your trigger warnings prior to starting