Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for PLAY WITH FIRE (Vancity Fire Book #1) by Sophie L. Henderson on this Bookouture Books-On-Tour blog tour.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
I may look dainty, but I’m just as tough as every other firefighter. That might all go up in flames when my ex walks into the fire hall…
As the only woman in the fire hall, I’ve worked hard to earn my crew’s respect. But my plan to pass probation without drama goes up in smoke the moment my ex-boyfriend Brodie – the hottest reporter in town with serious Clark Kent energy – makes me the star of his latest feature.
The fire hall is in trouble, and the only way to save it? Prove the city needs us: telling my story in the process. As Brodie and I are forced to work together, I can’t help but notice his attempts to impress me. But it won’t work. I’ll never forget how he broke my heart when he dumped me three years ago.
When I take a risk at a call out and recklessly enter a burning room to rescue a young mother, the first person to come to my rescue is Brodie and I feel the heat between us as he manhandles me back to safety. I can’t start things up again with him…can I?
The captain’s ‘no-dating’ rule means my job is as much on the line as my heart. I’m the one keeping the city safe from danger, but Brodie makes me feel protected in a way I’ve never known before.
Can I say no to my smoking hot ex to save my career or will playing with fire mean I’m going to get burned again?
PLAY WITH FIRE (Vancity Fire Book #1) by Sophie L. Henderson is the first book in a new steamy contemporary romance series. This an emotional and sexy second chance romance with a female firefighter heroine, a hero who is a local newspaper writer, and extended family drama.
Savannah is working her dream job as a firefighter in Vancity. She is still on her initial probation, and it is all going well until her captain tells her she is going to be shadowed and then featured in a newspaper article to promote their small community fire house. This is a problem because her rich father does not know about her career change and the reporter writing the feature is her college boyfriend who dumped her and broke her heart.
Brodie is finally going to get the promotion to feature writer for his paper if he can write a great article about the local fire house. He is willing to do anything for that promotion, even though it will probably involve his bully of an older firefighter brother. What he does not expect is that his article will feature the new female firefighter who just happens to be the girl he left behind.
This romance is well written with an interesting dynamic between the hero and heroine. Savannah is a tough, dedicated firefighter who felt well researched and her reason for becoming one was very emotional. Brodie is the black sheep of his firefighter family and has had his self-worth badly damaged over the years by his father and older brother and yet he continues to strive for what he wants. Both are dealing with parents that interfere, not in a good way, and they need to learn to communicate not only between themselves as adults, but to also stand-up to the interfering parents. There are several smokin’ hot sex scenes, but they are not gratuitous, and a few where quite entertaining. There is a lot going on in this plot, but the author does a nice job of bringing everything together in the end. I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series.
I recommend this second chance, sexy, contemporary romance.
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About the Author
Sophie L. Henderson writes steamy romcoms full of chaos, heart, and characters who swear a little too much to be considered polite. Originally from a tiny village in England, she spent seventeen years wrangling jazz hands as a drama teacher before finally listening to the voice in her head (the one telling her to write, not the one asking for another snack). She now lives in Vancouver with her husband, where she’s embraced views of snowcapped mountains from the beach, over-invests in the hockey, and talks to hummingbirds like they’re her best friends.
Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. Not once in the ten years since she’s become a widow has Mari considered another love of her own. Until she sets sail on a singles cruise to placate her recently divorced best friend. Then James comes crashing into Mari’s world.
Charming, witty, and with two daughters of his own, James isn’t looking for love either. But Mari is as irresistible as she is beautiful. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. She promised her beloved late husband she’d find someone new. Maybe that impossible day has come.
Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret. After all, there is no reason for her family to know about James if their relationship doesn’t work out. It’s up to James to prove he can be trusted with the heart of a woman he’s come to cherish. But without her family’s approval, their love doesn’t stand a chance.
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Elise’s Thoughts
Maybe One Day by Catherine Bybee is a home run like all her other books. Every time a reader picks up a Bybee book they take a heartfelt journey with the characters.
Mari D’Angelo’s life is complete. Her children are all married. Two grandbabies fill her days, with two more on the way, and her thriving family restaurant is running on autopilot. She is an adoring Italian mother and grandmother who absolutely lives for her family and the restaurant she owns. She has centered her life on making sure her children and grandchildren are fulfilled and happy after being a single mother when the love of her life, her husband Paulo, died ten years earlier. While they are all now grown and married with families of their own, her best friend Rosa convinces her to focus on herself or possibly a relationship. Rosa is the wild one while Mari is more reserved. Rosa convinces her to try some new activities that include a singles cruise; she reluctantly agrees.
James Russell is a divorcee with two daughters, and like Mari is not looking for love or a relationship. His twin girls are getting ready to head off to college and want to make sure he’s not alone. To get them off his back he agrees to go on a single’s cruise, the one Mari is on. Mari and James meet and forge a friendship that turns to more. As their simmering attraction grows, Mari’s resolve to ignore the spark James has ignited slowly breaks away. Maybe that impossible day has come. Knowing her protective sons would not approve, Mari chooses to keep the romance a secret, and James realizes without Mari’s family’s approval their relationship does not stand a chance even though both know there is a strong chemistry and attraction between them.
This book has what readers expect of Bybee, an emotional story, a great cast of characters, and terrific banter. Even though the featured characters were in their mid-fifties the story is relatable to readers of all ages, especially with the supporting characters.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?
Catherine Bybee: I wanted to write a romance involving a couple in their 50’s. After divorce, after raising children and in Mari’s case, after losing her husband. The D’Angelo family was the perfect setting.
EC: Did you have as much fun writing this story as people had reading it?
CB: Absolutely. I’m in my 50’s and have several single and divorced friends finding romance in mid-life. I recently took a cruise with some friends and realized that the older crowd was having just as much, if not more fun, than the younger passengers. Which of course sparked ideas for this book. I suppose the research for this story is where my fun happened.
Writing the book is always work.
EC: The scene with losing a loved one was very powerful. Was it based on anything and what was your thinking when you wrote that scene?
CB: Death should be powerful. I’m glad I captured that in my writing. This scene wasn’t based on any one personal experience, however; I lived long enough to know people who have lost a spouse they loved deeply. I think the best gift a loved one can give on their death bed is permission for a spouse to live a full life after they are gone. Mari was given this permission slip but never made good on it. True love is wanting what is best for the survivor. Sometimes that is starting over.
EC: What was the role of Rosa in this book-was she the influence over Mari to move on from losing her soulmate, her wing person?
CB: I felt there was a need to compare and contrast how widows and divorcees approach relationships differently. Mari adored her husband and feels she’s lived a full life, vs, Rosa who put her life on hold for a husband who was alive but wasn’t there. Rosa is running toward her third act in life grasping as much as she can. All Mari can do is be supportive. So yes, her wing person. But watching someone come alive after years of being dormant sometimes remind us that we might have more life in us than we originally thought.
EC: How would you compare and contrast James’ daughters Ellie and Madison
CB: Ellie was strong willed, an independent thinker, and bold while Madison was a rule follower who did not like to make waves. I framed Ellie to be a bit reckless and Madison more grounded. Siblings, even twins, have completely different personalities. But they both share the same love for their father and each other, which makes them so loveable.
EC: How would you describe James?
CB: James, much like Mari, is happy in his own skin and life. He is protective about his daughters, but realistic enough to make sure his daughters can talk to him about anything. Even if they choose not to, it’s not because he is judgmental. I think his charm when it comes to Mari speaks for itself. Dating is like a muscle, if you don’t do it very often, it sometimes hurts. But charm is something deep inside that shows even when you’re not trying to make an impression. James has this trait deep in his core. He’s charming, witty, pragmatic and more concerned about his daughters than himself. He is a very selfless man. Divorce didn’t make him bitter, which is an oddity in fiction novels and completely opposite of our other divorcee in the book, Rosa.
EC: Why have them meet on the cruise ship-was it from personal experience?
CB: A recent cruise did help me choose the setting. But in order for the reader to get to know Mari the woman, and not Mari the mother and grandmother, I needed her to be away from her family and the restaurant that occupies her every day.
EC: How would you describe James and Mari’s relationship?
CB: I would say this is a slow burn romance with a reluctant heroine not looking for love. He falls first. This is her first real opportunity to look at life as a woman and because she still loves her husband, it makes her take things slow.
EC: How would you describe Mari?
CB: Mari is the matriarch and therefore the cornerstone of her family. She keeps it all together. She’s wise beyond her years and loves unconditionally. She is unexpectedly funny and surprisingly adventurous when not burdened by a family close by.
EC: How would you describe the reaction of the children to James and Mari’s relationship?
CB: Son’s have a hard time seeing their mothers as women, where daughters don’t. That might be a blanket statement, and certainly not all sons and daughters think this way, but in my personal experience, that is the way it is. I don’t think Mari’s sons are selfish, I just don’t think they ever considered their mother would find another love. That is threatening in some ways. Her sons felt the need to protect their mother after their father passed. Now another man enters the picture and steps into that protective role. It’s hard to let that go.
But the girls… They see the big picture. Besides, they are all happily married and want the same for their mother. They also don’t see Mari as just a mom, or just a grandmother. They see a beautiful woman still young enough to live another love.
EC: Next book(s)?
CB: I’m moving on from the D’Angelos, but there might be a future book with Rosa as the heroine. I suppose that will depend on my readers and if they enjoy romances with older players.
“The Queen Anne Hill Series” and Lead Me Home, the first book in this series is a huge shift from the love and dependability of the D’Angelos. This series takes you deep into the roots of generational trauma and how it takes healing and courage to allow romantic love in. While this first book in the series is a work of fiction, it is based on my own lived experience that almost makes this creative non-fiction.
I started the D’Angelo Series off with a story based on my father… Lead Me Home is about my mother and my very troubled childhood.
This book is up for pre-order and will be released on June 9th, 2026.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Nestled amongst the comforting shelves of her beloved Bay Books, Lily Appleton finds the peace and quiet she needs. But with Christmas just around the corner, Lily has to find an extra pair of hands to help her share the bookish magic.
After selling his business, Lars Jóhannsson is feeling lost. A job at Bay Books would give him the space he needs to contemplate his next move, but returning would mean confronting a painful past he’s been avoiding. He’s also fairly sure he’s the one person Lily would never want to see again.
Lily is torn. Lars could be the perfect fit for Bay Books, but he once rejected her friendship and the hurt still lingers. But working together, Lily discovers a vulnerability that Lars has kept hidden away, along with a few surprising secrets. And as the Christmas season sprinkles its magic, Lily discovers the warmth of renewed friendship and the joy of heartwarming traditions from Lars’s Icelandic roots.
WINTER NIGHTS AT THE BAY BOOKSHOP by Jessica Redland is a wonderful Christmas holiday cozy romance which I highly recommend especially for all the booklovers out there. While this is a part of the author’s Whitsborough Bay series, it is easily read as a standalone book.
Lily Appleton loves books and runs the family bookshop, Bay Books, with her father. who is finally scheduled for knee replacement surgery. With the holiday fast approaching, Lily must find the perfect short-term replacement for the upcoming busy season.
Lars Johannsson feels lost. He sold his successful on-line education business. His grandmother decides to move in with her friends at the new retirement home while also selling her home which she shares with Lars. While out to lunch with a friend, they notice the sign for help wanted at the bookshop, and Lars’ friend encourages him to apply. But Lars and Lily have an unpleasant past and even though he would love the job, he is afraid Lily will reject him out of hand.
Lily knows Lars is perfect for the job and is willing to give him a try. As they work together, both discover hidden emotional hurts and vulnerabilities in the other. With their shared love of books and the magic of the season, can these two find the love they have been waiting for?
I loved Lily and Lars so much! The story perfectly paces the discovery of past misunderstandings and emotional heartaches from immediate family or past relationships and intertwines the difficult emotions with uplifting quotes from favorite books. I felt the difficulties and emotions both the H/h dealt with are believable and well written. Lily’s family and friends are great support for both. I found the Icelandic traditions for Book Flood on Christmas Eve and all the mythical characters introduced the twelve days before fascinating. This is a cozy romance so everything other than kissing is behind closed doors. I needed tissues for the last two chapters, but they were happy tears from a satisfied romantic heart.
I highly recommend this heartwarming and enchanting cozy holiday romance. You will want to curl up on a comfortable couch with a blanket and your favorite hot beverage as you disappear into this bookish holiday romance.
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About the Author
I live in Scarborough on the stunning North Yorkshire Coast in the UK. My home inspired the creation of the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay where I set many of my books. The Hedgehog Hollow series and Bumblebee Barn Collection take readers to a gorgeous countryside setting on the Yorkshire Wolds. In July 2023, I added the lakes and mountains to my settings with the start of my ‘Escape to the Lakes’ series. I absolutely love this part of the country and am loving writing a series in my happy place.
I live with my husband, our teenage daughter and sprocker spaniel, Ella. I’m a stationery addict with a notepad obsession who loves chocolate (although it doesn’t love me), hedgehogs, 80s music, collectible teddy bears and lighthouses.
My career has mainly been in HR as a trainer and recruiter. I had a brief detour into retail to set up and manage my own specialist teddy bear shop and started writing my debut novel on quiet days in the shop.
In June 2020, I became a full-time author. I’m so very grateful to anyone who has bought or borrowed my books in whatever format, helping me fulfil a long-held dream of writing full-time. I still can’t believe I get to spend every day chatting to my fictional friends and making stuff up.
As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.
When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?
CHRISTMAS WISHES by Sue Moorcroft is a cozy holiday romance set in Ms. Moorcroft’s familiar small-town setting of Middledip, England with the unique inclusion of Stockholm, Sweden and its holiday festivals. This is a book in a series that is mainly tied together by the town of Middledip and all the books are easily read as a standalone story.
Hannah is living in Stockholm running her own shop, when her relationship blows up, she loses everything and then moves back home to Middledip to help her grandmother after a fall that breaks her arm. Nico is a single divorced father dealing with a high-pressure job, childcare issues and then the added responsibility of caring for his daughter’s half-sister. Nico ends up moving to Middledip with the girls to slow down and decide on new career options. Nico is one of Hannah’s brother’s best friends and they are reunited at her brother’s wedding. Can these childhood friends have a romance with so many life changes and obstacles in their way?
This was a holiday themed romance that really dove into some serious topics. Nico was not only seriously stressed, but he had an eating disorder from his teens that is resurfacing. He also has the baby that broke up his marriage handed to him to care for while his ex is in rehab, or she will end up in care, and his daughter will be devastated. Even with all this, I truly loved Nico and his heart that wanted to do what was best for everyone. Hannah is the character I had problems with because she was immature and ran rather than communicate even though she was a successful entrepreneur? This was my only problem with this romance because I really do not like miscommunication or no communication at all as the only thing keeping a couple apart.
Both families of the main characters were fully developed and believable with everyday family problems. Hannah’s grandmother was wonderful, and Nico’s daughters were enchanting. I love the things I learned about a Stockholm holiday season and Ms. Moorcroft’s descriptions made me feel as though I was right there.
Nico and Hannah are a couple that must really work for their HEA, but the resolution makes this a heartwarming holiday read.
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About the Author
Sue Moorcroft is an award-winning Sunday Times and internationally published author of emotionally compelling, feel-good, page-turning fiction who has reached #1 on Amazon Kindle UK and Top 100 Amazon Kindle US, Canada and Italy. Her novels, short stories, serials, courses and columns have appeared around the world. An army child, Sue was born in Germany and then lived in Cyprus, Malta and the UK.
Taking over her late father’s company was never part of Alex Stone’s life plan.
But now, sitting in the CEO chair at Stone Enterprises, she’s resigned to living her life alone. Being a high-powered, billionaire woman tends to narrow one’s romantic prospects. As Alex works relentlessly to reshape her inherited hotel empire, she’s acquired a target on her back complete with death threats.
Alex turns to Hawk Bronson, a man who is equal parts bodyguard, sexy, and completely infuriating. Especially when it comes to protecting her.
As the danger escalates, Hawk comes to terms with the fact that their connection goes way beyond bodyguard and assignment. He knows he should keep his distance—his own dark past and nightmares put her at greater risk—but he can’t walk away. Protecting Alex means everything. Putting her life in someone else’s care isn’t an option once he’s tasted their passion and depth of his feelings.
As they navigate a minefield of family secrets, past pain, and unexpected hope, Alex and Hawk must face their deepest fears and fight for a future together. But first, they’ll need to unmask whoever is behind the threats—before Alex becomes their next victim.
NO MORE YESTERDAYS (The Heirs Book #3) by Catherine Bybee is a wonderful finale to The Heirs trilogy with this story featuring Alexandrea “Alex” Stone. These books can be read as standalone contemporary romances, but the overall story ARC of the siblings inheriting their father’s company and the problems it involves makes me feel the trilogy is best read in order.
With the death of their father, the Stone siblings have had to adapt to new lives with massive wealth. Alex has taken over as CEO at Stone Enterprises with her experience in the hotel business. Taking on the role has also left her feeling she is now limited in her romantic prospects. When Alex receives a death threat, she asks for the help of a security specialist who helped her out previously. He takes on the role of her private bodyguard.
Hawk Bronson is a security specialist who is determined to protect the independent and infuriating Alex. As the danger escalates, so does the personal heat between them.
As they try to discover where the threat against Alex is coming from, they uncover corporate secrets that are far from legal and could put Stone Enterprises at risk. Is this the source of the threat or is there another reason that Alex is in danger from someone close who wants her dead?
This is such an extremely emotionally satisfying ending to The Heirs contemporary romance trilogy! The romance has fun dialogue as Alex and Hawk butt heads, but it also gets serious with Hawk describing the threat and serious circumstances when Alex does not listen. The sexual chemistry builds believably, and the sex scenes are not gratuitous, but feel natural. The suspense subplot had me turning the pages and continually built to a surprise climax I did not see coming.
I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy! Ms. Bybee always satisfies, and I look forward to every new book.
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About the Author
Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series. Learn more about Catherine and her books at www.catherinebybee.com
Since taking over the veterinary clinic in Libby, Montana last year, Janey Richards has been burning the candle at both ends. She’s grateful she is busy, but there has barely been any time to build a life outside of work. To help pay down her debt faster, she agrees to take on responsibility for the livestock at Libby’s annual rodeo, but perhaps she should’ve thought twice about the added stress.
Although, her personal life is definitely looking up.
JD Watike never thought he’d end up following in his father’s footsteps, but he’s found his stride these past six years as a member of the High Mountain Trackers team. He enjoys the simplicity of small-town living, which has only gotten more interesting since Doc Richards appeared on the scene.
Spending most of the past year patiently observing from a distance, the time feels right for him to make his move.
Or at least to clear up some misunderstandings.
The opportunity presents itself sooner than expected, when the pretty veterinarian stumbles onto some serious criminal activity at the Libby Roundup, and a young woman disappears from the grounds, he has plenty of cause to stay glued to her side.
HIGH DENSITY (High Mountain Trackers 2nd Gen) by Freya Barker is the third action-packed romantic suspense in the 2nd Generation quartet of books in the High Mountain Trackers world. This can be read as a standalone story, but there are carryover characters from other books in the series since the Trackers all work together. I have read and loved them all and recommend reading the series in order.
JD Watike has been interested in the new veterinarian for a while now, ever since she arrived in Libby to take over the clinic for the retiring doctor. He finally gets his chance when Doc Janey gets called to High Meadow ranch to help a horse with a partial breech birth. He is determined to take it slow until the Doc gets hired to take care of the livestock for auction and the rodeo livestock for the annual Libby Roundup and she stumbles onto criminal activity. He is determined to stay by her side.
Dr. Janey Richards has been aware of the handsome High Meadow Tracker, JD Watike, but considers him a player until they begin to see each other. When she discovers criminal activity involving the cattle up for auction, she and JD alert local law enforcement and the FBI. The danger they are in escalates as quickly as the chemistry between them.
Besides the danger at the roundup, young women have gone missing and later found assaulted and dead. JD and Janey get pulled into this investigation, too. Danger is all around them. Are the cases connected or is it a strange coincidence?
I love this series and was very happy to see JD finally step up and start a relationship with Janey. Janey is a strong heroine who stands up for herself and while she appreciates JD caring for her, she does not tolerate him making decisions for her or her life. She wants a partner, not a boss. There are a few intimate sex scenes which I felt were appropriate to their growing adult relationship, but I never felt they were gratuitous. The intertwining crime/mystery plotlines were fast-paced, intriguing, and kept me guessing and quickly turning the pages to see what happened next. I am looking forward to the next book in this quartet which will finally give me Jackson’s story.
I highly recommend this exciting addition to the High Mountain Trackers 2nd Gen series!
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About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills, and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, and Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
For the latest news and updates on books and upcoming releases, you can subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/Freya_Newsletter
