REVIEW: Ignite by Nicole Helm

In Ignite (Firefighters of Montana #3) by Nicole Helm, Dangerous situations are what Dean ‘Ace’ Clark lives for. So, his career as a smoke jumper fighting fires is perfect. At least it helps him to forget about his past, and the sister he left behind. However, when an accident on the job lands him in the hospital, Dean knows he won’t be able to keep hiding forever, especially when Lina McArthur is his doctor.

“Ever jumped into a fire, doc?”
“No, my job is to heal fools who think they’re immortal.” Oh, that was not beside manner.
But he laughed and something about that sexy rumble while she was gently parting his hair made her brain malfunction. Completely. She didn’t even remember what she was doing.

Lina McArthur is determined to prove she has what it takes to be an excellent doctor, instead of having to live in the shadow of her doctor father. Moving to Marietta, Montana is the best move she ever made, but discovering Dean is her latest patient is not so good. Caught between a rock and a hard place, will she keep Dean’s secret from one of her closest friends or will she betray the man she’s falling in love with?

Although I haven’t read the previous books of this series, this story can easily be read as a stand-alone. From start to finish, this book was entertaining, fast-paced and one I couldn’t get enough of because the characters and their back stories were so compelling. Lina wants the chance to show she has what it takes to be a doctor without being compared to her father and Dean wants to keep hiding, unable to face the one person that loves him. Can Lina convince him that hiding isn’t an option anymore? Can she prove that his sister loves him so much that she could overlook his abandonment?

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories, most especially that of the hero. He’s been running from his past for quite some time, and now it’s finally caught up to him. Will Lina expose his secret? Will he finally confront his sister after so many years? Answers to these questions definitely kept me flipping the pages of this story, as did the growing relationship between Lina and Dean, which was entertaining because of their teasing banter especially this moment.

”Pack a little bit of a punch for such a tiny package, don’t you, doc?”
“I’m not a package,” she replied, curling her fingers around the edges of her computer cart. “And I don’t pack any punch. I am a doctor.”

Both the main characters were compelling, and Dean’s back story had me glued to every word. He’s really made something of himself, considering his troubled and tragic past, although he still hasn’t found the courage to face it. The hero is confident, hard-working as well as brave by getting involved with Lina. She’s just what he needs to help him heal from his past. While Lina, she’s strong, brave, hard-working and I liked how determined she is to discover whether ‘Ace’ is the Dean Clark that is the brother of her friend. Will he tell her the truth?

The growing relationship between Dean and Lina was wonderful; as the hero does his best to distract her while showing her — what he believes is — the best of Montana. Dean knows getting involved with Lina is a bad idea, if he wants to keep his secret, yet he finds it hard to stay away from the heroine. The romance was nicely-detailed, and illustrates their strong chemistry, which is there from the moment they come face-to-face.

Overall, Ms. Helm has penned a really good novel about a hero that needs love in life to help him heal from his past. The way this story ended was perfect, as Dean does his best to make up for disappearing on his sister and starts to try to make things right with her. I would recommend Ignite by Nicole Helm, if you enjoy a hero and heroine that need each other to help heal from the hurts of their pasts.

Book Info:

June 21st, 2016 | Tule Publishing | Firefighters of Montana #3

Lina McArthur has spent her life in Marietta, Montana, in the shadow of her doctor father. But now that she’s finally broken free and moved away, she is determined to figure out who she is out of her scrubs. Then she meets the first man to ever tempt her to let him take them off…

Dean “Ace” Clark has been on the run from a troubled and tragic past. When a work-related injury sends the smoke jumper to the hospital, his wounds are tended by the beautiful Dr. McArthur. Just one problem. He knows the McArthur name, and she’s connected to the past he desperately wants to stay one step ahead of.

Ace has never been afraid to jump into a dangerous situation, but falling for Lina might just be the biggest leap of courage he’s ever faced…