REVIEW: 'A Walk Through Fire' by Felice Stevens
Title: A Walk Through Fire
Series: Through Hell and Back Book 1
Author: Felice Stevens
Published: November 8, 2016
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Erotic Romance; Contemporary Romance
Length: 287 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Coming Out; Friends to Lovers; GFY; CW: Trauma - On & Off Page; CW: Sexual Abuse - Off Page
BLURB: Years after running away from an abusive foster family, Asher Davis still struggles with the guilt of leaving his foster brothers behind. He’s climbed to unimaginable heights as a ruthless, high-powered attorney, creating a life of power and control and takes whatever and whomever he wants.
Blaming himself for the death of his parents, Dr. Drew Klein retreats into a shell of loneliness, merely going through the motions of life. After a disastrous, short-lived marriage, Drew leaves his lucrative medical practice to set up a clinic for abused young men and women. The decision has more repercussions than Drew could ever imagine when the dark and sensual Ash Davis volunteers to help.
Although Drew isn’t gay, Ash is inexplicably drawn to him. He vows to simply bed him and forget him like he's done with every other man. However, Drew's sweet and caring nature and unexpected passion both stun and frighten Ash, who questions his right to any happiness at all. And when Ash befriends an abused young man who unwittingly draws the clinic into danger, threatening Drew’s safety and that of his beloved grandmother, Ash discovers that there is nothing he won’t sacrifice to protect the love he never thought he’d find.
This is a re-edited version of the original book published in 2014. Over 12,000 words have been added.
4 HEART READ
REVIEW:
Having previously read a few stories by Felice Stevens I was keen to read her latest release, A Walk Through Fire, book one in her Through Hell and Back series.
It’s the story of Drew and Ash, two men who initially don’t like one another, but over time (and through mutual interests) become friends; before their feelings deepen into something much more.
Dr. Drew - as he’s known to the kids at the centre he started, provides medical assistance to children in need and Ash is brought in to provide his legal expertise to the venture.
They develop an uneasy friendship and find themselves opening up to each other in ways they never have to anyone else before.
Drew is a man haunted by his past tragedy. Ash is a mystery man who seems to have built an impenetrable wall around himself, intriguing Drew about who Ash really is.
Being straight, Drew has never been so drawn to another man the way he is to Ash. Ash, who has never hidden his homosexuality, finds himself having trouble resisting his attraction to Drew.
It's just friendship though - right?
Even if Drew finds himself replaying in his mind the sneak peek he got at Ash’s tumultuous love life....especially when he’s alone and horny.
I found Stevens’ telling of this story to be very engaging and emotional with some thrilling aspects that kept me turning the pages. I wasn’t totally convinced of the dynamics with some of the characters, but that didn’t detract from the storyline at all.
If you enjoy the “friends to lovers”’ trope I think you’ll like the journey A Walk Through Fire travels. I found Drew and Ash’s transition to be quite believable and it was suitably hot. There’s plenty of romance and suspense components to make this more than just an erotic read.
A copy of A Walk Through Fire was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Felice Stevens, in exchange for our fair and honest opinion.
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Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending just around the corner. She started reading traditional historical romances when she was a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels became renewed.
But somewhere along the way, her tastes shifted. While she still enjoys a juicy Historical romance, she began experimenting with newer, more cutting edge genres and discovered the world of Male/Male romance. And once she picked up her first, she became so enamored of the authors, the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion of the books, she knew she wanted to write her own.
Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of her own. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. She practices law but daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.
