As far as road romances go, this isn’t a bad one, but it simply stretched the boundaries of credulity to accept that, within a twelve hour period, two people could meet under harrowing circumstances, discover true love that could last through the ages, and live happily ever after. Especially when the heroine has been so emotionally scarred that she has retreated far into herself and the hero lacks any true sort of roots to create a sense of family for himself.

That said, Light My Fire is a nice evening’s read, about TJ Delahaye, professional rescuer of people, and Jenna King, former fire jumper. They meet when Jenna’s decided to leave the Oregon rehab facility on foot, with her duffel bag and crutch. TJ, ready to leave the facility himself, finds a bra in the wild, and goes to investigate. What he finds is Jenna, too injured to make it on her own. Rather than going to get help as she asked him to do, he decides to rescue her himself. In the process, he reinjures himself.

And so the stage is set. Two injured people in the wilds of Oregon. Between the elements and rescuing a baby llama, 6′ 2″ Jenna and 6′ 8″ TJ discover what’s been missing in their lives – the other. TJ is much more the sympathetic character here, but his ability to both accept Jenna’s abrasiveness while drawing out the loving, gentle, and kind Jenna underneath seemed unrealistic to me. And, would two severely injured people really want to and/or be able to jump each other’s bones at a time like this?

What works in the book is the action. TJ and Jenna have to find their way out of a ravine before it fills with water and they drown. They have to find help for their injuries before they become too incapacitated to move. Readers will feel drawn into their struggle, and enjoy how they work their way out of each obstacle. Another point in the author’s favor is that Jenna is such a strong physical presence. It’s nice to read a book where the heroine is capable of so much physically. And, the baby llama does add some needed comic relief.

So, if you can suspend reality for a few hours, I think you’ll enjoy Light My Fire. If you just can’t put your disbelief button on hold, I’d pass.