Ask Me for Fire Series by Halli Starling

A Reads Rainbow 2023 for Adult Contemporary Finalist!A slow burn, convention-bending, slice of life romance.Can two loners living in the wilderness find friendship and love?Barrett loves everything about living outside the remote mountain town of Lake Honor. His days as a forest ranger are filled with unpredictable adventure, so home is the one place he knows he can count on... moreA Reads Rainbow 2023 for Adult Contemporary Finalist!A slow burn, convention-bending, slice of life romance.Can two loners living in the wilderness find friendship and love?Barrett loves everything about living outside the remote mountain town of Lake Honor. His days as a forest ranger are filled with unpredictable adventure, so home is the one place he knows he can count on.But even home has been a surprise of late, as his next door neighbor and good friend has suddenly passed away, and the house has been sold to someone new. When the new neighbor, Ambrose, arrives, Barrett realizes that the man is a loner, like himself, and clearly not looking for a friend.Which is a pity, because Barrett finds him fascinating and incredibly good looking. Ambrose didn’t move to the outskirts of nowhere to make a friend. But Barrett, his new neighbor, is kind and generous, and has soft brown eyes he can’t stop thinking about. As he slowly warms up to Barrett, fate finds a way to push them together when danger and sabotage strike. Barrett saves Ambrose’s life, and their bond is cemented. Letting Barrett get close is difficult, but it's hard to ignore the handsome, kind neighbor. As their lives entangle, and their relationship grows, neither man can ignore the attraction between them. But their pasts are complicated; an ex-boyfriend reappears, an estranged parent tries to get in contact, and Barrett’s nephew falls ill. On top of that, the sabotage of forest ranger equipment grows more dangerous and Barrett is pulled into the investigation. Both men want to take their relationship slow, even with all the drama swirling around them, and it's getting more difficult to ignore the spark between them. Ask Me For Fire is a love story drenched in atmosphere, suspense, and heartfelt connections. forced proximity, slow burn, grouchy loners, small town romance Content explicit sex (with others and between the MCs) ; some violence and danger (mostly minimal and/or off-screen); mental health issues including anxiety and depression; abusive and manipulative family; neglectful family and past relationships less

A chance meeting at a bar.An instant connection.But that connection turns from a spark into all business. For the moment.And it's a really bad idea to date the boss...Raphael (Raf) Lutz, is under immense stress with the opening of his fifth art gallery in a few months. He's mentally and physically exhausted, and given his perfectionist nature, deeply concerned that this gallery won't stack up to the rest... moreA chance meeting at a bar.An instant connection.But that connection turns from a spark into all business. For the moment.And it's a really bad idea to date the boss...Raphael (Raf) Lutz, is under immense stress with the opening of his fifth art gallery in a few months. He's mentally and physically exhausted, and given his perfectionist nature, deeply concerned that this gallery won't stack up to the rest. His best friend, Ambrose and Ambrose's boyfriend, Barrett, have trusted Raf with a very special set of illustrations belonging to Barrett's deceased friend. Raf is making the illustrations a highlight of the gallery's opening, and it has to be just right. Perfect. But he's drowning and he needs a marketing manager yesterday.On the other side of town, Silvan Diedrich has just been downsized from the marketing firm he helped build, and drowning his sorrows in a few drinks and maybe some company sounds about right. The man who takes the stool beside him is dangerously handsome with a clear flair for the dramatic. Company, indeed. But as he and Raf talk, Raf offers him the one thing Silvan hadn't been expecting - an interview.Which he passes with flying colors.But close proximity to Raf, day after day, is far too much temptation. Raf doesn't need any more complications. Silvan's not been with anyone in a long time, as he's been the primary parent for his now college-aged daughter.So they make a deal. Hands off, for now.Sticking to that deal proves to be rather difficult for both of them. less