Thursday, September 3, 2015

Review - - Melting Point

Melting Point  
(a Hot in Chicago novella)
By Kate Meader
Publisher: Pocket Star
Release Date: August 31, 2015





Gage Simpson, youngest of the firefighting Dempsey foster siblings, is the golden boy of Chicago's Engine Company 6. Blonde, blue-eyed, and always ready for a good time, Gage has the looks, smile and rock-hard body that stop men - and women - in their tracks. When he's introduced to Brady Smith, the owner of the hottest new restaurant in Chicago, his only goal is to get the man naked and start a few fires of the personal variety. Be careful what you wish for, Gage.

At no point in his life could Brady Smith ever have been accused of having a light and sunny personality but since returning from Afghanistan the former Marine has been immersed in darkness. Sex with Gage - on Brady's terms - is fine for the hot new chef and restaurant owner but at the first hint of deeper feelings he shuts down and runs the other way.

When an accident brings Gage back into Brady's life and painkillers lower Brady's guard enough to give Gage a glimpse into his real feelings, it gives them the second chance both want but they are still a long way from a relationship. Both men have painful pasts with fears, vulnerabilities, and deep emotional wounds, even though Gage has done a good job of hiding his beneath his easy-going, party-boy exterior.

I fell for Brady and Gage while reading Flirting With Fire and am so glad Kate Meader decided to write their story. I'm also glad she didn't take any easy roads with them. They needed to walk through the fire (pun intended), baring themselves emotionally as well as physically, and facing their painful pasts for the healing to begin. Only then would they have a chance to move forward...together.

I don't normally read M/M romance but I wanted Gage's story from the moment he strutted onto the pages of Flirting With Fire, the first book in Meader's Hot in Chicago series and Melting Point did not let me down. The chemistry between Gage and Brady is scorching with sex that is off-the-charts hot but it's the emotional intensity, the sweetness, and the caring between these two strong but vulnerable men that captured my heart. I just finished reading their story and all I want to do now is go back to the beginning and read it all over again.

Melting Point is good on its own but for a deeper understanding of these characters and a richer, more complete reading experience, I recommend reading Flirting With Fire (Luke and Kinsey's story) first. Then you can join my countdown to the next Hot in Chicago book, Playing With Fire (out Sept. 29th) which tells the story of Gage's firefighting sister, Alex and sexy Chicago mayor, Eli Cooper. I can't wait!

~PJ

4 comments:

  1. She is a new author that I was introduced to on Read-A-Romance-Month this year. I look forwarding to reading her books.

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    1. I really enjoy her writing, Pamela. Melting Point (as a Male/Male romance) will not be everyone's cup of tea and is outside my typical reading wheelhouse but I had faith in Meader's writing and she didn't let me down.

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  2. I met her at the Read A Romance Month at Schaumburg library and she was telling us about her new book...want it badly!! Her other books are great!

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    1. Isn't she lovely, deerdoe? I met her at RWA this summer and enjoyed chatting with her.

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