Random Review: Out Of The Ashes by MJ James #Review #Giveaway

Title: Out Of The Ashes
Author: MJ James
Publisher: NineStar Press
Publication Date: September 23, 2019
Length: 263 pages

Reviewed by Jenn


Synopsis

Alex Porter’s life goes up in flames the night his tiny bookstore catches fire. Powerless to stop it, he can do nothing but stand by and watch as the only thing he’s ever loved is taken from him.

Fire sergeant Matt Fields is ordered to Cliffside, Maine by the privileged Porter family, which doesn’t mix well with his quick temper, to investigate exactly what happened. When he meets Alex, he can almost taste the sexual tension hanging between them and fights to focus on his job to find out what started the blaze.

Once Matt discovers arson, a simple case of accidental fire becomes much more dangerous, and Alex’s life is suddenly at risk. Someone is out to get him…and Matt wants to know who. As he digs deeper to find the person who torched the shop, he and Alex finally give in to the wild heat between them. From hot as hell phone sex to even hotter face-to-face encounters, they grow closer together as the case spins out of control.

In the end, their newfound love will be put to the test when secrets come to light and arson turns to murder.

Purchase Links

NineStar Press

Amazon

Review

Out of the Ashes is a story about a bookstore owner and the Fire Sergeant who investigates the scene. When Alex Porter’s store burns down, an investigator from another town comes in as a favor to Alex’s mother. Matt Fields isn’t happy that his boss has sent him in because of a privileged family’s request. But Matt has a job to do, even if he has preconceived notions about Alex and his family. The two meet and it doesn’t go well at first, but there is definitely a spark between them. When Matt discovers that arson is the cause of the fire, he knows he’ll have to work hard to figure out what’s going on. Saving Alex has become vitally important to him…Alex has become vitally important to Matt.

I struggled with this book, the story had so much potential, but the characters and the mystery just weren’t developed enough for me. This book contains an intense insta-love between Matt and Alex that feels too forced. There is also this rage below the surface of Matt that makes him seem a bit unstable. I really wish that the author had given these characters and this story a little more time, it felt too rushed. This is hard for me because I love a good romantic suspense, this one just didn’t work for me.

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