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A review by gamz
The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
5.0
This is the book that started my love for romance novels. A classic in every way possible. The first time I read it I was about 15 or 16. It was amazing! I’ve read it many,many times over the years, and it never fails to thrill me. It’s always wonderful and I love revisiting my very first book boyfriend! 😊
Heather Simmons was forced to live with her cruel, lazy aunt when she was orphaned. When her aunt’s brother William came to visit, he offered to help her get a position in London as an teacher at Lady Cabot’s. She jumped at the chance and left for London with him the next day.
Well, his intentions were not as pure and altruistic as they initially appeared. He was a perv and tried to rape Heather within hours of her reaching London. In an attempt to defend herself, William fell on a paring knife and got stabbed. Thinking she killed him, Heather fled his home and ended up at the waterfront.
Captain Brandon Birmingham had just arrived in London after a long journey from America. He had his man George go out and find him a little bit-o-fun for the evening. George found Heather while looking for a prostitute for his captain. He took her back to the ship to Brandon and to her fate.
Brandon, a bit tipsy and horny as hell, rapes the innocent Heather, then refuses to let her go. He tells her that she will be his mistress in London. He had plans to visit London annually to see her. While he was out on business, Heather tricks George and locks him in a cupboard and runs away. She returns to her aunt and uncle.
Months later, her aunt realizes that she is pregnant and that it was an American ship captain that did the deed. They take her back to London with every intention of forcing the captain to marry her.
What the aunt didn’t count on was that Brandon Birmingham was no ordinary ship’s captain. He was tall, dark, handsome, wealthy and powerful in his own right. After being threatened with jail time, he marries Heather and takes her aboard his ship with the promise to make her life miserable.
That was the start of one of the most memorable romance novels I have read. And I have read a lot of them! Brandon was such a dark character at the start of the book. He was harsh, cruel and always angry when dealing with Heather and kept his promise to make her life miserable.
Even when Brandon was at his worst I couldn’t hate his character. His innate goodness came through more and more as the story developed. You knew that he loved Heather from the very start and was fighting it with all his might.
IMHO this is the perfect romance novel. It has everything you could want; the innocent heroine, the overly masculine alpha male, the other woman, wanna be other men, a dastardly villain, rapes, murders, attempts on the lives of the H and h. Just everything but the kitchen sink.
It’s one of the few books I can read over and over and always find it just as enjoyable as the first time I read it. I love this book.
Heather Simmons was forced to live with her cruel, lazy aunt when she was orphaned. When her aunt’s brother William came to visit, he offered to help her get a position in London as an teacher at Lady Cabot’s. She jumped at the chance and left for London with him the next day.
Well, his intentions were not as pure and altruistic as they initially appeared. He was a perv and tried to rape Heather within hours of her reaching London. In an attempt to defend herself, William fell on a paring knife and got stabbed. Thinking she killed him, Heather fled his home and ended up at the waterfront.
Captain Brandon Birmingham had just arrived in London after a long journey from America. He had his man George go out and find him a little bit-o-fun for the evening. George found Heather while looking for a prostitute for his captain. He took her back to the ship to Brandon and to her fate.
Brandon, a bit tipsy and horny as hell, rapes the innocent Heather, then refuses to let her go. He tells her that she will be his mistress in London. He had plans to visit London annually to see her. While he was out on business, Heather tricks George and locks him in a cupboard and runs away. She returns to her aunt and uncle.
Months later, her aunt realizes that she is pregnant and that it was an American ship captain that did the deed. They take her back to London with every intention of forcing the captain to marry her.
What the aunt didn’t count on was that Brandon Birmingham was no ordinary ship’s captain. He was tall, dark, handsome, wealthy and powerful in his own right. After being threatened with jail time, he marries Heather and takes her aboard his ship with the promise to make her life miserable.
That was the start of one of the most memorable romance novels I have read. And I have read a lot of them! Brandon was such a dark character at the start of the book. He was harsh, cruel and always angry when dealing with Heather and kept his promise to make her life miserable.
Even when Brandon was at his worst I couldn’t hate his character. His innate goodness came through more and more as the story developed. You knew that he loved Heather from the very start and was fighting it with all his might.
IMHO this is the perfect romance novel. It has everything you could want; the innocent heroine, the overly masculine alpha male, the other woman, wanna be other men, a dastardly villain, rapes, murders, attempts on the lives of the H and h. Just everything but the kitchen sink.
It’s one of the few books I can read over and over and always find it just as enjoyable as the first time I read it. I love this book.