Book Name: Encouraged By Sparks
Release Date: July 12, 2015
Pages or Words: 159 pages / 35,956 word count
Categories: Gay, Contemporary, Romance Fiction
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Encouraged by Sparks starts off with a bang: Skye finds himself in a terrifying situation, trapped by flames, and struggling to find a way out. When the firefighters arrive, it falls to the cadet, Tanner, to risk life and limb to effect the rescue. Taut, nail-biting and realistic, that scene and its aftermath sets the stage for two men who seem as different as night and day to find they have more in common than either imagined.
The relationship that develops is an intriguing mix of instant attraction coupled with a slow burn, but as is often the case, the path to the heart is fraught with challenges, self-doubt and insecurities. There’s also humor and many light moments that define each character, including a couple raunchy descriptions of guys’ early morning realities.
The camaraderie of men who take risks on a daily basis, the hair-raising descriptions of the unexpected and dangerous tasks they undertake, and the genuineness of Tanner makes this an especially enjoyable tale.
Stylistically there are some point of view issues and perhaps a reliance on wishful thinking in terms of levels of acceptance for Skye and Tanner’s relationship, but heck, it’s a romance after all.
There’s an easy, charming style to Gregory Jonathan Scott’s writing. His characters are instantly likable and often show surprising depths. Add to that an element of danger, high action and smoldering romance, you have a perfect combination for a quick and satisfying read that should leave you wearing a big ole grin.
Call me a softie, but I loved it.