What do you think?
Rate this book
Rekindled Flame #3
Smoldering Flame
Sometimes the strongest flames take the longest to ignite.
Firefighter Dean’s life revolves around his very ill son, Sammy. Caring for Sammy and working to make ends meet leave Dean time for little else, and romance isn’t something he can even consider—no matter how much he longs for someone special to join their family. Because money is tight, Dean couldn’t be more grateful to the photographer who does Sammy’s session free of charge.
After growing up in the foster care system, Marco knows how to rely on himself, and his hard work is about to pay off—he’s poised on the cusp of fame and success he could only have imagined as a lonely child. When Dean brings Sammy into Marco’s studio, Marco can see they’re struggling, and both the boy and his father stir Marco’s heart. The slow burn between the two men isn’t something either expected, but neither wants to lose the possibility of a loving future. With Dean’s dangerous and possibly life-threatening career and Marco’s demanding one, can romance and forever find a place to fit?
Firefighter Dean’s life revolves around his very ill son, Sammy. Caring for Sammy and working to make ends meet leave Dean time for little else, and romance isn’t something he can even consider—no matter how much he longs for someone special to join their family. Because money is tight, Dean couldn’t be more grateful to the photographer who does Sammy’s session free of charge.
After growing up in the foster care system, Marco knows how to rely on himself, and his hard work is about to pay off—he’s poised on the cusp of fame and success he could only have imagined as a lonely child. When Dean brings Sammy into Marco’s studio, Marco can see they’re struggling, and both the boy and his father stir Marco’s heart. The slow burn between the two men isn’t something either expected, but neither wants to lose the possibility of a loving future. With Dean’s dangerous and possibly life-threatening career and Marco’s demanding one, can romance and forever find a place to fit?
193 pages, ebook
First published February 13, 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 13, 2018
Talk about smoldering! I love a good slow-burn romance, and ‘Smoldering Flame’ is a perfect example of how this can work really well. Dean and Marco have reasons to be hesitant – reasons that only emerge slowly - but each man knows how to support the other as well. Their first meeting is adorable, and it shows how caring Marco is as well as Dean's love for his sick son, Sammy, who is fighting cancer. Both Marco and Dean are extremely likable men who do not easily let things get them down. I loved them – and Sammy – from the start and was crossing my fingers for things to go well from beginning to end.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 15, 2018
I'm really enjoying this series, and I think Smoldering Flame might be my favorite so far.
Michael Pauley does another fantastic job narrating the series. He brought Dean and Marco to life, and really brought out the emotions in the story, especially Dean's fear for his son and Marco's hesitation about taking on a lover and partner who's job is so unsafe.
Smoldering Flame has some great hurt/comfort elements, a dual POV, some action, and some close calls. Dean and Marco weather them all and stick together. (As a side note: I love the way that Dean (and Marco) stood up to Dean's father.)
If you're looking for an easy listen, low angst romance with some nice hurt/comfort elements, and a sweet HEA look no further.
Audio copy of Smoldering Flame (Rekindled Flame #3) provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
May 23, 2018
Audiobook provided through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
This is a sweet story about a firefighter and his young son who has childhood cancer and the photographer who came into their lives just when both needed him most.
When Dean brings his son Sammy to Marco’s photography studio without an appointment one evening, it’s evident that Sammy is quite ill, but all Sammy wants is to meet the stuffed Dalmatian he’s seen in photos. Feeling sorry for the young man and his son, Marco snaps several shots and refuses payment. Then when the three meet again months later, and it’s evident Sammy is much better, they hang out for a while and get to know each other while enjoying Sammy’s favorite foods.
Typical Andrew Grey in that the characters, including the child, are sweet, kind, generous, and loving, I can always count on this author to uplift my mood. Michael Pauley brought their voices to life and I especially loved the voice he gave little Sammy, whose childish squeals of delight over the simplest things served to remind me of how it’s often the little things in life that bring the most pleasure.
As the story moves on, there’s danger from fires for Dean, self-discovery for Marco, and a second hospitalization for Sammy. There’s just the right mix of angst and happiness, and it’s definitely a family drama as Sammy is a major part of Dean’s life and would be for any future romantic partner. I also like the way the author brought past characters into the story—from several different series—and I enjoyed the way the romance finally played out.
This is definitely a book I recommend, especially to those who enjoy a story of men with children or one with gorgeous, sexy firefighters. And the audiobook edition is terrific due to Michael Pauley’s narration.
This is a sweet story about a firefighter and his young son who has childhood cancer and the photographer who came into their lives just when both needed him most.
When Dean brings his son Sammy to Marco’s photography studio without an appointment one evening, it’s evident that Sammy is quite ill, but all Sammy wants is to meet the stuffed Dalmatian he’s seen in photos. Feeling sorry for the young man and his son, Marco snaps several shots and refuses payment. Then when the three meet again months later, and it’s evident Sammy is much better, they hang out for a while and get to know each other while enjoying Sammy’s favorite foods.
Typical Andrew Grey in that the characters, including the child, are sweet, kind, generous, and loving, I can always count on this author to uplift my mood. Michael Pauley brought their voices to life and I especially loved the voice he gave little Sammy, whose childish squeals of delight over the simplest things served to remind me of how it’s often the little things in life that bring the most pleasure.
As the story moves on, there’s danger from fires for Dean, self-discovery for Marco, and a second hospitalization for Sammy. There’s just the right mix of angst and happiness, and it’s definitely a family drama as Sammy is a major part of Dean’s life and would be for any future romantic partner. I also like the way the author brought past characters into the story—from several different series—and I enjoyed the way the romance finally played out.
This is definitely a book I recommend, especially to those who enjoy a story of men with children or one with gorgeous, sexy firefighters. And the audiobook edition is terrific due to Michael Pauley’s narration.
February 14, 2018
Smoldering Flame by Andrew Grey is an intense romance between two men and a young boy that builds into a cohesive and beautiful family unit. All three, with their crosses to bare, come together and find their HEA.
Firefighter Dean Harlow has little time for anything but work and caring for his son, Sammy. Sammy is the beautiful result of Dean denying who he was and, while searching for himself, discovering he was looking in all the wrong places. With the help of his parents, single father Dean is raising a son while dealing with Sammy’s adolescent cancer.
Marco is a successful photographer who is sought after around the globe. His beginnings were bleak and grim. Never knowing his father and losing his mother to cancer at the age of 8, Marco was introduced to the foster care system. Betty and Ron Carter took care of Marco while his fear of abandonment set in. It wasn’t until much later in life that Marco realized that he had a true family.
Maro’s Christmas gift of a camera and his love of photography bring Dean and Sammy into his life.
The connection between Marco and Dean is instant allowing Andrew Grey to take them right to the heart of the matter - learning to trust. Will Marco get past his abandonment issues? Will Sammy overcome his health issues? Will Dean let go and trust that Marco is in it for the long haul?
Grey introduces several life traps to test Marco and Dean. Each time these men have to analyze a situation and determine what path they should take. The result is a strong bond between Marco and Dean with Sammy included. As each man alters their perception of the past, they determine they were missing things that lay right in front of them.
One thing that I can always say about Andrew Grey’s writing ability is that the depth of his characters is immense. In Smoldering Flame they grab your attention, steal your heart, and pull you into their world.
In this book, the result is phenomenal and I would love to have these guys in my real life world.
Smoldering Flame is third in the Rekindled Flame series and beautifully told. The situations and their outcomes are completely believable leaving us touched having spent time in this world. The supporting characters add value and enhance the experience while deepening the understanding of Marco, Dean, and Sammy.
The entire standalone series, Rekindled Flame, is highly recommended, worth giving up the precious time in our busy lives, and will leave you with a renewed faith in people; albeit from fictional folks.
A copy of Smoldering Flame was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by RBTL Book Promotions, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
BANTER BUDDIES: A Dual View of Andrew Grey's 'Smoldering Flame': http://bit.ly/2EAINtt
Firefighter Dean Harlow has little time for anything but work and caring for his son, Sammy. Sammy is the beautiful result of Dean denying who he was and, while searching for himself, discovering he was looking in all the wrong places. With the help of his parents, single father Dean is raising a son while dealing with Sammy’s adolescent cancer.
Marco is a successful photographer who is sought after around the globe. His beginnings were bleak and grim. Never knowing his father and losing his mother to cancer at the age of 8, Marco was introduced to the foster care system. Betty and Ron Carter took care of Marco while his fear of abandonment set in. It wasn’t until much later in life that Marco realized that he had a true family.
Maro’s Christmas gift of a camera and his love of photography bring Dean and Sammy into his life.
The connection between Marco and Dean is instant allowing Andrew Grey to take them right to the heart of the matter - learning to trust. Will Marco get past his abandonment issues? Will Sammy overcome his health issues? Will Dean let go and trust that Marco is in it for the long haul?
Grey introduces several life traps to test Marco and Dean. Each time these men have to analyze a situation and determine what path they should take. The result is a strong bond between Marco and Dean with Sammy included. As each man alters their perception of the past, they determine they were missing things that lay right in front of them.
One thing that I can always say about Andrew Grey’s writing ability is that the depth of his characters is immense. In Smoldering Flame they grab your attention, steal your heart, and pull you into their world.
In this book, the result is phenomenal and I would love to have these guys in my real life world.
Smoldering Flame is third in the Rekindled Flame series and beautifully told. The situations and their outcomes are completely believable leaving us touched having spent time in this world. The supporting characters add value and enhance the experience while deepening the understanding of Marco, Dean, and Sammy.
The entire standalone series, Rekindled Flame, is highly recommended, worth giving up the precious time in our busy lives, and will leave you with a renewed faith in people; albeit from fictional folks.
A copy of Smoldering Flame was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by RBTL Book Promotions, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
BANTER BUDDIES: A Dual View of Andrew Grey's 'Smoldering Flame': http://bit.ly/2EAINtt
April 13, 2018
This is my favorite of the 3! The story with the little kid is touching and they have a nice development. But still I feel this is not one of the best Andrew grey series :/
Also the ending... not as HEA as I used to , bit disappointed.
Also the ending... not as HEA as I used to , bit disappointed.
April 9, 2018
Firemen, dalmatians, sick kids...
This one had potential...so much potential and then...it didn't.
Dean's a firefighter whose life revolves around the two things he loves most...his job and his son, Sammy. Sammy's illness doesn't leave Dean time for anything else...like dating, falling in love, having a relationship. So when Sammy drags his father into Marco's photography studio the last thing he wants, needs or expects is to be attracted to said photographer.
Marco's not looking for anything other than to make a sick little boy happy when he offers to take some pictures of the young child who's barged into his studio wanting to see the big stuffed fire dog that Marco uses as a prop during his photo shoots with kids. Marco knows what Sammy's going through and while Marco knows he can't fix things for Sammy if he can bring a smile to his sweet little face for even a moment he'll do what he can and taking a few pictures is definitely not a hardship for him especially if some of those pictures include Sammy's sexy, fireman father.
Dean's got more than his son to be concerned about though when it comes to him and Marco. His parents have been a godsend for him while Sammy's been sick and while his mom's more than happy to see him find someone he might be happy with, his father's a whole different story. Dad's ex-military and he hasn't a made it out of the dark ages with some of his ideas...like demanding that Dean 'find a nice woman' because he needs to settle down Sammy needs a mom.
I really liked the overall concept of this story. There was a lot of potential for this one to tug at my heartstrings and leave me with all the warm fuzzies. Unfortunately when it came down to the actual story well...it got bogged down in a lot of flowery descriptions and conversations that quite frankly had me rolling my eyes...sorry, but there's only so much 'gosh, darn melodic sex' that a girl can handle.
I'm a fan of descriptions that paint a picture and draw me into the story...truly I am. But and here is where things get really subjective...there's this fine line that goes from creating a story...painting an image and when it gets crossed well the story gets lost in an excess of descriptions that become distracting and that's what happened for me with this one...so as I said this is entirely subjective and other may find the descriptives in this book to be perfect...I'm just not part of this group.
Michael Pauley is once again the narrator for this story and I have to admit I'm not really sure why but like the story and maybe because of the story I didn't enjoy the narration quite as much has I did the previous two stories also narrated by the same person and once again we are left with a very subjective viewpoint here so please keep this in mind. Just one more note about the narration there's a child in this story and as my friends will tell you me and children's voices in audio books do not have a very good track record however, I do want to give a nod to the narrator on this one. While it maybe wasn't the best child's voice I've ever heard it was considerably better than many others that I've heard.
I've been a fan of this series from the beginning and while this one didn't work so well for me the first two stories worked much better for me and I really enjoyed them...enough that I'm more than willing wait and see what's next in this series...hopefully for me it'll be a return to the story style that I've come to enjoy so much.
*************************
An audio book of 'Rekindled Flame' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This one had potential...so much potential and then...it didn't.
Dean's a firefighter whose life revolves around the two things he loves most...his job and his son, Sammy. Sammy's illness doesn't leave Dean time for anything else...like dating, falling in love, having a relationship. So when Sammy drags his father into Marco's photography studio the last thing he wants, needs or expects is to be attracted to said photographer.
Marco's not looking for anything other than to make a sick little boy happy when he offers to take some pictures of the young child who's barged into his studio wanting to see the big stuffed fire dog that Marco uses as a prop during his photo shoots with kids. Marco knows what Sammy's going through and while Marco knows he can't fix things for Sammy if he can bring a smile to his sweet little face for even a moment he'll do what he can and taking a few pictures is definitely not a hardship for him especially if some of those pictures include Sammy's sexy, fireman father.
Dean's got more than his son to be concerned about though when it comes to him and Marco. His parents have been a godsend for him while Sammy's been sick and while his mom's more than happy to see him find someone he might be happy with, his father's a whole different story. Dad's ex-military and he hasn't a made it out of the dark ages with some of his ideas...like demanding that Dean 'find a nice woman' because he needs to settle down Sammy needs a mom.
I really liked the overall concept of this story. There was a lot of potential for this one to tug at my heartstrings and leave me with all the warm fuzzies. Unfortunately when it came down to the actual story well...it got bogged down in a lot of flowery descriptions and conversations that quite frankly had me rolling my eyes...sorry, but there's only so much 'gosh, darn melodic sex' that a girl can handle.
I'm a fan of descriptions that paint a picture and draw me into the story...truly I am. But and here is where things get really subjective...there's this fine line that goes from creating a story...painting an image and when it gets crossed well the story gets lost in an excess of descriptions that become distracting and that's what happened for me with this one...so as I said this is entirely subjective and other may find the descriptives in this book to be perfect...I'm just not part of this group.
Michael Pauley is once again the narrator for this story and I have to admit I'm not really sure why but like the story and maybe because of the story I didn't enjoy the narration quite as much has I did the previous two stories also narrated by the same person and once again we are left with a very subjective viewpoint here so please keep this in mind. Just one more note about the narration there's a child in this story and as my friends will tell you me and children's voices in audio books do not have a very good track record however, I do want to give a nod to the narrator on this one. While it maybe wasn't the best child's voice I've ever heard it was considerably better than many others that I've heard.
I've been a fan of this series from the beginning and while this one didn't work so well for me the first two stories worked much better for me and I really enjoyed them...enough that I'm more than willing wait and see what's next in this series...hopefully for me it'll be a return to the story style that I've come to enjoy so much.
*************************
An audio book of 'Rekindled Flame' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2018
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ AUDIO ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Half-dressed fireman posing to the side of flames. Nothing to express the gravity of the book's content. I love the synopsis.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
Fireman and single father, Dean, met photographer, Marco, at the prompting of his ill son, Sammy. Sammy noticed a photo taken by Marco and wanted to see the prop in person and the men develop a slow-building relationship.
The main characters were solid and Sammy felt age-appropriate. The secondary cast were varied. The chemistry between them was nice. Their relationship built slowly but felt natural. There were a few conflicts... Marco's indecisiveness over Dean's profession annoyed me at times but it still felt fairly natural. The external conflicts were handled as best as possible.
Predictability was below average. The conclusion was solid and satisfying.
Overall, the story was enjoyable and heartfelt.
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.275 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
Audio Review
This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Michael Pauley even though he's narrated for several of my most enjoyed authors. The audio sample pulled me in and I'd thought this would be a grand slam but it was not without its pros and cons.
While pronunciation/diction is clean and easy to decipher, the words sometimes were spoken too quickly and made it difficult to follow. I'd also noticed, several times, that the character voices and intonations were not stable, bled together, or were lost entirely to the point where the listener would not know who was speaking. The biggest exception to this was Angus, who was done beautifully.
The drama- and angst-ridden plot of abandonment issues and unaccepting parental figures, topped with the fears of a dangerous job and having a potentially terminally ill child, all made for an emotional story. Those emotions were conveyed well by Mr. Pauley.
I give the overall narration 4 out of 5 stars.
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received an audible copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Half-dressed fireman posing to the side of flames. Nothing to express the gravity of the book's content. I love the synopsis.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
Fireman and single father, Dean, met photographer, Marco, at the prompting of his ill son, Sammy. Sammy noticed a photo taken by Marco and wanted to see the prop in person and the men develop a slow-building relationship.
The main characters were solid and Sammy felt age-appropriate. The secondary cast were varied. The chemistry between them was nice. Their relationship built slowly but felt natural. There were a few conflicts... Marco's indecisiveness over Dean's profession annoyed me at times but it still felt fairly natural. The external conflicts were handled as best as possible.
Predictability was below average. The conclusion was solid and satisfying.
Overall, the story was enjoyable and heartfelt.
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.275 ~ Stars: 4
==========================
Audio Review
This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Michael Pauley even though he's narrated for several of my most enjoyed authors. The audio sample pulled me in and I'd thought this would be a grand slam but it was not without its pros and cons.
While pronunciation/diction is clean and easy to decipher, the words sometimes were spoken too quickly and made it difficult to follow. I'd also noticed, several times, that the character voices and intonations were not stable, bled together, or were lost entirely to the point where the listener would not know who was speaking. The biggest exception to this was Angus, who was done beautifully.
The drama- and angst-ridden plot of abandonment issues and unaccepting parental figures, topped with the fears of a dangerous job and having a potentially terminally ill child, all made for an emotional story. Those emotions were conveyed well by Mr. Pauley.
I give the overall narration 4 out of 5 stars.
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received an audible copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
February 13, 2018
Check out our
Smoldering Flame
post on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance
Triggers: Cancer
Sammy and Dean have had a hard go of it as of late. I loved Sammy's spirit and thought that he definitely made Dean seem more down to earth. I thought that Dean was somewhat aloof when it came to his job and family – he knew that he was amazing at his job, but also knew that if he made a mistake, it could cost him a lot more than his job.
Then when Dean and Sammy meet Marco, it changes the dynamic of everyone's lives. Dean does what any responsible parent would do and protects Sammy at all costs. However, he also is attracted to Marco in a way that he hasn't found himself in a while.
Throwing in Dean's strict and somewhat bigoted father, Dean and Marco have to overcome a few obstacles – the number one being their ability to communicate.
This story didn't carry with it the usual heat that I'm used to with Grey tales, but it did have a good sense of family in it.
Overall, this was just an okay story for me. I think that for my taste, it lacked chemistry between Dean and Marco, and even though Sammy helped them in that family-feeling department, I just didn't really connect with these characters.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance
Triggers: Cancer
Sammy and Dean have had a hard go of it as of late. I loved Sammy's spirit and thought that he definitely made Dean seem more down to earth. I thought that Dean was somewhat aloof when it came to his job and family – he knew that he was amazing at his job, but also knew that if he made a mistake, it could cost him a lot more than his job.
Then when Dean and Sammy meet Marco, it changes the dynamic of everyone's lives. Dean does what any responsible parent would do and protects Sammy at all costs. However, he also is attracted to Marco in a way that he hasn't found himself in a while.
Throwing in Dean's strict and somewhat bigoted father, Dean and Marco have to overcome a few obstacles – the number one being their ability to communicate.
This story didn't carry with it the usual heat that I'm used to with Grey tales, but it did have a good sense of family in it.
Overall, this was just an okay story for me. I think that for my taste, it lacked chemistry between Dean and Marco, and even though Sammy helped them in that family-feeling department, I just didn't really connect with these characters.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
February 4, 2018
Smoldering Flame (Rekindled Flame #3) by Andrew Grey
3 stars
M/M Romance
Triggers: Cancer
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
Sammy and Dean have had a hard go of it as of late. I loved Sammy's spirit and thought that he definitely made Dean seem more down to earth. I thought that Dean was somewhat aloof when it came to his job and family - he knew that he was amazing at his job, but also knew that if he made a mistake, it could cost him a lot more than his job.
Then when Dean and Sammy meet Marco, it changes the dynamic of everyone's lives. Dean does what any responsible parent would do and protects Sammy at all costs. However, he also is attracted to Marco in a way that he hasn't found himself in a while.
Throwing in Dean's strict and somewhat bigoted father, Dean and Marco have to overcome a few obstacles - the number one being their ability to communicate.
This story didn't carry with it the usual heat that I'm used to with Grey tales, but it did have a good sense of family in it.
Overall, this was just an OK story for me. I think that for my taste, it lacked chemistry between Dean and Marco and even though Sammy helped them in that family feeling department, I just didn't really connect with these characters.
3 stars
M/M Romance
Triggers: Cancer
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.
Sammy and Dean have had a hard go of it as of late. I loved Sammy's spirit and thought that he definitely made Dean seem more down to earth. I thought that Dean was somewhat aloof when it came to his job and family - he knew that he was amazing at his job, but also knew that if he made a mistake, it could cost him a lot more than his job.
Then when Dean and Sammy meet Marco, it changes the dynamic of everyone's lives. Dean does what any responsible parent would do and protects Sammy at all costs. However, he also is attracted to Marco in a way that he hasn't found himself in a while.
Throwing in Dean's strict and somewhat bigoted father, Dean and Marco have to overcome a few obstacles - the number one being their ability to communicate.
This story didn't carry with it the usual heat that I'm used to with Grey tales, but it did have a good sense of family in it.
Overall, this was just an OK story for me. I think that for my taste, it lacked chemistry between Dean and Marco and even though Sammy helped them in that family feeling department, I just didn't really connect with these characters.
February 13, 2018
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**
Smoldering Flame is Book 3 in Andrew Grey’s Rekindled Flame series. Though there are some interactions with characters from the previous books, you could probably read this as a standalone but the whole series is enjoyable, so why not start at the beginning?
Dean is a firefighter and a single father. Though this could have been a sad story due to the storyline around Dean’s son, it really wasn’t. Dean’s struggling with his son’s diagnosis and is trying to give him some joy in his life. He stops at a photographer’s to see if it would be possible for his son to see a stuffed animal used in pictures at the hospital ward. Though Marcos doesn’t take walk-ins, there’s something about Sammy and Dean that he can’t say no to. Sammy’s illness is visible, and Marcos ends up taking pictures of Sammy with the stuffed dalmatian. He refuses money for the session and sends the pictures to Dean. When Sammy’s in remission, they show back up to Marco’s again.
I know books with children, especially in this genre, is not always a favorite, but this author is one of the best I’ve read in writing children into books. This story is about family, the good and the bad. Though Dean and Marco are attracted to each other, Sammy is really the one that seemed to pull them together. They developed a friendship first before a relationship. There was attraction between Dean and Marco, but it was more comfortable and less sizzling, in my opinion. Marco had a lot of hang-ups and Dean had a lot to work through, which probably wouldn’t have happened without the help of Sammy.
If you’ve read an Andrew Grey book you know he writes in-depth characters, every last one of them; families with imperfections; hard fought love; and beautiful HEA’s. As always, I highly recommend reading what this author writes including this book and series!
Rating: 4 stars
Smoldering Flame is Book 3 in Andrew Grey’s Rekindled Flame series. Though there are some interactions with characters from the previous books, you could probably read this as a standalone but the whole series is enjoyable, so why not start at the beginning?
Dean is a firefighter and a single father. Though this could have been a sad story due to the storyline around Dean’s son, it really wasn’t. Dean’s struggling with his son’s diagnosis and is trying to give him some joy in his life. He stops at a photographer’s to see if it would be possible for his son to see a stuffed animal used in pictures at the hospital ward. Though Marcos doesn’t take walk-ins, there’s something about Sammy and Dean that he can’t say no to. Sammy’s illness is visible, and Marcos ends up taking pictures of Sammy with the stuffed dalmatian. He refuses money for the session and sends the pictures to Dean. When Sammy’s in remission, they show back up to Marco’s again.
I know books with children, especially in this genre, is not always a favorite, but this author is one of the best I’ve read in writing children into books. This story is about family, the good and the bad. Though Dean and Marco are attracted to each other, Sammy is really the one that seemed to pull them together. They developed a friendship first before a relationship. There was attraction between Dean and Marco, but it was more comfortable and less sizzling, in my opinion. Marco had a lot of hang-ups and Dean had a lot to work through, which probably wouldn’t have happened without the help of Sammy.
If you’ve read an Andrew Grey book you know he writes in-depth characters, every last one of them; families with imperfections; hard fought love; and beautiful HEA’s. As always, I highly recommend reading what this author writes including this book and series!
Rating: 4 stars
February 16, 2018
Full review available at: https://optimumm.blog/2018/02/13/revi...
Smoldering Flame by Andrew Grey is the third book in the Rekindled Flame series. I haven’t read the other two books in the series, but this book is very much a standalone read. I have read quite a few books by Andrew Grey, and he has this way of writing that just engages all of my emotions. I can’t help but become invested in his characters and what they have to go through to get to their happily ever after. I just knew this was going to be a special book when Marco meets Dean and Sammy for the first time at his studio and he does a photo shoot with Sammy and Sparky, a giant stuffed Dalmatian dog. The scene brought tears to my eyes, and I was glued to the book until the very end. The book was everything that I wanted and more.
Smoldering Flame starts out, and we meet Marco and get a look into his hopes and dreams for his photography career. He’s on the cusp of making it big and getting all of his hard work and dreams realized. Marco hasn’t had an easy life growing up. He lost his mother to cancer and entered the foster system. He also had leukemia as a child and was able to beat it. However, he didn’t have any family, and so he had to battle all of the treatments by himself with just the nurses and doctors to keep him company while he was in the hospital. There was a very nice firefighter that would come in and visit with the children, but he was later killed on the job. After beating leukemia, he was fortunate enough to have wonderful foster parents that were very supportive of his photography passion.
Dean’s a firefighter, and his life revolves around his very ill son, Sammy. Dean’s a single father, and his parents help out with babysitting while Dean’s at work. His mother’s very supportive of Dean being gay. However, his father is retired military and believes that Dean just needs to find the right woman again. He doesn’t support his son being gay and has very bigoted views. However he does love his grandson, in his mind he just wants his son to find the perfect woman to be Sammy’s new mother. He feels that Sammy needs to have a mother in order to have a well-balanced life.
During his treatments, Sammy sees a picture in the children’s ward with a little girl and a giant stuffed Dalmatian dog. He’s taken with the dog, and so his father finds out who shot the photo, and they visit the studio in the hopes that Sammy can see and interact with the stuffed dog in person. When Marco sees Sammy, he’s moved to offer an impromptu photo session with the dog. Marco can empathize with Sammy, and he loves how Dean cares for Sammy. Marco finds the way Dean cares for Sammy to be very attractive. And it’s Sammy and his love of Marco’s stuffed dog, Sparky, that keeps bringing Dean and Marco back together until they start dating. But Marco has trust and loss issues, and Dean has a very dangerous job. Can Marco handle the stress of Dean’s job? Can their new relationship handle how busy Marco’s job is and how much traveling comes with it? I know that I enjoyed getting the answers to those questions. I fell in love with Sammy, Dean, and Marco and of course, Sparky and Spotty, the hand puppet. I can’t wait to read the first book in the series about Marco and Richard, who are friends of Dean and Marco’s.
So for me, it’s 5 OptimuMMs for Fire Daddy, Fire Papa, Sammy, Sparky, and Spotty for stealing my heart.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
Smoldering Flame by Andrew Grey is the third book in the Rekindled Flame series. I haven’t read the other two books in the series, but this book is very much a standalone read. I have read quite a few books by Andrew Grey, and he has this way of writing that just engages all of my emotions. I can’t help but become invested in his characters and what they have to go through to get to their happily ever after. I just knew this was going to be a special book when Marco meets Dean and Sammy for the first time at his studio and he does a photo shoot with Sammy and Sparky, a giant stuffed Dalmatian dog. The scene brought tears to my eyes, and I was glued to the book until the very end. The book was everything that I wanted and more.
Smoldering Flame starts out, and we meet Marco and get a look into his hopes and dreams for his photography career. He’s on the cusp of making it big and getting all of his hard work and dreams realized. Marco hasn’t had an easy life growing up. He lost his mother to cancer and entered the foster system. He also had leukemia as a child and was able to beat it. However, he didn’t have any family, and so he had to battle all of the treatments by himself with just the nurses and doctors to keep him company while he was in the hospital. There was a very nice firefighter that would come in and visit with the children, but he was later killed on the job. After beating leukemia, he was fortunate enough to have wonderful foster parents that were very supportive of his photography passion.
Dean’s a firefighter, and his life revolves around his very ill son, Sammy. Dean’s a single father, and his parents help out with babysitting while Dean’s at work. His mother’s very supportive of Dean being gay. However, his father is retired military and believes that Dean just needs to find the right woman again. He doesn’t support his son being gay and has very bigoted views. However he does love his grandson, in his mind he just wants his son to find the perfect woman to be Sammy’s new mother. He feels that Sammy needs to have a mother in order to have a well-balanced life.
During his treatments, Sammy sees a picture in the children’s ward with a little girl and a giant stuffed Dalmatian dog. He’s taken with the dog, and so his father finds out who shot the photo, and they visit the studio in the hopes that Sammy can see and interact with the stuffed dog in person. When Marco sees Sammy, he’s moved to offer an impromptu photo session with the dog. Marco can empathize with Sammy, and he loves how Dean cares for Sammy. Marco finds the way Dean cares for Sammy to be very attractive. And it’s Sammy and his love of Marco’s stuffed dog, Sparky, that keeps bringing Dean and Marco back together until they start dating. But Marco has trust and loss issues, and Dean has a very dangerous job. Can Marco handle the stress of Dean’s job? Can their new relationship handle how busy Marco’s job is and how much traveling comes with it? I know that I enjoyed getting the answers to those questions. I fell in love with Sammy, Dean, and Marco and of course, Sparky and Spotty, the hand puppet. I can’t wait to read the first book in the series about Marco and Richard, who are friends of Dean and Marco’s.
So for me, it’s 5 OptimuMMs for Fire Daddy, Fire Papa, Sammy, Sparky, and Spotty for stealing my heart.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book ***
February 6, 2018
Another great book by Andrew Grey. I loved that this book was not only an extremely emotional read but also an exciting read. I like a good fire fighter read but when you throw in a son and a man that completely understands the things this amazing little boy has been through and you have a fabulous read that will capture your heart.
Den is a single father of an incredible little boy named Sammy. Dean is not only a father but he is also a fire fighter that loves his job. He is good at his job, almost like he can read what a fire is going to do before he does it. But the most important thing in his life is this precious little boy.
Sammy is only five years old but he has had a hard time of things. He is fighting the fight of his young life against cancer. It has most definitely taken its role on him and Dean is extremely concerned that he is going to lose his little boy. So when Sammy shows a huge interest in wanting to meet the stuffed dog that he has seen in pictures at the hospital, Dean does not hesitate to take Sammy to the man that took the picture in hopes to be able to let his little boy meet the stuffed animal his little boy has becomes so infatuated with.
Marcos is the photographer that took the picture that Sammy seen and when he meets both Sammy and Dean for the first time their is no question about letting the boy play with the stuffed dog and even less question of whether he will take picture of it or not. Meeting Sammy brought back Marcos past pain of going through the same thing that Sammy is going through but at the same time the pictures of Sammy turn out to be one of Marco's favorite.
Marco was not expecting to meet and start to feel something for someone, much less someone like Dean and Sammy for that matter. But that is exactly what has happened. But what happens between Marco and Dean when Marco is no longer sure if he can handle the stress and emotional war that he feels within about Dean's very dangerous job? Can he get over the fear he feels or will it all just be to much for him?
Andrew Grey did such an amazing job on this book. It is truly an emotional read. There was times that I was in tears and other times I found myself smiling. It is definitely one of those books you want to have some tissue handy while reading it. I look forward to more books by Andrew in the future.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Den is a single father of an incredible little boy named Sammy. Dean is not only a father but he is also a fire fighter that loves his job. He is good at his job, almost like he can read what a fire is going to do before he does it. But the most important thing in his life is this precious little boy.
Sammy is only five years old but he has had a hard time of things. He is fighting the fight of his young life against cancer. It has most definitely taken its role on him and Dean is extremely concerned that he is going to lose his little boy. So when Sammy shows a huge interest in wanting to meet the stuffed dog that he has seen in pictures at the hospital, Dean does not hesitate to take Sammy to the man that took the picture in hopes to be able to let his little boy meet the stuffed animal his little boy has becomes so infatuated with.
Marcos is the photographer that took the picture that Sammy seen and when he meets both Sammy and Dean for the first time their is no question about letting the boy play with the stuffed dog and even less question of whether he will take picture of it or not. Meeting Sammy brought back Marcos past pain of going through the same thing that Sammy is going through but at the same time the pictures of Sammy turn out to be one of Marco's favorite.
Marco was not expecting to meet and start to feel something for someone, much less someone like Dean and Sammy for that matter. But that is exactly what has happened. But what happens between Marco and Dean when Marco is no longer sure if he can handle the stress and emotional war that he feels within about Dean's very dangerous job? Can he get over the fear he feels or will it all just be to much for him?
Andrew Grey did such an amazing job on this book. It is truly an emotional read. There was times that I was in tears and other times I found myself smiling. It is definitely one of those books you want to have some tissue handy while reading it. I look forward to more books by Andrew in the future.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
April 26, 2018
4.5*
This story is my favourite in the series by a long way. The first two stories, although well-crafted, were nowhere near as uplifting as Dean, Sammy, and Marco’s delightful tale. This one certainly tugged on my heartstrings in many ways.
All three 'guys' are realistic and likeable characters, and their background stories are touching. Both Marco and Dean are in need of a partner and Sammy seems to bring them together. I’m not usually a fan of children in gay romances, but Sammy comes across as a sweet boy and because his scenes are endearing you excuse his cock-blocking! This is a story of building a lasting, loving relationship and becoming a family. It’s more of a smoldering romance than one of passionate sex, although the few on-page intimate moments are well worth waiting for. Of course, there are a few hiccups and a little angst with regard to the risks Dean takes as a fireman. Marco also has a few scary moments of his own. I liked the balance between romance and action here. I loved the ending and epilogue. Just wonderful.
Characters from books 1 and 2 make an appearance, but it’s not important to know their backstory or relevance. This story can easily be read as a standalone.
Both 1 and 2 Rekindled Flame and Cleansing Flame feature a fireman and a man they rescue with a physical disability. Although I enjoyed these stories overall and they ended happily, there were times when the stories had a depressing quality to them, and the inner dialogue and reactions dragged me down at times. In contrast, Smoldering Flame is warming and touching, despite the references to illness, abandonment, and Dean’s bigoted father. All these issues are overcome successfully in the story.
Michael Pauley narrated all three stories, which is a big plus for me. I prefer the same narrator for a series even though different main characters are involved. He tells the stories with enthusiasm, imparting the right emotions for each scene. Michael created distinctive voices for the characters. His voice for Sammy matched that of a child and he produced believable female voices too. Good job!
Review also posted on Gay Book Reviews:
https://gaybook.reviews/2018/04/26/li...
This story is my favourite in the series by a long way. The first two stories, although well-crafted, were nowhere near as uplifting as Dean, Sammy, and Marco’s delightful tale. This one certainly tugged on my heartstrings in many ways.
All three 'guys' are realistic and likeable characters, and their background stories are touching. Both Marco and Dean are in need of a partner and Sammy seems to bring them together. I’m not usually a fan of children in gay romances, but Sammy comes across as a sweet boy and because his scenes are endearing you excuse his cock-blocking! This is a story of building a lasting, loving relationship and becoming a family. It’s more of a smoldering romance than one of passionate sex, although the few on-page intimate moments are well worth waiting for. Of course, there are a few hiccups and a little angst with regard to the risks Dean takes as a fireman. Marco also has a few scary moments of his own. I liked the balance between romance and action here. I loved the ending and epilogue. Just wonderful.
Characters from books 1 and 2 make an appearance, but it’s not important to know their backstory or relevance. This story can easily be read as a standalone.
Both 1 and 2 Rekindled Flame and Cleansing Flame feature a fireman and a man they rescue with a physical disability. Although I enjoyed these stories overall and they ended happily, there were times when the stories had a depressing quality to them, and the inner dialogue and reactions dragged me down at times. In contrast, Smoldering Flame is warming and touching, despite the references to illness, abandonment, and Dean’s bigoted father. All these issues are overcome successfully in the story.
Michael Pauley narrated all three stories, which is a big plus for me. I prefer the same narrator for a series even though different main characters are involved. He tells the stories with enthusiasm, imparting the right emotions for each scene. Michael created distinctive voices for the characters. His voice for Sammy matched that of a child and he produced believable female voices too. Good job!
Review also posted on Gay Book Reviews:
https://gaybook.reviews/2018/04/26/li...
February 13, 2018
I’ll alert you ahead of time, this one starts out as a heart-tugger. It does have an HEA, because that’s what Andrew Grey writes, so stick with me on this. I’ll also tell you this is my favorite Andrew Grey romance. It’s so sweetly written, with just enough gentle angst and loads of love that you will not be able to put it down until you finish it.
Dean is a firefighter. He’s also a single father, through circumstances that are explained in the book. His little boy, who is about 4 years old, first appears in the book bald, tired, and dragging his oxygen tank behind him as he and his father enter a photographer’s studio. You can imagine for yourself what is wrong with Sammy. Sammy had seen some photographs at the hospital of other patients in costumes or with props and because his father is a firefighter, he really wants his picture taken with a huge stuffed dalmation he had seen in one of the photos. Dean tracked the photographer down to this studio and came to ask the photographer, who is in high demand, to simply let Sammy see the stuffed dog. It’s near closing time but Marco, the photographer, couldn’t resist the opportunity to make Sammy happy by pulling the prop out of a closet, and then taking pictures of him with the dog.
There are a number of connections between Marco and Sammy, including childhood cancer. Marco had grown up in the foster care system, including one couple who essentially raised him but never adopted him. There’s also a tug between Marco and Dean, both single gay men, but both have reasons to keep any relationship on a back burner. It’s a push and pull between them almost all the way through the book.
The characters spend quite a bit of time in hospitals, for various reasons and there are a number of life threatening challenges for everyone to cope with. The question becomes whether there is room in each other’s life for love and whether Sammy will get hurt somewhere along the way.
The ending is absolutely fantastic. Best ending I’ve ever read! I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I really wanted to give this one 10 stars.
Dean is a firefighter. He’s also a single father, through circumstances that are explained in the book. His little boy, who is about 4 years old, first appears in the book bald, tired, and dragging his oxygen tank behind him as he and his father enter a photographer’s studio. You can imagine for yourself what is wrong with Sammy. Sammy had seen some photographs at the hospital of other patients in costumes or with props and because his father is a firefighter, he really wants his picture taken with a huge stuffed dalmation he had seen in one of the photos. Dean tracked the photographer down to this studio and came to ask the photographer, who is in high demand, to simply let Sammy see the stuffed dog. It’s near closing time but Marco, the photographer, couldn’t resist the opportunity to make Sammy happy by pulling the prop out of a closet, and then taking pictures of him with the dog.
There are a number of connections between Marco and Sammy, including childhood cancer. Marco had grown up in the foster care system, including one couple who essentially raised him but never adopted him. There’s also a tug between Marco and Dean, both single gay men, but both have reasons to keep any relationship on a back burner. It’s a push and pull between them almost all the way through the book.
The characters spend quite a bit of time in hospitals, for various reasons and there are a number of life threatening challenges for everyone to cope with. The question becomes whether there is room in each other’s life for love and whether Sammy will get hurt somewhere along the way.
The ending is absolutely fantastic. Best ending I’ve ever read! I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I really wanted to give this one 10 stars.
February 28, 2021
I absolutely adored this book especially with Sammy in the book Dean's son. It was so good even though it was a slow burn like Marco and Dean got to know each other not wanting to rush because Dean had to think about Sammy and if he'd get hurt if he got too involved with Marco and things didn't work out. However, things worked out wonderfully.
Though there was some bumps in the road which not all of them was about Dean's job. some of them was Marcos profession about being a top-notch photographer but Dean refused to let him let his dreams go away. He made him go take the job in Paris and before the end of the book the last few pages it showed him that it had already been 7 months and he was wonderful at what he was doing even more than he was before. My favorite part besides Sammy and the sex scenes was the ending when Dean asked Marco to be Sammy's second dad that moment was so beautiful and wonderful.
Marco was there for Dean when he needed him especially when Sammy got sick and Dean thought at first that his cancer come back. Marco opened up about how he felt when he was younger and had cancer just like Sammy did the only difference was he'd been completely alone without his mom or dad at the time though he was later adopted thankfully.
Marco did not track down dad I thought it was perfect when he took him on toe to toe because Ted refused to understand why Dean couldn't find a mom for Sammy. He'd done it before, but oh how Marco gave him that dressing down. It was also when Marco said he loved Dean.
It's kind of bittersweet that this trilogy is over because I loved it so much. I cannot wait to read other books by Andrew especially to get to know some of the other characters that was in this especially the ones from the Broncos series. out of the three books and this trilogy this one was actually my favorite. Even though at first I thought there wasn't going to be a full out sex scene thankfully page 160 something saved this from having to be anything lower than a five star.
Though there was some bumps in the road which not all of them was about Dean's job. some of them was Marcos profession about being a top-notch photographer but Dean refused to let him let his dreams go away. He made him go take the job in Paris and before the end of the book the last few pages it showed him that it had already been 7 months and he was wonderful at what he was doing even more than he was before. My favorite part besides Sammy and the sex scenes was the ending when Dean asked Marco to be Sammy's second dad that moment was so beautiful and wonderful.
Marco was there for Dean when he needed him especially when Sammy got sick and Dean thought at first that his cancer come back. Marco opened up about how he felt when he was younger and had cancer just like Sammy did the only difference was he'd been completely alone without his mom or dad at the time though he was later adopted thankfully.
Marco did not track down dad I thought it was perfect when he took him on toe to toe because Ted refused to understand why Dean couldn't find a mom for Sammy. He'd done it before, but oh how Marco gave him that dressing down. It was also when Marco said he loved Dean.
It's kind of bittersweet that this trilogy is over because I loved it so much. I cannot wait to read other books by Andrew especially to get to know some of the other characters that was in this especially the ones from the Broncos series. out of the three books and this trilogy this one was actually my favorite. Even though at first I thought there wasn't going to be a full out sex scene thankfully page 160 something saved this from having to be anything lower than a five star.
December 25, 2019
4.5 stars
Narration: Michael Pauley has an amazing voice. I can tell the difference in Michaels’ reading from the first two books. He’s really starting to come into his narrating skills. I still think he has a very sexy voice and brings the story to life. His cadence has improved so much over the year between the books in this series…and looking up his other narrations, there are plenty more to listen to by him! YES!
Story: When I read the blurb, I was curious to see how Grey was going to have Dean become a dad without a spouse. Dean trying to be straight to make everyone happy was a good way to do that. In this love story, we have a firefighter dealing with a sick child, Sammy. He doesn’t meet his love interest at a fire like in the other two books. Instead, he brings his son in to meet the huge stuffed dalmatian that Marco uses as a photo prop. Marco offers a free photoshoot that melted my heart! The love parts were a little faster in this one, but it wasn’t insta-love. The title was perfect.
Marco was a foster kid, turned photographer that’s about to hit it big. He’s worked hard for everything he has. Marco not only lost his mother at a young age to cancer, but he also fought it himself, which helps with his interactions with Sammy. Both characters are deep and realized so the story moves at a good pace.
Some side stories are going on in this book that are worth a mention because they could have changed the direction of the story. Marco’s foster parents play a significant role when they explain some truths to him. They change his point of view on things in a good way.
Dean’s mother is wonderful and helps put his father in his place. But before that happens, he tries to cause issues for the couple.
This is another must-read series by Andrew Grey!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Narration: Michael Pauley has an amazing voice. I can tell the difference in Michaels’ reading from the first two books. He’s really starting to come into his narrating skills. I still think he has a very sexy voice and brings the story to life. His cadence has improved so much over the year between the books in this series…and looking up his other narrations, there are plenty more to listen to by him! YES!
Story: When I read the blurb, I was curious to see how Grey was going to have Dean become a dad without a spouse. Dean trying to be straight to make everyone happy was a good way to do that. In this love story, we have a firefighter dealing with a sick child, Sammy. He doesn’t meet his love interest at a fire like in the other two books. Instead, he brings his son in to meet the huge stuffed dalmatian that Marco uses as a photo prop. Marco offers a free photoshoot that melted my heart! The love parts were a little faster in this one, but it wasn’t insta-love. The title was perfect.
Marco was a foster kid, turned photographer that’s about to hit it big. He’s worked hard for everything he has. Marco not only lost his mother at a young age to cancer, but he also fought it himself, which helps with his interactions with Sammy. Both characters are deep and realized so the story moves at a good pace.
Some side stories are going on in this book that are worth a mention because they could have changed the direction of the story. Marco’s foster parents play a significant role when they explain some truths to him. They change his point of view on things in a good way.
Dean’s mother is wonderful and helps put his father in his place. But before that happens, he tries to cause issues for the couple.
This is another must-read series by Andrew Grey!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 25, 2019
4.5 stars
Narration: Michael Pauley has an amazing voice. I can tell the difference in Michaels’ reading from the first two books. He’s really starting to come into his narrating skills. I still think he has a very sexy voice and brings the story to life. His cadence has improved so much over the year between the books in this series…and looking up his other narrations, there are plenty more to listen to by him! YES!
Story: When I read the blurb, I was curious to see how Grey was going to have Dean become a dad without a spouse. Dean trying to be straight to make everyone happy was a good way to do that. In this love story, we have a firefighter dealing with a sick child, Sammy. He doesn’t meet his love interest at a fire like in the other two books. Instead, he brings his son in to meet the huge stuffed dalmatian that Marco uses as a photo prop. Marco offers a free photoshoot that melted my heart! The love parts were a little faster in this one, but it wasn’t insta-love. The title was perfect.
Marco was a foster kid, turned photographer that’s about to hit it big. He’s worked hard for everything he has. Marco not only lost his mother at a young age to cancer, but he also fought it himself, which helps with his interactions with Sammy. Both characters are deep and realized so the story moves at a good pace.
Some side stories are going on in this book that are worth a mention because they could have changed the direction of the story. Marco’s foster parents play a significant role when they explain some truths to him. They change his point of view on things in a good way.
Dean’s mother is wonderful and helps put his father in his place. But before that happens, he tries to cause issues for the couple.
This is another must-read series by Andrew Grey!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Narration: Michael Pauley has an amazing voice. I can tell the difference in Michaels’ reading from the first two books. He’s really starting to come into his narrating skills. I still think he has a very sexy voice and brings the story to life. His cadence has improved so much over the year between the books in this series…and looking up his other narrations, there are plenty more to listen to by him! YES!
Story: When I read the blurb, I was curious to see how Grey was going to have Dean become a dad without a spouse. Dean trying to be straight to make everyone happy was a good way to do that. In this love story, we have a firefighter dealing with a sick child, Sammy. He doesn’t meet his love interest at a fire like in the other two books. Instead, he brings his son in to meet the huge stuffed dalmatian that Marco uses as a photo prop. Marco offers a free photoshoot that melted my heart! The love parts were a little faster in this one, but it wasn’t insta-love. The title was perfect.
Marco was a foster kid, turned photographer that’s about to hit it big. He’s worked hard for everything he has. Marco not only lost his mother at a young age to cancer, but he also fought it himself, which helps with his interactions with Sammy. Both characters are deep and realized so the story moves at a good pace.
Some side stories are going on in this book that are worth a mention because they could have changed the direction of the story. Marco’s foster parents play a significant role when they explain some truths to him. They change his point of view on things in a good way.
Dean’s mother is wonderful and helps put his father in his place. But before that happens, he tries to cause issues for the couple.
This is another must-read series by Andrew Grey!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
April 27, 2018
Wow! This is book three in Rekindled Flame but it stands alone ok. Some of the characters carry over from the previous books but the story is solely Dean and Marcus.
Dean is a firefighter and loves his job. He is a single father of a six-year-old son that is battling cancer.
Marcus is an up and coming high-end photographer.
Sammy, Dean's son saw a photo in the hospital of a child with a stuffed dalmatian that Dean took and wanted to see it. Dean takes him by the studio and the sparks start.
Sammy won my heart over just like he does Marcus. Even the Grinch's heart would melt meeting this sweet little boy. Andrew Grey dis a spectacular job creating Sammy. He is charming, innocent, yet the angst is not overdone. We see a normal child though he is dealing with a terrible monster.
Marcus has some secrets and he can relate to Sammy and that is part of why they click so much. He gets him.
The relationship is a slow burn which was perfect for the story but once those sparks turn to flames...watch out! The chemistry here is smoking!
I love this series and I think this one is my favorite so far!
Michael Pauley really brings the awesome characters to life. he makes a charming voice for Sammy and we can tell his age. I love the way he laughs when there is a laugh chuckle if its called for and sighs. and in the bedroom he makes the scene come alive.I suggest if you are going to invest in an Audio try this one! Or buy the book and add the audio so you have the est of both worlds. You won't regret it.
I am not one to reread a lot but this is on my will read again list!
Dean is a firefighter and loves his job. He is a single father of a six-year-old son that is battling cancer.
Marcus is an up and coming high-end photographer.
Sammy, Dean's son saw a photo in the hospital of a child with a stuffed dalmatian that Dean took and wanted to see it. Dean takes him by the studio and the sparks start.
Sammy won my heart over just like he does Marcus. Even the Grinch's heart would melt meeting this sweet little boy. Andrew Grey dis a spectacular job creating Sammy. He is charming, innocent, yet the angst is not overdone. We see a normal child though he is dealing with a terrible monster.
Marcus has some secrets and he can relate to Sammy and that is part of why they click so much. He gets him.
The relationship is a slow burn which was perfect for the story but once those sparks turn to flames...watch out! The chemistry here is smoking!
I love this series and I think this one is my favorite so far!
Michael Pauley really brings the awesome characters to life. he makes a charming voice for Sammy and we can tell his age. I love the way he laughs when there is a laugh chuckle if its called for and sighs. and in the bedroom he makes the scene come alive.I suggest if you are going to invest in an Audio try this one! Or buy the book and add the audio so you have the est of both worlds. You won't regret it.
I am not one to reread a lot but this is on my will read again list!
February 16, 2018
Typical Andrew Grey -- Which is OK By Me
The first chapter of this book will tug your heartstrings even if you are a honey badger. In it we meet Marco the photographer, Dean the fireman and his 5-year-old son Sammy, who is suffering from cancer. How Andrew Grey keeps you from falling apart is a tribute to the way this author handles almost everything he tackles--with grace, care and superb aplomb of language.
How these three, plus their families, come together--and slightly apart--along the way in the manner Grey has established for his firefighter LGBT community of Carlisle, Pennsylvania carries you along from teardrop of sadness to teardrop of happiness to eventual sweet smiles.
You can read other reviews to get the details, or peruse the book's blurb. All I can say is that this is another triumph and worth spending a night or two being wrapped in its comfort.
The first chapter of this book will tug your heartstrings even if you are a honey badger. In it we meet Marco the photographer, Dean the fireman and his 5-year-old son Sammy, who is suffering from cancer. How Andrew Grey keeps you from falling apart is a tribute to the way this author handles almost everything he tackles--with grace, care and superb aplomb of language.
How these three, plus their families, come together--and slightly apart--along the way in the manner Grey has established for his firefighter LGBT community of Carlisle, Pennsylvania carries you along from teardrop of sadness to teardrop of happiness to eventual sweet smiles.
You can read other reviews to get the details, or peruse the book's blurb. All I can say is that this is another triumph and worth spending a night or two being wrapped in its comfort.
April 5, 2018
Great read
As with all of Andrew's books it is a well thought out storyline about love, life and overcoming fear.
Photographer Marco meets Firefighter Dean when Dean's sick child Sammy comes to his studio, moved by Sammy Marco does the session for free and so starts a slow burning love story that has life obstacles and real life fears.
Sammy and a stuffed dog steal the show love this series each book has a different couple although other couples are mentioned.
As with all of Andrew's books it is a well thought out storyline about love, life and overcoming fear.
Photographer Marco meets Firefighter Dean when Dean's sick child Sammy comes to his studio, moved by Sammy Marco does the session for free and so starts a slow burning love story that has life obstacles and real life fears.
Sammy and a stuffed dog steal the show love this series each book has a different couple although other couples are mentioned.
April 13, 2018
Smoldering Flame is a romance between Marco and Dean. Dean was great father to his eight year young son Sammy. What I liked about the story is that the romance between both MC is written around mature main characters, which was great. I liked that about this story. Sure Dean's father was an ass, but at least, he was a good grandfather to Sammy. Marco had personal issues from his past, but he didn't hid behind them, but acted mature and smart. Great work by Andrew Grey!
February 17, 2018
Loved Sammy!
This was a wonderful, sweet read. This well written story included everything from childhood cancer, to the death of parents, to fear of the unknown, and more. It was great how the author wove together a heart warming romance about fatherhood and second chances. Loved the read.
This was a wonderful, sweet read. This well written story included everything from childhood cancer, to the death of parents, to fear of the unknown, and more. It was great how the author wove together a heart warming romance about fatherhood and second chances. Loved the read.
April 28, 2018
Smoldering flame
Such a cute story and wonderful characters that you cant help but fall in love with. Dean, the Firedaddy, Sammy the cutie firestorm, and Marco the great photographer.
Such a cute story and wonderful characters that you cant help but fall in love with. Dean, the Firedaddy, Sammy the cutie firestorm, and Marco the great photographer.
June 30, 2018
I really appreciate how each man has a strong work ethic and careers they were committed to. Each man supported the others dreams. I think that why each found a way to make their dreams and relationship flourish.
February 19, 2018
Rekindled Flame is a nice series and Smoldering Flame is too. Tha story is sweet and I liked Dean and Marco and the little Sammy, I think it was ok story.
February 19, 2018
What can I say Andrew Grey never fails.
February 20, 2018
I’m enjoying this whole series. Sammy is so sweet.
February 20, 2018
The characters were likeable and easy to read. Good read. Entertaining.
March 17, 2018
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews