Review: Passionate Heat by Rachel Kenley

Miles Anderson couldn't get away from his hometown fast enough. He and his brothers were considered "losers" and his dad, seemingly always drunk, did little to encourage a different perception. The military opened doors for him and he was delighted to walk through them. There he became an arson and explosions expert and for nearly a decade was one of their best. Just one time he returned to Glenway--only to attend Jilian's high school graduation. She was the love of his life and he would never do anything to disappoint her. Their night of celebration took their love to another level--the first time for them both.

But that was the last time in ten years that Jilian heard from Miles. He literally dropped out of her life. He was from one of the town's worst families. She was the daughter of a man whose businesses employed the majority of the town's citizens. No way was his daughter going to hook up with one of the Anderson boys. Needless to say, Miles' letters never got to Jilian and she turned to others in her grief over the loss. That didn't turn out so well either.

Now Miles is back--having come out of the Army into a civilian arson investigator job. He has been invited back by his mentor/father-figure to investigate three fires that just seem to be too strange. That town had one fire a year. There have been three fires in as many months. Miles would never return if it weren't this particular friend who is asking him for help. He returns to find that his brother had renovated the old family house and he encounters Jilian when going into the local gym, looking for a physical therapist to continue his recovery from injuries that have kept him off the job for eight months. It is not surprising that he received a very cool reception, but as they work together as therapist and patient, their old feelings surface and both realize that their attraction has never waned.

All is not well in Glenway. Jilian's father is more than upset to see Miles' return. Her ex-husband is determined to get her back, if only to secure himself in his father-in-law's will. A long-time friend may not end up being the friend she thought. Yet, this return has surprised Miles on several levels. Perhaps it is possible to come home again and maybe, just maybe there are second chances to be had.

This is a novel of considerable depth and many layers. There is, of course, the romance and it is a tender reunion between these long-lost lovers. There are also swirls of emotion, much that is not so good, underlying their love story. There is friendship and loyalty that spans many years, regard and respect that time cannot diminish, and greed, anger, envy, and betrayal that seek to work their evil. Ms Kenley is an author that has written a number of romance tales of varying length but her work is new to me. I must admit that after reading this story I am looking forward to getting a copy of the next in this series. Those Anderson boys sound like their stories would make good reading. So why not look into this novel? Hunky firefighters are great heros and this one is a worthy example of that. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.