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Secrets & Sins / Hearts of Fire #6
Marriage & Miracles
Dark secrets, forbidden desires, scandalous discoveries....
Our glittering six-part saga set in Australia concludes. This, and every novel in the series, features a gripping romance that stands by itself, as the passions, scandals,and hopes that exist between two fabulously rich families are revealed. But you'll also find yourself hooked throughout the series, as Gemma Smith searches for the secret of her true identity and fights for ruthless seducer Nathan Whitmore's love...
Lust-was that all their marriage meant? Gemma's relationship with Nathan was in tatters, but her love for him remained intact -- she was going to win him back! However, Nathan refused to accept that the bond between them was anything but sexual attraction, and Gemma knew that his terrible past had turned his heart to stone. She was asking for a miracle, but it was possible -- wasn't it? -- that one could still happen now that she suspected that she was carrying Nathan's precious child....
Our glittering six-part saga set in Australia concludes. This, and every novel in the series, features a gripping romance that stands by itself, as the passions, scandals,and hopes that exist between two fabulously rich families are revealed. But you'll also find yourself hooked throughout the series, as Gemma Smith searches for the secret of her true identity and fights for ruthless seducer Nathan Whitmore's love...
Lust-was that all their marriage meant? Gemma's relationship with Nathan was in tatters, but her love for him remained intact -- she was going to win him back! However, Nathan refused to accept that the bond between them was anything but sexual attraction, and Gemma knew that his terrible past had turned his heart to stone. She was asking for a miracle, but it was possible -- wasn't it? -- that one could still happen now that she suspected that she was carrying Nathan's precious child....
185 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
13 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
815 books236 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 17, 2017
This is the conclusion of the 6 book series by ML.
We have followed Nathan and Gemma thru out these 6 books ( the first and the last being their central character and secondary in all others) .
Nathan was a very damaged kid from way back ( very 50 shades here I actually thought this book was ripoff by 50 it's so similar).
It predates all theses book without too much BDSM elements.
He was the tragic hero who does not know how to love and thinks it's all about lust and sex and yes lady he is the master.
He losses it in the book before this and does something unforgivable so he asks her for a divorce, but she forgave him and heal him with her love!
A lot of baggage here guys it's a hard series to read for the abuse the hero suffers at the hand of an other bitch.
Omg epic!
For those who love the main characters you had to read the first book and most of the others to understand all of it.
It's totally worth it.
Keeper and I have reread this book twice already.
It was moving.
Well done bravo
We have followed Nathan and Gemma thru out these 6 books ( the first and the last being their central character and secondary in all others) .
Nathan was a very damaged kid from way back ( very 50 shades here I actually thought this book was ripoff by 50 it's so similar).
It predates all theses book without too much BDSM elements.
He was the tragic hero who does not know how to love and thinks it's all about lust and sex and yes lady he is the master.
He losses it in the book before this and does something unforgivable so he asks her for a divorce, but she forgave him and heal him with her love!
A lot of baggage here guys it's a hard series to read for the abuse the hero suffers at the hand of an other bitch.
Omg epic!
For those who love the main characters you had to read the first book and most of the others to understand all of it.
It's totally worth it.
Keeper and I have reread this book twice already.
It was moving.
Well done bravo
June 4, 2017
Miranda Lee made some interesting choices for the end of the series. Instead of pulling all the romance threads and tying them into a big bow, she chose to focus on the romance of Gemma and Nathan – the marriage in trouble that’s been in trouble for the entire series.
The story picks up three days after the events of the last book. Gemma goes to the premiere of Nathan’s play with her newly discovered parents. Her plan is to tackle Nathan at the after party and start reconciliation. Nathan is too busy with a blonde actress wrapped around him to speak to his wife. He only speaks to her after his father asks him to. He cruelly tells her is over.
Gemma retreats to the manor house and mopes around, hoping that she is pregnant from her spousal rape. She is the only one around the house because everyone else has paired off. Enter Uncle Snake. He invites her out to “cheer her up.” Seems the added spice of incest has spurred him to find new ways to rape her. He takes her to a rave-type bar and plies her with drugged drinks. Luckily, her mother’s assistant from work (Luke) recognizes her and hits Uncle Snake and bundles Gemma in his car and takes her to Nathan. For someone who wants a divorce, Nathan is quite shook up.
When Gemma wakes up in the morning, she finds a newer, softer Nathan. Perversely, Gemma is defensive about going out with Uncle Snake and cries when she hears he died instantly in a one-car accident as he pursued Luke’s car. She doesn’t cry because she’s sad about his death – but because he was so evil and she was so stupid. Nathan misinterprets this and we’re back to square one. Divorce is on.
Gemma’s father urges her to go to Uncle Snake’s funeral because her mother doesn’t know how evil her brother was and he wants her to have her delusions. Meanwhile, her mother hates Nathan for raping Gemma in book five and urges her to divorce him. They don't tell her father Nathan did this so he can keep *his* delusions.
Gemma is tired of all of them so she goes to the Outback where she grew up and lives with “Ma” for a few days. She misses her parent’s wedding – and her period. She’s pregnant and is not going to tell Nathan. Then “Ma” calls Nathan and tells him that Gemma has “gone insane.” Nathan drops directing his play like hot potato and is there the next day.
Gemma, still on defense, says outrageous things about abortion and his capacity as a father. Nathan just boils everything down to sex. They decide to reconcile in the eyes of the world, but not live together and no sex. (LOL)
They leave together and stay at Nathan’s father’s manor house for the night since no one is home. Seems the house is going to be sold because everyone else has moved on. Gemma is sad because she really likes it. She also befriends a huge, thin stray dog with large teeth. It looks ferocious, but is a softy inside. Nathan names it Jaws. Jaws will be our metaphor for Nathan for the rest of the book.
Gemma goes to the beach house with the dog. Nathan returns to the city and his play as planned. Gemma mopes around the beach house, buys a sewing machine to make maternity clothes, etc. . Nathan visits several times and tries to court her. There are descriptions of the beach, the fabulous “smorgasbord” he takes her to, etc. . When they get too close, he runs away to his writing room. On one weekend when he is writing, Gemma goes to the beach and runs into Luke (the assistant who helped her with Uncle Snake.) Nathan is jealous and blows up yet again.
Gemma’s parents show up to keep her company and to info dump about Nathan. Seems he was raised by a drug addict nymphomaniac and when she died of an overdose, Nathan went to live with her mother’s friend who seduced him at 16. Gemma is actually worried Nathan’s mother seduced him first. (After Uncle Snake – who knows what depravity is out there?)
Gemma finally tackles Nathan and she gets the whole story from him. His mother did love him but not in a sexual way. Lines were crossed because her heard her having sex, though. His mother’s friend didn’t seduce him - she drugged him, tied him up and raped him when he was a teenager. Eventually he bonded with his abuser and came to believe he was bad seed just like his mother. When his adoptive father took him home, his evil adoptive mother tried to seduce him so he would be kicked out of the house. Instead, Nathan recorded her and used it as blackmail so she wouldn’t bother him ever again. This twisted backstory has made him afraid to get close to anyone and has obscured the distinction between love and lust.
Gemma melts. They have a very long sex session where she takes the lead for the first time. She moves back to the city with Nathan. The dog starts to like him as well. Gemma wants him to say I love you – but he’s not ready for that yet. He’s still confused about lust/love.
Gemma is alone when she goes into labor. Nathan arrives in time to watch her push and see his son. He realizes what love is when he sees the baby and he now is positive he loves Gemma. Oh, and he bought the manor house for her. HEA
Okay – the ending brought tears to my eyes even though Nathan and Gemma were the most annoying characters on the planet for several chapters in the middle of the book.
Like other reviewers how pointed out, Nathan’s backstory is a lot like Christian Gray’s from Fifty Shades. I haven’t read that book, but I’m sure he would have tried my patience as Nathan did. To Nathan’s credit – he did apologize for the rape. He never cheated on Gemma – even though he wanted her to think that so she could be saved from his evil soul. He really did love her, he just didn’t know what love was.
Gemma is supposed to be the true “gem” in the story, not the Heart of Fire (which they donated to a museum, btw). She is the catalyst for all the secondary romances. She is the healing bond for her parents and her husband. She is fine in short doses.
In this story, ML had to have her turn on Nathan for awhile to keep the conflict going. That turn seemed out of character. What could be overlooked in a short category where the h blows hot and cold for story purposes, this U-turn a the end of a six book series really stuck out. I was also amazed her baby was healthy after all the drinking she did. I guess ML didn't get the memo about the dangers of alcohol and pregnancy.
The ending is abrupt (but so sweet) and I wonder if ML wrote book seven (Nathan’s daughter’s story) in order to tie off some threads that were dropped in book six. I’m imagining that Gemma’s rescuer, Luke, is going to get an HEA in that one. And speaking of threads, I am pleased that ML killed off Uncle Snake and Byron’s evil first wife. That is my kind of justice.
As a whole this is a very enjoyable series and really more than the sum of its parts. It is quite edgy for an HP – tackling every heterosexual sin in the book – adultery, rape, incest – as well as minor “sins” such as oral sex, sex without marriage or love, obsessive sex. While the male/female dynamics are problematic at times, the woman’s friendships that develop are lovely to behold. In a series, the author had time to develop a sisterhood and to also show how woman can hurt or help each other. I enjoyed that aspect.
I gave each story three stars, but I would give the series as a whole four stars. It's worth tracking down and reading it in order if you like 90's glitz and soap opera intrigue.
The story picks up three days after the events of the last book. Gemma goes to the premiere of Nathan’s play with her newly discovered parents. Her plan is to tackle Nathan at the after party and start reconciliation. Nathan is too busy with a blonde actress wrapped around him to speak to his wife. He only speaks to her after his father asks him to. He cruelly tells her is over.
Gemma retreats to the manor house and mopes around, hoping that she is pregnant from her spousal rape. She is the only one around the house because everyone else has paired off. Enter Uncle Snake. He invites her out to “cheer her up.” Seems the added spice of incest has spurred him to find new ways to rape her. He takes her to a rave-type bar and plies her with drugged drinks. Luckily, her mother’s assistant from work (Luke) recognizes her and hits Uncle Snake and bundles Gemma in his car and takes her to Nathan. For someone who wants a divorce, Nathan is quite shook up.
When Gemma wakes up in the morning, she finds a newer, softer Nathan. Perversely, Gemma is defensive about going out with Uncle Snake and cries when she hears he died instantly in a one-car accident as he pursued Luke’s car. She doesn’t cry because she’s sad about his death – but because he was so evil and she was so stupid. Nathan misinterprets this and we’re back to square one. Divorce is on.
Gemma’s father urges her to go to Uncle Snake’s funeral because her mother doesn’t know how evil her brother was and he wants her to have her delusions. Meanwhile, her mother hates Nathan for raping Gemma in book five and urges her to divorce him. They don't tell her father Nathan did this so he can keep *his* delusions.
Gemma is tired of all of them so she goes to the Outback where she grew up and lives with “Ma” for a few days. She misses her parent’s wedding – and her period. She’s pregnant and is not going to tell Nathan. Then “Ma” calls Nathan and tells him that Gemma has “gone insane.” Nathan drops directing his play like hot potato and is there the next day.
Gemma, still on defense, says outrageous things about abortion and his capacity as a father. Nathan just boils everything down to sex. They decide to reconcile in the eyes of the world, but not live together and no sex. (LOL)
They leave together and stay at Nathan’s father’s manor house for the night since no one is home. Seems the house is going to be sold because everyone else has moved on. Gemma is sad because she really likes it. She also befriends a huge, thin stray dog with large teeth. It looks ferocious, but is a softy inside. Nathan names it Jaws. Jaws will be our metaphor for Nathan for the rest of the book.
Gemma goes to the beach house with the dog. Nathan returns to the city and his play as planned. Gemma mopes around the beach house, buys a sewing machine to make maternity clothes, etc. . Nathan visits several times and tries to court her. There are descriptions of the beach, the fabulous “smorgasbord” he takes her to, etc. . When they get too close, he runs away to his writing room. On one weekend when he is writing, Gemma goes to the beach and runs into Luke (the assistant who helped her with Uncle Snake.) Nathan is jealous and blows up yet again.
Gemma’s parents show up to keep her company and to info dump about Nathan. Seems he was raised by a drug addict nymphomaniac and when she died of an overdose, Nathan went to live with her mother’s friend who seduced him at 16. Gemma is actually worried Nathan’s mother seduced him first. (After Uncle Snake – who knows what depravity is out there?)
Gemma finally tackles Nathan and she gets the whole story from him. His mother did love him but not in a sexual way. Lines were crossed because her heard her having sex, though. His mother’s friend didn’t seduce him - she drugged him, tied him up and raped him when he was a teenager. Eventually he bonded with his abuser and came to believe he was bad seed just like his mother. When his adoptive father took him home, his evil adoptive mother tried to seduce him so he would be kicked out of the house. Instead, Nathan recorded her and used it as blackmail so she wouldn’t bother him ever again. This twisted backstory has made him afraid to get close to anyone and has obscured the distinction between love and lust.
Gemma melts. They have a very long sex session where she takes the lead for the first time. She moves back to the city with Nathan. The dog starts to like him as well. Gemma wants him to say I love you – but he’s not ready for that yet. He’s still confused about lust/love.
Gemma is alone when she goes into labor. Nathan arrives in time to watch her push and see his son. He realizes what love is when he sees the baby and he now is positive he loves Gemma. Oh, and he bought the manor house for her. HEA
Okay – the ending brought tears to my eyes even though Nathan and Gemma were the most annoying characters on the planet for several chapters in the middle of the book.
Like other reviewers how pointed out, Nathan’s backstory is a lot like Christian Gray’s from Fifty Shades. I haven’t read that book, but I’m sure he would have tried my patience as Nathan did. To Nathan’s credit – he did apologize for the rape. He never cheated on Gemma – even though he wanted her to think that so she could be saved from his evil soul. He really did love her, he just didn’t know what love was.
Gemma is supposed to be the true “gem” in the story, not the Heart of Fire (which they donated to a museum, btw). She is the catalyst for all the secondary romances. She is the healing bond for her parents and her husband. She is fine in short doses.
In this story, ML had to have her turn on Nathan for awhile to keep the conflict going. That turn seemed out of character. What could be overlooked in a short category where the h blows hot and cold for story purposes, this U-turn a the end of a six book series really stuck out. I was also amazed her baby was healthy after all the drinking she did. I guess ML didn't get the memo about the dangers of alcohol and pregnancy.
The ending is abrupt (but so sweet) and I wonder if ML wrote book seven (Nathan’s daughter’s story) in order to tie off some threads that were dropped in book six. I’m imagining that Gemma’s rescuer, Luke, is going to get an HEA in that one. And speaking of threads, I am pleased that ML killed off Uncle Snake and Byron’s evil first wife. That is my kind of justice.
As a whole this is a very enjoyable series and really more than the sum of its parts. It is quite edgy for an HP – tackling every heterosexual sin in the book – adultery, rape, incest – as well as minor “sins” such as oral sex, sex without marriage or love, obsessive sex. While the male/female dynamics are problematic at times, the woman’s friendships that develop are lovely to behold. In a series, the author had time to develop a sisterhood and to also show how woman can hurt or help each other. I enjoyed that aspect.
I gave each story three stars, but I would give the series as a whole four stars. It's worth tracking down and reading it in order if you like 90's glitz and soap opera intrigue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2018
Re Marriage & Miracles - Miranda Lee's final entry in the epicly whacktastic Hearts of Fire series is a straight up the h has to fight for her man trope.
Yes, we get the long, long awaited conclusion to Nathan and Gemma in this episode, the only question is who or what is Gemma going to have to fight to win the fiery devotion of Nathan's heart.
Our standard list of characters in this episode are as follows:
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK
GEMMA SMITH WHITMORE: when the man whom she had believed was her father dies, Gemma discovers a priceless black opal, the Heart of Fire, and a photograph which casts doubt on her real identity. In search of her mother, Gemma sets off for Sydney, meeting Nathan Whitmore. Nathan,
charmed by Gemma's vulnerability, seduces then marries her. Happily, Gemma unearths the secret of the Heart of Fire, and who her real parents were. But now her marriage to Nathan is in tatters, because it seems he's unable to love...
NATHAN WHITMORE: adopted son of Byron Whitmore. After a desperately troubled childhood, Nathan has become ruthless and emotionally controlled. Can he rediscover his heart and save his marriage?
CELESTE CAMPBELL: head of the Campbell Jewels empire, Celeste had been regarded as a beautiful predator, not to be toyed with in business or love. But this exterior hid a broken heart, until she found her real love, Byron Whitmore, and her long-lost daughter.
BYRON WHITMORE: patriarch of the Whitmore family, his unhappy, loveless marriage to Irene came to a tragic end. But now he has found Celeste again, and their daughter.
DAMIAN CAMPBELL: younger brother of Celeste, Damian is interested only in self-gratification and sexual pleasure. He doesn't care who he hurts in their pursuit—even himself...
LENORE LANGTRY: ex-wife of Nathan and mother to Kirsty, Lenore has found love in the arms of top Sydney lawyer, Zachary Marsden.
Where the last book was all about sex used as a weapon, ML chooses to flip the page and use sex as a healing force between Nathan and Gemma. Brace up tho everybody, it is going to be a bit of a tortuous path to get there.
Nathan and Gemma are separated when this one opens, a few days after Gemma decided to fight for her man in the last book. That fight for her man vibe dies an agonizing death when Gemma and a still furious Celeste go to the big party for Nathan's latest play and he has one of his actresses crawling all over him.
Celeste knows Nathan is a slime pustule rapist anyways, but Gemma is utterly devastated. Especially when Nathan declares that he really is through and Gemma needs to go away and he tells her that in a very nasty way.
Gemma has to regroup and to help her in her time of sorrow, she accepts a night out with Uncle Damian. Naively failing to recognize that Uncle Damian is all about roofeying, raping and blackmailing poor little grieving nieces, Gemma and Damian wind up at a rave.
Fortunately Celeste's new right hand man, Luke, was out and about looking for his recalcitrant sister and notices that Gemma is majorly drugged. He smashes Damian's druggy face in and takes Gemma to Nathan.
Nathan is all freaked out that his rejection led to a passed out Gemma who has to be rescued by random strangers, but when Gemma wakes to the news that Druggy Damian wrecked his car and killed himself, Nathan misinterprets Gemma's reaction as one of mourning instead of embarrassed relief.
Gemma is pressured by all sides to 'do the right appearing thing' by attending Damian's funeral to protect Celeste's good memories, not revealing Nathan's rape-that has probably left her preggers-to Bryon and fighting Celeste's demands that Gemma divorce Nathan.
So Gemma goes back to Lightning Ridge to hang out with Ma. Ma slams her skillet down when she realizes Gemma is preggers and tells Nathan that Gemma is crazy to get him to come on out and collect his wife.
For a man supposedly more interested in sampling the lurvely lady actress buffet and putting on a new play, Nathan is remarkably quick to show up. The big pregnancy announcement is made and now Gemma will live at the beach and Nathan will show up for marriage in name only husband duties on the weekends.
We stop off at Belleview on the way to the beach, mainly to pave the way for Nathan to make a Grand Gesture and for Gemma to demonstrate her gentle beast taming ways on both beastly men, Nathan, and beastly big dogs who have been abused, Jaws.
Jaws decides after kibbles and steak, that he like sweet, gentle Gemma just fine. Nathan is entirely a different proposition, cause predators recognize each other and never the two should meet without confrontation.
Since Nathan has man about town things to do, Jaws gets to be tamed first. He and Gemma settle into cozy domestic tranquility on the beach, Gemma sews her own clothes and cooks delicious kibbles and Jaws makes friends with Celeste and Byron when they come to visit.
Jaws and Nathan's friendship takes a lot longer, cause while Jaws is leaving beastly ways behind nicely, Nathan isn't ready to give up the bestiality role just yet. (He does take Gemma to a smorgasbord tho, and there was actual food, not ladies on the buffet.)
So Gemma sighs and encourages Nathan to write, mainly cause if Nathan is writing he isn't lurve clubbing and while Gemma might tolerate an actress or two while they were apart - she isn't prepared to accept a whole harem of them.
We then learn Nathan's mother was very neglectful most of the time and also used her son as a security blanket when she was between men in her life. While she did not sexually abuse Nathan, she definitely didn't care if little ears were listening in while she got her own purple passion experience on.
So Nathan's formative years were a push/pull of haphazard motherly affection and more exposure to the adult side of life than most children get. Then when his mother died at 16, Nathan was drugged, tied down and raped by one his mother's friends.
This led Nathan to the very dark side of the lurve club mojo and by the time Byron found him and adopted him, there wasn't much in the way of physical mojo expression Nathan did not know about.
Irene got triggered by Byron's obvious affection for Nathan and that drove the pathetic slime bobule to try and seduce Nathan and then expose him to get him kicked out. Nathan was a master at the manipulation game tho, and he recorded Irene's seduction attempt and threatened to reveal all to Bryon if she did not leave him alone.
So Gemma realizes that Nathan's idears about love and sex are utterly whacked. That is okay tho, cause she is going to play some Marvin Gaye and help Nathan on his way to some serious lurve clubbin' healing - Gemma does her own version of lighting the path and leading the way to being Cast Adrift on the Golden Shores of Transcendent Bliss.
It takes a little while to have any effect tho, cause using Transcendent Bliss to heal years of abuse is not going to happen in a paragraph. So Nathan has to go have a think about things and Gemma has to go into labor all by herself.
Nathan makes it to hospital just in time to see his son born and the miracle of birth brings about the miraculous revelation that Nathan now knows love, as he does a big out shout of love for Gemma and his newborn son.
As a final Grand Gesture of Utter Devotion Nathan buys Belleview for Gemma and his growing family and it is all sunshine and kittens and Jaws being friendly, all together at Belleview for a true, epic pink sparkly sugar candy sweet HPlandia HEA.
This series was truly whacked and probably the best book as far as the romance goes was Ava and Vince's Fantasies and the Future. The other books were very interesting explorations of the darker side of love and sex and while every romance wasn't entirely believable, the passion was intense and the characters were definitely interesting.
This whole series opened up worlds and new boundaries even outside of HPlandia and those repercussions still reverberate today. For a category line to practically normalize kinkier sex was unheard of back in the day. But Miranda Lee introduced it, other's ran with it and now twenty odd years on we can all enjoy the full spectrum of whatever kind of romance you like to get your groove on.
So give this series a look in if you want to see the origins of a lot of the darker romance genre's today, or if your are Fifty Shades fan, take a minute to pay a little homage to the very torn and mostly well done predecessor to Christian Grey.
Yes, we get the long, long awaited conclusion to Nathan and Gemma in this episode, the only question is who or what is Gemma going to have to fight to win the fiery devotion of Nathan's heart.
Our standard list of characters in this episode are as follows:
PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK
GEMMA SMITH WHITMORE: when the man whom she had believed was her father dies, Gemma discovers a priceless black opal, the Heart of Fire, and a photograph which casts doubt on her real identity. In search of her mother, Gemma sets off for Sydney, meeting Nathan Whitmore. Nathan,
charmed by Gemma's vulnerability, seduces then marries her. Happily, Gemma unearths the secret of the Heart of Fire, and who her real parents were. But now her marriage to Nathan is in tatters, because it seems he's unable to love...
NATHAN WHITMORE: adopted son of Byron Whitmore. After a desperately troubled childhood, Nathan has become ruthless and emotionally controlled. Can he rediscover his heart and save his marriage?
CELESTE CAMPBELL: head of the Campbell Jewels empire, Celeste had been regarded as a beautiful predator, not to be toyed with in business or love. But this exterior hid a broken heart, until she found her real love, Byron Whitmore, and her long-lost daughter.
BYRON WHITMORE: patriarch of the Whitmore family, his unhappy, loveless marriage to Irene came to a tragic end. But now he has found Celeste again, and their daughter.
DAMIAN CAMPBELL: younger brother of Celeste, Damian is interested only in self-gratification and sexual pleasure. He doesn't care who he hurts in their pursuit—even himself...
LENORE LANGTRY: ex-wife of Nathan and mother to Kirsty, Lenore has found love in the arms of top Sydney lawyer, Zachary Marsden.
Where the last book was all about sex used as a weapon, ML chooses to flip the page and use sex as a healing force between Nathan and Gemma. Brace up tho everybody, it is going to be a bit of a tortuous path to get there.
Nathan and Gemma are separated when this one opens, a few days after Gemma decided to fight for her man in the last book. That fight for her man vibe dies an agonizing death when Gemma and a still furious Celeste go to the big party for Nathan's latest play and he has one of his actresses crawling all over him.
Celeste knows Nathan is a slime pustule rapist anyways, but Gemma is utterly devastated. Especially when Nathan declares that he really is through and Gemma needs to go away and he tells her that in a very nasty way.
Gemma has to regroup and to help her in her time of sorrow, she accepts a night out with Uncle Damian. Naively failing to recognize that Uncle Damian is all about roofeying, raping and blackmailing poor little grieving nieces, Gemma and Damian wind up at a rave.
Fortunately Celeste's new right hand man, Luke, was out and about looking for his recalcitrant sister and notices that Gemma is majorly drugged. He smashes Damian's druggy face in and takes Gemma to Nathan.
Nathan is all freaked out that his rejection led to a passed out Gemma who has to be rescued by random strangers, but when Gemma wakes to the news that Druggy Damian wrecked his car and killed himself, Nathan misinterprets Gemma's reaction as one of mourning instead of embarrassed relief.
Gemma is pressured by all sides to 'do the right appearing thing' by attending Damian's funeral to protect Celeste's good memories, not revealing Nathan's rape-that has probably left her preggers-to Bryon and fighting Celeste's demands that Gemma divorce Nathan.
So Gemma goes back to Lightning Ridge to hang out with Ma. Ma slams her skillet down when she realizes Gemma is preggers and tells Nathan that Gemma is crazy to get him to come on out and collect his wife.
For a man supposedly more interested in sampling the lurvely lady actress buffet and putting on a new play, Nathan is remarkably quick to show up. The big pregnancy announcement is made and now Gemma will live at the beach and Nathan will show up for marriage in name only husband duties on the weekends.
We stop off at Belleview on the way to the beach, mainly to pave the way for Nathan to make a Grand Gesture and for Gemma to demonstrate her gentle beast taming ways on both beastly men, Nathan, and beastly big dogs who have been abused, Jaws.
Jaws decides after kibbles and steak, that he like sweet, gentle Gemma just fine. Nathan is entirely a different proposition, cause predators recognize each other and never the two should meet without confrontation.
Since Nathan has man about town things to do, Jaws gets to be tamed first. He and Gemma settle into cozy domestic tranquility on the beach, Gemma sews her own clothes and cooks delicious kibbles and Jaws makes friends with Celeste and Byron when they come to visit.
Jaws and Nathan's friendship takes a lot longer, cause while Jaws is leaving beastly ways behind nicely, Nathan isn't ready to give up the bestiality role just yet. (He does take Gemma to a smorgasbord tho, and there was actual food, not ladies on the buffet.)
So Gemma sighs and encourages Nathan to write, mainly cause if Nathan is writing he isn't lurve clubbing and while Gemma might tolerate an actress or two while they were apart - she isn't prepared to accept a whole harem of them.
We then learn Nathan's mother was very neglectful most of the time and also used her son as a security blanket when she was between men in her life. While she did not sexually abuse Nathan, she definitely didn't care if little ears were listening in while she got her own purple passion experience on.
So Nathan's formative years were a push/pull of haphazard motherly affection and more exposure to the adult side of life than most children get. Then when his mother died at 16, Nathan was drugged, tied down and raped by one his mother's friends.
This led Nathan to the very dark side of the lurve club mojo and by the time Byron found him and adopted him, there wasn't much in the way of physical mojo expression Nathan did not know about.
Irene got triggered by Byron's obvious affection for Nathan and that drove the pathetic slime bobule to try and seduce Nathan and then expose him to get him kicked out. Nathan was a master at the manipulation game tho, and he recorded Irene's seduction attempt and threatened to reveal all to Bryon if she did not leave him alone.
So Gemma realizes that Nathan's idears about love and sex are utterly whacked. That is okay tho, cause she is going to play some Marvin Gaye and help Nathan on his way to some serious lurve clubbin' healing - Gemma does her own version of lighting the path and leading the way to being Cast Adrift on the Golden Shores of Transcendent Bliss.
It takes a little while to have any effect tho, cause using Transcendent Bliss to heal years of abuse is not going to happen in a paragraph. So Nathan has to go have a think about things and Gemma has to go into labor all by herself.
Nathan makes it to hospital just in time to see his son born and the miracle of birth brings about the miraculous revelation that Nathan now knows love, as he does a big out shout of love for Gemma and his newborn son.
As a final Grand Gesture of Utter Devotion Nathan buys Belleview for Gemma and his growing family and it is all sunshine and kittens and Jaws being friendly, all together at Belleview for a true, epic pink sparkly sugar candy sweet HPlandia HEA.
This series was truly whacked and probably the best book as far as the romance goes was Ava and Vince's Fantasies and the Future. The other books were very interesting explorations of the darker side of love and sex and while every romance wasn't entirely believable, the passion was intense and the characters were definitely interesting.
This whole series opened up worlds and new boundaries even outside of HPlandia and those repercussions still reverberate today. For a category line to practically normalize kinkier sex was unheard of back in the day. But Miranda Lee introduced it, other's ran with it and now twenty odd years on we can all enjoy the full spectrum of whatever kind of romance you like to get your groove on.
So give this series a look in if you want to see the origins of a lot of the darker romance genre's today, or if your are Fifty Shades fan, take a minute to pay a little homage to the very torn and mostly well done predecessor to Christian Grey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2017
Wow great couple and amazing chemistry. I know this book was written before Fifty shades of grey but the hero was very similar to CG. Like him his mother was a whore and then he was initiated to sex by his mother's friend a 40+ something woman and she kind of raped him at first. Very similar to fifty shades of grey but so much better! My only problem is the fact that it ended. I wanted more of these two together with their baby boy!
December 13, 2011
Absolutely enjoyed the book,adored Gemma,wanted to break each bone of Nathan's body in the start but then we get to see how he came to be a man so cynic,the story progressed really well by the end i forgive Nathan everything but the rape just cannot forgive him for it.
Overall a good read
Recommend it
Overall a good read
Recommend it
May 17, 2017
The Hero was a jerk. I hated him. He took the OW to their apartment but changed his mind. He was so cruel to the h. I just wanted to throw my Kindle across the room. I really thought he slept with the OW. He says he didn't but I don't believe him. He says there was no one else since he met her and usually that makes the book at least four stars for me but he was an unmitigated a$$ too long.
The h was too good for him. She loved him unconditionally. They have an HEA and I believed it but wow he was such an ass for 85% of the book at least. Why do I read these!!! It is still bothering me for some reason.
The h was too good for him. She loved him unconditionally. They have an HEA and I believed it but wow he was such an ass for 85% of the book at least. Why do I read these!!! It is still bothering me for some reason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2015
Το ταξίδι έλαβε τέλος Για ποιον ήρωα να πρωτογράψω δε ξέρω! Όλοι τους υπέροχοι και ξεχωριστοί...Απόλαυσα τη κάθε στιγμή αυτής της ΑΠΙΣΤΕΥΤΗΣ εξαλογίας με μία μόνο εξαίρεση την τέταρτη ιστορία μου βγήκε κάπως μέτρια σε σχέση με τις άλλες θα μπορούσε να υπάρχει σαν συμπλήρωμα μαζί με κάποια άλλη ιστορία και τη θέση της να έπαιρνε η ιστορία της Λενόρ και του Ζάκαρι άξιζε σίγουρα να γραφτεί ένα ξεχωριστό βιβλίο για αυτούς τους ήρωες.Αγάπησα τη γλυκιά μα αποφασιστική Τζέμα και λάτρεψα το σκοτεινό αλλά συγχρόνως υπέροχο Νέιθαν!Μπορώ να πω ότι ο Κρίστιαν Γκρέυ είναι η συνέχεια του έχουν πολλά κοινά σαν χαρακτήρες...Με κέρδισε σίγουρα το πρώτο βιβλιο με τη γνωριμία τους και συνταρακτικός τους επίλογος στο τελευταίο βιβλίο. Ήρωες που θα μου λείψουν ήδη μου λείπουν.. ...Από τις σειρές που δε τις ξεχνάς ποτέ είναι ΑΠΙΣΤΕΥΤΗ αρκει να έχεις στο χέρι σου και τα 6 βιβλία ΑΠΑΡΑΙΤΗΤΑ!!!
April 17, 2017
Oh my god. How could I LIKE this series when I was a teenager and why the hell did I insist on reading it through. No more rape fantasies for me, thank you.
July 12, 2020
Soap opera.
April 30, 2011
I regret the fact that I read the book despite knowing the hero had raped the heroine (in the previous one in the series). I decided I was going to read it anyway, as I'd bought it, but it makes me feel skeazy. I suppose at least it wasn't yes-means-no, and the hero did feel guilty. But still - ick. I guess if you're okay with the scene(s) in Claiming the Courtesan, you'd be okay with this, but, to be honest, I felt bad about myself for reading this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2013
Loved the series!!!
January 27, 2025
Actually, this is a review of the entire "Hearts of Fire" series. which I read through rather fast, and can sum all six books with the phrase "to make a short story long....", because that's just what the author did.
I don't know about down under, but in the states, the heyday of nighttime soaps was the 1980's, so Ms. Lee wrote these books about 10 years too late for them to be what they could have been, a compliment to watching "Dallas", "Dynasty", "Falcon Crest" and the rest of those nocturnal dramas that had so many enthralled. Alas, at the time these were written, it was like wearing 50's style hats and gloves in the swinging 60's, the time had come and gone. (Besides, no way could the Campbells and Whitmores compete with the Ewings and Carringtons! Not even close!!)
The books also got very redundant, everything could have been summed up in three books, or even less, as not many of the characters were interesting enough to merit books of their own. Lenore and Zachary, Melanie and Royce, Jade and Kyle, WTHC! (That's "who the hell cares", BTW.) I sure didn't, which is why I skimmed through those books, trying not to yawn (and not succeeding).
I did like Ava and Vince and enjoyed reading of the "chubby duckling" transforming herself into a lovely, confident swan, with a load of artistic talent to boost her self-confidence, not to mention the love of a man who saw her self-worth before she did and helped her on the road to independence and happiness.
As for Byron and Celeste, talk about repulsive! Does Ms. Lee really believe she can get away with insulting our intelligence by expecting us to believe that these two enemies/business adversaries (Celeste's Campbell Jewels vs. Byron's Whitmore Opals), who spew venom from every bodily orifice and fling insults like manure in a pigsty, are really in love, have been for years???? COME ON!!! There was no warmth or tenderness in their couplings, only horny lust, which leaves a taste in your mouth like you just burped up some bile! She thinks he's a creep, he thinks she's a tramp, she pretends to have lots of lovers, so he'll think she's as slutty as he believed her to be back when she was 17 and a virgin and had sex with him. He was 10 years older (but no wiser) and refused to believe she never had a lover because she had no hymen! (It was taken from her during an assault.) He then believes all the crap her sick stepsister says about her, dumps her and marries psycho sis, while she runs off with a foreign guy, marries him, once again gets the "What, no hymen!!!" treatment, plus lots of beatings and abuse, a pregnancy, stolen baby, dumb story with an equally dumb opal, etc. etc.
Then, suddenly, after more than 20 years, these two confess their eternal love for each other, all the hate, insults, crappy behavior, etc. all gone, hearts and flowers galore!!!
Oops, some more bile to spit out!
Then, toss in some ridiculousness, like the oh-so-bland cause of the Campbell/Whitmore feud, a disgusting pervert with a handsome face that gets the horndogs for his niece and attempts more than once to have wild drug-induced sex with her (luckily, his plans go awry each time) and eventually croaks, with a good riddance to bad (and unnecessary) trash! And the big reveal of the heroine's parentage, which makes her father-in-law her father, and her husband her adopted brother! Another of those, "OH, COME ON!!" moments!
The only thing worthwhile, to some extent, was the relationship between innocent country girl Gemma and sophisticated city man Nathan, who get together (and get naked) too soon, get married too fast, and get into one stupid, jealous misunderstanding after another too many times. He's older, troubled, secretive, and treats her more like a mistress than a wife, not sharing anything but his body. She's a romantic who loves too quickly, gets hurt too easily, and tries to be a sophisticated cynic one minute and a loving idealist the next, with too much back-and-forth to be believable. This being more a family saga than a romance, the love is toned down and the lust is amplified, until you get sick of all the orgasms, and a pregnant Gemma giving Nathan a BJ in the shower kind of makes you want to rise your mouth out with disinfectant!
And, of course, we're supposed to believe that these two, worlds apart in background, big age difference (she's 20, he's 35), conflicting values, each with troubled pasts, one acting like a snarky Pollyanna, the other like a pathetic cynic, both spending way too much time telling the other how little they care one minute, how much the next, how they're in love, then it's just lust, how they want their baby, then they regret the pregnancy, doing dumb things, regretting them, then resenting being called out on them, him telling her one minute he wants a divorce, then next he won't let her go, (not to mention forcing himself on her in a jealous rage and coming on to another woman), she telling him not to touch her and to sleep with other women if he's horny, then getting all jealous and suspicious and ready to seduce him (not to mention spending time with another guy to get him jealous, too), on and on ad nauseum, and we're supposed to believe they're soulmates, destined for that HEA?????
HELL NO!!!!!
To sum it all, up: Ms. Lee, you tried - and failed - to play in the big leagues. Stay in the bush, where you belong.
I don't know about down under, but in the states, the heyday of nighttime soaps was the 1980's, so Ms. Lee wrote these books about 10 years too late for them to be what they could have been, a compliment to watching "Dallas", "Dynasty", "Falcon Crest" and the rest of those nocturnal dramas that had so many enthralled. Alas, at the time these were written, it was like wearing 50's style hats and gloves in the swinging 60's, the time had come and gone. (Besides, no way could the Campbells and Whitmores compete with the Ewings and Carringtons! Not even close!!)
The books also got very redundant, everything could have been summed up in three books, or even less, as not many of the characters were interesting enough to merit books of their own. Lenore and Zachary, Melanie and Royce, Jade and Kyle, WTHC! (That's "who the hell cares", BTW.) I sure didn't, which is why I skimmed through those books, trying not to yawn (and not succeeding).
I did like Ava and Vince and enjoyed reading of the "chubby duckling" transforming herself into a lovely, confident swan, with a load of artistic talent to boost her self-confidence, not to mention the love of a man who saw her self-worth before she did and helped her on the road to independence and happiness.
As for Byron and Celeste, talk about repulsive! Does Ms. Lee really believe she can get away with insulting our intelligence by expecting us to believe that these two enemies/business adversaries (Celeste's Campbell Jewels vs. Byron's Whitmore Opals), who spew venom from every bodily orifice and fling insults like manure in a pigsty, are really in love, have been for years???? COME ON!!! There was no warmth or tenderness in their couplings, only horny lust, which leaves a taste in your mouth like you just burped up some bile! She thinks he's a creep, he thinks she's a tramp, she pretends to have lots of lovers, so he'll think she's as slutty as he believed her to be back when she was 17 and a virgin and had sex with him. He was 10 years older (but no wiser) and refused to believe she never had a lover because she had no hymen! (It was taken from her during an assault.) He then believes all the crap her sick stepsister says about her, dumps her and marries psycho sis, while she runs off with a foreign guy, marries him, once again gets the "What, no hymen!!!" treatment, plus lots of beatings and abuse, a pregnancy, stolen baby, dumb story with an equally dumb opal, etc. etc.
Then, suddenly, after more than 20 years, these two confess their eternal love for each other, all the hate, insults, crappy behavior, etc. all gone, hearts and flowers galore!!!
Oops, some more bile to spit out!
Then, toss in some ridiculousness, like the oh-so-bland cause of the Campbell/Whitmore feud, a disgusting pervert with a handsome face that gets the horndogs for his niece and attempts more than once to have wild drug-induced sex with her (luckily, his plans go awry each time) and eventually croaks, with a good riddance to bad (and unnecessary) trash! And the big reveal of the heroine's parentage, which makes her father-in-law her father, and her husband her adopted brother! Another of those, "OH, COME ON!!" moments!
The only thing worthwhile, to some extent, was the relationship between innocent country girl Gemma and sophisticated city man Nathan, who get together (and get naked) too soon, get married too fast, and get into one stupid, jealous misunderstanding after another too many times. He's older, troubled, secretive, and treats her more like a mistress than a wife, not sharing anything but his body. She's a romantic who loves too quickly, gets hurt too easily, and tries to be a sophisticated cynic one minute and a loving idealist the next, with too much back-and-forth to be believable. This being more a family saga than a romance, the love is toned down and the lust is amplified, until you get sick of all the orgasms, and a pregnant Gemma giving Nathan a BJ in the shower kind of makes you want to rise your mouth out with disinfectant!
And, of course, we're supposed to believe that these two, worlds apart in background, big age difference (she's 20, he's 35), conflicting values, each with troubled pasts, one acting like a snarky Pollyanna, the other like a pathetic cynic, both spending way too much time telling the other how little they care one minute, how much the next, how they're in love, then it's just lust, how they want their baby, then they regret the pregnancy, doing dumb things, regretting them, then resenting being called out on them, him telling her one minute he wants a divorce, then next he won't let her go, (not to mention forcing himself on her in a jealous rage and coming on to another woman), she telling him not to touch her and to sleep with other women if he's horny, then getting all jealous and suspicious and ready to seduce him (not to mention spending time with another guy to get him jealous, too), on and on ad nauseum, and we're supposed to believe they're soulmates, destined for that HEA?????
HELL NO!!!!!
To sum it all, up: Ms. Lee, you tried - and failed - to play in the big leagues. Stay in the bush, where you belong.
May 4, 2021
Meu Deus, esse livro é de uma série?? Que horror, nem quero pensar o que aconteceu nos outros, a personagem principal sofre pra caramba com esse homem horrível.
October 8, 2007
08/20/05 #145
TITLE/AUTHOR: Marriage & Miracles by Miranda Lee
Rating: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Romance, 1995, 185 pgs
TIME/PLACE: 1990's, Australia
CHARACTERS: Gemma and Nathan Whitmore
COMMENTS: #6 in Hearts of Fire Series. The series
began w/ Gemma meeting Nathan. They marry but have
had their problems. When Gemma discovers she is pregnant
she doesn't want to return to Nathan until she can be
sure their relationship is based on love and not just
lust.
TITLE/AUTHOR: Marriage & Miracles by Miranda Lee
Rating: 4/B
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Romance, 1995, 185 pgs
TIME/PLACE: 1990's, Australia
CHARACTERS: Gemma and Nathan Whitmore
COMMENTS: #6 in Hearts of Fire Series. The series
began w/ Gemma meeting Nathan. They marry but have
had their problems. When Gemma discovers she is pregnant
she doesn't want to return to Nathan until she can be
sure their relationship is based on love and not just
lust.
April 21, 2012
Titre vf : Retour de flamme (saga Secrets et scandales 6)
May 22, 2017
3,5/5.
May 19, 2019
Marriage & Miracles
This is the sixth and final book in this series. It was all about Gamma and Nathan. This story talked about childhood abuse. Nathan's past formed his present. Not in a good way. Can he over come his past to save his present? Will Gamma get him to admit to loving her? This does have parts in here that could be considered triggers for some. So read responsible.
This is the sixth and final book in this series. It was all about Gamma and Nathan. This story talked about childhood abuse. Nathan's past formed his present. Not in a good way. Can he over come his past to save his present? Will Gamma get him to admit to loving her? This does have parts in here that could be considered triggers for some. So read responsible.
kindle-hq
March 28, 2018Lust�was that all their marriage meant? Gemma's relationship with Nathan was in tatters, but her love for him remained intact�she was going to win him back! However, Nathan refused to accept that the bond between them was anything but sexual attraction, and Gemma knew that his terrible past had turned his heart to stone. She was asking for a miracle, but it was possible�wasn't it?�that one could still happen now that she suspected she was carrying Nathan's precious child…
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews