Reviewed by Becca

TITLE: Embrace the Fire

SERIES: Through Hell and Back #3

AUTHOR: Felice Stevens

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 390 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 24, 2017

BLURB:

Brandon Gilbert has spent years in hiding, but he’s finally accomplished his dream of working as a public school teacher. When offered the chance to help bullied children, there was no way he could say no. Not to mention that meeting Dr. Tash Weber, the psychiatrist who helps them, a sad yet sexy older man, ignited a spark inside Brandon he’d never had before.
Though five years have passed since the death of his lover, Dr. Sebastian “Tash” Weber has no interest in relationships or love. But young, enigmatic Brandon awakens his heart and his desire. Despite Tash’s best efforts to push him away, Brandon unlocks the passion for life Tash thought he’d lost forever.
Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan for either Brandon or Tash, but neither family disapproval nor self-doubts can stop them from embracing the fire that burns between them. And when Brandon returns home to fight for a future he never imagined possible, he and Tash discover that the one thing worth fighting for has been with them all along.

REVIEW:

When I had the chance to review this book, I had to dig through my to-be-read list to read the first two. I had been meaning to read these but you know life….. but I’m here to tell you if you have not read these books you need to. This whole series is a set of magnificent writing on subjects that are often touchy. The sensitivity of the writer for these subjects was amazing to me. Being a victim myself, these book were incredibly personal to me and I thoroughly commend the writer for the way she wrote.

If you have read the first two books, you know that Asher has been looking for his foster brothers, Luke and Brandon, since he left that abusive household. In book two, he gets his wish with the finding of Luke. And now in book 3, we finally get Brandon. And I could not be more ecstatic. Brandon ran away from home right after he graduated. He couldn’t take anymore and left. He barely survived for a while until a sweet man named Gabe took a chance on him and got him off the streets. And Brandon worked his butt off to become the teacher he always wanted to be. And to make Gabe proud. So when fellow teacher Gage asked him to be a part of a program that helps get kids off the streets and away from drugs and guns, and to help them make something of their lives, there was no way Brandon could say no.

Dr. Tash has been so lonely since the death of his lover 5 years ago. He feels like he has failed to keep him alive. That he missed the signs. And that has left him in a funk that he really doesn’t know how to get out of anymore. But when he meets Brandon, everything that he thought had died with his lover became new and fresh again like a breath of fresh air. But he realizes Brandon is a runner and needs to be come to with a soft approach and a patient hand. The secrets he’s hiding are carefully guarded and Tash knows he has his work cut out for him in order to get to know this sweet man.

I could not be happier for this book. OMG. Tash has needed someone to love and to love him and Brandon finally popping up and making it finally a family that the boys wanted made me cry so hard. Brandon is such a sweet sweet spirit. He cares so much, always putting others needs before himself, he is such a gleam of hope for so many children. The students love him. And he is in his element with them. With all that he had to go through growing up as well, it is so beautiful to see that he wants a better life for the kids he is involved with and teaches. And when he meets Tash, the loneliness he has held onto for most of his life is finally breached. He feels alive. They both do. They both drive the loneliness away from each other and they can’t seem to stay away from each other. And it magical almost. Sure there is always a bump or two along the way but it’s the hope and the love that keep you going. And the families you make. Family is not always blood. Most times it’s something else. And they made their own families and held on to hope and love and began to thrive.

I think that’s one of the most important lessons to learn from these books. Life is sometimes shit. And more often than not, children get the shittiest end of the stick. For one stupid reason or another, the people that should be loving them and caring for them, simply don’t.  But you have to find your own family and hold on to hope and love with everything you are and hope that in the end it will work out and be ok. And if you can be a source of hope and love and family for someone, please do. You may be all they have.

RATING: 

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