Finding out she is adopted comes as a huge shock to Skye Barclay. More hurtful was her parents and fiancé’s lack of support about her decision to search for her biological mother. But Skye forges ahead, losing her fiancé and putting her already unstable relationship with her parents further on the rocks in the process. Discovering she has a brother, who was adopted when their mother died in a car crash, Skye is determined to meet him. She hadn’t counted on his parent’s warm welcome, or his enigmatic cousin, Slade. Skye uses her time off to stay near her brother, putting her in close proximity with Slade. She’s determined to keep her distance; can she?

Slade Madaris is attracted to Skye from the first moment he sets eyes on her. Hiring her for several months makes sense, since he needs someone to cover an employee’s maternity leave. Skye wants to be around to get to know Vincent, and Slade wants Skye around so he can get to know her. Getting close to her won’t be easy. She has just come out of a long-term relationship and doesn’t feel ready to begin another. More important, she wants to focus solely on Vincent. Can Slade convince her to give them a chance?

Slow Burn is the latest installment in Brenda Jackson’s Madaris Family And Friends series and, whilst I haven’t read any of the others, I would very much like to. The good news is that they are all to be reprinted, so you to can read the whole collection. The story was very touching and turned out to be so much more than the blurb promised. An unexpected dose of tension here, a bit of mystery there and at the core the love of a large family is what you will get from this story. Wonderful and uplifting! The characters are all wonderfully developed, as is the plot. Skye faces uncertain times ahead and her determination to have a relationship with her brother is commendable. Her parents lack of support is infuriating and her ex-fiancé…I saw red. Slade is a man who knows what he wants and now he wants Skye. His pursuit of her is well woven into the story and their chemistry is well developed. Their sexual relationship is sizzling and does get described in some detail. I wasn’t disappointed, and I don’t believe you would be, either!

Reviewed by: Elizabeth