Like Water Catching Fire

By: E.M. Lindsey

Narrated by: Michael Dean

"He was like if water caught fire—a beautiful anomaly. It was gorgeous. Danny wanted to exist inside that explosion and let himself be consumed by it."

There are certain kinds of people who were meant to become rich, but Danny Zhou isn’t one of them. He’s a simple man with simple tastes. In life, he’s only ever wanted a few things:

A house.

Maybe a dog.

He wouldn’t say no to a white picket fence.

And a gorgeous husband wouldn’t hurt.

But the sudden explosion of his delivery app changed his life, and not for the good.

Returning home with a shattered heart and a full bank account, Danny starts the search for a life with substance, and takes up his old post as a volunteer firefighter. He’s not sure what to expect, but it’s most definitely not Jamie Kane, the gorgeous, Deaf firefighter with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas, and seems to hate the very sight of him.

Danny knows he shouldn’t look at that man and see a future there. Men like Jamie are not men for happily ever afters. But something in his dark eyes says to keep trying. Something in his strong, careful hands says Jamie is definitely worth the fire, even if Danny gets burned.

Like Water Catching Fire is a second-edition rerelease of a book published in 2018 with small but significant changes. It's a slow-burn, stand-alone firefighter romance featuring a stoic, Deaf Polynesian man who isn’t thrilled about living on the mainland, and a shy Chinese American tech nerd whose viral delivery app changed everything for the worse…and then maybe for the better.

©2021 E.M. Lindsey (P)2022 E.M. Lindsey

Not an exciting or captivating story

Usually I am hooked when I read or listen to an E.M. Lindsey story, but not this one. I’m disappointed, because I have all their novels, savoring them until the last moment I can’t wait to start reading them and have a blast. The story was forced, all the situations were like a copy of something that did not belong in that story. I hope that the newest work will be better.

Entertaining and well-read - by Shana W

The narrator, Michael Dean, has a voice that is wonderful to listen to and he reads the story with good expression and at the perfect pace. E.M Lindsey often writes about characters that are a little (or a lot) different from the everyday ones in books, displaying great sensitivity to the challenges they face; in this case, one of the main characters signs, an aspect of the plot that I enjoyed very much. Danny and Jamie are so sweet together, it's hard not to love their story. EM. Lindsey is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

So intense!

In true E.M. fashion, an emotionally intense story of an admirable disabled individual who finds love when least expected with an understanding and nonjudgmental person. This is what made me fall in love with their stories from the beginning, and a first audio experience from them hooked me even more.

The narrator of this story was absolutely perfect! Their ability of various voices for numerous characters was impeccably handled, adding to the excitement of the characters. Jamie and Danny’s families brought a great amount of depth to such an intense story. Ten stars for a passionate storyline with a beautiful connection and a pleasurable happy ever after!

Lovely listen

This author does an absolute stellar job with characters that have different abilities. In this audio, one character is Deaf and is voice off. The authors interpretation of the Deaf culture is spot in and I love that they use that in the storyline. They characters use humor and are so personable and I love them. Even the characters that are not nice are done very well.

didn't want to stop listening

this is the first book I've listened to narrated by Michael Dean. It took me about a chapter to get used to him, but once I did, I was completely sucked into the story, and now I can't imagine Danny sounding any other way. The story is phenomenal. lower heat, but that's okay. it suited these characters.

Wonderful Characters, loved it!

Danny and Jamie are both unique characters and this is quite a beautiful love story! The narration is very engaging and well done. Loved the combination of sweetness with just a bit of angst. Excellent cast of characters, Jamie and Danny’s families brought a lot of depth to the story. Beautiful writing, excellent narration and a wonderful happy ending, definitely recommend.

Like water catching Fire… just wow

I absolutely love this story. I really did want it to end. Danny and Jamie I love them.

Touching

Wow, what a touching story. One that not only makes you warm and fuzzy, but also reminds you of the importance of representation and that ALL people are beautiful and worthy. And it’s not just that the characters are Chinese, or Polynesian, or Deaf, it’s that their stories and experiences are beautiful and impactful.

I loved these two together, their quiet understanding of one another, and the space they provide to each other to be themselves was kind and comforting. And I loved that the happy ending, was yes, happy, but it didn’t try to solve the world's problems, the world is still complicated and messy, but these two have found their home in amongst it.

Not only is this a beautiful story, but Michael Dean is a wonderful narrator. He does a fantastic job at capturing the characters and the tone of the story.

Danny and Jamie are Perfection

I love, love, love this story. Danny and Jamie’s connection is so real, so powerful, and strong. I love how they meet and how Jamie first doubts Danny’s sincerity. I love when he finally realizes that he is who he says he is. Michael Dean’s narration was spot on too. He brought this story to life and I was engrossed even though if already read this story. This will be one I listen to often. I highly recommend it.