Working Fire by Emily Bleeker
Book Overview:
Working Fire by Emily Bleeker is a story about the consequences of deeply hidden family secrets and how they can destroy the fabric of a family and community.
After leaving her hometown of Broadlands, Illinois, a place she desperately wishes to escape, to pursue a career as a doctor former med student Ellie Brown finds herself forced to return following her father’s stroke. She finds herself working as a paramedic and helping her older sister Amelia, who’s managing her two daughters and husband Steve, care for their father.
However, Ellie finds her life upended when she receives a 911 dispatch with her sister’s address. Upon arrival, she discovers that her sister and brother-in-law have been shot following a suspected home invasion. With her sister in critical condition Ellie is left to uncover the truth about what happened at her sister’s house. As deeply hidden family secrets rise to the surface and dark revelations are made Ellie must make difficult decisions that will test her loyalties and alter her future forever.
My Review:
I had such high hopes for Working Fire by Emily Bleeker, but it turned out to fall flat for me, which is so disappointing. This is my second Emily Bleeker novel. I read When I’m Gone many moons ago, and it quickly became a five-star read. This book, not so much.
This story is told in an alternating dual timeline written in the third person. Ellie’s point of view focuses on the current events leading up to the discovery of the shooting and what follows. Amelia’s point of view highlights the events that transpired six weeks before the incident. Due to this storytelling method, I struggled to get sucked into the story because I found myself more drawn to Ellie’s timeline as opposed to Amelia’s timeline. Being pulled away from the action to focus on past events decreased the intensity of emotion and connection I felt regarding the traumatic events that transpired at Amelia’s home.
Additionally, I struggled to connect with the characters. I found Ellie confusing because she appeared to be a strong, assertive woman in benign situations but failed to do so in the more challenging conditions that could provide her answers about what happened. Perhaps the author utilized this technique to better illustrate the turmoil and confusion Ellie felt about discovering her sister injured and not knowing what happened or who to trust. However, it made me see Ellie as inconsistent and slow to action.
On the other hand, I felt Amelia was gullible and weak when it came to her husband Steve. She never stood her ground when he was being difficult and settled for his half-truths when her instincts were yelling at her that something was off.
Furthermore, there were scenes where other characters coaxed her into situations that she didn’t want to be in because she was more concerned with pleasing others. While this displayed Amelia’s challenges trying to juggle her family, marriage, and current trials I couldn’t feel sorry for her and see her as the victim. Not when there was too much she turned a blind eye to and allowed it to happen despite the warning signs.
Finally, there’s the ending where Ellie discovers the secrets about what’s going on in her family and what happened during the home invasion. Her behavior during the initial revelation was shocking she wasn’t the tough no-nonsense girl I wanted her to be.
Furthermore, her actions and choices at the end infuriated me. While I understand Ellie’s actions display the complexities of familial bonds and loyalty it left a bad taste in my mouth and changed my opinion of Ellie completely.
Despite my strong dislikes, I did enjoy Emily Bleeker’s ability to weave a story full of intrigue and suspense which compelled me to continue turning the pages. I also appreciated the strong connection shared between the two sisters and the apparent love and loyalty they had for each other and their father.
I find Working Fire by Emily Bleeker to be the perfect read for those who enjoy familial drama and secrets with a touch of light suspense and mystery. However, if you struggle with dual alternating timelines, want something more fast-paced, or desire more assertive and complex characters this may not work for you.
