The Fire Inside [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Kat Martin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002

Bestselling author Kat Martin takes you into the glittering ballrooms and candlelit boudoirs of Regency-era England in a novel of seduction and secrets, and breathtaking romance.

Kassandra "Kitt" Wentworth was no ordinary young woman. Headstrong and rebellious, this daughter of a viscount had no intention of obeying her father, submitting to a husband...or falling in love. But she never thought a man like Clayton Harcourt would pursue her. As the bastard son of a wealthy duke, Clay was no stranger to scandal. Taking a wife was not his plan, but Kitt's wild spirit drew him like a flame in the darkness, and the gossip swirling around her awakened a desire to tame and protect her. When Clay lays a trap for marriage, Kitt can't help but surrender to the passion he stirs within her. But will a secret from her past keep her from trusting her heart to the magnificent rogue who arouses her most burning desires?

THE "FIRE" INSIDE

Bestselling author Kat Martin takes you into the glittering ballrooms and candlelit boudoirs of Regency-era England in a novel of seduction and secrets, and breathtaking romance.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Seasoned romance scribbler Martin (Heartless; The Secret) harks back to the days when an Englishwoman playing cards was a cause for scandal, setting up a conflagration between Kitt Wentworth, a lady who will not be stifled by the strict conventions of 1805 London society, and Clayton Harcourt, the bastard son of a duke who savors taunting her beyond the bounds of propriety. Their verbal sparring conceals an attraction that only Kitt seems unaware of, but when one midnight adventure too many goes wrong, Clay and Kitt find themselves on their way to the altar and to a love-filled marriage neither guessed was in their future. An enemy from Kitt's past and Kitt's distrust in Clay's ability to remain faithful are the only stumbling blocks that stand in the way of their newfound happiness. The sex scenes sizzle, but Martin deftly dodges the superficial, hot-sex-equals-true-love relationship formula, making Kitt and Clay fumble through the more difficult task of proving their commitment while out of bed. Though Martin offers no surprises, she delivers an assured winner with solid plotting, a strong hero and a spirited heroine whom readers will embrace. (Feb.)Forecast: Martin pens both historical romances and contemporaries, but her stardom began with her historicals. With a large, dedicated troop of fans who will eagerly snatch this one off the shelf, and an attractive cover and print advertising in the Romantic Times and USA Today, this should be a surefire seller for Valentine's.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including Heartless, The Secret, Perfect Sin, Silk and Steel, and Night Secrets. She is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in anthropology and history. She currently lives in Montana. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 469 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786243910
• ISBN-13: 978-0786243914
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,516,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Currently living in Missoula, Montana, Kat Martin is the bestselling author of over fifty Historical and Contemporary Romance novels. Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker. During that time, she met her husband, Larry Jay Martin, also an author. Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. "I love anything old," Kat says. "I love to travel and especially like to visit the places where my books are set. My husband and I often stay in out-of-the-way inns and houses built in times past. It's fun and it gives a wonderful sense of a by-gone era."

To date, Kat has over twelve million copies of her books in print. She is published in twenty foreign countries, including Germany, Norway, Sweden, China, Korea, Bulgaria, Russia, England, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Japan and Greece.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, January 20, 2005

By 

Donna K. "bookcrosser" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fire Inside (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was way too long. The beginning and ending were action-filled and interesting, but the middle section just dragged along in a very frustrating direction.

As a modern woman, I immediately admired Kitt for her rebellion against her society's oppression towards women - she was intelligent and lively, not to be owned or dictated to by a man. She was found a perfect mate in Clay, who encouraged her free way of thinking, and rather than hold her back, he went along with her on all her adventures. Even the bickering between them, something I usually find very annoying in a romance novel, was appropriate - probably b/c it was short-lived and basically the two did show great respect towards each other. Having been raped as a teenager, Kitt was afraid of sex, and Clay was incredibly patient and tender towards her regarding this, slowly gaining her trust and helping her to understand her sexuality.

It's no wonder these two fell deeply in love. So then, why did Kitt leave Clay after just a few weeks of marriage, right after discovering that physcial intimacy was a beautiful way to express their deep love? Her reasoning 1) that he didn't really love her b/c he never said it in words, despite his every action showing how desperately in love with her he was - and 2) that one woman would never be enough for him, and eventually he would stray and she couldn't bear to share him - were ridiculous. And then when she finally came to her senses, Clay had heartened his heart in bitterness towards her. This conflict was so unnecessary, and torturously dragged the story down. A little communication, which would have been expected from two such outspoken characters, could have avoided this entire mess.

The action packed ending, when their lives were threatened by an enemy from their past, brought them to a greater understanding of their love for each other, and redeemed the story.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heatwarming and Rich Love Story, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fire Inside (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was everything I could have wanted in a love story. The hero Clayton is a strong well-written romantic hero. He's handsome, attractive to women, and strong. Kassandra (Kitt)begins as headstrong, stubborn, and reckless. She later becomes a strong and mature woman.

There is romantic and sexual tension between these characters from the beginning of the book!! It actually begins in Heartless and carries over into their story. I read Heartless first, and I couldn't wait to read The Fire Inside to find out what happened. I was not disappointed.

Kitt leads Clay on a merry chase before a "compromising" position forces them to marry. Kitt has a secret from her past that threatens her marriage to Clay and forces her to decide whether or not to trust her husband. Clay hopes that by marrying Kitt he can control her recklessness as well as the burning passion he has for her. As each of them soon finds out, they both must find a way to come to terms with the undeniable feelings they have for each other.

This book captured my interest from the first page. The sexual tension is believable. The plot is just as believable, with many twists and turns. I didn't want this book to end. I wanted the story to go on and on.

My wish is that Adam Hawthorne, Lord Blackwood, will get his story next. He played an instrumental part in several scenes in the book, and he is begging to feel the snares of passion like Clayton and Kassandra.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true romance story, May 25, 2002

By 

hagobu namwenye (NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fire Inside (Mass Market Paperback)

I thought this book was just lovely unlike most romances that always make us feel all the tension even before the characters developed i thought this had a little of everything although Clay and Kitt love each other and don't really acknowledge it the way the story is written it makes us understand why it is difficult for them to love and i have to say most of the time in most books it is hard to actually understand why the characters find it hard to commit but in this case we do understand i like Kat Martin but i think this is the best book by far.i feel confident in giving her all five stars.