Monday, August 31, 2015

ARC REVIEW: Melting Point (Hot in Chicago #1.5) by Kate Meader

Title: Melting Point
Series: Hot in Chicago #1.5
Author: Kate Meader
Publisher: Pocket Star
Published: August 31st 2015
Format: ARC | Pages: 131
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, M/M
Source: Publisher
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!!!!

Kate Meader | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Things are heating up at Engine Co. 6 in this original e-novella from Kate Meader’s sizzling Hot in Chicago series! Super hot playboy firefighter Gage Simpson has one particular man on his mind: Brady Smith, a recalcitrant, moody chef who makes Gage melt from the inside out. Features a sexy sneak preview of Playing with Fire!

Firefighter Gage Simpson has it all: the job of his dreams, the family of his heart, and no shortage of hot guys lining up to share his bed. “Fun and easy” is his motto—and it’s kept him sunny through a painful upbringing and steered him away from trouble. But when trouble comes knocking in the form of a sexy, scarred, tattooed chef with a harrowing past and zero communication skills, Gage can’t help but be drawn to the flame.

Brady Smith isn’t fun. And easy isn’t in his vocabulary. When cocky Gage swaggers into his restaurant kitchen, the former Marine-turned-five-star-chef is blindsided by the firefighter’s beauty. Then confused that this golden guy with the sparkling blue eyes and the body of a god might be interested in him. As desire flares and temperatures rise, Gage and Brady will have to figure out if the heat between them is just a temporary flash—or the beginning of something real.



I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!

All I can think of right now is thank goodness for all the people, like myself, who saw enough in Gage and Brady for there to be a demand of them having their own novella. Not to take anything away from Kinsey and Luke, who were pretty freaking hot and wonderful themselves, but the bits and pieces on the side throughout book one, Flirting with Fire, that were happening between Gage and Brady really stole the spotlight for me. I was turning the pages faster to get to more of their story at times more so than the couple the book was about. Needless to say my copy of Melting Point has been sitting on my desk quite literally taunting me for weeks now until I was finally able to read it and there are no words for how worth the wait this book was.

Like everyone else who meets him, I was fascinated and enamored of Gage Simpson since his first appearance in Rekindle the Flame, a prequel type of novella. You can't help but love this guy. He's cocky in the most adorable way, perpetual grin and one of the most playful and flirtatious guys you'll ever meet. And he's an equal opportunity flirt at that. Male or female he'll turn on the charm and have you melting at his feet. I desperately needed him to have his own book! It was nice, if not bittersweet to see this other side of Gage. The one that's not always happy-go-lucky. The one who lets a bit of the pain from his past break past his otherwise unflappable exterior. As if it were possible to love this guy even more.

Brady was a mystery I was desperate to crack. Delicious muscles and tattoos with zero communication skills, scars inside and out and an aversion to human contact. This quiet and broody chef had me completely fascinated with the need to know his story. I loved watching Gage slowly, and I do mean slowly, break down his defenses and seeing the Brady that he probably was before he joined the marines. One who wasn't afraid to smile or laugh or let someone touch them. I loved everything about his character.

It's funny, when I mentioned to Kate Meader that I was going to be starting Melting Point in a few days the last thing she said to me about it was "Also hottest sex scenes I've ever written. Just sayin'"  Now that I've finished the book, I'm going to have to heartily agree! Hot. Scorching. Cold shower inducing scenes. The chemistry that Gage and Brady have is mind blowing. I mean it was evident in the teasers of will they/won't they that were in book one but holy hotness Batman! These two guys finally coming together, no pun intended...kinda, was worth every bit of dancing around their feelings, well more so Brady around his, that lead up to this point.

I could probably sit here for hours and gush about this book and these two characters that I'm deeply in love with but I'll stop here. I'm such a big fan of Kate Meader's writing and the characters she creates. If you've never read anything by her before all I can say is what are you waiting for? I can't wait for the next book in the series to come out next month, Playing with Fire. I love this wonderful dynamic between this group of firefighting foster siblings and I need more! The end of September can't get here soon enough!

Huge, huge thanks goes to Pocket Star (Simon & Schuster) for the opportunity to read and review this book!!



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