Charly's Fire

Charly Hanson's divorce has left her with no confidence in herself as a woman. She hasn't been with any man since her ex left her for a younger model. But when her house catches fire and a hunky fireman shows up, it seems possible that that is going to change.

Charly's Fire is slightly inspirational. The moral of the story is that after a relationship breaks up, you must go on. Just because one person no longer wants to be with you, doesn't mean that nobody else does. You cannot let life pass you by. You need to buck up and go after what you want. The characters do have sex, but this doesn't get described – more's the pity. Charly's lack of precautions with her candles made me feel like slapping her for her stupidity, but her experience with her ex aroused my sympathies and had me wishing things would improve for her. Any woman who has been dumped – especially if done in exchange for a younger woman – will recognize something of herself in Charly and may enjoy this short tale.

Wrong Number

For the past month or so, Charlie has been receiving strange – though arousing – phone calls from an unknown woman who keeps dialling the wrong number. Her voice alone is enough to keep him hot and bothered. Yet, she seems familiar somehow…

Wrong Number is a very short story in which the hero finds his attention caught by a woman he knows absolutely nothing about – except her first name and the inattentive boyfriend she has. The characters do get together, and they do engage in sex – which is described, though not in graphic detail. Little else happens in the story but if you have ever dialed a wrong number – or found yourself captivated by a voice over the phone – then this could be a tale for you.


This duo of short stories will likely gain your interest if you are a fireman fan. For what the stories are, they are fairly enjoyable – just please be aware there is not much to them. If you like short stories, you might want to give these a go. If you are a staid fan of longer tales and need plenty of character development, if you must know the ins and outs of the characters' lives, then this duo isn't for you.

Reviewed by: Elizabeth