Today I am so pleased to welcome Annabeth Albert to Joyfully Jay. Annabeth has come to talk to us about her latest release, Burn Zone. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

Hi! I am so happy today to be on Joyfully Jay, a blog I just adore, as we count down to BURN ZONE, which is the first in my sexy new smoke jumper series set in Central Oregon amid the wildfire season.  It’s a brother’s best friend romance that showcases the forbidden attraction between a sunny newbie smoke jumper and an older, more jaded veteran. Long-time readers know that I LOVE my research. Exploring new places and new occupations is so much fun for me. And smoke jumpers was no exception! I loved delving deep into my research, and I think fans of my SEAL books will really like this series as well because it has a lot of the same feels. And I have to tell you, I love smoke jumpers every bit as much as SEALs as far as heroes go.

What makes them such attractive hero material? I’ve got a list!

  • Muscles, muscles, muscles. It’s superficial sure, but under all that gear and hardhats, they all have enviable bodies. There are a variety of shapes and sizes, but they all share a fitness level most mortals will never achieve—able to rattle off pushup s and pullups and able to pack-out hundreds of pounds of gear across several miles with a tight time deadline and a deadly fire at their heels. They have strong core strength from all their jump training and most have super fast reflexes honed from years in the field.
  • Intriguing skillsets. It’s not all brawn. It’s brains too. They can wield axes and chainsaws one moment and wrestle over complicated logistics the next. They have neat skills you might not expect like sewing and the ability to repair their own gear.
  • Thirst for danger and adventure. They hurl themselves out of perfectly good airplanes, many times each wildfire season. They leap into dangerous situations and face deadly consequences for each misstep. Most of them are adrenaline junkies with good reason—this a heart pounding occupation, and you better love defeating danger to stick with it long term.
  • Taking on tasks others can’t. Undoubtedly part of that thirst for adventure is also a love of being a superhero. Most of us can’t scale giant trees and out run huge fires. Few people are skilled enough at skydiving to be able to pull off the sorts of maneuvers smoke jumpers do routinely. Impressing people comes naturally to them.
  • Willing to risk their lives for their teammates. But it’s not all about ego either! It’s all about the team. The men and women they jump with. The people they train alongside. The support crew. The pilots. The leaders. They all work together. If you like the “band of brothers” feel of SEAL books, you’ll love this, because smoke jumpers are constantly in team-first situations where the success of the whole team depends on their next action.
  • Putting everything on the line for the greater good. And all that teamwork is for a common purpose: to save their communities from danger. They are keeping all of us safe and preserving our precious natural resources!
  • Deep feels. The success of the team and the interdependence of its members inspires deep and abiding loyalty to each other that goes beyond mere friendship or coworker situations. And these deep emotions translate to other relationships too—these are people who FEEL and feel deeply even as they take on dangerous tasks and put it all on the line.
  • Sexy pent up energy. And okay, let’s admit it. They are sexy too! All that adrenaline and heart pounding has to go somewhere right? Don’t you want to be around when they decide to let loose? Uh huh. You know you do! Bring on the downtime and stress relief!

So there you have it! All the things I love about smoke jumpers. How about you? What’s your favorite profession to read about? What do you love about it? Do you have any favorite fire fighting heroes! Discuss! And I do hope you check out BURN ZONE and get your copy! Take care and stay safe!


Blurb

Introducing Annabeth Albert’s Hotshots series—the emotions and intensity of Chicago Fire with the raw, natural elements of Man vs. Wild

Danger lurks everywhere for Central Oregon’s fire crews, but the biggest risk of all might be losing their hearts…

Smoke jumper Lincoln Reid is speechless to see Jacob Hartman among his squad’s new recruits. Linc had promised his late best friend he’d stay away from his little brother. And yet here Jacob is…and almost instantly, the same temptation Linc has always felt around him is causing way too many problems.

Jacob gets everyone’s concerns, but he’s waited years for his shot at joining the elite smoke jumping team, hoping to honor his brother’s memory. He’s ready to tackle any challenge Linc throws his way, and senses the chemistry between them—chemistry Linc insists on ignoring—is still alive and kicking. This time, Jacob’s determined to get what he wants.

Close quarters and high stakes make it difficult for Linc to keep his resolve, never mind do so while also making sure the rookie’s safe. But the closer they get, the more Linc’s plan to leave at the end of the season risks him breaking another promise: the one his heart wants to make to Jacob.


Bio

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Connect with Annabeth Albert

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