Book Review: All Fired Up by Morticia Knight

Title: All Fired Up
Series: Sin City Uniforms, Book 1
Author: Morticia Knight
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided by publisher
Published: September5, 2014 by Pride Publishing

Officer Shawn Everly patrols the Strip. Fireman Trent Marshall saves him when danger strikes. But it’s uncertain whether Trent can save himself from getting his heart broken by Shawn.

The party never ends on the Las Vegas strip, but neither does the danger. Officer Everly is new to the beat, having recently relocated to Vegas from Los Angeles. Foot patrol on The Strip is a demanding assignment because he’s up close and personal with the public. But what he’d really like to do is get up close and personal with Station 32’s hunky fireman, Trent Marshall.

Trent has been a fireman for over ten years and is dedicated to his job. He’s built tough and is a no-nonsense man of few words. At a local blood drive, Trent meets the handsome new officer on foot patrol, but won’t let himself get too close. He’s lost love before when his policeman lover was killed in the line of fire.

During an emergency, Trent’s over-protective instincts kick in when he believes Shawn is in harm’s way. He ends up embarrassing and angering Shawn in front of their fellow officers, which seems as though it will end any hope of Trent having a chance with the young man he can’t push from his mind.

Shawn can’t decide whether he wants to punch or kiss Trent. Kissing wins. Once they spend some time together away from the stresses of their jobs, they find that they’re not just compatible—they’re combustible.

But Trent can’t seem to accept that there are hazards that come with working in law enforcement. Right as they’re discovering how much they mean to one another, the danger escalates on The Strip. The underground vigilante group, The Citizens Against Immorality, have raised the stakes. Will Shawn and Trent be their next targets?

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of violence and the use of sex toys. It is best read in sequence as part of a series but can be read as a standalone.

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Reviewed by: Crissy

Why I Read This Book: I love firefighters. Pretty much anything with the occupation in the storyline, I’m there. Add to that a cop, and really? I almost didn’t stand a choice at resisting.

The Setup: Las Vegas patrol cop Shawn Everly has had a thing for fireman Trent Marshall almost since he moved to Sin City. Trent has noticed Shawn, but the dangers that come with being a cop hold him back from making a move. When an incident brings them together, Trent tries to tamp down his over-protective ways. Then a vigilante group invades Vegas and puts the tumultuous relationship between Shawn and Trent in real danger.

What I Liked: So I like the whole alpha male, me-Tarzan-you-Jay thing. Growly, domineering men are sort of my thing, so yeah, I liked Trent a lot. When he’s not being an over-protective weirdo, he’s damn sexy. Though, I’m not being fair. Trent has his reasons for his protective ways. And this story is him working through the loss of one lover and coming to terms with the dangerous job of his new lover.

The best part of this book is that it’s fun. The getting to know you and mystery kept me interested. If not for that plot and the sexiness in the bedroom, I’d probably have quit reading the book. But I will say the bedroom time between Shawn and Trent was pretty hot, which made up for some of my irritation.

What I Didn’t Like: Okay, so while I liked the story, I had the hardest time with Shawn. I liked Trent and his bossiness. I could even get behind his over-protectiveness. But it was the way Shawn handled it that had me confused. In one instance, he actually wonders why he bowed down to Trent’s whim without debating it, then continues to angst about it. I just found him whiny. And whiny characters are a no-go for me.

I also wasn’t impressed by how quickly they fell in “love.” It felt more like obsession and lust for how quick it was. There was no real meat to the relationship. I would have preferred something more substantial. Although by the end of the story I could see the declarations of love making sense. I think maybe they just came too early.

In My Opinion: All Fired Up is good, but maybe a little on the sparse side with a helping of whiny. The intimate moments are fabulous, and the mystery plot is good, but the relationship building could use some word. All in all it was just a decent book. Not my favorite, but not enough to keep me from the series.

Crissy’s Rating: