HEAT UNDER FIRE gets off to a riveting start. Justin is a cop who is tired of being a deterrent to speeders through town, and the woman who flashes her assets at him gets a ticket just the same. Then Justin sees a school bus which has struck the railing of an overpass and is hanging on the brink of space, filled with scared kids. The rescue mission is well explained, leaving Justin weak at the knees from stress and exertion. A friendly, good-looking EMT called Rock is on the scene, and Justin wishes they could get to know each other better.

In HEAT UNDER FIRE, a couple of weeks later while supervising traffic at a fire Justin suffers from smoke inhalation and chemical fume burns, and Rock gives him oxygen and takes him to hospital. Justin's mother turns up at the hospital and refuses to countenance the fact that her son is gay.

I found some of the tale very humorous, as when Justin's mother is busy trying to fix him up with anyone in a skirt, but the girls are well aware that Justin is gay and just envy him his growing relationship with Rock. Another time, Justin is upset after a falling-out, and the down-home lady dispatcher says he's done something wrong. "You're a man. Of course you did something wrong." The serious side of policing even in a low-crime area is also brought home, as in a car accident and an escape of carbon monoxide gas. HEAT UNDER FIRE is a well rounded story, from a capable writer with many titles under his belt.

Andrew Grey is also author of the Workout series and other gay novels including fantasy and Amish life. HEAT UNDER FIRE, while an adult novella, can be considered a tale involving the entire community.

Book Summary

Justin Briggs can shout out directions all day on his job as a traffic cop, but put him in front of a hot guy, specifically firefighter Rock Sparks, and he clams up.

Rock finds Justin confusing. While saving a busload of children hanging off the edge of a highway overpass, the cute rookie is cool and confident. But when Rock tries to chat him up, he stutters and chokes. Frustrated, Rock teases Justin, and boy, is his temper hot.

Though Rock and Justin share a steamy kiss, Justin keeps his distance, still tongue-tied. Then, when Justin is injured on the job, Rock takes him to the hospital, and some of the barriers start to crumble. But getting his enigmatic boyfriend to open up brings up more questions about Justin’s past.

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