Things You Save In A Fire: Let's Talk About Feminist Romance

 I usually only read about a handful of romances each year.  I have to believe that there is a strong possibility that a particular title is going to sustain my feminist world view.  There was a time when I didn't read romances at all.  I believed that a feminist romance was an impossibility.  When I finally tried romance, I noticed that there had been a shift in the way romance authors were writing about women.  Heroines were stronger and had more agency.   Romance publishers had become aware that their audience wanted to see these more independent heroines.   Yet there are other factors that can still make a romance seem inimical to feminist values.  I'm going to discuss one of those factors in this review.

I received a print format ARC of  Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center from St. Martin's Press.  I was eager to read about a courageous and determined 21st century woman who felt called to be a firefighter.  I thought this was an unusual focus for a romance, and I was favorably inclined toward this kind of heroine.  After I finished the book, I was more ambivalent toward the central character than I had expected.  I have decided to write an honest review that explains my ambivalence.

                            
                          

 I know that there are still relatively few woman firefighters.  This is a challenging profession for anyone regardless of gender, but there are particular obstacles placed in the way of women who are trying to succeed as firefighters.   Male firefighters may have preconceptions about women that prevent their acceptance as firefighters.  There may be problems with sexual harassment.  Sometimes the culture of a particular fire station may be the issue.  The Captain is the one who sets the tone.  If there were more female Captains who could mentor new women in their companies,  women would have an easier time in this field.  Cassie Hanwell, Center's protagonist, faces multiple difficulties, but she does have a great deal of inner strength and commitment. She is also remarkably well suited to being a firefighter.

The book's dedication reveals that Center's husband is a firefighter.  There are numerous authentic details in Things You Save From A Fire, but such a source can provide more than information.  He could give Center a window into the lived experience of firefighters that can't be duplicated through research.  This is one of the reasons why this novel felt so genuine to me.

In addition, Cassie's portrayal was very truthful.  This doesn't mean that she has no secrets.   This is a character with some serious hidden baggage, but she also has motivations for concealment that are consistent with her circumstances.   Her decision to hide significant events in her past impacts all her relationships, but being a firefighter had made openness and vulnerability seem outlawed for her.

For the purposes of  the plot, the hero and heroine always need to overcome barriers to their romance.  One of the standard barriers is that one or both partners feel that they need to prove their love.  Most readers were brought up with the idea that proving love requires major sacrifices, and that burden often falls on the woman.  As a feminist, I have always believed that the expectation that women must be the ones to sacrifice for a relationship is both unhealthy and one of the cornerstones of  male domination.   Yet I know that many romance readers consider scenes in which the heroine is the one who has to prove her love through sacrifice very romantic.

When writing a feminist romance, the urge to provide the readers with such a dramatic moment  undermines all the efforts that the author has made up until then to present the protagonist as a feminist.  On the other hand, feminists are also brought up to believe in self-sacrifice.  So a feminist may find herself acting in accordance with romance traditions in an emergency without thinking about it.  People aren't always consistent with their principles--particularly when they are under stress in a crisis situation.  There was a point when I perceived Cassie as having succombed to non-feminist ideals of true love. I thought it was believable that she acted that way, but  I still didn't like it.  I wish that a feminist heroine could promote a better model for relationships.

So  I appreciated  the realism and authenticity of Things You Save In A Fire , but it wasn't as inspiring to me as a feminist as I'd hoped.

Clear to Lift: A Novel

I would normally roll my eyes at a review that states, "Heart-pounding, edge-of-seat adventure."  But I'm going to say that. I am aware that is sounds cheesy and cliched, but in this case, it's true. As I read the final rescue scene in this novel, my heart was pounding and I was on the edge of my seat, literally. When I closed the final page and looked at my coworker (I finished reading this on a work break), I actually said, "A woman who saves the day! Exactly my kind of read!" (I was actually more specific in my quote, but to reveal more would be spoilers.)

It's Fallon Navy Base, a woman helicopter pilot doing SARS and bomb clean up and checking into F-18 crashes. It's amazing stuff. I wasn't aware until recently that there was a Navy base in the desert. I was intrigued by life on this base, wish there was more of it, such as the heroine's F-18 ride. More, more, more! I didn't like the casual reveal of that in the middle of the story. I wanted the details.

This woman has more going on than helicopter flying though as she navigates not only the peaks of the Sierra Nevada but the emotions of her heart as she questions her romantic choices and what makes her happy and comes to terms with past abandonment.

The writing is top notch, the story smooth, the action intense. My only quibble is that I felt as though I was thrown into this woman's life all of a sudden. There were lots of things in her past relevant to the tale or that I wanted more of, such as the F18 ride. Basically, I wanted more of this story, this heroine. I would have liked it to have gone a bit more, instead of starting with her at Fallon.

Terrific tale. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next.

Girl power!

I received this from the author, no strings attached.

Inches Aren't Everything by Sarah B. Daniels

Inches Aren't Everything by Sarah B. Daniels isn't your typical romance story. You'll follow several points of views for several characters, getting to know each on different levels. Every chapter takes on a different character. Stores like this have always been harder for me to read. It makes me feel like  I need a notebook as I read it to keep up with who is who. Especially in Inches Aren't Everything because there were so many characters and the way they related to the BMC club.

I found the writing to be excellent. The author is a great writer and knows how to draw you into the scenes. Her writing is easy to follow and flows well from scene to scene. She wasn't overly descriptive, which can sometimes get me lost because I'd much rather spend time with the characters than worry about what color a wall is.

As for the story itself, it was good. There were some twists and turns a long the way that kept it interesting. It did take me longer than a usual book for me to read, simply because it just didn't grab me like I wanted it to. And I think for me it was the about of characters point of views I needed to keep up with.

I would like to check out a story from this author again in the future because I did like her writing.

Lacey's Rating

About The Book

The elite trainers at Body Management Corporation (BMC) have more than sculpting the perfect body on their agendas. Working with hot rock stars and professional athletes, they often spend as much time between the sheets as on the treadmill.

Head trainer, Dean Stoddard, is known for his good looks and stunning bedroom endurance with his more than willing clients. Orlanda Kennedy, one of Dean’s colleagues, is an exquisite goddess on a quest for success and wealth. Orlanda despises the shallowness of the fitness industry and the simple-minded men she works with. She uses her curves and intelligence to manipulate the men who lust after her, to maintain control of the situation – and the men.

Dean can't deny his attraction to Orlanda but refuses to give her the satisfaction of turning him down, so he desires her in quiet from a distance – until he thinks she sends him a signal to approach for landing.

Orlanda's plot for domination unfolds around BMC's owner, Zack Johnston, who is in a power struggle with his business partner, and in another kind of struggle with Leena Ryan, the mysterious woman who seduced him during a flight and hasn't let him rest since. She is about to push Zack into a whole new understanding of the word “action”, causing him to question himself and everything around him.

Luckily, Zack has Keith Langley, his right-hand man and head trainer, keeping him grounded and protecting the business. Keith is a natural leader who longs for love instead of one-night stands.

Burned out rock stars, sex-driven sports stars, clients who tempt, and trainers who accept, round out the roster of characters in this page-turning, intriguing romp of a novel. You'll get to laugh at 'em, love 'em and want to join them!

Starlight on Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

This was a sweet story. Susan Wiggs was a new author for me to read, though I had heard of her prior. I really enjoyed her style of writing. It felt almost similar to my own, and I liked that.

I liked the originality of this story line. This is sometimes hard to do in the romance world, but this one was a carefully thought out story. Mason has just helped his siblings release the ashes to their father. He seems to be the one who wants nothing to so with family and avoids them at all costs. But life happens and his siblings can't take care of their mom, leaving him to step in.

He has to hire some new caretakers to his mother--who has quite the mouth on her. In comes Faith, who has a story of her own. She is a single mother to three children of her own.

This story is more than just a romance. We are taken on a journey with these characters. Mason grows a lot in this book as he discovers the things he truly wants, and it isn't what he orfinally planned.

A very heartfelt book. One I would recommend to readers wanting to just escape and read a story that will capture their attention with a bit of mystery and romance.

Lacey's Rating:

About The Book

Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs on a journey to a charming Catskills town that feels like home and where a cast of brilliantly drawn characters awaits in a poignant story of reconciliation and the healing power of love.

When caregiver Faith McCallum arrives at the enchanted lakeside estate of Avalon's renowned Bellamy family, she's intent on rebuilding her shattered life and giving her two daughters a chance at a better future. But she faces a formidable challenge in the form of her stubborn and difficult new employer, Alice Bellamy. While Faith proves a worthy match for her sharp-tongued client, she often finds herself at a loss for words in the presence of Mason Bellamy—Alice's charismatic son, who clearly longs to escape the family mansion and return to his fast-paced, exciting life in Manhattan…and his beautiful, jet-setting fiancée.

The last place Mason wants to be is a remote town in the Catskills, far from his life in the city, and Faith McCallum is supposed to be the key to his escape. Hiring the gentle-hearted yet strong-willed caregiver as a live-in nurse gives his mother companionship and Mason the freedom to return to his no-attachments routine. For Faith, it means stability for her daughters and a much-needed new home. When Faith makes a chilling discovery about Alice's accident, Mason is forced to reconsider his desire to keep everyone, including his mother, at a distance. Now he finds himself wondering if the supercharged life he's created for himself is what he truly wants…and whether exploring his past might lead to a new life—and lasting love—on the tranquil shores of Willow Lake.Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs is the author of many beloved bestsellers, including the popular Lakeshore Chronicles series. She has won many awards for her work, including a RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Susan

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Thrill Me by Susan Mallery @SusanMallery

Sometimes the one we let go is meant to be our true love. That's the case in Thrill Me, a second chance love story. Maya and Del were high school sweethearts until Maya dumped him because she didn't want to become like her mother. She didn't want to be young and have kids, instead she wanted to live life and find success, and they way she felt about Del, that would never happen. So she broke up with him.

Years later, she's back in Fool's Gold and so is Del, and since they both work in TV, they've been thrown together. The two of them admit to being attracted to one another, but of course the past creeps in, stopping them in their tracks.

I enjoyed the flirty banter in this book and a lot of the towns characters. Reading as Del and Maya found love again was fun. I'm more of a novella reader, so this one did seem to drag in a few places for me, but I pushed through and I'm glad I did. I had several moments I laughed because the Mayor of the town is a funny lady.

Susan Mallery isn't a new author on the block and I enjoyed her writing style.

If you're looking for a second chance love story, consider Thrill Me by Susan Mallery.

My Rating:

About the Book:

Meet the Mitchell brothers of Fool's Gold, California—five gorgeous men who've left a trail of broken hearts in their wake…

Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool's Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports.

Now ten years later, Maya's been hired to promote her hometown's new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot. Awkward!

Although Del's not the type to hold a grudge, he's determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He's a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya's kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all…

Just One Lie by @_KyraDavis

Before reading this story, I read the short story that Kyra Davis released titled Just Once More. I was very intrigued by the ending and couldn't wait to read Melody/Mercy's story.

Melody is Mercy, however, her family thinks she's dead and her new name is Mercy. The story takes place mostly in 1999, and I thought the author did a good job staying true to those times with bands, etc. Mercy is a lost soul with a complicated side to her.

Two men play a part in her life, Ash the hopeful actor and Brad, the drummer in her band. She likes them both, but as a reader, we know only one of them is right for her. Through this story, we go through life's struggles with Mercy until she finally grows into a strong individual, getting over the hurt of her past from her parents.

The story ends in present day witch Mercy getting her happily ever after, which as a reader I was very ready for. At times I felt like this story dragged and I was ready for it to fast forward. Each scene presented added to the story, but I still felt like it dragged a bit at times.

Over all, I liked the story and I would read more from this author. Her writing is good and her descriptions make you feel as though you're there and can feel the emotions. I haven't read Just One Night yet, but after meeting Kasie and Robert in this story and Just Once More, I'm interested to see how their story came about.

Lacey's Rating

About The Book

In the instant international sensation Just One Night, sensible Kasie Fitzgerald unleashed her passions—and found herself—through an explosive affair. In Just One Lie, we meet Kasie’s wild and tortured sister, whose impulsivity and lack of self-control has set off a chain of events that changes her family forever.

Melody Fitzgerald is the opposite of the “perfect” daughter. The lead singer of an indie rock band, she is impulsive and creative, with a rebellious streak that both defines her and becomes her greatest enemy. Her lover, the enticing and unpredictable Ash, shares her free spirit and penchant for trouble. On the face of it, he seems to be her perfect match.

So why is she so drawn to her soft spoken, reliable drummer, Brad Witmer? How can a man who wears polo shirts and reads the financial section of the paper be of any interest to her at all? And why on earth does someone like that appear to be so captivated by her?

Before she knows it, Melody finds herself on a path of self-discovery, passion, and affairs of the heart. But will a dark secret from her past derail it all? Or will its exposure be the very thing that unburdens her heart and allows her to seek a future with the one man who loves her completely?

Over The Ivy Wall by Rosa Sophia

I really enjoyed this story by Rosa Sophia. She doesn't write your typical fluffy romance. She always has another hidden layer to her characters. What I really admired about this book was the hero. He has aspegars. She took the time to write a story with a hero that totally deserved a romance. He was different and still found love, and it made me really admire Rosa as an author.

Clara has been living with her aunt and uncle after her parents death. She's only a few weeks from being 18. Gaven, the hero is older. But this is a clean story, so nothing weird there.

Clara leaves each day to escape her uncle who abuses her in a way that is just unforgivable. I don't know how the Aunt put up with his. She had to know what her husband was up to. Not to go down that path...

Clara seeks comfort in Gaven, who doesn't know how to give comfort. Clara has never left her home, her uncle keeps her and his daughter hidden away from the world. Gaven gives her the strength to reach out for help and the courage to leave.

This was a great story. I absolutely loved it. I can't wait for Tammy's story. If she was a real person, I'd be praying for her to wisen up and find the courage she needs to get out of her bad situation.

The writing was good and the story flowed well. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a clean romance that will tug at your heart strings.

Lacey's Rating:

About The Book:

Clara Pendleton is a prisoner in her home. Always searching for new places to hide from her uncle, whose drunken attention terrifies and confuses her, she finds a tiny clearing in the back of the property near a disintegrating section of the ivy-covered wall that surrounds the estate.

Gaven Bridge has been sent to Clearwater to live with his Uncle Daniel. Never fitting in, he doesn’t believe he’ll ever meet anyone who understands him. But when he goes out for a walk in the woods, he happens upon a young lady sleeping soundly on a patch of moss.

A deep bond is fostered between them, helping Clara find the courage to change her life. When she finally decides to climb over the ivy wall and out into the world, there is no going back. Will Clara escape her horrible past, or will it destroy the love she and Gaven share?

Heart's Paradise - Keeping a secret from the one person you're stranded with...

The idea of living on a deserted island has always appealed to me. I got to experiance that in Olivia Starke's latest release - Heart's Paradise.

I loved this book. It's one of those that I couldn't can't put down. I read the first in the series (The Baby Contract) and was so excited when this one released. You don't need to read book 1 to enjoy this one.

Pheobe and Jonathan have a history that only one of them remembers. They spent one night together and Pheobe ends up pregnant, but never tells Jonathan. He's always in the tabloids and she's watched him for 11 years. It gets interesting when the two are placed on a reality show together--just the two of them on a deserted island. Jonathan has no idea who she is.

This is when the fun starts. As the reader, we know the secret. The chemistry between Pheobe and Jonathan is as strong as it was the night they'd met. He's instantly read to throw away his playboy ways for her because right away, he feels differently for her then any other woman. Pheobe stays strong somehow, never telling her secret that she has been raising their daughter all these years.

The writing is strong. The dialogue is realistic. And the story line is intriguing. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Lacey's Rating:

About The Book:

Can Phoebe trust Jonathon with her biggest and most precious secret?

Phoebe Heart struggles to keep the bills paid with her survivalist training courses while raising a preteen daughter. When a producer approaches her about starring on the survival show Paradise she's hesitant. Hasn't she spent a lifetime trying to stay out of the spotlight of her famous mother? But the money is too good to pass up, and Phoebe will do anything to provide a stable future for her child.

Billionaire playboy Jonathon Breck is always up for a new adventure. When he's offered a starring role on Paradise he jumps at the chance. In return for spending twenty-five days on a tropical island, using only his wits to survive, he'll receive a nice big check, which he plans to donate to his favorite charity. So with two months training under his belt, he's dropped off on a lush oasis. He knows it'll take skill to find food, water, and shelter on the deceptively beautiful island.

Each of them expect to be on the island alone, so they're shocked when they discover the producers have thrown in a surprising twist. Phoebe and Jonathon find themselves teamed up. Jonathon is intrigued by the sexy woman, but he can't shake the feeling he's met her before. Phoebe is appalled she's paired off with the man she had a drunken college one-night stand with.

Passion ignites while they share in the trials of Paradise, but disaster strikes, leaving them facing life or death. And Jonathon learns the truth that Phoebe desperately hoped to keep hidden from him—they share a child.

Now Jonathon faces the biggest challenge of his life—convincing Phoebe to let him be a part of their daughter's life. Can Phoebe trust the notorious playboy with her young, impressionable daughter's heart? And can she trust the feelings she has for the charismatic billionaire?

Content Warning: contains graphic language and explicit sex

Book Reviewer Falls Hard for Author She Bashed on Blog...in Secret Santo

Mostly, Holly preferred to put a book aside rather than write a scathing review, but her alter ego wouldn't let it rest in CE Felix's case.

All of us book reviewers have had that moment...that moment when we realize we're reading a book simply not for us and a huge part of us doesn't want the drama of writing a scathing review, but an even bigger part of us is so outraged, irritated, or perturbed, we can't keep our thoughts to ourselves.

I love the story idea. Romance book reviewer and blogger writes a scathing review, goes to a Christmas party, meets a gorgeous author who will only reveal he writes under a pseudonym, and realizes the man she's lusting after is that author she just bashed on her blog. How to get around that? Talk about awkward. I also wanted to read this because the author interviewed me here on Book Babe when she was doing research for this.

I thought it would be predictable. Girls meets boy, lusts after him, has a dilemma (in this case the review/author thing), they get over it, live HEA. But while the HEA is there, the ending threw a twist at me I honestly didn't see coming. Big thumbs up for that!

The story goes a bit overboard with the Christmas stuff--names like Noelle, Merry, Holly, Santo, Rudy, but at the same time the stuff I thought a bit eye-rolling was counteracted with cute or funny bits like falling on a candy cane and just that whole bit with her boss. Her boss and her teeth/nose issue made me laugh out loud and I love a good laugh.

I didn't care for how often the heroine has to be saved. That's my biggest complaint. I hate damsels in distress. But overall, this was a cute read and got me in the holiday spirit--not an easy thing to do.

I received this via Netgalley and you can order it on Amazon.

Can a wounded soldier find love again in A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle

A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle was a sweet and heartwarming read. Nick is leaving the marine's for the time being and going home for the holidays to surprise his family. The one thing he is looking for is for someone to simply hold him.

When he left for the marines, he had a girlfriend. Not long after she sent him a note breaking up with him, a grenade went off where he was, injuring him and several others. After he recovered in a hospital, the desire to be with family is strong.

This story tells the journey Nick has on his way home. He is able to find love again, and it's with someone who understands everything he has been through. I can't tell much, because this is a novella, and sometimes they are harder to review without giving away too much plot.

The story line was detailed and well thought out. The writing was good. Ms. Ovalle did a wonderful job with marine lingo, and the way events would play out. She was detailed and it made for a heartfelt story.

There was an intimate scene in the story, but it wasn't over the top detailed, so I'd give this a heat level of 3. I think it was perfect though for the story.

*Note: This story is told only in the mail point of view.*

What's the book about:

Corporal Nicholas 'Saint' Santiago needs to go home to reclaim the man he used to be. To be the man he was before Operation Enduring Freedom slowly hardened his heart. He needs to reconnect to the values and the reasons he is doing what he does. Saint also needs to try to forget the courageous woman he knows was meant to be his.

Petty Officer Angelina Jones' life changed the moment Saint saved her life. She survived the blast but now has to deal with the fact that she will never be whole. Knowing Saint received a 'Dear John' letter, Angelina has no intention of being his rebound romance. She needs to be loved for herself. She needs to forget about the one man she knows was meant to be hers.

They each try to find someone to help them forget.

But what does fate have planned for them?

Lacey's Rating:

Wife Number Seven by Melissa Brown

I absolutely enjoyed this story. I've been on the hunt for a different read lately. I enjoy the typical romance, but I needed something different. This was it.

I enjoy the show Sisterwives and it intrigues me the way these women live. I want to say, this book is nothing like the show Sisterwives. The wives are not good friends like you see in the show. They don't get to live normal lives. A prophet tells them how to live each day. They wear no make-up, never cut their hair, must wear dresses that cover everything, and live on a compound. They are expected to have child after child until they can't have children anymore.

Brinely, however, likes to visit the outside world, and one day comes upon an exiled man from her community. One touch from him and she discovered what she's been missing. One touch from him, and something new is born. But she can't just leave her home and compound. All she's ever known is the life she lives and as far as she knows, if she leaves that compound, she'd going to hell. But she realizes she is sinning from her thoughts, and she had to decide to redeem herself or not.

This is a very heart felt story. I was engrossed from the time I started it. I really enjoyed it and will be reading this author again.

Lipstick. Bright, red lipstick. Nothing but lipstick. 

Even though it’s against our faith to wear a color that screams of sexual promiscuity and deviant behavior, I’m not allowed to protest. 

But, I want to. 

So badly. 

You see, there’s more to me than the braid that spills down my back. 

More to me than the layers of heavy fabric that maintain my modesty. 

And so much more than the oppressive wedding band that adorns my finger--the same band that each of my sister wives wear. 

So much more. 

To protest would be sinful. 

I must keep sweet, that is my duty. 

So I’ll wear the lipstick. I’ll do as I’m told. 

And I’ll do my best to silence the resistance within me, to push him from my mind. 

If only my heart would do the same.