The Firebrand

Great Chicago Fire Trilogy #3

by Susan Wiggs

On October 8, 1871, one small spark ignites the entire city of Chicago, sending its residents into panic. But amid the chaos, a chance encounter leads to an unexpected new love. Wiggs's USA Today bestselling trilogy is now reissued.

Chicago is burning
And Lucy Hathaway is running for her life. As she rushes past a fine hotel engulfed in flames, a wrapped bundle tumbles from a window into her arms. Seconds later the building crumbles—and Lucy is astonished to discover the swaddled blanket contains a baby.

Five years later Lucy walks into Rand Higgins's bank and knows: the orphan she rescued that day actually belongs to this ruthless financier. Now, to keep the child she's come to love, she'll have to give up her hard-won freedom and become his wife. But giving Rand her heart? That, she could never have expected…

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Adult Fiction

400 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2001

About the author

Susan Wiggs's life is all about family, friends...and fiction. She lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound, and she commutes to her writers' group in a 17-foot motorboat. She serves as author liaison for Field's End, a literary community on Bainbridge Island, Washington, bringing inspiration and instruction from the world's top authors to her seaside community. (See www.fieldsend.org) She's been featured in the national media, including NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and is a popular speaker locally and nationally.

According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with "refreshingly honest emotion," and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is "one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book." Booklist characterizes her books as "real and true and unforgettable." She is the recipient of three RITA (sm) awards and four starred reviews from Publishers Weekly for her books. The Winter Lodge and Passing Through Paradise have appeared on PW’s annual "Best Of" lists. Several of her books have been listed as top Booksense picks and optioned as feature films. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and have made national bestseller lists, including the USA Today, Washington Post and New York Times lists.

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. Readers can learn more on the web at www.susanwiggs.com and on her lively blog at www.susanwiggs.wordpress.com.

Reviews

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very uneven book; there were parts that were great and parts that were simply bad.

The story starts with the hero and the heroine meeting and though there is an attraction between them, they're not meant to be because he's already married. Later that night, the big fire that ruined Chicago in 1871 starts and in the flaming city, the heroine rescues a baby girl while the hero gets severely hurt and scarred for life.

Five years later they meet again: she is applying for a loan in the bank he's directing. While in his office the heroine sees a photo of a baby girl; the girl she saved 5 years ago in the fire. It turns out she's his daughter which he believes dead. Divorced and alone, the charming, handsome man she once met has turned into a scarred, brooding, intimidating man. A man who still attracts her, but it is now the child's interest that she must think first of all.

This is obviously a very emotional story and the role's child is elemental in its progress. It became also its greatest weakness in my opinion. The child unfortunately is the usual romance kid that talks and acts like a teen or even an adult rather than a six years old (that's my son's age so I know exactly what's normal and not in that age). A whole 100 pages in the middle of the book are dedicated to the child: who's going to take custody, how are they going to approach the issue with her, how does she feel, etc etc. So, for 100 pages, the focus is away from the romance.

Luckily, after that point the romance picks up, only to stumble again near the end. The heroine is a suffragette; she protests, writes banners, going on marches and owns a ladies' bookstore. Those acts of hers not only cause trouble to her husband's job in the bank, but put her in a dilemma too: should she choose her family or her cause? IMO, there was no way out of that dilemma, not in any way that could guarantee a true HEA. The heroine often thinks show she likes the comforts her husband's paycheck is providing her and that she dislikes being the object of ridicule for so many years. She also feels guilty when her own daughter tells her she prefers her not working in her bookshop, because now they have more time together. But in the end she can't abandon so many women who don't have her resources and wants to fight for them.

I will agree with other reviewers that in the end, I wasn't convinced about the love between the hero and heroine; they still kept a big part of themselves from each other and were way too different to be happy together. That the heroine actually accused him of doing something atrocious against her 30 pages before the end, confirmed how little they knew each other and how improbable a HEA between them would ever be. Still, there were some scenes that moved me inordinately and made this better than average. I just wish the author hadn't dug such a hole for her heroes that they couldn't get out no matter what:(

[Jacqueline J · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I have tried by this author. I enjoyed it much more than the first one. It had a lot of real strong elements. It had a setting and time which are different than normal in historical romances, the Chicago fire of 1871. The story of a woman who catches a baby tosses from a burning building and raises her as her own was very interesting. The heroine, Lucy, is a suffragette. She was well written. Many times in romance novels the women are supposedly all about being modern women but they turn out to be just silly girls spouting feminist lines until the right man comes along. Here Lucy was really a suffragette and had the courage of her convictions.

The part of the story where she discovers her daughter's father is still alive is very poignant and well written. The story for me went down hill after the girl went to live with her father. Then the hero and heroine marry to give their daughter a family. There was a lot of potential in this part of the story but there was so little of the book left by that point that they fell in love at the blink of an eye. It was just too rushed and hurried. Feelings made brief appearances but there just wasn't enough development. I just didn't feel the love.

I liked this one well enough that I think I will try the other two in the series though.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Susan Wiggs writing but did not enjoy this one as well as others I have read. I had a hard time relating to the characters unlike the previous 2 in this trilogy. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that most of the book was Lucy fighting for women’s rights. Though interesting to view that portion of history, I became frustrated with her obsession with women’s rights. Refusing to embrace the wonderful aspects of womanhood, she never really gained a balance. I felt that Rand was forced to give in their relationship much more than she was. Their struggles came from their differing views which were never resolved or compromised adequately. Lucy seemed to lack trust as well, which was hard for us to understand given all that she had in her life and as well as Rand treated her given that he did not share her passion of Woman's Rights.

There is still much to love in the story: instant attraction, a disaster that brings people together, a rescued baby, and second chances. It is written well as all of Susan Wiggs books are.

[Dorothy Emry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good old fashioned romance (as in no explicit sex) that can still get me all hot and bothered. Two bonus points for me are that it's set in Chicago, my home town, and that the protagonist runs a bookshop, a place where I'm always at home.

The story begins in Chicago, 1871, the day that the Great Fire breaks out. Lucy Hathaway is a woman ahead of her time: independent, outspoken single, a business woman. An outcast in society even before the fire, she seems to ruin all chances of being accepted when she adopts an orphan girl whose parents died in the fire. Years later, she must seek a loan to keep her bookstore, The Firebrand, afloat. The banker she approaches turns out to be an old love interest, Randolph Higgins. Rand, a scared and bitter survivor of the Great Fire, may have a hold on more than Lucy's heart: he may be her adopted daughter's father.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderful tale of love found and lost, and found again...of moral beliefs and the hard road one must travel to stand up for those beliefs. And what binds this all together is a zeal for life. The child in this story is endearing and will capture your heart. The story line and its characters are believable and make this a page-turner. Well done, Susan Wiggs!

[Mary23nm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romance is different: the heroine and hero meet while he is still married. It could have used more romance between the H/h in the second half and the ending wrapped up a little too quickly for my taste. Overall, different but good. 3.5/5 stars

[Amaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gobbled this all in one go and stayed up till 3 or 4 in the morning LOL
The premise and historical setting are fascinating.
It felt more 'historical fiction' with a splash of romance seeing as there aren't as many interactions between Rand and Lucy as I would like.
The attraction between Rand and Lucy is clear as day but it took really long to get the ball rolling.
Conflicts and resolutions between the characters didn't really happen until much later, probably at the last 10% of the book and it wrapped up pretty quickly when I would have lingered to connect more with the characters.
The ensemble of characters are lovely and are multi-faceted as you would find by the end of the book though there are a lot of them! There is also Maggie's perspective of the story which is awesome > not just a cute muppet in the story :3

[July · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Hathaway adopts a child after rescuing her during the the Chicago Fire on October 8, 1871. That day will forever change the lives of so many people. Her adopted daughter Maggie loves the story of how she was given to her mother during a fire to save her life while her real mother's live could not be saved.
Lucy finds herself at the bank asking for an extension on a loan from Randolph Higgins. On his desk is the picture of his infant daughter who he believes to have died in the fire five years before.
Lucy has to tell Maggie and Rand that they are father and daughter, but she may loose her daughter.

This is a great book. I was brought to tears. It was a powerful and wonderful story....

[Jody · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty good book. but it was a lot of I know exactly what this other person is thinking and they can't convince me that I am wrong. kind of abrupt ending (went from arguing to laying in bed with her explaining where babies come from)

[Nightwitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting was great and I thought the heroine's involvement in the women's suffrage movement (and the hero's dislike of same) was well-handled. I disliked the last-minute demonization of Diana, which felt sloppy.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book more stars, but I really couldn't stand Lucy. Her only redeeming quality was how good of a mother she was to Maggie.

[Bev Walkling]

Review to follow

[Barbara Dutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best of the 3 books in the trilogy. Enjoyed this one.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Firebrand follows Lucy Hathaway, a widely disliked "New Woman" or suffragette after the events of the Great Chicago Fire. On the other side of the romance is Rand Higgins, a trusted and important banker. When the pair meet, there is a small kindling of attraction, but Rand is married and the father of an infant. While Lucy is running for her life during the fire, she passes by a burning building where a woman is trapped on the second floor. The woman tosses the child down where Lucy catches her, as the unknown woman perishes in the flames.

Jump forward five years, Lucy is now the adopted mother to a daughter, Maggie, and Rand is a father without a child and a scarred (literally and emotionally) man struggling with the loss of his daughter and wife. The pair (re)-meet when Lucy goes to the bank where Rand works.  It is there she realizes Rand's lost child is now her beloved, adoptive daughter. Romance and chaos ensues from there.

I really like Lucy; typically when I read historical romances the only New Woman type I see just wants to be able to do things around the home without needing permission. In this case, Lucy was genuinely working towards women rights. Her efforts for women's suffrage are an important part of her character and one I enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed the character development that Lucy goes through; her ideas on free love and equal rights in the beginning seemed to fall more on the side of weakness. However, by the end of the novel, Lucy had grown to see that equal rights means that women should be allowed to choose to stay at home, and that choice doesn't make a women weak. I loved the growth and overall, I think her character was fully sketched by Wiggs.

Rand, on the other hand I felt was less clearly defined. He was sharply sketched on the edges, but wasn't quite as colored in as Lucy. Several chapters were from his point of view, but even with that there was little exploration of his personality. You could tell he was a callous man, who took great pride in his appearance, and the 'horrible scarring' devastated him. His scars seemed to be an outward reflection of how he felt about his losses. I think I understood what Wiggs was trying to imply about Rand, but it never fully came across in the story, which was unfortunate.

The third major character, Maggie, also had a few chapters from her point of view. I found it interesting and unique to have part of the story told from the child's perspective in this genre, but ultimately those parts of the story were the weakest for me. They were dull and Maggie's only the age of 6 in the story, making her point of view unrealistically precocious for the thought process of a child.

I know I've focused pretty heavily on characters, but for me, romances hinge on characters and the chemistry they have. I really enjoyed this story despite Rand being less developed; the bond the two romantic leads shared was enough to keep me enthralled. At the end of the story, I had become so attached to Lucy and the relationship that when it seemed to be in peril, my heart was in my throat. I genuinely felt as though I would be sick if things didn't work out. I think its this feeling that has led me to give the story 4 stars instead of 3.

Generally, when you read this genre, you have an assured happy ever after, but it didn't feel guaranteed here. I realize this is a problem for some people, but it was so refreshing to sweat for their love to work. Normally, I never get nervous with historical romances but this one made me experience them like I'd never read one before. The pair did get their happy ending, but the perils of the book made me wonder, which was a welcome relief. This wouldn't always work, but in this instance I think it worked well.

TL;DR: Of the romantic duo, one was less developed than the other. However, Wiggs took a refreshing take on the story that kept me flipping pages deep into the night.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise that kept me reading even though it dragged a bit with the uber suffragette and uber men rule the world hero.

Rand and Lucy meet and are immediately attracted to each other and immediately start debating politics. Lucy propositions Rand to have a liaison but -shocker- he’s married! I gasped!

He’s married to a wife he’s not getting along with so well and a baby he absolutely adores. That night is the great Chicago fire. Lucy saves an infant from a hotel and Rand is nearly dead and very scarred and burned, his baby dead.

5 years later Lucy turns up at Rands bank for a loan. She sees a picture of Rands baby and realizes it’s her adopted daughter Maggie. After agonizing Lucy tells Rand his daughter is alive. She finds out Rands wife divorced him while he was in the hospital nearly dead. A bunch of stuff happens and they end up getting married for Maggie’s sake. But these 2 are on complete opposite ends of the political spectrum. She owns a bookstore, marches in women’s rights parades, teaches women to read, is pretty wild. He just wants the ideal life of traditional family, obedient wife a perfect children at home. There was a lot happening that really made me wonder how these two would possibly work it out for an HEA.

THEN bad wife and birth mom finally show up and really stinks things up.

I’m not sure Rand and Lucy really understand each others POV, it felt more that because they love each other they will tolerate the others crazy beliefs.

I did enjoy the historical setting of 1870’s Chicago.

[Bekki Holzkamm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad historical

I liked the plot. The story makes you believe in fate. However, it is obvious that this is a historical written in this millennium. Some of the actions of the characters are not very believable to the era. I know that some people were ahead of their time, but there was no realism here. Those that have modern ideas are the good guys, and those that were old fashioned were the bad guys. It is unrealistic and makes the novel less enjoyable than if the characters were multi-layered. I would have enjoyed it more if the characters were more true to the time period. It seemed like a modern story that was simply using the historical events as a backdrop. It would make a good episode of DC's Legends of Tomorrow instead of pretending to be a historical novel. Considering that this novel was written over 15 years ago, I'm confident that this author has improved her storylines since then.

This book is worth reading if you are looking for a quick read and are able to suspend reality. I won't reread it or add it to my permanent library, but it is worth finishing.

[Nic S W · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was honestly terrible.

I was really into the description. A feminist finds a baby and raises it as her own only to face the father and be forced to marry him years later? Yep. Right up my ally.

Then I started to read the book. At first I thought I had accidentally stumbled upon a Christian romance. I didn't find any indication that it was in fact a Christian Romance, so I continued to read. I really regret that decision.

This book had no passion or romance to it. The official Amazon review gives it a sensuality score of 7. I have to assume that this is a 7 out of 100. The characters don't even kiss until about 70% into the book.

The whole time I read I knew Rand was supposed to be the romantic lead, but to me he read like a villain. I felt nothing for him. I was rooting for him to end up alone.

As for Lucy, she was a very strange feminist. I also found her childish throughout the whole book. Her character didn't have any growth.

All of the side characters were one dimensional and boring.

There is honestly not one thing I can recommend about this book.

[Laine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written but heavy on heroine's suffragettism and a 6 year old magic pixie child (who would be insufferable in real life due to permissive upbringing) at the expense of romance. Hero had to bend for a woman who prioritized her protests over her role as mother and wife and his ability to earn their living that was threatened by her running a radical bookstore making little profit for 3 years. She considered herself a "businesswoman" when she was more of a hobbyist or propagandist. Bringing her fellow organizers to paint protest signs in the palatial home her husband built and wished to be his refuge after multiple life traumas was crassly insensitive. Surely she could have found another location instead of vexing him in his own home when he had asked her not to participate in demonstrations for her safety. Nope, cause over marital harmony.

[Ingrid Lettermo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Issand kui hea see raamat ikka oli.
Lucy kaotas kõik Chicago tulekahjus. Oma isa ja perekonna varanduse,kuid päästis ühe pisikese, kellest sai Lucy elu tee ja vaatamata laostumisele ja pankrotile mida tõi kaasa isa surm, suutis Lucy hakkama saada koos lapse ja emaga.
Juhuslikult avastav Lucy tõe kui peab minema panka laenu pikendama.
Sellest hetkest muutub ta elu.
Saab abikaasa ja lapse ning kaotab oma raamatupoe,kuid mis hinnaga.
Kas Lucy leiab õnneliku lõpu.

Laastavat tòöd tegi Chicago tulekahju, hävitades kõik mis teele ette jäi. Kaotatud varandused,perekonnad.
Vahel kiskus pisara silma nurka raamatut lugedes,millega inimesed hakkama pidid saama.

[Meryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about the Chicago fire. Lucy Hathaway and her mother go from being one of the richest and most influential families to losing everything. While fleeing the fire Lucy sees a woman trying to drop something wrapped up and Lucy catches it. She is very surprised to find it contains a baby. The baby's father is burned in the fire, and doesn't see the notices about the baby that Lucy has put in the paper, but when she goes to the bank to get an extension on her loan for the bookstore she opened she finds the babies father. She can't lie to him but she doesn't want to lose her little girl either, so they find a way to make it work, but then come the problems.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story in short is that when Lucy first meets Rand she makes him a proposition, which to her embarrassment, he turns down. Five years pass before she meets him again, which is when she discovers that a baby she saved from a fire is in fact Rand's daughter...does this bring them together? Of course it does!
This maybe a bit predictable in many ways, another one being that it features a strong feisty heroine who lives life differently to the majority of women of her day but it's still a good read.

[IrishFan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This last book in the trilogy was much more enjoyable. I read this one in 2 days. I really liked Lucy and even liked Rand, as hard of a man as he was. The story kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen. I was glad to see them find their love and for him to see that Lucy was a strong woman but still not a threat to him. Good ending to this tale!

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs is a really terrific historical romance. I was not even aware that it was part of a trilogy, but I am thrilled that there are other books for these amazing characters. I have been told that true love includes sacrifices and is blessed with grace and understanding. This book definitely reflects that. It reads well as a stand alone.

[Miusseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was… ok
I guess I wasn’t feeling the love.
I liked Lucy. She was a free spirit even in her day and age. But Rand… not so much.
It felt that he developed some type of feelings for her only because 1. He was lonely and 2. It was convenient.
Even though, I’m giving it 3 stars because it was at some points a page turner and all the side characters made it better.

[Lila Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I love books this one really appealed to me. Sure, it's light reading and it's historical romance, but it delves into the aftermath of the great Chicago Fire, American suffragettes, the results of 19th century marriage and divorce.

[Angela Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

October 8th, 1871. Chicago is decimated by fire. Lucy Hathaway saves a baby girl from a burning hotel. Five years later the bookshop owner and suffrage activist discovers the family of the child.
The plot is authentic, the characters solid the story led by love.

[Patti Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know why these stories were so compelling. Maybe it’s the fact that they take place in a different time and place. Another easy fun good read. Lucy and Rand are the main characters. The author did tie all these stories cleverly together. Highly recommend!

[Kathy Alexander]

On October 8, 1871, one small spark ignites the entire city of Chicago, sending its residents into panic. But amid the chaos, a chance encounter leads to an unexpected new love. Wiggs's USA Today bestselling trilogy is now reissued. (le

[Diane Bason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting 18th century book

Focuses on gaining rights for women cased in a romance book. I smoked the male lead. However, I was frustrated with the actions and opinions of the female lead.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took place during the Great Chicago Fire and while women were fighting for the right to vote and equality. The couple in the story fall in love but try to over come issues with his job and her fighting for women’s rights.