Chris Cannon’s FANNING THE FLAMES, is an amazing addition as the fourth book to the Going Down in Flames series. The story takes place following book three, TRIAL BY FIRE.  Red/blue-hybrid dragon shifter, Bryn McKenna, is finally feeling like she is starting to fit in. Things are going well with her knight/boyfriend, Valmont Fonzoli.  However, she is waiting to find out if her arranged marriage to, Jaxon Westgate, will be approved.  Meanwhile, the Directorate is on the hunt for Rebel sympathizers.  Bryn and Jaxon are assigned as student liaisons, thus involved in the controversy.  This Contemporary paranormal fantasy is suitable for young adults.

The characters continue to grow and become more dynamic.  Bryn has come a long way since the first book.  She is starting to think of herself as a dragon, instead of a human.  She is smart and good at figuring out plots/conspiracies.  Valmont has some understandable issues he faces in this story.   His life has completely changed since he became Bryn’s knight and he misses his family.  Jaxon is still very much a blue dragon, but we see glimpses of open mindedness that makes him more appealing.  

The plot was exceptional.  Chris Cannon did a great job recapping the previous books.  There were many unexpected twists and compelling conflicts.  The story was full of mystery and drama.  My heart both broke and rejoiced for some of the things that happened in this story.  The ending was thrilling and mixed with emotion.   I cannot wait for book five to read where Chris Cannon takes the next story.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

I still have a little one running about the house but in therory I well old enough to have an empty nest. 

Lots of my freinds do. Lots of my single friends to do and let me tell you Romance as a full grown up with a grown up around that you have rasied makes for some interesting momentts. 

Here are some great Romances that explore that dynamic and do it well. 

My list are never in any order. They are all great. Give them a try!

1. Apples Should Be Red by Penny Watson

ecipe for Thanksgiving Dinner: 

Start with 62-year old politically incorrect, chain-smoking, hard-cussing curmudgeon. 

Add 59-year old sexually-repressed know-it-all in pearls. 

Throw in a beer can-turkey, a battle for horticultural supremacy, and nudist next-door neighbor. 

Serve on paper plates, garnished with garden gnome. 

Tastes like happily ever after.

2. Hearts and Swords by Robin D. Owens

Heart Story:  Blush (Arabusca) daughter to the deceased poisonous former Grandlady Willow, finally gets her happily-ever-after with the Heartmate denied her, but both Blush and the man she has longed for have to overcome the anger and hurt born of the machinations that kept them apart.

3. Sun-Kissed by Laura Florand

They called her the Ice Queen. 

Anne Winters. Self-made billionaire. Household name. Divorced single mom. Convicted felon. She didn’t let anyone or anything get to her. No one was allowed to breach the walls around her heart except for her own son. She had only one trusted friend: her vacation house neighbor. They’d been walking the beach together for twenty years. Not that this gave him access to her heart, of course… 

They called him a man who got what he wanted. 

Mack Corey. Self-made billionaire. Dominant world player. Widowed father of the bride. No felony convictions yet, although his daughters had come close. He’d transformed his family company into one of the top 500 by the age of thirty. He’d raised two daughters who dumped him for idiot arrogant French chocolatiers and went off to live in Paris. Hell, he even managed to tolerate his dad. But that Ice Queen act Anne Winters had going was really starting to get to him… 

They’d been best friends for twenty years. Could they become lovers? 
Could a frozen heart be kissed by the sun?

4. Feral Heat by Jennifer Ashley

Jace Warden is sent to the Shiftertown in Austin to find a way to free all Shifters from their Collars. But pulling off the Collars can cause Shifters to go mad or kill them outright.

In Austin, Jace meets Deni Rowe, a wolf Shifter with troubles of her own--she was deliberately run down in the road, and while her body has healed, she still has episodes of total memory loss during which she retreats into her pure animal self.

Jace has never met anyone like Deni. Courageous and beautiful, she volunteers to help him test the Collar removal. And as Deni and Jace work together, they feel the mate bond begin. But can Jace help Deni believe she can heal enough to be anyone's true mate?

5. Dockside by Susan Wiggs

With her daughter grown and flown, Nina Romano is ready to embark on a new adventure. She's waited a long time for dating, travel and chasing dreams. But just as she's beginning to enjoy being on her own, she finds herself falling for Greg Bellamy, owner of the charming Inn at Willow Lake and a single father with two kids of his own.

Greg lost his first marriage to a demanding career. Now he's determined to make a new start before it's too late. Juggling work, raising his young son and helping his nearly grown daughter face life's ultimate challenge, he has no time to fall in love. Still, with Nina Romano, love feels just right this time around.

6. A Proposal at the Wedding by Gina Wilkins

You are cordially invited…as the bachelor father of the bride falls for the sweet and single wedding planner! Don't miss the latest installment of Gina Wilkins's new Special Edition miniseries, Bride Mountain! 

It's the perfect place for a wedding…and Paul Drennan's lovely daughter will make a beautiful bride. But Bride Mountain Inn co-owner Bonnie Carmichael only has eyes for the father of the bride. Too bad she's already married—to the inn itself. Still, if anyone could make her think of her needs, her wants, it's this sexy single dad…. 

Marrying off his only child, Paul can taste freedom for the first time in two decades. What's not on his agenda is falling for a young woman with commitment for a middle name. The only aisle Paul wants to walk is on the arm of his daughter…until spending time with Bonnie makes him rethink his future plans. After all, the strangest things happen at weddings….

7. Fly Away Home by Kimberly Cates

Eve Danaher's eye for beauty has earned her renown in the fine-art community. But for all her success, her life feels empty without the love of her estranged eighteen-year-old daughter. Determined to discover the peace and happiness that has been missing in her life, Eve books a trip to rural Ireland. There she meets Michael Halloren, a handsome horse trainer who introduces her to the troubled children he cares for at Glennamura Farm. 

For years Eve has buried her emotions, but in the healing beauty of the Irish valley she opens herself to the warmth and compassion that surrounds her. And as Michael Halloren teaches her how powerful love can be, she becomes ever more determined to find her way back -- into her daughter's heart, and to the life she knows is her destiny.

8. Baby, It's You by Jane Graves

With only the wedding dress on her back and her honeymoon luggage in the car, Kari Worthington is running away. Determined to put her controlling father, her rigidly structured life, and the uptight groom she left at the altar in her rearview mirror, she escapes to the Texas Hill country . . . and lands on a tall, dark, and gorgeous winery owner's doorstep. All she needs is a job and a place to live until she can get back on her feet. So why is she fantasizing about losing herself in his powerful arms?

For Marc Cordero, freedom is so close he can taste it. He's devoted his life to managing the family business and being a single dad. Now with his daughter away at college and his brother taking over the winery, Marc is ready to hop on his Harley for parts unknown-until a runaway bride bursts onto the scene. Free-spirited and tantalizingly sexy, Kari excites him like no other woman has before. But when irresistible passion turns into something more, will Marc give up his future to take a chance on love?

9. Let Love Be by Melissa Collins

For Lucy Crane, the answer is simple: her daughter. When her husband is killed in a tragic accident, Lucy loses her desire to live, but only one thing keeps her going – her unborn daughter. Focusing on being a mother helps Lucy cope with her loss, but kids grow up and they leave home, eventually. Eighteen years after losing her first and only love, Lucy is faced with the opportunity to find the happiness for which she’s always longed. Her own fears become her worst enemies as she learns how to embrace love once again. 

Evan Donovan is also facing his own struggles. Forced to retire from the FDNY because of lung damage caused by 9/11, Evan moves to upstate New York where he hopes to find a little peace and quiet. Old habits die hard, and Evan’s hero complex and survivor’s guilt constantly remind him of how difficult it is to be vulnerable. But for the first time in his life, he’s tired of being alone. 

Drawing strength from one another, Lucy and Evan discover how beautiful it is to let love be a part of their lives. 

10. Fanning the Flames by Victoria Dahl

Some men are off-limits. Close friends of your ex-husband, for instance. Or firefighters who work in the same building as you. Yet despite her best judgment, librarian Lauren Foster can't help noticing fire captain Jake Davis whenever he jogs by…shirtless. They've always been friends, but all it takes is one not-so-chance meeting at a local bar and one not-quite-innocent walk home to ignite a fierce, uncontrollable desire between them.

Widower Jake Davis has tried to ignore the spark he feels whenever Lauren's around, but once he sees her curves in a little black dress, there's no turning back. No matter how often she says she's all wrong for him, the sexy, outspoken divorcée is driving him wild in the best possible way. Maybe she's just blowing off steam. Or maybe he can convince her to fan these flames into something deeper, hotter and truer than they ever expected….

Do you have any recommendation? Gimme!

Check out and vote on my Goodreads list: Empty Nest: Romance Novel Leads with Adult Children

Overall, I highly enjoyed Fanning the Flames. The story of two over-40-year-olds and long time friends finding something special is both sexy and sweet. Small town librarian Lauren Foster enjoys being a divorcee, and while she loves her son, she actually likes that he is away at college. She's been keeping her eye on sexy Fire Captain Jake Davis, but keeps her distance since she and his late wife were friends, and Jake is friends with her ex. However, there is no denying their mutual attraction, and finally one night, they stop fighting their desires.

This is the second story I've read this week with a heroine over the age of 40, and I have to admit, I'm loving it. Probably because I too am over 40, and I can relate to the concerns of a working mom. The characters' desires and concerns are so relatable and real, causing me to care about what happens to Lauren and Jake.

I found only one negative aspect with Fanning the Flames: I was not happy with the suddenness of the ending... I wanted more! I would have given the story an A but downgraded to A- because of ending. It wasn't a bad ending, just way too sudden.

Even with the ending, I enjoyed this book a lot and plan to read more in the Jackson: Girls' Night Out series.

My Rating: A-

There's no hiding from sizzling chemistry…

Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needs . . . except a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied U.S. marshal threatens to unearth secrets she's spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing…disaster.

Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide.

I'm really enjoying this series. For once, the heroine is over the age of 25. Woo hoo! The hero is an over-worked US Marshall. Isabelle and Tom have great chemistry. Isabelle is prickly in the beginning due to her past. When she finally lets her guard down, I love how she pushes his buttons. Isabelle may be guarded but she has a great friendship with her gal pals. Flirting with Disaster is a fun, quick read. It's not as sexy and hot as the previous book but that's okay. Not everyone can have sex on a Harley. ;-) I really enjoy this series and I'm looking forward to next installment. 

Oh those sexy artists...

Here are some wonderful Painter Heroes and Heroines in Romance Novels. My lists are never in any particular order. 

1. Seducing Cinderella by Gina L. Maxwell

Mixed martial arts fighter Reid Andrews's chance to reclaim his title as light heavyweight champ is shattered when he's injured only months before the rematch. To make sure he's healed in time, his trainer sends him to recuperate under a professional's care--Reid's best friend's little sister, all grown up.

Disorganized and bookish Lucie Miller needs some professional help of her own. She'd do anything to catch the eye of a doctor she's crushed on for years, so when Reid offers seduction lessons in exchange for 24/7 conditioning for the biggest fight of his career, Lucie jumps at the chance.

Soon Reid finds himself in the fight of his life...winning Lucie's heart before she gives it to someone else.

2. Counterfeits by Kris Bock

Painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in galleries and museums?

Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman, would be happy to run the camp with Jenny. Dare he even dream of that, when his past holds dark secrets that he can never share? When Jenny’s father reappears after a decade-long absence, only Rob knows where he’s been and what danger he’s brought with him.

Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t want to stay buried. In the end, they must decide whether their dreams will bring them together or force them apart.

3.  Mr. Family by Margot Early

Kal Johnson is a still-grieving widower with a young child. He can't imagine marrying again—not for love, anyway. But it's becoming increasingly clear that his daughter needs someone besides him. A mother. Kal's solution is to place an ad in a local magazine.

Wanted: Woman to enter celibate marriage and be stepmother to four-year-old girl. Send child-rearing philosophies to Mr. Family….

Erika Blade is a woman who's afraid of love. And sex. She answers the ad, figuring she's probably the only person in the whole world to whom a "celibate marriage" would appeal. After all, she does want children but she doesn't want to acquire them in the usual way. As it turns out, Kal likes her letter—and soon discovers that he likes her. More than likes. He's attracted to her. The one thing that wasn't supposed to happen.

4. In Your Eyes by Laura Moore

A gifted artist, Genevieve Monaghan expresses the wonder and beauty of life on canvas. When millionaire philanthropist Alex Miller asks her to create a painting for the new children’s wing of a major Boston hospital, she finds his high-handed ways exasperating and his stunning good looks distracting—but she cannot resist his proposal. She embraces the project, willing to suffer Alex’s presence for the sake of her art. Yet soon Gen finds herself falling for Alex and his virile charm.

At the pinnacle of wealth and power, Alex Miller stands alone. Women flock to him, drawn by his standing and immense sex appeal. Nothing touches his heart—until he meets Gen. A natural beauty, she is a breath of fresh air in his life and has no interest in his riches or glamour. Although they couldn’t be more different, the growing attraction between them is palpable, sizzling with intensity. Even as they fight to deny their feelings, Alex and Gen are losing themselves to the one thing more awe-inspiring than beauty: love.

5. If You Stay by Courtney Cole

24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole.

Seriously.

He's a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.
But he's got his reasons.

His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn't understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.

As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn't work. His dad couldn't overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn't keep up the impossible perfect façade.
So he slipped far, far from it.

Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn't want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn't there, then it isn't, right?
Wrong.

And it's never more apparent than when he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn't know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he'd better figure it out because he needs her to breathe.

When memories of his mother's death resurface from where he's repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one...the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.

But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.

He knows that. And he's working on it.

But is that enough to make her stay?

6. Sweet Mercy by Jean Brashear

Honey Creek Cottage is the house of Jezebel Hart's dreams -- and the place of Gamble Smith's nightmares. The place he built with his own hands, every stick and brick a testament to his love for the family he lost. The place now in disrepair, its gardens tangled with loss and neglect, much like Gamble's heart. He can't bear to live in it. Yet he isn't ready to let go. Not even to the vivacious Jezebel, who has put her volatile past behind her and wants to plant roots. A woman whose sex-goddess looks, Gamble discovers, can't match her strength and compassion. They come together out of mutual need, but find mutual healing. Except...she's hiding something that could shatter their fragile bond.

7. Collide by Megan Hart

A childhood accident left Emmaline vulnerable to disturbing fugue states that last minutes but feel like an eternity. The blackouts are unsettling but manageable…until she meets Johnny Dellasandro.

The painter gained fame in the '70s for his debauched lifestyle and raunchy art films. His naked body achieved cult status, especially in Emm's mind—she's obsessed with the man, who's grown even sexier with age. Today he shuns the spotlight and Emm…until she falls into a fugue on his doorstep.

In that moment she's transported back thirty years, crashing a party at Johnny's place. The night is a blur of flesh and heat that lingers long after she's woken to the present.

It happens again and again, each time-slip a mind-blowing orgy, and soon Emm can't stop, though every episode leaves her weaker. She's scared by what's happening, but she's even more terrified of losing this portal to the Johnny she wants so badly. The one who wants her and takes her—every chance he gets.

8. Flirting with Disaster by Victoria Dahl

Artist Isabelle West has good reasons for preferring a solitary life. Tucked away in a cabin in the woods, she has everything she needs…except a red-hot love life. That is, until a hard-bodied US marshal threatens to unearth secrets she's spent years protecting. But giving in to the sparks flying between them can only lead to one thing…disaster. 

Tom Duncan lives by the letter of the law. But no one has tempted him—or confused him—more than free-spirited Isabelle, who arouses his suspicion and his desire. As their connection grows, and their nights get hotter, they find their wild attraction might shake everything he stands for—and expose everything she has to hide.

9. The Cinderella Deal  by Jennifer Crusie

Daisy Flattery is a free spirit with a soft spot for strays and a weakness for a good story. Why else would she agree to the outrageous charade offered by her buttoned-down workaholic neighbor, Linc Blaise? The history professor needs a makeshift fiancée to secure his dream job, and Daisy needs a short-term gig to support her painting career. And so the Cinderella Deal is born: Daisy will transform herself into Linc’s prim-and-proper fiancée, and at the stroke of midnight they will part ways, no glass slippers attached. But something funny happens on their way to make-believe bliss, as a fake engagement unexpectedly spirals into an actual wedding. Now, with Linc and Daisy married and under one roof, what started as a game begins to feel real—and the people who seem so wrong for each other realize they may truly be just right.

10.  Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr

Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it's his art that truly soothes his troubled soul.

Stung personally and professionally by an ill-advised affair, PR guru Jillian Matlock has rented an old Victorian with a promising garden in Virgin River. She's looking forward to cultivating something other than a corporate brand.

Both are looking to simplify, not complicate, their lives, but when Jillian finds Colin at his easel in her yard, there's an instant connection. And in Virgin River, sometimes love is the simplest choice of all….

To vote for the best of the best and get more recs, visit my Goodreads list: Canvas: Painters in Contemporary Romance.