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???

via GIPHY

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.