Old Firehouse Books sets the table with action-packed fiction titles

Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from book stores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins recommends books that invoke cooking, post-apocalyptic vacations and nature-infused magic.

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From the publisher: After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield — the bubbly, infuriating daughter of his former boss — shows up at his dock.

Poppy needs to escape. From her family, her ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself — and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.

As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen, Poppy and Jack are left wondering, could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?

From Teresa, co-owner: Poppy and Jack hate each other, and it was pretty much loathe at first sight. But when circumstances throw them together, and these circumstances will make or break their careers, Poppy and Jack will have to see how it is when they trust each other and maybe, hate isn’t what they really feel?!

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From the publisher: Welcome to the Felicity Complex! Constructed during the height of the Cold War, our unique hotel is prepared to protect you, the billionaire class, from nuclear annihilation! Shielded from radiation and supplemented with closed air systems and hydroponic gardens, this resort bunker offers a prime existence underground: full gymnasium and spa, gourmet meals, top-tier medical care, and the best in entertainment.

Meet Hallelujah! Grown in a lab and educated in the ways of concierge hospitality, she believes in her duty to comfort the Lord-anointed refugees of the apocalypse. (Even if her lover Anastasia disagrees. Even if her creator Dr. Younghusband is disappointed in her.) Don’t worry — everyone is safe from communists in the Felicity Complex!

A sendup of traditional womanhood and lampoon of the paranoia of the elite, The Felicity Complex questions the ambitions behind the entitled few who plan for the end times — and who truly survives them.

From Allison, book buyer: What happens when most of your tank-born bunker hostesses have their own personalities and are lesbians who hate you? Well they give your security guy a mani-kit lobotomy of course! Dual timeline pre/post-“apocalypse” revenge romp.

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From the publisher: Born with forbidden, nature-infused magic in an occupied land, anxious apothecary Meilyr survives by keeping his head down. Until he ends up engaged to invading prince Osian in order to save his brother’s life. Now, he is in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to hide his true self.

When nobles in Osian’s court are gruesomely murdered by the same magic that flows through his veins, Meilyr realises someone is seeking revenge for his homeland. As suspicion toward him grows, he and the prince work together to uncover the killer or risk losing the crown — or their lives. Between court politics, unwieldy magic and a murderer on the loose, Meilyr must keep his wits about him. Especially as his feelings for Osian grow deeper with every passing day.

From Andrea, bookseller: “Princeweaver” took my breath away. With a magic system based on Welsh folklore (and a history based on the English conquest of Wales), this romantic fantasy is full of lush nature-focused magic and characters that must decide what power means to them. With characters that battled their own histories and allegiances, I fell in love with Meilyr and Osian. If you’re looking for a book full of interesting magic, yearning and romance, and what it means to truly fight for something — this book is for you.

Type of Story: Review

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