A Walk Through Fire by Felice Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*~~*ARC kindly provided by the author to me in exchange for an honest review *~~*
Years after running away from an abusive foster family, Asher Davis still struggles with the guilt of leaving his foster brothers behind. He’s climbed to unimaginable heights as a ruthless, high-powered attorney, creating a life of power and control and takes whatever and whomever he wants.
Blaming himself for the death of his parents, Dr. Drew Klein retreats into a shell of loneliness, merely going through the motions of life. After a disastrous, short-lived marriage, Drew leaves his lucrative medical practice to set up a clinic for abused young men and women. The decision has more repercussions than Drew could ever imagine when the dark and sensual Ash Davis volunteers to help.
Although Drew isn’t gay, Ash is inexplicably drawn to him. He vows to simply bed him and forget him like he’s done with every other man. However, Drew’s sweet and caring nature and unexpected passion both stun and frighten Ash, who questions his right to any happiness at all. And when Ash befriends an abused young man who unwittingly draws the clinic into danger, threatening Drew’s safety and that of his beloved grandmother, Ash discovers that there is nothing he won’t sacrifice to protect the love he never thought he’d find.
This is a re-edited version of the original book published in 2014. Over 12,000 words have been added
Oh Felice, what did you do? You crash me with this book. :3 ❤
This book was one of the few I haven’t read before and I was so excited when I got my copy. :3 When this re-edtion was announced and published. ❤
When you’ve read a few of Felice’s books before you know she can also write grumpy, arrogant character and Asher Davis in this book is a quite unique one. If you think Micah from Memories of the Heart is a heartleass, egoistical guy at the beginning of the book you haven’t met Asher. 😀
I admit I was… a bit astonished by Asher’s behaviour. He isn’t charming neither is he warm or lovable… BUT only at the beginning. Also his appearance is different, have a look at this quote:
Navy-blue suit, white shirt, and bright green tie, all sharp, clean, and fresh.
This is quite a remarkable first description of him. I admit I had to search this combination on the internet because I had a weird imagination about it. xD But holy hell, this is a killer combo, very sexy. The crisp suit, with this vibrant colors. :3 Yummy. ❤
Our pitiful Doctor, Dr. Drew Klein, is a different kind of guy… Straight – obvious when he was married to a woman – but totally unhappy with the relationship. His first description isn’t really appealing, but he has his own character… and this is developed soon. 🙂
Too thin and too pale, but even that couldn’t hide the high cheekbones, straight nose, and a strong chin of a perfectly sculpted face. Sadness and defeat rolled of him in waves.
Your heart went imidiately towards the doctor, you also notice the witty character behind the shell, the broken appearance. And he is able to confront Asher and reply to his ugly, sometimes despiseful words he sometimes throws. Both are proud character, both are really confident, but different.
As I said, Asher is a really interesting character, he is aggressive and very strict – uses his words to defend himself, isn’t tired of telling others he doesn’t care of their judgement. He doesn’t care if he’s seen in an alley together with a lean guy, getting a blowjob or bang with one of the beautiful but without substance guys in a toilet stall.
Vanilla. And vanilla was his least favorite flavor, unless some interesting special mix-ins were added to spice it up.
He isn’t a monogamous kind of guy, truth he doesn’t do any relationship, neither show affection, love nor compassion, those are quite uncommon things for him. His taste for “spicy” guys, not dull (in fact they are), boring “vanilla” kind of guys is totally different from the vision he have of Drew – the straight doctor – in mind. He assumes the doctor won’t ever agree with a one night stand, of course not, since he isn’t even gay. But this doesn’t stop him trying to seduce Drew.
That behind Asher’s dominant and vibrant appearance a broken soul lies is soon revealed. It is shocking what you read about his past, what he had to endure and how he suffers from this. He has also a brave heart, a kind heart actually, though you would never expect this. He is also a guardian, a protector, but feels he failed… In a drama you would call him the tragic hero, and he is one. A proud man, who holds his head up high, sometimes too high, but who is really unfortunate because of his sufferings in the past. The cover shows two guys and I think it captures Asher’s broken soul perfectly.
He is also a guy with old fashioned sense, displaying this with the suits and neat clothes. You never see him with casual clothes. But also his taste in using only white sheets is very meaningful.
The sheets lay crisp and freshly laundred a clean unbroken swath of white. The linens, his comforter, everything in the bedroom gleamed of the purest white. Ash needed the cleanliness, that purity around him.
It is quite a contrast to see he is using the pure white linen but is banging a random guy in the quiet corner in the streets or in toilet stalls. But all these aspects are very well explained and make totally sense. And they break your heart. 😦
He has also well manners towards older women like Drew’s grandmother Esther.
He decided to treat her as the great lady she was and picked up her hand and kissed it.
It is really revealing and I admit I am more into analysing Asher than Drew though this guy is also interesting.
Their chemistry is really palpable, Drew is interested in Asher, he can’t keep himself away, is well aware that Asher is a guy. And he was only into women.
This book by Felice Stevens has so many layers, and if you thought you’ve revealed one the next is around the corner. You are captured by the character, by their sufferings, as well as the one by the major and minor character equally. Esther for example is a hell of a lady, Asher is right to tell her a “great lady”.
I was really emotional broken afther the book but my heart was set together again.
I keep this book in my heart, it has heart clenching moments, more than one tragedy but also deep feelings. The erotic scenes are also as sensual and great as always. ❤
5 out of 5 stars. HIGHLY recommended, read it, so so so worth it *^* ❤
Have a look at the superb cover ❤
RE-RELEASE BLITZ
Title: A Walk Through Fire
Series: Through Hell and Back # 1
Author: Felice Stevens
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: November 8, 2016
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EXCERPT
“Have a drink, Drew, and tell me why you’re here.” Ash sipped his vodka and stared at Drew over the rim of his glass.
“No, thanks, I’m driving. But I do want to talk to you.” The man was a study in contrasts. Drew couldn’t think of a time he hadn’t seen Ash perfectly dressed, every hair in place, looking like he’d stepped out of a men’s fash-ion magazine.
Tonight, however…well, he looked off-kilter. Though he still had on his clothes from earlier, his white shirt was uncharacteristically wrinkled and unbuttoned lower than he’d ever seen. Dark stubble shadowed along his jaw, and his hair lay unkempt and disheveled. Drew shifted on the sofa. “Look, I know this may sound stupid, but my grandmother was concerned about you, so she asked me to stop by and check up on you.”
“And of course you do everything your nana says.”
Drew’s face flamed. “Fuck you, Davis.”
A tiny smirk hit the corner of Ash’s lips. “What’s the matter, Doc? The truth hurts?”
The bastard. After all the nice things his grandmother had said about him, how she’d worried about him, this was his response? To act like the snide sarcastic son of a bitch he’d been at their first meeting? How dare he treat her concern as if it were nothing. And to think he’d actually thought they were friends. “What the hell do you know about the truth, huh? No one knows anything about you; you have no friends, no lover.” He stood, ready to leave. “No wonder you’re all alone. No one cares about you. You aren’t worth it.” Even as he spoke, Drew regretted his harsh words—he’d never spoken so cruelly to anyone. But no one had ever gotten under his skin like Ash Davis.
Like a snake uncoiled, Ash jumped off the sofa and grabbed him by the shoulder. “Take that back.”
“What’s the matter, Davis? The truth hurts?” He mimicked Ash’s earlier words and watched the anger flare in those colorless, glittering eyes.
“You fucking bastard. Who are you to say I’m not worth it, that no one cares about me? I have friends. People like me. Don’t you ever say I’m not worth it. I matter, goddamn you. I fucking matter.”
Ash tried to grab on to him, but Drew wrenched away and took off for the door, speaking over his shoulder.
“People don’t like you, Ash; they want to fuck you because you’re beautiful. That’s not liking. That’s not a friendship. How many relationships have you ever had with another man? You’ve never even had a boyfriend or a permanent relationship, have you? Because you have to have a heart. You have to care about someone. How can you value someone else in your life when you don’t even value yourself?”
Ash grabbed him. “Don’t think you can say that and then fucking walk away from me.” He shoved Drew against the wall. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Ash’s hand tightened on his bicep. It hurt, and Drew pulled away. He didn’t get into physical fights with people; violence never solved any problem. “I thought I was your friend. But now I see I’m not. You don’t know how to be a true friend. You run at the first sign of closeness and make fun of relationships. Relationships require ef-fort, a give-and-take. You don’t know how to give because you’re always the taker.”
Ash slammed him back into the wall. For the first time, unease rippled through Drew as Ash’s hard body pressed against his. Unease and something dark and sinuous uncoiled in his stomach, but he ignored it and tried to wriggle out of Ash’s unrelenting grip.
“Let go of me. I want to leave.”
Instead of moving away, Ash pushed harder against him. There was no mistaking that thick ridge between the two of them. Drew’s heart raced until he could barely hear Ash through the pounding in his head.
“You said people don’t like me; they only want to fuck me. Then you said I’m a taker.” Before Drew could breathe, Ash grabbed his hands and pinned them above his head, forcing their bodies to press against one an-other. “But you need to know, Doc, that nobody fucks me. So tell me. You want me to take you?”
Author bio – Felice Stevens
I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, my characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.
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