#sophielhenderson – Avonna Loves Genres

Book Description

Nix’s heart is on permanent lockdown after her mom walked out on her, but she needs a date to her cousin’s engagement party. Anything to put an end to the relentless single-shaming. Can she find someone—preferably smokin’—willing to spend Thanksgiving weekend with her meddling family in a tiny seaside town in the middle of nowhere?

Brock got burned falling for the wrong girl. But his potential promotion to captain hinges on him having a date for the annual firefighters’ gala. Can he convince the entire community that his short fuse is a thing of the past, that he’s ready for a serious new role as a fire hall leader?

They’ve agreed: falling in love is not an option. And soon, they’re fooling everyone. Even themselves. When Brock utterly charms Nix’s hard-to-impress aunt over a cozy breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup, and sparks fly at the fire department dance, the alarm bells start to ring…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248216922-not-actually-yours?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=VVX0fsQhGj&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

NOT ACTUALLY YOURS by Sophie L. Henderson is a contemporary romance with explosive sexual chemistry that returns the reader to Fire House 8 in Van City and this time it is elder Holt brother, Brock’s turn to fall, but it won’t be easy with the ever-evasive Nix. Each book in this connected series features one of three brothers and there is some overlapping of characters, but they are still easily read as standalone romances.

Elementary teacher Nix refuses to involve her heart in any relationship after being deserted by her mother as a small child. When her aunt, who helped raise her, tells her she needs to attend her cousin’s weekend long engagement party, she tells her she has a boyfriend to bring otherwise her aunt threatens to set her up. Now she must ask a favor of the man she is trying to be friends with since he is the brother of her best friend’s boyfriend. But after having had a hot sexual encounter with him three months ago and then ghosting him, she knows it is a big ask.

Firefighter Brock has had terrible luck in the romance department. He would like more than friendship with the hot Nix who he cannot seem to forget, even though she ghosted him. When she needs a date for an engagement party it coincides with his need for a date for an annual firefighters’ gala. They can fake this without involving their hearts, can’t they?

I enjoyed the first Van City book, Play with Fire, but I enjoyed this romance even more. Both Nix and Brock have emotional difficulties from their childhoods to deal with as they are trying to form a healthy relationship between them. Usually, I dislike romances with plots based on non-communication, but Ms. Henderson does a wonderful job of portraying both Nix and Brock as they get things wrong from fear or misunderstanding, have short intervals of running, but also how they decide it is better to talk and they have friends and family who also help. They both delve into their emotions honestly and have character growth throughout the story. This is a contemporary romance with several steamy and explicit sex scenes that I feel fit well with the characters’ personalities.

I highly recommend this steamy contemporary romance that pulled me right in and left me with a smile on my face and a satisfied romantic heart.

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About the Author

Author Sophie L. Henderson writes heartfelt small-town romance for readers who love slow-burn butterflies, blush-worthy heat, and characters you’ll fall for just as hard as they fall for each other. Her debut PLAY WITH FIRE is out now. NOT ACTUALLY YOURS is coming in May.

Originally from a tiny village in England, Sophie 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, has caught feelings for hockey, and talks to hummingbirds like they’re her best friends.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.sophielouisehenderson.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577919920777

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophenwrites/

Hi, everyone!

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?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/244527610-play-with-fire?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=leRDptXG6Q&rank=1

Amazon: https://geni.us/B0G4D3ZKS2social

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

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.

Social Media Links