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Latimore Saga #2

by Emma Goldrick

Faith and Hope led them into each other's armsBecky Latimore's little sisters, Faith and Hope, thought it was high time she got married. Doctor or not, she was already twenty-seven years old!So they "checked out" Jake Meadows, their new--and only--neighbor. He was a lot like their daddy, they decided, and that was good enough for them.But all Becky wanted was a summer of peace and quiet in New England's Berkshire Hills. And there was no peace with the infuriating, fascinating Jake Meadows around.. . .

Genres: Harlequin Romance, Harlequin, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance

Paperback Shinsho

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Emma Goldrick is the penname used by the marriage formed by Emma Elizabeth Jean Sutcliffe, borned 7 February 1923 in Puerto Rico, and Robert N. Goldrick, borned on 22 March 1919 in Massachusetts, USA. They met in Puerto Rico, where married. She was a licensed practical nurse, volunteered with American Red Cross and she taught American Sign Language and he was a career USA military man. Thirty years and 4 children later they retired, and in 1980 they started to write in collaboration, and their first novel was accepted and published in 1983 by Mills & Boon. They continued publishing 40 novels until Robert passed away at 76, in 22 January 1996. After her husband death, she published her last novel and retired. Emma Goldrick passed away at 85, in 20 November 2008.

Reviews

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Tempered by Fire" is the story of Becky and Jake.

The heroine comes from a large, boisterous family- the youngest of which decide to set her up with her dashing neighbor. They begin their relationship with a kiss and a dive, and things only get worse. The book has meddlesome siblings, loads of banter, some OW drama, sweet kisses and a HEA. Comedy of errors, but very disjointed- lots was happening with little attention to the MC's chemistry

Safe
2.5/5

[Saly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and quite decent. The heroine had a crazy, loving match-making family. The hero seemed like a bum who was an army guy and came for some seclusion to write and instead finds himself in the middle of Latimers and the doctor sister Becky. Then there is a crazy other woman the hero is trying to get rid of and uses the heroine and then there is a life threatening fire, this part annoyed me a bit and seemed over the top.

One more thing that annoyed me was the internal monologue of the heroine but I will be trying out other books by this author.

[EeeJay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything - humor - kids - mom - dads - suspense - mystery - OW - misunderstanding - sequel-ship and finally....HEA

[JillyB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Latimore saga. In this second book, first book is The Road

For me this was a 3-3.5 ⭐️ It was entertaining but not something I would have to read again.

I liked how this story takes place almost 12 years after the the first story. We get to see how the couple in the first story are doing because they are the parents to our Heroine, Becky.

Basically, the H, Jake, and the heroine meet while both are recovering physically. He has a small cabin in the woods of Massachusetts where he is writing a book and keeping away from others. The h is recovering from malaria.

The story begins with a huge meet cute where the H believes the h is passed out. He came to believe she was passed out when her 3 much younger siblings(18+years) approached him(they were looking for their sister’s future mate). By the time he “rescues” the h, he has her stripped naked and he is rubbing her dry with a towel. The h’s mom walks into this.

Anyhoo it ends up that the h isn’t wanting a relationship as she is busy becoming a Dr. of surgery. Both are not looking for a relationship, so of course they develop a relationship(lots of cute banter and some light kisses) Then the OW flies in . She ends up staying with the h, and her little sister, because they live in huge house, while the H has a 1 room cabin. Moving right along a life and death situation comes up and choices need to be made. During this time the h realizes that the H is a bachelor for life and he was coming on to the h to make the OW go away. Meanwhile, when the H asks the h about marriage she was like, well other girls may like you but you are 🤢 to me!

Therefore we end up with 2 people who both believe the other has no intention of marrying. He leaves to recover and finish his book. The h has lost her spark and decides that there will never be another. She gets her farmhouse set up so she can take care of her ‘uncle Charley” Plus she decides being a surgeon is not what she wants.

Thank goodness for meddling rich families. The Latimore’s get involved and get these two lovebirds back together, and each of them admit their love for the other. He dedicates his book to her. Asks her if she is ok living anywhere and that they can open a husband/wife clinic. It sounds at first that her money could be an issue for him, but our Latimore girls work for their money, and donate that which is extra.

What I really Like: I really like seeing the h and H from the first book. They are still so happy and have increased their family. We also see Becky’s brother has 4 kids. I like both of the characters, I liked the story, but it just didn’t have that huge happy contented sigh feeling I like to get when I am done with a story. There was possibly more adventure in this book then I would usually want. I like the extreme duress to come from the actual lovers, not forces of nature. Part of me wanted the ending to have a little more to it, but it was still satisfying. `

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sequence of events that led to H/h first encounter was a slapstick to read. The young siblings of Becky misled the hero into thinking that she was injured and in dire need of medical attention. (Becky was Mary Kate’s stepdaughter adopted by Bruce after their marriage.) A dunk in the pool, partial disrobement and an incident with a chocolate revolver follow. But after this promising start, the plot became run-of-the-mill. If it weren’t for the convenient forest fire that bonded the H/h in a crisis, I don’t know how or what could fire them up to end in each other’s arms – aside from humor and shared professions. Their chemistry needed a leeetttle something (propane perhaps?) to be combustible.

Also, Becky’s insecurity about her place in the Latimore family – being just a stepsister and not as bright as Mattie -- is a tad surprising.

What interests me more was seeing Mary Kate and Bruce’s growing brood of children and how they were very much still in love and passionate with each other after 10 years of marriage. No fires needed to be tempered here.

[AnnuhJuun B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good plot, captivating action. But the ending seemed a little rushed.

[Caz · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was an OK read. The beginning was slapstick to the point of silliness, and there were too many characters, with pages and pages devoted to them and not to the main couple. I didn't care for the heroine, whom I found irritating, charmless, far too quarrelsome and melodramatic (if she's not snapping at the hero, she's crying or about to cry) and very childish, as reflected in her endless and rather nutty internal monologuing. To give you a small sample:

We'll have fun, if nothing else? The words tumbled around in her empty brain. Who's the bigger fool, he or I? Of course, I'd love to act as his girl-friend, but my damn pride won't let me! What does he mean, we'll have fun? He and this new one? He and I? He and I and she - whoever she is? Well, I just don't like the man, and I certainly don't intend to play the third corner in a triangle. Not me, Buster!

And she's like this through the Whole. Damn. Book. There are paragraphs of her arguing with her own conscience. It was exhausting. I was as astounded as the hero to learn she was a 27-year-old doctor. "I wish I could read lips," he chortled from behind her. "You are certainly one crazy mixed-up lady, Rebecca." A perfectly apt description!

[PAINTED BOX]

Faith and Hope led them into each other's arms

Becky Latimore's little sisters, Faith and Hope, thought it was high time she got married. Doctor or not, she was already twenty-seven years old!

So they "checked out" Jake Meadows, their new--and only--neighbor. He was a lot like their daddy, they decided, and that was good enough for them.

But all Becky wanted was a summer of peace and quiet in New England's Berkshire Hills. And there was no peace with the infuriating, fascinating Jake Meadows around.. . .