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    Fanning The Flames
    Fanning The Flames
    Fanning The Flames
    Ebook88 pages1 hour

    Fanning The Flames

    By Victoria Dahl

    4/5

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    About this ebook


    Burning for you...

    Some men are off limits. Close friends of your ex–husband, for instance. Or firefighters who work in the same building as you. Yet despite her best judgment, librarian Lauren Foster can't help noticing fire captain Jake Davis whenever he jogs by...shirtless. They've always been friends, but all it takes is one not–so–chance meeting at a local bar and one not–quite–innocent walk home to ignite a fierce, uncontrollable desire between them.

    Widower Jake Davis has tried to ignore the spark he feels whenever Lauren's around, but once he sees her curves in a little black dress, there's no turning back. No matter how often she says she's all wrong for him, the sexy, outspoken divorcee is driving him wild in the best possible way. Maybe she's just blowing off steam. Or maybe he can convince her to fan these flames into something deeper, hotter, and truer than they ever expected...

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins Publishers Australia
    Release dateJul 1, 2014
    ISBN9781488708442
    Fanning The Flames
    Author

    Victoria Dahl

    Victoria Dahl lives with her family in a small town high in the mountains. Her first novel debuted in 2007, and she’s gone on to write seventeen books and novellas in historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance. Victoria's contemporary romance, Talk Me Down, was nominated for both a RWA Rita Award and the National Readers' Choice Award. Since then, her books have been nominated for two more Rita Awards, and she hit the USA Today Bestseller list with the anthology Midnight Kiss.

    Read more from Victoria Dahl

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    Reviews for Fanning The Flames

    4/5

    53 ratings5 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Lauren is a librarian who has been divorced for 8yrs and has never regretted it but lately has been feeling lonely, in the bedroom. Jake is the town fire captain and a widower whose fire station just so happens to be next door to Lauren's library. They have known each other for years and are now starting to really take notice.

      This is a novella, so it's obviously going to be short and sweet. What I didn't expect, was for it to be so complete. This starts off with Lauren observing Jake running shirtless and how hot and bothered it makes her in a fun and light witty banter way. The chik-lit feel continues as Lauren tries to fight her attraction to Jake, bemoans the lack of action happening in her bedroom, and agrees to let her friend take her out for a night out on the town to pick up some hot young eager men. What happens instead is Lauren escaping Jake's house after being caught in flagrante delicto. Jake and Lauren have off the charts bedroom chemistry but Lauren's insecurities rear their ugly head and this is where the story started to become deeper to me.

      Lauren criticizes herself for not being what she thought an ideal wife and woman should be. This is partly due to Lauren’s own insecurities and partly due to, what are hinted at, years of little digs by her ex-husband. Many women readers who are Lauren's age or have gone through a similar situation are going to feel a pang in their hearts for her. When she thinks the line "she'd hope that a happy mom was more important for Sawyer than a married one." I know many a woman who is going to have a tear in their eye.

      Jake is sexy, mature, and oh so good for Lauren but as this is mostly from Lauren's perspective and due to the strength of her character, you're going to focus more on her. The sex scenes are hot and the pace is steady and strong but as with all novellas, the ending seems abrupt and you'll wish it was longer. Very few novellas manage to pull off such a non-rushed feel and complete story. This is honestly one of the best short stories I have ever read and I will absolutely be picking up the next in the series.
    • 3/5
      I picked up this romance novella because I wanted something I could finish in the hour or so before I went to sleep as I failed to actually crack open the book I meant to start reading this weekend and I've got a bunch of library holds incoming. A fast read on the smuttier side, it was refreshing to find a romance where the leads are in their 40s. Also, as a librarian myself, I now kind of want to work in a library attached to a fire hall. You know, for safety reasons. ;)
    • 5/5
      I was so happy I picked this little novella up. I love the sexy (yet reserved) librarian meets the smoldering (pun intended) fireman. Two almost absurd literary tropes to mash up in a romance and yet Ms. Dahl says "F it" and makes a wonderful story. This novella is HOT, just like every single one of her stories. I love how she breaches age boundaries as well. They aren't old by any means but adults with grown children, divorces, and hell real lives...it's fantasy in a romance and it's damn good.
    • 3/5
      This one is a short one (only 61 pages only.) Not to rehash the book summary, but one meek librarian - Lauren - and one hot fireman - Jake - collide. Lauren has noticed Jake for quite sometime and when the attention is returned, the fire gets hot quick. And Lauren isn't so trusting of herself.

      To me, I didn't really think they went together. Jake read as younger than he was, and Lauren the exact opposite. So the chemistry I had trouble with. Still a decent read for such a story I guess.

      I received this book in exchange for an honest review for Netgalley.
    • 4/5
      No matter who died or how lives were changed, life moved on. For the first time, Jake honestly wanted to move on,

      This is going to be a short review because it was a short story and I don't want to just recite the plot. I really enjoyed the two main characters, Lauren and Jake. Lauren could be a bit annoying at times but I really hoped for the best for her. I loved Jake and couldn't help but feel bad for him and hope that he will finally be able to move on.

      There were some great steamy scenes in this between Lauren and Jake. I was giggling at what happened the first time they had some action. I really enjoyed this short story and would recommend it if you are looking for a story about two middle aged people looking to move on from relationships in their past.

    Book preview

    Fanning The Flames - Victoria Dahl

    Chapter One

    FIREFIGHTERS. THE BANE of her existence.

    Shaded beneath the fading awning of the Jackson Town Library, Lauren Foster watched as Fire Captain Jake Davis jogged along the other side of the street, his eyes straight ahead, brow furrowed against the bright sun. It was one of the hottest days of August so far, so he’d shucked his shirt and wore only black shorts, the Jackson Fire Department logo bunching at his hip with every stride. His shoulders and chest were tanned from months of summer running.

    The noise from the firefighters annoyed her every day, but the most torturous thing about the library being attached to the fire station was this: being exposed to Jake Davis’s beautiful body.

    He crossed the street and moved closer, and Lauren watched a trickle of sweat slip down his skin to tangle in the salt-and-pepper hair in the middle of his chest.

    God, she loved a hairy male chest. If she wanted to feel soft and smooth, she had free dibs on her own chest. No one else was using it.

    Sighing, she frowned at Jake’s wide, taut shoulders as he approached the building. He looked up then, of course. She imagined the picture she must make: the spinster town librarian sitting primly on a bench with a book, frowning her disapproval over a man’s sweaty public nudity.

    Lauren looked back to the book in her hands and frowned harder. No, she couldn’t even claim the cliché of spinster. She was just an empty-nester divorcée, counting down the years to menopause. She was in the single digits now and could feel the hot flashes looming over her, strobing in the distance like approaching lightning. Every time she went to that cute little boutique in town, she was more and more attracted to the wildly painted reading glasses with the beaded chains that let them hang around your neck.

    And she didn’t even need reading glasses. Yet.

    But a pair of new shades might do her good. Then she could truly enjoy the sight of Jake’s glistening chest as he jogged toward the fire station. Sharing the building made for a nice summer view during her lunch hour, but it was bittersweet, looking at what she could never have.

    Lauren didn’t realize he was moving straight toward her and not the door of the fire station until he stopped right in front of her. She sat up straighter.

    Lauren, he said in that familiar gravelly voice. You wanted to see me?

    She blinked in confusion before remembering that she’d sent him an email. Oh. Yes, but... But not half-naked, she wanted to say. As she hesitated, another little rivulet of sweat trickled down his neck and made its eager way toward his chest hair. Uh. Jesus. Lauren gave herself a mental shake. Your guys are playing music again.

    His brow tightened with momentary irritation. Loudly? he asked.

    His irritation fueled her own and helped her get over his glistening chest. Yes. Loudly enough that I can hear the lyrics in the library.

    They’re working out. Give ’em a break. They only—

    Earbuds. Check into them.

    Another twitch of his brow. Lauren stared him down.

    It’s a library, Jake. Come on. Our whole shtick is silent contemplation. When your sirens aren’t blaring, we need it to be quiet. Plus, your guys have terrible taste in music.

    His face finally relaxed into something that was almost a smile. All right. I’ll give you that. Their music sucks.

    Just remind them of the library’s hours, okay? They can blast music as loud as they want after closing.

    He ran a hand through his short hair, and another drop of sweat slipped down his neck. This time it curved over his shoulder and disappeared down his back. They’ve got earbuds, but listening to music together is bonding. It’s good for team cohesion.

    Lauren took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, hating the stereotype she was becoming. Do you really think I want to be the uptight middle-aged librarian asking the young guys next door to turn down that terrible rap music?

    When she opened her eyes, she thought she saw his gaze rise, as if he’d been looking at her body, but maybe that was just her own wishful thinking.

    What? he asked.

    Lauren sighed and stood. Take pity on me and don’t make me ask again, OK? I don’t enjoy being the nagging house mother.

    He was frowning again, but he at least offered an unenthusiastic Sure, as she turned to open the library door.

    Thank you, Jake.

    His hand appeared above hers to pull the door open, and there was no mistaking the scent of his clean sweat as the air moved around both of them. It hit her hard, drawing something tight deep in her belly, and Lauren considered it a triumph that she didn’t turn and lick him before moving inside. He smelled the way a man should smell when he was in your bed and working hard for it.

    The door finally whooshed shut behind her, and she breathed a sigh of relief that all she could smell now was paper and Windex.

    Her thirties had been a fairly dry decade, what with her failing marriage and then her divorce. But her forties? God. Her body clearly wanted her to get busy humping any man who caught her eye before all her eggs dried up. What her body didn’t seem to understand was that there were plenty of healthy-egged young twenty-somethings who were attracted to men like Jake Davis, too. She couldn’t compete with them. But honestly, she wouldn’t mind a few hopeless tries.

    Why had it taken her four decades to realize how beautiful the male body was? And how very much she wanted more of it? She’d never once thought about tasting a sweaty male chest in her twenties. Now she wanted to lick Jake Davis clean.

    Sneering at her own absurd thoughts, she headed for the privacy of the tiny office to the side of the circulation desk. I talked to Jake, she said, collapsing into the chair next to her best friend Sophie.

    Sophie looked up from her computer. Oh, you talked to Jake, huh?

    He said he’d have a word with the guys.

    Yeah? Did he also say, ‘Oh, Lauren, it’s so hot I can’t wear a shirt when I run. I hope that’s okay with you?’

    Lauren’s face felt like it burst into

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