Tinderbox

By: Rachel Grant

Narrated by: Greg Tremblay

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the volatile tinderbox of the Horn of Africa, Morgan Adler has made the paleoanthropological find of a lifetime. The discovery brings her to the attention of a warlord eager to claim both Morgan and the fossils, forcing her to make a desperate dash to the nearby US military base to beg for protection.

Master Sergeant Pax Blanchard has orders to intercept Dr. Adler before she reaches the base, and in so doing saves her life. After a harrowing afternoon, he safely delivers her to his commanders, only to find his responsibilities toward protecting the obstinate archaeologist have only just begun. Morgan and Pax are forced to work together in the Djiboutian desert heat, but it is the fire that ignites between them that threatens to combust them both. For the Green Beret, involvement with the woman he must protect is a threat to his career, while for the archaeologist, the soldier is everything she never wanted but somehow can't resist. When Morgan uncovers a mystery surrounding Djibouti's most scarce and vital resource, the danger to her reaches the flashpoint. For Pax, protecting her is no longer a matter of following orders, and he'll risk everything to bring her back alive.

©2017 Rachel Grant (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"This first novel in Grant's Flashpoint series offers a multilayered, suspenseful plot that's strengthened by its appealing characters, strong attention to detail, and a healthy dose of romance." (Kirkus Reviews)

"...gripping suspense with a wonderfully brisk pace..." (Publishers Weekly)

"Tinderbox is raw and energetic, thrills-wise and sex-wise, and offers an exceptional combination of humor, suspense, romance and archaeological details that are always intriguing and never intrusive. This first book in Rachel Grant's Flashpoint series is unexpected and intense from the get-go. With irresistible characters, a rare setting and an inventive, high-powered plot, it's a smartly crafted gem of a story." (USA Today)

A superbly paced, action-packed, sexy thriller!

Rachel Grant's Tinderbox is a fabulous, edge-of-your-seat story set in one of the most politically unstable regions of the world, the Horn of Africa. Doctor Morgan Adler has been contracted by the Djibouti government to undertake an archaeological survey of the proposed route of a new railway, but when she is threatened by a local warlord, she heads for the US military base at Camp Citron hoping they will be able to protect her and her finds - one of which could well be the archaeological discovery of the decade. Or the century.

Master Sergeant Pax Blanchard is assigned as the head of her protection detail so that she can continue her work; the attraction between them is intense, but he's adamant that pursuing a relationship with Morgan would be unprofessional and tries to keep his distance...

As Morgan continues work on her dig, it becomes clear that the threats she has received may be related to more than her archaeological finds. Someone who had worked in that area previously has disappeared and is presumed dead, Morgan is being targeted... . I’m not going to reveal more about the plot which is complex, incredibly satisfying and very topical, other than to say it’s brilliantly constructed and utterly compelling – this was an audiobook I found very difficult to put aside.

Greg Tremblay is a new-to-me narrator, and I was really impressed with his performance, which is excellent on all counts. There is a large cast of - mostly male - supporting characters, and he does a great job of differentiating between them all using a wide variety of pitch, tone and accent - and his female voices are superb. I really hope he continues to narrate books in this series, and I'll definitely be seeking out more of his work.

Tinderbox is a great listen - I didn't want to put it down!

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Perfect Romantic Suspense, Intelligently Written!

Story: 5 stars, original, fast pace, great action. WOW!
Relationship/heat: 4 stars, develops a bit too fast but then it is great and Sizzling hot. A few explicit sexual scenes well written and loving.
Narration: 5 stars, amazing voice, PERFECT!
Overall: 5 stars, great listen, worth a credit!

STORY: Wow, What a surprise! This is actually a pretty original story for this genre, intelligently written, fast pace, action packed, very hot book! Rachel Grant wrote a clever, pretty believable story (well...somewhat) that is engrossing, deals with serious issues, yet full of humor, love and heat.
I’m adding Rachel Grant to my favorite authors list, and can’t wait to listen to the next in the series and more books by RG.

NARRATION: Another surprise! It was just PERFECT! GT has an amazing voice, perfect pace, great male AND female voices, and just a pleasure to listen to. He is able to have female voices that sound natural and not forced, and he distinguishes between characters very well. BRAVO!

Overall, if you like this genre, this book is a must listen! It will elevate your expectations for all others. Definitely worth a credit!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Tom Clancy meets Romance

Would you listen to Tinderbox again? Why?

I enjoyed the more authentic feeling situational danger like I've read in Tom Clancy's earlier writings. Add the romance and I'm sold! Thanks for the great characters and believable situations.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Action, suspense, loved it!

This book captured my attention immediately and did not let go. Well paced, the story is told as a military romance, but the meat of the book is intrigue and action.
What I liked?
1. Narration by Greg Tremblay was excellent. Clear voicing, paced well and good use of different voices in his repertoire, from the female character to the older general.
2. Action, constant movement, excitement woven through the story to keep character involvement real.
3. Romantic tension: will they, won't they... well played, Rachel Grant, well played
4. Excellent resolution.

I'm in for book 2 whenever it is released. Enjoy this one, it is entertaining!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

One exciting suspenseful thrill after another

I just love this author and all of her book she pulls you in with excitement, thrills, action and suspense. This is romance as its finest with an author that never disappoints you with strong women who know how to hit the ground running and the hero’s that do their best to keep them safe. This is a wonderful start to a new series with a great plot and delightful characters that keep you turning the pages. She pulled me in from the first page until the last. I stayed up very late to listen as much as I could, I hated to put the book down.


Mr. Temblay did an outstanding job pulling the listener in giving a wonderful listen to his many different character voices to his wonderful tones they all were delightful. He held me on the edge through all the danger to the romance. His female voices were as great as his male ones. I had to trouble picturing the scenes as they unfold holding me on the edge through the danger which is filled with action. His tones and emotions were great you always knew who was talking and just what they were feeling. There was no repeating of words, no background noises, no volume changes. It sounded like he finished it at one setting if breaks were taken I could not tell. He made me feel like I was setting right there watching a movie as he delivered the excitement and thrills even a few chills that I felt all the way to my toes. He performance was outstanding giving me a listen I was hooked on from start to finish.


When Morgan and Pax meet you can see the sparks they create coming right off the pages. Pax likes a strong woman which Morgan is. Pax isn’t letting any grass grow under his feet as he shows his very alpha side. He makes demands and expects her to fall in line following him and the orders he gives. Rules are rules as these two try their best to put up a wall to keep their attraction at bay. Neither willing to admit what they feel which really adds to the story giving a very interesting and exciting read. As danger comes their way they must learn how to work together as they try to fight their attraction. Pax is doing everything he can to keep her safe when she is taken he is on the race against the clock to find her. Morgan must really pull on her enter strength to get through some very trying days as she works to survive and hopefully escape. She is praying Pax finds her in time and he is doing everything he can to locate her and bring her back safe and sound. It really gets exciting here and very dangerous as not everything is as it seems.


Ms. Grant has out done herself filling each page with excitement, suspense, danger, wonderful hot love scenes that is full of tension, lust, thrills and chemistry that leaves you holding your breath just waiting to see what comes next. The danger keeps you on the edge with eyes glued to the pages turning them as fast as you can. I was talking to the characters as if they were real people. When you start talking, yelling at the book you know you are so invested you can’t put it down that you have a wonderful read you wish would not end. Mr. Grant deliveries all this and more she is one of my go to authors when I want something exciting that I know will pull me in making my heart beat faster as she takes me through one thrilling scene into the next. I have trouble waiting for her next book to come out. If you are looking for a wonderful author that keeps you one the edge with excitement and thrills you have found her. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I have.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Really great story!

Completely captivated until you enter the 'cock' word. Very disruptive. I love good sex scenes but you make them raunchy. Went back and read a couple of your earlier books and you had a better vocabulary. Eventually 'cock' is your ticket to fame so I won't be about to enjoy anymore if your stories. (A couple of my army buddies felt the same way!)

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Tinderbox

Awesome story and awesome sex. Love the narrator too😍 The plot was not only interesting but informative!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Better than Indiana Jones!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I would heartily recommend this audiobook to a friend, especially one working in archaeology. It is a great mixture of archaeological adventure, romance and modern political topics (international relations, bribery, influencing foreign governments, tourism - science - natural resources). And with interesting main figures.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Since I would categorise it as an archaeological romantic adventure, it really keeps one listening - even when one should be working! At least, I tended to prolong my lunch break "for just one more chapter" to see where the story would take the heroine, who was the real culprit and what was the "treasure" all are after.

What does Greg Tremblay bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think this story works really well as an audiobook. The cast is small enough (and the names of the protagonists different from each other) that one can keep track even if there are breaks between listening times. Greg Tremblay was able to differentiate the mainly male protagonists and also present the heroine in a convincing way. His pronunciation and tempo were also very well understandable for a non-native English speaker.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Archaeology, Adventure, Suspense and Romance at the Horn of Africa - Heroine Dr Morgan Adler finds herself between fossils, warlords, international interests and the hard muscles of Master Sergeant Pax Blanchard

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wow! Liked this book way more than expected!!

What made the experience of listening to Tinderbox the most enjoyable?

This is a real adventure story with real sex. It is so unusual to get both in one book. Either you get a romance with sighing virgins and no real story line or you get a great story and they kind of skip over the sex. This book has real, adult sex, and a great story with realistic military details...for a romance.

What did you like best about this story?

I love real adult sex, steamy, messy and a little crude. I love military fiction that gets the details right and feels credible. This is packed with action and suspense. I forgot that it was actually a romance until the hot sexual tension of two adults kicks in.

What about Greg Tremblay’s performance did you like?

I tend to prefer male narrators and Greg does an excellent job of bringing action, adventure and raw sex to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes because I didn't become frustrated with plot twists that bring me back to my High School days. No adolescent drama! Thank god!

Love this book.

I love the action. the chemistry between characters and the fact that she’s a badass