Blog Tour + Review: Fire Line by Maggie Gates
★★★☆☆
🌶🌶🌶
Series: The Griffith Brothers, Book 3
Review:
First, I would like to thank Berkley for inviting me to join the blog tour and providing me with a free advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A nightmare of an MMC, but a lovely found family
Lennon is running from her past, hiding out in a small town. Little does she know that CJ, the cowboy she hooked up with, has a grudge against the Griffith family restaurant, and therefore a grudge against anyone working there, which now includes Lennon.
I struggled with the beginning of this book. The sexual tension and chemistry between CJ and Lennon are undeniable, so why does he hate her the moment he realizes she works for his family’s restaurant? He is a bully and a jerk, and the reason for it is nonsensical. And of course, in true romance bully fashion, he doesn’t allow his disdain to get in the way of ongoing hook-ups. His outbursts are childish, too. Furthermore, when he falls for Lennon, it’s sudden and goes straight into lovebombing, which is a major red flag for me. I really dislike him as an MMC.
The rest of the story and the other characters are doing a LOT of work to make up for CJ being so terrible. As the final installment in the Griffith Brothers series, I was pretty disappointed, but since this is the first book I’ve read in the series, the family is awesome enough to push me to read the other two books despite hating CJ. The Griffith family really is great, despite my clear disdain for one brother. I’m hoping that Dust Storm and especially Downpour will wash away the negative!
Audience: adult
Trigger warnings: stalking, homelessness, gun violence, death
Recommended for fans of: interconnected standalone, contemporary romance, small-town romance, cowboy romance, bully romance, workplace romance, romantic suspense, found family, enemies to lovers, grumpy-grumpy
Publisher's Synopsis:
A grumpy cowboy and an even grumpier chef who are used to knocking boots and walking away are shocked to discover a deeper—if not antagonistic—connection after their night together, in the final book in the Griffith Brothers series.
Lennon’s number one rule is: Committing crimes is not a group project. Rule number two: Don’t start fights. Finish them. And rule number three: Don’t try to hustle a hustler. She knows she should have walked away and ignored that sweet-talking cowboy. Good things didn’t happen to people like her. But that cowboy wouldn’t leave her alone. And he should have known that if you can’t stand the heat, it’s better to get out of the kitchen.
Carson James knew the woman was trouble from the moment he laid eyes on her bruised knuckles in the bar. The last thing he expected was for her to show up on the ranch and bring that trouble to his front door. And he’s discovering it’s hard to maintain a grudge against a woman you find so attractive. He’s always liked playing with fire, but apparently so does she. Only time will tell which of them is going to get burned.
Source:
NetGalley
©Berkley: March 4, 2026
Edition: Digital ARC
368 pages
Start reading the Griffith Brothers series on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase your copies today!
1. Dust Storm: https://amzn.to/46Ky6jS
2. Downpour: https://amzn.to/47fPA7Q
3. Fire Line: https://amzn.to/3N09wVx
Disclaimer: By clicking the link above, you will be directed to Amazon.com through my affiliate link. Should you decide to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This commission helps to cover costs associated with running this blog.
A grumpy cowboy and an even grumpier chef who are used to knocking boots and walking away are shocked to discover a deeper—if not antagonistic—connection after their night together, in the final book in the Griffith Brothers series.
Lennon’s number one rule is: Committing crimes is not a group project. Rule number two: Don’t start fights. Finish them. And rule number three: Don’t try to hustle a hustler. She knows she should have walked away and ignored that sweet-talking cowboy. Good things didn’t happen to people like her. But that cowboy wouldn’t leave her alone. And he should have known that if you can’t stand the heat, it’s better to get out of the kitchen.
Carson James knew the woman was trouble from the moment he laid eyes on her bruised knuckles in the bar. The last thing he expected was for her to show up on the ranch and bring that trouble to his front door. And he’s discovering it’s hard to maintain a grudge against a woman you find so attractive. He’s always liked playing with fire, but apparently so does she. Only time will tell which of them is going to get burned.
Source:
NetGalley
©Berkley: March 4, 2026
Edition: Digital ARC
368 pages
Start reading the Griffith Brothers series on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase your copies today!
1. Dust Storm: https://amzn.to/46Ky6jS
2. Downpour: https://amzn.to/47fPA7Q
3. Fire Line: https://amzn.to/3N09wVx
Disclaimer: By clicking the link above, you will be directed to Amazon.com through my affiliate link. Should you decide to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This commission helps to cover costs associated with running this blog.
Comments
Post a Comment