HEAT EXCHANGE, the first book in Shannon Stacey's new Boston Fire series, is a strongly character-driven story with lots of passion. It's told from two perspectives in a natural style that helps the reader relate to main characters Lydia Kincaid and Aidan Hunt.

Lydia is a strong woman, and although she doesn't want to go home again, she doesn't hesitate to lend a little of that strength to her sister. Stacey does a wonderful job of creating a sense of place in HEAT EXCHANGE. For Lydia, "home" has so many connotations for her that she has such mixed feelings about being back in her old neighborhood and around her family. She both loves it and finds it stifling. The friction Lydia experiences with her father, and to a lesser extent her brother, adds a layer of complexity to the characters.

At first glance, firefighter Aidan is your usual sexy, cool guy. However, hearing his inner thoughts make him even sexier. I love that he is looking for somebody to love who will love him, and that he yearns for all the trappings of domesticity. He's a spectacular -- yet often elusive -- mix of strong, caring, sexy, and sweet. Although they are playing with fire by starting a secret romance, I love how the relationship between Lydia and Aidan evolves over the course of HEAT EXCHANGE, from solely sexual to something more tender and tangible.

The secondary story in HEAT EXCHANGE, involving Lydia's sister Ashley and her estranged firefighter husband Danny, is riveting without taking anything away from the romance between Lydia and Aidan. Their scenes -- both together and individually -- are emotionally intense and had me on the edge of my seat and rooting for them. I like how Stacey highlights three different family dynamics -- Lydia's, Aidan's, and Danny's. These separate vignettes help define those three characters as well as reveal something about each of the families. For some characters, like Aidan, the strongest "family" is the one he makes with the Kincaid family and his brotherhood of firefighters.

HEAT EXCHANGE delights with romance that sizzles and solid characters. This is a book to dive into and devour. HEAT EXCHANGE shows the importance of friendship and making connections that heal the soul. I look forward to the next book in the Boston Fire series.