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Hidden Fires by Sandra Brown
Preacher's daughter Lauren thinks that she is going to work for wealthy Olivia Lockett as a secretary. Instead, the matriarch makes Lauren a scandalous offer to marry her son in name only. Lauren has strong feelings for him but are they strong enough?
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First published January 1, 1982
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About the author
Laura Jordan
4 books16 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
A pseudonym used by Sandra Brown
A pseudonym used by Sandra Brown
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May 10, 2015
In 1800s Texas, a wealthy matriarch makes a scandalous offer to a preacher's daughter: to marry, in name only, her rebellious son. Now, embroiled in a nightmare of distrust and betrayal, the innocent young lady must try to melt the ice of hatred around the playboy's heart.
I enjoyed this one. One of her older books. Maybe the reason it has stood the test of time is because it is a Historical. I find a lot of her older books set in the 80s or 90s are just too dated.
“Don’t be afraid of loving this man, Maria had told her. Don’t be afraid. Her slender fingers closed around the warm shaft with its velvet skin stretched smooth. Gently her fingers played over him, curious, wondering fingers, fingers made exultant by their discoveries.
Reflexively Jared arched his back. His head went back in a gesture of exquisite feeling. Then his chin lowered and he was searching her face again. His golden eyes shone bright with emotion. “Touch me, Lauren. Touch me until I die from the pleasure of it. Know all of me.” His voice was breathy and uneven.”
Jared was an ass.
“Jared hadn’t planned it, had never even thought about it, but he couldn’t control taking complete possession of her mouth with a bruising kiss. He wanted to insult her, to further humiliate her, to shatter her damned poise. But her body was so female, her lips so soft, warm, virginal, that what had been hurtful and brutal became tender, seeking, questioning.”
"That is Señor Jared's room ... He (Carlos) say Señor Jared can please any woman"
His mother ... no words.
The secondary characters were great in this book also. There was more depth to this book than some of her older books.
December 26, 2018
3º libro del #RetoRita2 #RitaBrown
Prácticamente un día me ha durado esta novela, la primera romántica que escribió la autora. Me ha parecido entretenidísima, con una protagonista muy de su época pero muy abierta de mente y un protagonista nada plano, con sus claroscuros y detalles maravillosos, que tanto gustan a la autora. La historia en general me ha encantado, pena que el final sea marca de la casa Brown, algo precipitado. Lees la última página y piensas ¿y la siguiente?, ¿ya está? Lo de revolcarse en el felices para siempre no es lo suyo, está claro.
Prácticamente un día me ha durado esta novela, la primera romántica que escribió la autora. Me ha parecido entretenidísima, con una protagonista muy de su época pero muy abierta de mente y un protagonista nada plano, con sus claroscuros y detalles maravillosos, que tanto gustan a la autora. La historia en general me ha encantado, pena que el final sea marca de la casa Brown, algo precipitado. Lees la última página y piensas ¿y la siguiente?, ¿ya está? Lo de revolcarse en el felices para siempre no es lo suyo, está claro.
June 19, 2020
4 🌟
Reseña completa:
https://masromance.blogspot.com/2020/...
Seguramente si lo hubiera leído en su momento irían las 5, pero ahora su falta de originalidad le resta ese medio puntito
La he disfrutado mucho, con clichés y tópicos incluidos
Él, el truhan libertino y rudo que, en el fondo tiene un corazón enorme y que cae rendido ante la inocencia de una bellísima virgen (hace 30 años esto me encantaba, ahora pues me chirría un poquito)
Los personajes son tan tópicos que poco se puede comentar, lo más destacable es la evolución de ella.
A la novela no le falta de nada, traiciones, bastardías y está llena de giros y persecuciones.
Me ha durado apenas dos días porque tanto el estilo de la autora como la agilidad de la historia te enganchan desde el primer momento
Si tengo que destacar alguna escena, para mí, hacia el final, entre Gloria y otro personaje, porque realmente me ha sorprendido
Una lectura que te atrapa, me lo he pasado genial leyéndola.
Muy recomendable, imprescindible si os gusta el oeste ;)
Reseña completa:
https://masromance.blogspot.com/2020/...
Seguramente si lo hubiera leído en su momento irían las 5, pero ahora su falta de originalidad le resta ese medio puntito
La he disfrutado mucho, con clichés y tópicos incluidos
Él, el truhan libertino y rudo que, en el fondo tiene un corazón enorme y que cae rendido ante la inocencia de una bellísima virgen (hace 30 años esto me encantaba, ahora pues me chirría un poquito)
Los personajes son tan tópicos que poco se puede comentar, lo más destacable es la evolución de ella.
A la novela no le falta de nada, traiciones, bastardías y está llena de giros y persecuciones.
Me ha durado apenas dos días porque tanto el estilo de la autora como la agilidad de la historia te enganchan desde el primer momento
Si tengo que destacar alguna escena, para mí, hacia el final, entre Gloria y otro personaje, porque realmente me ha sorprendido
Una lectura que te atrapa, me lo he pasado genial leyéndola.
Muy recomendable, imprescindible si os gusta el oeste ;)
September 27, 2016
Acabo de darme cuenta de que este libro ya lo había leído... que mal que no lo recordará antes. En serio, ha sido como "oh, y luego pasara esto, no sé cómo pero lo sé" y pasaba hahahha le pongo 3 estrellas porque no recordaba el libro y no pienso volver a leerlo. No sé si saben, pero NUNCA he releído un libro en mi vida. No quiero empezar con este hahaha. Lo que puedo decir es que la narración de la autora es tan simple, natural y atrayente como en sus otras novelas, me encanta como escribe y la forma tan peculiar de transportarte al lugar que se está mencionando.
October 22, 2018
3.5 ☆
Me estaba gustando mucho y pensaba que rozaría las 4.5 ☆ Al final no ha sido así, porque he tenido mis disgustos con ambos protas. Él se pasa tres pueblos con su terquedad, y a ella la he visto demasiado sumisa, me hubiera gustado que le plantase cara a Jared y haberla visto sacar más carácter. Pero, en general, ha sido una buena lectura. Sandra Brown me suele gustar mucho.
Me estaba gustando mucho y pensaba que rozaría las 4.5 ☆ Al final no ha sido así, porque he tenido mis disgustos con ambos protas. Él se pasa tres pueblos con su terquedad, y a ella la he visto demasiado sumisa, me hubiera gustado que le plantase cara a Jared y haberla visto sacar más carácter. Pero, en general, ha sido una buena lectura. Sandra Brown me suele gustar mucho.
March 19, 2018
Oh well, this SB historical is one of her earlier works. You see the intermittent spark but the book tends to run away with it too. For one thing I found it overly long and then the H’s push pull also gets excessive.
The h, an orphan brought up by the local Reverend and his wife, travels to Texas from North Carolina on an unusual and rather random invitation by a Texan friend of the Reverend. The Texan, an elderly but dashing man sees something in her, which makes him come up with a scheme of his own. The h initially refuses but is forced to go when a local suitor tries to compromise her in order to force her to marry him, and her guardians choose to accept his version over hers.
To her shock, she finds that her host, Ben Lockett has passed away before her arrival and his widow, Olivia – an exceedingly cold and forbidding woman – makes her feel very unwelcome. Although she’s allowed to stay for a while as people pour in to pay condolences but she is told to stay put in her room.
The h meets the H Jared, Ben’s son on the day of her arrival - and finds him in an inebriated state. But still she feels an attraction towards the mocking and mostly drunk man. Btw everyone, including the widow and the H think that the h is Ben’s piece on the side. She also learns that Ben has another family living on his ranch – the love of his life, Maria and their son and his wife and kids.
Olivia, the embittered widow is an ambitious woman who has an agenda of her own and wants the railroad to come to town at any cost. And for that she’s collaborating with a shady and unscrupulous businessman Vandiver and his son (the villainous om in the story). The H is uninterested but seems ineffectual in these goings on. Olivia realizes that her son has a bad reputation as an irresponsible and whoring drunk, and needs to clean up his act for the town and business associates, so she comes up with the idea of a temporary moc between her naïve guest and her son. In this at least she unknowingly concurs with her dead husband because that's what Ben had originally plotted about too - a union between the h and his son albeit a real one rather than a sham one. The h agrees as the choice is between this or being homeless and penniless.
Post wedding, the H continues being derisive and mocking to her, and continues with his drinking if not the whoring. The marriage remains unconsummated for some time. Not that consummation brings them any closer as the H vacillates between possessive jealousy and being completely cold and uncaring. But still they share some sweet and tender times.
The many secondary characters are interesting and add to the story, especially the warm hearted Maria and her family at the ranch. The villains are many and treacherous. The ow was wannabe and pushed into the story.
But the chemistry between the two is fiery and appealing, and their time together is worth reading this meandering story.
The h, an orphan brought up by the local Reverend and his wife, travels to Texas from North Carolina on an unusual and rather random invitation by a Texan friend of the Reverend. The Texan, an elderly but dashing man sees something in her, which makes him come up with a scheme of his own. The h initially refuses but is forced to go when a local suitor tries to compromise her in order to force her to marry him, and her guardians choose to accept his version over hers.
To her shock, she finds that her host, Ben Lockett has passed away before her arrival and his widow, Olivia – an exceedingly cold and forbidding woman – makes her feel very unwelcome. Although she’s allowed to stay for a while as people pour in to pay condolences but she is told to stay put in her room.
The h meets the H Jared, Ben’s son on the day of her arrival - and finds him in an inebriated state. But still she feels an attraction towards the mocking and mostly drunk man. Btw everyone, including the widow and the H think that the h is Ben’s piece on the side. She also learns that Ben has another family living on his ranch – the love of his life, Maria and their son and his wife and kids.
Olivia, the embittered widow is an ambitious woman who has an agenda of her own and wants the railroad to come to town at any cost. And for that she’s collaborating with a shady and unscrupulous businessman Vandiver and his son (the villainous om in the story). The H is uninterested but seems ineffectual in these goings on. Olivia realizes that her son has a bad reputation as an irresponsible and whoring drunk, and needs to clean up his act for the town and business associates, so she comes up with the idea of a temporary moc between her naïve guest and her son. In this at least she unknowingly concurs with her dead husband because that's what Ben had originally plotted about too - a union between the h and his son albeit a real one rather than a sham one. The h agrees as the choice is between this or being homeless and penniless.
Post wedding, the H continues being derisive and mocking to her, and continues with his drinking if not the whoring. The marriage remains unconsummated for some time. Not that consummation brings them any closer as the H vacillates between possessive jealousy and being completely cold and uncaring. But still they share some sweet and tender times.
The many secondary characters are interesting and add to the story, especially the warm hearted Maria and her family at the ranch. The villains are many and treacherous. The ow was wannabe and pushed into the story.
But the chemistry between the two is fiery and appealing, and their time together is worth reading this meandering story.
April 30, 2017
Review written April 30, 2017
3.8 Stars - Old fashioned romance with western cowboy feeling. Yummy sweet and melodramatic
A quite new audiobook edition of a 35 years old historical romance by SB from 1982. 14 nice listening hours well narrated by Kevin T. Collins.
Texas 1904
« Preacher's daughter Lauren Holbrook thinks that she is going to work for wealthy Olivia Lockett as a secretary. Instead, the matriarch makes Lauren a scandalous offer to marry her son Jared Lockett in name only. Lauren has strong feelings for him but are they strong enough? »
A bit melodramatic but I enjoyed, cried and laughed. A maybe too angel-like and nearly indescribable goodhearted heroine and a too tough hard-hearted hero. ... But in the end it all solved in the nicest way with some steamy heat before we reached that shimmering glorious end. HEA and geand lifelong true love I assume.
Not as terrific as some of Mrs Sandra Brown's much newer suspense and mystery fiction but in all ways good enough!
I LIKE - these old traditional romances
3.8 Stars - Old fashioned romance with western cowboy feeling. Yummy sweet and melodramatic
A quite new audiobook edition of a 35 years old historical romance by SB from 1982. 14 nice listening hours well narrated by Kevin T. Collins.
Texas 1904
« Preacher's daughter Lauren Holbrook thinks that she is going to work for wealthy Olivia Lockett as a secretary. Instead, the matriarch makes Lauren a scandalous offer to marry her son Jared Lockett in name only. Lauren has strong feelings for him but are they strong enough? »
A bit melodramatic but I enjoyed, cried and laughed. A maybe too angel-like and nearly indescribable goodhearted heroine and a too tough hard-hearted hero. ... But in the end it all solved in the nicest way with some steamy heat before we reached that shimmering glorious end. HEA and geand lifelong true love I assume.
Not as terrific as some of Mrs Sandra Brown's much newer suspense and mystery fiction but in all ways good enough!
I LIKE - these old traditional romances
November 17, 2011
First published on my birth year, Hidden Fires by Sandra Brown is a romance that stands true to the test of time. Trust on Sandra, one of my all time favorite authors to deliver a romance as sizzling as hot coals and a story that is so engrossing that I couldn’t bear to let this one go even for a minute. Even being the second time round that I was reading this, I was completely riveted on the events that took place in the novel, a woman’s hatred and vindictive and controlling behavior that drives the story together with the sensual and beautiful romance Sandra delivers.
The year is 1903 and 20 year old Lauren Holbrook travels to Texas from North Carolina on the invitation of one Ben Lockett who has all well placed intentions regarding the beautiful Lauren. Lauren having lost her mother at the age of 3 and father at the age of 12 had lived since then with Reverend Abel Prather and his wife Sybil. Naive and innocent, Lauren has no idea of the hornets nest she is stepping into when she disembarks from the train to make her way towards Coronardo, Ben’s hometown.
Jared Lockett is a man who is notorious throughout the state for his whoring and drinking. A Harvard graduate and a cowboy, Jared is a character who stirred up my senses even right from the start. A mass of contradictions is what he is; brash, harsh and coldly controlled one minute and tender and teasing the next. His parents marriage being an unhappy one is an understatement and Jared had borne the brunt of their unhappiness with one another that had shaped him up to be the person he is.
When Jared’s mother, the beautiful and vindictive Olivia Lockett schemes to arrange a marriage between Lauren and Jared both find themselves agreeing to the marriage of convenience for a period of two years. Though Jared would have loved to storm out of the discussion and turn his back on his mother’s wishes, her manipulations turn out to be more well placed than Jared could counterattack and thus finds Lauren and Jared being bound by holy matrimony and little does Jared know that Lauren is the woman who would bring him to his very knees before their marriage is through.
Lauren who is an innocent babe in the woods when it comes to carnal desires is misjudged right from the very start by Jared and thus makes her life miserable from the onset of their marriage. But for Jared, Lauren is not as easily dismissed from his mind as he would like as her innocence and beauty keeps creeping up on him at the most unexpected of moments, his personal vow to stay away from Lauren a much harder one to keep than he thought.
Lauren is drawn to Jared right from the very start, the cravings that hits her whenever Jared is around a foreign one to her but one she knows instinctively that only Jared can fulfill. Sandra keeps the sexual tension mounting until all I could do was practically squirm in my chair from wanting the explosive culmination of the desire between Jared and Lauren, something Sandra is very good at delivering on! And I wasn’t disappointed when their relationship progressed to that stage and all but welcomed the beauty of their coming together with open arms.
What I loved most about this novel was Lauren’s character. She is naive and innocent to a fault when she steps on the rugged land of Texas, but having an instinct that guides her to judge people easily saves her from a lot of hurdles. In Olivia, Jared’s mother Lauren finds a woman who is bitter to the very end, who loves people only to gain the upper hand and to further her own goals in whatever notorious scheme or plan that she cooks up. It is Olivia’s doing that separates Lauren and Jared and drives a wedge between them one right after the other, for the fear that Jared might not be as easily controllable if Lauren were to work her healing magic on him.
How Lauren grew throughout the story, her gentleness and giving nature together with that stubborn streak of hers when it comes to those she loves and considers dear to her are her best characteristics. The way she faces and weathers one storm after the other in her relationship with Jared, the man who so effortlessly steals her heart for good and all time to come is one of the reasons I admired her character. She gives as good as she gets, but knows instinctively when its time to let go in order to heal the tortured soul that is Jared’s.
Jared is the type of ruthless alpha hero that I absolutely adore and love. Sandra certainly knows her way with male lead characters and even when they are rakes of the most notorious kind, you can’t help but be drawn towards them like a moth to flame. Jared’s entrance to each and every scene in the book makes it come alive with his sheer magnetism alone and if I were to talk about the effect he had on my senses; I tell you this is going to end up a long, long review!
The one thing that stopped me from giving the 5-stars that this book so very well deserves was what happened towards the latter part of the book. I found that Jared’s “cruelty” towards Lauren to make his mission a more believable one was something that could have been done away with. But somehow it all serves its purpose, the villains get what they truly deserve and Jared and Lauren find a love so worthy of slaying dragons over that I just heaved a huge sigh of pleasure once the book was done!
Sandra’s mastery is such that not even one iota of my emotions remain aloof when reading, my whole being focused on the sensations that courses through me right from the very start. Her ability to paint a picture so vividly with words and make you feel as part of the story that unfolds is how remarkable an author she is and that is one reason why I would continue to buy her books as long as she continues to publish them.
Rating=4.75/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My quotes included below the review!
The year is 1903 and 20 year old Lauren Holbrook travels to Texas from North Carolina on the invitation of one Ben Lockett who has all well placed intentions regarding the beautiful Lauren. Lauren having lost her mother at the age of 3 and father at the age of 12 had lived since then with Reverend Abel Prather and his wife Sybil. Naive and innocent, Lauren has no idea of the hornets nest she is stepping into when she disembarks from the train to make her way towards Coronardo, Ben’s hometown.
Jared Lockett is a man who is notorious throughout the state for his whoring and drinking. A Harvard graduate and a cowboy, Jared is a character who stirred up my senses even right from the start. A mass of contradictions is what he is; brash, harsh and coldly controlled one minute and tender and teasing the next. His parents marriage being an unhappy one is an understatement and Jared had borne the brunt of their unhappiness with one another that had shaped him up to be the person he is.
When Jared’s mother, the beautiful and vindictive Olivia Lockett schemes to arrange a marriage between Lauren and Jared both find themselves agreeing to the marriage of convenience for a period of two years. Though Jared would have loved to storm out of the discussion and turn his back on his mother’s wishes, her manipulations turn out to be more well placed than Jared could counterattack and thus finds Lauren and Jared being bound by holy matrimony and little does Jared know that Lauren is the woman who would bring him to his very knees before their marriage is through.
Lauren who is an innocent babe in the woods when it comes to carnal desires is misjudged right from the very start by Jared and thus makes her life miserable from the onset of their marriage. But for Jared, Lauren is not as easily dismissed from his mind as he would like as her innocence and beauty keeps creeping up on him at the most unexpected of moments, his personal vow to stay away from Lauren a much harder one to keep than he thought.
Lauren is drawn to Jared right from the very start, the cravings that hits her whenever Jared is around a foreign one to her but one she knows instinctively that only Jared can fulfill. Sandra keeps the sexual tension mounting until all I could do was practically squirm in my chair from wanting the explosive culmination of the desire between Jared and Lauren, something Sandra is very good at delivering on! And I wasn’t disappointed when their relationship progressed to that stage and all but welcomed the beauty of their coming together with open arms.
What I loved most about this novel was Lauren’s character. She is naive and innocent to a fault when she steps on the rugged land of Texas, but having an instinct that guides her to judge people easily saves her from a lot of hurdles. In Olivia, Jared’s mother Lauren finds a woman who is bitter to the very end, who loves people only to gain the upper hand and to further her own goals in whatever notorious scheme or plan that she cooks up. It is Olivia’s doing that separates Lauren and Jared and drives a wedge between them one right after the other, for the fear that Jared might not be as easily controllable if Lauren were to work her healing magic on him.
How Lauren grew throughout the story, her gentleness and giving nature together with that stubborn streak of hers when it comes to those she loves and considers dear to her are her best characteristics. The way she faces and weathers one storm after the other in her relationship with Jared, the man who so effortlessly steals her heart for good and all time to come is one of the reasons I admired her character. She gives as good as she gets, but knows instinctively when its time to let go in order to heal the tortured soul that is Jared’s.
Jared is the type of ruthless alpha hero that I absolutely adore and love. Sandra certainly knows her way with male lead characters and even when they are rakes of the most notorious kind, you can’t help but be drawn towards them like a moth to flame. Jared’s entrance to each and every scene in the book makes it come alive with his sheer magnetism alone and if I were to talk about the effect he had on my senses; I tell you this is going to end up a long, long review!
The one thing that stopped me from giving the 5-stars that this book so very well deserves was what happened towards the latter part of the book. I found that Jared’s “cruelty” towards Lauren to make his mission a more believable one was something that could have been done away with. But somehow it all serves its purpose, the villains get what they truly deserve and Jared and Lauren find a love so worthy of slaying dragons over that I just heaved a huge sigh of pleasure once the book was done!
Sandra’s mastery is such that not even one iota of my emotions remain aloof when reading, my whole being focused on the sensations that courses through me right from the very start. Her ability to paint a picture so vividly with words and make you feel as part of the story that unfolds is how remarkable an author she is and that is one reason why I would continue to buy her books as long as she continues to publish them.
Rating=4.75/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My quotes included below the review!
September 2, 2017
FANTASTIC BOOK!!! I love Sandra Brown, absolutely love get books!!! I really enjoyed this book, I went through an emotional rollercoaster with this book. I cried and constantly had a lump in my throat. Did I mentioned how much I loved it???! My only regret is how long I waited to get to this book. Why!?!!??!
July 14, 2018
#RitaBrown #RetoRita2
4/5
He disfrutado bastante leyendo este libro. Jared me ha gustado mucho y, en general, todos los personajes están bien.
He acertado también con esta elección de la Brown.
4/5
He disfrutado bastante leyendo este libro. Jared me ha gustado mucho y, en general, todos los personajes están bien.
He acertado también con esta elección de la Brown.
September 3, 2016
La leí varias veces en estos años, sólo que ahora le hago un review.
Me gustan los protagonistas rebeldes y despeinados, con un whisky en la mano y semblante abatido (se me aparece la imagen de un joven Marlon Brando), así que todo lo que sea parecido es muy atractivo para mí. Y ella es una pobre inocente que no tiene idea de la vida pero va madurando, y eso es, también, lo que me encanta de una protagonista... Ergo, esta es una de mis novelas favoritas.
Sandra Brown no falla es el suspenso y te mantiene enganchada a pesar de haber leído esta historia y cuando ya no debería tener ninguna sorpresa.
Me gustan los protagonistas rebeldes y despeinados, con un whisky en la mano y semblante abatido (se me aparece la imagen de un joven Marlon Brando), así que todo lo que sea parecido es muy atractivo para mí. Y ella es una pobre inocente que no tiene idea de la vida pero va madurando, y eso es, también, lo que me encanta de una protagonista... Ergo, esta es una de mis novelas favoritas.
Sandra Brown no falla es el suspenso y te mantiene enganchada a pesar de haber leído esta historia y cuando ya no debería tener ninguna sorpresa.
January 24, 2016
Overall rating: 5 stars!
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Intimate Pasts:
Push/pull:
OM/OW drama:
HEA:
My review:
This book evoked so many emotions in me I can't even say. It was a little bit of a slow start and it's definitely a long book, but it was worth it to me. This is one of Sandra Brown's Contemporary Romances and it was worth the read for me 100%. I know I keep saying that but I can't express that enough.
I was very hesitant because I have a love/hate relationship with asshole heroes and I KNEW going in that was what it was going to be like, but I just loved it. So many emotions I am in a major book hangover.
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Intimate Pasts:
Push/pull:
OM/OW drama:
HEA:
My review:
This book evoked so many emotions in me I can't even say. It was a little bit of a slow start and it's definitely a long book, but it was worth it to me. This is one of Sandra Brown's Contemporary Romances and it was worth the read for me 100%. I know I keep saying that but I can't express that enough.
I was very hesitant because I have a love/hate relationship with asshole heroes and I KNEW going in that was what it was going to be like, but I just loved it. So many emotions I am in a major book hangover.
October 31, 2018
Leído para el evento "Lectura conjunta de clásicos con portadas estupendas" y en esta ocasión, una edición de Anhelos ocultos, de Sandra Brown.
Por lo visto, esta fue su primera novela de género (según sus propias palabras) y aunque no se le puede poner ningún pero ni a la narrativa, ni a la documentación, ni a la estructura, carece de total calidez e interés. Se trata de una historia en la que a sus protagonistas les pasan cosas, las resuelven, y nada más. No hay mayor trascendencia en lo que dicen, hacen, o dejan de hacer y, desde esta perspectiva, no deja de ser una historia un tanto fría y casi desapasionada.
Sus personajes tienen unas personalidades muy marcadas, pero se mueven dentro de sus propios límites y no exploran nada más allá de lo que se espera de ellos. No se profundiza en sus comportamientos más que cosas bastante básicas, que aunqu definen su manera de ser, no aportan suficiente consistencia para que podamos empatizar con ellos. Por otro lado, sobra bastante información de Lauren y falta información sobre Jared.
En conclusión, una novela estándar sin más. No es mala, pero es bastante insulsa.
Por lo visto, esta fue su primera novela de género (según sus propias palabras) y aunque no se le puede poner ningún pero ni a la narrativa, ni a la documentación, ni a la estructura, carece de total calidez e interés. Se trata de una historia en la que a sus protagonistas les pasan cosas, las resuelven, y nada más. No hay mayor trascendencia en lo que dicen, hacen, o dejan de hacer y, desde esta perspectiva, no deja de ser una historia un tanto fría y casi desapasionada.
Sus personajes tienen unas personalidades muy marcadas, pero se mueven dentro de sus propios límites y no exploran nada más allá de lo que se espera de ellos. No se profundiza en sus comportamientos más que cosas bastante básicas, que aunqu definen su manera de ser, no aportan suficiente consistencia para que podamos empatizar con ellos. Por otro lado, sobra bastante información de Lauren y falta información sobre Jared.
En conclusión, una novela estándar sin más. No es mala, pero es bastante insulsa.
June 14, 2014
5 Amazing Stars
This book was
I had the greatest pleasure that this book was my very first read and my introduction to the romance books many years ago and to say that holds a very special place in my hart is not enough.
I simple love this book and with every re read and they were many and will be many more to come i have the same feeling. Like it's the first time. Sandra Brown was the author who make me to fell in love with the romance books and i don't regret it. She is really in class by it self.
I absolutely adore Jared and Lauren. As an individual, as a person and as a couple. For the sacrifices they made and how they fought for their marriage and how they relation ship blossom and it become something permanent.
I never could've chosen a better book to the romance world and i highly recommend it. One of the best books i had the pleasure to get my hands on it.
This book was
I had the greatest pleasure that this book was my very first read and my introduction to the romance books many years ago and to say that holds a very special place in my hart is not enough.
I simple love this book and with every re read and they were many and will be many more to come i have the same feeling. Like it's the first time. Sandra Brown was the author who make me to fell in love with the romance books and i don't regret it. She is really in class by it self.
I absolutely adore Jared and Lauren. As an individual, as a person and as a couple. For the sacrifices they made and how they fought for their marriage and how they relation ship blossom and it become something permanent.
I never could've chosen a better book to the romance world and i highly recommend it. One of the best books i had the pleasure to get my hands on it.
August 3, 2019
The audio was fantastic considering the book was terrible. The heroine was a mouse who wouldn't stand up to anyone and the hero was just short of an alphahole. At least I understood why he did what he did. I'm not sure who wrote this book, but Sandra Brown's early books, like this one, can be really good or really bad. This one is really bad. Unless you are on a quest to read all her books, like I am, skip this one.
October 25, 2020
Just a light HR. Nothing memorable.
January 17, 2018
This book took WAY to long to read for me, if I'm being brutally honest.
Normally I am SO OBSESSED with a romance novel that can get me away from the world and take me to my dreamy state of mind, but this book didn't do it for me. It was a little disappointing, but I still think this is an excellent book by Sandra Brown. It didn't help I was cramming for exams and was worrying my days away about how my marks would look, so my lack of relaxation wasn't totally Sandra Brown's fault!
This book is centered in 1800s Texas, and we've got a preacher's daughter and a rebellious man. Isn't this just the stereotypical norm for a really great, mind numbing romance? To some people, that's the worst norm in the world, but sometimes that norm just gets me! I loved that this book took me back to the past and away from my problems. Sandra Brown's speaking tone in this novel gets you in and gets you hooked!
This is apparently one of her older books (I hate to admit it was made before I was born... 1994...wow), so I'm very tempted to pick up a more recent one. Most likely, her talent has increased the more she has written. It does stand the test of time (if you ask me), but it's historical fiction so that helps it out a lot.
Was this book mind blowing? No. It didn't knock me off my feet like some romance novels do, but I like that it was simple, sweet and to the point. It's a good book to just sink away from the world in, if that's what you are looking for.
It fits close to the "good girl, bad boy" stereotype, but with a little more "cheese" factor in it. It will tear at your heart strings a bit as well!
Overall, this book was a nice, melodramatic, romance novel. I definitely want to pick up more by Sandra Brown (and luckily I have another hiding on my shelf...) in the near future.
Three out of five stars!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Normally I am SO OBSESSED with a romance novel that can get me away from the world and take me to my dreamy state of mind, but this book didn't do it for me. It was a little disappointing, but I still think this is an excellent book by Sandra Brown. It didn't help I was cramming for exams and was worrying my days away about how my marks would look, so my lack of relaxation wasn't totally Sandra Brown's fault!
This book is centered in 1800s Texas, and we've got a preacher's daughter and a rebellious man. Isn't this just the stereotypical norm for a really great, mind numbing romance? To some people, that's the worst norm in the world, but sometimes that norm just gets me! I loved that this book took me back to the past and away from my problems. Sandra Brown's speaking tone in this novel gets you in and gets you hooked!
This is apparently one of her older books (I hate to admit it was made before I was born... 1994...wow), so I'm very tempted to pick up a more recent one. Most likely, her talent has increased the more she has written. It does stand the test of time (if you ask me), but it's historical fiction so that helps it out a lot.
Was this book mind blowing? No. It didn't knock me off my feet like some romance novels do, but I like that it was simple, sweet and to the point. It's a good book to just sink away from the world in, if that's what you are looking for.
It fits close to the "good girl, bad boy" stereotype, but with a little more "cheese" factor in it. It will tear at your heart strings a bit as well!
Overall, this book was a nice, melodramatic, romance novel. I definitely want to pick up more by Sandra Brown (and luckily I have another hiding on my shelf...) in the near future.
Three out of five stars!
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
August 25, 2016
Good lord. Hidden Fires is definitely packed with the good, the bad, and the very ugly. The storyline isn’t really unique, but the characters, angsty drama seriously make this old book a great pick for fans of Sandra Brown.
January 24, 2021
A pesar de que ser una novela escrita por Sandra Brown que es una autora que me gusta mucho, la historia no llegó a emocionarme, aun asi es de Brown y está muy bien escrita.
May 24, 2022
Nuestra reseña en A la cama con... un libro
Qué bien me lo he pasado con este culebronaco made in Brown. Reconozco que cojo siempre los libros de esta mujer con ganas de disfrutarlos mucho y de gozar con sus maromos, que son de odiarlos o amarlos, no existe el término medio. Yo soy de amarlos porque soy así de rara XD, eso de que sean tan secos, bordes, ariscos y sean tan maravillosos cuando los conoces me puede. El de este libro, Jared, encima es un vaquero, así que qué más quiero.
Qué bien me lo he pasado con este culebronaco made in Brown. Reconozco que cojo siempre los libros de esta mujer con ganas de disfrutarlos mucho y de gozar con sus maromos, que son de odiarlos o amarlos, no existe el término medio. Yo soy de amarlos porque soy así de rara XD, eso de que sean tan secos, bordes, ariscos y sean tan maravillosos cuando los conoces me puede. El de este libro, Jared, encima es un vaquero, así que qué más quiero.
February 22, 2011
Lauren Holbrook leaves South Carolina for Texas in hopes that Ben Lockett will be there to help give her a new life. A life different than the one she had.
When she arrives in Texas it is as Ben described it except for the fact he is not there waiting for her and she is kept waiting in the heat. When the station manager realizes he quickly gathers her up and transports her to the Lockett's where she learns of Ben's death. From that point on her life is about bargains, empty promises and manipulations. Jared, Ben's son is married to her because his mother informs him that he "MUST".
There is so much about this book that I didn't like and much that I did. I found the book lagging in so many parts were I was like come on already. Some parts in the book I really felt didn't belong like they were added to add pages. I mean the fit in the book but the book would have been okay without them.
Jared was a character I had to learn to like, he was bi-polor throughout the whole book. I mean I get why he was like that, we were never allowed into his mind so it made understanding him and liking him a little difficult.
However all in all the book was good.
When she arrives in Texas it is as Ben described it except for the fact he is not there waiting for her and she is kept waiting in the heat. When the station manager realizes he quickly gathers her up and transports her to the Lockett's where she learns of Ben's death. From that point on her life is about bargains, empty promises and manipulations. Jared, Ben's son is married to her because his mother informs him that he "MUST".
There is so much about this book that I didn't like and much that I did. I found the book lagging in so many parts were I was like come on already. Some parts in the book I really felt didn't belong like they were added to add pages. I mean the fit in the book but the book would have been okay without them.
Jared was a character I had to learn to like, he was bi-polor throughout the whole book. I mean I get why he was like that, we were never allowed into his mind so it made understanding him and liking him a little difficult.
However all in all the book was good.
April 25, 2020
I read this because I loved Sunset Embrace. I’m a fan of older romance novels and how they just no-holds-barred went there. This book has many controversial aspects, including negative stereotypes of Mexican women and rape. Jared isn’t a bad guy, but he’s a drunkard and he’s wounded by his mother’s callous treatment of him over the years. He’s emotionally immature and jumps to conclusions. He thinks Lauren is an opportunistic, good-digging mistress of his father’s. Jared’s mother, Olivia—oh my... I believe she is one of the most evil MIL villains I’ve ever read. That woman is downright depraved. Happy ending—yay. Lauren is very forgiving and despite all of its flaws, the book is quite entertaining. I enjoy Sandra Brown’s historical romances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2013
This book was surprising. I thought it would be all hateful hero and annoying heroine throughout. Not at all. Oh the hero could be hateful but they did have some good moments together.
This was a very enjoyable read.
This was a very enjoyable read.
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May 8, 2016
Really not comparable to what SB writes nowadays, but still easily better than many other similar HRs out there.
February 2, 2022
Al principio de su carrera, Sandra Brown escribió tres novelas históricas, ambientadas en el Oeste. Hidden fires la publicó en julio de 1982, con el seudónimo de Laura Jordan. Yo la leí en español, en la edición Cisne de finales de los noventa. La he leído varias veces y, con todos sus excesos, me sigue encantando. La virtuosa Lauren Holbrook marcha a Tejas, aceptando la invitación de un señor que al final resulta que cuando llega, ha muerto. Y con quien se encuentra es con el hijo, Jared Lockett un tipo guapo pero algo canalla. Acabarán teniendo un matrimonio de conveniencia. Me gustó la reconstrucción de aquella Tejas en la que se mezclaban gentes diversas y ambiciones varias. Al final del libro mete una parte de intriga con mucho nervio. Esta novela histórica me parece de lo mejor que escribió Sandra Brown en los ochenta y siempre me ha parecido raro que no siguiera por esta línea.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
September 24, 2021
Good old goodie, Sandra Brown with other name, ive read it before, but it was so many years ago...
Great book, i wanted to kill this hero several times.
Great book, i wanted to kill this hero several times.
July 1, 2021
I'm sorry but I had to DNF this book.
I feel like I know the plotline is going to get better over time but it was painfully slow for me I couldn't. When I continue reading the book I felt like I got bored of it and there wasn't enough excitment for me to reach the climax of the book.
There are many characters and storyline to follow but honestly I just want to read Lauren and Jared's storyline so the addition of other character story bore me.
I feel like I know the plotline is going to get better over time but it was painfully slow for me I couldn't. When I continue reading the book I felt like I got bored of it and there wasn't enough excitment for me to reach the climax of the book.
There are many characters and storyline to follow but honestly I just want to read Lauren and Jared's storyline so the addition of other character story bore me.
September 2, 2016
A marriage of convience a popular theme of romance and this one has a bad boy twist. The bad boy is sexy, angry, and unwilling to love anyone- a real selfish guy who is the perfect magnet for Lauren a native and kind woman. Set in early 1900's on a Texas ranch the wilderness of the land and passion which of course is filled with torment makes this a fun western romance!
April 26, 2025
This is probably one of my favorite Sandra Brown books, if not my most favorite. This is a book that I can, and have, read over and over again and never grow bored.
July 19, 2020
El libro está bien y me gusta el contexto, el oeste, Texas en un momento de cambios tan importantes como el tendido del ferrocarril, sin embargo este aspecto me hubiera gustado que se desarrollara más. No he conectado con la historia principal, ya que el protagonista masculino tiene un comportamiento de desprecio y desdén continuo hacia Lauren, quien supongo que por ciencia infusa se enamora de él ya que por lo bien que la trata no puede ser. El personaje de ella evoluciona, lo que es interesante. Los personajes secundarios bien y la trama con giros hacia el final. Pero insisto en que la historia de amor me ha estropeado el libro, y luego las escenas hot sin chispa ninguna aunque como yo no estaba muy receptiva puede que haya influido, hubiera disfrutado más si ella le da una buena colleja.
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