Burning It Down by Christopher Koehler

BurningItDownLGTitle: Burning It Down

Series: CalPac Crew, #3  

Author: Christopher Koehler 

 

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (284 pages)  

 

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 7th, 2012)

 

Heat Level: Explicit 

 

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5- OMG Hearts

 

Blurb: When newly promoted Fire Battalion Chief Owen Douglas skips out on physical therapy after an on-the-job injury, his one-time hookup, Brad Sundstrom, bullies him into joining the adaptive rowing program at the Capital City Rowing Club. There, Owen meets Adam Lennox, a veterinarian and former rower who also works as a volunteer. Adam is new in town and eager to make friends, but the chemistry between him and Owen is blistering.

 

Despite Owen’s commitment issues, he wants more this time. He makes a move, and the friendship he shares with Adam turns into more. But Adam hasn’t left his past as far behind as he thought. When his abusive ex-boyfriend, Jordan Sanders, returns, Adam and Owen find themselves in grave danger.

 

Jordan won’t let anything stop him from getting Adam back – not even a court order. Soon Adam has to choose between breaking up with Owen to save him from Jordan’s fury or risk both their lives to stay by Owen’s side.

   

Product Link: www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3431

 

Reviewer: Patrick

 

Review: This story has a lot to say. There is a battered gay man, Adam the veterinarian, who finally has the courage to leave his boyfriend Jordan and start over in a new town in a new practice. Then there is Owen, the newly promoted Battalion Chief who is receiving shit for the promotion, not only because he is rather young for the job, but also because he is openly gay. Owen is on his way to a fire being driven by his driver in the Chief’s vehicle and are broadsided by a fire engine killing the driver and injuring Owen so much so to the point he requires surgery to put him back together. Driven by guilt over the death of his driver and his own injuries, physical therapy and self-pity he is finally bullied into joining a local rowing team that is focused on physical therapy. There he meets Adam and the sparks are instantaneous.

Adam meeting Owen is not just a miracle for him, but also a wake-up call. He doesn’t know how to love, not to mention, he doesn’t even know what love is. Can he fall for Owen and safely give him his heart without being taken advantage of? Owen and Adam help rebuild each other’s lives and being there for one another. In the end, Adam is just a little too weak and unable to trust in Owen completely to be by his side and work it out together, leaving him and going back to his abusive ex-boyfriend.

 

Owen is devastated until his friends give him a mental bitch slap and make him get back on track and fight for what he loves. That he does and in the end, not only do they put an end to the terror together, but also they finally are able to meld together as one couple with a soul-mates bond.

 

This story from beginning to end is just beautiful and frustrating all in one. I wanted to rail at Owen and Adam both and tell them to stop fucking around and just get one with life. However, I remembered that this is basically, what happens in real life. You have to work through the stupid in the beginning usually just to get to the juicy meat of real life and love underneath. I would LOVE to see a sequel to this story. Fantastic job!!