Customer Reviews

Ride the Fire (Leisure Historical Romance)

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Setting - Ohio wilderness, 1757 --- Nicholas Kenleigh had served in the army, been captured and tortured by the Indians, and then escaped. The things he'd done and been forced to do, the killing or be killed - the will to survive, had changed him. He'd gone home but, dead inside, he felt for the sake of his family he'd be better off alone. Six years roaming the wilderness he was attacked once more, killing his attacker but left with a mortal wound that would surely have killed him had he not happened upon the farm of the widow Elspeth Stewart.

Elspeth, better known as Bethie, was widowed, pregnant, and trusted no man, given her history of abuse at the hands of her step-father and step-brother. She'd been married off to a man old enough to be her father who though treated her kindly, did so without any great affection. When Nicholas appeared -- looking as much like a savage as any others she'd seen, she didn't trust him at all, particularly when he stuck a pistol to her temple, forcing her to help him. Nicholas, weak from loss of blood, and after having his wound cauterized found himself at her mercy once Bethie was able to slip him a drug to knock him out. As he convalesced, Elspeth came to accept his presence, and thankfully he was there to help with the complicated delivery of her baby or both she and the child would have died. Unfortunately, their peaceful co-existence would be shattered when an old enemy came to call and they would have to rely on each other as they raced just ahead of marauding Indians in search of safety. Somewhere along the journey, Elspeth had slipped into Nicholas' heart bringing him back to the land of the living, and Nicholas knew he would do whatever it took to give her all the love in his heart as he began the slow process of healing both her heart and soul.


**** WOW! Captured by savages, whose method of torturing their enemies was probably more detailed than I needed to know, the author pulls you into an amazing, sensually romantic adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages into the wee hours of the morning! As the second novel I've read by this author, I have to say she positively rocks! The historical events are well researched and the characters are brought to life with a perfectly sumptuous sensuality that will raise your temperature and send you in search of your partner for some loving of your own. Nicholas' body and soul had been brutally bruised yet he was able to help Bethie back from her trauma to begin the healing in her, thereby healing himself - awesome! Whew, this was one deliciously steamy and exhilarating read that I highly recommend!
--- Marilyn, for www.romancedesigns.com ---

His body was on fire as burning embers were placed in pockets cut deep into his flesh, just the first of many insults dealt to his body by the Wyandot Indians. It took every ounce of strength, every bit of courage he possessed, but Nicholas Kenleigh would not utter a sound as he suffered pain and torture far worse than any man should ever have to endure. He had all but resigned himself to death. But there was only one rule on the frontier - SURVIVAL.

Even though Nicholas already felt dead inside, there still beat the heart of a man strong with principles, a man who could show kindness and compassion, all the feelings deeply buried from a childhood of privilege and filled with love. It took the chance meeting of Elspeth Stewart to awaken him and direct him on the path of rebirth.

Bethie is a widow, alone on the frontier, expecting her first child and very much afraid. Nicholas rides into her small homestead, half dead, pointing a gun at her and threatening her safety. He swears not to harm her or her unborn child. And for the short time she shelters him, to protect her at all cost. Then he will leave and return to the only life he is fit to live.

But as Nicholas and Bethie spend time together, the healing begins and their desire for each other grows. They both have their own shadows, their painful pasts. Nicholas wants to be the man who heals her, soothes her fears, teaches her about pleasure. Could Nicholas, the man who trusts no one, win Bethie's trust? Could Nicholas, with his scarred body, heal her hidden wounds?

Nicholas awakens longings in Bethie she didn't know she possessed. She soon finds it safe to touch him, to want him, to give herself to him without hesitation, without pain, without fear. Bethie cannot image a single sunrise without her Nicholas. Heaven and earth sing when they touch each other; these two beautiful and gentle tortured souls. Together they heal and love and RIDE THE FIRE.

When I first read about Pamela Clare in RT announcing her debut novel, SWEET RELEASE, I knew I had to read it. And read it I did. It overwhelmed me. I was overjoyed to find out there was going to be a sequel, CARNAL GIFT. I was left breathless once again. I didn't think stories could get any better; not until I read RIDE THE FIRE, the perfect ending to a remarkable trilogy. Words cannot express how magnificent it is. The passion with which Ms. Clare writes is overwhelming, humbling, incredible. RIDE THE FIRE is a brilliant masterpiece to be savored like a fine wine. It is a journey to hell and back, with characters so rich, so endearing, you can almost hear their voices, smell their scent, feel their heartbeats. You glory in their strength, celebrate their joy, feel their love; a true journy of the heart. If you read only one author in 2005, give yourself a gift and make it Pamela Clare. Even though RIDE THE FIRE stands alone in its beauty and magnificence, treat yourself to the whole trilogy. I will hold these stories in my heart forever. You will, too.

I really liked Ride the fire. Granted, the tortue scene was graphic, but to me that made it all the more gut wrenching. It made me FEEL. Whether it's a good feeling or a bad one, empathy is a driving force in all fiction be it romance or otherwise.
I liked the way Pamela Clare drew out the mystery surounding the hero and heroine's past, giving away just enough to make want to know more.
Bethie was a lovely character with a lot of heart and I liked her imediately. Nicolas was fantastic! Anyone would be hard pressed to not love him. His chatacter was so earthly and believable - given the circumstances.
Overall, a fantastic read, with chatacters that will grab your heart and not let go!

Important note:
This is the third book in a series. (Wish I had known before I read it!) Here is the order of the series. All three books have very high reviews from Amazon readers.

Sweet Release- The story of Alec and Cassie

Carnal Gift- The story of Cassie's brother, Jamie, and Brighid

Ride the Fire- The story of Nicholas, son of Alec and Cassie/ nephew and best friend to Jamie, and Elspeth


This is the first book I've read by Pamela Clare. I can't wait to read the others. Her development of scenery and characters made this book come to life. Key parts of the story (i.e. the birth of baby Isabelle) were so touching that I found myself completely enthralled. I couldn't put the book down.

The Story:

Elspeth (Bethie) Stewart is the daughter of Scots/ Irish immigrants, living in the wild and dangerous West. She is alone and very close to giving birth. Her husband by forced marriage has died and left her defenseless. Too pregnant to travel, and with nowhere to go, she is doing her best to survive in her small cabin. Indians and French rebels are a constant threat. Her world stands still when she finds an injured man on her porch, his pistols aimed at her. He is in desperate need of help.

Nicholas Kenleigh knows fear. 6 years ago, he was captured and tortured by the Wyandot tribe. Tied to a stake, he watched as his friends were shoved into bonfires and burned to death. After months of torment, he escaped and returned to his English family in the eastern territories. Realizing that he is a changed man, who could prove dangerous to his family, he got on his horse and rode west to live in the exile of the forest.
After an attack by French rebels, Nicholas is badly wounded. If his injury is not tended, he will bleed to death. Desperate for help, even willing to force strangers to provide it, he arrives at a cabin to find a pregnant woman living alone. Guns pointed at her, (but knowing he would never actually shoot her) Nicholas demands she tend his wound. Bethie knows she has no choice, but she refuses to be a victim. She drugs Nicholas and ties him to her bed.

Once it becomes clear that Nicholas is not a threat, Bethie releases him. The two make a pact... She will continue to nurse him until he is well enough to return to the forest. He will give her protection for as long he is living under her roof.

When Bethie goes into labor, Nicholas demands that she allow him to help her through her child's birth. He holds her hands and whispers encouraging words to get her through the pain. When her baby is born with the cord around it's neck, Nicholas must work fast to save the baby's life. Releasing the cord, then massaging the baby until she takes her first breath, Nicholas has saved Bethie's new daughter.

Over the following weeks, Nicholas and Bethie fall into a routine of taking care of one another. When they are threatened by Wyandot Indians, Nicholas claims Bethie and her baby Isabelle as his wife and daughter. He knows the Indians will not dare to harm them if they are his. Angry over past events, one of the Wyandot sets fire to the forest around Bethie's cabin. Nicholas works fast to save Bethie and Isabelle. Now homeless, Nicholas, Bethie and Isabelle must travel to a nearby fort for protection.

At the fort, Nicholas again claims Bethie and Isabelle as his own. Although feeling are deep between Nicholas and Bethie, Nicholas has realized that there are dark secrets in her past that cause her to fear physical contact with men. Nicholas is also keeping secrets about the tortures he survived at the hands of the Wyandot. Together, they share life and affection that slowly breaks the barriers between them. Caught in the ugliness of war, Nicholas and Bethie give one another the unconditional acceptance that neither had ever hoped to know. Now that he has found a reason to have hope for the future, Nicholas will keep her at his side at all costs.

Nicholas Kenleigh, tortured and lone survivor of his troops that had been brutally lost to the Delaware. He remains in the frontier, not returning to his beloved family because he feels that his experiences as a captive make him unacceptable and dangerous to them, and mankind in general.

Elspeth Stewart, recently widowed, pregnant and alone in a dangerous frontier, encounters a badly wounded stranger who wanders onto her farm. Nicholas Kenleigh knows he will die without her aid & forces the terrified Bethy at gunpoint to help him.

So begins a journey of new life, not only for a fatherless infant, but for a man and woman who must learn to love and trust after losing all hope of ever finding either again.

"Brilliant masterpiece" has been a recurring phrase I've seen to describe Pamela Clare's newest historical novel, Ride The Fire, and I can only echo those words to describe my own feelings as I burned my way through this magnificent book - wanting to hurry to the next page, yet wanting to hold on to every single word and not reach the end. RIDE THE FIRE is the book that we have missed so dearly in our historical reading. It is the epic we miss, it is what romantic historical writing was in the past and is meant to be in our future. This is a book that totally LACKS the "fluff" we as romance readers have been PLAGUED with in the past several years.

"Ride The Fire" harkens back to the vintage days of romantic fiction. A book that is written by an author who knows and cares about historical accuracy along with what the heart of what this genre is all about - A man and a woman learning to love and trust against all odds. This is a touching love story which deals accurately with the life and times of colonial America - the good as well as the bad. It is a book with substance, intelligence, and grit, yet never loses focus of the development of deep love and trust.

Ms. Clare has written THE book of the year for serious romance readers who long for a taste of the past - an epic journey of blood, sweat, tears, adventure, beautifully written sex, and most importantly love. This book has it ALL.

This is the first book I have read by Pamela Clare,and I loved it! Do not be put off by a pregnant heroine-Bethie is not whiny or helpless in the least.She is determined and quite capable,a very gutsy lady with a truly compassionate nature.When Nicholas Kenleigh appears at her doorstep in the wilderness,he is filthy and wounded,demanding that she help him.She does so,and he in turn helps her.They are both in need of the comfort of human contact and caring,which both have been without for so long.Together they learn to love again.They are woven right into the history in the story,you never feel as though you are pulled out of the book,as though it's a history lesson.Pamela Clare has an amazing talent for putting you "right there" in the heart of the history,without losing sight of the main story,the romance.I can't remember the last time I liked an American Historical,let alone LOVED it,I am easily bored with them,usually.Not this one!Even if you don't care for Am.Historicals,Ride the Fire will be an exception,it's that good!

BOOK THREE IN BLACKWELL/KENLEIGH TRILOGY

Reminiscent of the earlier Woodiwiss epic novels like Shanna and The Flame and The Flower, RIDE THE FIRE (Previously published in 2005 with a different cover) is an absolute gem of a novel and one of the best historical romances I have read in a long time. Even tough this is the third in the trilogy - its almost a stand alone - as the story revolves around the H/H and their story.

While reading the story, I realized the plotline sounded familiar, as indeed, I had read the original publication in 2005. But the story so captivates and grabs you from the start - that I didn't mid re-reading it again.

If you have not read any of Pamela Clare's historicals - you are in for a HUGE treat!! Her raw, descriptive writing style set you in the Ohio wilderness and grimly portrays the hardship and brutality of the early settlers in the frontier.

The novel starts when Nicholas Kenleigh as been captured by the Wyandot Indians. He is brutally tortured but is kept alive to satisfy the whims of the Chief's daughter - who keeps him captive to use him as a stud.

Years later, after having escaped their brutality, he returns to his family, but is a changed man. Unable to remain with his loving family because the Nicholas they once knew is "dead", he goes back to the wilderness, as a trapper and to embrace the wilderness and his solitude.

Wounded by French trappers, he stumbles onto a small cabin, where a very pregnant, and beautiful young widow lives. At gunpoint, Nicholas forces Bethie Stewart to aid him, as he knows he nears death.

Bethie cares for Nicholas, though she is distrustful of all men, specially a man, as dangerous looking as Nicholas. His scars bespeak of his violent past and Bethie, having been brutalized by men all of her life, isn't about to trust her life and that of her unborn child to any man.

A tentative trust is established between them. As Nicholas regains his strength, he becomes to know Bethie, and comes to admire her inner strength, fortitude and is not inude to her beauty. Her kindness and sweetness is something that Nicholas is unprepared to deal with. As he helps her give birth and saves both mother and child, Bethie realizes how dependant she has become on this man.

When a Wyandot war party approaches their cabin, lead by the warrior who hated Nicholas while he was in captivity, Nicholas is forced to protect Bethie and Belle, her infant daughter by saying they are his wife and daughter. Nicholas is forced to slay the Indian braves, but their leader escapes mortally wounded. Before he dies he sets fire to the forest, and Nicholas and Bethie barely escape with their lives.

The Delaware and the Shawnee have joined forces with other smaller tribes and they are on the warpath. As Nicholas and Bethie, travel north seeking the safety of Fort Pitt, they encounter countless massacred families. Soon, they are joined by other survivors, as they all band together traveling towards safety. However, when they arrive at Fort Pitt, they realize that they have stepped right into the heat of danger as the fort is sieged by Indians and many perish.

Okay, don't even allow yourself to think after what I have written so far that the author has delved too much into historical detail and therefore the relationship between the H/H is overshadowed! OH NO!!!! Clare has beautifully depicted the 1757 wilderness, its conflict, its raw beauty and the brutality forced to endure by the settlers at the hands of the Indians. But at the foremost of RIDE THE FIRE is the relationship between Bethie and Nicholas. It flares through the pages making your fingers burn and escalating your heartbeat due to the amazing character development and sweltering sensuality between Bethie and Nicholas. Bethie harbors tremendous shame at having been defiled numerously by her brother and her husband. She has known only brutality at the hands of the men in her life and is completely unprepared for the tenderness, patience and care that Nicholas shows her. As Bethie flowers under Nicholas' care, her trust is reborn and she falls deeply in love with him. While Nicholas, whose suffering has given him tremendous, deeply rooted emotional scars, is also healed in return by caring for Bethie with her traumatic ordeals.

This is an amazing tour de force! I highly recommend RIDE THE WIND. I am so glad I decided to re-read the book - and it has now given me the chance to write a review (its never too late!!) for all of you and to encourage you to pick up this marvelously written, moving and steamy romance!!!!! ENJOY

BLACKWELL/KENLEIGH TRILOGY
Sweet Release - Book One
Carnal Gift - Book Two

Heavily pregnant and all alone on the Ohio frontier after her husband's death, Elspeth Stewart works from sunup to sundown to prepare for her coming child. She chops wood, feeds her horses, cleans her home, and protects herself against unwelcome visitors--be they man or animal. Until one day a wounded man on horseback rides up to Bethie's cottage when she's outside without her gun. With no other choice, Bethie lets the man into her house and agrees to tend his wounds, but not without securing the promise that he will do no harm to her or her unborn child. Still distrustful, Bethie takes the first opportunity to tie the stranger to her bed, while she decides whether or not she can trust him.

Nicholas Kenleigh is a former soldier who has seen his fair share of the pain and peril that come from life on the frontier. Six years before, he was taken and tortured by Wyandot Indians and only survived because the chief's daughter wanted him for herself. His body and his mind bear the scars of this abuse, and Nicholas has chosen to make his home on the wild frontier rather than burden his family and friends with the changes that have overcome him. But when he is attacked by French trappers and wounded, he rides for the nearest cabin to find help. When he stumbles upon the beautiful, pregnant widow, Nicholas at first cannot believe her husband would leave such a woman all alone on the frontier. And even as she helps nurse him to back to health, Nicholas--the loner--vows to protect this woman and her unborn child and to get them to safety.

Ride the Fire takes place in the Ohio territory in 1757 and is the story of a land in peril. Nicholas, Bethie, and her child travel across the country looking for aid and shelter in the war between the Indians and the colonials in the aftermath of the French and Indian War. This is a story that tells the ravages of war and how love can help its stricken soldiers to overcome their pasts. Nicholas Kenleigh is a soldier, a tracker, a trapper, and simply a man. He has learned to live from the land, to value peace, and to be content with his own solitude. He is completely find with living a solitary life when he's forced into Bethie's life. But when he sees this woman, all alone on the frontier, and knows the travails that await her if she stays there on her own, he has no choice but to stay and help her. And when her child is born, Nicholas finds himself becoming attached to this makeshift family and desiring to keep them for himself. As for Bethie, she had a harsh life before even coming to the frontier. She suffered abuse at the hands of her stepfather and stepbrother and was exiled from her own home. When her elderly husband died, she had nowhere else to turn and thus resigned herself to life on her own. She is a woman who is used to taking care of herself, so it's difficult for her to accept the help that Nicholas offers. And she's a woman who has suffered at the hands of men, so it's difficult for her to accept the love he wants to give her.

Ride the Fire is a complete story, with well-developed characters and an engaging story that is well researched and well told. It's the third book in a series, but I didn't know that when I read it and I had no problems following along. Still, to enjoy it most, you should probably read Sweet Release and Carnal Gift first. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to finishing the rest of the trilogy.

Pamela Clare's Ride of Fire is well worth reading. The characterization is far above the usual standard for romance. The plot is fast moving and Clare manages to maintain both sexual and emotional tension throughout.

But what I liked best in this book was its historical context. It is set at the end of the French Indian War. When the French were defeated, Native Americans allies of the French, such as the Wyandot, were left without European support against the English. The English exploited them mercilessly, charging outrageous prices for trade goods. Settlers and speculators illegally poured into Native Americans lands. During the seven years of the war, the French had encouraged their Native Americans allies to butcher English settlers. After the war, furious with the English, they continued their brutal ways. It was a turbulent time. Clare's protagonists, an English soldier and an illegal settler, are caught up in the turmoil.

Clare attempts a realistic picture of the Native Americans - particularly the Wyandot (Northern Iroquois). They desperately tried to defend their land against the technologically superior English. Much less sympathetically, however, they inflicted terrible torture on their enemies. Although Native Americans were actually far more multifaceted, at least Clare tries to show that there were good and bad aspects to Native Americans, as there are to all people.

Clare also portrays English imperfections. Some are racist and classist. In addition, some were be crueler than the Wyandot. She relates an actual incident, which occurred during the siege of Fort Pitt. Capt. Ecuyer gave two chiefs 2 blankets and a handkerchief as a present. Some present. Smallpox patients had used them! Clare does not tell you that the Captain was following orders from his commander, General Amherst.

In addition to the big historical picture, I loved all the little historical details in this book, particularly of the frontier farm. I am fascinated by how people did things without running water, electricity, telephones, cars, and computers. As usual, the medical details are portrayed as far more sanitary and effective than they actually were. Authors just cannot leave a wound dirty and bind it with an old, dirty rag. But that is what they did in those days!

Even if you are not interested in history, I still heartily recommend this book. It is a well-written engrossing story.

In 1757 Ohio Wilderness, the Wynadot Indians fighting for the French capture Nicholas Kenleigh who is an important member of General Washington's officer corps and two teenage soldiers. The tribe members torture the three men, but Nicholas refuses to give in to the pain. The Indian woman Lyda wants Nicholas to impregnate her as she realizes how strong he is. Since she gets what she wants from her father the chief, Nicholas has a chance to finally escape captivity, which he does.

By 1763 the war is winding down. An injured Nicholas reaches a homestead owned by pregnant widow Elspeth "Bethie" Stewart, who distrusts all males after physical abuse from her stepfather and stepbrother. She helps the fevered Nicholas but not before she ties him to her bedposts. As he heals, she sees a softer side to her prisoner who vowed never again when previously held; soon the fall in love, but can each one overcome their traumas to forge a future together?

Colonial America romance readers will take great delight in RIDE THE FIRE, a strong tale starring two liable walking wounded souls. The story line provides an intriguing look at life in the frontier as well as the impact of the Seven Year War known in the colonies as the French and Indian War. Nicholas is a heroic individual whether he tries to offer solace to the two teem military prisoners or help Bethie. She is a courageous person striking out on her own to liberate herself from two nasty step-relatives. Fans will appreciate this fine tale of love in the colonial wilderness.

Harriet Klausner