Brave the Heat

July 6, 2015
The first McGuire Brothers contemporary boasts suspense that burns as hot as the love scenes. It’s been 15 years since Jordan McKenna left Old Brookfield, N.Y., right after high school graduation. Gavin McGuire, who’s now the town’s fire chief, was dating her then and still isn’t over her. From his perspective, she just disappeared; he has no idea that Jordan ran off to New York City to become an actress and escape her abusive father. Unable to find success, she married a wealthy man who turned out to be another abuser. Hoping to save her daughters, she leaves him and brings the girls back to Old Brookfield. As soon as Gavin sees Jordan, he rushes to propose that they restart their relationship—a move quite at odds with his otherwise sensible attitude—and she calmly declines, determined to show her girls she’s able to stand on her own. But when an arsonist strikes the town, Jordan and Gavin end up working together to find the culprit while fanning their own embers of attraction into passion. This crafty romance, with its spirited characters, will leave readers anticipating the sequel. Agent: Jeanne Forte Dube, Forte Associates.

September 1, 2015
Humphreys kicks off her new contemporary series with a story both tender and passionate. Jordan McKenna hasn't been back to her hometown since she left 15 years ago. Old Brookfield feels the same as when she left, except now she has freshly signed divorce papers and two little girls in tow. While she is glad to be back and away from her less-than-ideal marriage, she's not sure how she will face the people she left behind. Gavin McGuire's heart still aches for the one that got away. The hardworking fire chief in Old Brookfield hasn't been able to move on from his first love and hasn't been able to forget the tragedy he couldn't prevent. When Gavin sees Jordan, he knows he won't be able to stay away. What starts as a tentative friendship soon turns into something much more, but a series of mysterious fires threatens the town and everything they hold dear. Sweet and romantic, Brave the Heat is a solid start to the McGuire Brothers series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)