Firebird

by Janice Graham

Schooled in the Ivy League, and engaged to the daughter of the wealthiest landowner in Flint Hills, Kansas, rancher Ethan Brown's life seems secure, until he falls in love with an isolated violinist. A first novel. 100,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. Lit Guild Main.

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

301 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

The Official Take:

Janice Graham was raised in Kansas and obtained her M.A. in French literature before pursuing graduate film studies at USC and English literature at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. Her screenplay Until September, a romantic comedy situated in Paris, was picked up by MGM and made into a film starring Karen Allen and Thierry Lhermitte. Her first novel, Firebird, became a New York Times and international bestseller.

After a series of contemporary women’s fiction, she turned to historical fiction--The Tailor's Daughter set in Victorian England, and Romancing Miss Bronte, written as Juliet Gael, a highly acclaimed novel about Charlotte Brontë. Red Lily, a Cold War era historical fiction, is due out in spring 2025. She divides her time between Overland Park, Kansas and Paris.

For What Really Happened - see her website: janicegraham.com/about-janice

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book shows intelligent characters who really surge forward in life. The end will take a twist and turn that you do not see coming. I couldn't put this one down for long...

[Tamra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to make of this book. It started out ok although none of the characters were particularly likable and there were just too many loose ends that never got resolved for my liking. What was all that about Annette's first child being kidnapped and not only never being heard from again but its never discussed again? By anyone? What about Ethan's son, Jeremy who makes a brief showing and is then never heard from, or discussed, again? Why did Annette always hear music that nobody else could and if it was so painful for her, why did she continue to play at all? Who kept whispering "Annie" throughout the book? Annette's mother? And the ethereal body takeover was a bit over the top. A so-so novel.

[Martha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, let me count the ways that I hated this book! First of all, either I was completely apathetic or just despised the characters altogether...OK, except for the little girl and the dog, I hated all of them. I read it for a book club book, so felt compelled to finish it, but I would not recommend it...at all...ever.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished Firebird by Janice Graham. Ethan Browne is a Kansas doctor who chooses Katie Anne to be his bride, even though he is in love with Annette who just returned to town for her mother's funeral. Ethan sets out to win Katie Anne because he believes that is what he needs to do.

Ethan is also a rancher and Katie Anne has an aversion to the land he loves. She also is aware that he is in love with Annette, but is determined to hold on to him in spite of that fact.

Janice Graham's style of writing is beautiful, but in my opinion, the plot twist at the end is a little strange. I give this book a B!

[Debbie]

The power of one's mind to remove themselves from pain when their loss is unbearable suggests that each of us can survive the worst imaginable pain and still live...maybe not live as one might have but live in a new way and be changed as a person.

[Holls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpected, supernatural twists in this novel I really enjoyed. Storyline was sometimes disjointed and characters came and went with convenience, otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. Lovely and evocative writing. A book that made me want to visit Kansas?? Indeed.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book. Can't wait to read more by her.

[Wendie Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I loved the characters and the story line. I will definitely be ready more by the author. Love the surprise ending❤️

[Trudy Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me by a friend, so I read it as a courtesy to him; however, I found it to be well written with superbly developed characters and an interesting story line. It evokes a great deal of empathy for the imperfections of human beings, the healing power of forgiveness, and the realization that tragedy can indeed become a catalyst to turn one’s life around. The book deserves an A+ for unexpected plot twists.

[Asghar Abbas · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope .

This was nothing like the Horse Whisperer.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a romance book with a slight paranormal twist. It is about a man who is about to get engaged but falls for a woman who has returned home to settle her mother's estate.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one romance that although it is predominantly of that genre could actually have its own type of genre made for it goes out of all kinds of bounds. In a beautiful telling Janice Graham takes the reader into the heart of Kansas to explore the relationships between one man and two women as well as all the lives they will influence as a result of their choices.

The writing is rather heavy at times and since of the author's unique take of the story there are sure to be some readers that will definitely dislike the book. In my opinion, though, I was surprised with the twist that came towards the end even though it set me off for a bit It works out beautifully in the end, making the book the strangest type of romance I have ever come across and that is including the paranormal romances that are all the rage nowadays.

The story characters at times aren't really well-developed but they work off of each other helping to make a story even when personalities seem to be lacking. While it is this vagueness of character that also helps to form the end.

All in all it was a fun read for me since I was able to pick-up on the Kansas references that I know, especially since we were talking about visiting the Nelson-Atkins in KC next weekend. As for a recommendation though if you don't mind having an open mind and aren't looking for a regular ending in a sense then this may be the romance for you.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently stumbled on some older books (published in 1991) that I haven't every heard of or read before.

I am so glad I found this book. It is set among the plains of Kansas and depicts this land with the beauty that some see in it. A mother, Annette, and her young daughter, travel from their home in Paris to Kansas because of the death of Annette's mother. Annette has no desire to stay in Kansas and is anxious to get back to her beloved home in Paris. Due to circumstances, Annette decides to stay for a few months and ends up falling in love. Unfortunately, all does not work out in a fairy tale fashion and the story unfolds from there. I liked the different characters (except for the "main man" Ethan who didn't deserve the love of two women from the way he treated them) and even though this story wasn't a fast-paced thriller, I found myself flipping the pages and wanting to continue reading.

[Rebecca Heywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadly, I read this in one day. I say sadly, because i neglected other things i should be doing, like feeding my children and folding laundry. but there were lunchables in the fridge, so they didn't starve. I am not a romance novel person and I did not think this was a romance novel type of story. It is actually pretty sad near the end, but then turns somewhat happy. I would like to say I knew what was going to happen, but I really didn't. It all shocked me how the story turned out. I could not put it down. It did not get five stars because of the language. Some of it was not necessary. However, I will now do some light reading with my kids for awhile. I have been reading some heavy, not as exciting as usual books lately, and I need a break. Maybe Garfield or Calvin and Hobbes will be good. Nothing sad.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing the last past of this book I sat for no less the ten minutes just staring at the back cover and saying aloud, "Wow", over and over. And again what I say now is "Wow".
This story was absolutely wondering, bringing to light the beauty of true love and how strong that bond is when you meet the right person - everlasting. When both Annette and Katie Anne seem lost, you can't help but look at the pages and see that you're only halfway through and you wonder where it could go from there. And where it went, well I would never have expected that.
I fell in love with Annette and Ethan, shared in their pain and suffering and conflict between the mind and the heart. At the same time, I despised the person that Katie Anne started off as and didn't even know what to think when it came to Charlie.
Brilliant. I loved it.

[Jill Manske · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book by chance at the library. After a few pages, I was inwardly groaning, fearful that this was one of those "hero and heroine hate each other on sight, fight against their lustful feelings, and fall in love" romance novels. Luckily, I was mostly wrong. It's more Jodi Picoult than Barbara Wood. While it's certainly not great literature, it's a good story with warm, believable characters. I also had my doubts about the characters enthusing about the beauty of Kansas; I've driven across Kansas and beauty is not a word I'd use. But Graham gives you a real feel for life on the Kansas plains and how some people might find it beautiful. At any rate, this is a fairly good read; I liked it more than I expected I would.

[Kelly Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get used to the style of writing. It also took me some time to warm up to the main characters. I hated how the author sped up the plot at points and slowed it down. I felt like I needed to pull the remote out of her hand at times so I could slow it down and enjoy what was transpiring. The portrail of raw human emotions was beautifully done. Being a music lover, I felt a deep connection to Annette and her family. I also could sympathize with the characters over the feelings they felt for one another when caught in a love triangle. I could not put the book down for long the more I got into it. Though it was not the best book I had read, I did enjoy it.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Janice Graham's 'The Tailor's Daughter' and resisted reading 'Firebird' for years because it just wasn't my style of fiction.

When I saw the audio book version on the shelf at the 'Friends of the Ithaca Library Book Sale' for fifty cents I thought I'd give it a try.

I'm glad I did, while the writing wasn't the most sophisticated I liked the story and was really pulled in by it. It was a bit on the "romancy" side of things, but I liked it anyway. I kept wondering what Graham was going to do with the story and ended up liking the way she tied things together.

I see she's published some other books, I'll have to take a look now.

[Laura Lamb-susca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the novel was essentially well written. My initial feelings towards the characters changed as I read further in. I think that initially Katie Anne deserved the reaction that she got from Ethan. I felt that she was somewhat if a cold emotionless individual, but once she was given her second chance she became a person whom we can like. We cannot forget Ethan and how he betrayed Katie Anne. Although he was wrong in the manner in which he went about it-I can understand why he felt the way he did. I do beleive that once a person passes on they do/can continue to live in our lives in some way/manner or form.

[Kat Coleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Firebird was a dull book with awful characters. The only one I cared for was Katie Anne because she was the only relatable one in the entire story. Ethan was too sensitive and Annette was one of those "perfect" characters. You know, the ones that are beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated and steal people's fiances. I would not recommend this book.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Flint Hills Kansas. Ethan Brown (lawyer) love triangle with Katie Anne (daughter of wealthy land ownder) and Annette Zeldin (violinist who moved away and lived in Paris; returns to Kansas when her mother dies). Book is actually very well written but have to be okay with some unrealistic fantasy elements to enjoy the ending.

[Colleen Canfield]

I wasn't all that fond of this book. It was okay.

[Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting right up until the end when it got a little confusing. I could never figure out why Katie Anne would go to Paris.

[Liz.ohagan]

can somebody explain the end of this book to me please..I don't get it..I like the book but I am a little confused..

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strange story but definitely worth a read

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was spellbound...moved to tears...and brought back to life by the prospect of...love.

[Precious Sagbodje · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read.
The writing style was okay.
Plot was meh.
No surprise here.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do have to admit though that the ending just kind of dropped off....

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that is successful in what it attempts, but I wish they tried to do something else. There is an interesting idea at the heart of the story, which I won't spoil (not for spoiler reasons, I just can't be bothered), but the book doesn't actually explore it at all, it just lets it sit there. In a way, it works, it infuriates me in exactly the same way other magical realistic (magically realist? magically realistic? I'm not sure what that should be) books have. There is the obvious problem that all of the main characters are kind of terrible people, but I don't fault the book for that. It's hard to fault it for anything, hence the rating, but I didn't really like it anyway. The twist is such a weird choice (one of many), but the characters lack any agency in that part so you can't really criticize them for what happens there (their actual choices are another matter entirely). It's actually a very well-crafted book, but I wish it hadn't been written.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ethan, 40 year old divorcee, is engaged to Katie Ann only to then meet and fall in love with Annette. When he leaves Katie for her, Katie feigns a pregnancy. The day of Annette's departure back to France, she is killed in a fire. Katie Ann is badly burned. While the spirituality in the book is a bit much for me, it's still a beautiful story. What happens next is Annette's soul somehow joins with Katie Ann's. Whether the person was Annette or Katie Ann or an amalgamation of both, Ethan went through a journey to feel, to grieve, to feel love, acceptance, anger, grief, and to be more than an illusion of happiness. I also enjoyed the Yeats and Wadsworth connections.