Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE: Up in Flames

AUTHORS: Eden Finley & Saxon James

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 284 pages

RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2023

BLURB:

SANDEN

When it’s your job as groomsman to tell the groom his wedding isn’t happening, the smartest thing to do is get it over and done with and then tell the guests to leave.

Yeah, well, I never said I was smart.

I might … accidentally, maybe on purpose, suggest to Remy that the best form of revenge is to have a party anyway. I mean, he’s already got catering, a DJ, and guests, so what better time to throw a petty party?

My loser high school friend never deserved him anyway. If I’d had the chance, I would have locked Remy down years ago.

Only, when the party leads to a drunken kiss, going on their honeymoon, and sharing their marital bed, I have to say, I’m not entirely sad that their wedding went up in flames.

REVIEW:

Up in Flames is a delightful fake honeymooners romance between two first responders. It is a Sadenverse standalone spinoff of Foolish Puckboy in which Remy is stood up at the altar by his fiance, Eman, a sorry excuse for a human being. Eman’s childhood friend and groomsman, Sanden, has to break the news to Remy and then encourages him to hold the reception party anyway and still go on his honeymoon. Somehow, Sanden ends up on the Hawaiian vacation, too.

I’ve been eager for Sanden’s story since his introduction as a Gabe’s friend and fellow firefighter in Foolish Puckboy. (Note it is not necessary to read that book to fully enjoy this one.) Sanden’s a sweet, goofy, lovable man and a selfless hero. He used to be closer friends with Remy until Eman came between them. Paramedic Remy is uneasy about being married. In his gut he knows it’s the wrong move, so when he’s left standing at the front of the church alone, he realizes he dodged a bullet.

Remy and Sanden enjoy the luxurious vacation – living in a state of suspended reality – where they’re mistaken for newlyweds,. Once they return home to Seattle, however, their actual reality has to be dealt with. It’s hard to go back to normal…who are they now? Lovers, colleagues, friends with benefits? There’s a strong attraction between them but Sanden knows Remy is not in the right headspace for a rebound fling or a more serious relationship yet. He badly wants more so he’ll wait until Remy has time to heal, trusts him, and is ready for more. But Eman left Remy with deep emotional scars he won’t overcome easily. Eman is a truly vile villain. He’s a conniving, manipulative, gaslighting, emotionally abusive psycho who I wanted to strangle. To. Death. Sanden, meanwhile, has his own healing to do from childhood trauma.

The authors tackle some dark themes so this book is heavier in tone than most of novels but it’s still full of enjoyable banter and lots of fun. I appreciated the emphasis on the importance of self-care and therapy. I loved both Remy and Sanden immensely and I would die for their honeymoon trip. I’m a sucker for tropical vacations. And who doesn’t love first responders?! This is a wonderful read, not to be missed by fans of Saxon James and Eden Finley, and it would serve as a great gateway book for those new to this writing duo. Highly recommended.

RATING:

BUY LINK:

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