Violet Fire

Bragg Saga #3

by Brenda Joyce

A scion of the imperious Bragg family, golden-boy Rathe Bragg finds a society party all rather a yawn until a feisty suffragette bursts into the room. Wielding a six-shooter and shrieking feminist slogans from atop the grand piano, the impassioned lady makes a startling first impression on those gathered, especially Rathe -- and from that moment the sparks between them only intensify.Irrepressible Grace O'Rourke, an intensely devout feminist, has outraged the entire town of Natchez with her radical ideas, and soon infuriates Rathe with her lack of regard for any opinions other than her own. Yet, despite her steadfast devotion to her cause, Grace warms to the virile gallant. But his bold suggestion of becoming his mistress stings the proud Grace, and she firmly rejects his scandalous proposition. But telling a Bragg "no" is the ultimate stimulant, and now, Rathe ardently pursues the lady whose eyes are ignited by a violet fire.Enjoy the entire Bragg saga --

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Western Romance

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Brenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.

A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.

Reviews

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astonishing!A crazily funny,incredibe charming,entertaining beautiful love-story.Just LOVE this book with all my heart.This book made me swoon,cry and laugh at the same time.Perfect,perfect...is what this book is.!!I have read the other Bragg Saga books,"Innocent Fire" about Miranda and Derek Bragg,"Firestorm" about their only daughter Storm Bragg and Brett,"Dark Fires" about their oldest son,Nicholas Bragg and Jane.

"Violet Fire" is about the youngest son of Derek and Miranda,the irresistable golden-boy Rathe Bragg and the fiery-tempered beauty Grace O`Rourke.When i read about their special appearance in "Dark Fires" i had the feeling their love-story would be a crazy ride...How right i was.(smile)This book are one emotional and crazy rollercoaster i never wanted to get out of.Grace made me laugh many times with her feminst opinions and speach,and i really admired her courage and stubborness.She are one worthy heroine and i really love her strong mind,but she sometimes made me mad when she broke Rathes heart all the time,without her knowing it of course.

Rathe Bragg,what a wonderful hero.I knew from the second he saw Grace he were grinning while she demonstrated after having appeared at a ball unwelcome that he would fall hard and that she would break his heart...and she was right.The Bragg Heroes of Joyce i have read about are totally smitten heroes,and totally,madly and loyally in love with their heroines.Rathe`s teasing manners,his golden charisma,his Alpha-Male Fury,his possessiveness,his sexy charm...how he was devoted to and only had Grace on his mind from the start.OH HOW I LOVE HIM!He was everything a woman wishes for in a man.His soulful and mindblowing love towards Grace were so beautiful.!!!!There are many scenes that were so hearbreaking,and i just wanted to shout "Grace PLEASE STOP HURTING HIM!"Overall this book is one beautiful and memorable love-story i certainly want to re-visit in the future!

[Barbara ★ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately nothing redeemable about either main character and their rather implausible romance. Grace O'Rourke is a suffragette feminist (yes I know that's redundant) without a lick of sense to her name. And for some ungodly reason Rathe Bragg finds her irresistible. I was fighting this novel until Rathe decides that in order to save said suffragette from destitution he was going to make her is mistress. WTF? Did he not listen to a darn thing she was preaching every damn time she met a another woman? UGH men!

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book three of Bragg Saga is about the youngest of the Braggs. Rathe has been a mischief and a bundle of restless energy ever since he was a child. When he meets Grace O’Rourke, a tempestuous, opinionated, independent free-thinker, he was blown away by her courageous stance on a lot of things. Set at a time after the Emancipation Declaration was proclaimed, Grace has been fighting for the rights of the recently freed slaves; for their right to live and their education. She’s also fighting for the rights of women. She finds trouble everywhere and Rathe has been fortunate enough to be there to save her each time.

Their attraction for each other is severe but a romance between a philandering scoundrel and a head strong feminist was just not in the cards – especially if Grace does not believe in the sanctity of marriage. Good thing Rathe doesn’t either. Offering Grace to be his mistress seems to be the next logical choice, considering Grace has an ill mother back in New York and therefore could use some financial help. Rathe soon finds out that Grace would starve first before she accepts any help from a man.

This book tired me out. The never ending bickering and head butting between these two was exhausting. There’s much to be said for having an opinion – and trust me, they’re all good – but Grace’s aspiration to change the world had gotten her into a milieu of trouble. She tackled a lot of social issues head on that she most often didn’t think about consequences and how it would affect the people she took with her.

I love her independency at the time when women were objectified and left at home to mind the house and the kids. I love that she persistently fought for the slaves’ education but what she didn’t get was that, even if they were free it wouldn’t take changes in the law to get the people doing the right thing. There would always be KKKs and corrupt, racist officials who’d uphold their own laws. I think that’s what frustrated me more about her. She didn’t get that it would take more than one person to fully change America. She caused troubles and upheavals that at a first glance seemed futile. She constantly thought bad about Rathe; misjudged him, called him names and was so blind about what’s in front of her.

Her independence was contradictory as well. When push comes to shove, she’d rather worked at a place serving drinks dressed indecently rather than accept Rathe’s offer. I get that with she’d rather sacrifice her beliefs over her heart but when you’ve been spewing all those things about how wrong it was for men to frequent the same establishment she found herself employed at, it just didn’t make any sense. She was confusing and frankly, she lost a bit of her admirable character because of her stubbornness.

The history of women’s civil rights in America was tackled in good conscience. It’s just too bad Grace’s methods overshadowed what could’ve been a very enlightening story arch.

[Regan Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Post Civil War Romance A Good Installment in the Series

This 3rd in the Bragg saga (see list below), takes an interesting turn as Rathe Bragg, the youngest of the three Bragg siblings, travels to the post Civil War south. Rathe is a rogue, a rake who is lucky with women, cards and business. A millionaire at 24, he has pursued any challenge. Now, at 30, he is still on the fast track with no plan to marry for another decade. But then he meets reformer and suffragette Grace O'Rourke, a New Yorker who has taken a position as governess to two spoiled girls living on a plantation run by a widow Rathe occasionally sleeps with.

The story describes the prejudice of the south against the freed blacks, including the "night riders" (former Klan members). Interestingly, Joyce accurately describes how it was the Republicans who wanted to give the free blacks education and the vote while the Democrats clung to their bigoted ways. Rathe is not a bigot but he isn't a campaigner for change. Grace, on the other hand, is an independent woman in her mid 20s, resigned to being a spinster who disguises her beauty hoping to be taken seriously in her war on men and the status of women in the late 1800s. In a word, she is precisely the challenge Rathe likes.

Personally, this time in America's history holds little interest for me. I'd rather not dwell on the sad chapter in our history that included the abuses of the south toward black Americans. So this romance was not one I would ordinarily be drawn to if I weren't reading the series. And Rathe as a hero is a man of few moral principles when it comes to women, showing a particular proclivity toward other men's wives. In real life, such a man even when married would be untrustworthy since his pattern of promiscuous behavior was well established by his 30s. Other than that, this is a well-told story and I can recommend it.

It can be read as a stand alone without reference to the earlier two books. There are only a few references to the Bragg family.

The Bragg Saga:

Innocent Fire, June 1988 (Derek Bragg and Miranda)
Firestorm, November (1988 Storm Bragg and Brett)
Violet Fire, May 1989 (Rathe Bragg and Grace
Dark Fires, June 1991 (Nicholas Bragg and Jane)
The Fires of Paradise, April 1992 (Lucy Bragg and Shoz)
Scandalous Love, November 1992 (Nicole Bragg Shelton and Hadrian)
Secrets, April 1993, (First in the Delanza Series Regina Bragg Shelton and Slade Delanza)
After Innocence follows Secrets (Edward Delanza and Sophie)

See also, The Darkest Heart, December 1989. It's connected to The Fires of Paradise--it's the story of the hero's parents (Candice Carter and Jack Savage)

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate Grace. She is the most annoying heroine of all fucking time. I am wishing a villain would kill her just to rid the literary world of utter stupidity.

The only book that's worse is Twilight and that is debatable.

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The read 2021

[Shirlene]

New York City-Nov. 1, 1873
Rathe Bragg was born on a west Texas ranch. Hs father, Derek Bragg, was a half-breed who was a captain in the Texas Rangers. He fell in love with his English wife at first sight. Rathe was the apple of their eye but was constantly getting into trouble. He was lucky though and did well at whatever he did. By the age of 21, he had made his first million. Rathe was attending a dinner party at the mansion home of Albert Van Horne, who had been financing railroads since before the Civil War. He was introduced to Patricia, Van Horne's married niece. They had met before and Patricia told Rathe that he had missed her at the hotel and to meet her upstairs in one of the guest rooms. Rathe knew that he was going to have to break off their relationship because she was talking about divorcing her husband and Rathe wasn't interested in a serious relationship, only sex. They met, had sex, and went downstairs to dinner. The party was soon interrupted by a woman standing on the piano protesting stating that women's should have the right to vote. Rathe tried to catch her but she got away.
Mississippi, 1875
Grace O'Rourke was on a train to Natchez, Mississippi from New York to be a governess. She had been raised by open-minded parents who protested the treatment of women. Her father had died young and her mother had TB. Grace needed a job to pay for her mother's care and had lost her teaching job in New York after being arrested for disturbing the peace, protesting. She met a woman who was traveling with her husband to visit their daughter in Natchez who had just had her first child. Grace told Martha that she was going to start a women's organization in Natchez and she wanted Martha to come to one of the meetings.
She was met by Allen Kennedy. He was also a teacher and she had met him in New York. They had become friends and he had asked her to marry him twice. Grace didn't want to get married and had turned him down. Allen had left to teach the freed slaves in Mississippi. Allen took her to the place she was to work. She met Louisa who acted like royalty and still had blacks working for her. She met the two girls she was to teach. The oldest, Mary Louise, was extremely rude to the black housekeeper, Hannah, because she was black. Grace went looking for the schoolroom and met Margaret Anne, who was playing with a porcelain doll. She told Grace that she didn't want to read and threw the doll and broke it's head. She ran off screaming and Grace tried to catch her and literally ran into Rathe Bragg. She recognized him instantly because he had the same laughing manner that he had when he had tried to catch her at the Van Horne mansion in New York.
Rathe didn't recognize Grace but started to flirt with her and Grace didn't know what to do. He was laughing at her voicing her opinions about women being independent and made a move to kiss her when they were interrupted by Louisa. He turned his attention to Louisa when she arrived and Grace concluded that they were lovers. Rathe had come to Natchez to purchase a colt. After the purchase was concluded, Rathe decided that next to Grace, Louisa Barclay annoyed him. She had pursued his since they first met and was his willing mistress whenever he was in town. He thought it best to avoid her in the future. Rathe went back to her place, not to visit Louisa but rather her new employee, Grace...
Grace had started teaching the girls but they didn't want to learn and she was getting frustrated. She found out that Geoffrey, a six-yr. old black boy, was listening at the door and was learning his ABC's. She invited him in to learn and Mary Louise got mad and ran out to tell her mother. Louisa confronted Grace later that evening and was told not to teach him. Rathe was there with Louisa. Grace left the room angry. Rathe defended Grace's position and left to a disappointed Louisa because Rathe was no longer spending his nights with her.
Rathe snuck back the next day and saw Grace teaching Geoff. He wasn't upset as Grace thought he would be. He kissed her instead. Grace slapped him and called him a perverted philistine. That's when he realized she was the person he had tried to catch in New York. She was afraid he was going to tell Louisa and she would lose her job. He promised to keep quiet for a kiss. She was scared so she told him she would meet him that night to give him the kiss he was asking for. She met him at the barn at 10 o'clock. Rathe was disappointed that Grace thought that he would tell on her. When he met her, he was unhappy that she seemed almost to cry when he started to kiss her. He had never met anyone like Grace who seemed to truly dislike him. He told Grace he would keep quiet and left without kissing her.
Allen picked up Grace in the morning for church and to go on a picnic. Rathe saw them leaving together. She met with some of the women after church and they agreed to have a social on Wednesday evening. She went on the picnic with Allen when some of the plantation owners or 'night riders' as they were called, rode up and pushed Allen around with their horses. One of them hit Allen across the face and cut it with a crop. They packed up and Allen took Grace home. Rathe was waiting for Grace and saw her with Allen. He was not happy to see them together and was prepared to give Grace a piece of his mind when he noticed that she was upset. He asked her what happened and she told him. Rathe said that Allen shouldn't be encouraging the blacks to vote and Grace accused him of being one of the night riders and ran off. Rathe decided that strangling Grace would be too good for her.
Grace went to the women's social on Wednesday and Rathe tried to give her a ride there and she refused. She met with the women and introduced her ideas about women voting. She then proceeded to talk about temperance and the part of town where the saloons and hookers resided. The meeting broke up and Rathe was waiting to take her home. She agreed to a ride home. Louisa was waiting when they arrived home. She accused Rathe of seeing Grace behind her back because he refused her advances once again. He left and Louisa went upstairs to Grace's room and dismissed her. Grace went to see Allen and Rathe was outside the boardinghouse. She was furious at Rathe for causing her to lose her job and he felt guilty. He took her inside and told Harriet that they both needed a place to stay for a few days. Harriet told Rathe that she didn't understand why he needed a room since he had a suite at the local hotel, but she had rooms for the two of them. Rathe overheard Grace talking to Allen and him asking her to marry him again. Grace refused again. She overheard the fact that Grace needed money to pay her mother's dr. bills and Rathe had money. He felt he had the perfect job for Grace. He would make her his mistress.
Grace went into town the next morning looking for work. She didn't find any but she saw a black woman being manhandled by a couple of sailors. Grace went to try and stop them and they turned their attention to her. Rathe saw this and beat the two guys up. Someone went to get the sheriff. Grace was still upset with Rathe because she thought he was in the area after being with a prostitute. She was mad at herself for being attracted to him and she didn't know how to handle the attraction. The sheriff showed up and told Grace that the black lady was getting what she deserved. Grace was new in town and that the boys were just having a little fun. Grace was furious at the sheriff for not doing anything about the men's behavior.
She agreed to go to dinner with Rathe. He talked her into it because he had rescued her. They went for a ride and dinner on a riverboat. He asked her after dinner to be his mistress. She told him she was insulted. He thought it was a good arrangement so she could have his money and protection. He drove her home in his coach and they started making out. He found out that she was binding her chest. She stopped Rathe before they got too carried away.
She had a hard time sleeping that night and decided that she would reform Rathe. She would get him to agree to vote out the sheriff come the next election. She would have Rathe help her. She went to see him the next day and he took her fishing in the Mississippi River. They kissed again and he tried to convince her to be his mistress again. She told him that she wanted him to go up against the sheriff and that the sheriff had not arrested the sailors who had attacked her. That got his attention and went to see the sheriff. The sheriff laughed at him and asked what he was going to do about it. He told Rathe that the sailors had left town. Rathe told the sheriff that he would find out what he was going to do and left to find the sailors.
Grace and the other women in town had formed a temperance league and went into one of the bars to stop their men from drinking. They started singing hymns and told the husbands to go home to their wives. Allen came in and spoke up in favor of the women and he was attacked by the Mr. Rawlins, who had pushed him around with their horses on Sunday. Rathe was there still looking for the sailors when the fighting broke out. Grace tried to get to Allen and got kicked. Rathe knocked out the guy beating on Allen and took Grace home. He checked to make sure she had no broken ribs and all she did was ask about Allen. Rathe was jealous and told Grace that he was badly beaten and the Dr. was afraid he would never wake up. She insisted on seeing him and Rathe carried her to his room. Rathe went out and finally found one of the sailors and took him to the sheriff and told him to keep him in a cell until the judge showed up.
Grace took Allen's place teaching and Rathe was furious. Rawlings came to the schoolhouse/church and threatened her. Rathe was there to meet her every day when she finished teaching after that. Clarissa came to see Grace one night and told her that the night riders were out to get them. Grace took a gun and went after them. Geoff went and told Rathe. Rathe went to rescue Grace again. He was again mad and prepared to let Grace have it. He took her back to his hotel room and started kissing her but stopped when he realized that he was hurting Grace and she was crying after being so scared. She cried herself to sleep in Rathe's arms. Everyone in town found out that she spent the night with Rathe and she lost her job as a teacher. No one would hire her so she went to one of the saloon's to work. Rathe found her there and took her outside and asked her to marry him. She told him that she'd think about it. He told her that plenty of women would jump at the chance to be his wife. She went back into the saloon to finish the night and Dan told her that he thought that Rathe knew she was working there and she no longer had a job. She was so mad that told Rathe that she wouldn't marry him if he were the last man on earth. She went back to the boardinghouse and Harriet told her that she couldn't stay there anymore. Harriet said that she wouldn't be able to stay in business if she let Grace stay any longer. The other boarders were complaining because of her ruined reputation. Grace borrowed money from Allen to stay in a hotel and went toward the river. A boy ran into her and stole her purse as he did. Now Grace had no place to stay and no money. She thought she could stay in the woods outside of town but she was to scared and went to Rathe. She still didn't want to be any man's wife but agreed to become his mistress. She spent the night alone and Rathe went out and got drunk. He came back in the morning and made love to Grace. He left in the morning and went and bought her a necklace. Grace left and went to Geoff and Clarissa's house and told them she was going to teach them. She came home and Rathe gave her the necklace but she wasn't happy because it reminded her that she was his mistress. He told her that in the future she would prefer money. He went out and played poker and brought back $5,000 and threw it at her. They made love again and they both individually realized that they each loved the other. Rathe determined that he was going to convince Grace to marry him.
Rathe and Grace went to dinner at the hotel and ran into the sheriff and Louisa. The sheriff told Rathe that the sailor had escaped again and Rathe told the sheriff he would find him again. He left town to find the sailor and brought him back. While he was gone, Grace continued to teach the black students and Allen went with her. The sheriff and Rawlins showed up told her to stop teaching and hit Allen in his cracked ribs. Grace went home and Rathe was back. He gave her lots of gifts and then found that Grace had a gun in her purse. She told him that she needed it for protection as she was going to and from the school. Rathe demanded that she stop teaching and she told him that she would. Grace would let no one tell her what to do and that's why she refused to marry Rathe. Rathe found out that she was still teaching when the night riders went to the hotel and took Grace. Rathe went after them but he was caught too, after killing Rawlins by throwing a knife into the back of his neck. Grace was tied to a cross and whipped when a shot rang out. His friend who had sold him the colt and Allen had come to rescue them. Rathe had the church rebuilt. Grace was happy but still wouldn't marry Rathe because she thought that he would take away her independence. She ran away and saw the new black church being burned down again. She ran to Louisa's house and left town with her help. Ford, the sheriff, made it look like Grace had died in the fire. Rathe found out that the night riders were planning another raid and hired Pinkerton's to stop him and he followed the sheriff and beat him so bad he ran out of town and never came back. Rathe went home to his family in Texas thinking that Grace had died. Eight months later, Grace was traveling giving speeches about the Women's right to vote and Rathe's mother wanted to go listen while they were attending a local fair. That's when Rathe spotted Grace. He ran to her and took her off the stage and told her that he would let her continue her protesting and to continue teaching if she married him. Grace agreed to marry him and they got married right then and there. She continued to lecture on women's right to vote. Rathe continued to be around to protect her when she ran into trouble...

[Skittles Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh I was anticipating this book so much, I was putting off reading this and saving this for a “off my reading slump” pile, but I am disappointed.

I love Brenda Joyce- she is harsh and to the point, sometimes it’s jarring to read her scenes. But I can’t deny her stories are hard to resist.

This is Rathe’s story- the youngest son of Miranda and Derek. We see that he is a successful businessman and apparently a very good card player where he can make thousands of dollars from (is this even possible? Lol). He’s a lady’s man and he keeps on dallying with beautiful women left and right. Apparently girls throw themselves at him, kneeling on his feet and just kissing the ground he walks on.

Then he meets this prudish, rigid teacher who was an activist for women and colored people’s right to free living, education and suffrage. She was wrapped in drab clothings and thick glasses, but he knew she was a beautiful woman. He relentlessly pursued her, seduced her, until she succumbed herself to him.

Basically, he strong armed her all the way. Don’t get me wrong, I do love an alpha, possessive male but wow the way he did this was appalling.

Also, I can’t help but think it was a bit of instalove- he saw her and he was hooked. Imagine! Under all those drab outfits!

Our heroine, Grace, is also really stubborn. They say she’s smart but I don’t see it that way- she recklessly heaves herself into dangerous situations without backups. She is blind to the danger she faces and gives no care whatsover that she may get raped or killed. I can’t help but think this recklessness is really not helping her cause, since if she wants to make a difference she needs to stay alive and healthy. There are some things, especially important gatherings lile fighting for the right to suffrage, the stealth is needed, and her coming in like a raging bull seeing red is just plain stupid. I wish she really was smart. Sigh.

Plus!!! She pushes Rathe away but is eager for his protection. She denies him then she gets jealous with the thought that he’s a lady’s man. I mean, she is supposed to be full of integrity but then she is a hypocrite. Ugh. I’m so riled. There are also some scenes that are too abrupt. One moment she’s stubborn with him then the next scene she’s soft and giving. I’m being generous with 3 stars really.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 2 out of 5]

The heroine, Grace O'Rourke, is impossible. She's a teacher and a suffragette, but totally without sense. She leaps into situations with her agenda at the ready but ignores the consequences for herself or others. In a word, she's odious. What the hero, Rathe Bragg, sees in her is questionable. In fact, I wondered about his intelligence because he continued to pursue her after she clearly told him to drop dead. Perhaps he feels the need to protect a woman who needs a keeper.

I've been reading this series because this older series of Brenda Joyce books are supposed to be award-winning. I cannot imagine how. This one is even worse than the first one of the series. I was going to rate this a 3 star until I got to the end. It was so bad, I had to knock off a star.

Bragg Saga
1. Innocent Fire (1988)
2. Firestorm (1988)
** 3. Violet Fire (1989)
4. Dark Fires (1991)
5. The Fires of Paradise (1992)
6. Scandalous Love (1992)
7. Secrets (1993)

[Jericho McKraven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't do it! I tried so hard to finish this book but I just can't do it!

I give up. 😔

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[BRNTerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of her ‘Bragg’ series. This book is about one of Derek and Miranda Bragg’s son, Rathe and takes place in 1875. He’s about 30 with blue eyes and golden hair. He’s from Texas but lives in Mississippi. The heroine is 27 year old Grace O’Rourke. She has red hair and violet eyes. She’s tall and thin. She’s from New York but has travelled to Nachez, Mississippi because she’s gotten a job as a governess to Louisa Barclay’s two little daughters.

To sum this up quickly, Grace is a school teacher and a women’s rights activist. She meets Rathe briefly in the prologue, which takes place in New York. She meets him again two years later, in chapter one, because he’s Louisa’s lover, and he’s there visiting her at her plantation home when Grace arrives to begin her job.

Rathe is attracted to Grace right away and soon recognizes her as the woman from New York two years before. Rathe and Grace don’t get along at all. He gives Grace a ride home one night and Louisa gets very jealous and fires Grace. Grace is on her way to visit her friend Allen Kennedy and runs into Rathe again. He overhears Grace telling Allen that she’s almost out of money. Rathe then decides to make her his paid mistress.

The rest of the book is just plain boring. Grace is desperate for money and finally gives in and becomes his mistress. They love each other, he wants to marry her but she’d rather be his mistress because that way, she’s still her own woman and can do as she pleases without having to answer to a husband. She wants to continue trying to teach school to young black children even though some people, including the sheriff, are trying to run her out of town. She leaves Rathe, with the help of his ex mistress Louisa. The sheriff rips her necklace off of her when he see’s her at Louisa’s. Later, the new church is burned down and there is a burned body there wearing her necklace. Rathe assumes that the dead body is Grace and is upset, obviously. He travels home to Texas to visit his parents and sister Storm and her family. While they’re all out somewhere, he see’s Grace. He rushes over to her and they decide right there to get married.

In the epilogue, it’s over four years later and they have a four year old daughter named Lucy. She has her own book, one of my top favorites, The Fires of Paradise.

I’ve read this book at least three times since I first bought it in 1995. I didn’t like it too much the first time and I still don’t like it at all. It had been eleven years since I last read. I feel guilty about not liking it since I like some of the others in this series. I didn’t remember too much about it and I probably won’t ever read it again. At least, not for another eleven years. I’d have to grade it 3 stars/C.

The Bragg series is to be read in this order:

-Innocent Fire- This is the story of Nick’s parents.
-Firestorm- The story of Nick’s sister Storm.
-Violet Fire- Story of Nick’s brother Rathe.
-Dark Fires- Nicholas Bragg.
-The Darkest Heart- The story of Shoz’s (from The Fires of Paradise) parents.
-The Fires of Paradise- Nick’s brother Rathe’s daughter Lucy’s story.
-Scandalous Love- Nick’s oldest daughter Nicole’s story.
-Secrets- Nick’s youngest daugher Regina’s story. Her husbands name is Slade Delanza.
-After Innocence- The story of Slade’s youngest brother Edward and his wife Sophie.

[Učitaj se! | Martina Štivičić · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ljubići inače nisu baš 'moj' žanr, ali u ovim knjigama iz sage o obitelji Bragg više imam osjećaj kao da sam upala u neki vestern, što mi je zanimljivo. Amerika krajem 19. stoljeća: poštanske kočije, plovidbe parobodom, nemoralne kockarnice, salooni... svašta je uklopljeno u ovu ljubavnu priču, čime ta sama priča nije jedina svrha cijelog romana, kao što često zna biti slučaj u romanima slične tematike.

Ovo je 3. knjiga u serijalu, ali može se čitati samostalno, ono što ju veže za ostatak serijala samo su likovi koji su obiteljski povezani s likovima iz drugih romana iz serijala. Radnja nije komplicirana: Grace O'Rourke mlada je učiteljica koja u potrazi za poslom dolazi na američki jug, netom nakon donošenja zakona o oslobođenju robova. Stanje na jugu nije baš idilično, jer južnjaci odbijaju crnce gledati kao sebi ravne, kao što nisu skloni ni ikome tko podržava novi zakon ili na bilo koji način surađuje s bivšim robovima. Grace će se tu itekako teško uklopiti, s obzirom da je ona sama članica abolicionističkog pokreta i istaknuti borac za prava žena i crnaca, kao i svih potlačenih skupina. Zbog svojih aktivnosti ubrzo će se naći na meti lokalnih 'utjerivača pravde', od kojih je spašava Rathe Bragg - bogati, moćni i prekrasni ženskar za kojeg Grace ne može odlučiti sviđa li joj se ili ga mrzi iz dna duše. Ni Rathe nije imun na njezine čari, a dok iskre frcaju na obje strane, njih dvoje pokušat će napraviti što mogu da gradić Natchez postane mjesto u kojem su svi stanovnici ravnopravni, bez obzira na spol i boju kože.

Uz još tada aktualnu temu oslobođenja robova, ova knjiga prikazuje nam i začetak pokreta za ženska prava, o čemu mi je bilo vrlo zanimljivo čitati. Napetosti također ne manjka, uz sve zaraćene skupine koje jedne drugima rade o glavi dok gradski šerif prikladno gleda na drugu stranu. Oboje glavnih likova su temperamentni i živopisni, svaki na svoj način. Budući da se ipak radi o ljubiću, ima i nekoliko 'vrućih' scena, ali one nisu naporne niti su same sebi svrha, već se dogode kao prirodan tijek zaljubljivanja i upuštanja u vezu dvoje ljudi. Ljubav je ovdje u prvom planu, izražavanje misli i osjećaja, a erotika ostaje pomalo postrani, iako je prisutna. Pomalo 'starinski' tip ljubića, kakvi su mi i draži od ovih novih, naglašeno erotskih, serijala. Idealno ako želite pročitati nešto romantično, za zabavu i opuštanje.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved both Grace and Rathe. Storm is a strong and independent woman who's fighting for women's rights. Equality for everyone and her independence are very important to her.
Rathe is a real player, but once he gets to know Grace he can't get her out of his head. He even goes to his mistress with the sole purpose of seeing Grace.

Rathe pushes Grace to do what he wants her to do and his methods aren't always that, euhm, positive. He's even responsible for her loosing her work and lodgings, twice. On the other hand, he does propose to her.
Grace has a very difficult time trusting Rathe. She loves him, but she's afraid he'll try to take away her independence. And his actions only strengthen her fears.

A theme that keeps returning in all the books in the series is that of a lot of misunderstandings because the hero and heroine don't talk enough. They think the know what the other one is thinking, without asking if that's correct. But the books remain entertaining.

[Muriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not my typical type of book as I've never been fond of the romance genre beyond my fascination with Sidney Sheldon in high school. I picked this one up because I love Joyce's Francesca Cahill series which features the Bragg family as supporting characters. Violet Fire tells the story of Rathe and Grace Braggs' (parents of two male leads of the Cahill series) unlikely romance. Not on par with the Cahill series for me but it was interesting to see these characters when they were younger. I get the distinct feeling that Rourke (another brother who is a supporting character in the series) is a perfect amalgamation of both parents from this book and I really hope that Joyce gets around to writing the story of Sarah and Rourke like she hinted in the authors note for Deadly Kisses.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Another great Bragg story/adventure! You should really read these in order if you can. And that's part of the fun!

I read this book years ago but my favorite part and for me, THE most memorable, was when Rathe went to visit his mom and dad (Derek & Miranda from book 1) after he thought Grace had been killed. His parents were expecting to meet Grace, so when Grace didn't come with Rathe, they asked him why, and he said "she had an accident" and they could tell something was really wrong with Rathe. That was so sad! And when Derek comforted Rathe and Rathe started crying...OH MY!! . The best part about it was I knew the HEA was just around the corner, so it wasn't at all frustrating. Just touching!

READ ALL OF THE BRAGG BOOKS!

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai adoré le livre !
Il donne une bonne vue d'ensemble de la société du sud des Etats-Unis après la guerre de sécession, comment parfois certaines traditions, coutumes restent encrées alors que les lois, les gens...changent. Quand on pense qu'il faut attendre jusqu'à la fin de la première moitié du 20ème siècle pour voir les vrais changement !
J'ai adoré le héros, il sait ce qu'il veut !
Quand à l'héroine, j'ai vu mieux. Elle m'a un peu agacé.
Le seul bémol est leur retrouvaille à la fin, j'ai trouvé le passage plutôt baclé, genre il faut qu'ils se rabibochent en un clin d'oeil... Cela manquait de réalisme.

[Livia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read most of the Francesca Cahill series by Brenda Joyce, I became intrigue with knowing more about the Braggs. I'm reading that series in no particular order.

Violet Fire is the story of suffragette Grace O'Rourke and Rathe Bragg. Unfortunately a good deal of it takes part in the South shortly after the civil war. This is not a historical time I like reading about, nevertheless the interaction and romance between the two is interesting and fun.

[Lukman Manggo]

It is such a thrilling book, more thrill than 1th and 2nd previous. It was about Rathe who falling in love with modern thinking woman, Grace.

I d love Grace, a modern woman, who struggled to get the woman right among American society. And Rathe, the son of Bratt and Miranda, who try desperately to getting Grace love.
Most like others previous book of Saga series, this one had a simple plot.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was quite often angry with Grace. She is a negative figure in this story, so stubborn, arbitrary, demanding. I doubt that anyone would give so many chances like Rathe did. I didn't like the end of the book, either. Il looks like it is normal to vanish and then turn back and your beloved one meets you without anger.

[Kit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rathe and Grace make for a very implausbile love affair. By page 155 Grace still had not endeared herself as a character that an upper class, handsome man would have put up with for chapter after chapter no matter how beautiful Grace was. A truely frustrating novel.

[Danette · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 The heroine annoyed me for most of the book. Too many anxious moments
with the villeins in this novel to really enjoy. Not a comfortable topic of the times due to the prejudice and violence of the era. Fast read....just not a really "feel good" book for me.

[Susan Laine]

have

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bragg Saga just kept improving as far as I was concerned; this book was much better than the previous two.

[Felicia Chelgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I really like her books for weightless reading. Great romance, historically acurate, great sex scenes. Just fun all around. Read almost every book the woman has written

[Mercedes Keyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, simply because it's part of the series, you just have to!

[Mahi Mahmoud · Rating 4 out of 5]

-"Are you telling me that you love me?"
-"Love you? That word's not strong enough! I love you, I adore you, Grace, I want you."

God ! I loved it ..

[Tracyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much lighter read than some of the other books in The Bragg Series. Still a couple of darker bits but compared to Innocent Fire.

[Mell]

Of course a feminist woman must be a one dimensional caricature. Barely sketched-in characters, cliches abound. 0 stars.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rathe Bragg and Grace O'Rourke. Pub 1989.