Review: Night of Fire

Reviewed by Jen
 

It's been three years since Tom left Rosa, running out of town in the middle of the night on a stolen horse. After her parents threatened him, he felt like he couldn't have a future with her, so he made a new life for himself in the Army. He never forgot her though, and now that he has finally been granted leave, the only thing he can think of doing, is getting back to her.

When he arrives back home, Rosa is a changed woman.  She's the new sheriff of Thornville and she's tough as nails.  It's obvious she has been holding her own, but Tom couldn't have picked a better time to come back. Outlaws are targeting her, and even worse, they seem to be simply paving the way for an even bigger threat to both Rosa and the town.

They have to work with one another to fight off the danger.  But together, their old sparks fly again. Can she ever forgive him for leaving her the way he did? And will they survive long enough to find out?

The story is a combination of steampunk, old west, and romance.  And it is set in the same world as Skies of Fire, though they are each completely stand-alone stories.  There is a similar thread, though, in that both books feature a couple reunited three years after one lover deserted the other.

It's hard to sympathize with a hero who unceremoniously dumped his heroine.  He's got a lot to atone for and despite his heroism in fighting off the bad guys, I felt like Rosa forgave him awfully fast.  The whole story takes place over just a couple of days.  The romance is at the center, but there is a lot of action as well. Maybe a little too much. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by all the descriptions of the equipment and choreography of the fight scenes.

But I found myself interested in the setting.  The world building is clear and easy to understand --and the plot is pretty straightforward.  I liked that the authors changed things up so much from the last book.  I think steampunk fans looking for an action-packed ride will enjoy it.

Rating: C

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Nights of Fire

by Nico Rosso

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Publisher: Avon Impulse