HEAT – Opal Carew
St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN: 978-1-250-11678-9
June 2017
Erotic Contemporary Romance

Muldone, Virginia – Present Day

Several years ago, Rikki lost her first love, a firefighter, in a fire, and now she's decided to move away from her hometown for a fresh start. Her friend, Cassie, hooks her up with a job as a photographer of shirtless firemen for a charity calendar, which has her taking a deep breath because of their dangerous occupation. The night before she is to meet the firefighters, Rikki goes out with her friends, where she meets two hunky men, Simon and Carter, but nothing further happens. The next day, she meets the men again—at the fire station—where it turns out they're part of the firemen she's going to photograph. The sparks fly between her and the two men, and it turns out they're best friends—and they share everything . . . everything!

Rikki is a virgin (you'll have to read the book to understand why), but her sexual attraction to Simon and Carter soon takes care of that issue. She can't decide which man she likes better, which works out okay, since they like sharing her. Rikki might be a novice at sex when HEAT opens, but she's soon doing plenty of naughty things with Simon and Carter. But is there any future for them, what with their unusual relationship and the fact that both men are firefighters? Rikki has already lost one man to a fire-related death, and she can't bear to lose another.

HEAT is intensely hot and erotic. Rikki doesn't jump into bed with the men lightly—at first—because she has a fear of dating firefighters after losing her late fiancé, but she can't deny the attraction she feels for Simon and Carter. They're as different as they're alike, and has her marveling at how two gorgeous men want her. The men treat her like royalty and don't pressure her at first into a sexual relationship, but soon Rikki is ready to take it beyond some heavy petting. Once the little thing about her virginity is taken care of, she is insatiable—and the men are happy to oblige her appetite. Simon and Carter live together and, in the past, have shared women. With Rikki, they both feel protective of her, but neither wants to claim her as their one and only. She's theirs to share with each other . . . and share they do.

A fast-paced tale, HEAT zooms right along with plenty of sex to keep you interested, with the photo shoot and Rikki's worry about Simon or Carter getting injured in the background. As with just about every Opal Carew book I've picked up, you almost need to wear an asbestos suit to read them, and HEAT continues that pattern. Rikki shows her vulnerability to Simon and Carter, and they guide her past her worries and show her the way to happiness. But will she be happy with two men at the same time, or will she have to choose only one?

You may need to lay in a tub full of icy water while reading HEAT, but there's no doubt you'll be rooting for Rikki, Simon, and Carter to find a way to live happily-ever-after.

Holly Tibbs