For What It's Worth


Thursday, April 23, 2020

Review: Burn Zone (Hotshots #1) by Annabeth Albert

Smoke jumper Lincoln Reid is speechless to see Jacob Hartman among his squad’s new recruits. Linc had promised his late best friend he’d stay away from his little brother. And yet here Jacob is…and almost instantly, the same temptation Linc has always felt around him is causing way too many problems.

Jacob gets everyone’s concerns, but he’s waited years for his shot at joining the elite smoke jumping team, hoping to honor his brother’s memory. He’s ready to tackle any challenge Linc throws his way, and senses the chemistry between them—chemistry Linc insists on ignoring—is still alive and kicking. This time, Jacob’s determined to get what he wants.


Close quarters and high stakes make it difficult for Linc to keep his resolve, never mind do so while also making sure the rookie’s safe. But the closer they get, the more Linc’s plan to leave at the end of the season risks him breaking another promise: the one his heart wants to make to Jacob. ~
Goodreads


Source: e-arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Albert’s new romance series takes us away from her usual military heroes and introduces us to the world of smoke jumping.

My concentration level for reading is next to zero, but I did devour this in one sitting. I just really love this authors writing and the way she paces her stories.

Jacob has always had a thing for his brother’s best friend and fellow smoke jumper, Linc. The timing was never right. Jacob was 19 when he first made a play for Linc who was then 29. Then after Jacob came out to his family, his big brother Wyatt warned Linc off and made him promise not to pursue Jacob.

Years alter, Jacob joins Linc’s smoke jumping team as a new recruit and Wyatt is no longer in the picture yet he still looms large over their relationship.

I’ll start with the positives. The training scenes were fun. It’s always great to read about new professions and smoke jumping has great potential for adrenaline rushes and danger.

Jacob. Dear sweet Jacob. I adored him so much. He’s a little brash and confident. Completely secure in himself and what he wants out of life. He’s brave without being cocky and is stubbornly loyal and dedicated to those he cares about.

Which leads me to what I didn’t like so much. Linc. He’s a good man with a good heart but oh man…the way he strings Jacob along and hurts him over and over again out of some misguided loyalty to his best friend Wyatt got on my last nerve after a while.

I think some of the problem is in the brief time we meet Wyatt, he’s a homophobic ass. And we just keep learning more about what a jerk Wyatt was until we finally learn why Linc feels so loyal to him. Wyatt saved Linc in a lot of ways from an abusive father so I get it. It was a complicated issue and Linc was trying to do the right thing for Jacob and to honor Wyatt.

But the way Linc caved and carried on a sexual relationship with Jacob while still putting his promise to Wyatt first was so passive aggressive and hurtful to Jacob and it pissed me off. Jacob had such a good, patient heart with everyone – Linc and his family - but they all always let him down and put Wyatt (who was no longer there) first.

At one point Jacob says: "Why are your promises to everyone else more important than me?"

Yeah Linc...WHY???


P.S. Unrelated but... I miss Jon Stewart

Every relationship needs a little drama and this was theirs and, of course, it’s resolved but Linc’s martyr complex got old.

So yeah…a lot of frustration but the smoke jumper setting and the friend group, plus Jacob made this a compelling read anyway and I did enjoy how they were rock solid once Linc got his head out of his ass.

27 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the pros and cons. I think Linc will be someone I'll want to shake and yell at, but I know they end up together (of course) so that helps. LOL I have this one to hopefully read next!

    -Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. It was a little frustrating because it went on for so long and Jacob is SUCH a good guy! but he did have reasons.

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  2. This sounds like it's not too too bad. I do like the sound of it.

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    1. I got annoyed but overall it kept my interest and finished it in one sitting so yay!

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  3. oh boy.....so much DRAMA and hints of almost emotional abuse maybe? which in my view is passive agressiveness. Interesting premise though.

    Great review

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    1. I would say it's more directed at himself because Jacob stood by his own principles but he also deserved so much better and was always willing to give more chances - not just to Linc but also his parents.

      it was just really frustrating. I wanted Jacob to go out and have fun with other guys while he was waiting on Linc and that's not a good feeling to have while reading a romance.

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  4. Sounds like even though you were a bit frustrated, still a good one! I'm finding it so hard to read, being home all the time.

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    1. SAME. This was one of the only books I've read since this all started.

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  5. I'm frustrated just reading this. I think actually experiencing Linc first-hand would do me in... But I'm curious about smoke jumping!

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    1. He's carrying a lot of baggage and he's not always wrong about the things he fears but it took up so much of the story and Jacob is so wonderful that it was frustrating.

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  6. HMM! The sort of cover that instantly puts me off a book anyway (I know, never judge a book by its cover but hey-ho what can I say but guilty) your thoughts on this haven't changed my mind.

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    1. Ha! That's fine. I'm not a fan of the covers either but I'm a romance reader so it comes with the territory.

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  7. "got his head out of his ass." ha Linc sounds like a jerkweed. Oh well...

    The smoke jumping thing sounds fun.

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    1. That pretty much sums up the book in one sentence lol

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  8. A one-sitting read is no small thing. Especially now. Jacob sounds totally likable but the issues with Linc... ugh. I hate when a character runs hot and cold in a relationship. It’s obnoxious and when it toys with the other person’s emotions... just cruel. And Wyatt sounds like an ass. Linc really needed to decide what he wanted and then act according. Playing both sides as it were was just douchey.

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    1. Exactly!! It's not that Linc didn't have good reasons but then decide already. Either let it go or let Jacob go. I know there needs to be drama but the way he let Jacob down went on too long.

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  9. This one sounded intersting, the only other book I've read involving smoke jumpers was a Nora Roberts one so this sounded good. A chance to explore the profession and I was interested in this romance... and then you mentioned Linc's martyr complex and that quote about him putting his promises to everyone else before Jacob, that's harsh and definitely something which would get old fast. I get the shadow of a family member hanging over this but I don't know if I'd like that. I might still check this out but I'll be prepared to be annoyed.

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    1. Ha! Sometimes being prepared to be annoyed helps. It's not that Linc wasn't right but if you're going to peruse it anyway then let it go...I loved Jacob so much and hated when he kept getting let down.

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  10. Great review on this. I completely agree. I was a little irritated with Linc, too. One thing is for sure though, I loved all the smoke jumping scenes. I didn't even know that was a thing before this book.

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    1. I did know about it mostly because of living in FL - we have bad fire seasons.

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  11. I've never heard of the term smoke jumper before. I usually enjoy a man in uniform romance and this lured me in until you mentioned Linc and his loyalty to what sounds like someone who's not even a part of his life anymore. I know romance likes to throw a bit of drama in there to shake things up but it sounds like a piss poor excuse unfortunately. I think seeing these two falling in love, given their profession probably would have been more than enough. Great review Karen, glad you enjoyed this for the most part darling.

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    1. I'm really not a fan of the "I'm not worthy" plotline so Linc pissed me off lol

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  12. I feel like when my focus is beginning to slide, the best thing you can give me is a romance because I will just go away with the characters and their love story so quickly. It doesn't have to be too complex and I love happy endings when I am in a focus-less mood. I am glad this one was so good and a great start to the series ^.^

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