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Take It Off #1
Torch
If you can’t take the heat� stay away from the flame.
Katie Parks has been on her own since the age of fifteen. All she’s ever wanted is a place to call her own—a life that is wholly hers that no one can take away. She thought she finally had it, but with the strike of a single match, everything she worked so hard for is reduced to a pile of smoking ash. And she almost is too.
Now she’s being stalked by someone who’s decided it’s her time to die. The only thing standing in the path of her blazing death is sexy firefighter Holt Arkain.
Katie’s body might be safe with Holt� but her heart is another story.
As the danger heats up, sparks fly and the only thing Katie knows for sure is that her whole life is about to go up in flames.
Katie Parks has been on her own since the age of fifteen. All she’s ever wanted is a place to call her own—a life that is wholly hers that no one can take away. She thought she finally had it, but with the strike of a single match, everything she worked so hard for is reduced to a pile of smoking ash. And she almost is too.
Now she’s being stalked by someone who’s decided it’s her time to die. The only thing standing in the path of her blazing death is sexy firefighter Holt Arkain.
Katie’s body might be safe with Holt� but her heart is another story.
As the danger heats up, sparks fly and the only thing Katie knows for sure is that her whole life is about to go up in flames.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2013
667 people are currently reading
4,478 people want to read
About the author
Cambria Hebert
101books5,581followersCambria Hebert is a bestselling novelist of more than fifty titles. She went to college for a bachelor’s degree, couldn’t pick a major, and ended up with a degree in cosmetology. So rest assured her characters will always have good hair.
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.
Awards Cambria has received include:
Author of the Year 2016 (UtopiaCon2016)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Best Contemporary Book Cover of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
Romeo from the Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Lead (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Top 50 Summer Reads (Buzzfeed.com 2015)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#NERD Book Trailer: Best Book Trailer of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#Nerd Book Trailer: Top 50 Most Cinematic Book Trailers of All Time (film-14.com)
#Nerd: Book Most Wanted to be Adapted to Screen: (2018)
Amnesia: Mystery Book of the Year (2018)
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook:
Twitter:
Pinterest:
Instagram:
GoodReads:
Amazon:
Newsletter subscription:
Share Squad sign up:
Besides writing, Cambria loves a pumpkin spice latte, staying up late, sleeping in, and watching K drama until her eyes won’t stay open. She considers math human torture and has an irrational fear of chickens (yes, chickens). You can often find her running on the treadmill (she’d rather be eating a donut), painting her toenails (because she bites her fingernails), or walking her chihuahuas (the real bosses of the house).
Cambria has written in many genres, including new adult, sports romance, male/male romance, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, contemporary romance, and young adult. Many of her titles have been translated into foreign languages and have been the recipients of multiple awards.
Awards Cambria has received include:
Author of the Year 2016 (UtopiaCon2016)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Best Contemporary Book Cover of 2015 (UtopiaCon 2015)
Romeo from the Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Lead (UtopiaCon 2015)
#Nerd: Top 50 Summer Reads (Buzzfeed.com 2015)
The Hashtag Series: Best Contemporary Series of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#NERD Book Trailer: Best Book Trailer of 2016 (UtopiaCon 2016)
#Nerd Book Trailer: Top 50 Most Cinematic Book Trailers of All Time (film-14.com)
#Nerd: Book Most Wanted to be Adapted to Screen: (2018)
Amnesia: Mystery Book of the Year (2018)
Cambria Hebert owns and operates Cambria Hebert Books, LLC.
You can find out more about Cambria and her titles by visiting her website:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook:
Twitter:
Pinterest:
Instagram:
GoodReads:
Amazon:
Newsletter subscription:
Share Squad sign up:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
October 14, 2016
This is how I felt the story went�
A Girl’s How To Guide on How To Turn Being Stalked Into Getting A Boyfriend:
Step 1: Have you woken up in the middle of the night tied to a chair in your living room? Do you not know how you got into that position?
BUT WAIT, maybe that hooded figure in the corner will help you! Quick, call out to him for help!
� Oh what? He set the room on fire instead? Weird.. I thought the stranger in your house who tied you to a chair would be helpful�
Step 2: Now try not to panic too much because where there’s a fire, there is also always a hot fireman to save the day ;)
Step 3: When you wake up in the hospital after someone tried to murder you and there’s a hot stranger in the room don’t be frightened, instead check him out unabashedly. You may not know him but its common knowledge that strange hot men are trustworthy.
Step 4: Now lets see if we can convince the hot man to take care of you� Make sure you appear alone and helpless to the hot man so he’ll feel like he has to invite you back to his place, no man can resist a strange damsel in distress.
Step 5: Play hard to get and pretend your independent by leaving his house the next day.
Step 6: But quickly get yourself into more weird trouble so that he’ll be forced to save you again and this time insist that you stay in his house.
Also if he shows up at the scene of the crime right when you need saving and long before any official help (like the police, firefighters or ambulance drivers) don’t be worried. He couldn’t be the stalker. He’s too hot, right? Right.
Step 7: Remember never to have serious conversations or discuss your past and actually get to know each other. Get real, no one falls in love that way anymore.
Step 8: Now admit you’re a virgin, men apparently love virgins. Then quickly sleep with him.
Step 9: Discover some weird things about your past that make you look vulnerable and weak so he can be overly protective and manly. It’ll be true love within days.
Step 10: Don’t forget about your stalker! Both of you will be put into life threatening situations and, by some miracle, you’ll fight and survive.
BAM. You have a serious boyfriend.
~
As you can probably tell, I was not a fan of this story. It’s so cheesy and too typical. I was bored with the story line, couldn’t connect to the characters and found the whole ‘who could be my stalker?� thing disappointing.
A Girl’s How To Guide on How To Turn Being Stalked Into Getting A Boyfriend:
Step 1: Have you woken up in the middle of the night tied to a chair in your living room? Do you not know how you got into that position?
BUT WAIT, maybe that hooded figure in the corner will help you! Quick, call out to him for help!
� Oh what? He set the room on fire instead? Weird.. I thought the stranger in your house who tied you to a chair would be helpful�
Step 2: Now try not to panic too much because where there’s a fire, there is also always a hot fireman to save the day ;)
Step 3: When you wake up in the hospital after someone tried to murder you and there’s a hot stranger in the room don’t be frightened, instead check him out unabashedly. You may not know him but its common knowledge that strange hot men are trustworthy.
Step 4: Now lets see if we can convince the hot man to take care of you� Make sure you appear alone and helpless to the hot man so he’ll feel like he has to invite you back to his place, no man can resist a strange damsel in distress.
Step 5: Play hard to get and pretend your independent by leaving his house the next day.
Step 6: But quickly get yourself into more weird trouble so that he’ll be forced to save you again and this time insist that you stay in his house.
Also if he shows up at the scene of the crime right when you need saving and long before any official help (like the police, firefighters or ambulance drivers) don’t be worried. He couldn’t be the stalker. He’s too hot, right? Right.
Step 7: Remember never to have serious conversations or discuss your past and actually get to know each other. Get real, no one falls in love that way anymore.
Step 8: Now admit you’re a virgin, men apparently love virgins. Then quickly sleep with him.
Step 9: Discover some weird things about your past that make you look vulnerable and weak so he can be overly protective and manly. It’ll be true love within days.
Step 10: Don’t forget about your stalker! Both of you will be put into life threatening situations and, by some miracle, you’ll fight and survive.
BAM. You have a serious boyfriend.
~
As you can probably tell, I was not a fan of this story. It’s so cheesy and too typical. I was bored with the story line, couldn’t connect to the characters and found the whole ‘who could be my stalker?� thing disappointing.
May 2, 2020
Katie Parks has been completely alone since she was 15. Her life has always been simple and quiet... until everything went up in flames (literally) someone tried to kill her and set fire to her home, and with it - all her property. 😱🔥
She wakes up in the hospital and finds herself sitting next to a man she doesn't know... Holt Arkain, the firefighter who saved her stayed after rescuing her from the flames - but he's about to do a lot more than that, because someone is trying to finish the job he started. 💪
Why is someone trying to kill Katie? who is he? And will the sexy firefighter can save her again...? 💥
📚 “𝐇� 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤. “𝐃𝐨𝐧’� 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲, 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧’� 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨.� 📚
Overall, this book was OK - but not great... 😬
The plot didn't always make sense to me (firefighter chief at age 24? Um... whatever! 😂) and there were parts that made me roll my eyes, especially the interaction between Katie and Holt (probably because he was acting all alpha male towards a girl he only met 5 minutes ago). In addition, the plot rate was very fast, probably because the book is short so there was not enough time for the characters or the story to evolve. �
📚 “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫� 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧?� 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫� 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨�?�
𝐇𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐝. “𝐈’� 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫.�
“𝐘𝐨� 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥.� 𝐈 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝.
𝐇𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝. “𝐘𝐨� 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞.� 📚
I liked the dynamics between the characters and Cambria's writing, so I didn't NDF, but there were many parts I didn't like, most importantly - the highlights of the book. Although I did not expect this twist, I was disappointed (I must admit that I had a different theory in mind, that I was totally better than what actually happened). 😂😂😂
Plus, there were lots of unnecessary details that were just put into the plot for no reason (for example, Holt's ex-wife) and I think the author should have added a bit more depth to the characters to thicken the story, instead. 😬
In summary, I enjoyed this book, but it was not an amazing or memorable one - just a fun and quick read. �
So, if your into Insta-Love, Alpha Hero and firefighter - this is the book for you! 🔥🔥🔥
� I listened to the AUDIO version. 🎧
▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️
📖 ᖴOᒪᒪO� ᗰE O� IᑎᔕTᗩGᖇᗩ�: 🎉
📖 ᐯIᔕIT ᗰY ᗷᒪOG ᖴO� ᗰOᖇE ᖇEᐯIEᗯᔕ:
📖 GOOᗪᖇEᗩᗪ�:
March 1, 2015
This was an okay NA romance, but I didn’t love it.
The characters in this were both okay, but I didn’t love them. It was unfortunate the way Katie lost her house etc. but I just didn’t care all that much.
Holt seemed to be a hero-type, but he seemed to have achieved an awful lot for his years. I’m not sure you’d find many guys who were fire-chiefs at 24-years-old, and divorced already!
The storyline in this revolved around someone wanting to kill Katie, and it wasn’t really obvious why anyone would be trying to kill a librarian. When it was revealed what was going on, it seemed a little less than believable.
The romance was okay, and there were a couple of steamy sex scenes, which were pretty much all that kept me interested, although to be honest I got bored by them after a while as well.
6 out of 10
The characters in this were both okay, but I didn’t love them. It was unfortunate the way Katie lost her house etc. but I just didn’t care all that much.
Holt seemed to be a hero-type, but he seemed to have achieved an awful lot for his years. I’m not sure you’d find many guys who were fire-chiefs at 24-years-old, and divorced already!
The storyline in this revolved around someone wanting to kill Katie, and it wasn’t really obvious why anyone would be trying to kill a librarian. When it was revealed what was going on, it seemed a little less than believable.
The romance was okay, and there were a couple of steamy sex scenes, which were pretty much all that kept me interested, although to be honest I got bored by them after a while as well.
6 out of 10
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 29, 2019Let me add to the list, how to keep a girl 101:
1. Fall into insta Lurve with her while saving her from a fire. I mean what’s not to love? She has freckles, is a redhead and has a tiny body which apparently all men dig.
2. Camp out next to her hospital bed cause your big D is reacting to her when she’s unconscious and vulnerable and seems oh so loveable. Of course, cause she has freckles, is a redhead and has a tiny body which apparently all men dig. What else do you need to know to love a girl? Temperament and personalities? Pffft, they’re for wuss. And also, she’s not a blonde bombshell like your ex wife so of course you already know she’s a great woman made JUST FOR YOU.
3. Let the doctor have you take the woman home. She doesn’t know you? Who cares? She doesn’t want to go with you? WHO FUCKING CARES?
4. Take advantage of her vulnerable state and keep her around you.
5. Appear stalkerish and show up every time the stalker is there and now she’s the love of your life cause she didn’t really consider the fact YOU could be the stalker. So men do love a woman with empty skull after all.
6. Oh take her virginity while she’s vulnerable, lost her every earthly possession, doesn’t have a house, doesn’t have a car and is on forced paid leave with the future of job hanging in limbo.
7. Proceed to tell her how she’d only ever have you, even though you lusted after your ex wife plenty and did the dirties with her on regular basis before the divorce. Doesn’t matter, you’re a man and you get to gloat over “being the first�. Throw in the all the above remarks casually. She’ll fall for you. Women loved to be interchanged but have only one partner even if he’s second hand.
8. Let her drive your truck to show HOW important she is. Even if the truck isn’t aesthetically designed for her. NOTHING unsafe about driving sitting on 3 telephone directories. NOTHING, I TELL YOU BITCHES.
9. Whatever you do, DO NOT date, or attempt a single genuine conversation that may lead to knowing each other. But do declare love. Accept her declaration too. You don’t need to know anything about each other to love each other. You’re big, she’s tiny, that’s all the requirements. After all it’s not like actually knowing how your ex wife thinks and feels was the reason for your divorce. It was? Oh well, it’s not like you loved THAT bitch anyway. But you love the tiny h. She’s sah CUTE!
10. DEFINITELY run after her kidnappers after being unconscious from an explosion (which would lead you to require SIX stitches later in the story on your head, but I digress), and while you have a concussion. Do not stay unconscious like normal people, do not pass out from blood loss or get hit by shrapnels. You are to rescue your lady lurve.
Ok I’m tired now. YOU read the book to figure out further. It’s on KU.
/review/show...
1. Fall into insta Lurve with her while saving her from a fire. I mean what’s not to love? She has freckles, is a redhead and has a tiny body which apparently all men dig.
2. Camp out next to her hospital bed cause your big D is reacting to her when she’s unconscious and vulnerable and seems oh so loveable. Of course, cause she has freckles, is a redhead and has a tiny body which apparently all men dig. What else do you need to know to love a girl? Temperament and personalities? Pffft, they’re for wuss. And also, she’s not a blonde bombshell like your ex wife so of course you already know she’s a great woman made JUST FOR YOU.
3. Let the doctor have you take the woman home. She doesn’t know you? Who cares? She doesn’t want to go with you? WHO FUCKING CARES?
4. Take advantage of her vulnerable state and keep her around you.
5. Appear stalkerish and show up every time the stalker is there and now she’s the love of your life cause she didn’t really consider the fact YOU could be the stalker. So men do love a woman with empty skull after all.
6. Oh take her virginity while she’s vulnerable, lost her every earthly possession, doesn’t have a house, doesn’t have a car and is on forced paid leave with the future of job hanging in limbo.
7. Proceed to tell her how she’d only ever have you, even though you lusted after your ex wife plenty and did the dirties with her on regular basis before the divorce. Doesn’t matter, you’re a man and you get to gloat over “being the first�. Throw in the all the above remarks casually. She’ll fall for you. Women loved to be interchanged but have only one partner even if he’s second hand.
8. Let her drive your truck to show HOW important she is. Even if the truck isn’t aesthetically designed for her. NOTHING unsafe about driving sitting on 3 telephone directories. NOTHING, I TELL YOU BITCHES.
9. Whatever you do, DO NOT date, or attempt a single genuine conversation that may lead to knowing each other. But do declare love. Accept her declaration too. You don’t need to know anything about each other to love each other. You’re big, she’s tiny, that’s all the requirements. After all it’s not like actually knowing how your ex wife thinks and feels was the reason for your divorce. It was? Oh well, it’s not like you loved THAT bitch anyway. But you love the tiny h. She’s sah CUTE!
10. DEFINITELY run after her kidnappers after being unconscious from an explosion (which would lead you to require SIX stitches later in the story on your head, but I digress), and while you have a concussion. Do not stay unconscious like normal people, do not pass out from blood loss or get hit by shrapnels. You are to rescue your lady lurve.
Ok I’m tired now. YOU read the book to figure out further. It’s on KU.
/review/show...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2015
4 Light me Up Stars
I see the mixed reviews and I wouldn’t say Torch was bad, but just a very ordinary cute book with a fire fighter as the Hero.
Who doesn’t like that?
Katie wakes up tied to a chair as her house engulfs in flames. She is about to die when fire fighter Holt saves her.
Someone wants to kill Katie.
Katie doesn’t have anyone. She wakes up from the hospital and everything she had was destroyed in the fire. She needs someone to help dress her wounds. Holt decides to take Katie in. Even though Kate protests, she doesn’t really have anyone so she concedes (eventually).
I love a damsel in distress storyline. I love it when the Heroine needs to be saved and oh boy does Katie need saving (like a lot).
Torch is really unrealistic. How many times can a girl get into a situation where she is going to be killed? Well, four to five times in this one. Does it annoy me? Not really. I kind of like it.
You kind of want her to investigate and figure out who wants her dead. She doesn’t do that and it gets a little frustrating.
Holt is a typical guy with a typical job. But before you write him off, I must say, he’s very sweet, loyal and sexy. I love a fire fighter and he definitely is a hero. He’s very attracted to Katie and wants to get to know her, but he doesn’t want to push her too far.
Overall, Torch is a decent read. There’s nothing extraordinary about the story, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. It was overall, sweet with a lot of tension, steam and rescue-me-moments. A nice book to read on rainy day.
(Available on Kindle Unlimited as well)
I see the mixed reviews and I wouldn’t say Torch was bad, but just a very ordinary cute book with a fire fighter as the Hero.
Who doesn’t like that?
Katie wakes up tied to a chair as her house engulfs in flames. She is about to die when fire fighter Holt saves her.
Someone wants to kill Katie.
Katie doesn’t have anyone. She wakes up from the hospital and everything she had was destroyed in the fire. She needs someone to help dress her wounds. Holt decides to take Katie in. Even though Kate protests, she doesn’t really have anyone so she concedes (eventually).
I love a damsel in distress storyline. I love it when the Heroine needs to be saved and oh boy does Katie need saving (like a lot).
Torch is really unrealistic. How many times can a girl get into a situation where she is going to be killed? Well, four to five times in this one. Does it annoy me? Not really. I kind of like it.
You kind of want her to investigate and figure out who wants her dead. She doesn’t do that and it gets a little frustrating.
Holt is a typical guy with a typical job. But before you write him off, I must say, he’s very sweet, loyal and sexy. I love a fire fighter and he definitely is a hero. He’s very attracted to Katie and wants to get to know her, but he doesn’t want to push her too far.
Overall, Torch is a decent read. There’s nothing extraordinary about the story, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like it. It was overall, sweet with a lot of tension, steam and rescue-me-moments. A nice book to read on rainy day.
(Available on Kindle Unlimited as well)
May 8, 2016
**3.5 Stars**
Nice low angst read. The heroine wasn't annoying and I loved Holt, the hero. The final "climax" was a little OTT and a bit contrived but still enjoyable. I really wish it had Holt's POV though. But, his actions and words were enough for me to believe he was a great hero and totally into Katie. I will definitely read a few more in this series.
Nice low angst read. The heroine wasn't annoying and I loved Holt, the hero. The final "climax" was a little OTT and a bit contrived but still enjoyable. I really wish it had Holt's POV though. But, his actions and words were enough for me to believe he was a great hero and totally into Katie. I will definitely read a few more in this series.
January 3, 2017
This was just ok for me. Parts I liked and others were just meh. The odd thing is, this whole book is in the heroine's POV yet she felt flatter to me than the H. He seemed more real to me. There are still a couple of other books in this series that I will give a try.
August 18, 2013
FACT 1
EVERY.SINGLE.WOMAN.IN.THE.WORLD.WANTS.TO.DO.A.FIREMAN!
FACT 2
IN OUR HEADS THEY LOOK LIKE THIS...EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!
FACT 3
A MARINE IS A CLOSE 2ND BUT IF ASKED WHICH MAN IN UNIFORM.. WE WILL REPLY WITH A FIREMAN....
So when I found out this book had a Hero as a fireman.. I was allll over it!
From the first two paragraphs I knew I was going to like this..
"The pungent smell of gasoline stung my nostrils and my head snapped back in repulsion. I opened my eyes and lifted my hands to place them over my mouth and nose to hopefully barricade some of the overwhelming scent.
Except my hands didn't obey.
I tried again.
Panic ripped through my middle when I realized my arms weren't going to obey any kind of command because they were secured behind me."
See.. You're like WOW.. what's going on here??
Well what was going on was basically Katie doesn't have any friends or family.
She keeps to herself and likes it like that...
she learned early in life not to depend on people....
But enter Holt Arkain...
hot sexy 24 yr old Holt....
It is insta lust/love I will warn you of that!
As Katie has no one to look after her, Holt suggests she come and stay with him...
well you know what happens between them?
SCORCHING SEXUAL CHEMISTRY! <--he he he get the pun? geez I'm funny!
because??? yep you guessed it.. our sweet little Katie is a virgin! GASP! A NA heroine being a virgin! Unheard of! he he
So who exactly is trying to kill her? and why?
Ok ok seriously though... It is sexual chemsitry off the charts! And when it does become sexy time? WOOOO! HOT!
BUT
while all this sex and stuff is going on it turns out that someone is actually trying to kill Katie...
but why?
she doesn't have any friends or family.. so how can she have enemies?
It was kinda hard to pick them out.. cos yeah not really any mention of other players in the book! but when you do it's actually pretty cheesy and funny.. such idiots!
I did enjoy this book.. a few things didn't work for me... like the villain's... and so I would give it 3 1/2 stars but I can't give half so will go with 3...
Although this is series we get a HEA so can be read as a standalone, from what I can tell with the sneak peak of the next...
I'll be reading the next one
EVERY.SINGLE.WOMAN.IN.THE.WORLD.WANTS.TO.DO.A.FIREMAN!
FACT 2
IN OUR HEADS THEY LOOK LIKE THIS...EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!
FACT 3
A MARINE IS A CLOSE 2ND BUT IF ASKED WHICH MAN IN UNIFORM.. WE WILL REPLY WITH A FIREMAN....
So when I found out this book had a Hero as a fireman.. I was allll over it!
From the first two paragraphs I knew I was going to like this..
"The pungent smell of gasoline stung my nostrils and my head snapped back in repulsion. I opened my eyes and lifted my hands to place them over my mouth and nose to hopefully barricade some of the overwhelming scent.
Except my hands didn't obey.
I tried again.
Panic ripped through my middle when I realized my arms weren't going to obey any kind of command because they were secured behind me."
See.. You're like WOW.. what's going on here??
Well what was going on was basically Katie doesn't have any friends or family.
She keeps to herself and likes it like that...
she learned early in life not to depend on people....
But enter Holt Arkain...
hot sexy 24 yr old Holt....
It is insta lust/love I will warn you of that!
As Katie has no one to look after her, Holt suggests she come and stay with him...
well you know what happens between them?
SCORCHING SEXUAL CHEMISTRY! <--he he he get the pun? geez I'm funny!
because??? yep you guessed it.. our sweet little Katie is a virgin! GASP! A NA heroine being a virgin! Unheard of! he he
So who exactly is trying to kill her? and why?
Ok ok seriously though... It is sexual chemsitry off the charts! And when it does become sexy time? WOOOO! HOT!
BUT
while all this sex and stuff is going on it turns out that someone is actually trying to kill Katie...
but why?
she doesn't have any friends or family.. so how can she have enemies?
It was kinda hard to pick them out.. cos yeah not really any mention of other players in the book! but when you do it's actually pretty cheesy and funny.. such idiots!
I did enjoy this book.. a few things didn't work for me... like the villain's... and so I would give it 3 1/2 stars but I can't give half so will go with 3...
Although this is series we get a HEA so can be read as a standalone, from what I can tell with the sneak peak of the next...
I'll be reading the next one
November 16, 2014
Why haven't I addicted to GR, fellow book whore seen it before????!!! It just went live on Amazon, so I and my one-click finger have a date :) Doesn't it sound HOOOOTT ?
Link to Torch --
UK Link to Torch --
If you can’t take the heat� stay away from the flame.
Katie Parks has been on her own since the age of fifteen. All she’s ever wanted is a place to call her own—a life that is wholly hers that no one can take away. She thought she finally had it, but with the strike of a single match, everything she worked so hard for is reduced to a pile of smoking ash. And she almost is too.
Now she’s being stalked by someone who’s decided it’s her time to die. The only thing standing in the path of her blazing death is sexy firefighter Holt Arkain.
Katie’s body might be safe with Holt� but her heart is another story.
As the danger heats up, sparks fly and the only thing Katie knows for sure is that her whole life is about to go up in flames
Link to Torch --
UK Link to Torch --
If you can’t take the heat� stay away from the flame.
Katie Parks has been on her own since the age of fifteen. All she’s ever wanted is a place to call her own—a life that is wholly hers that no one can take away. She thought she finally had it, but with the strike of a single match, everything she worked so hard for is reduced to a pile of smoking ash. And she almost is too.
Now she’s being stalked by someone who’s decided it’s her time to die. The only thing standing in the path of her blazing death is sexy firefighter Holt Arkain.
Katie’s body might be safe with Holt� but her heart is another story.
As the danger heats up, sparks fly and the only thing Katie knows for sure is that her whole life is about to go up in flames
August 29, 2019
An okay read, just enough to keep me interested but the suspense aspect of this romance had some serious credibility issues.
Picked this up as an Amazon freebie - might try some others in this series at a later date.
Do generally tend to like this author's writing - especially loved her "Amnesia" duet .
.
Picked this up as an Amazon freebie - might try some others in this series at a later date.
Do generally tend to like this author's writing - especially loved her "Amnesia" duet .
.
November 29, 2021
The story had so much potential but it got dunked in the bubbling fondue and I'm not a big fan of melted cheese.
A girl is bound to her chair and her killer tries to burn her alive.
Cue in a hot firefighter who steps in to save her and dunk her in the pool to save her. He visits her in the hospital and just takes her to his home cause she has nothing left.
"My home was taken from me. My job put on hold. Someone tried to run me over with a car, and I moved in with a stranger."
Obviously they do a lot of lust make-out sessions and then he gets to pop her ultimate cherry.
Yes folks she's a virgin.
I don't even know where to start!!
Holt Arkain is big, gruff, alpha male and he's mesmerized by Katie Parks.
She is really short of several pennies in her dollar head. There's danger girl!!
Someone's trying to kill you, first by tying you up and setting your house on fire.
Then throwing a molotov cocktail in the motel room you're in.
Then by setting the library she works in, on fire.
Then by exploding Holt's car.
Then by kidnapping her in his car boot...
And she immediately starts to banter flirtatiously with Holt, admiring his physique, daydreaming about his lips and arms on her.
"He was the anchor to my drifting boat. The roots to my growing tree. Without him, I surely would have floated away into some kind of unreachable place within the confines of my brain."
It's sad when author, in a bid to make it sexy and juicy, wants to focus on sides when there's so much meat on the plate and could've otherwise been such a fantastic story
3.5 stars
Follow me on:
🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻
A girl is bound to her chair and her killer tries to burn her alive.
Cue in a hot firefighter who steps in to save her and dunk her in the pool to save her. He visits her in the hospital and just takes her to his home cause she has nothing left.
"My home was taken from me. My job put on hold. Someone tried to run me over with a car, and I moved in with a stranger."
Obviously they do a lot of lust make-out sessions and then he gets to pop her ultimate cherry.
Yes folks she's a virgin.
I don't even know where to start!!
Holt Arkain is big, gruff, alpha male and he's mesmerized by Katie Parks.
She is really short of several pennies in her dollar head. There's danger girl!!
Someone's trying to kill you, first by tying you up and setting your house on fire.
Then throwing a molotov cocktail in the motel room you're in.
Then by setting the library she works in, on fire.
Then by exploding Holt's car.
Then by kidnapping her in his car boot...
And she immediately starts to banter flirtatiously with Holt, admiring his physique, daydreaming about his lips and arms on her.
"He was the anchor to my drifting boat. The roots to my growing tree. Without him, I surely would have floated away into some kind of unreachable place within the confines of my brain."
It's sad when author, in a bid to make it sexy and juicy, wants to focus on sides when there's so much meat on the plate and could've otherwise been such a fantastic story
3.5 stars
Follow me on:
🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻 🌻
February 4, 2022
“The thought of anyone else’s hands on you drives me insane. Now I get to be your first. And your last.� Oh my.
“Oh my� is RIGHT! 🥵 � this line, or a variation on the theme, is one of my favorites to find in a romance. 😍😍😍 I’m pretty easy. 🤷🏼♀️�
Anywho, this was a great read. Lots of Damsel in Distress moments. She’s a librarian who is an orphan, all alone in the world, and someone is trying to kill her. And Holt is a super swoony, bulldozery, growly firefighter who is j/p protective and claims the sweet h immediately. 💕💕💕💕
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - there’s a short scene where the witchy ex-wife tries to make a scene, but that’s it
- no OM drama
- no dubcon
- h is a 22 yr old v*rg*n
- H is a 24 yr old divorced man - not a manhoooaar
- condoms used and then not used - safety quickly discussed
April 8, 2017
Release Date: August 13, 2013
Genre: New Adult. Romantic Suspense.
I will read whatever Cambria Hebert writes because she is one of my all time favorite authors. Within the past year I have read the entire #Hashtag series (new adult, sports, and college romance) and the entire #GearShark series (M/M romances for the most part and racing). So now I am moving along to her Take it Off series (this is the first book) which is a series full of complete standalone novels. So really, I am playing catch up with her books because I adore them so much.
In this book, readers are introduced to a sexy firefighter and the woman he saves. There is an instant attraction between the two, an insta-love relationship that transpires pretty quickly, and some serious suspense. All in all, this is good, and I truly enjoyed reading it. It's a quick read, everything happens fast, and readers get a perfect HEA wrapped in a pretty little bow at the end. Now, why the 3 star rating then? Well, this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book -I did- it just means that it was good but not great or totally original. I have read the same tropes over and over again and this one fits into that category. Also, I am not really a huge fan of insta-love because it's not realistic so that make me rate a little bit lower. Now, since this is an older book I won't dive into the plot or anything. But I will reiterate the things I loved and the things I didn't care for.
What I Loved About This Book
+ The Characters- both characters are easy to connect with in a short period of time which makes the book extra special in my eyes. I also liked their dynamics and how they interacted with one another. Holt, the hot firefighter who saves Katie (the heroine) from a fire is swoony! He's also a knight in shining armor in my eyes. Katie is demur, but I liked that about her especially considering her past (which you don't learn about until the end).
+ The Pacing- this book is fast paced and pretty short so it's easy to read in one sitting. I was craving this at the time of reading so it really "quenched my thirst" at the moment.
+ The Alpha Hero: YUP! Holt is an alpha hero in every way possible and I haven't read a book with a good one in quite a while.
What I Didn't Love About This Book
+ The Insta-love: This is my personal opinion of course. Many people enjoy love stories that transpire quickly between the couples and that's fine. I however and not a huge fan.
+ The Trustworthiness of Katie: Considering that someone is trying to kill her (which is the suspenseful aspect of the book) she sure jumped right into it with Holt. This is totally unrealistic.
Oops! I was trying to keep this review short because it's an older story but, oh well! Overall, this is a good book but certainly not my favorite from the author. I will however continue the series as I own all the books and will read anything she writes!
This story would be PERFECT for:
+ Readers who like romantic suspense novels
+ Readers who enjoy Cambria Hebert's work
+ Readers who like alpha hero's
+ Readers who want a book where the fireman is the hero
Genre: New Adult. Romantic Suspense.
I will read whatever Cambria Hebert writes because she is one of my all time favorite authors. Within the past year I have read the entire #Hashtag series (new adult, sports, and college romance) and the entire #GearShark series (M/M romances for the most part and racing). So now I am moving along to her Take it Off series (this is the first book) which is a series full of complete standalone novels. So really, I am playing catch up with her books because I adore them so much.
In this book, readers are introduced to a sexy firefighter and the woman he saves. There is an instant attraction between the two, an insta-love relationship that transpires pretty quickly, and some serious suspense. All in all, this is good, and I truly enjoyed reading it. It's a quick read, everything happens fast, and readers get a perfect HEA wrapped in a pretty little bow at the end. Now, why the 3 star rating then? Well, this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book -I did- it just means that it was good but not great or totally original. I have read the same tropes over and over again and this one fits into that category. Also, I am not really a huge fan of insta-love because it's not realistic so that make me rate a little bit lower. Now, since this is an older book I won't dive into the plot or anything. But I will reiterate the things I loved and the things I didn't care for.
What I Loved About This Book
+ The Characters- both characters are easy to connect with in a short period of time which makes the book extra special in my eyes. I also liked their dynamics and how they interacted with one another. Holt, the hot firefighter who saves Katie (the heroine) from a fire is swoony! He's also a knight in shining armor in my eyes. Katie is demur, but I liked that about her especially considering her past (which you don't learn about until the end).
+ The Pacing- this book is fast paced and pretty short so it's easy to read in one sitting. I was craving this at the time of reading so it really "quenched my thirst" at the moment.
+ The Alpha Hero: YUP! Holt is an alpha hero in every way possible and I haven't read a book with a good one in quite a while.
What I Didn't Love About This Book
+ The Insta-love: This is my personal opinion of course. Many people enjoy love stories that transpire quickly between the couples and that's fine. I however and not a huge fan.
+ The Trustworthiness of Katie: Considering that someone is trying to kill her (which is the suspenseful aspect of the book) she sure jumped right into it with Holt. This is totally unrealistic.
Oops! I was trying to keep this review short because it's an older story but, oh well! Overall, this is a good book but certainly not my favorite from the author. I will however continue the series as I own all the books and will read anything she writes!
This story would be PERFECT for:
+ Readers who like romantic suspense novels
+ Readers who enjoy Cambria Hebert's work
+ Readers who like alpha hero's
+ Readers who want a book where the fireman is the hero
May 30, 2018
I don't read much romance, but I sort of liked it. I liked Holt the sexy fireman, the girl was a bit annoying tho. The story was good, i liked the idea. So yeah 4 stars bc i don't read much romance and for the good storyline.
March 9, 2018
DNF, but probably more of a "Will Finish Later." I was not getting the romantic vibe of this and felt it was very repetitive and cliché. It's not a mistery I love this author, but given how this was an earlier work, it could be that it's different from what I usually read by her.
As I said, I'll probably read it again when I'll be more in the mood. It wasn't bad... it just didn't make me feel much of anything.
As I said, I'll probably read it again when I'll be more in the mood. It wasn't bad... it just didn't make me feel much of anything.
January 6, 2015
3.5 stars
Katie has been on her own since she was 15 years old and over the years, has learnt to fend for herself. She doesn't let anyone get too close for fear of loosing them. Until a very persistent firefighter rescues her from near death after someone tries to kill her.
Holt is the towns Chief firefighter, and a man dedicated to his work. After attending a house fire and rescuing the owner, he can't help but feel the need to protect her.
With her house burnt to the ground Katie needs a place to stay and Holt is more than willing to give up his bed, to sleep on the couch if he gets an excuse to spend time with her.
This is a slow building relationship with a little sexual tension and a lot of flirting thrown in. Katie was my kind of girl, she's strong minded and a little feisty and she knew just how to push Holts buttons.
There is quite lot of drama in this and I didn't guess the twist at the end.
It kept my attention enough to read it in one sitting and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Katie has been on her own since she was 15 years old and over the years, has learnt to fend for herself. She doesn't let anyone get too close for fear of loosing them. Until a very persistent firefighter rescues her from near death after someone tries to kill her.
Holt is the towns Chief firefighter, and a man dedicated to his work. After attending a house fire and rescuing the owner, he can't help but feel the need to protect her.
With her house burnt to the ground Katie needs a place to stay and Holt is more than willing to give up his bed, to sleep on the couch if he gets an excuse to spend time with her.
This is a slow building relationship with a little sexual tension and a lot of flirting thrown in. Katie was my kind of girl, she's strong minded and a little feisty and she knew just how to push Holts buttons.
There is quite lot of drama in this and I didn't guess the twist at the end.
It kept my attention enough to read it in one sitting and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
May 26, 2015
DNF. My time is precious and this is boring.
April 19, 2021
3 1/2 stars. I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress and this chick needed saving 3 different times and it was a hot firefighter who did the saving 🔥. A little cheesy, but very entertaining.
August 23, 2013
"Thank you."Truth be told, I can probably sum up this book in three words: short, steamy, sweet (borderline cheesy: see above quote). I haven't read that much books that had a firefighter in it and so I was really excited to start this one because well, let's face it... them firefighters don't just extinguish the heat, they actually bring it.
"For what?"
"For withstanding the heat. For fighting for your life. Because without you, everything in my life would be cold."
"You don't ever have to worry about that. There will always be a fire burning between us."
And so we meet Katie Parks, who suddenly finds herself being burned alive but not until her knight in burning armour Holt Arkain saves her life. The beginning was quite intriguing and it'll really make you question why the hell someone would go through so much effort to burn Katie alive... because it did happen again, like twice. Thank goodness she had Holt by her side to care for her, however, I was kinda iffy about their insta-love and Holt's reasoning why he can't stay away from her: that even through the fire, his body reacted to hers. Yes, he said that. I have to admit that their sexual tension was scorching hot but all in all, there really wasn't much room for depth in their relationship because it was all too unbelievable to me. Holt was the perfect gentleman and hero for Katie but at times, things between them just became too sugary sweet and borderline cheesy already.
Then there's the great mystery surrounding all the attempted murders on Katie's life. Mystery and suspense novels are kind of a tricky business to delve into because you really have to manage to keep the readers on their toes and then give them an explanation that's worth all the twists and turns. BUT when I discovered the people and reason behind it, I just can't help but be sorely disappointed. And believe me, that wasn't my only issue with the whole scenario. Honestly, I wished that the author would've just focused on a more central issue and developed it perfectly rather than combine two aspects and ending up having half-baked plots and story development.
Indeed, to each his own. And this story just didn't do it for me both in the romance and action-thriller department. But hey, Holt Arkain is one fine firefighter and the story was easy enough to breeze through so those things get points in my book.
September 18, 2013
4.5 Stars
Or should I say, 4.5 smoking hot firefighters? ;)
This book surpised me, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. But it was actually really good! There is a great balance of the suspence and romance and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus I loved that until the author wanted you to know, you had no freaking clue who the bad guy was. And even after she tells you, she throws in another twist so you're extra surprised at the end lol. This book is super steamy too, sometimes I felt like I was the one of fire. Holt was freaking HOT I loved him. And Katie was great too, she was so sweet. I feel like they are one of those couples I'd see in the store and just sigh because they are just so perfect for each and you can tell they are so freaking happy. Plus I loved that she was short and tiny and he was tall and big, I love those couples, they're so cute!!
Or should I say, 4.5 smoking hot firefighters? ;)
This book surpised me, I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. But it was actually really good! There is a great balance of the suspence and romance and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus I loved that until the author wanted you to know, you had no freaking clue who the bad guy was. And even after she tells you, she throws in another twist so you're extra surprised at the end lol. This book is super steamy too, sometimes I felt like I was the one of fire. Holt was freaking HOT I loved him. And Katie was great too, she was so sweet. I feel like they are one of those couples I'd see in the store and just sigh because they are just so perfect for each and you can tell they are so freaking happy. Plus I loved that she was short and tiny and he was tall and big, I love those couples, they're so cute!!
August 27, 2013
3.5 stars.
I really the premise of this story. Shy, innocent librarian meets hunky, heroic firefighter.
While I did enjoy this, I'd describe this book as good but not great or really memorable. It was likeable and enjoyable.
I need a firefighter like Holt. He's so dreamy! He's buff, a total hunk, protective and possessive but not controlling, he knows what he wants and doesn't try to hide it or fight it, he's honest and tender, and he's just such a sweetheart.
I didn't really like the way the plot and the climax was done. I mean, she's a young woman with no family and friends, and someone is trying to kill her. I didn't know who the hell it could be. And I was disappointed with who it turned out to be actually.
And one of my fellow GR friend pointed this out in her review, why did the hero have an ex wife who was introduced into this story and what purpose did she even serve? Let me tell you... She served no purpose.
I really the premise of this story. Shy, innocent librarian meets hunky, heroic firefighter.
While I did enjoy this, I'd describe this book as good but not great or really memorable. It was likeable and enjoyable.
I need a firefighter like Holt. He's so dreamy! He's buff, a total hunk, protective and possessive but not controlling, he knows what he wants and doesn't try to hide it or fight it, he's honest and tender, and he's just such a sweetheart.
I didn't really like the way the plot and the climax was done. I mean, she's a young woman with no family and friends, and someone is trying to kill her. I didn't know who the hell it could be. And I was disappointed with who it turned out to be actually.
And one of my fellow GR friend pointed this out in her review, why did the hero have an ex wife who was introduced into this story and what purpose did she even serve? Let me tell you... She served no purpose.
May 7, 2016
Re read via audible. I really love this book! Such a sweet story. Holt is an awesome hero. A little damaged by his bitch ex, but so sweet and yet tough. Plus I will take a hot firefighter any day! He was all in with Katie from day one. Katie is having some VERY bad days. But I did not find her annoying at all. Pretty amazing for me!
This is very low angst with a little suspense/danger plot.
Prior comments:
I really enjoyed this one. I read the criticisms about insta-love, cheesy lines, etc but the story worked for me and I thought it was a fun read.
This is very low angst with a little suspense/danger plot.
Prior comments:
I really enjoyed this one. I read the criticisms about insta-love, cheesy lines, etc but the story worked for me and I thought it was a fun read.
May 15, 2015
3 stars
August 21, 2013
Katie is a young woman who has had to take care of herself. She has learned the hard way that you can depend on no-one. Katie is making ends meet doing what she loves, being a librarian. She has a modest home with a pool and she is happy.
Holt is on the local fire department. He is called out to a house fire and finds a young woman bound and unconscious in the middle of a raging inferno. He does what he has to do to save her.
Katie is hospitalized for her burns and smoke inhalation. She is lucky to be alive. Holt comes to visit her in the hospital and soon discovers that she is on her own. When she is released, she still needs care and Holt steps up and offers his assistance. He finds himself wanting to protect this young woman who he pulled from the fire.
The attraction is almost immediate. Holt is a knight in shining armor and Katie is a damsel in distress.
Before long they find themselves unable to deny the attraction. They quickly discover that the threat to Katie's life is not over. Holt is now in deep and he will do anything to stop the person set on hurting Katie.
Katie has no enemies that she knows of. She is a quiet small town librarian. Her life is boring. When Holt offers to help her she wants to refuse. She knows better than to rely on anyone for help. But she has no where else to go. And she has a hard time resisting Holt's magnetic personality and his amazing good looks.
In the end, Katie doesn't know if Holt can save her. He wants to rescue more than just her life, he wants her heart too.
So if you love a sweet love story about a charismatic and hot fireman who rescues the sweet and perky young woman, this is for you. I really liked this sweet love story.
Loved the romance, predictable but good drama, HOT chemistry and great writing. Overall, I would say a high three stars rounding up to four. I mean come on, it has a hot fireman in it!
August 11, 2013
A contemporary book from the one and only Cambria Hebert with a hot firefighter in it? Sign me up! I think the author kept this book hidden for quite some time before she revealed that she was writing it! The next thing I knew there was a Cover Reveal and ARC sign-ups! It was so fast paced! But I wouldn't have had it any other way! This book was just totally epic! There is just no other word for it! I knew it was going to be hot, but I didn't know it was going to be that hot! I got a glimpse of the author's sexier side in her other book, Charmed, so when I heard that she was writing a whole contemporary series I knew I had to read it! The plot of this book was so explosive! And I don't mean the fires lol! The chemistry between the two main characters was immense! It was scorching! The plot was written brilliantly and I wanted to stay up all night to read it! I almost did! The plot had twists and turns to keep it interesting and I found myself slightly jumping about in my seat because I was really excited about it! I just couldn't stop reading it! The plot was written brilliantly and I couldn't actually fault it at all! The characters were also amazing! Katie was the main character and she was facing a tough time in this book! Someone was out to kill the girl! I think she handled it brilliantly though! She was always on her toes and she's going through so much as soon as we meet her, so to see things get worse for her was so sad! I felt so sorry for Katie throughout this book as she honestly didn't know why someone was after her and she had to try and figure out who it was! I was quite surprised with who it was too be honest! I mean I knew it was going to be this person as soon as their name was mentioned, but I was still quite surprised with how it all went down at the end! It was a good surprise though! Holt! Oh my God, Holt! He was the love interest of Katie and as soon as he was introduced I felt my blood pressure rise and the temperature in my room heat up! No joke! The guy was hot! I loved how protective he was of Katie and right from the start I could see how much he loved her! Katie and Holt's relationship blossomed beautifully! It was so sweet considering the circumstances lol! The ending of this book was done really well! It was a nice twist to the story and I liked that the author kept us guessing who was trying to kill Katie up until quite far through the book! I'm desperate for the next book in this series! I know it's not going to be about Katie and Holt, but I'm still really excited to read it and see what else Cambria Hebert has up her sleeve! Have you seen that cover?! It is deliciously hot! I actually pictured the characters looking like the cover models during the book! It suits the book as well! Big thank you to Cambria for an ARC of Torch!
August 10, 2013
I was blessed with an ARC so tyvm for that now for my spectacular review lol.
Omg, what an intense beginning. My heart was pounding, and I had a white knuckled grip on my kindle paper white like a tick. I started this book like 15 minutes before I had to click on forwork. FYI big mistake! I knew I should have waited because all throughout I was trying sneak peaks while my manager wasn't looking.
I knew better than to read a. Cambria Hebert novel before working! Ugh. I could not put this down.
I loved the humor Katie shows even when she is in the mist of getting burned alive. Even as she was almost burned to a crisp, her appreciation of a good looking man would have made her death not so bad. But she didn't die, the firefighter (who DOES NOT love firefighters military, cops etc?) rescues her.
As always if you've read a book by CH you know she gives very close attention to detail. It made me feel right there or better yet, like you're watching a mini reel goi g through your head.
The relationship between Katie and Holt take off quickly although she is skittish, he knows deep down she is what he wants. He just had to get her to see it.
Katie is basically an orphan who solely relies on herself, made sure she was independent when she became if age.
Holt does seem like he's portrayed at some in his late 20's than 24 but to me it gives him such a mature personality. With that being said, he has a playful and sweet side that melts my heart.
I'm glad CH has not problem letting her heroines eat with an appetite. Or "Unladylike". That's one of my favorite aspects of reading books. Sometimes when you're hungry you eat like you're starved. Lol. I k ow I do sometimes.
CH has definitely ventured out! And I'm happy to say I'm loving her new boldness.
I'm more of a adult romance reader with words more let's say- vulgar but tasteful to the situation and in no way is Torch like that and it still made me blush. It's a delightful surprise.
I loved how there is mystery, intrigue, and passion.
I could not turn or swipe the pages quick enough
It did seem like when the ending came it came quickly and I did not want this book to end.
Her love scenes are tasteful and romantic and made me swoon and blush. I can't wait for Tease!
This author is on a winning streak! Keep them coming! I will read them!
Omg, what an intense beginning. My heart was pounding, and I had a white knuckled grip on my kindle paper white like a tick. I started this book like 15 minutes before I had to click on forwork. FYI big mistake! I knew I should have waited because all throughout I was trying sneak peaks while my manager wasn't looking.
I knew better than to read a. Cambria Hebert novel before working! Ugh. I could not put this down.
I loved the humor Katie shows even when she is in the mist of getting burned alive. Even as she was almost burned to a crisp, her appreciation of a good looking man would have made her death not so bad. But she didn't die, the firefighter (who DOES NOT love firefighters military, cops etc?) rescues her.
As always if you've read a book by CH you know she gives very close attention to detail. It made me feel right there or better yet, like you're watching a mini reel goi g through your head.
The relationship between Katie and Holt take off quickly although she is skittish, he knows deep down she is what he wants. He just had to get her to see it.
Katie is basically an orphan who solely relies on herself, made sure she was independent when she became if age.
Holt does seem like he's portrayed at some in his late 20's than 24 but to me it gives him such a mature personality. With that being said, he has a playful and sweet side that melts my heart.
I'm glad CH has not problem letting her heroines eat with an appetite. Or "Unladylike". That's one of my favorite aspects of reading books. Sometimes when you're hungry you eat like you're starved. Lol. I k ow I do sometimes.
CH has definitely ventured out! And I'm happy to say I'm loving her new boldness.
I'm more of a adult romance reader with words more let's say- vulgar but tasteful to the situation and in no way is Torch like that and it still made me blush. It's a delightful surprise.
I loved how there is mystery, intrigue, and passion.
I could not turn or swipe the pages quick enough
It did seem like when the ending came it came quickly and I did not want this book to end.
Her love scenes are tasteful and romantic and made me swoon and blush. I can't wait for Tease!
This author is on a winning streak! Keep them coming! I will read them!
April 29, 2019
I've read some of the negative reviews for this book, but I give it 4.5 stars. It reminds me of older romance novels, which it is, before everything had to get so complicated with BDSM and slavery...etc. Was it cheesy? At times, but I liked that. It was well written and had a good storyline. There was no insane reason that she was being targeted that didn't make sense. The chemistry between the two main characters was completely believable and I was rooting for them all along. I also loved that there were no crazy misunderstandings between the two characters. I hate when there's this half heard conversation and someone freaks out and they break up. This was just a normal couple falling in love. I definitely recommend. It's an easy read, so pick this up and enjoy!
August 15, 2013
This had me on the edge of my seat from the start.
Katie has been on her own since she was 15 & has been through the foster care system.
She finally makes a nice little life for herself, untill someone tries to burn her alive!
She is rescued by the gorgeous Holt & the story begins.
Katie has to come to terms with her feelings for Holt & with his help try to find out who wants her dead & why.
Very exciting story. I loved the dynamic between Katie & Holt, very HOT!
An explosive read.
Katie has been on her own since she was 15 & has been through the foster care system.
She finally makes a nice little life for herself, untill someone tries to burn her alive!
She is rescued by the gorgeous Holt & the story begins.
Katie has to come to terms with her feelings for Holt & with his help try to find out who wants her dead & why.
Very exciting story. I loved the dynamic between Katie & Holt, very HOT!
An explosive read.
September 25, 2013
Four Stars: A thrilling NA suspense novel with a sizzling romance!
Katie wakes to a horrific scene. She is tied to a chair in her own living room. The stench of gasoline assaults her nose. How did she get here when she was sleeping comfortably in her bed? Before Katie can further assess the situation, she hears a sounds that strikes terror into her soul. It is the sound of a match being lit. Quickly, she is engulfed in flames, and she prepares to die, but then someone comes crashing through the fire and pulls her out just in time. Katie wakes in the hospital to find herself badly burned, but at her bedside is her handsome rescuer. Before long, Katie is losing her heart, and for someone who has been alone it is frightening. That is the least of her worries, as she seems to have attracted a killer. Who is trying to kill her and why?
What I Liked:
*I have quickly lost interest in the NA genre because I feel that too many of the books are built on the same thing: two broken individuals with loads of baggage coming together, falling in love and healing. I am desperate for something fresh in this category. Thankfully, author Cambria Hebert is here to save the day. This is her second go in the NA genre. Her first book, Charmed, is another must read. This time around, her book brings us something that I haven't read in NA. A suspenseful mystery, oh and there is plenty of heat as well. I loved that this book was an exciting page turner without all the drama and angst. This is a book you can pick up and read in a couple of hours as it is a pleasant escape. For those of you who are bored with the redundancy in NA, here is a breath of fresh air.
*I always appreciate Ms. Hebert's likable characters. She does it again with Katie and Holt. Katie is twenty two, a librarian, and someone who has been on her own since the age of fifteen. She is shy, reserved and determined to lead a quiet, simple life. That all changes when she wakes to find someone trying to burn her alive. In spite of it all, she maintains her spunk and sense of humor. Then in walks Holt Arkain. Can I just say, could I have a Holt please? He is a sexy, hot fireman who has a heart of gold. He is incredibly kind, generous and he falls for the damsel in distress. These two collide and the sparks that ensue are not for the timid.
For all of you who like your romance spicy hot, this book delivers. The sex scenes are simmering with passion, but not over the top. There is enough detail to fuel your imagination, but not so much that your cheeks will flame, and you will feel compelled to hide your book from prying eyes.
*I enjoyed the suspenseful mystery and it was hard to guess as to who would be stalking Katie and why they wanted to kill her. It was definitely a surprise once the killer and the motives are revealed.
*I loved that this was a fast paced and entertaining read. I picked this up and read it in a couple of hours. There was a delicious romance, a thrilling mystery and it moves along at a brisk pace.
And The Not So Much:
*I am used to Ms. Hebert's books being told with dual narratives. I have always appreciated being able to get inside both her male and female protagonists' heads. I was a little disappointed that his book is told through the eyes of Katie alone. I very much wanted to see inside Holt's thoughts and learn more about what made him tick. I was very much wanting to know why he felt compelled to follow up with Katie in the hospital and why he decided to care for her. Was it her looks? The whole damsel in distress thing? Or an inexplicable love at first sight attraction? Ms. Hebert excels at two point of view narration, and I hope she will continue with what she does best in her next book.
*Let's talk about that smoking hot romance. I know many of you may be put off because it feels like it is insta love. Sure it moves very fast, but yet it doesn't. It is a bit strange that Holt offers Katie a place to stay while she gets on her feet. There is a lot of chemistry and plenty of attraction, but it does take awhile before it ignites. I thought it was paced about right, aside from the fact that I thought it was a little forward of Holt to take Katie home.
*I was in the dark regarding the whole murder mystery until Katie meets with the lawyer. Once he reveals certain information, it became crystal clear to me who was after Katie. Not a big deal, but I wished that there was more surprise.
Torch is a NA book for anyone looking for something unique in the NA genre. This is a fast paced, thrilling mystery with a sexy romance that will leave you smiling. If you are looking for a book without the heavy drama and you want a read that you can breeze through and enjoy, definitely check out Torch.
Favorite Quotations:
"He was ruggedly casual. He had the kind of look that women of any age would follow with their eyes until he was completely out of sight. It was as if he put not a single thought into the way he stepped out of the house."
"Unfortunately. We were high school sweethearts. She grew out of being a sweetheart."
"He was the anchor to my drifting boat. The roots to my growing tree. Without him, I surely would have floated away into some kind of unreachable place within the confines of my brain."
"Mom always said the key to life was playing the cards you were dealt. Well, how could I play when I didn't understand the game?"
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@
.
Katie wakes to a horrific scene. She is tied to a chair in her own living room. The stench of gasoline assaults her nose. How did she get here when she was sleeping comfortably in her bed? Before Katie can further assess the situation, she hears a sounds that strikes terror into her soul. It is the sound of a match being lit. Quickly, she is engulfed in flames, and she prepares to die, but then someone comes crashing through the fire and pulls her out just in time. Katie wakes in the hospital to find herself badly burned, but at her bedside is her handsome rescuer. Before long, Katie is losing her heart, and for someone who has been alone it is frightening. That is the least of her worries, as she seems to have attracted a killer. Who is trying to kill her and why?
What I Liked:
*I have quickly lost interest in the NA genre because I feel that too many of the books are built on the same thing: two broken individuals with loads of baggage coming together, falling in love and healing. I am desperate for something fresh in this category. Thankfully, author Cambria Hebert is here to save the day. This is her second go in the NA genre. Her first book, Charmed, is another must read. This time around, her book brings us something that I haven't read in NA. A suspenseful mystery, oh and there is plenty of heat as well. I loved that this book was an exciting page turner without all the drama and angst. This is a book you can pick up and read in a couple of hours as it is a pleasant escape. For those of you who are bored with the redundancy in NA, here is a breath of fresh air.
*I always appreciate Ms. Hebert's likable characters. She does it again with Katie and Holt. Katie is twenty two, a librarian, and someone who has been on her own since the age of fifteen. She is shy, reserved and determined to lead a quiet, simple life. That all changes when she wakes to find someone trying to burn her alive. In spite of it all, she maintains her spunk and sense of humor. Then in walks Holt Arkain. Can I just say, could I have a Holt please? He is a sexy, hot fireman who has a heart of gold. He is incredibly kind, generous and he falls for the damsel in distress. These two collide and the sparks that ensue are not for the timid.
For all of you who like your romance spicy hot, this book delivers. The sex scenes are simmering with passion, but not over the top. There is enough detail to fuel your imagination, but not so much that your cheeks will flame, and you will feel compelled to hide your book from prying eyes.
*I enjoyed the suspenseful mystery and it was hard to guess as to who would be stalking Katie and why they wanted to kill her. It was definitely a surprise once the killer and the motives are revealed.
*I loved that this was a fast paced and entertaining read. I picked this up and read it in a couple of hours. There was a delicious romance, a thrilling mystery and it moves along at a brisk pace.
And The Not So Much:
*I am used to Ms. Hebert's books being told with dual narratives. I have always appreciated being able to get inside both her male and female protagonists' heads. I was a little disappointed that his book is told through the eyes of Katie alone. I very much wanted to see inside Holt's thoughts and learn more about what made him tick. I was very much wanting to know why he felt compelled to follow up with Katie in the hospital and why he decided to care for her. Was it her looks? The whole damsel in distress thing? Or an inexplicable love at first sight attraction? Ms. Hebert excels at two point of view narration, and I hope she will continue with what she does best in her next book.
*Let's talk about that smoking hot romance. I know many of you may be put off because it feels like it is insta love. Sure it moves very fast, but yet it doesn't. It is a bit strange that Holt offers Katie a place to stay while she gets on her feet. There is a lot of chemistry and plenty of attraction, but it does take awhile before it ignites. I thought it was paced about right, aside from the fact that I thought it was a little forward of Holt to take Katie home.
*I was in the dark regarding the whole murder mystery until Katie meets with the lawyer. Once he reveals certain information, it became crystal clear to me who was after Katie. Not a big deal, but I wished that there was more surprise.
Torch is a NA book for anyone looking for something unique in the NA genre. This is a fast paced, thrilling mystery with a sexy romance that will leave you smiling. If you are looking for a book without the heavy drama and you want a read that you can breeze through and enjoy, definitely check out Torch.
Favorite Quotations:
"He was ruggedly casual. He had the kind of look that women of any age would follow with their eyes until he was completely out of sight. It was as if he put not a single thought into the way he stepped out of the house."
"Unfortunately. We were high school sweethearts. She grew out of being a sweetheart."
"He was the anchor to my drifting boat. The roots to my growing tree. Without him, I surely would have floated away into some kind of unreachable place within the confines of my brain."
"Mom always said the key to life was playing the cards you were dealt. Well, how could I play when I didn't understand the game?"
I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@
.
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