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Fire and Spice
To Zoe Langdon, Bryant Sinclair was a dream come true—an almost perfect Mr. Right with an instant family to boot! There was just one problem—whatever was going on between them was clearly going to be a temporary arrangement. Deserted by one woman, Bryant had no desire to let another get close. He would kiss Zoe, make love to her even, but despite the fire and spice their relationship promised, he was quite prepared to let her go!
186 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Karen van der Zee
94 books41 followersI always wanted to write, ever since I was a child growing up in Holland. I was a dreamer, reading books and making up my own stories. I had notebooks full of stories which I illustrated with crayon drawings. My brothers burned the notebooks in the attic one day, fortunately not burning down the house. They don’t remember this now, but I do!
I also always wanted to travel. Holland is very flat and I wanted to see mountains and coconut palms and tropical beaches and deserts. I wanted to meet interesting people and learn about different cultures and see how people lived their daily lives. And then I wanted to write adventurous stories set in these exotic places
I got lucky and fell in love with a globetrotting American. I met him in Amsterdam, he asked me to marry him in Rome, and we tied the knot in a ten-minute ceremony in Kenya, East Africa, where he was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Some wedding that was! Not the stuff of romantic dreams, but really good for a laugh.
After Kenya we lived in the States for a while, then four years in Ghana, West Africa where not only our first daughter was born, but my first Mills & Boon romance as well. It took me a year to write, which is three months longer than it takes to have a baby. It was set in Ghana, and I called it SWEET NOT ALWAYS, a slogan found on a big colorfully decorated truck that transported people, goods, and live chickens.
I continued writing romances and loved the creativity of it, although it was, and is, never easy. Later we also lived in Indonesia, Ramallah (Palestine), then another three years in Ghana, and most recently six years in Armenia, which lies east of Turkey and north of Iran. Along the way we acquired a couple more kids, so now we have three.
I’ve written over thirty books now, many set in exotic locations such as Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Kenya and Ghana, as well as Holland and the US. Writing as Mona van Wieren, I received a RITA for a Silhouette Romance entitled RHAPSODY IN BLOOM.
I love the challenge of living in a foreign country where the food is different, the people interesting and life gives me endless inspiration for my writing. So, I’ll just keep going for a while.
I also always wanted to travel. Holland is very flat and I wanted to see mountains and coconut palms and tropical beaches and deserts. I wanted to meet interesting people and learn about different cultures and see how people lived their daily lives. And then I wanted to write adventurous stories set in these exotic places
I got lucky and fell in love with a globetrotting American. I met him in Amsterdam, he asked me to marry him in Rome, and we tied the knot in a ten-minute ceremony in Kenya, East Africa, where he was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Some wedding that was! Not the stuff of romantic dreams, but really good for a laugh.
After Kenya we lived in the States for a while, then four years in Ghana, West Africa where not only our first daughter was born, but my first Mills & Boon romance as well. It took me a year to write, which is three months longer than it takes to have a baby. It was set in Ghana, and I called it SWEET NOT ALWAYS, a slogan found on a big colorfully decorated truck that transported people, goods, and live chickens.
I continued writing romances and loved the creativity of it, although it was, and is, never easy. Later we also lived in Indonesia, Ramallah (Palestine), then another three years in Ghana, and most recently six years in Armenia, which lies east of Turkey and north of Iran. Along the way we acquired a couple more kids, so now we have three.
I’ve written over thirty books now, many set in exotic locations such as Bali, Thailand, Malaysia, Java, Kenya and Ghana, as well as Holland and the US. Writing as Mona van Wieren, I received a RITA for a Silhouette Romance entitled RHAPSODY IN BLOOM.
I love the challenge of living in a foreign country where the food is different, the people interesting and life gives me endless inspiration for my writing. So, I’ll just keep going for a while.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 20, 2019
"Fire and Spice" is the story of Zoe and Bryant.
Our h is a well traveled school counselor, our H a businessman single dad. They are neighbors, and the heroine also is responsible for taking care of the H's son at school, who has been doing poorly in his academics lately.
The first half of the book briefly explores the attraction between the h and H, but the main focus still remains the H's son Paul. The h wants to help him, the H comes off as very boorish and arrogant, refusing to take the h's advice on anything related to managing his child. There are brief kisses, but the H continues to push the h away.
In the second half, they take their relationship to the next level, only for the H to reject the h when she demands a label on what they have. There is some OM drama, loads of push and pull, some life altering decisions, mini grovel and a happy ending. Instead of fade to black, Ms Zee does address the obviously unsolved plots before ending the book- which I did appreciate.
The hero totally annoyed me and was very rigid and unlikable- I get that he had a shitty ex, but it was not an excuse to be so obstinate. The heroine was strong as a person but weepy in love. Average read.
Safe
2/5
Our h is a well traveled school counselor, our H a businessman single dad. They are neighbors, and the heroine also is responsible for taking care of the H's son at school, who has been doing poorly in his academics lately.
The first half of the book briefly explores the attraction between the h and H, but the main focus still remains the H's son Paul. The h wants to help him, the H comes off as very boorish and arrogant, refusing to take the h's advice on anything related to managing his child. There are brief kisses, but the H continues to push the h away.
In the second half, they take their relationship to the next level, only for the H to reject the h when she demands a label on what they have. There is some OM drama, loads of push and pull, some life altering decisions, mini grovel and a happy ending. Instead of fade to black, Ms Zee does address the obviously unsolved plots before ending the book- which I did appreciate.
The hero totally annoyed me and was very rigid and unlikable- I get that he had a shitty ex, but it was not an excuse to be so obstinate. The heroine was strong as a person but weepy in love. Average read.
Safe
2/5
May 21, 2017
Very routine kind of story , nothing new for me as I was expecting. This is my second book of the author, I liked the other book very much for its unique plot and characters but this book disappointed me.
May 4, 2012
I kind of liked this book, it didn't have some huge conflict still it was very well written. The heroine is 29 and has spent the past six years overseas but she now feels like putting down roots so she has returned to the States and taken a job as a counsellor, a student which is of interest to her is twelve year old Paul, the son of her neighbour.
Paul seems withdrawn and is not doing well in school despite his old stellar record in Argentina, so she calls in her father, who acts as if it is no big deal and that Paul is still adjusting to leaving everything familiar behind. Even when they go on a date their differing views on Paul get in the way, he tells his son to be tough while she thinks he should be more understanding, soon this conflict is resolved and they are in a relationship and happy.
But the heroine soon sees that in her happiness she is turning a blind eye to the future and that the hero seems to be planning to go overseas again and never talks about the future with her or confide about his past. So, despite it being hurtful she confronts him and breaks it off.
Now, I like a strong heroine who tries to move on and this features that and she involves herself in outside activities and even plans to move herself, when it is the hero who comes to her and begs her to stay.
Paul seems withdrawn and is not doing well in school despite his old stellar record in Argentina, so she calls in her father, who acts as if it is no big deal and that Paul is still adjusting to leaving everything familiar behind. Even when they go on a date their differing views on Paul get in the way, he tells his son to be tough while she thinks he should be more understanding, soon this conflict is resolved and they are in a relationship and happy.
But the heroine soon sees that in her happiness she is turning a blind eye to the future and that the hero seems to be planning to go overseas again and never talks about the future with her or confide about his past. So, despite it being hurtful she confronts him and breaks it off.
Now, I like a strong heroine who tries to move on and this features that and she involves herself in outside activities and even plans to move herself, when it is the hero who comes to her and begs her to stay.
July 6, 2024
I enjoyed this quick romance. Bryant is an adventurer, eager to start his next assignment in a developing country. Zoe was an adventurer too, spending seven years teaching in the far east and in Africa. She woke up and realized her biological clock was ticking and it was time for her to nest and settle down with Mr. Right. When Bryant and his son moved into her apartment complex, one floor below, she hoped she found her ready-made family. Only Bryant was done with marriage, and though he cared for Zoe, he just couldn't give her what she wanted. Their journey to HEA made for a nice read.
January 11, 2026
Another one of Karen Van Der Zee’s desperate heroines pining for an emotionally closed off, commitment-phobe man. This one lets herself get used as a convenient bed warmer for him, and a babysitter for his son. She piles on the Susie homemaker by day, Mae West by night routine, hoping and praying that this will persuade this guy to commit but it’s a no go. The guy calmly discusses his plans to move to Brazil in a few months, making it obvious she won’t be part of the move but he would love to continue shtupping her in the meantime. Amazingly, she has enough wherewithal to break it off but since they are neighbors, this makes for many awkward encounters. He eventually proposes under duress as he sees her packing her things up for her own move across the seas to Malaysia. He apparently had the Eureka moment that she is not like his cold, cheating, abandoning ex-wife who left him and the baby for greener pastures. In my opinion, this is a marriage of convenience for him and she is happy to lap up any crumbs of affection he may serve her.
April 22, 2012
An older HP. I liked it but that is all. It was full of drama and angst, as only an older HP can be. I never really warmed to the embittered, closed off divorced father and the 'do good' school counselor, hence the three star rating. I didn't sense the 'fire and spice' indicated in the title, only two people starting a relationship with very different motives.
To Zoe Langdon, Bryant Sinclair was a dream come true--an almost perfect Mr. Right with an instant family to boot! There was just one problem--whatever was going on between them was clearly going to be a temporary arrangement. Deserted by one woman, Bryant had no desire to let another get close. He would kiss Zoe, make love to her even, but despite the fire and spice their relationship promised, he was quite prepared to let her go!
To Zoe Langdon, Bryant Sinclair was a dream come true--an almost perfect Mr. Right with an instant family to boot! There was just one problem--whatever was going on between them was clearly going to be a temporary arrangement. Deserted by one woman, Bryant had no desire to let another get close. He would kiss Zoe, make love to her even, but despite the fire and spice their relationship promised, he was quite prepared to let her go!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews