Scan barcode
anasatticbookblog's review
5.0
Combust by K. Bromberg
Narrated by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt
Adult Contemporary. Easily Stands Alone.
I started listening to Combust right before the shootings here in Parkland, and I have to give K. Bromberg credit. That book was one of the only things that that helped me escape during one of the darkest times ever. Just like in Cuffed, Combust was SO MUCH MORE than the cover leads you to believe. As much as I loved Cuffed, it didn’t even occur to me that Combust and Cuffed were related until I was almost done with the book, these stories both easily stand alone.
Dylan is a songwriter. After catching her partner and lover, a famous rock star, in bed with another, she just needs to get away, so her brother hooks her up with a friend who has had a bit of a rough go of it lately, but has an extra room. It’s perfect for Dylan, because she unfortunately still needs to fulfill her contract and write songs for her ex-asshole, but she doesn’t need to be in the same city to do it.
“His everyday service uniform is hot. His Class A’s are sexy. But this, his yellow turnouts with reflective tape, red suspenders, and no shirt on underneath are everything and then some. Perfection with a little bit of grit thrown in.”
Grady Malone is such a good guy. So good that when a friend calls the firefighter to ask if his sister can stay in his empty room, he wouldn’t even consider saying no. Because he is selfless, a giver. He has been through hell and back and beats himself up for it daily, but all the good is still there in Grady.
The initial chemistry and attraction between Grady and Dylan is immediate and leapt of the pages. They both had baggage, especially Grady, and he really really needed someone like Dylan in his life, even though she was only there, away from her LA home, for a short time.
“It’s my name on his lips now. It’s my hands he crushes as the haze engulfs him. It’s my body he uses until he’s spent and lying on top of me, breath labored and lips pressed against the underside of my jaw as our heartbeats struggle to calm.”
Combust was longish, and it really gave the relationship time to develop and grow. It gave us time to uncover their backgrounds. It was paced perfectly and never dragged at any point.
“We all have scars. Some are visible, some aren’t. In the end, they represent the fact that you’re stronger now than whatever tried to hurt you.”
Grady was so damaged, watching the love of a good woman heal him was satisfying and emotional and just the kind of thing we all love reading about.
“When I’m with you, I forget the bad. I’m kissing you because when I’m with you, my mind stops and the world starts turning again”
Likes:
- •I love that it stood alone and you don’t need to remember details of the previous book.
- •So much more than the cover lets on!
- •Long enough to flesh out the story without being too long.
- •So much emotion, but never overwhelmingly sad (I couldn’t have handled too much sad).
- •The chemistry was amazing.
- •The light-hearted, sweet and sexy moments balance out the emotion perfectly.
Dislikes:
- •This wasn’t quite as funny or as deeply emotional as the first. It didn’t have the extreme highs and lows, but it still balanced perfectly.
- •The cover makes the book seem way lighter than it is.
The Narration:
Sebastian York and Andi Arndt are two of my favorite narrators, but I really appreciate when other narrators are used. I think I would have preferred if she stuck with the narrators from the first book.
The Down & Dirty:
Combust is again one of my favorite books. K. Bromberg has a unique talent of combining a ton of emotion with lighthearted humor and banter. I didn’t even remember it was related to Cuffed until I was almost done with the book, so it is not necessary to read Cuffed first, though you really should because it was one of my 2017 favorites. If you look for a book that has it all—heat, humor, emotion, angst and a unique story, look no further. I highly recommend this series, it is so much more than the covers suggest.
Rating: 4.75 Stars, 4.5 Heat, 4.5 Narration
Purchase Combust by K. Bromberg
maferg01's review
4.0
With incredible care, K. Bromberg tackles the difficult topic of body image by giving us a scarred firefighter and a average bodied woman in Hollywood who is judged for not being model thin. These 2 meet after Dylan breaks up with her cheating boyfriend. Looking for a place to crash away from L.A. and her ex, she reaches out to her brother. She winds up in Grady's extra bedroom as a favor to her brother. These two tiptoe around each other until a situation forces them together. As each accepts the other, we delve into their deep insecurities about their own body images and also fears about taking the next steps with their careers. They lend each other strength and understanding, prodding the other to make small steps toward conquering fears. In this growth, you have a sweet love story that leads to a HEA and for these very likable characters, who could be any one of us (maybe not in profession but in hidden insecurities), you just want them to get to that HEA. They fight it tooth and nail the whole time.
I listened to this title. Andi Arndt and Sebastian York give emotion filled performances that evoke feelings in the listener. You are right there in fear, in sadness, relief, and joy. And steamy scenes too. A wonderful listen that is not angst filled and perfect for when you just want to sit back and enjoy the story!
I listened to this title. Andi Arndt and Sebastian York give emotion filled performances that evoke feelings in the listener. You are right there in fear, in sadness, relief, and joy. And steamy scenes too. A wonderful listen that is not angst filled and perfect for when you just want to sit back and enjoy the story!
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review
4.0
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.Grady, Grady, Grady. He was charming, funny, haunted and an absolute must-add to any book boyfriend list.
Youngest of the Malone brothers, Grady has spent the past two years working his way back to firefighting form after a horrible tragedy. He puts on a great act for his family and friends, hoping they believe he's healing. It's not until a high school friend reaches out asking Grady to help his little sister that he finally understands what it means to rise above.
Dylan was the perfect match for Grady. She had her own issues to work through, but Grady quickly was able to provide Dylan friendship, some laughs and a way to stick it to her cheating ex-boyfriend. But at the same time, he showed her that what she believed growing up was more about the type of person her dad was and not a blanket statement about those who risk their lives every day. And while Grady focused a lot of energy on Dylan, she worked her way under his skin and helped him understand that he could overcome what he's faced and still honor his best friend.
K. Bromberg is the queen of angsty, emotional read and she outdoes herself with this one. I adored Grady. He was tortured, but he also had the perfect mix of charm and character to give you a little bit of breathing room as you jumped into the story. You could laugh, fan yourself from the hotness and clutch at your chest as this couples' story unfolded. It was the perfect mix and an absolute joy to read.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.Grady, Grady, Grady. He was charming, funny, haunted and an absolute must-add to any book boyfriend list.
Youngest of the Malone brothers, Grady has spent the past two years working his way back to firefighting form after a horrible tragedy. He puts on a great act for his family and friends, hoping they believe he's healing. It's not until a high school friend reaches out asking Grady to help his little sister that he finally understands what it means to rise above.
Dylan was the perfect match for Grady. She had her own issues to work through, but Grady quickly was able to provide Dylan friendship, some laughs and a way to stick it to her cheating ex-boyfriend. But at the same time, he showed her that what she believed growing up was more about the type of person her dad was and not a blanket statement about those who risk their lives every day. And while Grady focused a lot of energy on Dylan, she worked her way under his skin and helped him understand that he could overcome what he's faced and still honor his best friend.
K. Bromberg is the queen of angsty, emotional read and she outdoes herself with this one. I adored Grady. He was tortured, but he also had the perfect mix of charm and character to give you a little bit of breathing room as you jumped into the story. You could laugh, fan yourself from the hotness and clutch at your chest as this couples' story unfolded. It was the perfect mix and an absolute joy to read.
beccafrazer's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
shellysbookcorner's review
5.0
Grady and Dylan are thrown together when she needs a break from her cheating ex musician boyfriend. They pretend to be a fake couple for her sake but real feelings develop. I loved these kind of stories and this one did not disappoint. Grady seemed like your typical hottie playboy at first but he was far from it. Grady was sweet, caring, thoughtful but he also came with baggage and flaws. His character caught me by surprise and I loved him, flaws and all.
Dylan like most women has insecurities especially after being cheated on and made to feel inferior by the other woman. Grady did such a wonderful job building her confidence and I loved him even more. Even though he had issues of his own he wanted her to love herself. I loved that both characters were not without flaws and were able to heal each other during this story. This was a very powerful story of love, healing, second chances, facing your insecurities and having hope for a better tomorrow.
K. Bromberg continues to blow me away with each book in this series. I thought Cuffed was amazing but Combust completely shattered me in a good way. Each book in this series keeps getting better and better. Bromberg delivered a book that made me smile, laugh, and feel. Bromberg writing was excellent in this story and I can’t wait for the next book.
“Received an ARC for which I voluntarily provided an honest review."
Dylan like most women has insecurities especially after being cheated on and made to feel inferior by the other woman. Grady did such a wonderful job building her confidence and I loved him even more. Even though he had issues of his own he wanted her to love herself. I loved that both characters were not without flaws and were able to heal each other during this story. This was a very powerful story of love, healing, second chances, facing your insecurities and having hope for a better tomorrow.
K. Bromberg continues to blow me away with each book in this series. I thought Cuffed was amazing but Combust completely shattered me in a good way. Each book in this series keeps getting better and better. Bromberg delivered a book that made me smile, laugh, and feel. Bromberg writing was excellent in this story and I can’t wait for the next book.
“Received an ARC for which I voluntarily provided an honest review."
bookflutter's review
5.0
Five Amazing Stars for Combust!
All consuming! One you won't put down! One that will stick with you long after you've read it. Combust will leave your heart full and complete.
Dylan has just had her life rocked. Her cheating rockstar boyfriend wasn't only her boyfriend but he was also her writing companion. Now she needs a break after finding her boyfriend in the arms of someone else. She needs an escape. After a call to her brother she ends up in Sunnyvale.
Brody is living life at his pace. Stuck. He's living with some fears and a whole lot of guilt. A firefighter in Sunnyvale, He's not living as he should be until he finds his new roommate in his house. Dylan. The game then changes.
We have to break down walls and get through the guilt and the way that K. Bromberg writes this is a journey of its own. We go through many emotions and we laugh, we cry and we hope! These two are meant to be but it takes a lot of heartache to get it to happen.
I was hooked from page one and couldn't flip the pages fast enough to get to the end. I loved every single thing about this book. Combust will make your heart swoon and leave you very happy. Highly recommended.
All consuming! One you won't put down! One that will stick with you long after you've read it. Combust will leave your heart full and complete.
Dylan has just had her life rocked. Her cheating rockstar boyfriend wasn't only her boyfriend but he was also her writing companion. Now she needs a break after finding her boyfriend in the arms of someone else. She needs an escape. After a call to her brother she ends up in Sunnyvale.
Brody is living life at his pace. Stuck. He's living with some fears and a whole lot of guilt. A firefighter in Sunnyvale, He's not living as he should be until he finds his new roommate in his house. Dylan. The game then changes.
We have to break down walls and get through the guilt and the way that K. Bromberg writes this is a journey of its own. We go through many emotions and we laugh, we cry and we hope! These two are meant to be but it takes a lot of heartache to get it to happen.
I was hooked from page one and couldn't flip the pages fast enough to get to the end. I loved every single thing about this book. Combust will make your heart swoon and leave you very happy. Highly recommended.