Ashfall by Delta James is the first installment in her new Firebound series, which follows the lives of the Blackstrike Unit, an elite smoke-jumping team with a unique approach to dealing with fire, as each member was born to it, being a dragon shifter.

We follow the story of Ember Vale, a federal arson investigator, who is called to investigate wildfires near the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. As soon as she arrives, she is assigned to work with the Blackstrike Unit and their enigmatic leader, Dax Fane.

The flames in the wildfires are not the only thing burning, as Dax realizes immediately that Ember is his fated mate. He wars with his inner dragon, wanting her but also not wanting to scare her or worse, hurt her. Ember feels the same pull towards Dax but holds her ground, wanting to concentrate on the real cause of the wildfires and not appear weak in front of the rest of the firefighting crew.

As the investigation draws deeper, and the flames burn hotter (between them and in the hills), they realize that the fires are not random. Ember finds a pattern within them that is reminiscent of fires she has investigated before, and they soon realize that she is in great danger.

One of the standout aspects of Ashfall is its strong female lead. Ember isn’t a damsel in distress or a manipulative femme fatale. She’s intelligent, capable, and stands her ground. It’s refreshing to see a heroine in a shifter romance who doesn’t immediately melt at the alpha’s feet, but instead demands respect. Both of these characters stand toe-to-toe in strength and stubbornness. Also, the tension in their attraction is the right speed of burn (pun intended) between these two, so the spice level works.

Where the book falls for me is the overly dramatic prose. At times, the language becomes so flowery and exaggerated that it pulls the reader out of the moment. Rather than letting the emotion and intensity speak for themselves, the descriptions sometimes feel a bit too forced, which can distract from the core story..

While the overly descriptive style wasn’t my personal favorite, fans of steamy paranormal romances will likely enjoy the story and the unique concept of dragon shifter firefighters and find Ashfall a thrilling start to this new series.

Thank you to the publisher, the author Delta James , and BookSirens for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.