TEST
It looks like I’m going to be in the minority when it comes to this installment of Susan Wiggs’ Chicago Fire trilogy. While the heroine is an interesting and different character, I had a hard time connecting with her or the love story. 
On the night of the terrible Chicago Fire, suffragist Lucy Hathaway has already embarrassed herself by propositioning married banker Randolph Higgins. In the middle of the fire that is destroying the city, Lucy saves a baby girl and since it seem the baby’s parents are dead, Lucy adopts her. Rand is injured in the fire and afterward is divorced from his wife; they both believe that their infant daughter has died. Several years later, Lucy runs into Rand again while applying for a loan for the bookstore she has opened and discovers that the baby she saved is Rand’s daughter, Christina, now called Maggie. Rand and Lucy must decide on a solution to the custody dilemma in a way that’s best for Maggie.
Lucy’s a unique character. I don’t think I’ve read about a suffragist heroine before. Lucy passionately believes in her cause of equality for women, almost to the point where she becomes a fanatic. Lucy’s contradictions in character were interesting. She never wanted to be a mother, but now that she has Maggie, she doesn’t want to let her go. She loves Maggie fiercely, but she also does what’s best for her in not waging a custody battle. I did enjoy her occupation as a bookseller and her defense of “dime novels.” Nonetheless, I had a hard time warming up to and connecting with Lucy.
I had almost as much difficulty warming up to Rand as well. Rand is a proponent of the traditional wife and mother role, which does not go over well with Lucy. Rand’s mother abandoned him, or so he thinks, when he was young. Her leaving colors all his beliefs, especially about equality of women. Randolph is a gruff man, but charming at times and warm toward his daughter.
I simply thought Lucy held on to her convictions with too much of a death grip, as far as they related to marriage and love. Lucy was so afraid of losing her own identity because she was in love that she did not realize it’s not a requirement – even in the 1870’s, and even with Rand. Lucy did not realize that love does not mean you must give up your autonomy. And that was my big problem with this book. Firebrand is one of those books where I can see objectively what the author is doing, especially upon reflection, but at the time I was actually reading it, there was no emotional connection with the characters for me. I know Lucy was insecure (especially about her appearance) underneath her staunch beliefs, and so was Rand, but I really didn’t feel much for them.
The love story was very slow in developing and I had a hard time seeing it grow. Lucy’s initial attraction to Rand never went away, even after five years, and while Rand had some interest in Lucy when they first met, I had difficulty seeing his attraction to her develop after they met again. Rand’s gruffness and strength in his beliefs obscured why he was attracted to Lucy.
A disconnect with characters and a slow moving love story made it hard for me to find much enjoyment in Firebrand, but fans of the author and those who have read the previous books in this series may well get more fired up about it than I.
Grade: C
Book Type: American Historical Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 16/04/01
Publication Date: 2001
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.