Christian Ryder is a man who protects his secrets at any cost, even if that cost is to isolate himself from any close relationships. He works as a volunteer firefighter in order to assuage the guilt he feels for all those around him that his gift has affected, for Christian is a pyromancer and can control fire.

Tanner O’ Bannon is a young man left in dire straits by the death of his father. Suddenly finding himself immersed in debt, he is forced to take a job as a male escort in order to make ends meet. Feeling degraded and worthless, he is surprised to find himself attracted to one of his clients. A gentle giant who gave him pleasure but took none for himself, Tanner finds himself fantasizing about Christian even after their one night together.

Pyromancer is one of those novels that is alive from the very first word. Amanda Young has written a world where the normal and the paranormal mesh into a cohesive whole. The characters are richly drawn and a study in contrasts. Christian appears to be a strong, alpha male who has all the money he could want and the looks to have any man that he wants. But underneath he is riddled with guilt and seeks to make atonement by working as a volunteer firefighter. He self flagellates himself by not allowing himself to engage in any meaningful relationships, seeking only one night stands to assuage his sexual needs. Tanner, on the surface, is a vulnerable looking young man, working as a male escort, selling his body to anyone with the right price. But, in reality he is a man of integrity and honor that is doing all that is possible to cover his fathers debts and make his way through the world on his own two feet. The story really takes off at the moment that the two men meet and from then the story rapidly builds to a raging inferno of passion and intrigue.

Reviewed by: Hayley