Rating: 
Summary: The first in a fantastic trilogy!!
Review: This is my first Susan Wiggs' novel and she got herself another fan! This is a fantastic book, a book that sizzles. (Pun intended!) Deborah Sinclair is the heroine of "The Hostage", who isn't much a heroine in the beginning. She was raised as a proper high-society young lady that was thought not to be independent and no thought of her own. She was to become an ornament to her future rich and prestigeous husband. And she was okay with this, too... Until the fateful night of the Great Fire when Tom Silver charged into their mansion home to kill her father. A revenge that called for "an eye for an eye". In the pursuing chaos following the fire, instead of killing Arthur Sinclair, Tom ends up kidnapping Deborah to the remote Isle Royale. I loved this book right away because of the lyrical writing of Ms. Wiggs' style. Her haunting and vivid writing of the Great Fire of 1871, made me feel that I was write there in the heat of things. The symbolic images of the fire and the ashes were reminiscent of Deborah's now "ruined" life, which made her plight even more powerful. She was now a hostage who lost everything and the world as she knew it was all gone. In a strange and new place, she had to learn to cope and survive. To become a woman that she was capable of. The reinvention of Deborah Sinclair is triumphant and poignant. And although she becomes Tom's hostage, it was inevitable that these two soul mates found each other. Helping each other heal and deal with their tragedies. And Ms. Wiggs shows in Deborah and Tom's story that even in the worst situations, love can find it's way to the coldest places. Her next book, "The Mistress" (the second in the Chicago fire trilogy), promises to be just as exquisite (if not more!!)! The excerpt in the back of "The Hostage" got me hooked!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't bear for this book to end
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read. From the verystart, it's a pageturner and it kept me up all night reading. I feltevery minute of the fire, and when they shoved off on their journey together I realized the journey was actually one of the heart. Both Tom and Deborah are lost souls, so to speak, and even though this is a classic plot situation, the shocking background that brought each of them to this place made it seem completely new. When they are stranded they are forced to face their innermost demons. I could see, feel, smell and taste the brutal winter cold, the blizzard, the bright sun shining through the woods. The christmas scene made me cry, and I wanted to see these characters go on and on forever. END
Rating:
Summary: I Loved this book!!!!
Review: This was my first Wigg's book, and I absolutely loved it. From the beginning to the end, I was never bored once. She is very romantic, and the sex is not as important, as other romance books. So what you get is more of a STORY to read, not a bunch of sex to take up half the book, so you are wide eyed, involved, to the very end. I even looked up on the internet more information about the great fire of Chicago 1871. It was such a good read, I bought the other two books of this series, and I am snuggled and happy right now. This is romance at it's best.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding Read!
Review: When I first heard of the subject matter of Susan Wiggs' latest novel, I was both intrigued and a bit skeptical. A hostage falling in love with her captor -- the plot has been done many times before and the subject seemed dated. A spoiled little rich girl and a rugged outdoorsman -- ditto. And, in less talented hands, the book might have been dated and nothing new. But given the gifted pen of Susan Wiggs this book works and works well. A more exciting beginning would be hard to find -- the story begins with the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The rest of the book takes place on the route up lake Michigan, through the locks to Lake Superior's Isle Royale, introducing the readr to a whole host of interesting characters. A heroine with a social consience, despite her privileged upbringing and a captor with a lot of heart - what else can a reader want? I can hardly wait to read the next two books in the series!
Rating: 
Summary: "Hostage" provides little chemistry or sizzle
Review: While the character of Deborah is charming, she transforms from a kind-hearted debutane to a kind woman who learns to love the real world beyond her guilded cage. Great charcter development (although not as thorough on the hero, Tom Silver). The major element lacking here is chemisty and sexual tension. I was surprised at this since this is a romance, i'm not used to reading such chaste romance novels! (I've read regency and earler romance novels that had so much romance & sizzle it really put this book to shame.) The character's stll have not even kissed by page 279. If you want more sexual chemistry, i'd look elsewhere.
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