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Hope Flames
Hope Flames
Hope Flames
Audiobook9 hours

Hope Flames

Written by Jaci Burton

Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

About this audiobook

Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she's not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.

That's fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he's devoted to the only faithful companion in his life-his police dog. Still, there's something about Emma he can't shake.

When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they're giving each other something they thought they'd lost forever . . . hope.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 29, 2014
ISBN9781452688947
Hope Flames

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Reviews for Hope Flames

Rating: 3.4492753855072467 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

69 ratings9 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first in Jaci Burton's Hope series. The two main characters are commitment phobic due to very bumpy past relationships, but they find common ground especially in the love for their dogs. Both Luke and Emma are very likeable main characters. A nice romance and a little suspense make this a good winter afternoon read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This romance was just ok. It was an easy read. There was a little bit of suspense thrown into the mix, but was not overly stressful. Both main characters were trying to overcome insecurities related to previous failed relationships. My first book by this author. Middle of the road - 3 stars.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Hope Flames
    2 Stars

    Settling into her new life as a small town vet and recovering from an abusive relationship, Emma Burnett isn’t interested in romance until Officer Luke McCormick walks into the clinic. Luke isn’t looking for anything more than a casual fling, but Emma soon begins to mean more to him. Will Luke and Emma be able to overcome their personal demons to be together…

    Despite likable characters and a plot with definite potential, the story and writing just do not live up to the sexiness of the cover.

    Emma and Luke are a cute couple and their romance is relatively free of angst. Unfortunately, the pacing is too slow and the dialogue is rather stilted. The townsfolk and pets are quite charming but something is missing to make them truly exceptional.

    The small suspense plot is completely superfluous and adds nothing to either the characters or the story.

    There is nothing special about this book and I doubt that I will continue with the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first in Jaci Burton's Hope series. The two main characters are commitment phobic due to very bumpy past relationships, but they find common ground especially in the love for their dogs. Both Luke and Emma are very likeable main characters. A nice romance and a little suspense make this a good winter afternoon read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good, moderately steamy romance between two people who really weren't looking for any kind of relationship. Emma has come back to her hometown, setting up her vet practice. She had a relationship in college and after that derailed her plans, then turned abusive before she escaped it. She's determined that she will run her own life the way that she wants it and no man is going to distract her. Then Luke brings his dog Boomer into her clinic and she and Luke hit it off.Luke, like Emma, isn't in the market for a relationship. He was married once and it didn't work out, so he's dealing with it by avoiding any kind of commitment. As a hot cop he has plenty of female company when he's in the mood for it. The only steady in his life is his police dog Boomer, and that's just the way he likes it. But Emma is something entirely different than the women he's used to and he can't stay away from her.The chemistry between them is hot from the very beginning, but both of them are very wary of getting involved. They begin by trying the "just friends" approach, hanging out together with each other and their dogs. But the attraction is too much to resist, and the flames between them burn pretty hot. It's not just physical between them, though. Their friendship allows them to open up to each other about their pasts and what makes them reluctant to risk their hearts again. That same friendship moves ever closer to love, though neither s willing to say it out loud.I loved seeing the relationship between them grow and change. Luke is constantly surprised by how different Emma is from his ex-wife. She thinks his family ranch is great, where the ex hated it. Emma is very understanding about Luke's erratic hours, having the same kind of hours herself. He sees that her determined independence is the reaction to what happened to her before and is fully supportive of it. Emma spends a lot of time watching Luke carefully, worried that he'll turn out to be just like her ex. She slowly begins to trust him, seeing that he isn't trying to control her. I liked seeing her support of his career, and the way she was there for him to talk to and just unwind with. When her past rears its ugly head, she pushes Luke away, fearing that she's made the same mistake she made before. I loved seeing Luke give her the space she wanted, while still watching out for her the way he feels he must. The ending was sweet and sexy and I can't wait to read the others.I also loved the secondary characters. The most important were the three dogs. I loved seeing Boomer do his police dog thing, and then be the playful pooch when he was off duty. Emma's dog Daisy was as big a part of her vet practice as anyone else, and the little rescue pup Annie was just adorable. I also liked seeing Emma and Luke with their friends. Emma's two girlfriends were terrific with the way they teased each other and yet were there in a crisis. The support they gave Emma when she opened up to them about her ex was just what she needed to help rebuild her confidence. Luke's relationship with his brother was fun to see. They had their whole unspoken language thing going on during Luke and Emma's visit to the ranch, which gave Logan a wide open field to really give Luke a hard time. I also loved seeing Luke with his friend Carter and watching them work on Luke's truck. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Carter in his book.The mystery of the drug thefts was good without taking over the story. It gave a good look at what being a small town cop was like, and the frustration they had over how long it was taking to solve. I liked the part it played in moving Luke and Emma closer together. The resolution was good, just the right amount of intensity for the type of book this was. There was quite an interesting twist to the danger that Emma was in, that really brought out the changes that she had gone through.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I love the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton, so I was totally excited for this. Did not deliver at all. The characters were all superficial and I just didn't like them to begin with. The plot had nothing interesting to show for it and the book ended up just being another contemporary romance without anything fresh. I liked the dogs though.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I'm giving Hope Flames 2.5 stars.

    This was my first Jaci Burton novel and I was excited about the story. Sexy cop meets gorgeous vet with some dark secrets in her past. All could be really exciting, or maybe not so much.

    The first half of this book took some work to get through. I liked the Characters but sometimes it just wasn't connecting for me. The story was cute and at times there was some sexy moments. For me a few of the steamy sense felt a little forced or awkward to read. Maybe it's just me and I was expecting something different. The second half the story picked up a little bit and and i felt it flowed better and there was more connection through this part of the story.

    If your in need of a cute little story with a little be of sexy cop then you may enjoy this read. Don't be disappointed if it's not one of your top reads of the year.

    I do plan on reading the second book, there's a few pages at the end of this book and it seems like it could get me on the Jaci bandwagon.

    I did win this book in a Goodreads giveaway
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Though her life was put on hold while she suffered through a traumatic relationship, Emma Burnett has moved on and can finally start living her life. Moving back to her hometown to open her own veterinary clinic, Emma finally feels like things are falling into place. When hot cop Luke McCormack walks in with his injured canine partner in need of veterinary care, Emma’s resolve to keep all men at arm’s length begins to waver. Luke isn’t in the market for a relationship, either. One night stand? OK with him. A serious relationship? No thank you. However, the chemistry between Luke and Emma may be too much for either of them to deny. Can they overcome their fears of commitment? You’ll have to read Hope Flames to find out. This is the first book in a new series from Jaci Burton. I don’t usually read romance novels, but I really enjoyed this one with its great story, suspense, humor, and likeable characters. This novel will especially appeal to animal lovers, but anyone looking for a nice, romantic story, will not be disappointed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: New veterinarian comes to town and brings her emotional baggage with her. Local police may be just what the doctor ordered.Opening Sentence: Emma Burnett could have never imagined that going hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt would be so exhilarating.The Review:Starting a new year, I wonder what sort of book I should pick up because it seems to have a lasting impression on me and sometimes is a reflection of the type of books I shall read whether good or bad.I had no hesitation in picking up this book and in fact I have been dying to read something by Jaci Burton for months. Her book covers have really caught my eye a number of times and I have had to place them on my To Be Read list, but not actually having the ability to read even one. Thankfully that all changed when I received this book in my last review selection.Hope Flames is the first in a new series by Burton and I am so thrilled to get the chance to read and review it. This series is set in Hope, which is your basic small town with the associated history of its inhabitants, gossip, community spirit and charm of rural America. In many ways it felt like a number of places I have lived around our wonderful country and I enjoyed a bit of nostalgia that came with that feeling.Our heroine, Emma Burnett, is returning home after a number of years away for schooling and the end of a bad relationship. She brings a love of animals and concern for her community but has been the recipient of an abusive relationship and has no desire to become involved with another man.The local police, Luke McCormack, our hero has also suffered from a bad relationship and has been only interested in short term flings with women because his marriage proves he just can’t figure women out.Luckily for both of them they are wrong and they meet after Luke’s police dog, Boomer, is injured in pursuit of a criminal. Emma’s care and handling of Boomer after his injury plus his appeal brings these two characters together with a few hurdles like an offer of a pity date.This book has many little characters that play key and pivotal points to the plot and they come in the form of furry animals. The addition of Daisy, Boomer, and Annie are exactly the type of animals that all of us pet owners adore and long to take home and were a welcome addition to the story.As with other books set in small towns, each of our main characters have their family to bounce ideas off of and be a support system. Emma’s parents remind me very much of some of the best folks I know who are willing to stick up for their child no matter the situation. In the mean time Emma is trying to retain her independence but she uses them to ensure the betterment of her future. In Luke’s family we only get to meet Logan. His other brother has moved away from Hope. However, Logan is a surly cowboy not afraid to pull on Luke’s chain when Logan feels Luke is charging in the wrong direction. Logan is getting his own story next and I look forward to seeing what sort of torture Burton will put him through before he gets his happily-ever-after too.The final piece in this story is the crimes that are occurring around Hope. There are numerous thefts of drugs and Emma ends up being victimized herself at the vet clinic. This portion of the story was told with a red herring or two but I was entertained.So my final analysis of this new series by Jaci Burton is that Hope Flames is a smoking read and I will be returning to Hope in March for Logan’s story. If you are looking for a great small town story with heart and passion then Hope Flames is definitely a hot ticket.Notable Scene:“Hello? Is anyone here?”Daisy’s ears perked up and she bounded out of the office at the sound of the deep, booming voice in the lobby.Emma had thought she’d locked the door.She hurried out to see a man holding a German shepherd by the leash who sat regally while Daisy tried to play with it.“Daisy, come here.”Daisy came over and sat dutifully next to her, her tail whipping against Emma’s lab coat.“Can I help you?”“Yeah. I saw your lights were on and was hoping you’d still be open. My dog hurt his leg.”He came toward her, and she took a wary step back, until he walked under the overhead lights and she saw he was wearing a cop uniform. She breathed a sigh of relief.“You scared me there for a second.”“I’m really sorry. Luke McCormack. I’m local police here. This is my dog, Boomer.”FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Hope Flames. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.