Jennifer Bernard

Set the Nigh on Fire was my first book by Jennifer Bernard and I can guarantee it will not be my last! Where have I been and why have I not read her work before?! Well, that stops now - I can assure you of that.

I was drawn in from the very beginning and fell in love with not only the main characters, Sean and Evie, but all the supporting characters as well. Jennifer’s writing is so realistic and descriptive you feel like you are right there with them, that you are part of this community, show more that these are your friends and family. I was emotionally invested with these characters, their lives, their stories, the battles they had to overcome.

Jennifer broaches some emotional and tough situations and tells the story with an honest, raw, emotional approach that tugs at your heart. You can feel their pain, the hurt, the anger, the confusion…but you also experience their growth, the understanding, their triumphs, and most of all – their love.

It really is an incredible adventure that I’m so glad I took. This is an exceptional start to what I’m sure will be an amazing series. The sparks between Josh and Suzanne were electric and their banter was witty, sarcastic, and full of sexual chemistry. I’m excited their story is next and I can’t wait to read about all of these hotshots.

This is a definite must read! show less

Terrific book full of humor, love, family, and friendship. In the previous book, All of Me, Donna and Mike met when Mike stepped up to protect her during a bar fight. What followed was several months of back-and-forth flirting that culminated in a scorching kiss in a library closet, guaranteeing that neither forgot the other during the off-season. But when Mike returns to Kilby in the spring, the fun and feisty Donna has changed so much that Mike barely recognizes her.

Donna has a reputation show more as a fun-loving party girl until her ex and his fiancée decide they want full custody of Donna's son, Zack. His paternal grandparents have raised four-year-old Zack for heartbreaking reasons. Donna has visitation, adores her little Zack-ster, and wants to get him back. However, Harvey and Bonita have wealth and power on their side. When her lawyer tells Donna she must clean up her act, she takes it to heart and reinvents herself with a new job, clothes, and attitude.

But the sparks of attraction between Mike and Donna can't be denied and flare up whenever they are near each other. Mike has a unique method of self-control during baseball season, but being around Donna puts a strain on it. When his actions jeopardize Donna's custody quest, he devises the perfect fix - ask Donna to marry him.

Mike is a good man. He's a great example to his fellow ballplayers and protective of those he cares about. I love his relationship with his brother Joey and the impact that relationship has on his life. However, he avoids anything related to love, having been burned several years earlier. I ached for him because of the story behind that relationship.

I enjoyed watching the relationship between Mike and Donna develop. The flirting and banter between them are fun, and it's easy to see how right they are for each other. I loved how they trusted each other, sharing things no one else knew about them. As they grow closer, Mike refuses to see that what he feels for Donna is love, not just protectiveness. When the custody battle gets vicious, and Mike realizes he may be doing more harm than good, he sets her free, even though he doesn't want to let her go.

Many times, Mike, Donna, or both get involved in situations that complicate their lives. Many of these situations are laugh-out-loud funny, while a few are deeply emotional. I loved the fight on the baseball field and Donna's method of ending it. I adored Mike's big moment when he went to bat for Donna in the custody battle.

The changes Mike and Donna experienced throughout the book show how they learned about who they were and what was important to them. I especially liked how Mike helped Donna see what a warm, wonderful, and outstanding mother she was.

Secondary characters in the book played essential parts in the story. I loved getting to know other Catfish players like Trevor, Dwight, and Jim. Their support of Mike after his return from Chicago was heartwarming. I also like the team owner, Crush, and his love for his team. Donna's ex, Harvey, is a wimp throughout the book. His fiancée, Bonita, is a nasty piece of work who needs to be taken down a peg or two. The power family in town, the Wades, have far too much influence, and it's always fun to see someone go up against them and win. I loved Mike's brother Joey and his belief in Mike. His story was inspiring and heartbreaking and had a profound effect on Mike. show less

Terrific take off on the movie It's a Wonderful Life. Dean Mulligan is the last single man on the A shift at San Gabriel Station 1. He's a bit rough around the edges and has had the reputation of being a bit of a player. He's a bit of a Grinch around Christmas, thanks to too many bad memories associated with the holidays when he was a kid. He's fallen hard for Lizzie, but doesn't believe that he's good enough for her. Lizzie is in love with Dean, but can't get him to see what they could have show more together. She's almost ready to move on with her life but hates to give up without a fight.

I liked both Dean and Lizzie. Being the youngest, with four older brothers, Lizzie is used to standing up for herself and fighting for what she wants. She knows that Dean has had some bad times in his life - she's seen the scars on his body - but she also sees the good and caring man under the rough exterior. Dean was terrific. He is fantastic at his job and has the respect and liking of his fellow firefighters. However, he had so many people put him down as he was growing up that he feels that he isn't relationship material.

I loved the relationship between Dean and Lizzie. There were sparks between them from the beginning, though Dean tried to ignore them. I loved some of the early scenes between them, from the baseball game where she tried to take him out to the party where she made her move on him. I ached for them both when he pushed her away because of his insecurities.

Things take a scary turn when a fire at a strip mall traps Dean in, of all places, a Christmas store. As he lays there, thinking it's the end for him, he's visited by his own version of Clarence the angel. I loved getting Dean's history and seeing the things that made him the man he is. It was especially great to see how that angel opened his eyes and gave him a new perspective on his life. While all of that was going on inside the store, on the outside Dean's fellow firefighters were working hard to get him out. I loved their support of Lizzie as she waited for news, and the way they got her involved in the rescue attempt. It's a heartwarming scene as both Dean and Lizzie come to terms with their feelings. I loved Dean's big moment - it was sweet and romantic, but also pretty funny. The ending was terrific, especially with Lizzie's Christmas gift to Dean.

I loved seeing all the firefighters from the previous books, even those who have moved on, as they showed up at the fire scene to lend a hand. It shows how tight a bond there is among them, even those that didn't know Dean. I will miss seeing this band of brothers (and sisters) and hope that maybe there will be some guest appearances in later books. I also noted that the scene with Dean and his fellow baseball player created a nice lead into the next series. show less

I've been waiting to read Vader's story and it was definitely worth the wait. In previous books, Vader has been the fun loving one, a bit of a clown, and frequently up to mischief. In this book, we discover that there is more to Vader than meets the eye.

Vader and his girlfriend Cherie have an on-again, off-again relationship. Vader is in love with her and wants her to marry him. Bu every time things start to get serious between them, Cherie pulls back. She tells him she cares, but she show more doesn't want marriage. He's really tempted to just end the relationship entirely out of frustration, but he can't picture his life without Cherie in it. Cherie is just as much in love with Vader, but she's got trouble in her past that she doesn't want to inflict on him. When her sister Trixie unexpectedly arrives in San Gabriel, that trouble isn't far behind.

I loved Vader. He's always been a fun character, and getting to know him better just made me love him more. Though he's always been the fun guy to his fellow firemen, he has another life that none of them know about. He has been responsible for his handicapped mother since he was fourteen and his father walked out on them. He hasn't told his friends about her because he doesn't want anyone looking at him with pity, but it also means that he has no backup when he needs help. I loved his relationship with his mom. It was loving, but also real, as he had to deal with her opinion of his girlfriend, her desire to see him married, and the complications of taking care of her. Add in his crazy relationship with Cherie and the last thing he needs is more to do. Then someone suggests that he try out for a promotion to Captain and he seriously considers it. It's going to take some serious study time, plus a revamping of his reputation, but it can be done.

I liked Cherie, too. She's strong and independent, and has made something of herself. She grew up in rural Arkansas in a family of thirteen kids, with a seriously whacko father. She and her older brother made their escape, leaving trouble behind them, but always afraid that it would catch up with them. She hasn't told anyone about her past, even Vader. She shares her house with two friends of her brother's, musicians who feel that it is their job to protect Cherie from guys like Vader. Cherie has a tendency to mother them, but she also doesn't let them really interfere in her life. When her sister arrives, Cherie's life becomes even more chaotic, as she tries to keep Trixie out of trouble too.

The relationship between Vader and Cherie is complicated, mostly because of their unwillingness to share their secrets. Vader is so afraid of being pitied that he shuts out the very people who care the most for him. Likewise, if she would just share her past with Vader, she would discover that it isn't as dire as she believes, When a fire at his house brings his worlds crashing together, Vader discovers that far from being pitied, he is admired for his dedication. I loved seeing how it is Cherie that steps in to help Vader and his mother, and how helping them ends up helping her. It was sweet to see Vader's mom helping Cherie deal with her sister. When the truth about Cherie's past finally comes out, Vader is unhappy about not being told before, but his protectiveness and love for Cherie really come to the forefront. Once all the secrets are out, Vader and Cherie can finally look at that future they want together.

As always with the Firemen books, there are places that are laugh out loud funny and others that are truly heartwarming. I loved seeing Cherie teach Vader the tango, and the resulting steam. Some of the antics that Vader and his fellow firefighters get up to are hysterical, such as the episode with the firepole at the bar. Vader and Cherie try to deal with Trixie and the trouble she gets into, with mixed results. There were times when I wondered if she was really that naive, or if she was playing them for her own reasons. The ending was really good with an interesting twist involving their brother. I loved how Vader came through for everyone when trouble showed up, showing that he's much more capable than even he believed. show less