Customer Reviews

Fire and Rain (Nova Audio Books)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Some of the strongest, sexiest, most memorable characters I have read about in years!!!! I am totally hooked on Elizabeth Lowell.

Carla McQueen left the only home she knew at the tender age of 18 to begin a new life, after being embarrassingly rejected by ranch owner Luke McKenzie. 4 years later, she returns to the ranch after graduating college (and losing a poker game bet with her brother, Cash McQueen)...to see if she can overcome her infatuation with Luke and the ranch. Her bet requires Carla to remain at the ranch as their cook for the summer. She is determined to win Luke's love with one last chance, or leave him (and the ranch) forever. Luke is reluctant to open his heart to Carla, in fear that she will abandon him, just like his mother abandoned he & his father years ago. Its a moving story with great characters.

Its a wonderful story that involves 4 deliciously handsome/sexy men, their reluctance to live or love, and the extraordinary, intelligent, and strong women who change their minds about life/love and everything in between! I have read this series about 7-8 times.

Read them in this order: Fire & Rain, Outlaw, Granite Man, & Warrior.

Typical of Lowell's other series; well written, good story line, lots of sexual tension and some descriptively delicious male characters...YUM!

I love Ms Lowells' work. This book is great. I just wanted to make the comment on the audio. I decided for the first time to buy one of them. I came upon it by accident & I had just finished rereading it like a week before. The audio skipped some parts of the book. Then it is hard to really get into it when you have a female narrator trying to do a mans voice. It just didn't over on that aspect. However, this in no way reflects on Ms Lowell. I simply love her work.

This is the first in the series. It is a wonderful book, love those Western Love Stories. It is about a woman named Carla who has been in love with her brother's best Friend Luke since she was a teenager.Now she is all grown up and hasn't seen him since he broke her heart at age 14. She ends up losing a bet and has to work for him on his farm for the whole summer. Trying to resist temptation is not easy and Luke loves her, but keeps trying to push her away by being down right rude. It is interesting to see how much they fight to stay away but seem to not be able to.

"Fire & Rain" is great. It's the first in a series, I can't wait to read "Outlaw" tonight. I'm a University student and in need of a break from my studies, Elizabeth Lowell's books are my great escape.

I was not too impressed with Fire and Rain. I didn't particularly like Luke's attitude towards Carla...he almost seemed cruel. Not exactly what I look for in a good hero.

Some of the issues seemed like they weren't explored enough as well. And some of the things that happened were a little redundant. He built a cradle for the child he would never have? Some might say that's sweet, but in the context of this story, it seemed very predictable.

The book was good, but I have issues with some things. I think her longer novels were written better, but Fire and Rain was average and would recommend people read it only if you are an Elizabeth Lowell fan.

This is the first of the modern western series about the MacKenzie/Blackthorne families. What a treat. You can tell throughout the book that both these characters are in love and want each other. Luke is so torn by his awful childhood he can't take the risk to be happy. Thankfully Carla does! I cried with this one and felt so warm in the end! Lowell is great!

Description from the back of book:

Owner of the wildest, loneliest ranch this side of the Rockies, Luck MacKenzie hadn't laid eyes on Carla McQueen for three years. Not since they day he'd sent his best friend's kid sister storming from the Rocking M Ranch and out of his life -- for what he thought was forever . . .

Now Carla was back, lovelier and even more desirable than in his burning memories. But Luke knew he could never give in to the raging need to make her his woman. For he'd made a vow long ago -- one that he was determined to keep -- that he would never fall in love with Carla McQueen. No matter how badly his body and soul ached for her . . .

* I wasn't a fan of the first book in this series but I have to admit that I enjoyed this book much better. I wasn't big on the hero's reasoning on not wanting to fall in love but I overlooked that & tried to focus on the rest. Looking forward to the next 3 in this series. Although I don't recommend Reckless Love I think I could recommend this book without needing to read the first book. It didn't have hardly anything to do with this book. That being a historical book & the rest of the series being contemporary.

Based on a love story, Fire and Rain is full of history, funny moments, and love conflicts. The story takes place in the "Rocking M:, a ranch out in the Midwest. Luke, a man destined to love and care for his land is the main character of the novel. His history with Carla (his love), is not all that great. On her trip to the Rocking M, Carla is now 21 and reencounters herself with Luke. A few days stay at the ranch results in a whole 2 months stay as the maid and cook around the ranch. It is during this stay, that the reader finds out the history behind the ranch and both Luke and Carla's life. Through Lowell's use of imagery, characterization, and motif, the reader learns of the main character's maturation and love for one another.
Lowell's use of imagery engages the reader in the beauty of the ranch and the characters. "Her vibrant blue eyes" and the description of Luke's ruggedness with soft edges helps the reader envision the story. Through this description, the reader learns of qualities of each character, Carla's hard working and perseverance, as well as Luke's focus and self-control. Lowell's use of characterization enhances the characters and evolves with the story to show a mature Carla and a more soft-hearted Luke. Lastly, the motif of the rain and the Rocking M adds to the conflicts they both have because the Rocking M comes to symbolize a prison for Luke and a sentence to unhappiness. Reading about both of their struggles to keep their love alive as well as the ranch was very interesting. I would recommend this book to teenagers who like romance stories as well as those who like to read books for its literary elements.

Three years ago, Luke sent his best friend's little sister running from his passion. Now she's back. Carla lost a bet and now has to cook for everyone on Luke MacKenzie's ranch for the summer. Fire and Rain is the first in the MacKenzie/Blackthorn series . . . and by far the hardest to find! It's also one of Lowell's best! Well done!

I agree, the tension and desire in this book were good. BUT... I'm sick of people misunderstanding each other and not being honest. I guess I am sick of that in real life, too! And I don't want to read it in my fantasy life. If the characters were honest, it could have been a totally different story with more passion and fun.