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Morgan Family Saga #1
Flame of Desire
Passion exploded between them as he pulled her down onto the crudely fashioned pallet. The sheltered daughter of London's richest silk merchant, Heather Bowen had known such fierce desire only in her dreams until she met the dark, handsome Richard Morgan.Now her dawning love for this fugitive defender of Mary Tudor would lead her through the storms of a land divided by war, and into the clutches of enemies who would use any vengeful means -- murder, forced marriage to others, threats of execution -- to keep them apart. But they had vowed to sanctify their forbidden love. And as Heather burned hungrily for him, Richard reached out with all his masculine power to claim her....
462 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 2, 1986
2 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Vickery
25 books3 followersKatherine Vickery is a pseudonym for Kathryn Kramer. The name "Vickery" is her mother's maiden name.
Kramer also collaborated on novels with her mother Marcia Hockett. Those novels were published under the pen name Kathryn Hockett
Kramer also collaborated on novels with her mother Marcia Hockett. Those novels were published under the pen name Kathryn Hockett
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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March 17, 2025Read: 3/17/25
Setting: 1500s Mary Tudor
DNF @ 33%
This book just isn't for me. I feel like this story would appeal to a younger reader.
I didn't like the author's writing style and simple dialogue. The MC fell instantly in love. Their conversations are too cutesy.
The H is a spy that's trying to help Mary Tudor gain her throne from Jane Grey. I wanted more intrigue and a feeling of danger.
Well, that didn't happen!
Setting: 1500s Mary Tudor
DNF @ 33%
This book just isn't for me. I feel like this story would appeal to a younger reader.
I didn't like the author's writing style and simple dialogue. The MC fell instantly in love. Their conversations are too cutesy.
The H is a spy that's trying to help Mary Tudor gain her throne from Jane Grey. I wanted more intrigue and a feeling of danger.
Well, that didn't happen!
December 24, 2019
DNF, pg 50-some. A disinterested quit, as opposed to a rage quit. Most reviewers seem to love this, so maybe it's just me being cranky -- but the MCs aren't grabbing my attention (plus the insta-love is overwhelming) & I don't care about the other stuff that's going on, so I won't bother trying. I suspect it's partly the era (not a fave) & partly the author's style; I've tried her under the Kathryn Kramer pseudo & didn't care for that one, either. Oh well. *shrug*
December 12, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was another lesson to me not to judge a book by its cover, because I think this cover is so ugly, but this book was so good! One of my favorite things about vintage historical romances is that you really never know what you're going to get, and sometimes the most inconspicuous books end up being excellent.
...
This story opens on the night of young Edward VI's death in July 1553. Our hero Richard Morgan is a courtier loyal to the Tudor family, and he is determined to see Mary Tudor succeed her brother to the throne. Our heroine Heather Bowen is a silk merchant's daughter who unexpectedly harbors Richard while he hides from the Duke of Northumberland's men - who want Jane Grey on the throne instead of Mary. Sparks fly between Richard and Heather, and their feelings deepen weeks later when Heather again runs into Richard by chance and saves his life. She then joins in his fight to make Mary the Queen of England.
...
This book was truly a sleeper favorite for me. I just loved the setting. I think Mary I's reign is a super underrepresented era in Tudor fiction. I really enjoyed the author's portrayal of Mary. I also enjoyed the court intrigue and politics in this story, and it was refreshing to read about Mary's courtiers as they were new to me, vs. the same old familiar faces that make their way into every Henry VIII or Elizabeth I story (specifically Robert Dudley - I'm sick of his ass). But what I most enjoyed about the setting was how the author created such a vivid snapshot of the early days of Mary's reign from the eyes of the common citizens of London. I love when a book commits to a specific time period, but beyond that I though this author really made the time period come to life. I read Historical Romance because I'm a history lover, and I felt like Katherine Vickery really nailed the history element in this book.
Another standout in this book was the heroine, Heather. Heather had an understated self confidence that I liked. She wasn't your stereotypical spunky heroine full of gumption like you see in some other HRs from this time period, but rather just a genuinely competent and capable young woman. Richard wasn't really anything special, but I did notice that he was much more emotional than a typical 80s romance hero which I thought was interesting. He never actually sheds "unmanly tears", but he is on the verge of them in nearly every scene.
My only criticism of this book was the extreme insta-love between the leads. I have yet to read a romance novel where insta-love is done "right", so it always comes off as silly to me. However, once their love story got going I found Richard and Heather's relationship to be very compelling, and the circumstances they must overcome to get their HEA felt legitimate and unique compared to the conflicts in other HRs I've read.
This is a book that I paid much more for that I would have for a normal HR (I already owned the second book in this series, Indigo Sea, and wanted to read this one first) and I privately regretted spending that much on a book - especially one with a cover I didn't like. This book seriously proved me wrong. It was a great love story with history woven in excellently, and it even had a few fun bodice ripper elements splashed in. I'm so glad I read this one and can't wait to read the sequel!
This book was another lesson to me not to judge a book by its cover, because I think this cover is so ugly, but this book was so good! One of my favorite things about vintage historical romances is that you really never know what you're going to get, and sometimes the most inconspicuous books end up being excellent.
...
This story opens on the night of young Edward VI's death in July 1553. Our hero Richard Morgan is a courtier loyal to the Tudor family, and he is determined to see Mary Tudor succeed her brother to the throne. Our heroine Heather Bowen is a silk merchant's daughter who unexpectedly harbors Richard while he hides from the Duke of Northumberland's men - who want Jane Grey on the throne instead of Mary. Sparks fly between Richard and Heather, and their feelings deepen weeks later when Heather again runs into Richard by chance and saves his life. She then joins in his fight to make Mary the Queen of England.
...
This book was truly a sleeper favorite for me. I just loved the setting. I think Mary I's reign is a super underrepresented era in Tudor fiction. I really enjoyed the author's portrayal of Mary. I also enjoyed the court intrigue and politics in this story, and it was refreshing to read about Mary's courtiers as they were new to me, vs. the same old familiar faces that make their way into every Henry VIII or Elizabeth I story (specifically Robert Dudley - I'm sick of his ass). But what I most enjoyed about the setting was how the author created such a vivid snapshot of the early days of Mary's reign from the eyes of the common citizens of London. I love when a book commits to a specific time period, but beyond that I though this author really made the time period come to life. I read Historical Romance because I'm a history lover, and I felt like Katherine Vickery really nailed the history element in this book.
Another standout in this book was the heroine, Heather. Heather had an understated self confidence that I liked. She wasn't your stereotypical spunky heroine full of gumption like you see in some other HRs from this time period, but rather just a genuinely competent and capable young woman. Richard wasn't really anything special, but I did notice that he was much more emotional than a typical 80s romance hero which I thought was interesting. He never actually sheds "unmanly tears", but he is on the verge of them in nearly every scene.
My only criticism of this book was the extreme insta-love between the leads. I have yet to read a romance novel where insta-love is done "right", so it always comes off as silly to me. However, once their love story got going I found Richard and Heather's relationship to be very compelling, and the circumstances they must overcome to get their HEA felt legitimate and unique compared to the conflicts in other HRs I've read.
This is a book that I paid much more for that I would have for a normal HR (I already owned the second book in this series, Indigo Sea, and wanted to read this one first) and I privately regretted spending that much on a book - especially one with a cover I didn't like. This book seriously proved me wrong. It was a great love story with history woven in excellently, and it even had a few fun bodice ripper elements splashed in. I'm so glad I read this one and can't wait to read the sequel!
August 30, 2016
The Time of Mary Tudor Brought to Life in this Classic Love Story!
Set in London in 1553, this classic from Vickery is the story of Richard Morgan, a favorite of Mary Tudor, and Heather Bowen, a merchant’s daughter who saves him from an enemy who would see him dead. Their love story is set against a seething England divided by those who would support the Catholic heir to the throne of England and those who fear a return to the old ways. Plots of murder, treachery, a threatened forced marriage and Richard’s own mockery of a marriage will keep them apart.
Richard and Heather come to love early in their relationship yet it seems a union never meant to be. Some wonderful secondary characters contribute to a great story—and to their getting together.
In this well researched story, Vickery brings to life London in the tumultuous time in England’s history when a rising merchant class collided with the nobility used to having their privileges. The legacy of Henry VIII’s perfidy is center stage as he left no male heir, only two young women, both declared bastards so he could marry another.
I love the way Vickery has woven many details of history into her love story. It will draw you in, I promise, as it’s very well done! If you love reading about the Tudors, you’ll find this story a fascinating edition.
Set in London in 1553, this classic from Vickery is the story of Richard Morgan, a favorite of Mary Tudor, and Heather Bowen, a merchant’s daughter who saves him from an enemy who would see him dead. Their love story is set against a seething England divided by those who would support the Catholic heir to the throne of England and those who fear a return to the old ways. Plots of murder, treachery, a threatened forced marriage and Richard’s own mockery of a marriage will keep them apart.
Richard and Heather come to love early in their relationship yet it seems a union never meant to be. Some wonderful secondary characters contribute to a great story—and to their getting together.
In this well researched story, Vickery brings to life London in the tumultuous time in England’s history when a rising merchant class collided with the nobility used to having their privileges. The legacy of Henry VIII’s perfidy is center stage as he left no male heir, only two young women, both declared bastards so he could marry another.
I love the way Vickery has woven many details of history into her love story. It will draw you in, I promise, as it’s very well done! If you love reading about the Tudors, you’ll find this story a fascinating edition.
October 4, 2018
FLAME OF DESIRE is about a passionate love between Heather Bowen and Richard Morgan set during England's troubled era of Mary Tudor and the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. It was a great historical romance. I wonder why I've not come across this novel in my past reading history. Up until I'd read FLAME OF DESIRE, I'd not heard of Katherine Vickery before. However, she is a talented story-teller and somehow this novel of hers reminded me of FIRES OF DESTINY by Linda Barlow to which I gave 5 stars. I would've given it a true 5 stars, if some scenes in the story were more realistic than they seemed. But a great read overall.
November 16, 2013
This ebook is an excellent blending of history and romance and I highly recommend it. It is about the reign of Mary Tudor (towards the first part of her reign) and how she came to be known as 'Bloody Mary'. It is about Heather Bowen, a merchants daughter (a nice change from all those stories about the nobility) and her love for an adviser to Queen Mary. There is intrigue as well as romance. I would also recommend Fires of Destiny by Linda Barlow which also tells of Mary's reign in the latter part and was a nice follow up to this one.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews