Review: Didn't like the characters & Felt like I was missing a prequel
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 11 30, 2012
Scott and Penny are firefighting partners. Each has come to realize that they romantically care for the other but have reasons to resist the attraction.  When Penny sprains her ankle, Scott moves into her house to help her out.This book felt like there was a prequel that I was missing.  First, at several points it was mentioned that Scott's sister had had been kidnapped by a serial arsonist who she helped to catch with her drawings.  The story mentioned people that I felt like I was supposed to know (Millie... who now had a renewed sense of purpose when Abby had her babysit her daughter several weeks ago).  Okay - so I felt like I was dropped into the  middle of this story.  The character's backstories also weren't discussed.  I THINK that Penny is just a volunteer firefighter.  It was mentioned that she had worked at a bank and was now a medic.  However, this was a throwaway line a few chapters into the book.  We know Penny is a widow and married to Jim.  However, we are never given information about when Jim died or anything about their life together.  Maybe it comes later in the book -- however, I would expect to know this by the 30% mark.  At this point, I know that Scott was married with a bad divorce; Penny was widowed.  However, I don't know their backstory.  I just can't feel for characters who I know nothing about.A second problem I had was that Penny seemed like two different people.  Half the time, Penny seemed to be coming on to Scott and wanted to kiss him and have a relationship with him.  And, at other times, she couldn't betray Jim (her dead husband) and she felt like dating someone would be like cheating on Jim.  And, we didn't get this behavior of "oh I just kissed him and I don't know if I'm ready to move on".  Instead, in some chapters (like by the car accident) she wanted to make out with Scott.  Then, when they move to her house, she doesn't want anything to happen because of her dead husband.  At least Scott was consistently torn... he wanted to be romantically involved but didn't trust love because of his bad marriage (which we never really learned about what was so bad). A lot of the book is them dwelling on their relationship (or lack thereof).The good of the book (why it is two stars) is that at least the grammar and spelling were fine.  Also, the author obviously knows something about firefighting.  This was both a strength and a weakness.  The author used firefighting terms which I had no clue what them meant (what is a "Probie"?  What is the "alpha side of the house"? What are "turnouts" -- from the context, it is something they wear?).All in all, I gave up 30% into the book as I was just so confused and I just didn't care for the characters or the constant thinking/talking about their relationship.