Review: Consumed by Fire by Anne Stuart

Consumed by Fire by Anne Stuart
Series: Fire, Book 1
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781477828472
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Evangeline Morrissey remembers the last time she saw her husband: it was during their honeymoon, right before he stole her elderly aunt’s earrings and abandoned her. Now, five years later, the enigmatic man who’d broken her heart and destroyed her trust is back. But she’s not the same naive young woman who fell for him so easily.

Marrying Evangeline and letting her think he was nothing but a common thief had been James Bishop’s plan all along. As an assassin for the Committee, a covert agency dedicated to stamping out international crime, he had no business even thinking about marriage. But it was the only way to protect Evangeline after she’d unwittingly wandered into his operation against a group of human traffickers, placing herself in grave danger. And now that James’s vigilant watch over Evangeline’s life has revealed to his enemies that she’s his one true weakness, he must set out to have, to hold, and—above all—to protect his bride.

Nobody writes romantic suspense like Anne Stuart! The Fire series starts off on a high note with Consumed by Fire, a dark and complex romance with a dangerous hero and a smart, scarred heroine. James and Evangeline’s story is rich, compelling, and has an edge to it – exactly what I’ve come to love and expect from Ms. Stuart.

The Fire series is a spinoff of the Ms. Stuart’s Ice series, the premise being an American branch of the infamous Committee is being set up. Like his Ice counterparts, James is a truly deadly hero who won’t ever be a sappy romantic. He’s an alpha male with none of the posturing and he’ll break his own heart by hurting Evangeline if it’s for the greater good. In the hands of a lesser author, James would be a terrible hero, but somehow Ms. Stuart makes him wildly compelling. Like Evangeline, I was drawn to him, even though he’s someone I’d never want to cross paths with, were he real. As for Evangeline, she’s a strong, capable woman who was nearly broken by James in the past. Though she comes to understand his reasons, that doesn’t mean she’ll welcome him back into her life with open arms. Their relationship is tumultuous, with passion, hatred, and love all blending together. Their love story isn’t pretty, it isn’t sweet, but damn if it isn’t sexy, emotional, and impossible to put down.

There’s plenty of action in Consumed by Fire outside of the romance as well. Someone is targeting Evangeline and the reasons why go back to when she and James first met. I can’t say more without spoiling the story, so suffice it to say that very real danger lurks around every corner. Ms. Stuart doesn’t pull her punches and if Consumed by Fire is any indication, the Fire series will be as wildly, wickedly entertaining as the Ice series (though you don’t have to have read the first series in order to follow along). Evangeline and James do not disappoint and I can’t wait to see what happens next for the Committee’s newest batch of operatives.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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My Top 16 Romance List: In Memory of Kathleen Windsor

I saw this on another blog and thought it was a wonderful idea. To quote: "On October 16, in honor of the birth date of Kathleen Winsor, author of Forever Amber, please consider posting your top 16 romance novels. Thanks to Maili for idea. If the thought of 'all time' faves daunts you, just post what strikes you as 16 of your faves on that day — no commitment to keep the list in perpetuity."

This list was hard to come up with, as I have read so many wonderful romances that have stuck with me over the years. But in honor of Kathleen Windsor, here is a list of 16 of my absolute favorites (with the reasons why), alphabetized by the author's last name:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Austen’s novels are a treasure trove, but I forced myself to limit myself to picking just one gem. To perhaps my own surprise, I picked Pride and Prejudice. Though I love this book, I tend to list Persuasion or Northanger Abbey as my favorites. So why did I pick this particular classic? Because the love story never fails to grab me. Darcy and Lizzie’s road to love is filled with obstacles, mostly of their own making, but how can you not fall in love with two bickering souls who are so imperfectly perfect for one another?

2. Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell: Though all of Campbell’s books are fantastic, her debut novel, Claiming the Courtesan, remains my favorite. Need proof? I own four copies of the book. Claiming the Courtesan is dark, no doubt about it. Justin is borderline villain for the first portion of the book, but not only does his behavior fit with the time period and his station, I was drawn to him even in his worst hour. His redemption and love for Verity comes through in the end, through no small amount of struggle on both their parts. This book is simply stunning and I loved it.

3. The Sherbrooke Bride by Catherine Coulter: The hero’s an ass, the heroine is stubborn, and the battle between them is nearly worthy of Kate and Petruchio. So why do I love this book? I haven’t the foggiest, but there’s something about it that always makes me grab it for another read. The insatiable need to re-read this book, despite the flaws of all characters involved, earns The Sherbrooke Bride a place on this list.

4. Aidan & Ethan by Cameron Dane: There is nothing better than a well-written reunion romance and Aidan & Ethan tops my list as the best. Its heroes are devastatingly sexy and their road to happily ever after not an easy one. Past wounds must be dealt with and overcome and I could not put this book down until I saw that happen. In the increasingly popular subgenre of male/male romance, this book is unquestioningly my favorite so far.

5. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: It’s a fantastic romance with 19th century social commentary in the backdrop. Though there are elements of Darcy and Elizabeth in John Thornton and Margaret Hale, North and South is no Pride and Prejudice (although if you like one, you will likely like the other). I fell for Thornton and Margaret’s arguing their way into love in this timeless classic.

6. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood: Garwood has a way of making me laugh, sigh, and fall in love with her characters, so it’s hard to pick just one of her books for this list. This book did all of the above, and has whisked me away for countless hours of entertainment with every read.

7. Dance with the Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon: For me, there is no picking one favorite with Kenyon; quite frankly it was hard enough to limit the number to two. Dance with the Devil is unforgettable to me, with its angry, distant hero who reluctantly falls in love with the one woman (or rather nymph) who is utterly perfect for him. I dare anyone to forget the bread scene (and most likely only those who have read the book will know what I am referring to).

8. Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon: She’s a sweet, average, voluptuous heroine who’s been dumped by her jerkoff ex. He’s a drop-dead gorgeous Were-Hunter who thinks she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Vane and Bride’s romance is one of the most tender, wonderful romances I’ve ever read and I never fail to think of it without smiling.

9. Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas: And when he was bad, he was very, very bad. And when he was wicked he was better. Sebastian St. Vincent is one of the sexiest rakes in romance history. So who better for him to fall in love with than a quietly lovely, shy, intelligent heroine who stutters and that men don’t look twice at? This book, along with Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, is my go-to for comfort reads. It’s wonderfully written and has everything you could ask for in a perfect romance novel.

10. Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor: Technically I’m picking three Kenyon books, as MacGregor and Kenyon are one in the same, but Born in Sin is one of my favorite historical romances and has to be on this list. Sin is a hero whose heart has been bruised and battered to the point he considers it dead. Good thing Caledonia convinces him otherwise. This book broke my heart and put it back together again, and there’s a scene in here every bit as unforgettable as the bread scene in Dance with the Devil.

11. The Flavor of Summer by Lyra Marlowe: This book grabbed my attention from the first and didn’t let go. Ariel and David are two of the sweetest characters I’ve ever come across and their story was a gorgeously written story of love and acceptance. I don’t know one person I’ve recommended this story to that hasn’t loved it.

12. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn: The handsome, kind hero and the intelligent, ordinary-looking wallflower *sigh* It’s so hard for me to name the reasons why I love this story, other than the talent of Quinn and the innate likeability of Penelope and Colin. The best way I can put it is that Romancing Mr. Bridgerton simply sparkles.

13. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts: I picked up my first Nora Roberts novel when I was 12 and I’ve been a fan ever since. Like Austen and Garwood, it’s darn near impossible to pick just one favorite, but I had to go with Sea Swept. It’s sexy, heartbreaking, and utterly unforgettable, simple as that.

14. Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh: I love, love, LOVE Singh’s Psy-Changeling series and Branded by Fire is one of my favorites. Mercy and Riley are both strong, dominant protagonists and they are perfectly matched with one another. They burn up the page, both in bed and out, and the book itself was fascinating from the first page to the last.

15. Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart: In the beginning of the story, Peter wouldn’t think twice about killing Genevieve; he’s that cold and, as an agent, it’s his duty to protect mankind, even if that means sacrificing one innocent. And yet they fall in love anyway. I love that Stuart’s heroes aren’t nice and her heroines are humanly strong (in other words, untrained civilians do not suddenly act like superheroes). Cold as Ice is fascinating, compelling, and, in my case, in need of a replacement after so many re-reads.

16. Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward: If ever a hero needed to find happiness, it’d be Zsadist. I fell in love with the scarred former blood slave in Ward’s first Black Dagger Brotherhood book, Dark Lover, and with his heroine in the second, Lover Eternal. Lover Awakened is a punch-you-in-the-gut kind of tale with the hardships both Zsadist and Bella face, but that makes the payoff with their love story is all the more worth it. I remember practically scaring a bookstore clerk with my enthusiasm when I bought the book and in the intervening 3+ years since I first read it, that enthusiasm has yet to wane.

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Anne Stuart Book Order

Ice Series

1. Black Ice
Bastien and Chloe

2. Cold As Ice
Peter and Genevieve

3. Ice Blue
Takashi and Summer

4. Ice Storm
Killian and Isobel

5. Fire and Ice
Reno and Jilly

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It’ll Change the Way You Drink

Wow, one very busy summer means three months of neglecting my blog. Fear not, beloved readers, I have returned. Apologies to those who have asked questions in previous posts, I will answer them immediately. And now, onwards we march :)

For the past few months, I’ve wondered how much of what I read influences my daily life; causes me to try new things or at least want to try them. Not in a “my whole world view has changed because of this book” sort of way, but on a much smaller, less life-altering manner.

The best example I can provide is my personal quest for Tab. I adore Anne Stuart’s Ice series (Black Ice, Cold as Ice, Ice Blue, and the upcoming Ice Storm). Cold as Ice was one of my favorite books last year, and Ice Blue will almost certainly be on my personal Top 10 list for this year’s books. The heroines of Cold as Ice and Ice Blue, Genevieve and Summer respectively, both have a particular preference for the soda Tab. After reading Cold as Ice and not only loving the book but identifying in many respects with the heroine, I was curious about Tab, though I knew nothing about it. Ice Blue sealed the deal and I was on a mission to hunt down Tab which (and if you are from the West Coast you know or will soon find out it is more likely that you would be able to sell a kidney on the street than find a six-pack of Tab). I finally succeeded in buying some and was pleasantly surprised that, like Genevieve and Summer, I have found that I prefer Tab to both Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke. My mother, who can’t stand the drink, remains mystified as to why I like it.

Perhaps a more popular example would be the search for Grey Goose and dark chocolate. Fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood know that Vishous (of the upcoming Lover Unbound) has a strong preference for Grey Goose vodka, and Cellies also know that he has a noted preference for dark chocolate. Being a fan of neither chocolate nor vodka, I still set out to try both, and both products were markedly easier to find than the elusive Tab. Surprisingly, I did like both the Goose and the dark chocolate, more than I expected. Whether this is because of its association with a beloved character or not, I’m not quite sure. Neither is something I would have often, but just the same, reading the BDB books did make me want to try two products I might never have before.

This is not to say I support tons of brand-name dropping in books; I don’t. If it fits with the story, as in both the aforementioned examples, then I’m all for it. Nor does it mean that I will like everything that a favorite character likes, because that certainly is not true either. The two previous examples are just the most recent examples of small influences a book or series of books have had on my daily life. There are numerous instances of books making me see things a bit differently, consider what I would and would not do on a very personal level, et cetera. So this is, to me, yet another fascinating thing about books; their ability to make you want to try new things. From something as small as trying an unknown brand of soda to something larger and, perhaps, more profound, books have the ability to influence your life on so many levels.

Now, if only a gorgeous, intelligent operative like Peter Jensen were as simple to find ;)


So this week, my lovely readers, I leave you with the following question:
Have you ever been influenced by a book to try something new (no matter how big or small)?

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