Playing with Fire

A Small Town Friend-to-Lovers Romance

By: Lili Valente

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Lili Valente

Thou shalt not bang your best friend.

That commandment would be a lot easier if Maddie wasn’t the sexiest siren ever to wade into a tide pool. Or if I was good at resisting temptation.

I’m the troublemaker, the firefighter who enjoys getting a little too close to the flames. And the trouble is double, since Maddie’s sister is about to marry my brother. That makes a tryst even riskier.

But it’s cool - we’ll keep our bang-a-palooza a secret from our siblings and keep things casual, so no one gets hurt.

The problem? Nothing about this thing with Maddie feels casual.

From the electricity between us to the way my heart flips when she smiles - everything I feel for her is intense.

But can we handle the heat when my past - and hers - suddenly come back to haunt us?

©2021 Lili Valente (P)2021 Lili Valente

I need a bucket of water...

I was hoping that Maddie and Jamison would get their story!!!! I love this series and these character's so much...small town romance is becoming my favorite.
Maddie is a bit shy and Jamison is the opposite....
They are so perfect together and their chemistry is fire...Jamison is soooo good at doing bad things to Maddie (obvi she likes those bad things) ;)
Teddy Hamilton & Lili Valente do such an amazing job at bringing these two to life...they really make you feel the emotions and get you more into the story with their sexy voices.
Must read series!

Great Romance!

Oh, I loved this. Where to start....this was hinted at in the last book, which made me want to read this story ASAP! (But it can 100% be read as a standalone.) This is almost a second-chance romance, kind of a best friends to enemies to lovers. Just really big on the feels.

It's always great heading back to Bliss River. It's more HEAs for all the past characters. Very fulfilling.

As usual, the writing is excellent. Great world-building and character development. Funny parts, feeling parts, conflict and awesome resolution.

Teddy Hamilton & Lili Valente are two of my favorite narrators. Teddy reminds me of Christian Slater. The narration was smooth and delightful.

Spicy and sweet delight!

What a spicy delight this story was. I loved the first two and this one was no different. The story starts off with so much heat and keeps going though the whole story.

Maddie and Jamison have known each other their whole lives. When they end up at the same weekend getaway retreat, Maddie is instantly annoyed. After a tough divorce, she just wants to let loose and not be around anyone she knows. But thanks to whisky, the weekend turns out differently. The two have an attraction to each other and it’s getting harder for them to deny it.

This story was super spicy and I loved it. Maddie and Jamison are super hot together. Jamison was a nice surprise. He gives off this bad boy firefighter vibe but is a total romantic. I love how smitten he was with Maddie. And his dirty talking is A+. Maddie is a sweetheart who loves her family and friends and was a surprise too. I love her wildside. The “Hometown Heat” series has been a delight to read.

I was lucky enough to listen to this as an audiobook. Narrated by Lili Valente and Teddy Hamilton. One of my favorite things about Lili’s book is that she narrates her own stories. That adds a special experience to the story. Teddy does a wonderful job narrating a spicy firefighter.

Playing with fire.. Love it

I absolutely love Lily Valente.She writes the most amazing stories
This series is one you don't want to end

Great friends-to-lovers story

It is easy to enjoy this steamy, low-angst story listening to Teddy Hamilton and Lili Valente. They both are so talented and bring the story to life with their flawless delivery. Jamison and Maddie are the perfect friends-to-lovers story. The freedom of "Whiskey Maddie" kicked-off their naughty interactions and the relationship continued to grow from there. Jamison and Maddie have fun banter and they light it up in the sheets.

"I just get the sense that, for better or worse, my life is now going to be divided to before I first kissed Maddie Whitehouse and after."

Valente always gives me a good laugh as her personality shines through in the writing and narration. One line in particular being the "forbidden evacuation hatch".

While this is the last book in the Hometown Heat series, it can be read as a standalone. Great series and a wonderful conclusion!

Wonderful

This felt like more than just a small town romance. Maddie and Jamison have so much history with each other and their families that it just felt like they should be together. But things are always that simple. Luckily, Lili Valente knows how to write a good HEA :)

Excellent!

I love this series, but I think this is my favorite. Jameson and Maddie are the perfect friends to lovers romance with all the complications of a small town and close-knit family. When the boy who used to tease Maddie suddenly realizes he can't live without her, she understandably finds him hard to resist...but when that boy is also now a sexy fireman who can play your body like an instrument that sexy ship has sailed. Lili had me hooked on the possibility of Maddie & Jameson even before this book, so by chapter 2 I was all in. Maddie has been burned and doesn't trust judgment. Jameson moved back to Bliss River to set his life back in order after making a mistake. I really enjoyed their journey from friends to lovers and the lessons learned along the way. The narration by Teddy Hamilton and Lili Valente is excellent! That's no surprise, certainly...but they both bring all of the passion, fun, and steam to their performances. I loved it!

Love this series!

Jamison and Maddie have been friends since they were very young. Their families are very close (Jamison's brother Jake is marrying Maddie's sister Naomi), and there's never been any awkward moments between them until that kiss. Both have been thinking about it quite a lot, but neither has acknowledged it. Until a camping trip and some whiskey loosen their lips. They decide to explore the chemistry between them...in secret. Since their siblings' wedding is coming up soon, they don't want to distract from the festivities, and their fling will likely fizzle out by then, anyway. Until both start to have feelings that can't be ignored.

This was such a cute story. Jamison brings out Maddie's wilder side, and he's not the selfish arrogant firefighter he's known to be. There are a few unexpected twists, and plenty of heat between these two, and a trip to a place those familiar with Lili's other books will definitely enjoy.

I love this series! Lili and Teddy's narration is so great!

Worth the Listen

Playing With Fire is perfection! Once I started listening I couldn't stop and I'm so glad I didn't because this book made me smile and gave me all the feels. If you are looking for a steamy friends to lovers romance that will keep you entertained from beginning to end then Playing With Fire is the book you are looking for.

Teddy Hamilton & Lili Valente did a fantastic job in narrating this book. I would definitely look for others books narrated by them as they do wonderful jobs of portraying characters and providing different inflection when needed.

Overall I loved this book and will definitely listen to it again!

Jamison stole my heart!

I thought I loved Mick from the previous book, but Jamison completely stole my heart. I love him so much. I hated the way everyone judged him (even if he had the reputation he did). Cut the guy a break. It’s not like he is the only person in Bliss River to have ever made a mistake or two.

Playing with Fire is definitely my favorite out of the three books in this series. I loved Jamison and Maddie’s relationship. Their chemistry was insane and the passion between them was so hot. I love how open they were with each other and their willingness to be honest and express their feelings without holding back.

Lili Valente and Teddy Hamilton have once again amazed me. Their talent is unmeasurable. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, they do such a phenomenal job with their narration that I am immediately consumed in the characters they are portraying. Each time I listen to a book narrated by either of them, the experience is always different. Their ability to give every character they narrate their individual voice and personality is impressive and amazing. Lili and Teddy were perfect as Maddie and Jamison.

Maddie and Jamison had a lot to lose if their relationship didn’t work. Not only were they childhood friends, but Maddie’s sister was marrying Jamison’s brother and they were also both going to baptize their niece. So I completely understood their reservations, but those two couldn’t stand in their own way. They were perfect for each other.

Not only did I love Jamison and Maddie, but I am obsessed with the Bliss River “girl gang” and Maddie’s other friends. Every girl needs a group of friends like this. I also love the growing relationship between Jamison and Mick, as well as Naomi and Jamison’s interaction as they work towards their relationship. Now Jake, I’m still mad at him (not really) but he really made me angry in this book.

I think there are still a few stories brewing in Bliss River and I truly hope we can get to come back to this small town filled with some of the most wonderful characters that I have fallen in love with.