Playing with Fire

By: Gena Showalter

Narrated by: Jessica Almasy

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Twenty-four-year-old barista Belle Jamison dreams of a better job and a decent love life - until a crazy scientist spikes her mocha latte! Suddenly, Belle can wield the four elements - earth, wind, fire, and water - with only a thought. Coffee too hot? No problem. Hair in need of a blow-dry? Done.

Gorgeous government agent Rome Masters has been sent to neutralize Belle. But he's not the only one after her. Together they must outrun the rogue agents on their trail and find a way to control her powers. There's just one problem: the sparks Belle and Rome generate are even hotter than the ones flying from her eyes. And with her future on the line, now is the worst possible time to fall in love!

©2009 Gena Showalter (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The versatile Showalter takes the nail-biting elements of her exciting paranormals and blends them with the wit and humor of her contemporary romances to make a delicious offering spiced with the best ingredients of both." ( Booklist)

Replace the heroine with a bobble head and you will get the same effect

I picked up this book because someone on goodreads compared it to Jeaniene Frost's vampire series featuring Cat & Bones. As a big fan of that series , I am highly offended by this comparison after picking up this book. I have no idea how that person could compare the two. While this book had a lot of promise , it's ruined by a TSTL MC . All this book was about a girl with out of control powers lusting after a guy who was sent to "neutralize "her. Then she continues lusting after him and putting him as her top priority despite the constant threat of her being captured, tortured, made into a lab rat and possibly killed. She has known Rome for a few days and throws a jealous tantrum (like she has ownership of him after a couple of days?! -_- )while meeting his exwife and mother of his child who is sheltering them! Then they continue their blatant disrespect of the psychic ex-wife in her home by getting it on in her apartment . This book is smut with some extra teenage hormones because that's how the 24 year old acts like - a teenager. There is nothing extraordinary. If you like smut with no real relationship build up and exhibitionist tendencies then you might like this book. If you are like me and prefer strong-willed , kick-ass heroines who have more going on in their heads than humping a guy in front of his ex-wife , who is the same guy that was about to trade her over to his boss a few days ago when they met, then this book isn't for you. The narration was fine but even good narrators can't save horrible writing.

Waiting for book to start

I thought this book would be a departure from what I normally read. It seems to have a good story line to it. I am 4 hours into it and am still waiting for this book to actually start. Spoiler Alert... after becoming "infected" they are still arguing about how to devise a PLAN on how to deal with the situation. wow... If I pulled this at work I would have lost my co-workers 3 hours ago.

I normally love Gena Showalter

I love the demons of the underworld series, but I am having trouble with this one.. very little steam and the narrator talks like a valley girl impersonating captain Kirk. Badly. Even if the plot line had been fabulous, I don't think I would buy anything narrated by Jessica Almasy again. I want to poke my eardrums out..

Hurts so much to listen 😭 too

Chapter three was enough for to say f**k this story. The author has tried to describe this character main female antagonist as being responsible until five years ago when she lost her two main jobs. But when she starts to tell her story you realize she's always been a reckless and irresponsible. She has had privilege, that she has shows. I can't listen to this. Chapter 3 was it for me I tried to see the white privilege girl going through a hard time but the thing about privilege even when you write it down it doesn't come across well. I understand she's giving up opportunity because her dad has built a lifestyle for her and he was willing to work his self to death to give it to her. But her responses to others. The disrespectful way shows you how much she's learned from how her dad work so hard to give her that privileged life.