Review: Wicked Flame by Ella Frank
SYNOPSIS:
Jameson
Life is hard. I learned that at an early age growing up on the South Side of Chicago. I accepted it, even came to expect it. With a sister who was a constant source of worry, and a track record of losing anyone even remotely close to me, trouble seemed to follow me no matter where I turned.
Some people were born lucky. I was just born.
That’s what I used to believe, anyway, until GQ. The gorgeous guy in the fancy clothes who for some reason decided to look twice at me. He gave me a place to call my own, a space to feel safe, and he made me believe in the impossible—that love was more than just a four-letter word.
Ryan
Life is unexpected. I learned that just recently when I walked into a bar on the South Side and found the love of my life—Jameson Clarke.
He’s everything I’ve always wanted, and yet somehow even better than I imagined. He’s brave, brash, protective of those he loves, and under all that bravado is a vulnerability that calls to my very soul.
Jameson’s a storm cloud, but he thinks I’m the sun. If that’s true, then I’m determined to break through the shadows of his past and steal his heart the way he’s stolen mine.
REVIEW:
I don’t know exactly what I was expecting starting this book but I was excited to see Ryan and Jameson get their happily-ever-after. What I wasn’t anticipating was Ella Frank completely ripping my heart out and making me ugly cry to get there. This book put me through the rollercoaster of emotions ringer.
This is the story in which Jameson finally lets down his walls and lets Ryan in. I wasn’t really sure what all kind of pain Jameson was harboring but when everything was revealed, I found myself sobbing. It was completely gutting and as Ryan picked up the pieces and put Jameson back together, he was also putting me back together. The pain and anguish radiated from the pages of the story but so does the hope. Because now that Jameson shares his past, he can finally begin healing from it.
Jameson and Ryan’s romance in this story was a beautiful journey. They had just as many tender, heart-felt moments as they did sizzling ones. I couldn’t get enough of this book and when I would stop to do something else, I found both men on my mind. There is a blip of drama with Jameson’s sister, Amy, but Jameson quickly remedies that because he isn’t here for her baggage anymore and he certainly isn’t going to let anything come between him and his man.
I just loved the character growth in this book. Jameson comes leaps and bounds and Ryan has a few surprising sides that we also get to meet. And while the story definitely has its heavy moments, there is also plenty of laugh-out-loud banter, such as when Ryan shows his competitive nature. And as is tried and true with any Ella Frank book centered in Chicago, there are delightful character cameos that will leave you with a smile if you have read her previous works. I can’t wait to dive into Olsen’s story next.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“Fate had led us to this moment, and I truly believed that love was going to keep us here.”
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