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Boston Fire #4
Hot Response
The men of Boston Fire are back and hotter than ever! Don’t miss this brand-new novel from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey.
Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.
The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.
As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without.
Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.
The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.
As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without.
270 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 24, 2018
206 people are currently reading
1632 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Stacey
145 books2,640 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, football & watching way too much TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
June 14, 2018
Firefighter Gavin Boudreau and EMT Cait Tasker often find themselves on scene together and the encounters are a bit prickly. He has no idea what he did to get on her wrong side and his buddies at the station give him no end of grief. When they finally resolve that issue, what’s left is the potential of a promising relationship.
This was an easy story where we see two people tentatively beginning a relationship, careful with each other as they get to know one another. The main conflict is Cait’s family whose need caused her to return home to help her recently widowed mother cope with her grief while dealing with a teenaged half brother. I enjoyed how the two of them took the time to forge a meaningful relationship and how the conflicts weren’t overblown. There’s not a lot of drama (thankfully), just two mature people coping with life’s challenges. I also liked seeing the realities of their work life, the lows and the highs and their emotional impacts.
I’m still enjoying this series and particularly this story. The focus on family, work lives of firefighters and emergency response teams and the people supporting them is what interests me most. It’s what I was looking for in choosing the series and it continues to deliver. It’s a good story with characters I not only liked but admired. The narrator also was ideal for the story and I really liked her decisions about how to define the characters. Highly recommend the audio format.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
This was an easy story where we see two people tentatively beginning a relationship, careful with each other as they get to know one another. The main conflict is Cait’s family whose need caused her to return home to help her recently widowed mother cope with her grief while dealing with a teenaged half brother. I enjoyed how the two of them took the time to forge a meaningful relationship and how the conflicts weren’t overblown. There’s not a lot of drama (thankfully), just two mature people coping with life’s challenges. I also liked seeing the realities of their work life, the lows and the highs and their emotional impacts.
I’m still enjoying this series and particularly this story. The focus on family, work lives of firefighters and emergency response teams and the people supporting them is what interests me most. It’s what I was looking for in choosing the series and it continues to deliver. It’s a good story with characters I not only liked but admired. The narrator also was ideal for the story and I really liked her decisions about how to define the characters. Highly recommend the audio format.
(I received an advance copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review)
May 30, 2018
It’s been a while since our last visit with the firefighters of Ladder 37, and having enjoyed the previous three books hugely, I dived straight in being quickly reminded just why I love the Boston Fire series.
I don’t know what it is about you that rubs me the wrong way.”
EMT, Cait has bit of a dim opinion the youngest of the firefighters, Gavin Boudreau whose life loves are his job and the ladies. Going on that, you may expect a bit of a player, however what we have is a cheeky, funny, sexy, thoughtful guy who loves hard, and I loved him for that reason.
I came here to see how many beers it takes to get you to go in the store room with me and show me what you’re wearing under that shirt.”
He and Cait were fabulous together and we see the man Gavin truly is when we find out what she is dealing with personally, showing her she doesn’t have to deal with everything alone.
I’m glad I’m in your pond.”
Hot Response brought everything I’ve come to hope for from this author and the couples she plays matchmaker to. Romance is blended with just the right amount of emotion, drama and action, I loved catching up with the rest of the crew and I’m looking forward to more when we’re treated to Derek’s story later this year.
Copy received courtesy of Carina via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I don’t know what it is about you that rubs me the wrong way.”
EMT, Cait has bit of a dim opinion the youngest of the firefighters, Gavin Boudreau whose life loves are his job and the ladies. Going on that, you may expect a bit of a player, however what we have is a cheeky, funny, sexy, thoughtful guy who loves hard, and I loved him for that reason.
I came here to see how many beers it takes to get you to go in the store room with me and show me what you’re wearing under that shirt.”
He and Cait were fabulous together and we see the man Gavin truly is when we find out what she is dealing with personally, showing her she doesn’t have to deal with everything alone.
I’m glad I’m in your pond.”
Hot Response brought everything I’ve come to hope for from this author and the couples she plays matchmaker to. Romance is blended with just the right amount of emotion, drama and action, I loved catching up with the rest of the crew and I’m looking forward to more when we’re treated to Derek’s story later this year.
Copy received courtesy of Carina via NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion.
April 28, 2018
★★★½
An adult romance between one of Boston's handsome firemen this series is known for and a hardworking EMT with a complicated home life. Easy to read and sexy, it'll help you make the most of a rainy afternoon.
My favorite quote:
"...sometimes taking care of somebody means helping them face truths they don't want to."
An adult romance between one of Boston's handsome firemen this series is known for and a hardworking EMT with a complicated home life. Easy to read and sexy, it'll help you make the most of a rainy afternoon.
My favorite quote:
"...sometimes taking care of somebody means helping them face truths they don't want to."
March 19, 2018
Great story! Sigh...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I already have a thing for cop stories and firemen stories are running a close second now. This book had everything we want in a romance story.
- A yummy hot lead in Gavin - a patient, kind gentlemen
- Plenty of heated anticipation and build up to a full romance
- Humor and fun between the guys
- Depth of understanding and connection to each other
Gavin is built just they way we love them. I loved the connection between the two and could totally visualize them together for the long haul due to similar jobs. Cait had his number and totally could hang with the guys. I like that she can take a ribbing and give it back too.
Hot Response is a contemporary romance that is light on the full on heat and steam, but a thoroughly enjoyable story. Sweet, intense in parts, a little emotional in others, and great character development make this a perfect romance to read. My first story by this author, but not the last.
* advance copy received for review consideration
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I already have a thing for cop stories and firemen stories are running a close second now. This book had everything we want in a romance story.
- A yummy hot lead in Gavin - a patient, kind gentlemen
- Plenty of heated anticipation and build up to a full romance
- Humor and fun between the guys
- Depth of understanding and connection to each other
Gavin is built just they way we love them. I loved the connection between the two and could totally visualize them together for the long haul due to similar jobs. Cait had his number and totally could hang with the guys. I like that she can take a ribbing and give it back too.
Hot Response is a contemporary romance that is light on the full on heat and steam, but a thoroughly enjoyable story. Sweet, intense in parts, a little emotional in others, and great character development make this a perfect romance to read. My first story by this author, but not the last.
* advance copy received for review consideration
June 4, 2018
Misunderstandings and family are determined to keep them apart…
Oh the firefighters of Boston Fire are back and I couldn’t be happier! Gavin and Cait are co-workers but despite the attraction they both feel for each other, they can’t seem to get on the same wavelength. A misplaced “ma’am” has them at odds but once they talk it out, there’s a lot more to discover…
“He just rubs me the wrong way….”
“Maybe you’re just mad because you want him to rub you the right way.”
This author knows how to convey heart and soul into her characters and invites me in to share their joys, their struggles and their passions. Needless to say, I’m always up for a ride on that train and Gavin and Cait’s story delivered. They play cat and mouse for a while and even that is fun as they work out their differences one conversation and kiss at a time…
Cait is falling for Gavin but she has responsibilities that need her time and attention. When things come to a head, it’s hard to take sides when you are cheering for #TeamCaitGavin all the way. Another great addition to one of my favourite series! ~Diane, 4 stars
Oh the firefighters of Boston Fire are back and I couldn’t be happier! Gavin and Cait are co-workers but despite the attraction they both feel for each other, they can’t seem to get on the same wavelength. A misplaced “ma’am” has them at odds but once they talk it out, there’s a lot more to discover…
“He just rubs me the wrong way….”
“Maybe you’re just mad because you want him to rub you the right way.”
This author knows how to convey heart and soul into her characters and invites me in to share their joys, their struggles and their passions. Needless to say, I’m always up for a ride on that train and Gavin and Cait’s story delivered. They play cat and mouse for a while and even that is fun as they work out their differences one conversation and kiss at a time…
Cait is falling for Gavin but she has responsibilities that need her time and attention. When things come to a head, it’s hard to take sides when you are cheering for #TeamCaitGavin all the way. Another great addition to one of my favourite series! ~Diane, 4 stars
April 17, 2018
Reviewed for www.kisslikeagirl.com
Would you take a look at that cover! I think OSHA might have a bit to say about what he’s wearing. But, I quite like it. I had no idea a back could be so attractive.
This is a tough review to write. So I will keep it short and sweet. Everything about this book was good. There’s nothing I’d change, I don’t have any suggestions to make it better, but it didn’t blow me away.
The story was engaging; the characters were relatable, and the plot was believable. This book made me smile, I appreciated the banter between Cait and Gavin. The author did a wonderful job of honestly conveying the struggles of a family trying to work past the loss of a loved one. She even captured the conflict that often comes with trying to have a relationship when one is in that situation.
But, when all was said and done, nothing made me go ‘wow’ or ‘this is amazing.’ I feel like this was a story I’ve seen a dozen times on television shows like Chicago Fire. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it felt generic. There was nothing incredible about this story but there also wasn’t anything I really disliked.
This was my first time reading a book in this series or by this author, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Overall, Hot Response was a well written and engaging tale about a firefighter and an EMT. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to read a tried-and-true love story.
Would you take a look at that cover! I think OSHA might have a bit to say about what he’s wearing. But, I quite like it. I had no idea a back could be so attractive.
This is a tough review to write. So I will keep it short and sweet. Everything about this book was good. There’s nothing I’d change, I don’t have any suggestions to make it better, but it didn’t blow me away.
The story was engaging; the characters were relatable, and the plot was believable. This book made me smile, I appreciated the banter between Cait and Gavin. The author did a wonderful job of honestly conveying the struggles of a family trying to work past the loss of a loved one. She even captured the conflict that often comes with trying to have a relationship when one is in that situation.
But, when all was said and done, nothing made me go ‘wow’ or ‘this is amazing.’ I feel like this was a story I’ve seen a dozen times on television shows like Chicago Fire. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it felt generic. There was nothing incredible about this story but there also wasn’t anything I really disliked.
This was my first time reading a book in this series or by this author, but I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Overall, Hot Response was a well written and engaging tale about a firefighter and an EMT. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to read a tried-and-true love story.
October 13, 2018
Shannon Stacey’s Boston Fire series takes an in-depth look at the lives and loves of those who work for the fictional fire department, Ladder 37. I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed the previous books in this series and like how the author has balanced the seriousness of the vocation with the less intense and fun side of falling in love. In Hot Response we get a genuinely nice guy hero who crosses paths with an (at first) prickly heroine. That initial friction serves to heat things up in this emotional and ultimately quite lovely romance.
Cait Tasker is competent and no-nonsense when it comes to her job as an emergency medical technician. Trained to respond quickly to emergency situations, she’s adept at providing immediate life-saving care on the scene. What she can’t fix is her family. With her mother’s second husband having recently passed away, Cait has moved in to help her mom and her teenaged half-brother cope with the loss.
When the 911 calls come in, it’s common for Cait and her partner Tony to cross paths with the team at Ladder 37. Gavin Boudreau is one of the youngest members of his fire department, but he’s just as skilled as the rest of the team and very confident. He’s not sure what he said to rub Cait the wrong way on their first meeting, but she clearly isn’t impressed with him. That changes when they are both at the scene of a house fire where they get trapped together briefly while rescuing a child. It shows Cait that her impression of Gavin as a cocky playboy is wrong. Feeling the need to apologize, she asks him out for breakfast, which he is happy to accept, hoping to put the tension between them to rest. Indeed Cait feels kind of foolish at realizing that what had initially upset her – Gavin calling her ‘ma’am which she believed was a reference to her being a few years older than him – is in fact just an example of the manners with which he was brought up.
With their truce established, a hesitant friendship starts, and then more. With both of them working shifts, they spend time together when they can. But Cait feels that her responsibility to her mom and her brother is too great to commit to a full time relationship. Will her reluctance to move forward out of concern for them ruin her own chance at happiness?
There’s a really funny set of scenes that evolve from a chance meeting of Cait, her brother Carter, and Gavin in a grocery store. It’s what sets off the knowledge that there might be something more to their friction than dislike and truth be told, made me laugh out loud. It also leads to some sweetheart moves from Gavin that cement him as a bona fide hero. Cait is pretty stressed out about her home situation, with her mother’s constant depression and the effect it has on her younger brother and their mother-son relationship. When she confides this to Gavin, even though he doesn’t know her very well at this point, he offers her the use of his house to have a private evening on her own. She can treat his house like a hotel and he’ll vacate to stay on a friend’s couch. It’s such a wonderful offer that Cait is taken aback by his generosity, especially after she had not been treating him nicely. But she accepts, and in the morning when he returns, they come to a mutual agreement that they want to explore the mutual attraction they feel. Gavin had been adamant about not doing anything to make Cait feel obligated to return his favor, and insists that they first go out for lunch so that anything that happens between them is separate from her staying overnight. But hoo boy, when the gloves are off, they heat things up in some pretty sexy scenes!
Gavin shows that sweetheart side in other ways, too. He asks Cait to extend an offer for her brother to join a group of his friends in some pickup basketball games. He brings her to meet his co-workers at their favorite pub and makes sure she meets everybody properly. He insists on walking her out to her car and always seeing her off safely. He is patient and understanding with her need to sometimes break their plans so she can be with her mom when she gets overwhelmed in her grief. From the outside he can see that Cait’s role in her household is holding back her mother from moving on with her life, and when he tries to broach the subject, Cait is not ready to hear it.
Cait has spent the last six months worried that her mother won’t be able to pull herself out of the depths of her grief, yet she is unable to see that her presence makes it easier for her mother to stay dependent on her. Her relationship with her brother is normal for the most part (as normal as one can get with a teenager) but he also feels the effects of that loss. Trying to balance her needs with those of her family is stressful. When she feels pressured by Gavin to start prioritizing her own needs and their relationship, the resulting friction leads to them both assessing whether they should cut their losses or find a way to make amends and get the happy ending that’s waiting for them. Fortunately they choose the latter.
Since both Gavin and Cait are involved in first responder situations, there are some pretty intense and emotional on-the-job scenes in the book. Fires, car accidents, slips and falls all come into play as does the reality of the loss of life that can occur. Gavin and Cait have good relationships with their co-workers and there are some fun and teasing scenes that show this, as well as how they cope with the more difficult situations. But having similar occupations makes them uniquely able to share their experiences with each other and have that extra emotional backup when needed. With its combination of laughs, tears and sexy moments, Hot Response is an excellent addition to the Boston Fire series.
This review also appears at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Cait Tasker is competent and no-nonsense when it comes to her job as an emergency medical technician. Trained to respond quickly to emergency situations, she’s adept at providing immediate life-saving care on the scene. What she can’t fix is her family. With her mother’s second husband having recently passed away, Cait has moved in to help her mom and her teenaged half-brother cope with the loss.
When the 911 calls come in, it’s common for Cait and her partner Tony to cross paths with the team at Ladder 37. Gavin Boudreau is one of the youngest members of his fire department, but he’s just as skilled as the rest of the team and very confident. He’s not sure what he said to rub Cait the wrong way on their first meeting, but she clearly isn’t impressed with him. That changes when they are both at the scene of a house fire where they get trapped together briefly while rescuing a child. It shows Cait that her impression of Gavin as a cocky playboy is wrong. Feeling the need to apologize, she asks him out for breakfast, which he is happy to accept, hoping to put the tension between them to rest. Indeed Cait feels kind of foolish at realizing that what had initially upset her – Gavin calling her ‘ma’am which she believed was a reference to her being a few years older than him – is in fact just an example of the manners with which he was brought up.
With their truce established, a hesitant friendship starts, and then more. With both of them working shifts, they spend time together when they can. But Cait feels that her responsibility to her mom and her brother is too great to commit to a full time relationship. Will her reluctance to move forward out of concern for them ruin her own chance at happiness?
There’s a really funny set of scenes that evolve from a chance meeting of Cait, her brother Carter, and Gavin in a grocery store. It’s what sets off the knowledge that there might be something more to their friction than dislike and truth be told, made me laugh out loud. It also leads to some sweetheart moves from Gavin that cement him as a bona fide hero. Cait is pretty stressed out about her home situation, with her mother’s constant depression and the effect it has on her younger brother and their mother-son relationship. When she confides this to Gavin, even though he doesn’t know her very well at this point, he offers her the use of his house to have a private evening on her own. She can treat his house like a hotel and he’ll vacate to stay on a friend’s couch. It’s such a wonderful offer that Cait is taken aback by his generosity, especially after she had not been treating him nicely. But she accepts, and in the morning when he returns, they come to a mutual agreement that they want to explore the mutual attraction they feel. Gavin had been adamant about not doing anything to make Cait feel obligated to return his favor, and insists that they first go out for lunch so that anything that happens between them is separate from her staying overnight. But hoo boy, when the gloves are off, they heat things up in some pretty sexy scenes!
Gavin shows that sweetheart side in other ways, too. He asks Cait to extend an offer for her brother to join a group of his friends in some pickup basketball games. He brings her to meet his co-workers at their favorite pub and makes sure she meets everybody properly. He insists on walking her out to her car and always seeing her off safely. He is patient and understanding with her need to sometimes break their plans so she can be with her mom when she gets overwhelmed in her grief. From the outside he can see that Cait’s role in her household is holding back her mother from moving on with her life, and when he tries to broach the subject, Cait is not ready to hear it.
Cait has spent the last six months worried that her mother won’t be able to pull herself out of the depths of her grief, yet she is unable to see that her presence makes it easier for her mother to stay dependent on her. Her relationship with her brother is normal for the most part (as normal as one can get with a teenager) but he also feels the effects of that loss. Trying to balance her needs with those of her family is stressful. When she feels pressured by Gavin to start prioritizing her own needs and their relationship, the resulting friction leads to them both assessing whether they should cut their losses or find a way to make amends and get the happy ending that’s waiting for them. Fortunately they choose the latter.
Since both Gavin and Cait are involved in first responder situations, there are some pretty intense and emotional on-the-job scenes in the book. Fires, car accidents, slips and falls all come into play as does the reality of the loss of life that can occur. Gavin and Cait have good relationships with their co-workers and there are some fun and teasing scenes that show this, as well as how they cope with the more difficult situations. But having similar occupations makes them uniquely able to share their experiences with each other and have that extra emotional backup when needed. With its combination of laughs, tears and sexy moments, Hot Response is an excellent addition to the Boston Fire series.
This review also appears at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
June 24, 2018
ARC received for review
Gavin and Cait (pronounced Kate) got off on the wrong foot since he called her ma'am. (I don't get that maybe since I live in the south and it's good manners to call every lady, ma'am). Any way she didn't like it, but once they cleared up that misunderstanding...hot, hot, hot. But then you throw in her emotional drama and issues with letting family go, and you get heart break. Luckily it didn't last too long. Great to see all the crew of Ladder 37 and Engine 59 again.
Gavin and Cait (pronounced Kate) got off on the wrong foot since he called her ma'am. (I don't get that maybe since I live in the south and it's good manners to call every lady, ma'am). Any way she didn't like it, but once they cleared up that misunderstanding...hot, hot, hot. But then you throw in her emotional drama and issues with letting family go, and you get heart break. Luckily it didn't last too long. Great to see all the crew of Ladder 37 and Engine 59 again.
June 7, 2018
3.5 stars!
If you're a fan of Shannon Stacey's Kowalski Family series, you'll definitely enjoy this book. It's character driven romance about a cocky firefighter and an tough, no nonsense EMS. I enjoyed thid book a lot, mainly because I'm a sucker for "she's not really my type" trope. Gavin and Cait's chemistry was awesome and I like how the book was basically just about dealing with normal relationship stuff, like, 'should we or shouldn't we move in together?' or 'meeting the parents and coworkers' etc. It's all very normal and refreshing.
ARC via NetGalley
If you're a fan of Shannon Stacey's Kowalski Family series, you'll definitely enjoy this book. It's character driven romance about a cocky firefighter and an tough, no nonsense EMS. I enjoyed thid book a lot, mainly because I'm a sucker for "she's not really my type" trope. Gavin and Cait's chemistry was awesome and I like how the book was basically just about dealing with normal relationship stuff, like, 'should we or shouldn't we move in together?' or 'meeting the parents and coworkers' etc. It's all very normal and refreshing.
ARC via NetGalley
February 12, 2018
Shannon Stacey’s firefighters are always fantastic entertainment but I think ‘Hot Response’ has so far, knocked this series out of the park as a firefighter and an EMT get off on the wrong foot due to a small series of unintended misunderstandings.
Gavin Boudreau and Cait Tasker didn’t seem like the kind of characters who would have worked out based on the blurb, but the story that Stacey tells turned out to be quite a different one. I never quite even got the idea that Gavin was only up for a good time, and that he tuned out to be an absolute prize—all about family, thoughtful and considerate—surprised me pleasantly, as much as how into the relationship with Cait when that finally took off. That their relationship was hampered by a large issue in Cait’s life was going to be a conflict that I saw coming from afar, though I was glad to see that resolved relatively quickly (though a little abruptly).
What stood out however, was the progression of their relationship; none of it felt forced nor boring, as I was engrossed in the day-to-day routines of them working as first responders and how their jobs intersected from time to time. The episodes with their own families did made me cringe at times, as were the very relatable struggles that both faced, particularly Cait’s, though I could understand Gavin’s own position on Cait’s reluctance to move on.
In any case, ‘Hot Response’ made a perfect weekend read for me: there was a comfortable mix of angst, action and banter and I loved reading about the interactions between the whole fire crew. My only tiny complaint is the rather abrupt resolution and end to the book, though it’s not something I should be nitpicking about because there’s clearly more of this beloved crew to come.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
Gavin Boudreau and Cait Tasker didn’t seem like the kind of characters who would have worked out based on the blurb, but the story that Stacey tells turned out to be quite a different one. I never quite even got the idea that Gavin was only up for a good time, and that he tuned out to be an absolute prize—all about family, thoughtful and considerate—surprised me pleasantly, as much as how into the relationship with Cait when that finally took off. That their relationship was hampered by a large issue in Cait’s life was going to be a conflict that I saw coming from afar, though I was glad to see that resolved relatively quickly (though a little abruptly).
What stood out however, was the progression of their relationship; none of it felt forced nor boring, as I was engrossed in the day-to-day routines of them working as first responders and how their jobs intersected from time to time. The episodes with their own families did made me cringe at times, as were the very relatable struggles that both faced, particularly Cait’s, though I could understand Gavin’s own position on Cait’s reluctance to move on.
In any case, ‘Hot Response’ made a perfect weekend read for me: there was a comfortable mix of angst, action and banter and I loved reading about the interactions between the whole fire crew. My only tiny complaint is the rather abrupt resolution and end to the book, though it’s not something I should be nitpicking about because there’s clearly more of this beloved crew to come.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
April 9, 2018
Hot Response was the first book I read by Shannon Stacey but boy it won't be my last! I thought this story was fantastic. I loved the chemistry between Cait and Gavin and loved their spitfire back and forth banter. It was engaging and addicting and I could not turn the pages fast enough!
Anyone who knows me knows that I love fireman stories! There is something about the adrenaline rush filled stories and the comraderie between the team of firefighters. This book was no different with the team of Ladder 37. I thought Gavin was sweet and caring and a breath of fresh air. Likewise Cait was the perfect spitfire for him that met him toe to toe. I Ioved that she was the opposite of what Gavin usually dated - abrasive and tough versus the usual soft and super femine. Likewise Cait's impression of Gavin did not hold true to the man that he was inside. All in all I thought this story was fantastic and can not wait to read the other books in this series!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin- Carina Press for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
Anyone who knows me knows that I love fireman stories! There is something about the adrenaline rush filled stories and the comraderie between the team of firefighters. This book was no different with the team of Ladder 37. I thought Gavin was sweet and caring and a breath of fresh air. Likewise Cait was the perfect spitfire for him that met him toe to toe. I Ioved that she was the opposite of what Gavin usually dated - abrasive and tough versus the usual soft and super femine. Likewise Cait's impression of Gavin did not hold true to the man that he was inside. All in all I thought this story was fantastic and can not wait to read the other books in this series!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harlequin- Carina Press for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 4 stars! ~Ratula
May 5, 2018
Gavin is a firefighter and Cait is an EMT so they crossed path occasionally in their job. Because of her susceptible nature and his playful personality, their rapport begin with a funny misunderstanding that Gavin is not aware of. But he wonder what he did to piss her off and why she doesn't seem to like him. There's something about the joking firefighter that got under her skin but Cait will eventually recognize that she find him attractive and that she totally misinterpreted his attitude. But she have a lot on her plates with a family situation that made her move back with her mom and teenage brother. It's supposed to be temporary but it's more complicated than that.
Oh how I adored this book ! I think it was because Gavin was such a great hero and Cait, she was a little bit different, more prickly but no less likeable. But it's also because we saw them both in action at work. And let's not forget the ribbing between Cait and her partner and Gavin and the guys at the station. And there's something about an antagonizing chemistry when it's on the playful side that always put a smile on my face. I liked that Gavin and Cait were both smart and mature adult. What I mean is there was no games between them , you know, like the kind where they try to make each other jealous and that kind of things. Cait didn't feel the need to overanalyse everything and her proud nature was assumed without making her too stubborn to apologize when she was wrong. Gavin is what I consider the perfect hero : not only patient, attentive and funny but he totally gets the heroine, can read her mood and always react in the perfect way in all situation. I realize this way to describe him can make him sound boring or not edgy enough but that's so not the case. I loved how he brought calm and enjoyment to Cait's stressful life.
Without a doubt my favorite book of the series so far !
Oh how I adored this book ! I think it was because Gavin was such a great hero and Cait, she was a little bit different, more prickly but no less likeable. But it's also because we saw them both in action at work. And let's not forget the ribbing between Cait and her partner and Gavin and the guys at the station. And there's something about an antagonizing chemistry when it's on the playful side that always put a smile on my face. I liked that Gavin and Cait were both smart and mature adult. What I mean is there was no games between them , you know, like the kind where they try to make each other jealous and that kind of things. Cait didn't feel the need to overanalyse everything and her proud nature was assumed without making her too stubborn to apologize when she was wrong. Gavin is what I consider the perfect hero : not only patient, attentive and funny but he totally gets the heroine, can read her mood and always react in the perfect way in all situation. I realize this way to describe him can make him sound boring or not edgy enough but that's so not the case. I loved how he brought calm and enjoyment to Cait's stressful life.
Without a doubt my favorite book of the series so far !
May 17, 2018
3.5 RATING
HOT RESPONSE.
BOSTON FIRE #4.
NEW ADULT FICTION.
FIREMEN WITH THEIR HOSE, BURSTING.
HOT AND STEAMY.
SEXY BACK COVER.
INTERESTING SYNOPSIS.
SEXUAL TENSION UP IN THE AIR.
... Give me this book.
Well, that was my initial impression until I started reading it this morning.
It was a bit predictable at times but I did somewhat enjoy Gavin and Cait's story, with a little bit of patience. They had their cute moments and sexy banter here and there and if you're wondering, the answer is yes... It's not spelled as Kate or Cate- it's C A I T; even Gavin spelled it wrong the first time they exchanged numbers- oops. No more spilling, everyone.
The beginning was a bit dry and I was losing interest into continuing my progress with the story. The development between the two main characters were too slow, in my opinion. I just didn't get the WOW factor where I'd be so excited for future encounters and how the sexual tension would continuously brew until it'd be too hard to avoid it- considering they had a few brief run-ins from the past. Still, I was waiting for that high anticipation vibe between the two but my feelings got stood up for the most part. Their passion was like one of those broken kettles without you knowing placed on the stove- you were waiting for the whistling kettle to moan loudly, but it never did.
My expectations were:
EXPLOSIVELY HOT.
STEAMY.
And those WHY-DOES-THIS-DAMN-PANTIES-KEEP-DROPPING moments.
So I can't be blamed if was picturing this particular firefighter in my head like...
On a brighter note, it wasn't a pain to finish the book because like I said, I did somewhat enjoy the ending and it's a HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER one so no need for you to pout. I haven't read the other books in this series so I hope I'll get a better reading experience compared to Hot Response.
HOT RESPONSE.
BOSTON FIRE #4.
NEW ADULT FICTION.
FIREMEN WITH THEIR HOSE, BURSTING.
HOT AND STEAMY.
SEXY BACK COVER.
INTERESTING SYNOPSIS.
SEXUAL TENSION UP IN THE AIR.
... Give me this book.
Well, that was my initial impression until I started reading it this morning.
It was a bit predictable at times but I did somewhat enjoy Gavin and Cait's story, with a little bit of patience. They had their cute moments and sexy banter here and there and if you're wondering, the answer is yes... It's not spelled as Kate or Cate- it's C A I T; even Gavin spelled it wrong the first time they exchanged numbers- oops. No more spilling, everyone.
The beginning was a bit dry and I was losing interest into continuing my progress with the story. The development between the two main characters were too slow, in my opinion. I just didn't get the WOW factor where I'd be so excited for future encounters and how the sexual tension would continuously brew until it'd be too hard to avoid it- considering they had a few brief run-ins from the past. Still, I was waiting for that high anticipation vibe between the two but my feelings got stood up for the most part. Their passion was like one of those broken kettles without you knowing placed on the stove- you were waiting for the whistling kettle to moan loudly, but it never did.
My expectations were:
EXPLOSIVELY HOT.
STEAMY.
And those WHY-DOES-THIS-DAMN-PANTIES-KEEP-DROPPING moments.
So I can't be blamed if was picturing this particular firefighter in my head like...
On a brighter note, it wasn't a pain to finish the book because like I said, I did somewhat enjoy the ending and it's a HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER one so no need for you to pout. I haven't read the other books in this series so I hope I'll get a better reading experience compared to Hot Response.
February 9, 2018
Gavin and Cait, the main couple, just seemed to fit perfectly together, folks. Well, that is after the embers of anger sparked by a simple misunderstanding are fully extinguished. Once those are fully doused these first responder heroes turn the heat right back up in a completely different way. Yeah, glaring glances eventually switch to hot, searing kisses and eventually some very heated, steamy scenes. All of which unfold at a leisurely pace as they slowly but surely get to know one another.
You do get to experience a few rescue scenarios that showcased these highly skilled/trained professionals at work, along with mostly Cait’s family drama when they are off the clock. I especially enjoy this type of element as it portrays the main characters as strong and gives their relationship a cohesive aspect outside the passionate bedroom scenes.
Gavin is the epitome of a good guy hero. He’s always willing to help and make time for his siblings and parents, plus his posse of co-worker friends are an extended family, as well . He is the picture of patience as his slowly unfolding, bonding relationship with Cait turns to love. Cait, however, struggles with having a life of her own while juggling helping her mom and teenage step-brother emotionally get back on their feet after a tragic loss. I couldn’t help but feel Gavin got this one right, folks. There is some relationship angst fall-out that I mostly saw coming, but I still enjoyed the inevitable making up afterwards conclusion.
Quite a bit of time is spent on these lovebirds taking it day by day and slowly incorporating one another into their daily lives. This was more of a heart-melting than heart stopping romantic read, folks. I’m pleased to announce it appears we have at least two more sequels to look forward to. Book 5, Under Control, will feature a single dad firefighter who falls for a leading lady who lives in a corporate, suit and tie business world. Not doubt this firefighter will ultimately end up teaching her the fundamentals of finding true success and happiness.
Title: Hot Response, Series: Boston Fire (Book 4), Author: Shannon Stacey, Pages: 384, stand-alone but part of a series, EMT heroine, firefighter hero, enemies to lovers, leisurely paced, very steamy scenes, romance safe (no cheating, no OW/OM drama, no love triangle).
Book 1 – Heat Exchange, (Lydia & Aidan), 8/25/15, Pages: 336
Book 2 – Controlled Burn, (Rick & Jessica), 11/24/15, Pages: 384
Book 3 – Fully Ignited (Jamie & Scott), 2/23/16, Pages: 352
Book 4 - Hot Response (Gavin & Cait), 4/24/18, Pages: 384
Book 5 - Under Control (Derick & Olivia) - Not yet released
Book 6 - Flare Up - Details not currently available.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
You do get to experience a few rescue scenarios that showcased these highly skilled/trained professionals at work, along with mostly Cait’s family drama when they are off the clock. I especially enjoy this type of element as it portrays the main characters as strong and gives their relationship a cohesive aspect outside the passionate bedroom scenes.
Gavin is the epitome of a good guy hero. He’s always willing to help and make time for his siblings and parents, plus his posse of co-worker friends are an extended family, as well . He is the picture of patience as his slowly unfolding, bonding relationship with Cait turns to love. Cait, however, struggles with having a life of her own while juggling helping her mom and teenage step-brother emotionally get back on their feet after a tragic loss. I couldn’t help but feel Gavin got this one right, folks. There is some relationship angst fall-out that I mostly saw coming, but I still enjoyed the inevitable making up afterwards conclusion.
Quite a bit of time is spent on these lovebirds taking it day by day and slowly incorporating one another into their daily lives. This was more of a heart-melting than heart stopping romantic read, folks. I’m pleased to announce it appears we have at least two more sequels to look forward to. Book 5, Under Control, will feature a single dad firefighter who falls for a leading lady who lives in a corporate, suit and tie business world. Not doubt this firefighter will ultimately end up teaching her the fundamentals of finding true success and happiness.
Title: Hot Response, Series: Boston Fire (Book 4), Author: Shannon Stacey, Pages: 384, stand-alone but part of a series, EMT heroine, firefighter hero, enemies to lovers, leisurely paced, very steamy scenes, romance safe (no cheating, no OW/OM drama, no love triangle).
Book 1 – Heat Exchange, (Lydia & Aidan), 8/25/15, Pages: 336
Book 2 – Controlled Burn, (Rick & Jessica), 11/24/15, Pages: 384
Book 3 – Fully Ignited (Jamie & Scott), 2/23/16, Pages: 352
Book 4 - Hot Response (Gavin & Cait), 4/24/18, Pages: 384
Book 5 - Under Control (Derick & Olivia) - Not yet released
Book 6 - Flare Up - Details not currently available.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
April 23, 2018
Working as an EMT in Boston keeps Cait busy. Couple that with the time spent taking care of her grieving mom and teenage half-brother, she has no time for a social life. And while she is attracted to Gavin Boudreau, he's always gotten under her skin, especially after he referred to her as “ma’am”. But when she implies he doesn’t take his job seriously, Cait recognizes the need to make amends, offering him an olive branch in the form of breakfast.
Gavin isn’t sure what he did to tick off Cait, but he’ll gladly accept a breakfast out, and then treat her to lunch. He finds Cait attractive and after spending some quality time talking, he realizes he genuinely likes her.
Hot Response is the fourth, standalone romance in the awesome Boston Fire series by Shannon Stacey. The story is a lovely mix of romance, family time, and hanging with the firefighters. The love between Gavin and Cait grows organically; it is sweet, sexy, and well-paced. There is an initial attraction that leads to physical intimacy and spending time together. The more time they spend together, the more they like each other.
Even though they have chemistry, there is room for conflict. Gavin is in a place to want more from Cait as their relationship grows. He’s frustrated with the amount of time she spends helping her family; but only because he feels she’s a crutch for her mom and brother. Meanwhile, Cait isn’t emotionally available after a certain extent. She is afraid of rocking the boat, and for good reasons, but it clouds her heart and causes problems. I like that this couple is great together, but has real problems and deals with them to get to their HEA. The story is well written and simply enjoyable.
Once again, Ms. Stacey makes big city Boston feel like small town family in Hot Response. She has created a tight-knit neighborhood filled with friends and romance. The stories are light but real, giving readers a solid love story complete with all the feels.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Review copy from NetGalley
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Gavin isn’t sure what he did to tick off Cait, but he’ll gladly accept a breakfast out, and then treat her to lunch. He finds Cait attractive and after spending some quality time talking, he realizes he genuinely likes her.
Hot Response is the fourth, standalone romance in the awesome Boston Fire series by Shannon Stacey. The story is a lovely mix of romance, family time, and hanging with the firefighters. The love between Gavin and Cait grows organically; it is sweet, sexy, and well-paced. There is an initial attraction that leads to physical intimacy and spending time together. The more time they spend together, the more they like each other.
Even though they have chemistry, there is room for conflict. Gavin is in a place to want more from Cait as their relationship grows. He’s frustrated with the amount of time she spends helping her family; but only because he feels she’s a crutch for her mom and brother. Meanwhile, Cait isn’t emotionally available after a certain extent. She is afraid of rocking the boat, and for good reasons, but it clouds her heart and causes problems. I like that this couple is great together, but has real problems and deals with them to get to their HEA. The story is well written and simply enjoyable.
Once again, Ms. Stacey makes big city Boston feel like small town family in Hot Response. She has created a tight-knit neighborhood filled with friends and romance. The stories are light but real, giving readers a solid love story complete with all the feels.
My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot
Review copy from NetGalley
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
April 24, 2018
Another winner.
What do you do when the hot guy you meet at work, and are just about to ask our for coffee, calls you ma'am? Hatred like the fire of a million deadly suns.
Cait Tasker is an EMT. She has moved back to Boston to help her mum and step-brother after her step-father's death. She feels like her life has been put on hold while she mothers her mum and her step-brother. She had a thing for Gavin Boudreau until he called her ma'am and made her feel even older than she already does. But since her team frequently work alongside the firefighters of Ladder 37.
Gavin on the other hand likes an easy life and 'easy' women,as the youngest firefighter on Ladder 37 he's not about settling down. The feisty EMT that gives him the evil eye is definitely not his type - so why is he dreaming about her?
But when Cait steps over a line and has to apologise to Gavin they find that first impressions can be deceiving and maybe enemies can turn into lovers. But Cait is only in Boston temporarily and her family come first.
I really enjoyed this, maybe it was the situation in which Cait found herself, caring for her family and putting her life on hold, maybe it was that both Gavin and Cait were lovable characters, people you'd want to drink with in Kincaid's pub, people you'd want to shoot hoops with on a Saturday morning (not that I've ever done such a thing, but I could).
This was funny, sweet and charming. Definitely one of Shannon Stacey's best to date.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
What do you do when the hot guy you meet at work, and are just about to ask our for coffee, calls you ma'am? Hatred like the fire of a million deadly suns.
Cait Tasker is an EMT. She has moved back to Boston to help her mum and step-brother after her step-father's death. She feels like her life has been put on hold while she mothers her mum and her step-brother. She had a thing for Gavin Boudreau until he called her ma'am and made her feel even older than she already does. But since her team frequently work alongside the firefighters of Ladder 37.
Gavin on the other hand likes an easy life and 'easy' women,as the youngest firefighter on Ladder 37 he's not about settling down. The feisty EMT that gives him the evil eye is definitely not his type - so why is he dreaming about her?
But when Cait steps over a line and has to apologise to Gavin they find that first impressions can be deceiving and maybe enemies can turn into lovers. But Cait is only in Boston temporarily and her family come first.
I really enjoyed this, maybe it was the situation in which Cait found herself, caring for her family and putting her life on hold, maybe it was that both Gavin and Cait were lovable characters, people you'd want to drink with in Kincaid's pub, people you'd want to shoot hoops with on a Saturday morning (not that I've ever done such a thing, but I could).
This was funny, sweet and charming. Definitely one of Shannon Stacey's best to date.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
April 30, 2018
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog: https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
We all have those authors that we love to read and we find them so easy to get into. For me one of those authors is Shannon Stacey. I always enjoy her characters and love her stories.
Hot Response has to be one of my favorite so far in this series. I sort of afraid I've said that about the prior ones but what the heck, I'll say it again. I really did enjoy Cait an Gavin. I loved their interactions and more then once found myself either chuckling or saying out loud...what! Cait at times was a little mean, but not so much that I didn't like her. I love when characters make me want to interact with the story and give my two cents.
These two are perfect for that. I think it worked so well because of the fact that the were opposites. If they had been to much alike it wouldn't have been such a good story.
I also liked all the joking the boys did together. You can feel their friendship. It's what for me makes this series so good. The connections. You get plenty of them with this series. Do yourself a favor and read the books in order, they work much better that way.
Follow me on:
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https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for a honest review
We all have those authors that we love to read and we find them so easy to get into. For me one of those authors is Shannon Stacey. I always enjoy her characters and love her stories.
Hot Response has to be one of my favorite so far in this series. I sort of afraid I've said that about the prior ones but what the heck, I'll say it again. I really did enjoy Cait an Gavin. I loved their interactions and more then once found myself either chuckling or saying out loud...what! Cait at times was a little mean, but not so much that I didn't like her. I love when characters make me want to interact with the story and give my two cents.
These two are perfect for that. I think it worked so well because of the fact that the were opposites. If they had been to much alike it wouldn't have been such a good story.
I also liked all the joking the boys did together. You can feel their friendship. It's what for me makes this series so good. The connections. You get plenty of them with this series. Do yourself a favor and read the books in order, they work much better that way.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for a honest review
April 17, 2018
4 stars
May 8, 2018
Spoilers, I guess, but only if you've never read a romance novel before.
I loved the earlier books in the Boston Fire series, so I was eager to read this one. And I was disappointed. I thought the initial conflict of her being angry he called her "ma'am" was kinda stupid. Once we got past that the book was going well until he decided they should move in together. Internally she thought about wanting more time to date before they started having discussions about bills, shopping, etc.. but externally she didn't express that, and he just assumed she was too devoted to her family and then yelled at her about it. I didn't get it. She asked why it was ok he did things for his family and not ok for her to do so, and he said they did things for him in return (although he presented no evidence of that). In the end, he wanted to set the pace of the relationship and she just rolled over and let him.
I also don't get why so many books now are determined that a couple should go from first date to engaged in less than six months- it takes me longer than that to decide if I like my new shoes. I'm not sure if I'll read the other new books in this series.
I loved the earlier books in the Boston Fire series, so I was eager to read this one. And I was disappointed. I thought the initial conflict of her being angry he called her "ma'am" was kinda stupid. Once we got past that the book was going well until he decided they should move in together. Internally she thought about wanting more time to date before they started having discussions about bills, shopping, etc.. but externally she didn't express that, and he just assumed she was too devoted to her family and then yelled at her about it. I didn't get it. She asked why it was ok he did things for his family and not ok for her to do so, and he said they did things for him in return (although he presented no evidence of that). In the end, he wanted to set the pace of the relationship and she just rolled over and let him.
I also don't get why so many books now are determined that a couple should go from first date to engaged in less than six months- it takes me longer than that to decide if I like my new shoes. I'm not sure if I'll read the other new books in this series.
April 27, 2018
Shannon Stacey is one of those contemporary romance authors you can pretty much always count on for a darn good read. I love that her stories are populated by actual grown ups whose conflicts come from ACTUAL conflict, and not just a bunch of childish information withholding. HOT RESPONSE is no different, and I enjoyed this as a low-key, low-angst love story. I do think there were some pacing issues at the beginning which made this book a little hard to get into, but bravo to Stacey for continuing to give us loveable characters who feel like actual human beings. I really enjoyed my time with Cait & Gavin
April 29, 2018
I really enjoyed Hot Response. Shannon Stacey writes such strong heroes and heroines and I found myself wanting to know Gavin and Cait better from the moment I started reading. I have to say I loved Gavin from the moment he appeared on the page. It was funny, smart, and caring. He seemed like the type of guy you could always count on when needed. I honestly felt like he was way more mature than his age and thought he was just a really good guy. The fact his was a smoking hot fire fighter, was really just icing on a very yummy cake.
I will be honest and say I liked Cait from the moment we met her, but worried her putting herself second to her family would be an issue in the long run. I think the fact that both Gavin and Cait were first responders made it so much easier for them to date with few issues. I loved that Gavin offered up his apartment to Cait if she needed time away from her family even before they had their very first date. I also loved that once they went on their first date, they seemed to want to be together as much as possible. Again, Cait putting her family above herself seemed to come up again and again. I understood her wanting to be there for them after her mom lost her husband and her brother lost his dad, but I really felt like they had started to take advantage of her giving nature without really realizing it. I have to say I loved that Cait and her family came to the same conclusion about their lives at the same time.
I really did like Gavin and Cait as a couple. They got each other from the very beginning. They had a pretty instant attraction to one another from the very first moment they met. I loved once they made love for the first time, they pretty much couldn't keep their hands off each other. I felt a real connection with them, even when they didn't see eye to eye on something. I love reading a story when I fall in love with he couple, and Hot Response was one of those books.
Hot Response is another winner in the Boston Fire series from Shannon Stacey. I enjoyed each of the books in the series so far and look forward to more books in this series in the future.
Rating: 4 stars (B)
Review copy provided by publisher
I will be honest and say I liked Cait from the moment we met her, but worried her putting herself second to her family would be an issue in the long run. I think the fact that both Gavin and Cait were first responders made it so much easier for them to date with few issues. I loved that Gavin offered up his apartment to Cait if she needed time away from her family even before they had their very first date. I also loved that once they went on their first date, they seemed to want to be together as much as possible. Again, Cait putting her family above herself seemed to come up again and again. I understood her wanting to be there for them after her mom lost her husband and her brother lost his dad, but I really felt like they had started to take advantage of her giving nature without really realizing it. I have to say I loved that Cait and her family came to the same conclusion about their lives at the same time.
I really did like Gavin and Cait as a couple. They got each other from the very beginning. They had a pretty instant attraction to one another from the very first moment they met. I loved once they made love for the first time, they pretty much couldn't keep their hands off each other. I felt a real connection with them, even when they didn't see eye to eye on something. I love reading a story when I fall in love with he couple, and Hot Response was one of those books.
Hot Response is another winner in the Boston Fire series from Shannon Stacey. I enjoyed each of the books in the series so far and look forward to more books in this series in the future.
Rating: 4 stars (B)
Review copy provided by publisher
May 13, 2018
It had been quite a while since I read the previous Boston Fire book and I didn’t realize hiw much I’d missed Shannon Stacey’s firefighters until I started HOT RESPONSE. Lord knows we waited a long time for the continuation of this awesome series.
I loved Cait and Gavin’s story. It was down to earth with realistic and everyday problems that go with new realtionships. Which I think is refreshing with all the high angst and high drama or conversely the fairytale sunshine and roses being added to the contemporary subgenre lately. Stacey’s writing never fails to give me that coming-home feeling. I really liked how the firefighters are portrayed and I’ve said this before about this series but it really reminds me of my fave firefighter series on TV: Chicago Fire. The camaraderie and banter between the firefighters is spot-on. The sexy scenes are steamy and sexy and the romance is character-driven.
There are some things in Cait’s life that really hit home with me as they came very close to stuff in ny own past and that made it a quite emotional read at times.
HOT RESPONSE was a great addition to this favorite series and I can’t wait to read the next one. That teaser chapter at the end really wasn’t enough!!!
I loved Cait and Gavin’s story. It was down to earth with realistic and everyday problems that go with new realtionships. Which I think is refreshing with all the high angst and high drama or conversely the fairytale sunshine and roses being added to the contemporary subgenre lately. Stacey’s writing never fails to give me that coming-home feeling. I really liked how the firefighters are portrayed and I’ve said this before about this series but it really reminds me of my fave firefighter series on TV: Chicago Fire. The camaraderie and banter between the firefighters is spot-on. The sexy scenes are steamy and sexy and the romance is character-driven.
There are some things in Cait’s life that really hit home with me as they came very close to stuff in ny own past and that made it a quite emotional read at times.
HOT RESPONSE was a great addition to this favorite series and I can’t wait to read the next one. That teaser chapter at the end really wasn’t enough!!!
August 25, 2018
I've had my ups and downs with this series, so when I realized that I was a couple of books behind, I decided to give it another shot and checked this one out from my library. While this wasn't a great read, it wasn't a bad one either.
I really hated Cait's approach to a lot of her situations. It seemed like she used her family as an excuse to hide from Gavin more than her own family did! She was too sensitive about some things, and too insensitive in others. Luckily, Gavin was the forgiving sort! I did like Gavin's happy-go-lucky nature. He was much easier to relate to than Cait was, and he approached the relationship in a healthier manner than she did.
The story got bogged down in spots, but overall it was an engaging enough read. There just wasn't anything in the story to Wow! me. Here's hoping the next installment will be a bit better!
I really hated Cait's approach to a lot of her situations. It seemed like she used her family as an excuse to hide from Gavin more than her own family did! She was too sensitive about some things, and too insensitive in others. Luckily, Gavin was the forgiving sort! I did like Gavin's happy-go-lucky nature. He was much easier to relate to than Cait was, and he approached the relationship in a healthier manner than she did.
The story got bogged down in spots, but overall it was an engaging enough read. There just wasn't anything in the story to Wow! me. Here's hoping the next installment will be a bit better!
April 11, 2018
Hot Response is a slow burn that once fully ignited turns into a blazing romance.
Gavin and Cait don’t like each other. Or do they? Their attraction is evident to everyone. Gavin is a catch in every sense of the word. He is also used to women wanting him. That is until he meets Cait and boy does he work for her affection. Full disclosure ~ It took me a bit to warm up to Cait, but when it happened, I was all in. I felt her struggles as if they were my own.
The bottom line on Hot Response is that it will melt your insides, leaving you with a gooey centre. I expect great things from this series. The secondary characters are engaging, and the setting is sure to bring out more sexy heroes.
Gavin and Cait don’t like each other. Or do they? Their attraction is evident to everyone. Gavin is a catch in every sense of the word. He is also used to women wanting him. That is until he meets Cait and boy does he work for her affection. Full disclosure ~ It took me a bit to warm up to Cait, but when it happened, I was all in. I felt her struggles as if they were my own.
The bottom line on Hot Response is that it will melt your insides, leaving you with a gooey centre. I expect great things from this series. The secondary characters are engaging, and the setting is sure to bring out more sexy heroes.
June 6, 2019
3.5 Stars
April 22, 2018
Shannon Stacey takes us back to the Boston firefighters we love making me so happy I could burst. Things heat up fast as firefighter Gavin Boudreau and EMT Cait Tasker find the spark between them too hot to contain. This is a nice slow build as they try to resist their connection and chemistry but it's just too strong. These two along with all the secondary characters are fantastic! There is humor, witty banter, and fun sexy times. All the things I love in my romances. I highly recommend this one.
July 8, 2018
Another enjoyable story in the Boston Fire series. The narration was good as always.
April 24, 2018
What a way to start a book...
From the very first scene, I was on Team Gavin. He was so charming and caring and gaaaaah. I wanted him. His cockiness never came across as arrogance; it was just fun and endearing and sexy. He and Cait talked about how he might joke too much, and that sometimes he didn't know when to quit, but I never saw that. Gavin was basically perfect; flawed, but nicely so. And maybe one of my favourite things about him? He had so much respect for Cait's professional competency; there's a scene that I wanted to share but won't for spoiler reasons, but a man letting a woman take charge is definitely swoonworthy. Another win for Team Beta!
Initially, Cait was very hung up on the fact that Gavin once called her "ma'am". At first, I rolled my eyes a bit, but then I took a long hard look at myself and remembered I've also been put off by people calling me that. (It started at the age of 23 from young cashiers and ugh.) But her biggest battle was her family life. I felt so terrible for her, but I could also see what Gavin did: she cared about her family almost too much and was very much like a mother scared to let her kids grow up and make their own choices in life. Cait was incredibly patient and practical, and while I got frustrated with her at times, I had a lot of respect for her.
I think the only thing about this book that could have been improved for me is some more sexiness. I mean, it was incredibly sexy. I was giddy before they'd even really done anything. Heated looks, some banter, a touch on the arm, and a quick hug was all it took to get me fanning myself, that's how hot the fire between them was. (Hot...fire...tehe...) They did get a few semi-explicit scenes, and I appreciated that Cait was very open and comfortable about asking for it, but wow was it not enough for me.
Having a little brother of my own, I thoroughly enjoyed Cait's interactions with her teen brother. He reminded me so much of my brother when he was younger. Of all the secondary characters, he was my favourite. That being said, I loved all the other characters. It definitely made me want to pick up the previous books in the series to see the other firefighters, especially considering how interwoven their lives are. In fact, the two books planned for after this one feature storylines already being teased in this one. For example, Gavin's best friend Grant is starting to date in this, and I've already seen in book 6 that he and this woman get their own book. Plus, I'm already a little bit in love with Derek, the hero of book 5. Yes, I've added all the books to my TBR. I think we need a firefighter month on Love in a time of Feminism, don't you?
Last thing, I promise. Sometimes, characters are given jobs in name only, and if they're referred to, it's only in very general terms, as if all they did was write emails or push papers around on their desks. Not in this. There was just enough detail about emergency situations and what Cait and Gavin did as an EMT and a firefighter respectively. Not only did it show that Shannon did her research, but it also made their professions real parts of their lives and gave them an aura of competence. She notes at the end that she had to take some creative liberties with how things work in emergency services, which I can appreciate, but it was so clear that she knew her stuff before she started tweaking things. I almost felt like I was watching a medical or emergency drama show while reading because she managed to evoke so much of the world in my mind.
Anyway, I loved this book. So much. And now I want to read everything by Shannon Stacey ever. One hit, and I'm addicted.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
From the very first scene, I was on Team Gavin. He was so charming and caring and gaaaaah. I wanted him. His cockiness never came across as arrogance; it was just fun and endearing and sexy. He and Cait talked about how he might joke too much, and that sometimes he didn't know when to quit, but I never saw that. Gavin was basically perfect; flawed, but nicely so. And maybe one of my favourite things about him? He had so much respect for Cait's professional competency; there's a scene that I wanted to share but won't for spoiler reasons, but a man letting a woman take charge is definitely swoonworthy. Another win for Team Beta!
And why did he have to have such a great smile? “See, you’re doing it right now.”
“Doing what?”
“That smile that probably makes women’s pants fall off.”
The eyebrow went up before he pushed his chair back a few inches. Then he bent over, as if he was picking up a dropped fork. A second later, he sat up and pulled his chair back in.
“What are you doing?”
“I was just checking to see if your pants fell off.” The lift of his left shoulder matched the curve of his mouth. “I guess I’ll have to try harder.”
Initially, Cait was very hung up on the fact that Gavin once called her "ma'am". At first, I rolled my eyes a bit, but then I took a long hard look at myself and remembered I've also been put off by people calling me that. (It started at the age of 23 from young cashiers and ugh.) But her biggest battle was her family life. I felt so terrible for her, but I could also see what Gavin did: she cared about her family almost too much and was very much like a mother scared to let her kids grow up and make their own choices in life. Cait was incredibly patient and practical, and while I got frustrated with her at times, I had a lot of respect for her.
I think the only thing about this book that could have been improved for me is some more sexiness. I mean, it was incredibly sexy. I was giddy before they'd even really done anything. Heated looks, some banter, a touch on the arm, and a quick hug was all it took to get me fanning myself, that's how hot the fire between them was. (Hot...fire...tehe...) They did get a few semi-explicit scenes, and I appreciated that Cait was very open and comfortable about asking for it, but wow was it not enough for me.
If she was going to have sex dreams about a pain-in-the-ass firefighter at night, the least her subconscious could do was let her savor them for a while. Maybe then she could spend a little less time during the day thinking about him.
Having a little brother of my own, I thoroughly enjoyed Cait's interactions with her teen brother. He reminded me so much of my brother when he was younger. Of all the secondary characters, he was my favourite. That being said, I loved all the other characters. It definitely made me want to pick up the previous books in the series to see the other firefighters, especially considering how interwoven their lives are. In fact, the two books planned for after this one feature storylines already being teased in this one. For example, Gavin's best friend Grant is starting to date in this, and I've already seen in book 6 that he and this woman get their own book. Plus, I'm already a little bit in love with Derek, the hero of book 5. Yes, I've added all the books to my TBR. I think we need a firefighter month on Love in a time of Feminism, don't you?
Last thing, I promise. Sometimes, characters are given jobs in name only, and if they're referred to, it's only in very general terms, as if all they did was write emails or push papers around on their desks. Not in this. There was just enough detail about emergency situations and what Cait and Gavin did as an EMT and a firefighter respectively. Not only did it show that Shannon did her research, but it also made their professions real parts of their lives and gave them an aura of competence. She notes at the end that she had to take some creative liberties with how things work in emergency services, which I can appreciate, but it was so clear that she knew her stuff before she started tweaking things. I almost felt like I was watching a medical or emergency drama show while reading because she managed to evoke so much of the world in my mind.
Anyway, I loved this book. So much. And now I want to read everything by Shannon Stacey ever. One hit, and I'm addicted.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 24, 2018
This book surprised me - in a good way! I was anticipating macho, alpha-male firefighter and damsel in distress, but that isn’t what this book is at all. And that made me SO happy.
Gavin and Cait meet on the job. He’s with the Boston Fire Department, and she’s an EMT. Their paths have crossed multiple times in the past several months, but a misunderstanding between them has them both thinking the wrong thing about each other. But their chemistry is strong, and when Cait decides to make a gesture of goodwill towards Gavin, the door to friendship is opened between them.
But the road to happily-ever-after is seldom a smoothly paved road. Cait has a difficult family situation that prevents her from freely walking into a relationship with Gavin, and Gavin’s patience starts to wear thin.
There were so many times this author could have taken the cliched route. You expect a firefighter to be a big, tough, bossy, macho man. And while Gavin was definitely manly, he wasn’t any of those. He was kind, and thoughtful, and had no problem letting Cait do her thing when they were at work. There was none of this “I need to protect you from dangerous situations” - yet, he would walk her to her car at night and have her text him when she got home so he knew she made it safely. When things went south for Gavin and Cait, in this type of book (and with their professions), I was anticipating some life-threatening situation to cause the “grand epiphany” - and that didn’t happen. Instead, we get two people doing some honest evaluation about their life and what they want. There was no other woman/other man drama, no ridiculous storylines. Just a really nice story about two people who meet, discover the other is not who they thought they were, and fall in love after getting to know each other. I liked how they actually talked to each other and that not everything between them revealed through inner monologue.
A couple of things kept this from getting a higher rating from me. First, the author never gave us Gavin’s or Cait’s ages, which isn’t a problem per se, it just makes me feel like I don’t know something important about the characters. It makes it difficult for me to relate to them and get a handle on how I think they should be behaving. Thankfully this book wasn’t wrought with immature antics, so that was a big plus, but it was hard to pin down how much of a hurry they might be in to have a serious relationship and start a family. At one point I even thought this was going to be a younger man/older woman story, but that never materialized. Also, this was just a nice story. I enjoyed it. But not a whole lot happened - I wouldn’t describe it as compelling or heartfelt. I enjoyed Gavin’s and Cait’s dialogue, I was entertained by the banter with Gavin’s fellow firefighters, and appreciated this was a story about normal, realistic people with realistic issues to work through.
Having never read a book by Shannon Stacey before, I didn’t know what to expect. After what seems like a bunch of lackluster books, it was nice to finally read one that had good writing, and a solid plotline, without all of the ridiculous things that make my eyes cross. I was pleasantly surprised, and will be looking forward to the next two books in this series!
* thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Carina Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Gavin and Cait meet on the job. He’s with the Boston Fire Department, and she’s an EMT. Their paths have crossed multiple times in the past several months, but a misunderstanding between them has them both thinking the wrong thing about each other. But their chemistry is strong, and when Cait decides to make a gesture of goodwill towards Gavin, the door to friendship is opened between them.
But the road to happily-ever-after is seldom a smoothly paved road. Cait has a difficult family situation that prevents her from freely walking into a relationship with Gavin, and Gavin’s patience starts to wear thin.
There were so many times this author could have taken the cliched route. You expect a firefighter to be a big, tough, bossy, macho man. And while Gavin was definitely manly, he wasn’t any of those. He was kind, and thoughtful, and had no problem letting Cait do her thing when they were at work. There was none of this “I need to protect you from dangerous situations” - yet, he would walk her to her car at night and have her text him when she got home so he knew she made it safely. When things went south for Gavin and Cait, in this type of book (and with their professions), I was anticipating some life-threatening situation to cause the “grand epiphany” - and that didn’t happen. Instead, we get two people doing some honest evaluation about their life and what they want. There was no other woman/other man drama, no ridiculous storylines. Just a really nice story about two people who meet, discover the other is not who they thought they were, and fall in love after getting to know each other. I liked how they actually talked to each other and that not everything between them revealed through inner monologue.
A couple of things kept this from getting a higher rating from me. First, the author never gave us Gavin’s or Cait’s ages, which isn’t a problem per se, it just makes me feel like I don’t know something important about the characters. It makes it difficult for me to relate to them and get a handle on how I think they should be behaving. Thankfully this book wasn’t wrought with immature antics, so that was a big plus, but it was hard to pin down how much of a hurry they might be in to have a serious relationship and start a family. At one point I even thought this was going to be a younger man/older woman story, but that never materialized. Also, this was just a nice story. I enjoyed it. But not a whole lot happened - I wouldn’t describe it as compelling or heartfelt. I enjoyed Gavin’s and Cait’s dialogue, I was entertained by the banter with Gavin’s fellow firefighters, and appreciated this was a story about normal, realistic people with realistic issues to work through.
Having never read a book by Shannon Stacey before, I didn’t know what to expect. After what seems like a bunch of lackluster books, it was nice to finally read one that had good writing, and a solid plotline, without all of the ridiculous things that make my eyes cross. I was pleasantly surprised, and will be looking forward to the next two books in this series!
* thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Carina Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review
April 30, 2018
Hot Response is a contemporary romance set in Boston with two first responder main characters. Our heroine Caitlyn is an EMT, while our hero Gavin is a firefighter. They know each other through work, as usually EMTs and firefighters show up at the same incidents.
Caitlyn has moved in with her recently widowed Mother, and Carter, her teenage half-brother, to help them recover. So she is pulling double duty, rescuing people both at work and at home. She is burning herself out with all that taking care of others. So when Gavin offers her the use of his apartment for some alone, self-care time, she takes him up on the offer.
Gavin is supposedly a playboy, which does not come across too strongly in this book. Although, because this is book four in a series, his personality may have been more defined in previous books. He is believably written as a 'guy': at times goofy and immature, and at other times respectful and considerate. He is having pants interest in Caitlyn, but, for plot reasons, avoids trying for his usual 'short, superficial and sexual' modus operandi with her.
The romance is set amid the intensity of their careers. There are several mildly descriptive scenes of accidents, fires and car crashes, which just made me uncomfortable, but are probably par for the course in this genre. The major conflicts seem to be a mutual fear of “the L-word”, and differing feelings about the dependency of Cait’s family, and her obligation to them.
Contemporary romances are not a favorite of mine, neither are romances with first responder main characters - all of that fictionalized trauma drama hits way too close to home. It is not a genre that I read for enjoyment. And there were some things in the book that I disliked:
-Referring to people who have accidents as idiots.
- The tickling thing. Ick. I did not like that during intimate moments, Gavin would happen on a ticklish spot and then force the Cait to endure tickling while she “had to settle for pounding her fist on his shoulder, trying to make him stop.” The overpowering and tickling showed up during several different sexy times. It was jarring, especially because of the author's wording: “torturing,” “couldn’t get away from him,” “tried to pull free,” and “holding her down,” and having the heroine feel it necessary to “scramble away” and then have an “ensuing wrestling match.” It did not come across as a playful, 'oops, touched your ticklish spot, tickle tickle giggle move on,' but more like a dominant power play, without any encouragement or sign that it would be welcome by Cait.
So aside from creeper tickling and emoji drama, the story is written well, usually with compassion and respect towards people. The way that author Stacey has portrayed the characters’ instant ability to go from relaxed and off duty to calm, focused high alert is accurately representative of first responders.
Recommended for readers who enjoy spicy, low-angst, contemporary romances with firefighter or cop heroes and/or heroines.
*eARC Netgalley*
Caitlyn has moved in with her recently widowed Mother, and Carter, her teenage half-brother, to help them recover. So she is pulling double duty, rescuing people both at work and at home. She is burning herself out with all that taking care of others. So when Gavin offers her the use of his apartment for some alone, self-care time, she takes him up on the offer.
Gavin is supposedly a playboy, which does not come across too strongly in this book. Although, because this is book four in a series, his personality may have been more defined in previous books. He is believably written as a 'guy': at times goofy and immature, and at other times respectful and considerate. He is having pants interest in Caitlyn, but, for plot reasons, avoids trying for his usual 'short, superficial and sexual' modus operandi with her.
The romance is set amid the intensity of their careers. There are several mildly descriptive scenes of accidents, fires and car crashes, which just made me uncomfortable, but are probably par for the course in this genre. The major conflicts seem to be a mutual fear of “the L-word”, and differing feelings about the dependency of Cait’s family, and her obligation to them.
Contemporary romances are not a favorite of mine, neither are romances with first responder main characters - all of that fictionalized trauma drama hits way too close to home. It is not a genre that I read for enjoyment. And there were some things in the book that I disliked:
-Referring to people who have accidents as idiots.
- The tickling thing. Ick. I did not like that during intimate moments, Gavin would happen on a ticklish spot and then force the Cait to endure tickling while she “had to settle for pounding her fist on his shoulder, trying to make him stop.” The overpowering and tickling showed up during several different sexy times. It was jarring, especially because of the author's wording: “torturing,” “couldn’t get away from him,” “tried to pull free,” and “holding her down,” and having the heroine feel it necessary to “scramble away” and then have an “ensuing wrestling match.” It did not come across as a playful, 'oops, touched your ticklish spot, tickle tickle giggle move on,' but more like a dominant power play, without any encouragement or sign that it would be welcome by Cait.
So aside from creeper tickling and emoji drama, the story is written well, usually with compassion and respect towards people. The way that author Stacey has portrayed the characters’ instant ability to go from relaxed and off duty to calm, focused high alert is accurately representative of first responders.
Recommended for readers who enjoy spicy, low-angst, contemporary romances with firefighter or cop heroes and/or heroines.
*eARC Netgalley*
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