Rekindled Flame
Ella Braeme
(Burning Hearts, #1)
Publication date: September 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
He swore to protect his town—but guarding his heart is the real challenge.
Volunteer firefighter Shawn Miller thought he had his life figured out in small-town Elken Grove. His print shop pays the bills while his real passion—fighting fires—keeps him connected to the community he loves.
Then his new Captain walks through the station doors: Rebecca “Becks” Schwartz, the woman who walked out of his life nine years ago. Now she’s his superior officer, and someone in the department is determined to drive her away—or worse.
As danger closes in, Shawn must balance protecting Becks with respecting her authority. But when sparks fly hotter than ever between them, he realizes some flames aren’t meant to be extinguished—they’re meant to be stoked.
Get REKINDLED FLAME today and feel the heat of this slow-burn second chance romance!
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EXCERPT:
“There’s something else you should know before you leave.”
Something in the chief’s tone made Shawn sink back into his chair. “Sir?”
“The new captain is a woman,” Washington said carefully, clearly bracing for resistance. “Rebecca Schwartz from the Charlotte Fire Department. Goes by Becks, according to her application. She’ll be arriving Thursday next week for an informal meet-and-greet at Mr. Jones & Husband, then coming by on Saturday to meet the volunteers during training before officially starting on Monday.”
Shawn nodded, unfazed by the gender revelation. “A female captain? That’s fine by—“
But the words died in his throat as the full name registered. The folder slipped from his suddenly numb fingers, papers spilling across the floor. Rebecca Schwartz. The name echoed in his head like the aftershock of an explosion.
“Rebecca Schwartz?” he repeated, his voice sounding distant to his own ears.
Washington’s eyebrows rose slightly at Shawn’s reaction. “You know her?”
Know her? Shawn almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. He’d known her as Becca back then—sweet-faced but determined Becca with her infectious laugh and fierce ambition. He’d known the curve of her smile and the scent of her skin. Known her dreams and fears. Known the sound of her voice first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
Until he hadn’t.
“We trained together,” he said finally, the understatement of the decade. “At the North Carolina Fire Academy. When I knew her, she went by Becca, not Becks.”
Washington frowned, clearly surprised by this information. “I didn’t connect the dots when reviewing your files.” He leaned forward, suddenly concerned. “Is this going to be a problem?”
Shawn bent to gather the scattered papers, grateful for the chance to hide his expression. Memories he’d buried years ago resurfaced in vivid detail—Becca’s fierce determination during training exercises, her infectious laugh during rare moments of downtime, the devastating fury in her eyes the last time they’d spoken.
“I never want to see your face again, Miller. Keep six feet away from me for the rest of our lives.”
He straightened, clutching the reassembled folder, his knuckles white against the manila paper. “No, sir. No problem at all.”
Author Bio:
Ella Braeme writes steamy small-town romance where protective heroes and the women who capture their hearts find love in the mountains and marshlands of Georgia. Whether her characters are running toward danger or running from their past, they always find their way to happily-ever-after. When she’s not dreaming up new ways for couples to fall headlong into danger (and love), she’s in her garden, supervised by a dog who firmly believes digging holes helps the flowers grow. Her quick, satisfying reads deliver the perfect escape, whether you’re sneaking in a chapter during lunch or staying up way too late to reach that happily-ever-after.
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