Review & Giveaway: Kissing Fire by A.M. Hargrove

Author: A.M. Hargrove
Title: Kissing Fire
Publication: April 15, 2013
Publisher: A.M. Hargrove
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Blog Tour
~Amazon

Synopsis
Preston Mitchell has many secrets. As an undercover DEA agent, he’s lived a life of danger and obscurity. A relationship was never a consideration...until the lovely

Avery Middleton stumbles into his life.

To the outsider, Avery has it all...wealth, family, connections and a great job. But on the inside, she’s miserable. With a selfish mother driving her to the brink of insanity, a kooky neighbor that has zany plans for her to become a sumo wrestler, and a social life that’s in the toilet, Avery decides her only salvation is to get the hell out of town and start a new life. So she moves across the country and right into the path of hot and sexy,

Preston.

Unfortunately, Avery ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and is now running for her life. Preston is determined to protect her but she suddenly finds herself irresistibly captivated by him. There’s only one problem. Preston’s covert missions have created a load of mental baggage resulting in an impenetrable wall around him that no one can break through. But Avery rocks Preston’s world because she is nothing like anyone he’s ever met and something extraordinary begins to develop between them.

Can their love survive in this world, where danger, intrigue and deception lurk on every corner?

Three words: Hot, Steamy and funny! I would also like to say up front, not for teens because that's what I usually review. Now, that said I think I blushed so much to the point I should be a whole new shade. Yes, it was like that and I loved every minute of it. These two characters are a perfect fit because each one is broken and damaged in their own way but it's how they heal one another that makes this a beautiful relationship to watch unfold. Preston is an undercover agent that is still traumatized from a past experience that left him feeling unworthy of real love. Avery has body issues and her relationship with her mother is not what she would like it to be but life just gave her chance to start over and move on with a new job. She meets Preston, who is going by a fake name at the time, by chance at her brother's home and the moment they see each other the thoughts they think are hilarious. I will say that Preston *clears throat* brings out the animal in Avery. Ha! The writing moves well and Hargrove has developed these characters in a way that will make you love them.  Overall, this is an interesting read that contains a great deal of sexual content. For a moment, I felt like I was reading a Harlequin romance but the heart of this story is what touched me the most and my recommendation is for adult readers.

Teaser

    Boy oh boy, was Preston hot. Make that boiling. Scorching. Molten lava kind of hot. Messy dark brown, slightly wavy hair that was not long but not short either. And, oh what a mouth he had. His mouth made me want to jump on board and ride that train for life. His lips were the perfect kind of full and every so often, he’d run his tongue across them and I’d automatically squirm. His face was pure angular perfection...high cheekbones with those slight hollows beneath them, that were the perfect shape to accommodate my lips. But those eyes...my oh my. They were golden brown, like coffee with lots of cream. I could only imagine what they looked like right when he was...  

    Cheezits Ava, get your head out of the bedroom!

   “Wouldn’t you agree Ava?” my brother was asking me. 

    I shook my head and swallowed. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

   “We were talking about the weather here in the summer and I was saying how much more pleasant it is than in Charleston?” 

   “Oh, yes it is.” Was my voice breathy sounding, or was it my imagination?  

    Preston was wearing jeans that rode low on his hips. They were tight and he had a superior set of buns. What would I pay to see those babies? 

  “Ava? What do you think?” someone asked. 

   “Buns!” I blurted out. 

   “Excuse me?” Caroline, my sister-in-law, asked. 

     Holy Toledo, did I just say buns out loud? What the hell Ava!!! 

    “Fun! Anything sounds fun!” I quickly said. 

    “Ava, you look a little flushed. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” 

    “Hot! I mean no, I’m fine.” I looked across the room and my face totally flamed. Everyone was staring at me. I had unbuttoned my blouse and was fanning myself. I’d noticed that Preston had a gloriously hot tattoo of a sideways cross on his arm. I think I needed to go home. 

     “So Avery, where are you staying?” Caroline asked. 

     “Oh, I’m at the Four Sexy. Seasons! I mean the Four Seasons.” 

      Oh dear God, I need to get my act together here.

Author Bio

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

 Boss:  Hello

 A.M.:  Boss, is that you?

 Boss:  Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?

 A.M.:  Er... right.  Well, I'm calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

 Boss:  Why ever would I want to do that?

 A.M.:  Because I quit!

 A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

 A.M.:  Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

 Hubs:  Sure... Having some car trouble?

 A.M.:  Not at all.  I don't have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

 Hubs:  WHAT?!

 A.M.:  It's time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

 So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a young adult paranormal romance author of self-published ebooks.  Her series, The Guardians of Vesturon, centers around a family of six siblings and is a mix of humor, mystery, suspense and of course, love.  Survival and Resurrection are her first and second full length novels in the series and Beginnings is the prequel novella.  Her third installment, Determinant, will be released on June 30, 2012.  (It didn’t happen exactly like that, but you get the idea!)

Website | Twitter |  Facebook |  Blog 

a Rafflecopter giveaway