Flame (Burning Desire Book 2)

Josh is adrift and an emotional mess, Flame by J.P. Scott is his story. If you read Spark, the first installment of the Burning Desire series, you may remember Josh as George’s nephew. He ventured to the peace and quiet of his uncle’s get-a-way cabins, Lakeside Estates, in the Mogollon Rim of Arizona. Here he finds a life so different from the hustle and bustle of New York City that it unsettles him. With his uncle’s declining health, Josh has some tough decisions to make about the future.

Where is Josh’s head? There is a lot rattling around in his brain. Having monumentally screwed things up with Alex and Cody, the couple who emerges from the ashes of Spark, after ending his relationship with his partner Ethan, his uncle’s health issues and the demands of the business create a melancholy tone that settles in right from the start. He is distraught and pretty down on himself. While it’s not to the extreme that causes concern, a feeling of empathy immediately sets in.

One of Josh’s options is to sell Lakeside Estates in whole or in part. This requires some repairs and upgrades. At the recommendation of his realtor, Josh enlists the assistance of handyman Jonathan Clay. Having recently returned to the Rim, Jonathan carries with him a host of baggage that ultimately only adds to Josh’s despair. But first, Jonathan and Josh feel an immediate connection that neither instantaneously reacts to – employee/employer relationship and all.

‘Flame’ is an appropriate title for a story that is entertaining, sexy, steamy and believably well written. The real-life situations and struggles pull you into a heartfelt romance with drama, angst and love that captivates and enthralls.

However, as time passes, the temptation is too great and Jonathan and Josh embark on a heated and intense partnering. There is some dominant play that ever-so-slightly borders on BDSM but never quiet takes us there. Yet, under it all there is a connection neither man has felt before, a desire for more. Just when the future may have possibility, Jonathan’s past rears its ugly head and things fall apart for the guys. Is their connection strong enough to survive the past?

Flame is an appropriate title for a story that is entertaining, sexy, steamy and believably well written. The real-life situations and struggles pull you into a heartfelt romance with drama, angst and love that captivates and enthralls. It definitely stands on its own with enough backstory from Spark intertwined, but why not start where it begins?

Flame is an excellent addition to the Burning Desire series. However, it leaves us wondering what Cody’s fate is. His friendship with Josh has grown strong, but where does that leave him? Well luckily for us, we get to find out soon when J.P. Scott releases Blaze, Burning Desire #3.