When I reread Taking the Heat publication online, I was as enamored of this story as I was when I wrote it in 2007. Firefighters are just so interesting to write about. There’s so much to tell about them. For several years while researching my eight books on firefighters, I worked with the Rochester, New York Fire Department to get the stories right. I visited firehouses and ate with the guys (and a few women) and listened long into the night to their stories. I even spent an afternoon with the chief. They let me wear their gear, test their equipment and one snowy December night, booted up their Hazmat truck and let me see how they prepared for a terrorist attack. I also went on runs with them, actually in the fire trucks. I’ll tell you, those were exciting. I also had the experience that Liam has in this book of walking blind through a simulated fire room. I really couldn’t see anything and was so scared, I had to hold the hand of the lieutenant who took me through it. I hope this book pays homage to all those very brave men and women.
And of course, I love the O’Neils. They’re all so different. Liam is wonderful man and had such a hard life, I cried reading about it again. But he’s also very strong and brave, like Sophie, in his willingness to put his heart out there again. And Mikey—what a darling little boy. Finally, as I’ve said before, I’m truly respect Sophie. I could never be a firefighter and I admire the women who do this job more than I can express.
I hope you liked Liam and Sophie’s happily-ever-after. I know I couldn’t wait to see it.
Kathryn Shay
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Visit or Contact Kathryn at www.kathrynshay.com
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If you liked this book, you might want to post a review of it at Smashwords.
Check out the other books in the O’Neil Family trilogy:
SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN Follow New York Senator Clay Wainwright and anti-gang specialist, the Street Angel, Bailey O’Neil as they battle over how to control street gangs and unexpectedly fall in love. Smashwords
CLOSE TO YOU Follow brother-in-law of the vice president Aidan O’Neil and Secret Service Agent CJ Ludzecky as they travel the fine line between professional ethics and falling in love. Appearances by characters from SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN. Originally published by Berkley Press “Kathryn Shay writes believable characters you can't help falling in love with.” The Romance Reader Connection Smashwords
HIGH STAKES Dylan O’Neil’s Achilles heel is his family. He’ll do anything to protect them. Rachel Scott, a cable newscaster, seems to offend and even hurt them with her news coverage. As bitter enemies, Dylan and Rachel clash publically. But when attraction between them flares, can they work out a lasting relationship with the entire O’Neil clan against them? Smashwords
ALWAYS AND FOREVER The first of the O’Neil siblings, Patrick, has always taken his responsibilities to heart. There for his brothers and sisters to listen, console and sometimes give them a swift kick in the butt, he’s everybody’s ideal oldest brother. But his relationship with his wife Brie has been tumultuous from day one, and it hasn’t changed in nearly twenty years. Both bear scars from their past. But when Brie finds herself in the most terrifying situation of her life, it’s Pat she needs during and after it. Edgy, sexy and emotional, this conclusion to the O’Neil series will surprise the reader in its emotional intensity and unique plotline.
To browse Kathryn’s impressive list of titles go to http://www.kathrynshay.com/books/.
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A USA TODAY bestseller, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has self-published 14 original romance titles, 36 print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and 1 mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year and several “Starred Reviews.” Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands downloaded online. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and children.