Consumed

** spoiler alert ** Consumed is the first book to an all new series written by J. R. Ward. Known for her paranormal series the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Consumed is a contemporary novel. Anne Ashburn is a firefighter turned arson investigator after a life altering decision in the midst of a battle against fire. Throughout it all, we see her as an independent, strong and determined individual who faces obstacles head on. Danny McGuire is a smart, caring and loyal individual. A firefighter who has worked alongside Anne for a couple of years who had complete trust in her abilities. The chemistry and dynamics between Anne and Danny were great. The relationship the two of them had together was realistic as it had its ups and downs. Even though it was their attraction that led them together first, they were also very communicative with each other. At least for the most part. One memorable and poignant scene shows Danny how Anne is faring after the life altering event. (The scene where she wall climbs and a little girl gets inspired by her strong will). Each and every one of the characters described in the novel were so full of life. Secondary characters had their own distinct personalities, qualities as well as flaws. The interaction was also interesting and fun. While this is the first book to the firefighters series, there are two short stories that reveal how Anne and Danny first got together. It is not necessary to read them, it does provide a better picture of all the characters' mindsets. Why the people feel the way they feel. These stories are also free on amazon as well as kobo. It's a contemporary novel with elements of mystery and suspense. I recommend readers who love these genres to read it since it is very well written and engaging. Looking forward to the next book in the series! For more of my reviews, please visit https://ilovereading2016.wordpress.com/

Danny and Anne are 2 sides to the same coin. Never happier than when facing danger, adrenaline junkies. But Anne feels herself sidelined into arson investigation. But the arsonist now taking centre stage is willing to give her all the excitement she can handle! Unlike many of his brethren, Danny wants more than a hosebunny. With Anne he could see the glimmer of more but when the accident involving them both happened, they took different paths. But brought together once more Danny is determined to keep Anne with him this time. Lots of twists and turns and an ending...well I did not see that happening!

the real hero and the best character of this book - Soot

Mildly spoiler-y review. Consumed is the best title for this book, as it utterly consumed me and made me join the Bad Choices Book Club when I stayed up to the wee hours finishing it in one sitting. The first chapters hit the ground running hard, as main character Anne Ashburn loses more than just her chance at being one of the best fire-fighters on her team when she is caught in a burning warehouse fire minutes. Danny Maguire, Anne's teammate and also the man she just spent a wildly wicked night with is the one who gets here out. Both he and Anne have terrible health repercussions from this rescue, both physical and mental, and they both cannot fathom seeing each other again. The book jumps to nine-months after, and we find Anne starting her new gig as an arson investigator, a far cry from her past life. She has a new boss to deal with, and a new pet that she finds during her first investigation. She's also living with her new reality of having a prosthetic hand, something she's accepted as part of her. Danny himself is struggling with the psychological fallout from his brush with death and being the one responsible for freeing Anne from the fire by cutting off her hand. He's still working on the ladder, but he's drinking too much and spiraling. When some of their mutual friends and an arson case bring Anne and Danny back into proximity, the old fire between them ignites anew, but can either of them forgive, forget, and fight for a future together? So incredibly addicting and hot, PLUS well-researched and totally immersive world building. I loved that Anne was strong, comfortable in her body including when she loses her hand, and isn't willing to compromise her sense of duty. She's not made to be likeable, but is perfectly Anne. I also loved Ward's handling of Danny's mental health issues. Danny isn't healed from sexy times with Anne and he does see a therapist (huzzah!). Representation matters, and this was good to see. While still very white, JR Ward's new series is one you won't want to miss.

3,5 stars

It was a struggle to connect with the characters — they both felt so unlikable. I do like some of the secondary characters and am excited to find out if they’ll get their own stories. Full review to come! Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.