The flame game by Clover Callahan

 

Published on October 22th, 2026

349 pages

I read the digital version

Back Cover

Reluctant boss Gareth Glengarry can manage a clumsy sawman, a lazy pump man and a second-in-command with zero sense of direction. But the biggest challenge of this rag tag wildland fire crew? The know-it-all rookie, Adri, whose attitude is a bigger wet blanket than the water bombers circling overhead. Add in the fact that she's the Incident Commander's daughter and Gareth has a if he can't bring this team together, he'll lose the reference he needs to get back home.

Adri Jurić has an axe to grind with her overprotective father. Wildland firefighting is a family business, but she suspects he's assigned her to the worst crew on purpose until she can prove herself on the fire line. Getting that experience, though, is impossible with a crew boss like Gareth Glengarry with his disarmingly genuine pep talks and easygoing leadership that don't live up to her sky-high standards.

As Gareth and Adri spend more time together, a friendship forges, rooted in practice medical scenarios, waterfall hikes and a surprise bear visit. While the wildfire season burns hotter, so do their feeling for each other, forcing them to choose between their careers, their crew, their family—or risk their relationship going up in flames.

My review

It’s the first full novel I read by this author. I have Book 1 in my pile, but I received this one has an arc, so I decided to start with this one. I  appreciate that both protagonists have a position we don’t find a lot in novel. I’m not a huge outdoor fan. Fortunately, I enjoy the fact that the characters helped me to escape from my ordinary life. I think they’re doing an important job and I wish Wildland firefighters were in books more often.

Adri and Gareth didn’t like initially. I won't say that the plot is enemies to lovers, but their relation takes time to develop. I  got lost in the story. I love that Adri stands up for what she wants, and she doesn’t get into Gareth’s arms right away. I enjoyed seeing the relationship evolve, and I think the author did a great job with that. Gareth is a cool main male character, but he can be frustrating. He was way less grumpy that some characters that I read before, but there was something with him initially that was getting on my nerves.

This book belongs to a series of interconnected standalone. You don’t have to read the first right away, but I found that it would help me to understand the family dynamic if I read it before this one.