Title: Up In Smoke (Hot Shots 4)
Author: Annabeth Albert
Published: April 27 2021
Publisher: Carina Press
Readership: Adult
Genre: Romance (M/M)
Rating: ★★★★
Content warnings: Mother abandoning baby
I received a copy of Up In Smoke from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“A poignant, sexy and satisfying romance featuring likeable, complex characters whose intense emotional connection leaps off the page.” —All About Romance on Feel the Fire
Three Men and a Baby meets Backdraft with explosive chemistry and heartfelt feels.
Freewheeling smoke jumper Brandt Wilder thrives on adrenaline. He’s never met a parachute he can’t repair or a dangerous situation he couldn’t wrangle his way out of. He’s popular and fun-loving and not at all looking to settle down or form lasting relationships. It’s a lifestyle that’s served him well…right up until the day he finds a baby on his doorstep.
Shane Travis is used to putting his country music career—and his own happiness—on hold after his sister rolls through his life. Like last spring when she convinced him to try skydiving for his birthday—and she walked away with the hot parachute instructor.
Now he gets to deliver the piece of news that will upend Brandt’s carefree life: he very well might be a dad.
Shane’s niece is safe in Brandt’s strong, capable hands, but too many questions remain unanswered. Co-parenting while they sort it out leads to late-night talks, and soul-bearing confessions lead to a most inconvenient attraction. Still, Shane can’t leave this makeshift family behind—even if it means playing house with the one man he can’t resist.
It’s always a good day when there’s a new Annabeth Albert book available to read.
Up In Smoke is the story of Shane and Brandt, two men who meet by chance when Shane’s sister drags him sky-diving, only to have their worlds collide again when Shane turns up on Brandt’s doorstep with a baby in tow. The baby is his sister’s… and Brandt’s.
The fourth book in the Hot Shots series, this book felt a little like it came from left field – and not in a bad way. Albert has included kids in many of her books and I’ve always enjoyed reading them, and baby Jewel was no exception. This book felt a little slower in pace as Shane and Brandt try to figure out what to do with this baby girl who (probably) belongs to Brandt.
This book doesn’t feature much of the fire season the Hot Shots series is known for, but it is discussed. Brandt is the typical restless character who moves around from season to season, but finds himself becoming invested in his daughter’s life and wanting the best for her despite having only just learn about her existence. Shane is, by contrast, trying to figure out what he wants from his life and his music career, while juggling looking after his sister’s baby. Between the two of them, they find a happy medium and a relationship they weren’t expecting.
It’s a very cute, very feel-good story that was easy to read and enjoyable from start to finish.
Noveltea Corner 