Zoe and Alex have a great story to get to their HEA. These two have great chemistry together, but need to keep it in check or things could get complicated. A good read!!

Intriguing storyline! It has been several months since I’ve read something written by Kimberly Kincaid. Now I remember why I loved her work so much. Each chapter leaves you unable to stop reading because you’re just dying to find out what happens next.

In this first book of a new series, we meet Alex Donovan and Zoe Westin (aka the captain’s daughter)! Zoe runs the local soup kitchen called Hope House and Alex’s non-compliant attitude earns him a months long community service stint helping Zoe out. With this book, you not only get heat from the kitchen and the fire station, but the action in the bedroom is smoking hot!!!!

Rating 3.75 rounded up to 4.

Alex is a fire fighter and Zoe works at the local Hope House and soup kitchen and is also the captains daughter. After disobeying orders, Alex is told he needs to do four weeks community service as his job is at risk. They get off to a rocky start with Alex making it clear he doesn’t want to be there and not following the rule book. Zoe threatens to kick him out but he pleads her to let him stay. She gives him a second chance Alex gives her a challenge that if he plays by her kitchen rules, she must do something risky with him.

I liked the characters and the setting but I wasn’t completely hooked with the story. I found myself getting annoyed with Zoe at the end when she left Alex in the hospital and the last couple of chapters felt predictable. The writing was good I just found nothing really exciting happened in this story to keep me wanting more.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and although I preferred the other, I would still like to read more from them. Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy to review.

Reckless by Kimberly Kincaid
Rating: 3.5/5
Publication Date: 16 April 2024
Tropes: Workplace romance, opposites attract, forbidden love, small town, found family.

Reckless, book one in the Rescue Squad series, follows hot-headed fireman, Alex Donovan, and the director of the community soup kitchen, Zoe Westin, who just so happens to be the daughter of the captain at Alex’s fire department.

After an altercation on site, Alex finds himself having to take part in four weeks community service at Zoe’s soup kitchen. It’s a take or leave it deal. If he doesn’t pay his dues and Zoe doesn’t sign off on his time, he will lose his position at the fire department, the one thing in his life that means absolutely everything to him.

The two characters were very much opposites in my opinion.

Alex is the typical arrogant, adrenaline junky who has a problem with authority figures. His heart is always in the right place, but his head definitely isn’t. Zoe on the other had is striving to prove herself, not only at the soup kitchen as the director, but also in the eyes of her father. Put those two characters together in a forced proximity and you have a sweet romance in your hands.

This contemporary romance is an easy read, although at times I did find that it happened to drag a little bit too much for my liking, but I guess that’s what you get with contemporary fiction.

If you’re fans of Mia Sheridan and Penelope Ward, I would definitely recommend Reckless.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chef Zoe Westin’s number-one priority is making sure no one goes hungry in her hometown of Fairview. Running a soup kitchen is also the perfect way to prove to her dad that helping people doesn’t always mean risking life and limb. After all, the dangers of being a firefighter broke up her parents’ marriage, and she’s only interested in playing it safe.
But when Zoe is saddled with a gorgeous firefighter doing community service after yet another daredevil stunt, the kitchen has never been so hot.
Alex Donovan thrives on adrenaline, and stirring a pot of soup doesn’t exactly qualify. He’s not an expert at following the rules either, not even when they come from the stubborn, sexy daughter of the man who's not only his captain, but his mentor. He’s stuck with by-the-book Zoe as his boss for four whole weeks, his fate as a firefighter in her hands.
The fact that she tempts him at every turn on top of everything else? Yeah, that only adds fuel to the fire.
Determined to show Zoe that not every risk ends in catastrophe, Alex challenges her, both in the kitchen and out. One reckless step leads to another, but will falling for each other be a risk worth taking, or will it just get them burned?
Alex and Zoe are perfect for each other. They balance each other out perfectly, she adds some seriousness to his life, and he adds some fun in hers. Their chemistry once they give in was scorching hot. Reckless is the first book in Kimberly Kincaid's new Rescue Squad series, and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

4 Stars and FLIRTY!!!

Everything you would want in a little "opposites attract" firefighter romance. It is light, fun, flirty and predictable but in the best way. This is a comfort read. A great vacation read. A perfect book to pick up when you want to be indulged in a great story but don't want to be putting a million pieces of a puzzle together page by page. This book funnels in the oxytocin and sunshine.

While Zoe and Alex seem to be complete opposites they are deeper and more alike than they (and the reader) may think. They learn from one another and help each other grow all while being hot and the tension between them even hotter.

The book starts off with them on the wrong foot. Not understanding each other, bickering, cooking, etc. They try oh so hard to hide their feelings and attraction towards each other.

Alex makes and oops and Zoe is furious, wants to get rid of him. However, Alex makes it right and does a stellar job, impressing her in the process. She tries to hate him but man, is it a challenge. Maybe he can teach her to lighten up and she can teach him to be more responsible and how to cook along the way. Is the danger of falling for each other the only danger each of them will face? Doubtful.

Favorite quotes:
"Because everything about you is a risk"
"So what's it going to be, Gorgeous? Are you in, or are you out?"
"But a bet's a bet. Which means that if you want to win, you're gonna have to be crazy right along with me."
"So, tell me Zoe. Do you trust me enough to take the risk?"

This book was adorable! Zoe and Alex were so cute and their banter was so much fun to read. I love the idea of mandatory community service bringing together a soup kitchen chef and a firefighter together. I love a good bosses daughter forbidden romance and this hits the spot! Zoe is a cautious and thoughtful person who spends her time giving all she can to others while Alex is a reckless and fearless person who has dedicated his life to save lives. I really appreciated that they took their time in this romance and the relationship felt well developed. My issue stems from some consistency issues with characterization (specifically Alex) and the epilogue. Alex is very clear about why he wont go for Zoe and then he basically abondons that premise with no explanation. The epilogue was about Cole?? Like I get mentioning him to cultivate interest in the next book but I am reading for the conclusion of Alex and Zoe which I didn't get.

I was rooting for Zoe from the get go. What a wonderful soul to have the kind of job that she does. Alex's job is just as noble but he soon learns that other types of jobs are pretty difficult also. The dynamic between the two is something else. I enjoyed reading this book so much.

Reckless and Reserved.

Alex is reckless and a daredevil (much like Zoe's father). Zoe is reserved as she has lived with the aftermath of her parents divorce. Alex is so reckless, he ends up having to perform community service because of it. That's how he meets Zoe, as he is doing time in her soup kitchen.

RECKLESS IS A ENTERTAINING EASY TO FOLLOW STORYLINE WITH A CUTE PLOT LIKEABLE CHARACTERS AND A WELL ROUNDED GROUP OF FRIENDS WITH JUST ENOUGH DRAMA ABD HEAT LEVEL TO KEEP THINGS INTERESTING

I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS BOOK VIA NETGALLEY AND I AM VOLUNTARILY LEAVING A REVIEW.

Did not enjoy the story or characters much. Basically, it's a cookie-cutter novel with nothing that stands out. Alex is a firefighter who is reckless and throws caution to the wind while Zoe is more reserved and holds a tighter ship.
He gets himself in trouble and finds himself doing community service at Zoe's soup kitchen. Overall, average.

Thank you to Netgalley, Kimberly Kincaid, and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
2.5 stars

Loved this book. A fun story with action and chemistry. She is the fire chief's daughter, he's a reckless firefighter who works under her dad. I loved how everyone came together to support each other. The found family feel was amazing. I also loved how we got to see both the firefighting aspect and the intro to the homeless shelter. It was a unique setting with characters who were easy to get attached to. I can't wait to read what else Kincaid has to offer.

Firefighter Alex Donovan has earned his place on the squad at Station Eight, but when he does what he believes is right, which means ignoring an order, he is assigned four weeks of community service. He’ll do the time at Hope House Shelter and Soup Kitchen, but has no idea that the person in charge is chef Zoe Westin. Yes, Zoe, who is the daughter of his captain. She is attracted to Alex, who is a risk taker and doesn’t want to “babysit” him. Alex had no idea of the struggles Zoe has providing good, nourishing meals with the funding allocated, but he is soon pitching in to help. Yes, he is a risk taker, but can he persuade her that taking a risk isn’t always a bad thing? As their romance deepens, how will her father react to her involvement with Alex? When I began reading this book, I so enjoyed the story and characters, but everything seemed a bit familiar. I realized that I had read this book before, but that didn’t stop me from rereading and thoroughly enjoying my second visit with Alex and Zoe! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

This is A Forbidden Lovers/Workplace Firefighter Romance and it is Zoe and Alex’s Story. Zoe is a chef and once worked in a exclusive restaurant only she decided that it just didn’t satisfy her enough and she needed more so she returned to her hometown of Fairview and now runs a local soup kitchen and makes sure that they can feed as many people as possible so that they don’t go hungry because she feels that this is her calling and it fulfilled everything that she wanted to do even though she is constantly trying to raise funds because there is never enough money to do what she wanted to do and that is help even more people and she is also the fire captains daughter. Alex’s parents died when he was eighteen leaving him all alone and now he is a firefighter and doesn’t follow orders very well if he thinks someone needs help so while at a fire he breaks protocol and gets into trouble and ends up getting community service which he is not happy about especially because he ends up in a kitchen which is the last place that he wanted to be but he will have to make the most of it because all that matters is getting back to being a firefighter. Zoe likes to follow the rules and doesn’t take risks where as Alex likes a adrenaline rush and pushes his own boundaries so when they meet again in the kitchen things get a bit hot under the collar but they both have a job to do and even though the attraction and chemistry between them is so strong but with Zoe being off limits nothing can happen between them. When Zoe and Alex become unable to deny exactly how they feel about each other they decide to start being together in secret because if anyone finds out they could both lose everything and cause absolutely disaster and secrets always have a way of being revealed at the worst possible time. Wow this book was absolutely amazing, emotional and so addictive along with a storyline and characters that pulled you in and kept your attention throughout the whole book. Kimberly Kincaid is a amazing author and writer and I definitely recommend that you read this book and you will not be disappointed.

𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 is being re-released as the first book in the Rescue Squad series by Kimberly Kincaid., featuring a forbidden lovers/ firefighter workplace romance. Alex is a hotshot firefighter whose issues with following his gut over authority caught him a community service assignment. He’s volunteering at a soup kitchen ran by Zoe, a strict, rule-following chef, who also happens to be the daughter of his fire chief. Alex and Zoe couldn’t be more different, but the attraction between them is sparking hotter and hotter the more they spend time together. Can Alex convince Zoe that being a little reckless can be a lot of fun? Will all these reckless steps into love be worth the risk, or are they destined to get burned?

I enjoyed the opposites attract, sort of enemies to lovers vibe between Alex and Zoe in the beginning. The banter and the will-they-or-won’t-they tension was fun. They both definitely have backstories that contribute to their positions on relationships, making them compelling. Once they finally gave in the passion between them definitely sizzled!🔥🔥 I was also intrigued by the dynamics of both of their relationship with the Chief and how that impacted a potential relationship. Zoe’s failure to communicate certain things was a bit frustrating, but I liked how dedicated she was to her cause. Alex really stepped up for her, and rallied his crew for help, and I loved that camaraderie. The twists and turns of the fire action kept me on the edge of my seat, too. This was a great way to start a series, and I can’t wait to read Cole’s story, as well as the other guys!

I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶.5

#kimberlykincaid #Reckless #RescueSquad #FirefighterRomance #forbiddenromance #ChiefsDaughter #WorkplaceRomance #OppositesAttract #FoundFamily #bookstagram #romancebookstagram #NetGalley #netgalleyreview #bookreview #romancebookreview #arcreviews #ARCreview

🩷 Forbidden Romance
🩷 Forced Proximity
🩷 Workplace Romance

Well this book ticked all the boxes I was expecting it to 🥰🥵

Zoe our FMC meets Alex are MMC (very hot fireman) when he has a 4 week community service placement to serve in her soup kitchen. Zoe also happens to be Alex's captain's daughter so is 100% off limits!

Queue the tension 🥵

I really enjoyed this read, it was just the light spicy read I needed 🥰 The MC's were well thought out, I loved their back stories and they felt really fitting! I loved their chemistry and thought they worked so well together.

The pacing was just right, the spicy scenes weren't overdone or overkill and were in all the right places.

I loved getting to know the side characters especially with the epilogue readying ourselves for the next book in the rescue squad series!

While Alex seemed cocky at the beginning of the book, I sensed something deeper with him and as we got to know him and Zoe, he did begin showing his concern and caring that he had hidden. The chemistry between Zoe and Alex kept growing and both learned a lot as their story unfolded.

This was another great book by Kimberly Kincaid. Zoe has taken on a lot and lately feels like she is drowning. When Alex comes in to her work place she is at a loss for words. She had a crush on him for years and got rejected once from him and that was a hard lesson learned. Zoe is determined to ignore him and focus on her job, but he is determined to win her over one frown at a time. Alex has four weeks to work with her before he can hopefully be reinstated. Will Alex win her over while getting his job back?

This was a very good read! first one in the series I have read - will definately go find the rest of the series. While there are interconnecting characters it can be read as a stand alone - did not feel lost at all.

reviewed on good reads - cant on amazon yet, but will at publsh date and could not find it on bookbub

Alex Donovan is a strong independent firefighter determined to do what he believes is right no matter what his superiors may think. When that attitude gets him doing four weeks of community service helping his Cap’s daughter Zoe Westin’s Hope’s House Soup Kitchen stay open to feed the needy, Alex has his work cut out for him. The meeting of these two souls is explosive and not to be missed.