A guarded bartender, a hotshot firefighter, and one Halloween litter of very determined kittens.
Years ago, on Halloween night—Leo March’s twenty‑first birthday—one reckless mistake blew up everything between him and Lynne O’Donnell. Now she runs the coziest bar in Autumn Ridge and keeps her life locked down: no mess, no drama, and absolutely no falling for the firefighter who once broke her heart.
Then Fred, the town’s most infamous tomcat (and proud pet of one Leo March), sneaks into her bar and leaves behind more than mischief: a feral mama cat and a litter of kittens hidden in Lynne’s storage room. Suddenly she’s spending far too many late nights with the one man she swore off—bottle‑feeding strays, shooting accidental viral cat videos, and trying not to remember every reason she fell for him the first time.
Leo is all heat and heart. Lynne is all calm and control. But stuck co‑fostering the feline fallout, old sparks don’t just reignite—they spread. Lynne and Leo have to decide if they’re ready to stop pretending they’re only friends… and admit some fires were never meant to burn out.
Hot Under the Collar is a cozy‑with‑heat, small‑town firefighter romance featuring:
- Second‑chance, older‑woman / younger‑man tension
- Forced proximity and late‑night kitten duty
- Viral cat chaos and meddling friends
- Found family with the Nine Lives Club
- Open‑door spice, heartfelt grief, and a guaranteed happily ever after
This sexy, feel‑good romance can be read as a complete standalone. But returning to Autumn Ridge—and its match‑making cats—may be irresistible after you've finished this one.
