Book: Burning Love by Ashley James
Reviewed by RachelHasNoShelfControl
Rating: 5/5
🤠 Cowboy Romance
💔 2nd Chance / It’s Always Been You
🐎 Forced Proximity
🤝 Childhood BFFs → Strangers → Lovers
❤️🩹 Hurt x Comfort
😭 Grief x Healing
🐌 Slow Burn
💥 Angst
✨ Hard-Earned HEA
PLEASE CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. This is probably the heaviest Ashley James book I’ve read.
I started this Monday night, and then Tuesday afternoon Dolly died. Wednesday morning, Tim Curry died. I have a funeral Thursday morning. All three of these people were incredibly foundational to me, so considering how much loss Chesney and Jasper were carrying, I almost put this book down.
But I kept going. And honestly, I think I needed it.
Did I cry through basically the entire second half? Absolutely. Was I inconsolable? Also absolutely. I connected with Chesney and Jasper on a level I don’t think I ever could have without everything I was personally going through, and because of that, this will forever be my favorite Ashley James book. I highlighted SO many passages, and I already know I’ll reread it just to find the ones I missed.
Even without all of that, though, this would still be a five-star read for me.
Chesney and Jasper’s journey (both together and separately) is beautiful. From childhood best friends sneaking away from their feuding families to fish and skip rocks, to first kisses and first loves, they were always it for each other.
Then the best day of Chesney’s life becomes the worst in the blink of an eye. He blames himself, pushes everyone away (including his bff Jasper), and spends years punishing himself.
20 years later, Chesney is forced to return home and run the ranch with the same boy who stole his heart and never really gave it back.
Jasper is everything. Steadfast, patient, and basically a walking green flag. He knows when to speak, when to listen, and (most importantly) he refuses to let Chesney run away without finally having the hard conversations.
This is a story about coming home, grief, healing, growing, planting roots, weathering storms, and (as Dolly says) learning that storms make trees take deeper roots.
I’m already completely invested in the rest of this series and cannot wait to see where it goes.
I firmly believe books find us when we need them most, and I am incredibly thankful this one found me when I needed it.
Thank you, Ashley and The Author Agency, for the ARC.