Blaze of Winter: A Loveswept Contemporary Romance [Kindle Edition]

Elisabeth Barrett (Author)

Book Description

Winter heats up in this hot new Star Harbor romance, as another sexy Grayson brother, a wickedly handsome writer, plots his happily ever after with a sweet stranger.
 
Frustrated with her job in Boston, social worker Avery Newbridge welcomes the opportunity to reassess her life when family asks her to help manage the Star Harbor Inn. Trying to figure out her future is overwhelming enough, but she doesn’t count on distraction in the form of one Theo Grayson, the gorgeous, green-eyed author who she knows is trouble from the moment he saunters into the inn.
 
Not only does he have a talent for writing swashbuckling adventures, but Theo also has a soft spot for big-hearted damsels in distress, especially a woman who’s great at helping everyone—except herself. Avery’s demons challenge him, but for desire this hot, he isn’t backing down. With every kiss and heated whisper Theo promises her his heart . . . if only Avery is willing to open up and accept it.
 
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Deep Autumn Heat, Callie’s Cowboy, and About Last Night.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Take one savvy heroine, one delicious hero, and add some terrific secondary characters. Mix together in a delightful harbor town, toss in a New England winter, and you have one terrific romance. Elisabeth Barrett's Blaze Of Winter is a must-read!" -- Mariah Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of Home For The Summer

"The second book in Barrett's Star Harbor series is absolutely adorable. This is a terrific contemporary tale complete with two complex characters who have full lives separately and even fuller lives once they start their relationship." -- RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

Product Details

• File Size: 1353 KB
• Print Length: 318 pages
• Publisher: Loveswept (September 10, 2012)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007MDK40E
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,883 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Blaze of Winter September 10, 2012

By jbarr

Format:Kindle Edition

Blaze of Winter by Elisabeth Barrett
ISBN: 9780345534347
Theo Grayson had relocated from his loft in San Francisco to his hometown of Star Harbor where he thought he might get some inspiration to do some more writing. His first book was out there=well not at his hometown library.
He finds it hard to write, sleep and to concentrate as he's on the houseboat of his brothers and in total there are 3 of them there.
Avery Newbridge was taking care of the Star Harbor Inn for her aunt who had recuperated from breast cancer treatments. She is hiding out, not sure what to do with her life now. Her sister Kate had told her she had heard noises and things moving at night and some food had gone missing but nothing to be concerned about.
She tried to talk Theo out of staying at the inn but he took a room, indefinitely... She is on a break from the drug rehab center and she's tried to help so many and some don't make it leaving her like she's failed.
I first wanted to read this book because of the name Grayson. I got it mixed up with another ongoing series and thought this was the latest. It's the wrong Grayson, but I like the storyline anyways and now I am happy to say I gotta go get the rest of this Grayson series cuz it's that good!
Love when I stumble onto a new author!
After dinner at the local restaurant they go back to find an intruder had broken into the inn. After reporting and the police showed up the next day she's to get new locks and keys and find out everybody in town knows about everybody and that they know she has a violin case. The local ensemble practices Thursday nights and they've asked her to join them.
It's a friendly kind of 'knowing everybody's business'. Although the book mainly concentrates on Avery and Theo there are other relatives involved that come and go into their daily lives and another book is dedicated to them. I did not feel like I missed out or was left in the dark as some of their backgrounds are gone into to make you feel not so lost.
She was trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life as her social worker job was on hold and other things keep popping up, Theo and now the violin group...
Theo's next book is starting out well with help from others who lent him books on the ship wreck nearby. He is just piecing the info together while having a drink at the Nail with other locals.
They spend more time together decorating the inn for the Christmas holiday and each of them talk about their jobs...
There are many stories of when the boys were younger and played pranks on others. some very detailed they had to have originated from Theo.
She doesn't want to start anything she can't finish cuz she's told him he's leaving by feb 1 and so is she.
The ice skating bonfire sounds so New Englandish I recall my younger days!
Mysteries surrounding his writing and the Boston Harbor area...
Avery gets a job offer and is contemplating staying near her relatives and not going back to her old job. Decisions, choices for the both of them...
Drugs, hospitalizations, wedding, and Christmas all make this a very exciting action packed book with hot steamy sex to only add to this tale. Love how everything was tied together at the end!
Recipes at the end, super!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Winter Heat September 10, 2012

By Pat Fordyce

Format:Kindle Edition

This is Ms. Barrett's second novel in the Star Harbor Series. In the first novel we met Seb and Lexie...two very competitive chefs who learn they can pursue their own career, but still love each other.

In this novel we meet Theo, Seb's twin, but a very different man. Theo is a famous novelist who writes adventure stories about swashbuckling pirates. He is suffering from writers block, living on his brother's boat, and sharing a cabin with his police officer brother. The arrangement just doesn't work. Theo is doing research at the local library, and Emma, the librarian suggests a room at the Inn. It's December, quiet in town without many tourists. Sounded like a great idea!

At the Inn we meet Avery Newbridge, Emma's sister, who is in town helping to run the Inn for her Aunt Kate, who is recovering from breast cancer. At least that is what she is telling herself. She is a social worker in Boston, counseling drug addicts in recovery. After a tragic incident with one of her clients, she needed time away. Star Harbor, with her aunt and her sister seemed like the best place. At Theo's and Avery first meeting she feels the pull. "The small quaver in her belly told Avery one thing: this man was trouble with a capital T." She sees him as tall dark and handsome and way out of her league. Theo is immediately taken with Avery, so different than the women he knew in San Francisco. After a dinner, and some conversation, he's intrigued. "His titian haired beauty was like one of those wooden box puzzles-one he wanted to solve layer by layer, to find out what was beneath the surface."

We encounter all our friends from Star Harbor, and a few new ones. The mystery of the Siren Lorelei is still unsolved, and there are strange unexplained noises, and drafty rooms at the Inn. Theo is relentless in his pursuit of Avery, and she is frightened he will leave. This novel is heartwarming, with a bit of mystery, and, oh yes, some hot scenes in a pantry, car, and yes a bedroom or two.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy small town stories, with a lot of heart.

Ms. Barrett has more Grayson brothers waiting for their story....can't wait.....

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars B rating.... September 10, 2012

By Christina Snow TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

My Review:
Aw, I was looking forward to Theo's book and it did not disappoint. This is book #2 in the Star Harbor series which is about 4 incredibly sexy brothers...Seb, Theo, Cole, and Val. Seb was the hero of book #1 (he's a chef) and Theo is his twin brother. Theo is a best-selling novelist who's been living in San Francisco. He comes home because he has a bad case of writers block and is hoping that a change in venue will help that. Theo is 6"4" with a shock of black hair, a physique to die for, and some very sexy glasses that finish off the whole package. Just visualizing this guy made me happy. AND he's a writer...SOLD. I love him!

Avery is a social worker from Boston. She's come home to help care for her Aunt who is fighting breast cancer, but still has an inn to run in this small resort town. Avery has her own stresses in her life that she is escaping from...one of her patients that she thought was getting better, overdosed and died and Avery didn't see the warning signs. Avery is a very uptight person...she tries not to show emotion and doesn't ever let herself go. She internalizes everything and has never put herself out there enough to have a true relationship with a guy. I have to admit that this is the one thing I didn't understand about this novel...I needed to know what had happened to Avery to make her this way. Without that, I really had a hard time understanding her reticence with Theo, who is absolutely just a perfect specimen of a guy.

Everything takes place in this quaint little coastal town in Maine which I'm coming to love. This book takes place over the holidays so there was lots of snow, Christmas ambiance, and snuggling to get warm....all of those things are some of my favorites when it comes to romance novels. There is also a fabulous cast of supporting characters...Seb & Lizzie from Book #1, Jimmy & Emma, Kate & Luke, Cole, and Val. There was also a touch of suspense in the cove and hints at pirate bounty which I don't think we've heard the last of in this series. There are still two brothers to go...Cole, the sheriff, and Val, the DEA agent. Both of those stories promise to be good!

I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

More About the Author

Elisabeth Barrett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends her days teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited children. She is constantly perfecting her home-work-writing juggling act, but in her free time she loves to hike open space preserves, grow orchids, bake sweet things her husband won't eat, and sing in grand choruses.