‘On Fire’ is set in Washington State, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about many of the places I have visited before, and a few that are now on my list of destinations not to miss next time I travel there. Like with previous installments of the ‘States of Love’ series, a collection of romantic stories that spans every corner of the United States, this newest volume gives a great taste of the geography, the people who live and work there, and some of the dangers one might come across. Like forest fires. The whole first part of this book was fascinating due to the outdoor scenes Scottie enjoys while on a hiking vacation, followed by the suspense when a forest fire hits and Jax and his team desperately try to save Scottie.

Scottie is a computer programmer, but he loves taking photographs in his spare time, and he is really good at it. He prefers nature to the city, but when he gets caught in a lightning-caused forest fire he is in deep trouble.

Jax is a dedicated fireman (I only wish I’d found out more about why he is so determined) and being laid up all summer while his knee is healing does not make him happy. In fact he is a real a** about it in the beginning, and Scotty’s determination to thank him is the only reason they begin to talk. There isn’t any significant angst or tension from then on, instead there are lots of trips as Scottie and Jax explore Washington and their mutual, growing attraction.

If you like romances that take a while to get to the physical side of things, if two men who meet purely by coincidence and don’t get off to the best of starts are your thing, and if you’re looking for a gentle friends-to-maybe-more story in a varied Washington setting, then you might like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )

3.5 ( )