Thank you @amyhagstromauthor @lakeunionauthors and @katerockbooktours for my gifted arc.

WOWZA!!! What a compelling thrill ride this was! I was locked in for Mel, Sam, and True’s decisions and outcomes. Mel, the small town fire chief battling the fire but worrying about her youngest daughter, seemed like she had the most on the line. But, Sam, taking care of the two girls- especially Annie with a heart condition- and having to make difficult choices in order to care for them but ALSO worry about his family home as the fires become dangerously close and all that brought with it felt the most relatable for me having been in his shoes with hurricanes and my own health to consider. True, on a river rafting guide trip and caring for her guests but also engaging in dangerous activity to help Mel and Sam take care of their daughter seemed to be putting the most at risk. I also liked the LGBT and trans rep within True’s story.
Could not put this one down!

I loved Hagstrom’s previous book, The Wild Between Us, and came into Smoke Season anticipating good things. I wasn’t disappointed! The author blends authentic storytelling of humans and nature, full of love, fear, and honesty, with pulse-pounding suspense that can’t be beat. She has quickly become an auto-read author for me.

This heart pounding story had me racing to finish the book to see how the story ends. It explores what choices a person will make for their family. Set in a small, rural Oregon town, estranged couple Mel and Sam are struggling to survive and have the money needed for the care of their very ill daughter. Their best friend, river guide True, is trying hard not to take sides and is working with Mel on a dangerous scheme to earn extra money. When a wildfire ignites in the area difficult decisions must be made in order to survive. Will this fire season destroy everything? The multiple points of view and multiple storylines drew me in and kept me engaged. I liked Mel, Sam, and True and could feel their struggles and terror. The writing had my heart racing and I could see the fire as it raged. I will be adding the author to my list of auto read authors. I highly recommend this for readers that enjoy heart pounding reads.

was a really good story.
I found myself pulled into this remarkable story with intriguing characters and unable to pull away.

Does this author know how to describe a fire! Wow!! Before starting this book, clear your schedule and calm your heart rate because while Ms. Hagstrom's first book was a slow build to the climax, this book starts with a bang. Kinda literally! I was not a victim of the 2018 Camp Fire, but I live close enough to have suffered from the air quality and provide assistance to some of the victims. Reading this book filled me with flashbacks to news reports, conversations with victims, etc. If you think I'm exaggerating, no, Ms. Hagstrom even mentions the Camp Fire in the acknowledgements. But, in addition to the heart pounding descriptions of fire, its precariousness, and the damage it can cause, there are also well developed and intricate storylines outside of the fire itself. The narration bounces between three points of view, all connected to each other but for the most part separated due to the fire. Each one has very specific concerns of their own in addition to concerns about the other narrators. This makes for a gripping, page turner and the second 5 star read for me from Ms. Hagstrom!

📚 PUBLICATION WEEK BOOK TOUR BOOK REVIEW 📚

Smoke Season By Amy Hagstrom
Publication Date: November 19, 2024
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

If you're in the mood for an emotionally intense read, one that prompts constant edge-of-your-seat anxiety, allow me to introduce Smoke Season by Amy Hagstrom.

When I say intense, I genuinely mean it. My stomach was in knots for much of the book, and most of the intensity came primarily from the unhinged and out-of-control stressor of a burning wildfire in the Oregon mountains. While it was a different kind of intensity than in the thrillers I most often read, this was an incredibly enjoyable read for me.

The story was told from the perspective of three main characters: Sam, Mel, and True. Sam and Mel have been married for years but are currently estranged and living separately, their relationship struggling due to the stresses of their youngest daughter's life-or-death medical needs and the subsequent strain on their family's finances. True is Mel's best friend, who has had an unrequited romantic love for Mel since they first met. Mel is a fire battalion chief in town and as such, is on the frontlines of the wildfire. Sam owns the town's bar/restaurant, which serves as a community hub of-sorts for the residents during the chaos of the fire. And True, who runs her own river-guide tour company, finds herself on a river tour with rookie rafters while the fire rages in the near distance. There wasn't a single storyline in this book that didn't cause heart-pounding anxiety.

I will say, some of the details of the firefighters battling the blaze felt, at times, a little too detailed, and I found myself kinda glossing over some of it. However, this 'downtime' for my brain was welcomed amidst the intensity of the rest of the book. Amidst the intensity is the background-yet-powerful LGBTQIA+ storyline involving True's blossoming friendship with Vivian and Emmett Wu, the family she is guiding down the river. Emmett is a young trans character, wholeheartedly supported in his transition by his mother Vivian, and the conversations between True and Vivian about this part of the story were a beautiful representation of acceptance within Hagstrom's book.

There was a lot to love about Smoke Season, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be swept up in the storyline of a really, really great read. A massive thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours, Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Amy Hagstrom herself for this advanced e-book in exchange for my participation in the book tour and my honest review.

#SmokeSeason #AmyHagstrom #LakeUnionPublishing #katerockbooktours #booktours #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #mustreads #booklover #bookaddict #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

I feel totally torn with this book, I really enjoyed Amy’s first book but this one just didn’t grab me as much.
Mel and Sam’s marriage has broken but they are held together by their daughters, one of whom has a major medical condition needing lots of medication and eventually surgery. With fiancés tight Mel and her best friend True stumble on an illegal and risky way to secure extra money for treatment.
Set in the backdrop of a major fire surrounding the town of carbon, Mel a fire battalion chief and True a whitewater rafting guide have to battle the fire and their side hustle.
Not sure why this didn’t gel with me, I do know I was expecting this to be more about the fire itself and the community and it’s efforts to beat it, rather than the danger of the illegal activity that was going on.
Consequently I did skim read some chapters but the last 1/4 of the book held my attention. This really centred on the characters and their fire experience…terrifying. Guess this was what I had expected the story to be more about.
Thanks you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read. I will certainly still seek out any more of the author’s book.

This is an enjoyable fast passed read. The characters are easy to like and feel for what they are going thru. This had me on the edge of my seat and just couldn't put it down. Thank you for NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

A tense topical tale where you will find yourself rooting for people who have made hard and bad choices due. Mel and Sam can't see a way to pay for their child's medications until Mel and her friend True start trafficking narcotics. Then there's a wildfire which imperils all of them in more ways than one. This has good representation, a thoughtful plot. and raises questions about so many things. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARc. A good read.

This one was tense, set against the backdrop of a raging wildfire a community battles just to stay alive but while that may be the largest obstacle they face it’s not the only one. This is told via the perspectives of Sam, True and Mel who are a close knit unit made up of everyday people who are just trying to do their best. All three were easy to relate to, normal people trying to do right by their family and I was very sympathetic to their issues. Sam and Mel’s youngest daughter has a life threatening heart condition and her story truly scared me as a parent and then add in a fire literally in their backyard and the tension was SO high. If you live in an area where wildfires are an occurrence you know how scary it can be and the author did a great job of capturing that fear and anxiety. If you like character driven suspense with likable characters try this!

This is a really fast-paced and multi-dimensional novel. Forest fires, the impact of the smoke, a side drug business, and exploring what we do for those we care about.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Smoke Season takes you on a ride of explosive suspense. With a wild fire burning and a devastating medical diagnosis. The characters are all fighting to stay alive. The plot is intentionally atmospheric with twists and gut wrenching tension.

Amy Hagstrom delivers another heart-pounding tale of complex, nuanced characters grappling with impossible situations made even more complex by a natural disaster. In Smoke Season, we meet True, a river rafting guide; Mel, a firefighter; and Sam, her husband. The adults are trying to care for the couple's girls, one of whom has a life-threatening heart condition made more complicated when a wildfire breaks out near their hometown. Hagstrom confronts unflinchingly the complexities faced by those in the LGBTQ+ community as well as those impacted by natural disasters in an era of climate change, but the characters are always front and center: the bad judgment calls that make you want to pull your hair out, even as you understand the reasons behind them; the struggles to reconcile impossible circumstances with impossible choices. Once again, Hagstrom paints a vivid backdrop against which the drama plays out. A page turner from start to finish.

“Smoke Season” is a gripping novel by Amy Hagstrom that unfolds against the backdrop of an Oregon wildfire and the tumultuous rapids of the Outlaw River. The story centers on themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones in dire circumstances.

The narrative begins in rural Carbon, Oregon, where every wildfire season brings a thick haze of smoke. This particular summer, a single lightning strike ignites a blaze that threatens to engulf everything in its path. Kristina “True” Truitt, an experienced whitewater rafting guide, finds herself deeply concerned for her best friend, Melissa Bishop, who is bravely serving as a fire battalion chief on the front lines.

As the fire spreads and jumps firebreaks, True learns that Melissa and her estranged husband, Sam, are involved in a perilous side gig: an illegal money drop along the banks of the Outlaw River. This risky endeavor is their only hope to secure medical care for their vulnerable daughter. The stakes are high as they navigate not only the dangers posed by the wildfire but also the scrutiny of federal authorities.

Throughout the story, True, Mel, and Sam face increasingly difficult choices as they grapple with what risks are worth taking to save their loved ones. As flames close in around them, they must confront their fears and decide what they are willing to sacrifice.

The novel explores profound themes such as love, loyalty, and moral dilemmas faced during crises. It highlights how natural disasters can reveal both human resilience and vulnerability while emphasizing family bonds and friendships under pressure.

The characters are well-crafted and relatable; each undergoes significant growth throughout the narrative. Their struggles resonate with readers as they deal with personal challenges amid external chaos.

“Smoke Season” is not just a tale of survival against nature’s fury but also a poignant exploration of human relationships tested by adversity.

This is the 2nd book I’ve read from one of my favorite authors! Beautifully written book. I loved the story, and was educated on what life is like living with dangerous forest fires, and the smoke. Huge appreciation for firefighters and first responders that risk their lives to fight these fires. The theme is strength and family first, and what a mom/dad/neighbor/sister/bff will do for each other. The sacrifices that were made by Mel, Sam and True were touching. I was on the edge of my seat reading about what would happen next. Through everything, the human spirit and love conquers all. Read this book!

Smoke Season is a highly gripping and exciting novel, taking us and its characters on an emotional, edge-of-your-seat journey through a haze of smoke, uncertain love, duty and danger. I couldn't put it down.

The characters in Smoke Season were really easy to root for and to like. All the POV characters are just people trying their best to go through the day and to do right by the people they love, but they're still human, nuanced and flawed.

The pacing was pretty good, the story never dragged or stalled.

I enjoyed the person with a medical condition meets natural disaster aspect of the story since it's an aspect that often gets overlooked in disaster survival stories.

There is queer and trans representation in the book but it's really secondary to the story itself which I liked.

I received an eARC of this book, many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Uninon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed the fast pace and the character development in the story. Each chapter flowed seamlessly into the next, keeping me on the edge of my seat. The characters were well-crafted, each one growing and evolving in a way that felt real and compelling.

The theme of the story was undeniably sad, touching on deep and emotional subjects. Despite this, I couldn't put the book down. The sadness woven throughout the narrative added a layer of depth that made the story even more engaging. It wasn't just the plot that kept me hooked; it was also the way the characters dealt with their struggles and grew from their experiences.

I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys, rooting for them through their hardships and celebrating their victories. The blend of fast-paced action and thoughtful character development made the story a memorable read. It struck a perfect balance, making me feel deeply while still keeping me eagerly turning the pages.

As the walls of fire close in, True, Mel, and Sam wrestle with one terrible choice after another. It’s time to decide what risks are worth taking and what they are willing to let burn to ashes. I loved her book "the wild between us" and was eager to read Smoke season. For me, it was very fast paced. The characters were developed and well rounded. I couldn't put this one down! Thank you Netgalley for my ARC copy.

What a cool story! I enjoyed this book. It was very entertaining and engaging. Pick it up on publication day.