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Emerald Fire
GOLDEN GLOWWhen his brother died for loving gorgeous Bianca Antonelli, determined Evan Sinclair swore to find the killer -- by seducing the dangerous temptress who lured him to his death. Having long explored the myriad ways of pleasuring a woman, the hot-blooded captain knew exactly how he'd stroke the blonde witch's swelling curves and savor her creamy flesh. But once he had her willingly surrendering all he sought, .the lust for violent revenge gave way to the desire for unrestrained rapture!AMBER HEATThough she was engaged to the wealthiest man in Venice, lovely Bianca felt she was the unhappiest girl in the world. Then she met the tall, auburn-haired American and she decided she had to know passion for at least one night before her dreaded wedding day. Evan was insolent and wild, brash and uncivil, but just his glance made her flush with a sensual longing she'd never before felt. The green-eyed beauty gave herself completely to the stranger, forgetting the consequences in the furnace of her ecstasy's EMERALD FIRE .
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
64 people want to read
About the author
Phoebe Conn
55 books56 followersPhoebe Conn is the maiden name and pseudonym of Phoebe Jane Conn a best-selling American author of thirty-seven romance novels. She has also published three futuristic romances under the pseudonym Cinnamon Burke.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 22, 2016
3.5 stars.
My review for Emerald Fire by Phoebe Conn will be posted at Romancing the Book Blog in the near future.
http://romancing-the-book.com/
My review for Emerald Fire by Phoebe Conn will be posted at Romancing the Book Blog in the near future.
http://romancing-the-book.com/
October 9, 2019
Reviewed by Julie
Book provided by the publisher
This is one of those historical novels that might fall into the ‘unusual’ category. This is a ‘retro-romance’, a book originally published in the late eighties and has now been given new life in the digital world.
Bianca, a sixteen year old girl in Venice, with a British heritage, is fighting her father’s insistence she marry a man she doesn’t love, and who is a cold fish. When Evan, a mysterious man from America, suddenly appears in her life, he sweeps her off her feet.
Before Bianca can absorb the impulsive decision to run away with Evan, she finds herself aboard his ship, in the middle of the ocean, being married by the captain. Little does she know, her new husband has a mission, and she is at the heart of it. Does Evan love her or is her only using her as a means to an end?
So, what makes this book so unusual? The dual locations of Virginia and Venice is unique, especially for the modern reader who most likely never gets to read a historical romance that isn’t a regency, or set in Scotland, or if one is super lucky, in France.
Secondly, the age difference between Bianca and Evan might raise some eyebrows because today we would consider this type of marriage wrong on many levels. Still, the relationship shouldn’t cause the reader to recoil, since in this time frame, such marriages were quite common.
Bianca is a figure that is at once frustrating, and delightful. My heart went out to her because she was telling Evan the truth as she knew it, knew nothing of his thirst for revenge or his suspicions regarding her family and former fiancé, or that she was in essence being used as bait.
She attempts to adjust to marriage, please her husband, and make a good wife, but is thwarted at every turn. Still, she can behave like a petulant child at times, is a little too naïve, and her pampered lifestyle occasionally breaks through, making it hard for her to understand some issues of propriety or how harsh life is for some people.
All the same, she is a spunky character, full of life, and doesn’t take Evan’s treatment of her in stride. She has her pride and means to excavate herself from a marriage in which she is only a pawn.
Evan, is a man consumed by rage and a lust for vengeance after his half-brother is murdered, allegedly over a woman. Evan is determined to see justice done, and bring peace to his frail mother. His mission nearly becomes an obsession, with Bianca caught in the middle.
Initially, I didn’t trust Evan, and throughout most of the story I was on the fence about him. My main issue was his continued dishonesty with his wife, and his tunnel vision in regards to finding his brother’s murderer, and my doubt about his loving Bianca. But, I do like a hero that is a little mysterious, as it adds a little more tension into the story.
I enjoy a good mystery and this story has a ‘whodunit’ atmosphere, especially in the last quarter of the book as both Evan and Bianca turn into amateur sleuths to discover who murdered Charles. Still, I wondered if after all was said and done, if Evan and Bianca would manage to salvage a marriage based on such premises. Will true love come to the rescue?
Many people shy away from historical romance novels written in the eighties and nineties because the awful reputation some of them have for being ‘bodice rippers’, when in fact, most of these older titles are not. While the covers of these Zebra titles published back then, may give off that vibe, most of these are pretty standard historical romances, perhaps with a bit more reality in them, which showcases the true adversity women faced throughout history. While this is infuriating, it is factual, and I like seeing these women overcome staggering odds to find true love. However, in this case, Bianca and Evan were so tame they could easily fit into today’s regency trope. The steam level in this book borders on PG 13 and R rated, as there are many steamy love scenes, but by today’s standards are very, very tame, and do not instruct us on where all the parts go.
Overall, this is a good story, but it's pretty light fare, making it a book both older and younger audiences will enjoy. I love reading these titles from authors I read back in the day, revisiting the stories that pioneered the historical romance genre and made it great. So, don’t judge a book by its cover- check some of these older titles out from time to time, you just might discover a hidden gem.
Book provided by the publisher
This is one of those historical novels that might fall into the ‘unusual’ category. This is a ‘retro-romance’, a book originally published in the late eighties and has now been given new life in the digital world.
Bianca, a sixteen year old girl in Venice, with a British heritage, is fighting her father’s insistence she marry a man she doesn’t love, and who is a cold fish. When Evan, a mysterious man from America, suddenly appears in her life, he sweeps her off her feet.
Before Bianca can absorb the impulsive decision to run away with Evan, she finds herself aboard his ship, in the middle of the ocean, being married by the captain. Little does she know, her new husband has a mission, and she is at the heart of it. Does Evan love her or is her only using her as a means to an end?
So, what makes this book so unusual? The dual locations of Virginia and Venice is unique, especially for the modern reader who most likely never gets to read a historical romance that isn’t a regency, or set in Scotland, or if one is super lucky, in France.
Secondly, the age difference between Bianca and Evan might raise some eyebrows because today we would consider this type of marriage wrong on many levels. Still, the relationship shouldn’t cause the reader to recoil, since in this time frame, such marriages were quite common.
Bianca is a figure that is at once frustrating, and delightful. My heart went out to her because she was telling Evan the truth as she knew it, knew nothing of his thirst for revenge or his suspicions regarding her family and former fiancé, or that she was in essence being used as bait.
She attempts to adjust to marriage, please her husband, and make a good wife, but is thwarted at every turn. Still, she can behave like a petulant child at times, is a little too naïve, and her pampered lifestyle occasionally breaks through, making it hard for her to understand some issues of propriety or how harsh life is for some people.
All the same, she is a spunky character, full of life, and doesn’t take Evan’s treatment of her in stride. She has her pride and means to excavate herself from a marriage in which she is only a pawn.
Evan, is a man consumed by rage and a lust for vengeance after his half-brother is murdered, allegedly over a woman. Evan is determined to see justice done, and bring peace to his frail mother. His mission nearly becomes an obsession, with Bianca caught in the middle.
Initially, I didn’t trust Evan, and throughout most of the story I was on the fence about him. My main issue was his continued dishonesty with his wife, and his tunnel vision in regards to finding his brother’s murderer, and my doubt about his loving Bianca. But, I do like a hero that is a little mysterious, as it adds a little more tension into the story.
I enjoy a good mystery and this story has a ‘whodunit’ atmosphere, especially in the last quarter of the book as both Evan and Bianca turn into amateur sleuths to discover who murdered Charles. Still, I wondered if after all was said and done, if Evan and Bianca would manage to salvage a marriage based on such premises. Will true love come to the rescue?
Many people shy away from historical romance novels written in the eighties and nineties because the awful reputation some of them have for being ‘bodice rippers’, when in fact, most of these older titles are not. While the covers of these Zebra titles published back then, may give off that vibe, most of these are pretty standard historical romances, perhaps with a bit more reality in them, which showcases the true adversity women faced throughout history. While this is infuriating, it is factual, and I like seeing these women overcome staggering odds to find true love. However, in this case, Bianca and Evan were so tame they could easily fit into today’s regency trope. The steam level in this book borders on PG 13 and R rated, as there are many steamy love scenes, but by today’s standards are very, very tame, and do not instruct us on where all the parts go.
Overall, this is a good story, but it's pretty light fare, making it a book both older and younger audiences will enjoy. I love reading these titles from authors I read back in the day, revisiting the stories that pioneered the historical romance genre and made it great. So, don’t judge a book by its cover- check some of these older titles out from time to time, you just might discover a hidden gem.
February 3, 2025
It had a few good points, but not enough of them. It tried to be both a historical romance and a murder mystery, and didn't succeed enough at either. The most outstanding part was when the h pointed out that the H overlooked an important clue in searching for a mystery woman who was supposedly his late brother's mistress. He had her handkerchief embroidered with an initial, which he assumed was for her last name, but the h told him that while men used their last name initial, women would use their first, since they'd assume their last name would change when they got married. An interesting observation, but when it ends up being the highlight of the book, then the book's in trouble.
Because the h was so young (too young for the H, even with the time period), some of her actions could be excused, but how ridiculous can she get when she agrees (in an attempt to help solve the murder mystery) to not only live in the same house as a lecherous artist (whom she also suspects of being a murderer) but to pose nude for him as well! The man had made it clear she turned him on, and he kept hoping to change her mind about sleeping with him. His moral scruples were in the subbasement, and it's a wonder she wasn't raped, reclining nude on a chaise lounge (while he sketched/enjoyed the view) making her an easy target! UNBELIEVABLE!!!
I didn't feel any real chemistry between the couple either, even when they were in the throes of passion, which tells you a lot.
It's only that handkerchief clue that made me give this another star, not a good reason to read the whole book, so I suggest you skip it.
Because the h was so young (too young for the H, even with the time period), some of her actions could be excused, but how ridiculous can she get when she agrees (in an attempt to help solve the murder mystery) to not only live in the same house as a lecherous artist (whom she also suspects of being a murderer) but to pose nude for him as well! The man had made it clear she turned him on, and he kept hoping to change her mind about sleeping with him. His moral scruples were in the subbasement, and it's a wonder she wasn't raped, reclining nude on a chaise lounge (while he sketched/enjoyed the view) making her an easy target! UNBELIEVABLE!!!
I didn't feel any real chemistry between the couple either, even when they were in the throes of passion, which tells you a lot.
It's only that handkerchief clue that made me give this another star, not a good reason to read the whole book, so I suggest you skip it.
April 26, 2016
A lovely read.
The decriptions of Venice are just magical and nice historic details.
They meet by chance or do they?
Believing they met by chance Bianca soon becomes attracted to the handsome American and falls in love. Evan has a deep secret that leads him to seek out the lovely Bianca but soon finds himself deeply attracted to her. He will do anything to capture her and take her back to America. So under his spell she leaves Venice under the cover of darkness to sail across the ocean to her new home.
Evan is soon drawn under the spell of love and has a hard time remembering why he tricked her when all he desires is her love and happiness. The truth gets exposured leaving Bianca brokenhearted and her trust in Evan destroyed, so back to Venice she goes.
Once in Venice they will get another shot at solving his brother's murder and rebuilding their marriage if someone doesn't kill them first.
Passion, jealous, mystery, murder, and adventure what more could you want!
A well written read that is still as fresh today as it was in the 1980's. Her writting is so poetic and descriptive.
The decriptions of Venice are just magical and nice historic details.
They meet by chance or do they?
Believing they met by chance Bianca soon becomes attracted to the handsome American and falls in love. Evan has a deep secret that leads him to seek out the lovely Bianca but soon finds himself deeply attracted to her. He will do anything to capture her and take her back to America. So under his spell she leaves Venice under the cover of darkness to sail across the ocean to her new home.
Evan is soon drawn under the spell of love and has a hard time remembering why he tricked her when all he desires is her love and happiness. The truth gets exposured leaving Bianca brokenhearted and her trust in Evan destroyed, so back to Venice she goes.
Once in Venice they will get another shot at solving his brother's murder and rebuilding their marriage if someone doesn't kill them first.
Passion, jealous, mystery, murder, and adventure what more could you want!
A well written read that is still as fresh today as it was in the 1980's. Her writting is so poetic and descriptive.
Read
February 23, 2011Good story. Year 1785. Evan Sinclaire wants to find his brothers killer , takes a ship to Venice & falls in love w/girl that he thought was his brother was killed because of her. He marries her on ship & etc etc happy ending.
November 19, 2010
If the author had used half the adjectives, the book would have been half as long and half as stupid as it was.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews