After a night of too many drinks, smokejumper Tony Warren and his best friend, photographer Kayla Gladney, come to the realization that they’re both bad at love. They even tried dating each other, but that crashed and burned, too. Now he’s got the hangover from hell and the certain conclusion he’s just a shit boyfriend. But Kayla thinks he’s a straight-up commitment-phobe.
So they make a bet—they’re going to hunt down his exes and decide once and for all why he’s so unlucky in love. Terrible boyfriend or commitment-phobe. Why does either answer feel like he’s still losing?
But between roadside burgers and late night detours, they discover some fires never burn out—like the one slowly smoldering between them. And suddenly losing feels a whole lot like winning again.
Good friends-to-lovers/second chance story. Tony and Kayla were a couple for a short time before they decided they were better friends than lovers. Since then, they have become best friends, sharing movie nights and romantic woes. After yet another break-up, Tony drinks a bit too much and confesses to Kayla that he wants more from his life but doesn't know how to get it. He's convinced that he is a crummy boyfriend, while Kayla thinks he's afraid of commitment. Kayla has a similar problem. She is a successful photographer, but she also wants a husband and kids of her own. None of her love interests have worked out either. Her sister gave her a self-help book to help Kayla figure out how to stop sabotaging herself.
Kayla has a road trip planned to photograph old burn sites for a book. As a smokejumper, Tony worked many of the fires that she wants to document and had girlfriends there too. Kayla suggests that Tony accompany her and visit some of his ex-girlfriends to find out which it is. They have a small bet going as to the reason he's so unlucky.
I enjoyed seeing the development of the relationship between Kaylan and Tony. The night that Tony got drunk and she took him to her place to sleep it off, something shifted a little in their friendship. There was a new awareness of each other that both were determined to ignore rather than risk their friendship. The trip started with snacks and general conversation, and Kayla reading out loud from the self-help book. I liked how each chapter that she read from tied in somehow to what they experienced that day.
Early in the book Kayla acquires a pup she names Fireball, who provides some comic relief when things start to get a little dark. Fireball also instigates a scene that brings out Tony's deeper, caring side that he often keeps hidden. As the trip continues, and they meet with several of his exes, Tony takes more ownership of his mistakes. I liked his determination to change his ways. The more time that he and Kayla spend together, the more the sparks of attraction between them build. And with the attraction comes deeper feelings.
Kayla sees a link between life and the fire sites that show new growth and wonders if it could be the same with her. Tony finds himself wondering "what if..." but his history makes him believe that he can't have it. Just when it looks like he might take a chance, that history comes roaring into his present. I ached for Tony and the pain he had to face. I wanted to shake him for pushing Kayla away, but I also understood that it was something he needed to confront. I liked the conversation between Tony and his brother and how it gave Tony the courage he needed. I loved the scene at his childhood home and the difference it made to his feelings about himself. While Tony faced his past, Kayla had some significant revelations of her own. A timely phone call from her mother helped her realize that she was harder on herself than she should be. I loved her mom's statement: "We're family. Awkward comes with the territory."
The ending was fantastic. I loved Tony's sweet, awkward apology and their acknowledgment that a relationship takes work. Perfect isn't possible, but owning up to mistakes and doing better is what counts. The epilogue was awesome, from the description of the exhibition (I LOVED the "Bloopers and Bonus Shots) to Tony's surprise for Kayla.
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