Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. Post contains affiliate links; I may earn commission if you make a purchase. Opinions shared are mine.
Immediately after reading Mind Games by Nancy Mehl last year, I added Fire Storm to my wishlist. Profiler shows are some of my favorite genres to watch on TV (Criminal Minds, anyone?) and this series features a really cool gal named Kaely Quinn. I was really hoping that Fire Storm would take a deeper look at Kaely’s backstory and relationships. In some ways, those hopes were realized. Overall, though, this book took a different route than I expected.
What I liked
Kaely’s colleagues respect her so much, and I love that. They take an interest in protecting her — not because they think she’s weak, but because they care about her. There’s a very gentle romance brewing between Kaely and her partner Noah. I really like the level of relationship they have in this book. It doesn’t take a spotlight moment, but you can tell it’s there. For me, that’s the perfect amount in a suspense novel. It reminds me of Scully and Mulder’s relationship in a way!
I was also relieved when Kaely ate a cheeseburger because, honestly, her rabbit-like eating habits were getting on my nerves. I also liked how Kaely felt unsure of herself in certain situations (especially around Noah.) She is generally so confident and rather smug about her abilities. It’s nice to know that she can be a blushing girl at times.
This isn’t necessarily a like or dislike, but readers should be aware that there are several mentions of alcohol in this story. I won’t be sending it to my grandmother; she might melt if she reads about a margarita.
What I Didn’t Like
There was a whole family dynamic in this book that felt manipulative and wrong. Kaely’s brother Jason was trying to care for their mom, and he laid the guilt trip on very thick. While I try to uphold the commandment to honor parents, Kaely could have done that without putting her heart on the line every time she talked with her mother. I’m not a fan of Marcie or even Jason.
Fire Storm had way too many arrows pointing in every direction. Several times, I had to thumb through previous pages trying to figure out who a character was, or looking for some small detail I’d overlooked because I started skimming. Though the herrings added to the mystery, the unfortunate result was confusion and indifference. The “answer” seemed pretty obvious the moment it was mentioned, and it felt like a hundred pages went by to disprove that idea.
View this post on InstagramLove my Sunday Starbucks reading hour with my daughter. Thanks to @bethanyhousefiction for sending me a free copy of ? Fire Storm ? by Nancy Mehl!
I took the book with me on my Book Date With My Daughter this weekend.
I need to check this out, the cover looks nice