Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Stoking the Fire
SERIES: Salus Security #1
AUTHOR: Teodora Kostova
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 230 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2021
BLURB:
“You hired my ex as my bodyguard?”
When Alec left NYC – left me – I was a broken mess. All my days blurred into a continuous haze of alcohol, parties, and meaningless hook-ups.
Until my sister nearly died in a car accident. Her recovery was the wake-up call I needed.
Now, three years later, I’ve cleaned up my act, sobered up, and finally became the son my father always wished I was – the heir of Van Dorf Media Group.
But being part of one of the most influential families in America has its disadvantages. Like fanatic supremacists trying to kill you.
My father’s solution? Hire Alec Bonovich to protect me.
Doesn’t matter that he’s my ex.
Doesn’t matter that just seeing him makes my pulse quicken.
Doesn’t matter that he’s the only man who’s ever broken my heart.
Because Alec is the best.
And he’s the only one I trust to protect me when my life is in danger.
REVIEW:
Zach is the heir to the Van Dorf Media Group. He’s a student in New York City who’s failing many classes because his social life is more important than school. He spends his nights clubbing and drinking with friends and superficial acquaintances. Zach’s an enigma. He’s obsessed with his social media presence, constantly checking his phone for updates, comments, likes, and tags. He’s incapable of ignoring a vibration notification. He needs to know what people are thinking about him and craves the attention. He feels like he’s nothing if people – even strangers – don’t like him. But people attack him online and the trolls are nasty, causing him anxiety attacks. What I don’t understand is why Zach continues to post selfies and pictures of things like his lunch throughout the day and night. He’s inundated with negative comments but he doesn’t stop; he’s the architect of his own misery and he’s held hostage by an addiction.
He meets the very tall, incredibly sexy bodyguard, Alec, at the gym. Alec is covered in tattoos that make Zach’s mouth water. There is mega chemistry between them, and they hookup for a night; it soon becomes a relationship. But Zach’s anxiety, fueled by the hate and lies being spewed on social media, is getting out of control. In addition to Zach’s mental state, being glued to his phone is intruding on his time with Alec. Alec is getting angry and practically begs Zach to give it up, but Zach is addicted and won’t.
There’s a lot of tension in the beginning of the book, not only for the men but for the reader because it’s obvious this relationship has an expiration date. And then Alec procures a much needed investor for his security firm and is forced to move to Los Angeles. He tells Zach he loves him and asks him to move with him, but Zach is afraid he’s not good enough, not responsible enough, for Alec. Instead of expressing his insecurities, though, he lies and tells Alec he doesn’t love him and cruelly says he doesn’t want to go with him. Zach’s treatment of Alec is reprehensible and heartbreaking. Alec is such a good man (who could frankly do much better than Zach). Zach is so unlikable at this point, but if you think he couldn’t get any worse, you’d be wrong. I’ll let you discover that part for yourself. It makes me sick and I really don’t know if Zach’s redeemable.
The story jumps ahead three years to the present day. The Van Dorf Media Group, run by Zach’s father, is being targeted by domestic terrorists. The company includes many magazines, some of which have been publishing controversial political exposés. There have already been death threats and an attack causing several security guards to lose their lives. Zach’s father hires the best security money can buy, and that includes Alec as Zach’s personal bodyguard.
Zach’s a greatly changed man now, but I’m still not invested in them repairing their relationship. Zach has put forth significant effort in improving himself but, in my eyes, he doesn’t quite complete his redemption arc because he maintains Alec broke his heart instead of the other way around. He won’t acknowledge that he threw Alec out like the garbage. Alec continues to be a very likable character. He has his priorities straight; he’s protective, imposing, and confident, but he’s vulnerable and somewhat uncertain around Zach. Zach’s best friend, Adri, is an interesting character but tension arises concerning his loyalties. In a pleasant twist, Zach’s parents actually appear to be caring and loving unlike so many fictionalized millionaire/billionaire parents. There’s no homophobia, disownment, unreasonable demands to be met for inheritance, hatred, or maliciousness.
I have one big problem with Stoking the Fire: it’s too politicized for my personal taste. The plot is based on current day American politics, corruption, and the threat from armed militias and right-wing extremists. The book mentions Republicans regrouping after the “current administration took power earlier this year” and the “catastrophic defeat” in Congress. One character calls the current president spineless and a joke. To be clear, I don’t believe the author is expressing an opinion, just, for the sake of fiction, mirroring the beliefs held by some. But this is too much for me when I want to relax and enjoy a romance. COVID-19 aside, this past year has been traumatic from a political standpoint for many Americans – indeed, citizens from many countries – no matter what side of the aisle they align themselves with. If the politics don’t bother you, this might be a worthwhile read. It’s a very well written book and Teodora Kostova remains an author I’m fond of.
RATING: 
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