Blog Tour: Kissing Fire by: A. M. Hargrove

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Kissing Fire

By:  A.M. Hargrove

Published: April 15, 2013

Mature Content:  18 & Up

Source:  Author

Tour Host:  AToMR Tours

GR's Summary:

Preston Mitchell, undercover DEA agent, has led a life of danger and obscurity. Knowing his job would never allow a normal relationship, he’s never opened himself up to any woman...that is until the lovely Avery Middleton stumbles into his life.

To the outsider, Avery has it all...wealth, family, connections and a great job. But on the inside, she’s miserable. Her social life is in the dumpster, the kooky gal next door has some zany plans for her and her selfish mother drives Avery to the point of insanity. Her only salvation is to get out of Charleston and start a new life. So that’s precisely what she does. She moves to Seattle and steps right into the path of hot and sexy, Preston.

Unfortunately for both of them, Avery ends up being in the wrong place at the wrong time and is now running for her life. But she’s not alone. She has a gorgeous DEA agent protecting her and suddenly finds herself irresistibly captivated by him. There’s only one problem. Preston carries more than his share of mental baggage, courtesy of his job. His covert missions have put him in places and situations he can barely stand to think about. Avery rocks Preston’s world because she is nothing like anyone he’s ever met and something extraordinary begins to happen between them. But can their love survive in this world, where danger, intrigue and deception lurk on every corner?

Welcome to my tour stop of Kissing Fire by A. M. Hargrove.  If you would like to follow the rest of the tour, click here.

My Take on this Journey

Kissing Fire by A. M. Hargrove, was a great book full of mystery, intrigue, suspense, and humor.  It was a light read compared to some of the novels I have been reviewing lately.

The story opens with Avery, (Ava) Middleton, who is from a wealthy family in Charleston, South Carolina.  Avery has two brother's that are doctors.  She is very insecure about her looks, weight, and overall persona, because of her mother's constant belittling over the years.  Avery is actually a quirky, funny, beautiful girl, with blue-green eyes, and is very shapely, with a lot of hang-ups.  She accepts a job, at a place called, Software Plus, on the West Coast and tells her parents two days before she is booked to leave on a plane for Seattle. Her mother is a drama queen, and her father wishes her goodluck.  She makes arrangements for her duplex, and has her friend Melissa, (a 300 lb. sumo wrestler) keep an eye out until everything is finalized.  Melissa is a crazy gal, who has some outlandish style, and ideas, but is loyal, and has saved Avery from being raped.  Melissa gives Avery a going away gift that almost lands Avery in jail, cause they mistake it for a bomb.

Avery has a brother named Justin, who lives with his wife Caroline in Seattle.  Avery figures she can go see her brother, and meet his new wife that the family has not met yet.  While at her brother's house, Avery meets Caroline's brother, (who is staying with them for a few weeks) going by the alias, Miles Patterson, and tells Avery he is Caroline's friend, not her brother. 

Miles, (Preston), 35 years old, is actually a DEA agent, who has been undercover for over 7 years, working to shut down the Mexican Drug Cartel.  He has been on the streets, undercover as a drug addict, done time in the pen, and lost pretty much all of himself, because of his duty to his country, and the agency.  He is a beautifully sculpted tattooed man, sexy as hell, (and know's how to use his sex appeal to his advantage.)  He also has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and is filled with self-loathing.  He walks through life, never allowing himself to feel anything, till he meets Avery.  Then all bets are off.  When he meets Avery the sparks fly for both of them.  They are thrown into a whirlwind of danger and secrets.

Kissing Fire was written in dual perspective, fast paced, full of humor, laughter, sex, friendship, sadness, grief, and soul searching.  I liked this novel, though Avery's character could be a bit quirky, and out there at times!  Yet, it worked well with the storyline.  The characters were well developed, and grew with the novel.  The prose were great, love scenes were steamy, and I was able to feel compassion for the characters.  There is so much to this story that I don't want to spoil it.  There were a lot of twists, turns, great suspense, and a ton of thrills.  Ms. Hargrove did an excellent job, and I look forward to reading more of her novels in the future. 

I give Kissing Fire, by A. M. Hargrove 4 Fast Paced, Thrilling, Self-Sacrificing, Scary, All Consuming Stars. 

My Favorite Quotes:

"Boy oh boy, was Just Miles hot.  Make that boiling. Scorching.  Molten lava kind of hot.  Messy dark brown, slightly wavy hair that was not long but not short either.  And, oh what a mouth he had.  It made me want to jump on board and ride that train for life.  His lips were the perfect kind of full and every so often, he'd run his tongue across them and I'd automatically squirm.  His face was pure angular
perfection...high cheekbones with those slight hollows beneath them, that were the perfect shape to accomodate my lips.  But those eyes...my oh my.  They were golden brown, like coffee with lots of cream.  I could only imagine what they looked like right when he was climaxing."  (eARC pg. 41)

"Please don't deny me of this, he begged.  I looked at him and, oh dear God, he was nothing less than magnificent.  The sheer sight of him stole my breath and turned my blood into liquid fire, leaving me burning with lust and desire.  I wanted to carve him into my memory, so I would have this sight to cherish forever." (eARC Pg. 129)

"Then, we shared an unbelievably hot kiss...I mean a toe curling, tummy tightening kiss.  Next, sweet honey Preston tells me he won't have sex with me (will someone pinch me?)  until things are right emotionally (pinch me again, please) and he's never felt that way about a girl before."  (eARC pg. 113)

Purchase At:

Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Smashwords | Kobo

About the Author:

One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager, A. M. Hargrove, realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn't do something soon, it would quickly be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life.  So, she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase.  Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodgeball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head.  Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what lap top out the window.   She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone and hit #4 on her speed dial.

Boss:  Hello

A.M.:  Boss, is that you?

Boss:  Why yes, A. M., who else would be answering my phone?

A.M.:  Er... right.  Well, I'm calling to let you know you can pick up my luxury Ford Focus at Starbucks near the interstate.

Boss:  Why ever would I want to do that?

A.M.:  Because I quit!

A.M. hit the end button and speed dialed her husband.

A.M.:  Hi hubs, can you pick me up at Starbucks?

Hubs:  Sure... Having some car trouble?

A.M.:  Not at all.  I don't have a car to have trouble with because I just quit my job.

Hubs:  WHAT?!

A.M.:  It's time for a new career and I am going to be a very famous novelist.

So began A. M. Hargrove's career as a YA/NA and Adult Romance writer! Her books include Kissing Fire, Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, the series the Guardians of Vesturon (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, Beginnings and the upcoming reEmergent) and Dark Waltz. 

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Giveaway:

1 Print Copy of Kissing Fire-U.S./Canada

1 $50.00 Amazon Gift Card-open to countries able to accept Amazon Gift Cards

5 eBook Copies of Kissing Fire-International

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