
Added on January 11, 2026
One look...That was all it took for Gabe Maguire to realize something was missing in his life. After beating cancer and returning to the cage to claim victory in the octagon, Gabe was ready to settle into his life in Hope Falls as a firefighter. The sexy MMA champion was grateful to be alive but still felt like he was just going through the motions until he laid eyes on her.One promise...That was what Adriana Hale was determined to keep. As a young, single mother raising her twin girls and her late cousin's son, Adriana was willing to sacrifice anything for her kids, including her heart.One night...That was what brought them together, but could it also be what would tear them apart. After realizing a connection that will change everything, will Adriana and Gabe find the happiness and love they both deserve or will fate have other plans for them?Author's Note: Too Hot To Handle is a love-at-first-sight, small-town, single mom, mistaken identity, firefighter, stand-alone Hope Falls romance. It features a cancer-surviving hero and a tragic loss-surviving heroine who find comfort, hope, and...more (cough*sexy-time*cough) in the most unexpected place. Rounding out the cast is fun-loving family and friends who, while well-meaning, might be a tad on the meddling side. This tale of true love is brought to you by the letter H for heat, heart, humor, and, of course, happily ever after. *Too Hot to Handle was previously published as Fire and Foreplay*
1.5 years ago I shelved it as nope.Today I rate it with 4 stars. Go figure...Not perfect, but sweet and touching. Likable characters, good message.I even cried a bit. Apparently I do have a soft side 😉
**SPOILERS**2.5 stars..Double dipping/keeping it in the family. Hero sleeps with the heroine's cousin resulting in her getting pregnant, the cousin dies so the heroine is raising their son. The dead lover left a letter to him and she signed it “the best ONS you ever had” did he tell her that? That she was the best he ever had? This is a constant reminder that her cousin had the hero before her. This happened 10 years prior. This trope has been way over done. Why can't author's be originals? Recy
This is going to be a quoted review because I don´t have words to describe this story. Well, I don´t have words but I have this: OTT.Chapter 4They met. 20 minutes after he said: You´re really beautiful. You´re the kind of beautiful that men wage wars over. You´re the kind of beautiful that men make monuments for, like the Taj Mahal or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. You´re the kind of beautiful that makes men drunk. You´re intoxicating. You´re more than just beautiful, you´re devastating.…No com