Rachel K Wentz

The Mass of Men: the Academy Rachel K Wentz

WINNER OF THE 2014 FLORIDA AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT'S AWARD IN FICTION! How are firefighters made? What does it take to enter a burning building and risk your life to save another? The cadets of Class #64 are about to find out. Under the grueling supervision of their instructors, the students struggle to keep up with the relentless pace of their training. They are pushed to their limits and only the most determined will succeed. As each cadet makes the transition from novice to professional, the bonds they develop take on dimensions of their own. Samantha grew up within the male-dominated rank structure of her father?s naval career. Headstrong and determined, she is driven to excel among her fellow cadets, but as the only female in the group, she has the added burden of fitting in. Her position among the cadets is further complicated by the deep platonic bond she shares with one of her fellow cadets and the connection that develops between her and the commander of the academy. Ty grew up under the heavy hand of an abusive father. He escaped his family?s sprawling farm to attend the academy and for the first time is free from his father?s repressive shadow. He comes into his own at the academy, in large part because of the friendship he develops with Sam. Their closeness is that of siblings, yet Ty wrestles with deeper feelings and struggles to keep them in check. The other source of his growth is the relationship he develops with Commander Daniels, a relationship that provides the long-sought acceptance Ty craved from his own father. Matt Daniels has been head of the academy for almost ten years. He exists within a self-imposed isolation following a personal tragedy that forced him to flee San Diego Fire Department. He immerses himself in the academy and serves as a rigid disciplinarian over the cadets and staff. But everything changes as he finds himself drawn to Samantha. As he struggles against his feelings for Sam, he also succumbs to Ty?s warmth and openness, and for the first time in his career, Daniels allows himself the emotional freedom to bond with his students. Together, Sam, Ty, and Daniels must navigate the complexities of their relationships while being bound by the rank structure that defines them. The Mass of Men takes the reader inside the grueling training of firefighters, revealing the drama, humor, and intensity of an academy. The punishing physical demands are only part of the challenge as the cadets overcome fears, wrestle with conflict, and deal with the burden of knowing they will one day be responsible for the lives of others.