After testifying against a popular senator accused of misconduct, education lobbyist Heather Briggs was forced to flee Washington, DC for her own safety. Her older brother Kevin arranged for her to stay with his best friend, ex-Marine Mason Rye, now a goat farmer and part-time barista in Colebury, Vermont. Grumpy Mason wasn't happy about the disruption to his routine caused by an unexpected houseguest, but he owed Kevin a favor for having his back when they'd served together. He tried to focus on work and avoid Heather as much as possible, but even with limited contact, he couldn't help feeling a pull of attraction towards his best friend's sunshiny little sister. Mason knew nothing could ever come of it, however; aside from Heather being off-limits because of his friendship with her brother, Mason was determined not to get close to anyone because he knew firsthand the pain of losing the ones he loved.

Heather and Mason were incredibly likeable, sympathetic protagonists dealing with more than their fair share of emotional baggage. I found it easy to root for them both individually and as a couple. They had phenomenal chemistry from the outset, and I couldn't wait for them to finally act on their feelings. Spending the summer together was kind of a respite from their normal lives, especially for Heather, who was understandably shaken following a campaign of harassment by the senator's supporters. It amazed me that her light still shined so brightly even though she was scared. Like Mason, she wasn't initially interested in a romantic relationship, though her fears were quite different from his. Mason was a very special person, however, and his caring, protective nature eventually won her over.

In addition to Mason and Heather, I enjoyed getting to know Mason's sweet, funny sister Amelia, who became a good friend to Heather exactly when she needed one. Amelia seemed to have an intense connection with Heather's brother Kevin, who was apparently going through some difficulties near the end of the book. I would love to read a future story about the two of them!

Overall, I loved "Fireproof" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I look forward to picking up whatever Stewart writes next as well as checking out more books in this series soon.

*Review copy provided by HeartEyes Press. All opinions expressed are my own.