In the explosive debut of Stacey Lynn's irresistible Fireside series, a pair of estranged lovers are reunited by dangerous loyalties—and intoxicating desire.

Tyson Blackwell never saw it coming when his Mafia princess girlfriend dumped him and disappeared at the age of eighteen. He never forgot her, either, even after what happened next: the killing of his father, a Detroit PD officer, at the hands of one of her father's men. Tyson swore revenge, and now, ten years later, the kid who dreamed of a pro football career is a hard-nosed FBI agent, back in town to take down the Galecki crime family once and for all. But Tyson's mission gets complicated fast—because going undercover means seducing the only woman he's ever loved.

Gabriella “Blue” Galecki has been in hiding for a decade. She finally comes home to spend time with her terminally ill mother, only to receive a blast from the past when she runs into Tyson. His brooding eyes and electrifying touch still send chills down her spine. But as heir to the family empire, Blue has been promised to another. Caught in a web of deception, she is tempted to pull the trigger on the boldest risk she's ever taken: trusting Tyson with her life, her body, and her heart.

Gabriella is returning to Detroit for the first time in 10 years, having left quickly in the dead of night. She is needed at home, and her return catches the attention of not only her father’s men, but the FBI as well.

Tyson Blackwell vowed vengeance for his father, who was killed by a mafia hitman, but he has also always wondered what happened to his mafia princess girlfriend after she disappeared. Ten years without word is a long time, but when Tyson and Gabriella meet again, the years fall away and they find themselves swept up in emotion once again. But can they build a new relationship when Tyson isn’t honest with Gabriella about his reasons for returning to Detroit? And how will her father’s plans for her change what she and Tyson share?

I liked Gabriella. Her determination to make a name for herself without relying on her father’s reputation showed her independence, her strength, and her determination to keep herself apart from her father’s business dealings. As she rebuilt her life in Detroit, she had to find a balance between pleasing her father and exerting her own independence.

Tyson was a bit of a mystery in the story. He was protective and always willing to be there for Gabriella when she needed a shoulder, but it was also hard to tell what was his job and what were his feelings. I wasn’t at all surprised that Gabriella had a hard time identifying the two either, as her confusion mirrored my own.

My biggest hangup with this book, and the part that kept me at a 3.5 rating, was the lack of action for a good two thirds of the book. I wanted more action, more tension, especially after the build-up from the prologue. That the prologue was the only part of the story narrated by Tyson also made it hard to really feel an emotional connection between these two. I wanted to know what he was thinking and feeling throughout the story, especially since readers know exactly who he is and what he is doing back in Detroit. 

I am intrigued about the second book in the series. Declan is Tyson’s long time friend and there is an offhanded comment about him that made me curious about his background. He is always ready to lend a hand when Gabriella needed one, and seems to be a jovial, hardworking guy.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Stacey Lynn

Stacey Lynn is a simple girl, raised most of her life in the MidWest. Perhaps it was the long, frigid winters that left her so bored she had nothing to do but spend time reading every book she could get her hands on from John Grisham and Danielle Steel to Ann M. Martin and CS Lewis. As an avid reader, she began penning poems and short stories long before she reached high school and her love of the written word has never diminished.

Now, as a wife and mother to four children, she finds solace from the craziness of her life by creating steamy, sexy stories that generally tug at your emotions. What began as a hobby and a way to survive a Minnesota winter three years ago and the dream of publishing her first book, has now turned into an unending passion.