Review - - Hot to the Touch

Hot to the Touch

by Kate Meader

Hot in Chicago Rookies - Book 3

Publisher: Kate Meader LLC

Release Date: August 22, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

I might be a rookie Chicago firefighter, but I’m on top of the world. I’ve just earned my spot on Rescue Squad at legendary Engine 6, can get all the action I want both in and out of the bedroom, and am possessed of an enviable sneaker collection. Nothing can harsh my vibe except her—Cassandra Ferguson, my brother’s sister-in-law, or as I affectionately label her: the blister-in-law. Ever since I met her, she’s looked down her perky little nose at me, never mind that I’m a good foot taller. Apparently, I offended her with a few risqué jokes and an offer for a fun, no-strings night—crimes that have relegated me to lower than dirt in St. Cassandra's eyes.

These days we’re at a stalemate. Don’t get along, can’t get along. Only when tragedy strikes, we have no choice but to put our animosity aside for the sake of our hurting niece and nephew, who need us now more than ever. As co-guardians, Cassie and I are enemy combatants in an uneasy truce, flailing around in a no-man’s land of grief and lust, forced to work as a team.

Thing is, when Cassie and I team up—when we really work together—the results are explosive. In a sexy way. In an amazing way. Maybe … in every way. But with stakes this high, we can’t get it wrong.

Even though it feels so, so right.

PJ's Thoughts:

Are you in the mood for a steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance with snappy banter, forced proximity, self-reflection, and a deep well of emotion at its core? If so, Kate Meader's Hot to the Touch is the book for you. It's a roller coaster of a ride that had tears flowing more than once, kept me eagerly flipping pages from beginning to end, and left me with feelings overflowing for this new family formed from the depths of heart-wrenching grief. 

Whether it's humor, grief, lust, animosity, or love, Kate Meader is my go-to contemporary author for steamy, funny, sometimes dangerous, and frequently emotional romance. The characters she creates are complex and multi-faceted, often with unseen layers that are expertly peeled away as the story progresses. In Hot to the Touch, that applies to both Sam and Cassie as well as the young niece and nephew for whom they are now responsible. I loved watching their story unfold as each character evolved, began to see one another in a different light, began to see themselves in a new way. They broke my heart but then they put it back together even stronger than before. That's part of the beauty of Meader's writing. 

Hot to the Touch is the final book in Kate Meader's Hot in Chicago Rookies trilogy. Characters from earlier books make appearances in this one but it stands well on its own though I do recommend all three books. Click the title to read my review of Up in Smoke (book one) and Down in Flames (book two).