BURN FOR YOU, second in the Outback Skies series, is a spicy novella, full of realism, by Aussie author Lexxie Couper. Outback Skies is a pub in rural territory that is undergoing a wildfire. Bush fires are nothing new in the hot, dry outback, but homes and livelihoods are at stake and everyone helps to fight the threat.

Evan Alexander, a chopper pilot, is in the small town of Wallaby Ridge, grabbing food, drink and salt before flying out again. Here the fire menaces a National Park as well as the town. Evan's silently amazed by the smartly-dressed media types arriving to grab coverage, such as principled TV reporter Jenna McGrath. Tash Freeman, the town's Royal Flying Doctors Service pilot, is a much more practical lady. As is Jess Montgomery, captain of the Wallaby Ridge's fire brigade. When Tash tells Evan that the fire is jumping, he realises Jess and her team on the ground will be threatened.

I love Lexxie Couper for constantly putting women in strong, demanding roles. Australia has a reputation as being a masculine environment, but we see in her books that it's really an environment where all contributions are needed and any person is judged by how good a job they do, not by whether they should be able to do it. At the same time a stockman, Ryan, has come out as gay and lost work, so it's far from ideal.

The central character is Evan, and as the tale unfolds, it turns out that this brave man has survived a flying accident that left him with serious scarring. This is partly what cost him his marriage to a girl who didn't appreciate a good man. Could a lady from his past rekindle his love? He is almost afraid to find out. The last time he saw her, he was a lot younger and stupider, putting looks ahead of character when it came to girlfriends.

There is a hair-raising sequence in BURN FOR YOU describing the heli pilot's work in the raging firestorm, the best description I have read. I also have to praise Lexxie Couper for depicting a scarred hero who feels that his lasting damage isolates him. We've read too many perfect heroes. This novella has serious quality as well as some hot adult action. Best read in an Aussie accent, complete with local strong language.