Review: Emotional, complex read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 4, 2014
I'm not an emotional reader. I read hundreds of books every year, many which would destroy your average person emotionally, but I didn't shed a tear. That wasn't the case with A Firefighter's Flame. There were so many parts of this book that could have been written about my own life, that I couldn't help but be overwhelmed emotionally.Lennox is a firefighter's wife, married to her first love, Dean. She is essentially a stay at home mom of two kids. Unfortunately, due to the strains of not just everyday life and the years that pass, but Dean's job as a firefighter, they find themselves growing apart. Lennox has a chance meeting with an old flame, Brayden, and she begins to wonder what life would be like if she pursued a relationship with the man she considers her soul mate. Does she dare to risk the comfortable life with the man she knows loves her despite her flaws in order to pursue the man who left her behind so many years ago? Or does she work to invest in her marriage, and everything she and Dean have built together over the years? Unfortunately fate has a sick way of intervening and when tragedy occurs, the choice is no longer hers.I'm not a firefighter's wife, however I am a military wife, so I understand the feeling all to well of being left behind. The disciplinarian, the bad guy, the one that picks up the pieces when he's gone, the one who keeps the machine finely tuned to make his life easier. I am also bipolar, so I know what it is like to deal with the stress of having a spouse that works in a dangerous job that keeps him away from his family for a great deal of time. Being left alone with the kids, trying to keep their world together when many times "get out of bed" and "take a shower" are the only things you can accomplish on your ever-growing to do list. To have others count on you when you can't count on yourself. I understand it all, far too clearly. That is what made this so emotional of a book for me. Thankfully I am not dealing with feelings for another man, but to understand why Lennox deals with situations the way she does, and why her mind works the way it does, I get that. Completely.Bravo to Ms. Hart for having the courage to take on a character that despite her issues is still able to remain strong, and truthful to the disease that devastates her and her family. Lennox's interpersonal relations and emotions are absolutely spot-on. I also appreciate the character of Dean, whom understands Lennox's illness and loves her for it, not in spite of it. I too have an incredibly faithful and understanding husband, and I think that is why I was so affected emotionally by Dean's circumstances, because I can just imagine how devastated I personally would be given the same situation with my husband. (Sorry to be vague, I'm remaining spoiler free!)A Firefighter's Flame is well written and immediately sucked me in from the very start. I stayed up overnight in order to finish it because I simply could not put it down. To say that I related to the characters would be an understatement. The characters and story that Ms. Hart has crafted are well developed, emotional, relatable, and most importantly, believable. If I could give this book more than five stars, I most definitely would because it is certainly worthy. A Firefighter's Flame has earned a place on my favorites shelf and would recommend it to anyone looking for a true love story with genuine characters. This is the first book I've read by Ms. Hart and most certainly won't be the last!