A stuntman with a love for fire.
A yoga teacher in search of zen.
A holiday season neither will forget.
Stunt performer and self-declared badass, Tate Astbury returns to his hometown to spend another dreaded Thanksgiving with his dad. But his father forgets and makes other plans, resigning Tate to a quiet and depressing holiday alone unless he can find someplace else to celebrate.
When Tate’s mischievous friend learns about the unfortunate twist, he dares Tate to enter a radio contest to become a fake boyfriend for a desperate caller’s holiday dinner, and Tate never turns down a dare.
Endre Michel is a mess. His yoga business is on the cusp of ruin, and his moms are visiting from out of state for the holiday, intent on meeting his boyfriend, a person Endre invented. Through the contest, he meets Tate, a crude, tattooed older man who plays the role of doting boyfriend so well, Endre suspects and hopes it’s not all for show.
Neither man can deny the unintended connection, and they struggle to overcome the distance between Tate’s put-together Hollywood career and the chaos surrounding Endre’s unsteady future—a situation that intensifies when an unthinkable tragedy uncovers a dark and painful truth.
Will Tate and Endre’s future together perish in flames, or can their love rise from the ashes?
Flirting with Fire can be read as a standalone holiday romance with several cups of angst, questionable jokes, a bird with a wicked sense of humor, a bed with loud, squeaky springs, and an HFN/HEA ending.
CW: suicide, substance abuse disorder, grief, mental illness
A yoga teacher in search of zen.
A holiday season neither will forget.
Stunt performer and self-declared badass, Tate Astbury returns to his hometown to spend another dreaded Thanksgiving with his dad. But his father forgets and makes other plans, resigning Tate to a quiet and depressing holiday alone unless he can find someplace else to celebrate.
When Tate’s mischievous friend learns about the unfortunate twist, he dares Tate to enter a radio contest to become a fake boyfriend for a desperate caller’s holiday dinner, and Tate never turns down a dare.
Endre Michel is a mess. His yoga business is on the cusp of ruin, and his moms are visiting from out of state for the holiday, intent on meeting his boyfriend, a person Endre invented. Through the contest, he meets Tate, a crude, tattooed older man who plays the role of doting boyfriend so well, Endre suspects and hopes it’s not all for show.
Neither man can deny the unintended connection, and they struggle to overcome the distance between Tate’s put-together Hollywood career and the chaos surrounding Endre’s unsteady future—a situation that intensifies when an unthinkable tragedy uncovers a dark and painful truth.
Will Tate and Endre’s future together perish in flames, or can their love rise from the ashes?
Flirting with Fire can be read as a standalone holiday romance with several cups of angst, questionable jokes, a bird with a wicked sense of humor, a bed with loud, squeaky springs, and an HFN/HEA ending.
CW: suicide, substance abuse disorder, grief, mental illness
My Rating - 5 Stars!
Flirting with Fire is a wonderful hurt/comfort read by Grace Kilian Delaney. The third book in the Shore Thing series, it's easily read as a standalone.
The themes explored throughout this book are heavy. There's a huge emphasis on grief, guilt, depression, and addiction. Everything is written with extreme care, compassion, and heart. It's realistic, emotional, and all consuming. I am downright impressed with the way the author handles everything.
As for Tate and Endre, they meet via a radio contest for a fake boyfriend for the holidays situation. It's a cute thing and I adore their first meeting, as things get off to a bad start. They do eventually click and end up being great supports for one another.
Learning the details of these men's pasts is as emotional as it gets. Both suffered, and continue to suffer, greatly. The meat of this story is Endre and the fact that his life is at a crossroads. Things with his best friend are strained, he's struggling with his business decision, and he's trying to stay clean through it all. It's a lot to deal with and the reader gets a front row seat for it all.
One of the highlights of this story for me is the way Endre uses his videos to talk through his pain and addiction issues. He not only talks through his current issues, but we get flashbacks to how he started doing so and why. He's open and honest about his addiction and recovery, putting his vulnerability out into the world. It's remarkable and would be a fantastic way for many people to deal with such issues in real life. I truly love this.
I love and adore Tate and Endre as a couple. They have a lot on their plates and many reasons to not try to be together, including distance. But through it all, they genuinely are perfect for one another and help the other to heal. Fate is definitely at play for these two.
And then there's Endre and Jackson. What a complicated relationship these two have. Omg, my heart breaks for Jackson and I completely understand his decisions, despite the impact they have on Endre. I am crossing my fingers that we get Jackson's story, as I desperately need him to find love.
This story has a lot going on. Much of it is the men dealing with their emotional baggage. It has looks into Tate's career as a stunt man and the danger he faces. There's also real life danger to deal with, as well as some twists and turns that help bring this story full circle. I should say, the twists and turns weren't a shock to me, as I suspected the big reveal all along, but I love the way it's developed and executed. Another well done moment for the author.
In the end, Flirting With Fire is a beautiful story. This Grace Killian Delaney book is one hell of a ride. as we're reminded that sometimes what looks like a bad thing can actually be a new opportunity for better things. Definitely consider this book the next time you're in the mood for an angst ridden emotional journey towards healing. You won't regret it.
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