Reviewed by Danielle

TITLE: Conquer the Flames
SERIES: Lang Downs #4
AUTHOR: Ariel Tachna
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 254 Pages
BLURB: Thorne Lachlan knows a thing or two about getting himself safely out of a blaze. For years he fought in the world’s hot spots, a Commando with the Australian Army. Now, retired, he fights flames for the Royal Fire Service. When a grassfire brings him to Lang Downs, the next sheep station in danger, Thorne meets Ian Duncan and sparks fly that neither man can put out. But both men have ghosts from the past that stand in the way of moving beyond mutual attraction.

While Thorne longs for the home he could share with Ian at Lang Downs, he fears his own instability might make him a danger to others. And Ian’s always believed that the foster care nightmare he escaped before coming to Lang Downs would make any relationship impossible. Trust doesn’t come easily to Thorne or Ian until the fire’s aftermath forces them to see past the scars keeping them both from healing

REVIEW:

In this part of the series we meet Ian and Thorne. Ian’s life at Lang Downs is comfortable. He’s at home there but also a loner. Having lived through issues in his past he’s glad he found a warm home at Lang Downs.

When Thorne comes into the picture as a firefighter because Lang Downs is threatened, there’s something happening when both of the main characters meet.

Both struggle with different pasts and how to deal with the obvious attraction between them.

They try to find a way to be together despite their pasts but still they find out there is more to deal with.

Ian struggles with his having lived through horror (without spoiling too much) and Thorne as a former commando has his own “inner”battle to fight after leaving the army.

The author did a wonderful thing in building this story up. The emotions, the struggles, the issues are handled I have to say that, but for me there is something significant missing that I also missed in part three and I’m not talking the lack of sex. The kissing and emotional bonding makes sure there is real emotion compensating for that and the kissing is beautifully written and played out in so many ways .

While it is extremely powerful the way the author describes the emotions of the main characters, it’s very hard to get through to them almost making it hard to connect with them. I found myself longing for the moments when there was someone else there, when we saw the return of familiar characters as Caine and Macklin.

Neil is again fantastic in this book I think this series is as much his as it is Lang Downs J

I really want to mention that as you see where he came from and the very nice way you get reminded of that and how protective and all he is now. Being Ian’s best friend, he makes an impressive appearance in this story again.

While there is references to the main characters from the other parts you don’t see or read much of them. Although I have to say that it was very good to hear that, as this story skips 5 years, that they were still all together and happy even Sam and Jeremy from part three!

I have to say that I struggled with this review and decided on the rating. I think the story wasn’t done yet. I feel like I’m missing something in the end and maybe it is the sexual part , although there is some sexual relief at the very end. I don’t know but I  cannot shake the feeling I would have really enjoyed seeing Ian and Thorne working up to more intimacy and being together.

I think this series is still really unique and special and definitely worth reading. There is no doubt about that and I have to say I sincerely hope that there is going to be a part 5, because I still hope that there will be a story there about Jason and Seth! And I hope that there will be a way for Miss Tachna to make all the stories come and flow together .

For this I come to a total of 3.5 stars.

Danielle rates it –

BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Press :: Amazon :: All Romance eBooks

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Danielle is one of the official reviewers on The Blog of Sid Love.

To read all her reviews, click the link: DANIELLE’S REVIEWS

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