Smoldering Flame

I really appreciate how each man has a strong work ethic and careers they were committed to. Each man supported the others dreams. I think that why each found a way to make their dreams and relationship flourish.

Wow! This is book three in Rekindled Flame but it stands alone ok. Some of the characters carry over from the previous books but the story is solely Dean and Marcus.
Dean is a firefighter and loves his job. He is a single father of a six-year-old son that is battling cancer.

Marcus is an up and coming high-end photographer.
Sammy, Dean's son saw a photo in the hospital of a child with a stuffed dalmatian that Dean took and wanted to see it. Dean takes him by the studio and the sparks start.
Sammy won my heart over just like he does Marcus. Even the Grinch's heart would melt meeting this sweet little boy. Andrew Grey dis a spectacular job creating Sammy. He is charming, innocent, yet the angst is not overdone. We see a normal child though he is dealing with a terrible monster.
Marcus has some secrets and he can relate to Sammy and that is part of why they click so much. He gets him.
The relationship is a slow burn which was perfect for the story but once those sparks turn to flames...watch out! The chemistry here is smoking!

I love this series and I think this one is my favorite so far!
Michael Pauley really brings the awesome characters to life. he makes a charming voice for Sammy and we can tell his age. I love the way he laughs when there is a laugh chuckle if its called for and sighs. and in the bedroom he makes the scene come alive.I suggest if you are going to invest in an Audio try this one! Or buy the book and add the audio so you have the est of both worlds. You won't regret it.
I am not one to reread a lot but this is on my will read again list!

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ AUDIO ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Half-dressed fireman posing to the side of flames. Nothing to express the gravity of the book's content. I love the synopsis.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person

Fireman and single father, Dean, met photographer, Marco, at the prompting of his ill son, Sammy. Sammy noticed a photo taken by Marco and wanted to see the prop in person and the men develop a slow-building relationship.
The main characters were solid and Sammy felt age-appropriate. The secondary cast were varied. The chemistry between them was nice. Their relationship built slowly but felt natural. There were conflicts... Marco's indecisiveness over Dean's profession annoyed me at times but it still felt fairly natural. The external conflicts were handled as best as possible.
Predictability was below average. The conclusion was solid and satisfying.
Overall, the story was enjoyable and heartfelt.
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.275 ~ Stars: 4
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Audio Review


This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Michael Pauley even though he's narrated for several of my most enjoyed authors. The audio sample pulled me in and I'd thought this would be a grand slam but it was not without its pros and cons.
While pronunciation/diction is clean and easy to decipher, the words sometimes were spoken too quickly and made it difficult to follow. I'd also noticed, several times, that the character voices and intonations were not stable, bled together, or were lost entirely to the point where the listener would not know who was speaking. The biggest exception to this was Angus, who was done beautifully.
The drama- and angst-ridden plot of abandonment issues and unaccepting parental figures, topped with the fears of a dangerous job and having a potentially terminally ill child, all made for an emotional story. Those emotions were conveyed well by Mr. Pauley.
I give the overall narration 4 out of 5 stars.

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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received an audible copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

REVIEW BY ANNIE @ Kimmers' Erotic Book Banter:
http://bit.ly/2nX2H8o

If you’ve filled your quota of jaded relationships, Andrew Grey’s 'Smoldering Flame', in fact, his whole Rekindled Flame series, (all standalones) is written for you. Grey makes romance – well… romantic!

Raised in the foster system, Marco is a loner. He may be a highly successful photographer who shoots gorgeous models in underwear but he’s more comfortable with the camera lens as a barrier against connection and (as he fears) its ensuing abandonment.

Meanwhile, Dean, a firefighter, is too involved in his son Sammy’s cancer treatments, to find energy for anyone else. If only Sammy didn’t have other ideas. Can two grown men use a boy’s innocence to rekindle their trust in love?

Grey chooses not to make readers wait for the couple to get together. Dean and Marco announce their attraction and affection up front, leaving Grey free to focus on more mature questions. What puts a relationship in jeopardy, and what surmounts those difficulties? Marco and Dean depict the fearful freefall into trust, in all it’s terrible glory.

I love stories that push past ardor to discuss the romance of responsibility and emotional interdependence between partners. If Marco and Dean realize their relationship potential almost too quickly, it is so Grey can contrast desire with fate’s meandering path. Each time the couple makes a tentative step forward, life intercedes. And denial tests the men’s emotions, proving their depth.

Grey’s deceptively simple words present complicated emotions. For example, "’Fear...comes from trying not to get hurt again.... The thing is, that fear ensures that you will get hurt again. It keeps you from living and being happy,'” Marco tells Dean's dad.

In contract, Grey creates a verbal feast of mundane concepts. While some authors note the passage of time with a phrase like, “Eight months later,” here’s Grey’s rendition, “Eight months had turned fall into winter and winter into spring.”

For a beautifully realistic depiction of romance, made mystical in the eye of a gifted author, give 'Smoldering Flame' a go.

REVIEW BY JAY @ Kimmers' Erotic Book Banter: http://bit.ly/2Hb92VT

'Smoldering Flame' by Andrew Grey is an intense romance between two men and a young boy that builds into a cohesive and beautiful family unit. All three, with their crosses to bare, come together and find their HEA.

Firefighter Dean Harlow has little time for anything but work and caring for his son, Sammy. Sammy is the beautiful result of Dean denying who he was and, while searching for himself, discovering he was looking in all the wrong places. With the help of his parents, single father Dean is raising a son while dealing with Sammy’s adolescent cancer.

Marco is a successful photographer who is sought after around the globe. His beginnings were bleak and grim. Never knowing his father and losing his mother to cancer at the age of 8, Marco was introduced to the foster care system. Betty and Ron Carter took care of Marco while his fear of abandonment set in. It wasn’t until much later in life that Marco realized that he had a true family.

Maro’s Christmas gift of a camera and his love of photography bring Dean and Sammy into his life. The connection between Marco and Dean is instant allowing Andrew Grey to take them right to the heart of the matter - learning to trust. Will Marco get past his abandonment issues? Will Sammy overcome his health issues? Will Dean let go and trust that Marco is in it for the long haul?

Grey introduces several life traps to test Marco and Dean. Each time these men have to analyze a situation and determine what path they should take. The result is a strong bond between Marco and Dean with Sammy included. As each man alters their perception of the past, they determine they were missing things that lay right in front of them.

One thing that I can always say about Andrew Grey’s writing ability is that the depth of his characters is immense. In 'Smoldering Flame' they grab your attention, steal your heart, and pull you into their world. In this book, the result is phenomenal and I would love to have these guys in my real life world.

'Smoldering Flame' is third in the Rekindled Flame series and beautifully told. The situations and their outcomes are completely believable leaving us touched having spent time in this world. The supporting characters add value and enhance the experience while deepening the understanding of Marco, Dean, and Sammy.

The entire standalone series, Rekindled Flame, is highly recommended, worth giving up the precious time in our busy lives, and will leave you with a renewed faith in people; albeit from fictional folks.