Smoke & Mirrors by Skye Jordan is a captivating read for fans of emotional and mysterious contemporary romance, particularly those who enjoy stories about second chances, trust, and the complexities of relationships, as it masterfully weaves together themes of vulnerability, deception, and the power of love to heal and transform.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I know it’s firefighters, but this is hot and I mean scorching, pass me my fan. I loved it the chemistry between Logan and Isabel is fantastic, full of spark, there are so many funny moments too and the firefighters love their pets swoon. I am so looking forward to future books if they’re all like this

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Hot firefighter and a sizzling chemistry in a small town where everyone knows everyone and it’s in their business at all times. Loved it so much

This is the first book I have read by Skye Jordan and it won't be the last! I really liked both Logan and Isabel. I love the best friend's sister trope and this was well done. I can't wait for more in this series.

Loved it... A slow build book... Which I didn't want to put down until I finished it all the way to the end..... I would totally read more by this author... .

4.5 Stars

The second book in Forged in Fire, Smoke and Mirrors is a firefighter romance. Logan and Isabel are engaging characters and I loved the pets. The story is electric and the cast dynamic. I was on board with this series at book 1 at book 2 it has definitely become an auto buy for me. I recommend you do your self a favor and pick this series up and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Skye Jordan’s second book Smoke & Mirrors, in the Flash Point series literally grabs you emotionally from its onset. With the perfect mixture of tension, intrigue, angst, romance, action, and humor, you’re carry through the story at a rapid pace…pages nearly turning themselves as Logan and Isabel’s story unfolds…and their longing standing relationship evolves from longtime friends, to something more (their words).

There is definitely a complexity of feelings and nerves that drives Isabel’s decision making process…often with less than desirable results…and the fear of being lied to that repels Logan from committed relationships. As the couple work out these issues alone, and as a couple, I enjoyed the thrill of seeing these two grow separately and together.

Another fine addition to a series I hope to read more from.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of Smoke and Mirrors in exchange for an honest review. Skye Jordan is my favorite author and has yet to disappoint me. Another great read and waiting for more.

This is a beautiful love story that's it all, I couldn't put it down until I'd finished it and it's gone into my re-read pile,
I got ARC from netgalley for an honest review and it is 😁

This is the second book in the series and both characters grab you from the very beginning. Each has their own issues regarding relationships with the other sex and neither is looking for anything. Yet the friendship that they had years ago just seems easy to fall back into.
Isabel is still dealing with why she came back home plus with everything that happened when she left high school. Still feeling bad about what and how she did things especially to Logan's sister, she knows when she meets her that she must at least apologize to her and slowly you begin to see Isabel change for the better. Though she and Logan are wanting to be together she still wants to leave the small town to see if she does and what happens with this very good story.

Isabel has been gone from her hometown for a long time. She left after high school to take a scholarship at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. The scholarship should have gone to someone else - but Isabel snatched it up and ran with it. Since then - she's had success - but a lot of failure. Through it all her brother and her hometown have been fully in the dark about those failures and believe she is living the high life. When she shows back up at home with 47 cents in her pocket- and a lot of lies to deal with - things get complicated very quickly.

Logan has some major trust issues after his parents abusive relationship and the subsequent murder of his mother. He recently went through a terrible experience where a hook-up faked a pregnancy in an effort to get Logan to marry her (who does that???). As a result - more lies are a serious trigger for him.

Isabel is not ready to share her failures with anyone - and definitely not with Logan. She never precisely lies to him - but she definitely doesn't tell the truth either. Logan knows she isn't sharing everything with him and this is definitely an issue - but he doesn't press on it because he is convinced she is going to leave if he does.

This book really does focus strongly on forgiveness and finding acceptance within yourself. Both Isabel and Logan need to find both - for themselves and each other before the book is over. And that doesn't come easily. Overall, Isabel and Logan were a really tough couple for me. They gave me such complicated feelings. I could see both sides of their issues - but I am not sure I really felt <spoiler> like all of Logan's friends did, that he was more of the problem than Isabel. That his lack of trust was on him. I could see it - I just didn't feel it. I felt that Isabel needed to be willing to trust and be open too. This is sort of resolved - but maybe not to the degree I wanted it to be.

I give this book a very solid 3.5 Stars - I think if I hadn't had such complicated feelings about them - it might have gone up to 4 stars. Also, this is part of a series, but it definitely stands alone. I received it as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

Complementary copy given for my honest opinion and review by NetGalley. Slye Jordan gave us another amazing book in this series. The evolution of the characters has the perfect combination of mystery and romance.

You don't want me to lie, yet you're demanding answers I don't want to give."
"I'm not demanding them."
"You're putting me in an impossible position. I talk about something I don't want to talk about and something that's, frankly, none of your business, or I say something that will placate you, something you want to hear so you'll drop it."
"Are you saying I make you lie?"

And THIS is how Isabel and Logan communicate. Though, they're not unfriendly. On the contrary, they have been rather CLOSE in the past. That chemistry still appears to be right under the surface still.

Right now, Isabel has a lot to hide. So she's trying to be vague in most of her answers. Her attraction to Logan hasn't gone away.

Logan can't stay lies, deceptions or half truths. This is a definite problem when dealing with Isabel. Who he knows is definitely hiding something.

I love this second installment of Forged in Fire. I enjoy the reoccurring characters and the camaraderie among all of the side characters!

Smoke & Mirrors is a steamy second-chance romance, the second in the Forged in Fire series. Isabel is back in her hometown after several years trying to make it in the New York fashion industry. She quickly starts to feel at home in the community but secrets she's keeping and Logan's distrust threaten to tear them apart. Loved meeting the firehall crew and their families again along with the growing menagerie of pets. I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This is book 2 in Skye Jordan’s’ Forged in Fire series starring Logan and Isabel.

Isobel returns to visit her firefighter brother and his BFF’s after 10 years in a desperate situation she is trying to hire: evicted, no job, no money and a threatening deadbeat ex boyfriend. Logan is one of her brothers BFF’s has his own personal traumatic last and his a sexy past with Isabel. After escaping New York, Isabel is trying to get her life back on track and escape the lies of her past. Logan is a sweetheart, rescues puppies and people and is wanting to rescue Isabel.

The writing was great and I really loved the storyline! There was some incredibly funny moments that are still making me chuckle - parrot in the tree 😂
The relationship between Isabel and Logan was really well explored and treated well. It was far from a perfect relationship and I enjoyed the issues and drama they both had stemming from past traumas. The secondary characters were really well written and I loved the comraderie between the guys. The multi faceted approach to Isabel and Logan’s personalities was really well explored!

One thing I didn’t really care for with this book was the first person narration. I found it at times hard to focus on especially as some chapters were from Isabels perspectives and other chapters from Logan’s. I normally HATE first person narration and changing character perspectives but it actually didn’t detract from the story.

All in all I loved this book and am now buying everything that Skye Jordan has ever written!

Smoke & Mirrors is the second book in Skye Jordan's Forged in Fire series, but it's not only the first book in the series I've read, it's also the first book I've read by this author, and while the book works just fine as a standalone, I was somewhat shocked by all the 4- and 5-star reviews posted, because for me, it was simply a passably interesting read, which is why I'm only giving it a 3-star rating.

I love a good second chance romance, and I love books about firefighters and other first responders, but although the fire company in this novel really was one, they didn't do much firefighting--the most entertaining scene that they had to deal with was rescuing a foul-mouthed gray parrot up in a tree--but as far as the grit and business of firefighting, that aspect of the novel really fell by the wayside.

The first main character we meet is, Isabel, who left her small town in Oregon years ago, when she stole her best friend's scholarship to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, graduated and then tried to make it as a fashion designer in NY, as cutthroat and backstabbing an industry as one can find, and she failed at numerous assistant jobs, finally linking up with a man who promised her a decent job, was controlling and abusive to her, and when she broke up with him, she lost not only her job, but all her savings, since he managed to drain them all from her accounts. She's returning to her small town with less than a dollar to her name--the only thing of value she has left is her ex-boyfriend's antique firearm, which she'd happily trade for the money he stole from her. However, her social media accounts, and reports to her brother, Tucker, also a firefighter in her hometown, are bogus, showing her as a busy and successful fashion designer, when her major accomplishment has been as a window dresser, all while holding more than a couple of menial jobs waitressing and bartending in order to pay the rent on her tiny NY apartment.

Logan is a firefighter, and when he and Isabel were high school seniors, they made a pact to relieve each other of their virginity before leaving their small town for college. He and Isabel are certainly hot for each other, but Logan, who was abused as child by his also abused, alcoholic mother and a succession of the abusive men in her life, has major issues with being lied to--quite a stumbling block with Isabel, who is dead set against anyone in her home town finding out that she's returning home because she's failed at her main career goal, has had a series of bad relationships with men, and is truly returning home with her tail between her legs. Logan has a few stumbling blocks of his own, an ex who wants him back, and a real problem with liars. Although Isabel hasn't actually lied to him, she's omitted a good deal of the facts about her life and career in New York, which to Logan is a good as lying.

While I enjoyed the small town vibe in this novel, and appreciated Isabel's work ethic, her kindness and selflessness when it came to helping others in need, and her willingness to pitch in with no thought of ever being paid, I failed to see the advantage of her hiding behind the myth of her success. While I also liked Logan and the adorable pup he rescued, I found his relationship standards rather harsh and judgmental when it came to his expectation of Isabel telling him every detail of her whole sad tale of failure at her chosen career. Aside from that issue, which turned their sex-only affair into an on-again, off-again relationship, marred by slights and disagreements, not much of anything else happens in this novel, and I became rather bored with both main characters ongoing issues and the lack of much in the way of forward momentum in either this novel or the relationship between its main characters.

Smoke & Mirrors isn't a bad read, but in this reviewers opinion, it's not a great one either. I was also rather put off by the sheer amount of profanity used in this novel--it was funny coming from the foul-mouthed parrot, but far less amusing when it came from the main characters. While there is the expected HEA ending, it wasn't much of one, and it happens in the last two pages of this novel, giving short shrift to the future of this couple.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Isabel has been through a lot in her pursuit of a career in fashion. Considering she burned most of the bridges to her past life to do it, she finds herself returning home expecting the worst. But her no-bull crap attitude and eagerness to make amends, opens doors and avenues she never expected. Sure she has secrets but she’s always handled things on her own so it’s tough letting in anyone. Logan of course has always been able to read her like an open book so it doesn’t take long for him to get under her skin and peel back those layers.

When everything is finally out in the open, Isabel realized that the only people that matter are the ones who will accept her for who and what she is. And that she needs to be brave enough to accept that not everyone will be what she needs them to be.

On a side note, Tucker is the worst brother ever!
.

This is book 2 in the Forged in Fire series and it can absolutely be read as a stand alone although I would read the first book as these characters were all introduced in that book. Logan and Isabel grew up together. Isabel left town long ago but now she is back, and hiding something. When she comes back, she crashes poker night and hustles them out of their money. But Logan knows she is hiding something. Logan has dealt with too many lies and had his life torn apart because of them. But when the truth comes out, can either of them move on unscathed?

I really liked this one although there were times I wanted to smack some people in the book around. Isabel is trying to get back on her feet, but she doesn't have anywhere else to go but home. But she also doesn't want to deal with the reason she came home. Logan, oh Logan...he has so many issues due to previous relationships and his family. And I get it, I do. But sometimes you have to move beyond them and just try for the person in front of you. I wanted to smack him soooo many times! But I really do get why he was the way he was. But I also loved his character-I was back and forth with him LOL! But that is just a sign to me of how good of a character an author can write when it makes your feelings go all over the place over them! These characters connection was beautiful to read unfold, and while they both have issues-they manage to work through them and come out right in the end. I really enjoyed this read, and I think this one sucked me into this world even more than the first one did!

Smoke & Mirrors was a good read. The premise of my best friends little sister isn't anything new but I liked how these characters fit together.
Logan is a bit standoffish upon Isabel's return to her home town but that's because he's been burned recently by his ex. He also is still pining for his teenage crush.
I wasn't sure what to make of Isabel at first but she was an interesting character. She was funny, quick witted and worn her heart on her sleeve. Despite the mistakes she made as a young adult she was a loyal friend and would do anything for those she loved.
The story flowed well and kept me interested.

I received a copy of the book for a honest review.