Light My Fire

De: J. Kenner

Narrado por: Noah Michael Levine

I don’t do relationships. I’ve lived my life hiding my scars, revealing myself only in the scripts I write and the characters I voice. Few people know the real me. I’m too careful. Too afraid of getting burned all over again.

Enter Beverly Martin. A movie star. A woman so beautiful and caring she makes my heart ache. She says she wants me - and her touch almost makes me believe a girl like her could love a man like me. But being with her would mean letting the spotlight of fame shine on me, too. I’m not sure I can do that - even if walking away means losing the woman I love.

©2018 Julie Kenner (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Griff finally gets a girl!

Griffin has been a fixture at the Sixth since book 1...we know that he hides his burn scars under a hoodie...and that he's super smart. This is finally his story. Griff is attracted to movie star Beverly Martin, who emcees for the Man of the Month contest, but she could never be attracted to a badly scarred introvert, right? Wrong! Bev was first drawn to Griff by his writing but now she want to know more about the quiet Griff. She knows that he was severely burned in a fire as a child and that he hides away from the world. They have been together working on a movie script and need to do final edits. When Bev shows up at Griff's house and he is so lost in working on his car that he doesn't hear her...and she sees all of his scars...will she run or will she prove to Griff that he's more than his scars? Beverly proves to be more than a pretty face, she sees the man behind the scars and she's still into him. The pair begin dating but can Griff stay hidden in the shadows as Beverly begins to travel to promote her next movie? This was a fast paced story but very well done...one of my favorites in the series.

Griffin (Mr November) & Beverly

▪▪▪Review contains spoilers▪▪▪

Audible Escapes review. Dual unmarked POV. Man of the Month book 11 of 12. Narrator does an ok job. Teared up several times. Trigger warnings: burn victims, paparazzi.

**uncertain of the spelling of character names**

This 12 book series covers 12 male calendar models. The calendar was created as a source of marketing revenue for The Fix on Sixth bar. Griffin Draper (aka Griff, cowboy, Griffin Blaze) only has a nub for a pinkie finger after he was burned with 4th degree burns to his right side trying to make himself smores on the grill when he was 12, moved to Austin 2 years ago, met Beverly 5 months ago, writes a popular webcast that was turned into a web series, voice actor, taught himself how to work on classic cars when he was a teenager, renovated his own home, grew up in Santa Barbara, sister Kelsey. Beverly Martin (aka Bev, beautiful) Austin native, actress & emcee for TFo6. Griffin gets a movie deal from a script he wrote. TFo6 remodel is done. 'The Business Plan' premieres. Griffin & Beverly watch her movie and finally get physical. They go to TFo6 to celebrate their relationship. TFo6 has been graffitied, Elena rushes in to speak to Tyree & Brent. Griffin & Beverly go to CA for her movie premiere, Griffin wears a disguise to cover his scars shi that he can go to her premiere, lots of press surrounding him because they can't discern his identity. They go back home, a photographer takes Griffin's pic, the pic goes viral along with his life's details, they temporarily break up but get back together when the 15 year old burn victim he visits calls him out. Griffin wins the Mr November contest & they're HFN.

Side characters: Matthew Holt (film producer). Evie Morrison (Matthew Holt & Griffin's entertainment lawyer). Van (Griffin's manager). Christopher Deaver (aka Chris; director for Griffin's movie script; Beverly's friend & former director). Kelsey (Griffin's sister; dancer; married to Wyatt after posing for erotic pictures for him). Evelyn Dodge (Beverly's manager). Matthew Herrington (Griffin's personal trainer; Mr October; gym owner). Megan (make-up artist). Wyatt Segel (Griffin's brother-in-law). Megan (Griffin's close friend; dating Parker). Reece Walker (TFo6 co-owner; Mr January; dating Jenna). Jenna Montgomery (Reece's best friend & girlfriend; 6 months pregnant). Parker Manning (dating Megan). Spencer & Brooke ('The Business Plan' hosts; dating; Spencer was Mr February). Derek. Eric (Tfo6 bartender). Tyree (black; engaged to Eva after being separated for over 20 years; Elena's dad). Eva (Tyree's fiancée; Elena's mom). Elena Anderson (23; Eva &Tyree's daughter). Mina (Griffin's former intern; dating & living with Cameron). Carmon Reed (aka Cam; TFo6 bartender; dating & living with Mina). Selma (Matthew's sister; owns a local distillery; dating Easton). Brent Sinclair (TFo6 co-owner & head of security; 5 year old daughter Faith; former cop). Easton (lawyer; dating Selma). David (Beverly's film co-star). Wyatt (Kelsey's husband; photographer; has a big Hollywood family). Bird (Griffin's friend & a director). Beverly's dad (unnamed; pilot; cheater; divorced). Beverly's mom (unnamed; stay-at-home mom; divorced). Damien Stark (former tennis star turned billionaire CEO of Stark International; married to Nikki). Nikki (Damien's wife). Jessie (15 year old burn victim; burned in a house fire her dad set). Faith (5; Brent's daughter)

Epilogue: Brent & Elena are introduced as the next couple. JP

2 stars

This is a short romance, so I expected there to be limited development of the relationship/characters but this story felt like I was starting at the 30 percent mark. Maybe it's necessary to read previous books in the series to fully enjoy this book as I can only assume the development of the main character's connection occurred in previous books.

Since the book starts with a lot of previous bonding experiences being told to the reader instead of experiencing it on page, I don't really feel the connection between the characters as the story progresses. It doesn't help that I don't particularly like the way the story progresses.

SPOILERS: Instead of love bringing the MMC out of his shell naturally, this story goes the route of the FMC giving him an ultimatum to quit hiding. I am not a fan of ultimatums and I'm definitely not a fan of ultimatums when dealing with the subject of mental health and/or trauma. I suppose the story was going for, "FMC gives tough love to MMC and forces him to face his fear and grow," but I would have preferred, "FMC demonstrates loving kindness and understanding to MMC and love gives the MMC strength to face his fears for the woman he loves." The ultimatum in this story demonstrates lack of compassion, understanding and willingness to work with the person you love through difficult times. The FMC didn't even discuss things with the MMC; just went straight to an ultimatum and willingness to end the relationship if things weren't immediately done her way. It made me doubt her feelings.