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November-December #1
Hot November
Fighting fire with fire
He is Boss Mackenzie, bush fire fighter.
She is Emma Spencer....suspected arsonist.
For a brushfire to start three things have to be present - fuel, heat and oxygen. Two of the conditions could exist for a long, long time until the third was supplied. For Emma Spencer the third condition was Mackenzie.
Bushfires seem to follow Emma and her touring theater company across the Outback. As far as Mackenzie was concerned there was no smoke without fire. With Emma around it looked as though it was going to be a hot November - in all senses of the word.
He is Boss Mackenzie, bush fire fighter.
She is Emma Spencer....suspected arsonist.
For a brushfire to start three things have to be present - fuel, heat and oxygen. Two of the conditions could exist for a long, long time until the third was supplied. For Emma Spencer the third condition was Mackenzie.
Bushfires seem to follow Emma and her touring theater company across the Outback. As far as Mackenzie was concerned there was no smoke without fire. With Emma around it looked as though it was going to be a hot November - in all senses of the word.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1994
64 people want to read
About the author
Ann Charlton
41 books15 followersAnn Charlton was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and now lives in Brisbane. She traces the beginning of her writing to a childhood period when, in trying to avoid nightmares, she began telling herself a story, continued each night. She wanted to be a commercial artist but became a secretary. She wanted to play the piano but plays guitar instead, and she never planned to be a writer. Her professional writing began with a short-story contest. She published her first romance novel in 1984.
Now Ann writes every weekday, interspersed with looking after her family Tennis, sketching, reading, modern music and dancing are other interests. When both daughters have finished high school, Ann looks forward to travel and seeing new places. She would like to do more tapestry work and paint miniatures and has absolutely no plans to research a book in the Amazon or to learn to play the bouzouki. From time to time she abseils, which surprises her because she is afraid of heights.
Now Ann writes every weekday, interspersed with looking after her family Tennis, sketching, reading, modern music and dancing are other interests. When both daughters have finished high school, Ann looks forward to travel and seeing new places. She would like to do more tapestry work and paint miniatures and has absolutely no plans to research a book in the Amazon or to learn to play the bouzouki. From time to time she abseils, which surprises her because she is afraid of heights.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 13, 2011
This started out a bit slow, but wow, this was a very good book. I loved the interactions between Mackenzie and Emma. They had fantastic chemistry, and a powerful bond that drew them back together when circumstances threatened to push them apart. Mackenzie is very much a manly man, and it was in an utterly appealing way. He didn't come off as macho and neanderthalish at all, even though Emma interpreted him that way at first. Instead he had a lot of the positive alpha hero traits that I hope to find in a so-called alpha hero but find lacking instead.
I loved the descriptions of the Outback, all the imagery that contributed to the theme of Heat and Fire. There was a drought and Mackenzie is part of the fire brigade, which plays a major part in this story, but it also underlines the fiery sexual tension between Mackenzie and Emma. Even though the love scenes aren't descriptive, there is plenty of heat because of the manner in which the author builds up the attraction between the couple. Also, you can see that they really grow to love each other. Emma's issues with marriage could have been annoying, but I could understand her reluctance, and it showed how much Mackenzie wanted to be with her, that he was willing to be patient and work through those with her. Her love for him helps her to realize that she wants more, and to consider what she might be giving up out of fear.
I found this book very satisfying, despite the slow start. I didn't want to put it down last night and go to bed. I had to finish it. And I was keyed up after I finished, so it took a while to go to sleep, but this is one of those books that's worth missing out on a little sleep for. I recommend it to readers of short category contemporary romance. I don't think it will disappoint. I also enjoyed Married to the Man and Titan'S Woman, and off to find more of her books. I can see she is really good at writing the manly type of hero, which is a definite plus!
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
I loved the descriptions of the Outback, all the imagery that contributed to the theme of Heat and Fire. There was a drought and Mackenzie is part of the fire brigade, which plays a major part in this story, but it also underlines the fiery sexual tension between Mackenzie and Emma. Even though the love scenes aren't descriptive, there is plenty of heat because of the manner in which the author builds up the attraction between the couple. Also, you can see that they really grow to love each other. Emma's issues with marriage could have been annoying, but I could understand her reluctance, and it showed how much Mackenzie wanted to be with her, that he was willing to be patient and work through those with her. Her love for him helps her to realize that she wants more, and to consider what she might be giving up out of fear.
I found this book very satisfying, despite the slow start. I didn't want to put it down last night and go to bed. I had to finish it. And I was keyed up after I finished, so it took a while to go to sleep, but this is one of those books that's worth missing out on a little sleep for. I recommend it to readers of short category contemporary romance. I don't think it will disappoint. I also enjoyed Married to the Man and Titan'S Woman, and off to find more of her books. I can see she is really good at writing the manly type of hero, which is a definite plus!
Overall Rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
August 21, 2018
Re Hot November - Ann Charlton's first entry into the HP/M&B multi-author six book Dangerous Liasions series is the AC classic confrontation between an Old Fashioned Patriarchal Bossy Man and a New-Fashioned Modern Woman who can take of herself.
She also got liberal calcium doses over the years and she uses them, this h has a spine of titanium, even in the face of full fledged Treacherous Body Syndrome.
The book starts with the h taking her small group of actors to Catastrophe, a small ranching town in the Australian Outback, that is suffering serious drought conditions. The h and her little troupe have an art grant to bring theater to the small town locals and their current tour involves a three play festival in honour of the town Centennial celebration.
The h is also contracted to put together a program with the local school children for their own celebration production. When the 31 year old h arrives with her three actors in tow, everyone is frazzled from the tour and the hot, dry conditions.
The h has her own theater back in Sydney and as her small actor troupe manages to offend the locals with their carrying local hayseed verbal remarks, the h is desperately wishing she was back there. When it turns out that the rooms that were supposed to be reserved for the troupe have not been due to some sort of booking error, the h is in dire straights.
Her actors are already angry at this point and a lack of suitable accommodations would entitle them to walk out. The h also feels terrible because she hit a kangaroo, that passed away on the road, plus she collected a persistent stalker who keeps following her on her tour and won't go away even tho she has told him she isn't interested--repeatedly.
So the h is more than a little frazzled when she is told the Big Boss she has to go see for a place to find alternative accommodation is out watching a fire. The h can't wait to make arrangements, her actors are hot, tired and have been on the road for weeks and they still have to get equipment things set up.
The h decides to just go out to the burn site and maybe get a quick chat for a place to stay, but when the big, macho Boss man ignores her and decides to make her wait another hour, the h has had enough of all the misogynistic patronizing she has had to endure.
In a hilarious scene, the h uses the big sound amp and broadcast equipment n her van to explain the situation to the Boss Man H- he is about a field or so away. The H saunters over and makes subtle innuendos about the differences between Actresses and Ladies - making it clear that he thinks the h is no better than a starlett tart.
The H even refuses to shake the h's hand, so the h has a few comments about chauvinists in return. The tension is rampant between the two of them, but the h has to concede defeat when the H tells her she can wait at his office in town or go to the local campground.
The h leaves and gets chased down by a motorcycle with the Boss H's brother on it, he gives her an address of a lady who has a boarding house open, and the h is pretty thankful. The boarding house only has 3 rooms available tho, so the h is forced to sleep in her van.
She parks in front of the H's office and very late that night, the H shows up from watching the fire to make sure it burns correctly. The H supposedly gave someone a message for the h, but she never got it. The H feels a tiny bit guilty about that, so he offers to let the h use his shower in his town council office.
The h accepts and more bantering is had. Then the H needs to borrow the h's van to go back and check the burn site, but the h drives him instead. The H assumes the h is trying to pick him up for a fling, so he tells her he is engaged.
The h is offended and more witty repartee is exchanged. Finally they both get back to the H's office and they both pass out on his office divan. When the h wakes up, her shirt is askew from sleeping and the H is next to her in underpants with umbrellas on them.
At this point the H's housekeeper/secretary walks in to deliver breakfast and there is some embarrassment as she is speculative and the H demands the h keep quiet about the sleeping on the same couch thing.
The h agrees, she doesn't poach on taken men, plus the h is still in recovery from a bad divorce. Seven years earlier the h was a lot more gullible and got married to a very manipulative man who essentially demanded that the h give up her interests for his.
The h eventually stopped being his doormat and allowing him to control her life when the ex's big birthday present was a gold cigarette lighter and the h had stopped smoking months earlier. (Which pretty much says it all about the demise of that relationship.)
The h got a divorce and got her life back, but she is very unhappy about her failure and tends to see domineering men as all lit by the same light.
The H decides that the h and her troupe will move in with him on his ranch. It is close to where the play is to be staged in the local amphitheater, which turns out to be a literal cave. As the h and crew settle in at the ranch, the H and h vacillate between having really in depth conversations about their beliefs and experiences and arguing in Lurve Force Mojo infused bickering.
(Like the first time the H could remember ever seeing rain and dancing naked in it and then bickering because of the incredibly misogynistic assumptions the H makes when he warns the from flirting with his younger 25 yr old brother.
Which the h nicely parries when she mentions the H's cradle robbing in his own fiancee - who is 23 to his 35 and clearly being groomed by her father as a compliant wife - even tho the lady herself is a snotty little snarker.)
Eventually the fires start encroaching on the area, a cause for real concern cause the h notices that the fires seem to be on the same tour path they are. The h's actors also revolt because they have to do their plays in a cave and they walk out.
Then the H's future fiancee, (we find out they aren't engaged yet, the H and the girl's father are just planning it,) finds out the h and H spent the night together on the H's office couch. The H tells the h to just leave cause he thinks the h blabbed her mouth, but really the H's long time housekeeper/secretary told her friend and her friend gossiped - the housekeeper doesn't like the snarker girl for the H's new wife.
The h and troupe start back to Sydney, but notice a big fire on the way and go back to tell the town. The h and her troupe are then roped into helping out with kid evacuee entertainment, taking supplies and food to the firefighters in their van and rescuing baby animals.
When the h gets to the H's assigned area, she doctors up the H's wounds from firefighting and rescues a baby wallaby. As the h is chasing the poor scared orphaned wallaby, the fires surrounds her and the H - he had followed the h to get her out of the area when he noticed the fire rising.
There is a very dramatic run through the smallest of the flames, the baby wallaby gets put in the H's fire suit and the h gets a little pink skinned from the heat. Everybody, including the wallaby, is saved. (One extra star for successful baby animal rescues, hurray!)
After the fire is successfully fought, the H and h have an almost roofie kissing moment. Until the h notices the H found her lighter, (the one her ex gave her and she carries as a lucky charm,) and learns the H believes that she might be an arsonist.
(Really it is the H's way of trying to find an alternative to thinking his little brother did it.)
The h loses her temper again and another lesson on chauvinistic misogyny is verbally delivered. The h leaves the next day, after another run in with the snarker almost fiancee and the H's very stilted goodbye.
The h is back in Sydney and sharing her experiences with her BFF - who is the h in AC's next book-the friend is the best kind of BFF tho, she doesn't try to pimp the h out to the H. She just makes the h think about her responses to the H and then she tells her to just have a raging affair if she really doesn't want to marry again.
The h thinks about that and then has to think some more when the H's little brother shows up and asks for a job. The h gives him a job and rents him her granny flat.
(We got the H's and the brother's backstory earlier, the H's parents died when he was 17. He gave up a meteorology degree to buy the ranch he lives and raise his brother - but the H is too used to acting like a parent and the brother is ready do his own thing and maybe partner with the H on their ranch - that was supposed to be the deal when they moved there. )
The H has a problem giving up authority tho and the brother wants out, so he throws himself on the mercy of the h and starts to build a new life.
Eventually the H's snarker fiancee shows up, a week before the wedding, at the h's house. (The engagement was announced in the paper two months after the h and crew left the H's town.) She is still a snarky twit, but the h gets her a place to stay with her BFF.
Finally the H shows up. He was really looking for his brother, but he stopped by to see the h because he missed her and he wanted to see her again. The H gets angry that the h is sheltering all the runaways from his hometown, but he also seems to realize his bossiness is driving people away.
There is an attempt to burn down the h's theater with her in it, there is another dramatic h and H firefighting scene and the h's stalker is arrested - he was the arsonist. The h and H have another fight when it is implied that if the h had only agreed to her stalker's pursuit, he wouldn't have started five fires and done untold amounts of damage.
The h loses her temper and tells the H that the only difference in the stalker's and his attitude towards her was that the H did not go around starting fires. Then she asks why is she responsible for a crime that could kill people and DID destroy tons of homes and property because she did not want to go out on a date with a creepy guy? The H has to have a moment to think about things and wanders off.
The fiancee decides she is not marrying the H, it turns out an MOC isn't her thing. Her father has cancer and he talked the H into marrying his daughter so she would be cared for when he was gone. The H hadn't found anyone special, but he figured it was time to get married, so he agreed.
But the fiancee is now the ex fiancee and the H's brother is an adult, so that leaves the H to apologize for being a bossy nematode. The H and h both declare their love in a really nice reconciliation scene and have a big purple passion moment.
Even better tho, the story doesn't end there. The H asks the h to marry him and makes a few noises about how they will be living on his ranch and having kids. The h very nicely kicks the H's assumptions down when she states that what if she can't have kids?
She can only promise for herself and why does he think she has to give up her theater, her house and her life to conform to his whims? The h tells the H she won't marry him, then she shows him the wedding photo from her first marriage.
In an absolutely brilliant scene, the H realizes that the h is his first love - but he is not HERS. It completely shatters his arrogance. The H understands the h's feelings of failure and he doesn't try to bully her into moving, wedding and baby making.
Instead they have six months of a long distance relationship commuting back and forth. Then the delayed Centennial celebrations are started again and the h and her troupe show up to do the shows they were originally supposed to do that got burned up instead.
The H and h meet in the middle of main street, the h realizing that her life would be as empty as the street if she lost the H and the H stealing a white rose and realizing that he needs to meet in the middle too, if he wants to make his and the h's relationship work.
In one of the best HEA's in all of HPlandia, the H and h agree to compromise. The h will start a truly underground theater in the cave amphitheater for six months, while the H is going to let his brother take over the ranch for a few years while he finishes his meteorology degree and lives at the h's house in Sydney.
The h wants to do the cave theater first and get married and she is still keeping her last name. The H says he will do the Sydney and college thing after her theater sublet runs out and she needs to return. They both want kids, if they can have them and there is big purple passion negotiations to work on the kids last names.
Tho they both realize that the locals in whatever area they are in will probably call them by the other person's last name, they figure they can live with that and a lifetime of love for the big pink, sparkly and very believable HEA.
This was a fabulous romance and I don't say that lightly. It really doesn't belong in HPlandia because of the sheer lack of utter whacktasticness, but it is a great book about how a relationship is supposed to work.
The H and h both learn not make assumptions and the H learns to bend while the h learns to compromise doesn't mean you have to be a doormat. The build up to the big love declaration is very believable.
I also really like how things we take for granted as women in society now, such as being able to say no to creepy guys without being called a tease or a tart, are brilliantly exampled and how the H realizes that the h is right to call him on it.
It wasn't always like that in the world and definitely not like that in the real world time period this book was written in. So huge HP Kudos to Ann Charlton for this one, it is real, it is relatable-even thirty years later-and I haven't had a better day's HPlandia outing in a really, really long time.
Grab this one and read it, you will be happy that you did and have yourself a very good day in the HP office.
She also got liberal calcium doses over the years and she uses them, this h has a spine of titanium, even in the face of full fledged Treacherous Body Syndrome.
The book starts with the h taking her small group of actors to Catastrophe, a small ranching town in the Australian Outback, that is suffering serious drought conditions. The h and her little troupe have an art grant to bring theater to the small town locals and their current tour involves a three play festival in honour of the town Centennial celebration.
The h is also contracted to put together a program with the local school children for their own celebration production. When the 31 year old h arrives with her three actors in tow, everyone is frazzled from the tour and the hot, dry conditions.
The h has her own theater back in Sydney and as her small actor troupe manages to offend the locals with their carrying local hayseed verbal remarks, the h is desperately wishing she was back there. When it turns out that the rooms that were supposed to be reserved for the troupe have not been due to some sort of booking error, the h is in dire straights.
Her actors are already angry at this point and a lack of suitable accommodations would entitle them to walk out. The h also feels terrible because she hit a kangaroo, that passed away on the road, plus she collected a persistent stalker who keeps following her on her tour and won't go away even tho she has told him she isn't interested--repeatedly.
So the h is more than a little frazzled when she is told the Big Boss she has to go see for a place to find alternative accommodation is out watching a fire. The h can't wait to make arrangements, her actors are hot, tired and have been on the road for weeks and they still have to get equipment things set up.
The h decides to just go out to the burn site and maybe get a quick chat for a place to stay, but when the big, macho Boss man ignores her and decides to make her wait another hour, the h has had enough of all the misogynistic patronizing she has had to endure.
In a hilarious scene, the h uses the big sound amp and broadcast equipment n her van to explain the situation to the Boss Man H- he is about a field or so away. The H saunters over and makes subtle innuendos about the differences between Actresses and Ladies - making it clear that he thinks the h is no better than a starlett tart.
The H even refuses to shake the h's hand, so the h has a few comments about chauvinists in return. The tension is rampant between the two of them, but the h has to concede defeat when the H tells her she can wait at his office in town or go to the local campground.
The h leaves and gets chased down by a motorcycle with the Boss H's brother on it, he gives her an address of a lady who has a boarding house open, and the h is pretty thankful. The boarding house only has 3 rooms available tho, so the h is forced to sleep in her van.
She parks in front of the H's office and very late that night, the H shows up from watching the fire to make sure it burns correctly. The H supposedly gave someone a message for the h, but she never got it. The H feels a tiny bit guilty about that, so he offers to let the h use his shower in his town council office.
The h accepts and more bantering is had. Then the H needs to borrow the h's van to go back and check the burn site, but the h drives him instead. The H assumes the h is trying to pick him up for a fling, so he tells her he is engaged.
The h is offended and more witty repartee is exchanged. Finally they both get back to the H's office and they both pass out on his office divan. When the h wakes up, her shirt is askew from sleeping and the H is next to her in underpants with umbrellas on them.
At this point the H's housekeeper/secretary walks in to deliver breakfast and there is some embarrassment as she is speculative and the H demands the h keep quiet about the sleeping on the same couch thing.
The h agrees, she doesn't poach on taken men, plus the h is still in recovery from a bad divorce. Seven years earlier the h was a lot more gullible and got married to a very manipulative man who essentially demanded that the h give up her interests for his.
The h eventually stopped being his doormat and allowing him to control her life when the ex's big birthday present was a gold cigarette lighter and the h had stopped smoking months earlier. (Which pretty much says it all about the demise of that relationship.)
The h got a divorce and got her life back, but she is very unhappy about her failure and tends to see domineering men as all lit by the same light.
The H decides that the h and her troupe will move in with him on his ranch. It is close to where the play is to be staged in the local amphitheater, which turns out to be a literal cave. As the h and crew settle in at the ranch, the H and h vacillate between having really in depth conversations about their beliefs and experiences and arguing in Lurve Force Mojo infused bickering.
(Like the first time the H could remember ever seeing rain and dancing naked in it and then bickering because of the incredibly misogynistic assumptions the H makes when he warns the from flirting with his younger 25 yr old brother.
Which the h nicely parries when she mentions the H's cradle robbing in his own fiancee - who is 23 to his 35 and clearly being groomed by her father as a compliant wife - even tho the lady herself is a snotty little snarker.)
Eventually the fires start encroaching on the area, a cause for real concern cause the h notices that the fires seem to be on the same tour path they are. The h's actors also revolt because they have to do their plays in a cave and they walk out.
Then the H's future fiancee, (we find out they aren't engaged yet, the H and the girl's father are just planning it,) finds out the h and H spent the night together on the H's office couch. The H tells the h to just leave cause he thinks the h blabbed her mouth, but really the H's long time housekeeper/secretary told her friend and her friend gossiped - the housekeeper doesn't like the snarker girl for the H's new wife.
The h and troupe start back to Sydney, but notice a big fire on the way and go back to tell the town. The h and her troupe are then roped into helping out with kid evacuee entertainment, taking supplies and food to the firefighters in their van and rescuing baby animals.
When the h gets to the H's assigned area, she doctors up the H's wounds from firefighting and rescues a baby wallaby. As the h is chasing the poor scared orphaned wallaby, the fires surrounds her and the H - he had followed the h to get her out of the area when he noticed the fire rising.
There is a very dramatic run through the smallest of the flames, the baby wallaby gets put in the H's fire suit and the h gets a little pink skinned from the heat. Everybody, including the wallaby, is saved. (One extra star for successful baby animal rescues, hurray!)
After the fire is successfully fought, the H and h have an almost roofie kissing moment. Until the h notices the H found her lighter, (the one her ex gave her and she carries as a lucky charm,) and learns the H believes that she might be an arsonist.
(Really it is the H's way of trying to find an alternative to thinking his little brother did it.)
The h loses her temper again and another lesson on chauvinistic misogyny is verbally delivered. The h leaves the next day, after another run in with the snarker almost fiancee and the H's very stilted goodbye.
The h is back in Sydney and sharing her experiences with her BFF - who is the h in AC's next book-the friend is the best kind of BFF tho, she doesn't try to pimp the h out to the H. She just makes the h think about her responses to the H and then she tells her to just have a raging affair if she really doesn't want to marry again.
The h thinks about that and then has to think some more when the H's little brother shows up and asks for a job. The h gives him a job and rents him her granny flat.
(We got the H's and the brother's backstory earlier, the H's parents died when he was 17. He gave up a meteorology degree to buy the ranch he lives and raise his brother - but the H is too used to acting like a parent and the brother is ready do his own thing and maybe partner with the H on their ranch - that was supposed to be the deal when they moved there. )
The H has a problem giving up authority tho and the brother wants out, so he throws himself on the mercy of the h and starts to build a new life.
Eventually the H's snarker fiancee shows up, a week before the wedding, at the h's house. (The engagement was announced in the paper two months after the h and crew left the H's town.) She is still a snarky twit, but the h gets her a place to stay with her BFF.
Finally the H shows up. He was really looking for his brother, but he stopped by to see the h because he missed her and he wanted to see her again. The H gets angry that the h is sheltering all the runaways from his hometown, but he also seems to realize his bossiness is driving people away.
There is an attempt to burn down the h's theater with her in it, there is another dramatic h and H firefighting scene and the h's stalker is arrested - he was the arsonist. The h and H have another fight when it is implied that if the h had only agreed to her stalker's pursuit, he wouldn't have started five fires and done untold amounts of damage.
The h loses her temper and tells the H that the only difference in the stalker's and his attitude towards her was that the H did not go around starting fires. Then she asks why is she responsible for a crime that could kill people and DID destroy tons of homes and property because she did not want to go out on a date with a creepy guy? The H has to have a moment to think about things and wanders off.
The fiancee decides she is not marrying the H, it turns out an MOC isn't her thing. Her father has cancer and he talked the H into marrying his daughter so she would be cared for when he was gone. The H hadn't found anyone special, but he figured it was time to get married, so he agreed.
But the fiancee is now the ex fiancee and the H's brother is an adult, so that leaves the H to apologize for being a bossy nematode. The H and h both declare their love in a really nice reconciliation scene and have a big purple passion moment.
Even better tho, the story doesn't end there. The H asks the h to marry him and makes a few noises about how they will be living on his ranch and having kids. The h very nicely kicks the H's assumptions down when she states that what if she can't have kids?
She can only promise for herself and why does he think she has to give up her theater, her house and her life to conform to his whims? The h tells the H she won't marry him, then she shows him the wedding photo from her first marriage.
In an absolutely brilliant scene, the H realizes that the h is his first love - but he is not HERS. It completely shatters his arrogance. The H understands the h's feelings of failure and he doesn't try to bully her into moving, wedding and baby making.
Instead they have six months of a long distance relationship commuting back and forth. Then the delayed Centennial celebrations are started again and the h and her troupe show up to do the shows they were originally supposed to do that got burned up instead.
The H and h meet in the middle of main street, the h realizing that her life would be as empty as the street if she lost the H and the H stealing a white rose and realizing that he needs to meet in the middle too, if he wants to make his and the h's relationship work.
In one of the best HEA's in all of HPlandia, the H and h agree to compromise. The h will start a truly underground theater in the cave amphitheater for six months, while the H is going to let his brother take over the ranch for a few years while he finishes his meteorology degree and lives at the h's house in Sydney.
The h wants to do the cave theater first and get married and she is still keeping her last name. The H says he will do the Sydney and college thing after her theater sublet runs out and she needs to return. They both want kids, if they can have them and there is big purple passion negotiations to work on the kids last names.
Tho they both realize that the locals in whatever area they are in will probably call them by the other person's last name, they figure they can live with that and a lifetime of love for the big pink, sparkly and very believable HEA.
This was a fabulous romance and I don't say that lightly. It really doesn't belong in HPlandia because of the sheer lack of utter whacktasticness, but it is a great book about how a relationship is supposed to work.
The H and h both learn not make assumptions and the H learns to bend while the h learns to compromise doesn't mean you have to be a doormat. The build up to the big love declaration is very believable.
I also really like how things we take for granted as women in society now, such as being able to say no to creepy guys without being called a tease or a tart, are brilliantly exampled and how the H realizes that the h is right to call him on it.
It wasn't always like that in the world and definitely not like that in the real world time period this book was written in. So huge HP Kudos to Ann Charlton for this one, it is real, it is relatable-even thirty years later-and I haven't had a better day's HPlandia outing in a really, really long time.
Grab this one and read it, you will be happy that you did and have yourself a very good day in the HP office.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2018
In a post card to a friend, heroine describes the hero as a MCP - that's Male Chauvinist Pig - and it is an accurate summing up. He is no prize when heroine first meets him - he's stuck in his ways, is convinced he has his life figured out - has the heroine and her troop of actors figured out. But in a paraphrase of that immortal meme:
You know nothing, Male Chauvinist Pig.
The hero does grow and change during the story (which Boogenhagen has described in her comprehensive review). The heroine is never diminished and never loses that snarktastic point of view that has served her so well in life. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's tone and delivery- such as the running joke of the horrible paintings.
I also enjoyed the literary devices the author deployed. The wildfires were plot points and did double duty as symbols of passion and destructive passion. The hero never seeing rain until he was ten years old was an interesting way to show his narrow, parched existence, but it also showed that he changed his worldview as child. This anecdote was a effective foreshadowing that the hero was capable of discovery and change.
That it took him so long, and that he stayed engaged to the OW is what knocked this down a star. He would have married the OW if she hadn't changed her mind. That's not hero behavior even though the author tries to make it about honoring commitments. (That's fulfilling a contract, not romance, author.) Thankfully, the heroine made him work for his HEA for a year after his engagement to the OW ended.
Outback Checklist:
Wild fires
Boss man of the district
Gossiping locals
Long, dusty distances
Suspicion of the big city
Tough cuts of beef for dinner
Caves
Heroine is not a virgin - she's divorced.
Hero never slept with the OW and he never kissed her on the mouth after meeting the heroine.
Kangaroos (heroine killed one with her van)
Wallabies (hero saves it)
You know nothing, Male Chauvinist Pig.
The hero does grow and change during the story (which Boogenhagen has described in her comprehensive review). The heroine is never diminished and never loses that snarktastic point of view that has served her so well in life. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's tone and delivery- such as the running joke of the horrible paintings.
I also enjoyed the literary devices the author deployed. The wildfires were plot points and did double duty as symbols of passion and destructive passion. The hero never seeing rain until he was ten years old was an interesting way to show his narrow, parched existence, but it also showed that he changed his worldview as child. This anecdote was a effective foreshadowing that the hero was capable of discovery and change.
That it took him so long, and that he stayed engaged to the OW is what knocked this down a star. He would have married the OW if she hadn't changed her mind. That's not hero behavior even though the author tries to make it about honoring commitments. (That's fulfilling a contract, not romance, author.) Thankfully, the heroine made him work for his HEA for a year after his engagement to the OW ended.
Outback Checklist:
Wild fires
Boss man of the district
Gossiping locals
Long, dusty distances
Suspicion of the big city
Tough cuts of beef for dinner
Caves
Heroine is not a virgin - she's divorced.
Hero never slept with the OW and he never kissed her on the mouth after meeting the heroine.
Kangaroos (heroine killed one with her van)
Wallabies (hero saves it)
April 24, 2025
The so-called heroine is the Other Woman who comes between the "hero" and his fiancee, a twelve year younger woman that he unironically calls "kitten." Yukkk.
Hero would have happily married OW if she hadn't jilted him one week before the wedding. This of course didn't prevent him from making out with heroine on the sly during his engagement. He then asked heroine on a date the day after the jilting.
He had zero respect for heroine, believing, alternatively, that she was a promiscuous tart, or a freaking arsonist! He admitted time and again that he was physically attracted to her despite himself and it seemed like he was torn between revulsion and lust for her.
I have zero respect for a heroine who runs after a man despite the fact that he, his fiancee, and everyone else repeatedly warns her off.
I am TIRED of books where there is cheating, the heroine is second best, and the hero is obsessed by someone/something else.
Another epic fail to add to the rest :(
Hero would have happily married OW if she hadn't jilted him one week before the wedding. This of course didn't prevent him from making out with heroine on the sly during his engagement. He then asked heroine on a date the day after the jilting.
He had zero respect for heroine, believing, alternatively, that she was a promiscuous tart, or a freaking arsonist! He admitted time and again that he was physically attracted to her despite himself and it seemed like he was torn between revulsion and lust for her.
I have zero respect for a heroine who runs after a man despite the fact that he, his fiancee, and everyone else repeatedly warns her off.
I am TIRED of books where there is cheating, the heroine is second best, and the hero is obsessed by someone/something else.
Another epic fail to add to the rest :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2018
Beautifully written, totally engaging love story. Not your typical Harly. Tons of fire details, which I love. Not too much deep POV, thank goodness. The humor was perfect. All of the characters--including H/h, and 2ndary characters, were well developed.
Will def. be re-reading this. It's a keeper!
Grade: A
Will def. be re-reading this. It's a keeper!
Grade: A
March 10, 2013
Meh. I'm not crazy about books where the hero:
1) spends almost the entire book engaged to another woman -- although, in this book, he was only "almost" engaged for most of it...he actually did get engaged to the OW near the end and the heroine saw the announcement in the newspaper
2) doesn't want to be attracted to the heroine so he's not all that nice to her and is, at times, downright insulting
3) doesn't choose her 'til near the end -- actually, he didn't choose her at all...
...so the heroine got the hero by default.
Wow, that's so romantic.
The author's writing style was good; I guess I didn't like the plot choices she used to convey romance. I have other books of hers on my tbr list, so I hope that "hero engaged to/involved with OW, resists heroine through insults, etc." isn't her m.o.
Oh yeah, one more thing. After all that, she said "I love you" first. That bugged me.
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July 6, 2021
Hard to get past that he was about to marry someone else and probably would have if his fiancée didn't dump him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2023
Now THAT'S more like it. Fabulous outback and Sidney setting- you could taste the scorching heat. Fabulous sparky h, theatre director Emma and man's man Matt "Boss" Mackenzie (excellent quota of bare chested, biceppy appearances). The dialogue was on point and the sexual tension as hot as the bush fires. A great cast of supporting characters, a proper story, perfect pace and a highly satisfactory exploration of the endless pull and push of the battle of the sexes and the compromise of relationships.
AC makes several pertinent points in great style including one early on when they meet and are in an isolated position and he suddenly appears threatening.
"Arrogant devil, deliberately playing on fears that he never had to bother about. Men gave you every reason to distrust them, then made you feel an idiot for doing so. "
Really good HP.
AC makes several pertinent points in great style including one early on when they meet and are in an isolated position and he suddenly appears threatening.
"Arrogant devil, deliberately playing on fears that he never had to bother about. Men gave you every reason to distrust them, then made you feel an idiot for doing so. "
Really good HP.
October 5, 2010
The chemistry is "hot", but more importantly it feels very real. Emma and Mackenzie's first meeting is antagonistic but they feel the instant pull of attraction, and are loath to avoid it. I especially like how Charlton handles their relationship even after they admitted they loved each other. It made me truly think, "OK, this may just work out for them, for good, forever."
This was rather poignant for me too given how fresh in our minds the most devastating Victorian bushfires still are, and how dangerous and brave a job it is for the people who volunteer themselves to put them out.
This was rather poignant for me too given how fresh in our minds the most devastating Victorian bushfires still are, and how dangerous and brave a job it is for the people who volunteer themselves to put them out.
June 15, 2022
Awesome h! H was lovable too but I took off a star because he was engaged to another woman for most of the book and he would’ve married her if she hadn’t jilted him - i like my hero’s to not be able to do that.
January 23, 2022
Men gave you every reason to distrust them, then made you feel like an idiot for doing so.
Amen sister.
Amen sister.
May 3, 2023
They...... Cheat meh 😑
December 16, 2025
This one was very different for a Harlequin in both tone and writing style; low on drama and angst, yet the emotions felt real and mature, about as close to real life as a romance can get.
August 27, 2014
Just read this story, and it reminded me of the fallen firefighters of Arizona. Too sad. :(
June 9, 2015
Novela romántica.
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