Once one of the “no-account Raines boys,” Gabriel Raines has pulled himself out of poverty by his bootstraps to become a successful businessman—one who has become the target of revenge…
You can’t fight what you can’t see. And Gabriel Raines can’t be sure just who’s setting the fires in his new real-estate development. When two fires hit back-to-back, he knows it’s personal, but any number of competitors or ex-employees could be the arsonist.
The police suspect Angel Ramirez, a local teen who’s been in trouble before. But Mattie Baker, a volunteer at the Family Abuse center, just can’t believe the kid she’s been working with would go back to his delinquent ways.
Determined to convince Gabe that she’s right, Mattie must get close to him and find out who’s putting their neighborhood in jeopardy. And just as the arsonist’s flames continue to burn, they find a heat developing between them. It might just turn into a full-fledged fire…if they can survive long enough.
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When I come up with a story idea, one of the most import things and sometimes the hardest to do is to find the right romantic match for the hero or heroine who is the primary character in the book. Since AGAINST THE FIRE centers around Gabe Raines, an ex-marine, a tough, strong, hardworking guy (with a very high sex drive), I wanted a woman who was his equal. That meant she had to be tough, strong, hardworking and though she doesn’t realize it at first, a woman with a very passionate nature.
Mattie Baker is all of those things but she’s also a woman who finds it difficult to trust. Though she’s drawn to Gabe, she believes he is not suited to her in the least. She’s an architect, college graduate, a business woman. Gabe is a contractor, a guy who works with his hands.
And Mattie has trust issues. Her father died and left her and her mother impoverished. She doesn’t ever want to find herself dependent on a man.
But as the two are thrown together trying to find the arsonist who is burning down Gabe’s construction projects and putting people’s lives in danger, Mattie begins to see how much they have in common. They’re not so far apart as she believed.
And there is the sexuality that vibrates between them. It doesn’t take Gabe long to figure out that Mattie is too strong a woman for the men she has been dating. She needs a man who really IS a man, a guy who can bring out the passionate woman she is inside.
The trust issue is another problem. But Gabe is a trustworthy, dependable guy who is smart enough to realize that Mattie needs her own space, her own successes.
So matching them was fun and of course setting them off on a dangerous, desperate adventure added to the mix.
I hope you enjoy AGAINST THE FIRE and that you’ll watch for Dev Raines story in AGAINST THE LAW.
Till then, all best and happy reading. Kat
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For more information about Kat Martin, please visit www.katbooks.com.
And for a chance to win a copy of AGAINST THE FIRE, just leave a comment below. Good luck! 😀
Sounds great. Just the type of book I love to read. Thanks for sharing!
bacchus76 at myself dot com
I love a strong heroine in books! This one sounds great – please enter me. 🙂
susanmik@gmail.com
Strong heroines are a must for me. Mattie sounds like a good one.
Am looking forward to reading Against The Fire.
Strong heroines are very important to me. This sounds like a great read.
The book sounds great. I like the idea of a hero that appreciates a strong, capable heroine. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
This book sounds great. I love a good trilogy. Thanks for visiting.
Wow sounds like a great read and another brother will be featured next- can’t wait to get ahold of them both. Thank you
Congrats on the new release, Kat. I loved the Jackson’s story and can’t wait to read Gabe’s.
Ohmygosh! I checked in a little earlier. Didn’t expect to find all of these comments when I got back from lunch!
When I wrote this series, one of the reasons I did was that I couldn’t find anything to read that wasn’t dark, dark, dark. I wanted the excitement, action and romance, but not so much blood and gore. So happy to be getting such wonderful responses! kat
I like that the heroine was strong, but didn’t even know she had a passionate side. It sounds like my kind of book.I would love to read it.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great series.
Debbit– hope you get to try it. these were such fun–and extremely challenging–to write. I’m hoping to do more Against books in the future.
hi Cyclops– so glad you enjoyed Against the Wind! Hope you like the new one! best, Kat
LSU– everyone seems to love trilogies…hope you like this one! kat
This story sounds like it has some wonderfully dark elements to it. I can’t wait to read it, especially since you have already written another story in the series.
I love when the hero or heroine has overcome a troubled past to become a successful adult. They are confident but sometimes have a chip on their shoulder. The past may be their weakness. I can’t wait to start this series!
I’m so looking forward to reading this series!
Thanks for the contest. 🙂
Stacie– Against the Wind is #1. Against the Fire is just out. Hope you like them all! kat
Karen– best of luck! hope you like the books! kat
Haven’t read any books from you Kat. This one sounds Great 🙂
Mattie and Gabe sound like a terrific couple. I’ll put this one on my TBR list!
Kat — I was wondering. Who do you “create” first in your books — the hero or the heroine?
“When I come up with a story idea, one of the most import things and sometimes the hardest to do is to find the right romantic match for the hero or heroine who is the primary character in the book.”
Thank you so much!
So many times, I find myself wondering why a hero would be attracted to a particular heroine or vice versa when one of them is strong while the other is weak. I like it one the two are evenly matched because then I can really believe in the romance. Best wishes on the books.
jen at delux dot com
ah, I love strong and independent heronies 🙂 It definitely takes the right guy to match them… and Gabe sounds perfect 🙂
I like strong heroines and this looks like a good story.
oh my, that sounds great and just like the book I love! will def keep it in mind 🙂
wish you all the best
Sounds like a great bunch of characters to get to know! Thanks for the contest!
Would love to win this book; love these types of stories.
Best wishes.
A strong hero and a heroine who can match him is always great to find in a story. Would love to see how these two work out their differences of opinion.
I love stories that involve trust issues – I think most of us can relate to them on some level – I know I can. I also like a heroine who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself! This looks to be an awesome read – looking forward to it!
Hi Kat. Your book sounds great. Gabe and Mattie sound like a fantastic couple.
I love strong female roles, I think they add o the story!
Wow, what a bunch of great comments! dominique asked me whether I create hero or heroine first. Answer is it depends on the story. these centered around 3 brothers, so they were the main characters. currently, I am starting with men, but I have also started with female leads first. I did a contemp series, The Sinclair sisters, which started with women. Hot Rain started with a woman.
everyone seems to like strong, independent heroines. Sometimes its fun to start with a woman who doesn’t seem strong at first, but then either grows into a strong woman, or the hero realizes she was a lot stronger–and smarter–than he thought.
Really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. Great fun group. Hope you like all three of the Raines boys! warmest wishes, kat
This sounds like a great series, Kat. I look forward in reading it.
Love strong heroines; don’t like wimps or silly heroines.
Enjoy your books a lot Kat. I like strong heroines, but not to the point they become a shrew. \it’s a fine line~
I love the sounds of this trilogy, Kat! Can’t wait to pick this first book up. As for strong heroines, I’m all for them as long as they’re also smart enough to recognize when they can use some help–I can’t stand it when they’re independent to the point of being blind/stupid.
This book sounds great, and I love the hero’s name