Book Review: From the Ashes (Fire and Rain)
From The Ashes (Fire and Rain)
By: Daisy Harris
Blurb: He wanted a boyfriend. What he got was a hero.
Fire and Rain, Book 1
When an accident burns down Jesse’s apartment, he’s left broke and homeless, with a giant dog and a college schedule he can’t afford to maintain. And no family who’s willing to take him in.
Lucky for him, a sexy fireman offers him a place to stay. The drawback? The fireman’s big Latino family lives next door, and they don’t know their son is gay.
Tomas’s parents made their way in America with hard work and by accepting help when it was offered, so he won’t let Jesse drop out of school just so he can afford a place to live. Besides, Jesse’s the perfect roommate—funny, sweet and breathtakingly cute. He climbs into Tomas’s bed and tugs at his heart. Until Jesse starts pushing for more.
Their passion enflames their bodies but threatens to crush Tomas’s family. Tomas is willing to fight for Jesse, but after losing everything, Jesse isn’t sure he can bear to risk his one remaining possession—his heart.
Warning: Contains an angry older brother, judgmental best friends, a slobbering bull mastiff, and enough red-hot gay loving to make a porn star blush.
Review: Jesse Smith has lost it all, everything he owned was gone when a meth lab in the basement of his apartment building blew up. He was alone, homeless, with only the clothes on his back. And, his landlord’s dog Chardonnay. On his own since his parents threw him out, Jesse was determined to make it and show them he could. Now he had doubts.
Harris weaves a tale dispersed with fear, despair, loneliness and love as she tells the story of two men who have nothing – yet everything to lose. Tomas Perez, the firefighter who rescues Jesse and Chardonnay lives a secret life, one that his parents could never understand, his brother Diego would never allow and his sister who already knew didn’t let on she did.
How do two men from such different backgrounds and family lives develop a friendship in these situations? How does Tomas keep his secret life from his family? How does Jesse manage to get his life back on track without Tomas’ help?
Jesse and Tomas work their way through a maze of emotions and conflicts that would have broken many couples apart. Harris masterfully played those emotions to the music of love and commitment. From the Ashes was a good read that I certainly recommend.