CONTROLLED BURN
By Amy Briggs

• Series: The Brotherhood of District 23, Book #3
• Released Date: December 1, 2016
• Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Military, Firemen

Seth Jackson, known as Jax to his friends and family, has always been the easy-going, loyal, and dependable friend to everyone. Marine Corps veteran and career firefighter, Jax enjoys a simple life, hanging out with friends, and chasing the ladies. Always the most level-headed of his friends, he suddenly finds himself spinning out of control, unable to sleep and suffering from nightmares and anxiety. When he finds out he suffers from PTSD, he second-guesses everything around him and starts searching for the normalcy he thought he was living.

Vivian Deveraux, a twenty-five-year old with a penchant for selling real estate deals like a seasoned agent, thought she was just negotiating another deal. While brokering a sale for his friends, Vivian meets Jax, who instantly stirs up emotions she had kept buried for years.

Jax pursues Vivian in an effort to fill a hole he didn’t realize he’d had, but will their connection actually create more darkness?

Available from Amazon

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A DEE REVIEW

When I received the ARC for this book, I gasped and did a little hip wiggle while on the Subway. No, sir that sat across from me, I wasn’t dancing for you. As if! You need to pay for that, thank you very much.

I love/hate receiving books for authors I genuinely love and respect. Because, what if I hate it? It’s happened to me before, and it’s the worst feeling. Not to worry though, this is not the case with this book. But I am getting ahead of myself here.

Normally books to me are about a couple. But to me this book is more centered around Jax and everything that he needs to overcome his issues. He’s a former Marine, turned Fire Fighter that is suffering from PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to have one traumatic event to develop PTSD, and that is the case for Jax. His life has been one big ole case of PTSD, and suddenly he found himself seeking the help of a therapist.

Vivian may only be 25 years old, but her age is nothing but a number. She’s worked herself to the bone to be the best real-state agent around. Shamelessly self-promoting herself, and giving her career everything she’s got. In her young age she’s seen both success and pain that left her emotions closed off to the world.

It was supposed to be a meeting with her new clients; trying her luck at commercial real-estate. Never did she expect to encounter a man she was instantly attracted to, but there was Jax with his Thor looks and tattoos. Who could resist? 

She/We stood NO chance!

Amy writes in a way that sucks you in and keeps you reading, even while at work. Not that I did that. No, of course not. I am an exceptional employee… Look it’s a really good book and I needed to read it even if I was bumping into people while walking through Time Square. Sorry little girl. I didn’t mean to ruin your photo op with the creepy looking Elsa, and Cookie Monster.

If there’s anyone I could identify with in this book, is Vivian’s best-friend, Jess. She is, me. No, Amy didn’t use me as inspiration for her, but I very well could have been. The things Jess says, and how she says them, it’s as if I was reading myself. I could not stop laughing! 

Alright, let’s find you something that says, ‘I’m conservative and a smart, independent woman, but you can grope me on the first date, because it’s been a while. But I’m not going home with you tonight. You’ll have to take me out a couple more times’,” she said.

Congratulations Amy for writing in a healthy and fun relationship between women. We don’t see much of that in books since they tend to concentrate mainly on the romantic development. Which is perfectly acceptable. But they usually leave me wondering, where the heck are her biffels to have mini meltdowns with? Don’t they go shopping? Mani-pedis? No? Ok… guess it’s just me.

I do need to commend Ms. Briggs for touching on a subject as serious as PTSD. Did you know that on an average day 22 Veterans take their lives? That’s heart breaking and it can’t continue. These are the men and women that fought for our freedom and as a country we should stand by their side and take better care of them.

That’s the problem with society right now, is that these veterans so often feel like they have nowhere to turn, and they think that they’re less of a man for talking about it, that it makes them weak. It’s infuriating. They defend our country and then feel like they cannot get the help they need to integrate back into civilian life. It’s shameful.

So I want to take a moment and mention 22KILL and their efforts to raise awareness on Veteran suicide and mental health. I am going to challenge everyone reading this to take part in their #22pushups challenge. How do you take part? Easy!

1. Record yourself  doing 22 push-ups every day for 22 days.
2. Each day share your video on social media.
3. Use the hashtags #22kill #22pushups.
4. Invite others to join!

Some of the big names in the Indie book world have extended this challenge to do 22 push-ups daily for 222 days instead #222crew. How about joining them? This is for a valuable cause!

Visit 22Kill for more information.

Getting back to the book, if you haven’t read Controlled Burn or any of Amy’s Brotherhood of District 23 series, I don’t know what you are waiting for. One-click this series on Amazon, and you’ll thank me later. I accept makeup, coffee, and workout clothes as a thank you.

I give Controlled Burn by Amy Briggs, 4 strong Nerd Glasses out of 5. I mean it’s about firemen with tattoos, how could you go wrong?

XOXOXO!

Dee