Bull$ts and Bonfires: Book Review

I couldn’t wait for the book to be over. I’m proud because I finished it, but disappointed because I let Booktok trick me into reading it. 🥹

Hello, dearies! 📖

Not all that you read on those descriptions of books on TikTok is accurate, always keep that fresh in your mind as it is true, and it is not the first time that it has happened to me, just that other times I don’t follow through, but this time I really thought: hey, this Bullets and Bonfires might be interesting.

And it was, but not quite what I was expecting of the book.

All of that said, I enjoyed parts and bits of this book, I did not fall for the main characters neither the “hero” nor the “heroine”, there were instances that I cringed, and that has not happened to me in… ever, I think, if it has I blocked it out, some parts I basically skimmed, say a page because I didn’t find it completely relevant or worth it of the story, I know it was, this was when Bree was talking to Teller, and to be honest all the side characters got my attention more than the main two.

Ok ok, I am doing this backwards, I’ll try to rewind and go in order.

About the Book

Bullets and Bonfires, is a new adult, police, contemporary romance, and abuse novel. I did not read the genres properly and that’s on me, I barely skimmed the book description on Goodreads because I rarely read a description on the platform, alright, but that has nothing to do with how the book was written, what I felt, or what I thought while reading it, it is not about that. If I had read all of those things before opening the book, I still would have read it.

Spoilers ahead if you plan on reading this one.

Brianna

Meet Bree Avery, a fresh out of college girl who was nearly killed by her ex because he lost it (psycho that he is) and beat her. Hold and behold, it was not the first time that it happened, and it was not the only thing that he did to her.

Liam

Meet Liam Hollister, our little town Police officer (deputy, whatever). Who likes living in his small town but is so incredibly confusing from the first chapter of the book as he admits he is in love with her but also goes from denying his feelings to giving lame excuses, to suddenly kissing her before pushing her away and then try to act like a friend again, I couldn’t catch up for a while there. He is also, apparently, one of those ‘touch her and you die’ type of guy, which is fine by my book in most cases, but it didn’t entirely click with me on how this one was portrayed, and it was borderline caveman, there I said it, I couldn’t hold it back any longer.

More on the Book

Brianna or Bree (I really wish she had another name, she didn’t sound or act like a Bree to me, and all I keep going back to was to Bree Randall) is trying to get her life back together, and slowly (heavily) leans on Liam for comfort, that’s cool, but she runs hot and cold in her trying to be independent and internal battles, like she wants to be strong but there was something off about it that didn’t entirely pan out for me. And she had stayed with the guy (Chad) even after he mistreated her for four f-ing years, her entire college career, that is not something that should happen at all, I don’t know, even with the sweetest words of anyone, toxic is toxic and she was a psychology major then there is really little excuses, she said it herself that she didn’t see the signs, and I am not blaming her on it, I just don’t agree on how her character was developed. And some of her thoughts processes truly got on my nerves as well as Liam’s.

He was a protector and in-love and all, but there was that tiny portion that didn’t quite feel like: wow, I love how this guy is.

Plus the hot scenes were not that 100% hot, they were missing that extra spice that makes you go: whoa, hope no one saw me blush at that.

All of that aside, there were moments, and as I said before the others characters were more exciting. Vince came in the last few chapters (even when I was half expecting him to interrupt them while going wild in his house), and only mentioned the rest of the time and yet, I was expecting that more than what would happen between Bree and Liam because it was quite obvious (and it dragged a bit), also the proposal at the end was very much like whatever, let’s get married. 😒

Also, I think I know where the other characters will be in this author’s books, but I am just taking guesses at this point. Keegan, Teller, Vince, Sully, and Brady definitely were in my radar the entire time, and I am certain that a book about any of them will interest me more. Don’t ask me why, just seems that way.

Well, all I know is that I tried something new because I read a ‘cool’ description of the book on TT and then this happened, hard to trust again.

Would I recommend this book? If you like strange plots, coming out of a bad relationship, the slowest burn, and you want to form your opinion then be my guest, otherwise, I would save it to the TBR and wait for a low weekend to read this one.

Wow, I really don’t like to give a lower score than 3 so I barely put it on Goodreads and didn’t leave a review there. I prefer to save those for my 4 and 5 stars, which I recommend strongly.

And since I went backwards on this review, let me leave the usual book description I do here at the end.

Book Title: Bullets and Bonfires

Author: Autumn Jones Lake

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Police, Abuse, Romantic Suspense 🤨

Page count: 302 pages

3 ⭐️

Read again? Unlikely

That’s all for this one, dearies! If you have read this one or other books by this author, let me know. If you know any brother’s best friend romance novels that you recommend, I’m all ears and eyes. And of course, don’t forget to like, share, and follow the blog for more.

There are some cool new book challenges available and a new Anime shopping haul that you might enjoy. 🌟💖

Thank you for sticking to the end! 👋