Customer Reviews

Touched by Fire (Seduction Romance)

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

 

 

The people of London love a good hanging and none more so than the sixteenth Earl of Haverwood. Perhaps he had good reason, as his wife had been one of Jack Cady's victims. While Cady had raped and then slit the throat of his victims, Mary had the misfortune of not only to survive her assault, as her husband witnessed her violation, but also to bear a son of the rape. At the age of nine that child, Colin Wescott, stands beside the Earl, witnessing his father's hanging. As the hangman grasps the lever to release the platform, the child hears the words: "You've got his eyes, got that rutting blackness festering inside you. You can't hide it though. I see it and so will everyone else."

Although Colin eventually stops fearing the Earl, the legacy remains that he fears himself. As the son of Jack Cady, Colin fears the dragon within that might harm others. But with the approach of his twenty-eighth birthday, word comes that he must marry to retain stewardship of orphans at St. George. It is unthinkable that the stewardship would pass to others -- St. George is Colin's means of atoning for the sins of his father. Worse, Colin fears marriage and the lust that accompanies it -- that same lustful dragon which risks releasing the sins his father committed. From the first moment he sees Sarah Banks, Colin's heart is captured, yet he mercilessly denies his passionate response.

Sarah Banks runs a profitable gaming establishment that she inherited from her father. As a child, Sarah spent her nights "haunting the gaming hells learning how to win, no matter the price." Her father was gallant and brave, protecting her from the razor-sharp tongues of society. Unfortunately, her father is also the reason that at twenty-three, she's never married. The few that might offer are only interested in her money, and no man has ever captured her heart. For years Sarah has dreamed of a man with sherry-colored eyes who would only want her heart. The night she sees Colin, she knows she's found the man of her dreams.

Colin, however, intends to marry another. He wants a marriage as cold and as sterile as possible, to protect his prospective mate from the fire within. As gossip and rumor cast them together, Colin and Sarah find their fortunes thrown together, even as Colin is determined to remain distanced. Despite the rebuffs and the damage to her pride, however, Sarah is equally determines that she will win, no matter the cost. The question remains, though, if Colin can be caught, and if she'll be able to pay the price.

TOUCHED BY FIRE is Kathleen O'Reilly's first novel, but promises great things for this remarkable author. With the touch of a master, she lends the old metaphor of the dragon a startling original power. Indeed, O'Reilly's tightly woven plot, balance of characterization, and attention to historical detail create a memorable novel that I regretted to finish, wishing to linger a bit longer with these wonderful characters -- including the very proper butler with a heart of gold. I do hope that O'Reilly's pen has been busy, because I long to immerse myself in her words again soon. Very highly recommended.

"Blood will tell" that's what the old Earl of Haverwood repeatedly tells his heir. But Colin's blood comes from a highwayman father who raped the old Earl's wife resulting in Colin's birth. Though the old Earl publicly claims Colin as his son, privately he makes Colin's life a misery, tormenting the boy by constantly reminding him that he is his father's son - violent, worthless, vile, unfit for Society. He does such a number on the boy that Colin grows into an insecure, nervous young man uncomfortable everywhere - even in his own skin. He hides himself in the army but with Napoleon exiled to Elba, he has returned home to find the old Earl has died. In a parting shot, his will requires that Colin must marry before his 28th birthday if he wants to maintain his control of the St George orphanage. The thought of marriage scares Colin to death! He has never courted a woman. He can't trust himself not to behave like his father - brutal, violent. But he refuses to give up the orphanage. The one good thing in his life. He decides to marry for convenience some woman he can ignore. Unfortunately, he meets Sarah and he cannot possibly ignore her!

Sarah Banks has lived on the fringe of Society all her life. Her infamous father ran a gaming hell which she has inherited. She has been the target of cruel remarks and indecent proposals all her life and has done her best to ignore it. But when she meets Colin, she feels she has finally met the man who can protect her and make her feel safe. She pursues him relentlessly, but he is just as determined to avoid her. She makes him feel things he's never felt before. He certainly cannot marry her - he desires her too much and will only wind up hurting her. But he cannot deny his strong attraction to her and he fights it mightily. But when some tries to kill her, he changes his mind and decides to marry her if only to protect her. But Sarah is determined to woo him and make him her husband in more than name only. And a Banks never loses!

I loved this book. Colin was such a different kind of hero. Almost child-like with his obsession with dragons and dragonslayers, he was the exact opposite of what he had been brainwashed to believe about himself. Sweet, kind, gentle, naive he's adorable! But don't get me wrong, he's not a wimp. He's strong and capable of violence when those he loves are threatened. And Sarah is proud, determined and single-minded. A great couple, great secondary characters (especially Colin's valet/mentor Giles) and a great book!

The Earl of Haverwood relishes the public hanging of vicious serial killer rapist Jack Cady as his wife Mary was a victim of the odious individual. However, unlike most of his targets, Mary survived the throat slashing and gave birth to the rapist's son. Nine years later, Colin watches the state execute his biological sire while his "father" pounds into him that he has the taint of that vicious animal and is worthless too
Almost two decades later, Colin learns he must marry if he is to continue to manage the St. George Orphanage, the place he does penance for the evil of his father. Colin fears marriage because the father who raised him taught him that he is a beast just like Jack was. That is why he avoids Sarah Banks, who he desires with all his soul. Sarah manages a successful gaming business that leaves her unsuited for marriage to most of the Ton except those who need cash. She wants Colin, but knows she must slay his dragons if she is to have him.

Though a rookie (except for a Duet), Kathleen O'Reilly provides fans with the kind of exciting character driven story usually told by a veteran. TOUCHED BY FIRE engages the audience as Colin struggles with his father's lessons about his gene pool vs. the chance to embrace love for the first in his life. Though Sarah is a fine heroine and the support cast adds depth even if the Earl overdoes the blaming of the father's sins on the son, this novel belongs to Colin, a protagonist that readers will cherish.

Harriet Klausner

Other reviewers have synopsized the storyline very well so I will not retell all. Colin is one of those tortured heroes we are all fond of. The physical description of him is one of the most detailed I have ever read. Hmmm, sherry-colored eyes - very different. The front cover is unique and does justice to the portrayal of our hero.

The heroine, Sarah, is notable too. She actually seems stronger than Colin, yet her vulnerabilities are almost an afterthought. She is a bit of a mystery. Her father having owned (and passed on) a gaming establishment to her, apparently disappointed her in many ways. In the beginning, we come to realize Sarah is a pariah to society surrounded by innuendo and scandal, though she is plagued by fortune hunters. Stoically, Sarah bears all the slights until falling in love with her "dream" man Colin. Her façade cracks in front of him and Sarah puts aside her pride to try and win him over. She does not understand his struggle to ignore her and enter a passionless marriage with a colorless debutante.

Like others noted, there are some flaws in this interesting tale. After a very appealing start to the book, there was somewhat of a letdown. Gossip about Sarah is dropped and not mentioned again. Sarah's business interest is barely mentioned after she marries. So important to her initially, I did not understand why it became nothing to her. Colin's self doubt became tiresome at times. His endless worrying that he would "hurt" Sarah became cliché - I think he would be knowledgeable enough about sex to understand his feelings towards women were not bad even if he remained celibate. I did like that his repression manifested itself into a hobby regarding dragons and dragon slayers.

The villainous happenings and Napoleon's reappearance enhanced but did not overwhelm the storyline. Colin's butler was a wonderful secondary character. Other secondary characters were also out of the ordinary, but had minor, almost non-existent roles - what happened to Francois? I liked this book and recommend it highly because it was so different. There are no others by this author yet.

I read this book because it had an interesting take on the hero. He's a virgin by choice because of his background.

This book followed the forehead slap/sigh formula of a strong beginning then it hit that plateau then just started falling down the cliff. Down and down and eye rolling, sighing down and down.

Lord Colin Wescott is the earl of Haverwood and he's secluded himself from society. An ex-solider of the Napoleonic wars he chooses solitude having only his servants and trusty butler/Alfred as his companions. His background stems from pain and fear with him being the biological son of Jack Cady, one of London's most notorious rapists and murderers. He rapes the countess of Haverwood and later she gives birth to Colin. Her husband the earl claims Colin as his own but is cruel and never lets Colin forget that evil runs through his veins and taunts him saying his father's evilness will come out in Colin soon enough because he has his father's eyes. This traumatizes Colin as a boy and thus makes him withdraw from society and all women. Not so much as giving them a second glance for fear that his male lust for a woman will unleash his inner rapist like his father. Thus, at 27 Colin is still a virgin and does all he can to never get aroused by a woman.

Sarah Banks is the daughter of a prominent gambling haul owner. Raised by a widower father, she's seen as ruined being raised in a gambling hall, though it's exclusive for the rich and upscale. At 23, the only suitors she gets are fortune hunters wanting the very wealthy Sarah. So she too closes herself off from society having only her servants and trusty maid as companions.

Sarah has had dreams of her true love, a man with sherry colored (golden brown) eyes and she holds out for him. She sees Colin at the theater, looks into his eyes and finally sees her sherry colored eyes. She wants the man of her literal dreams and Colin isn't having it. He's IMMEDIATELY in lust with the fiery, gorgeous redhead. But still too afraid of courting her because he doesn't want to become like his father.

Strong beginning with Sarah believing Colin doesn't want her because of her gambling owning lifestyle and him being afraid of turning rapist like his father. Between the back and forth between Sarah and Colin and the matchmaking schemes between Sarah's maid Iris and Colin's butler Giles it's quite humorous. Iris and Giles are a hoot and more friends than servants.

But Sarah turns VERY needy and just loses all her pride. She knows everyone thinks low of her and eventually cheapens herself and out right BEGS to be Colin's mistress. She's not so ruined because he could very easily marry her but oh no, she doesn't ask to be the wife, she'd rather be the cheap mistress while becoming friends with his "potential wife"

At that point this book just starts getting really dumb. This isn't a love story. It's lust. Colin doesn't love Sarah. He's in lust with her face and soft skin.

Then there's a stupid side story with random former soldiers from Colin's war days and their hijinks worrying about Napoleon's troll ass escaping Elba island. Then ruh roh, someone's trying to kill Sarah. It just goes from one thing to the other and the story just loses the initial spark it had and it was a pretty strong spark.

The first love scene is just awful with Colin giving Sarah his knife and makes her hold it while he has sex with her so if he turns into a rapist she can kill him.

I'm assuming he figured the minute he got inside a woman for the first time the inner rapist would rear it's head and he'd magically transform like a werewolf in the moonlight. But of course that doesn't happen. That was just stupid and kind of funny. Of course Colin doesn't see it as a werewolf but....a dragon. And it's just dragons and dragons and DRAGONS and mentions of DRAGONSLAYERS gone wild to the point where you almost want to make the word a drinking game but then you realize just how plastered you'd get. When Colin feels his lust for Sarah he thinks the dragon is about to be unleashed. When he tampers it down, he's back in the zen world of...the dragonslayer.

All of a sudden their in love because the sex was fine and he didn't turn werewolf, I mean rapist.

I wanted to like this story and DID until Sarah begged to be his mistress. That was like the intermission cliffhanger then the part two was just the awful second half where you KNEW you should have left the play after that cliffhanger.

Overall, walk away, walk away. I give it 2 1/2 to 3 stars. A nice grade C. It started good enough but then it didn't maintain it's potential.

If you do, then this book is for you!

I am amazed at the complexity and depth that this book embodies. It is very different and unique in it's plot and characters. I need to read it again just to "soak in it" some more. Here is my brief synopsis and critique:

Colin Wescott, the Earl of Haverwood, was conceived during the violent rape of his mother, while her husband was forced to watch. His father was an evil highwayman that sexually assaulted and terrorized many different women. After Colin is brought to his father's hanging and told of his parentage, the old Earl of Haverwood never lets Colin forget where he came from and the evil blood that must flow in his veins.

Colin's response is to flee from all hints of sensuality or lust. This man is a virgin in every sense of the word. He also believes that he is his "father's son" and goes on a vendetta to stop the chain of violence in his genes. He almost develops a fantasy world where their are "dragons", people who will do others harm, and vows to be a "dragon slayer", a person who will stop at nothing to make sure the vulnerable are safe. He protects orphans, is a war hero, and is a man of deep integrity. Ultimately he believes that all these traits are simply a "disguise" for who he truly is....an evil, untrustworthy criminal.

Sarah Banks is the wealthy heiress to a gaming house fortune. She, in society's eyes is ruined, for she spent her entire life in the company of the gaming house and it's patrons. She is constantly being pursued by men who want her fortune. She is holding out for her one true love...a man with sherry colored eyes. I know it is a little hooky, but guess what color Colin's eyes are? I guess if you believe in fate, or if you want to...this plot works.

This is a painful, complex, and difficult book to read at times. Colin is very tortured over his origin's and the verbal assaults that come from his step-father. He was an innocent victim of his father's crime as was his mother, but he has payed for it every day of his life. So heart breaking. Sarah sees him (or really his eyes) and knows that he is THE ONE. This book tells the story of Colin coming to terms with his past and learning how to trust himself and separate himself from his evil father. Sarah is the catalyst that forces his awakening. It is just a beautiful love story.

Highly recommend!

I read this book because it was so highly recommended by so many people, but I found the actual product unsatisfying. It's got a great premise and could have been heart-wrenching and exciting, but it just ended up dumb, in my opinion. The main characters were just irritating. I found Sarah a totally unrealistic heroine, and when she finally ended up offering to be the guy's mistress, after all the jabbering on and on about her reputation, I thought, "You are just an idiot." The hero was fairly unsympathetic. The book could have said more about his mother and his relationship with her, and showed you more a glimpse of his heart, instead of going on and on about dragons. I felt totally uninvested in this story, and it's a shame because it could have been such a good one. The scene in which they finally "made love" was as stupid as any I've ever read in a romance novel.

The characters were amazingly flawed and so real. This was a great first novel. A must read. I really hope she follows up with Etienne's Story.

...and good pacing.

I've discovered through the years of reading romance novels, that character driven books always rank high on my keeper shelf. "Touched by Fire" is no exception.

Colin, the 17th Earl of Haverwood, is a tormented, angst ridden man. Over and over again, he has been re-assured of his worthlessness, his tainted blood, and his inability to ever be loved.

He's more or less accepted his lot in life. He'll marry to ensure that St. George's orphanage continues, but that's it. He'd gladly stay at home with his dragon lore. He plays at being the DragonSlayer, but deep down he knows he's really the dragon.

Who Colin doesn't count on is Miss Sarah Banks.

At first, Colin refuses to marry Sarah. Not because of her own lack of noble birth, but because he knows that here is a woman he might love. A woman he desires. If his control ever slips, if the dragon ever emerges, it will kill Colin's spirit if he ever hurts her.

Due to outside circumstances, Colin realizes that in order to protect her, he will have to marry Sarah.

Sarah challenges all of Colin's preconceived notions. Over and over, she proves Colin to be a protective and generous man. He is honest and trustworthy. A gentle man and a gentle lover.

Colin continues to hide the secret of his parentage until it's almost too late. Ms O'Reilly avoids the cliche of letting Sarah hear the news third hand. Colin gets the chance to unload his burden to his wife and in doing so, she is able to deflect the worst of his fears.

I only had one problem with the storyline. Although I can understand why Colin feels the worthlessness he does, at times, he becomes maudlin and self-pitying. He gets drunk on his wedding night. He refuses to believe that he has anything to offer the world.

This lack of confidence undermined Colin as a hero of a story. We're being told throughout the book that Colin is the tainted spawn of his rapist father, but being shown his kind compassionate heart. These two opposites in his characterization annoyed me after a while. How could someone who was a war hero, saved orphans, and had a compassionate heart not have some inkling that he was an okay person?

Really, I can't believe this book isn't more popular, although the $20 price tag for a paperback might account for it. However, the $5 Kindle price was awesome. Truly, the worst part of entire book was the cover. It shouldn't matter, but it does.

This book is awesome - really, really good. The hero and heroine are both fully fleshed out characters, their romance is sweet and real and the story has enough suspense and intrigue to keep me interested. While the heroine is my favorite kind, smart and no-BS, the hero is downright adorable. He is, of course, handsome but he is really the most honorable, sweet hero of all. And just when I started to think, maybe a little too-simple-sweet, he demonstrates that he's actually quite intelligent. And well, anyone who can combine that much sweetness with the deadly ability to protect his woman... damn.

*SPOILER ALERT*
Ok, so he's actually a virgin, which is rare for a hero to be, but it totally plays into the storyline in a realistic and ultimately great way. Trust me on this.

YOU MIGHT LIKE...
Broken Wing
Accidental Slave (Fair warning, this is contemporary BDSM erotica, a totally different genre, but it's a great book too and the heros totally remind me of each other)
Untouched