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While The fire Rages
As second in command of Renninger Corporation's New York office, Jo Lawrence was used to handling the problems of a multimillion-dollar hotel business. Then her boss had a car accident, and suddenly his arrogant, moody brother from Atlanta was in charge.
Charming and attentive one minute, angry and suspicious the next, Brett Renninger was impossible to work for—and even more impossible to resist. Yet even as his kisses thrilled her with a sweet and intoxicating madness, even as she reveled in the welcoming intimacy of his family's Florida estate, Jo knew something was very wrong. Why was Brett so untrusting, so quick to turn on her? She was ready to gamble everything—even her heart—on this tender tyrant. But where there were secrets, was there also room for love?
Charming and attentive one minute, angry and suspicious the next, Brett Renninger was impossible to work for—and even more impossible to resist. Yet even as his kisses thrilled her with a sweet and intoxicating madness, even as she reveled in the welcoming intimacy of his family's Florida estate, Jo knew something was very wrong. Why was Brett so untrusting, so quick to turn on her? She was ready to gamble everything—even her heart—on this tender tyrant. But where there were secrets, was there also room for love?
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1984
2 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Joan Hohl
162 books41 followersFor as long as she can remember, Joan Hohl has always wanted to be a writer. Her mother said Joan had her head in the clouds, always daydreaming. The only thing was, Joan's daydreams had plots!
She is a popular U.S.American writer of over 60 romance novels since 1980. She also signed her novels as Paula Roberts and Amii Lorin
She is a popular U.S.American writer of over 60 romance novels since 1980. She also signed her novels as Paula Roberts and Amii Lorin
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 3, 2015
Eh, didn't really care for it.
Supposedly, a lot of people like this book because the guy is super obsessive/possessive. I didn't see it.
I especially didn't see it when he tried sleeping with Marsha to take his mind off Jo. Oddly, I don't know which bothers me more -- that they were naked and the only reason they stopped was because he couldn't get it up...OR...his tenderness with Marsha after they tried to ba-da-bing and couldn't, and that they slept together ("slept" slept) as friends, holding each other (naked) all night.
Even after that night, they kept going out as "friends" (not sure I'm buying that), not that Jo knew they were "just" friends. The jerk even had Jo running around trying to find an apartment for Marsha, which wasn't part of her (already hectic) job and contributed to her getting sick. And this went on for months, which made me wonder how many more times Brett and Marsha took comfort in each other's arms by "sleeping" together.
What really irks me is, I read all those posts on the Amazon forum going on about what an obsessive/possessive guy Brett is, but no one bothered to mention trying to sex up Marsha or spending all his time with her. Which, yeah, I get it, he wasn't with Jo, he thought Jo was having an affair with his brother, etc. But...I don't care, it still bothered me. I don't like reading about the hero and another woman. It just bugs the crap outta me. I'm not saying I won't read a book with that in it, I just prefer not being blindsided by it.
Would've liked a little warning, ya know?
Anyway, for all of you who share this particular pet peeve, here's the scene. It doesn't go into a lot of detail, so maybe you'll think it's much ado about nothing. Just remember, I was expecting Mr. Over-the-Top Obsessive Guy who's fixated on the heroine, not this...
Brett called Marsha to invite her out to dinner the very next day. Squashing a ridiculous feeling of being in some strange way unfaithful, he shoved all thoughts and considerations of Jo from his mind. Marsha proved to be a delightful companion, easy to talk to and easy to laugh with. When she invited him in for a nightcap after he’d escorted her to the door of her apartment, Brett accepted, knowing full well he was going to at least attempt to make love to her. The scene that ensued would have been ludicrous, had it not been so sad.
Marsha made it clear that she was willing, so willing that the nightcaps were forgotten the moment they closed the apartment door. She came into his arms before the sound of the door closing faded in the room. Her softly welcoming lips moved with hungry abandon in time with his, sapping his strength as they sipped his taste. Their move from just inside the door to the bedroom was made smoothly, effortlessly, as were their movements as they undressed each other. It was after they embraced on the bed that they grew awkward. It simply did not work, and the harder they tried, each convinced the failure was their own, the less it worked. Brett finally ended the farce.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered, appalled at his lack of a potency he had always reveled in. Rolling onto his back, he stared at the ceiling fighting a clawing fear that didn’t bear thinking about.
“It’s not your fault,” Marsha whispered wretchedly, “I thought, after all this time ...”
The misery in her tone caught his sympathy, the context of her words caught his attention. “All this time? I don’t understand.”
“I very foolishly divorced my husband last year when I found out he had been with another woman.” Turning her head, she faced him unashamedly with tears trickling down her face. “I say foolishly because I’ve since learned it was the first and only time he had ever strayed.” She smiled sadly. “He did have reason to seek solace elsewhere. At the time I was so wrapped up in getting my career off the ground, I neglected to remember we had a partnership.”
Brett frowned, not in the least enlightened or reassured. “But I still don’t—”
“You are the first man I’ve been able to relax with since I left my husband over a year ago.” Marsha sighed. “I thought that... maybe this time I could”—she actually blushed—”you know? I couldn’t stop thinking of him, all the time you were ... I love him.” She blinked against a fresh onslaught of tears. “I really am sorry, Brett.”
‘Yes, so am I.” Reaching out his hand, Brett brushed the tears from her cheeks, “Not only for you, but for myself as well.” His smile was as sad as hers. “It was not entirely your fault.” Brett had never confided his most personal thoughts to anybody, not even Sondra. Drawing a deep breath, he decided that now, perhaps more than ever, he needed a confidant “You weren’t the only one unable to stop thinking of another. She has never belonged to me. Maybe she never will.” A long sigh whispered through his lips. “But I love her. I shouldn’t. I don’t want to. But I do.”
They spent the night together. Brett asked no questions, Marsha didn’t either. They did not make love. Giving and receiving comfort simply by holding each other close, they finally slept, secure in a friendship forged during the sharing of despair.
Two weeks later, after spending nearly all his evenings with Marsha, Brett left Vermont for New York. Marsha went with him.
For months, Brett spent all his free time with Marsha. Is this book about their love story or his and Jo's? *rolls eyes*
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December 17, 2022Did I like this book? Not really, no. But did I get some enjoyment out of the peculiar turns of phrase peppering this book? I'll leave you with these two words which I can't honestly call a spoiler because how could they be:
mouth. embrace.
Pull quotes/notes
"Impressive bit of work, old son, Brett silently congratulated his elder sibling, then he mentally telegraphed a promise: You very obviously wanted this. I'm going to get it for you. It may not be much in exchange for your oh-so-exquisite plaything here, but thems the breaks, bro." (53) yes, just like how humans speak to themselves in their head, well done, Brett
"Being confined in such a small area with a woman—upon whose bones he ached to bounce—was not exactly conducive to tranquil travel." (56) UPON WHOSE BONES. HE ACHED. TO BOUNCE.
"Still, no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise, the fear of her own inability to express love for a man, either verbally or physically, would not be banished.
During her college and hotel-management training years Jo had dated infrequently, and always disastrously. Positive she would make a shambles of the evening, she always did. In fact, she said no so often that by her third year im college she had acquired the nickname No No Jo. It was only after she'd been working for some months that she began a slow emergence from her shell of fear. In the hotel business Jo naturally came in contact with different and varied types of people. Quiet and observant by nature, she studied the hotel guests and her fellow employees closely, most particularly the inner action between men and women. Slowly, as she conducted her secret servey, she came to the conclusion that she was not all that different from anybody else." (75) this is earnest and touching except for the blip of humor of "No No Jo" which did in fact make me snort
"Brett's involvement in their mouth embrace had been as total as her own, Jo was as sure of that as she was of leaves falling in autumn." (89) MOUTH EMBRACE
"The memory of the blast furnace created by the simple method of placing his lips to Jo's ignited a fresh burst of fire inside Brett's already overheated body." (89) such a simple method
"You are very definitely losing your grip, chum!
Slicing a glance to the rearview mirror, Brett grimaced at the unnaturally pale visage momentarily reflected in the small rectangular of silvered glass. Without even trying, you win the 'big stupe' award! There's a blotch on your psychological makeup. Only a true glutton for punishment would go panting after the wrong type of woman twice!" (90) there's a lot more of the hero talking to himself in his head in highly specific slang than I expected from this book
"The battle that had raged inside his most sexual of organs, the one he formally called his rational mind, had been of mammoth proportions." (90)
"Then, simmering with renewed anger, and hating it, Brett rushed on, 'Look, old son, I really do have to get cracking. If I don't get the chance to call you again, I'll see all of you sometime over the holidays. Give my love to Micki and the kids.'" (103) ok this is not a dated slang thing, this is a genuinely confusing thing to have the hero say to his brother. Even "oldest son" would've been better
"Perhaps, he mused, clearing the air would melt the ice. But first he needed a weed. Lighting a fresh cigarette from the end of his last one," (137) wait a weed is a cigarette? Just a regular cigarette, or uh
"The words that should have been said months before were purged from Brett's throat at the moment his life force erupted from his quivering body." (281) WHAT
mouth. embrace.
Pull quotes/notes
"Impressive bit of work, old son, Brett silently congratulated his elder sibling, then he mentally telegraphed a promise: You very obviously wanted this. I'm going to get it for you. It may not be much in exchange for your oh-so-exquisite plaything here, but thems the breaks, bro." (53) yes, just like how humans speak to themselves in their head, well done, Brett
"Being confined in such a small area with a woman—upon whose bones he ached to bounce—was not exactly conducive to tranquil travel." (56) UPON WHOSE BONES. HE ACHED. TO BOUNCE.
"Still, no matter how she tried to convince herself otherwise, the fear of her own inability to express love for a man, either verbally or physically, would not be banished.
During her college and hotel-management training years Jo had dated infrequently, and always disastrously. Positive she would make a shambles of the evening, she always did. In fact, she said no so often that by her third year im college she had acquired the nickname No No Jo. It was only after she'd been working for some months that she began a slow emergence from her shell of fear. In the hotel business Jo naturally came in contact with different and varied types of people. Quiet and observant by nature, she studied the hotel guests and her fellow employees closely, most particularly the inner action between men and women. Slowly, as she conducted her secret servey, she came to the conclusion that she was not all that different from anybody else." (75) this is earnest and touching except for the blip of humor of "No No Jo" which did in fact make me snort
"Brett's involvement in their mouth embrace had been as total as her own, Jo was as sure of that as she was of leaves falling in autumn." (89) MOUTH EMBRACE
"The memory of the blast furnace created by the simple method of placing his lips to Jo's ignited a fresh burst of fire inside Brett's already overheated body." (89) such a simple method
"You are very definitely losing your grip, chum!
Slicing a glance to the rearview mirror, Brett grimaced at the unnaturally pale visage momentarily reflected in the small rectangular of silvered glass. Without even trying, you win the 'big stupe' award! There's a blotch on your psychological makeup. Only a true glutton for punishment would go panting after the wrong type of woman twice!" (90) there's a lot more of the hero talking to himself in his head in highly specific slang than I expected from this book
"The battle that had raged inside his most sexual of organs, the one he formally called his rational mind, had been of mammoth proportions." (90)
"Then, simmering with renewed anger, and hating it, Brett rushed on, 'Look, old son, I really do have to get cracking. If I don't get the chance to call you again, I'll see all of you sometime over the holidays. Give my love to Micki and the kids.'" (103) ok this is not a dated slang thing, this is a genuinely confusing thing to have the hero say to his brother. Even "oldest son" would've been better
"Perhaps, he mused, clearing the air would melt the ice. But first he needed a weed. Lighting a fresh cigarette from the end of his last one," (137) wait a weed is a cigarette? Just a regular cigarette, or uh
"The words that should have been said months before were purged from Brett's throat at the moment his life force erupted from his quivering body." (281) WHAT
November 6, 2024
Book 2 - While the Fire Rages
A complex story with tons of miscommuniciation, or no communication at all.
I've read this book at least 12 times. It's one of my go to reads along with Amii Lorin's book with the characters of Wolf and Mikki. Brett's brother, and sister-in-law., who make an appearance in Brett and Jo's story.
A complex story with tons of miscommuniciation, or no communication at all.
I've read this book at least 12 times. It's one of my go to reads along with Amii Lorin's book with the characters of Wolf and Mikki. Brett's brother, and sister-in-law., who make an appearance in Brett and Jo's story.
August 23, 2015
This book could have been shorter. The misunderstanding was silly and was solved in last 2 pages. I just skimmed through it and found it boring at times.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews