Rating: 
Summary: Sizzles with excitement, like the fire itself
Review: I could not put down this third book in the Chicago Fire trilogy. I had to admire Lucy. She was a woman ahead of her time, both in her views of women's rights, but as well as racial issues. She had a deep and abiding trust and regard for her African American friend Patience, who is a reverend.Lucy and Rand had eyes for each other since the night of the fire. The only thing stopping their relationship that night was the presence of Diana. If you read closely you can see the relationship develop subtley. He wanted real love but thought his scars made him hideous. Lucy craved love, but was afraid to show it. Afraid it would hamper her crusade for women's voting. They were wonderful characters and they way they handled little Maggie and how she brought them together makes it a heartwarming story not soon to be forgotten. Ms. Wiggs has also done her homework as far as the Chicago Fire is concerned. Being born and raised here, it was something we learned about in school. All her facts are true and she has very nicely included some of the Chicagoans of that time in some cameo roles.
Rating:
Summary: A fitting finale to this wondful series
Review: In 1871 Chicago, Lucy Hathaway and Rand Higgins debate women's rights in a public forum. As they argue, Lucy is shocked to find herself very attracted to the married Rand, a feeling she abhors. Their debate ends when they hear of a dangerous fire spreading throughout the city. Going by a blazing hotel, Lucy catches an infant tossed out a window. Finding no clues to the parents, Lucy raises the child as her own. Five years later, Lucy runs a bookstore while raising Maggie. Rand is divorced and believes his daughter died in the inferno. When Lucy needs a loan she turns to Rand's bank where she sees the picture of his deceased infant whom she recognizes as her Maggie. She must tell him the truth, but fears she will lose her beloved "daughter." As Rand and Lucy become better acquainted they fall in love. However, his cronies detest Lucy and her suffragettes while her side loathes the obstinate bankers. This makes their romance look more like that of Romeo and Juliet with the extra catalyst being a five-year-old girl they both love. The final tale in Susan Wiggs' Chicago Fire trilogy (see THE HOSTAGE and THE MISTRESS) closes out a fabulous series. The story line never slows down for a moment while readers observe the aftermath of the destructive inferno and the early moments in the women's suffragette movement. In his backdrop, the lead couple struggles with unacceptable feelings for one another. Calling her bookstore THE FIREBRAND seems inappropriate, but naming Ms. Wiggs a firebrand of an author appears apropos because this author always writes a powerful thought provoking historical romance. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: "The Fire Brand" is a great finale!
Review: Loved the first two in this series, "The Hostage" and "The Mistress", and this, the third and final novel in the group I believe is my personal favorite. Hated to see the last page come up in each book in this triology of events that began with the castastrophic Chicago fire of 1871. "The Fire Brand" is the name of the bookstore that the unconventional, independent Lucy Hathaway opens after the fire has taken the life of her father and his assets, leaving her mother and herself almost destitute. The bookstore is not only her livelihood but her dream of making her own way in life. Despite what the fire took from her, it gave her something she never expected to have in life. A baby literally fell into her arms! During the fire as she was trying to get herself to safety, she happened to look up toward a window in a burning hotel in time to see a bundle dropped from the window just before that floor was engulfed in flames. The bundle of securely tied pillows and blankets held a baby in the core of what was obviously meant to be protective wrapping for the infant. Unable to find the parents of the child, she took her into her home, her heart and raised her with all the love a child could have. Five years later fate brings Lucy, her child and Rand Higgins, the natural father of rumbunctious 5 year old Maggie together and leaves a nest of confusion for all concerned in their attempt to resolve who will raise the adorable, precocious little girl. Life has been difficult for both Lucy and Rand, and with quite a bit of conflict involved in their attempts to come to an agreeable solution that will keep both of them involved in Maggie's life they find more happiness then they ever thought possible. Suan Wiggs is a master at combining history with fiction and an extra large helping of romance together for a spectacular read! I wish there were more novels to look forward to in this series.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Leads...
Review: Lucy Hathaway saves a baby, the night of the Chicago fire. Unable to find out anything about the baby's parents, she adopts her, and names her Maggie. Rand Higgins is horribly injured and disfigured, the night of the Chicago fire. His wife leaves him and Chicago, and he believes his child, Christine, is dead. Five years later, Lucy owns a bookstore, The Firebrand, and nees a loan. She meets with a banker, Rand, and discovers the child she has adopted is his Christine. She decides to tell Rand of her discovery, in spite of her deep love for Maggie. The dilemma between the two, Lucy and Rand--deciding what's best for Maggie. Lucy is a suffragist, a fighter for equal rights for all, especially women. Because of his past, Rand has a natural, and understandable distrust for women. In my mind, Ms. Wiggs bringing these two disparate people together in a believable way, is what makes this book so good. Neither character's true self is sacrificed to bring this book to a HEA for all involved. Lucy, Rand, and Maggie are wonderful characters. And even secondary characters like Rand's grandmother, Lucy's mother seem to walk off the pages of THE FIREBRAND. My only complaint with THE FIREBRAND would be that I, personally, would have liked to read more about the romance and relationship between Rand and Lucy. And, I do prefer books with a little more sensuality. Otherwise, this book was perfect.
Rating:
Summary: The Firebrand
Review: Not one of her better books. I found it a little boring and will not re-read.
Rating:
Summary: The Firebrand
Review: Not one of her better books. I found it a little boring and will not re-read.
Rating:
Summary: A FANTASTIC CONCLUSION TO A TERRIFIC SERIES
Review: Talk about one series I hate to see end! I've been enjoying Susan Wiggs's books for years, and have loved her series, but this one has topped them all. It was so enjoyable on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin. A heroine who's a bookseller and a feminist - Lucy is a heroine any reader would be hard pressed not to identify with. There's one particular scene where Lucy is talking to one of her customers who is disparaging dime novels without ever having read one that had me sitting up and cheering. (Does this sound familiar, romance readers?) She even recommends books which will be vaguely familiar to romance fans. A hero who is bitter and lonely but as gentle and as nice as they come and who wants to put his daughter's needs first - that's Rand. He's a successful banker who has had some terrible tragedies in life including the loss of his infant daughter in the Chicago Fire and then his wife leaving him, the palatial home he built for her remaining mostly empty. What reader won't be able to have their heart simply torn from their chest with Lucy's decision to give up custody of her daughter? Sure, Rand is Maggie's biological father, but Lucy has cared for her for the past five years and is the only mother Maggie has known. And prepare for a beautifully-written scene from Maggie's point of view as she meets her father for the first time in five years. This is a fitting conclusion to the Chicago Fire Trilogy which began with THE HOSTAGE , and then THE MISTRESS. THE FIREBRAND stands alone just fine, but I believe readers will enjoy THE FIREBRAND even more having read the first two books in the series - and particularly one scene which is told from different points of view in each of the books. Well done, thanks Susan for another terrific Series!
Rating:
Summary: An Emotionally Compelling Novel
Review: The Firebrand is truly one of the most remarkable romances I've read in a while. The characters are fabulous, the plot a page-turner, and engages the reader so deeply that you feel as if you are in the story. Lucy Hathaway and Rand Higgens don't meet under the best circumstances. The night they meet is during the great Chicago fire in 1871 during which a great portion of the city was engulfed in flames. Lucy rescues a child from a flaming building, the same daughter whom Rand was trying to save, but became injured and incapacitated for weeks afterwards....... Five years later Lucy, advocate of equality for women, is struggling to make ends meet in her controversial bookstore The Firebrand. While applying for a loan she encounters an emotionally and physically scarred Rand, and discovers that the daughter she has is the daughter he thinks he lost five years before. Lucy struggles over what to do but eventually feels that she should tell Rand, and they try to find the best arrangement to suit the needs of all involved, especially the innocent Maggie, they daughter they both love so fiercely. Can Rand and Lucy's mutual love for Maggie draw them together despite their differences? Rand and Lucy are two of the most powerful characters I have chanced to read. Lucy is dogged in her determination to stick with her principals and to help the women of the world. Rand disagrees with Lucy because of his own personal experiences with women, not to mention that any connections with her could cost him a lot. Their different opinions and natures kept me turning the pages, waiting to see how they would react to each other and what the outcome would be. It was amazing and beautiful to me that these two characters should find love together and truly become a family with their daughter, because Ms. Wiggs weaves the tale in such a manner so the reader can't help but care about the characters. The time period was also a fascinating one in American history and the premise an unusual one. I found little details about the time interesting and the story is written so as the historical tid bits don't become tedious, as often occurs with historical novels emphasizing the historical. The setting truly added to the story. I highly recommend this book for someone looking for a touching romance between two mature people who are able to work around each others differences and care enough about each other to compromise. This is the first I've read by Ms. Wiggs but it certainly won't be the last. Happy Reading!
Rating:
Summary: An Emotionally Compelling Novel
Review: The Firebrand is truly one of the most remarkable romances I've read in a while. The characters are fabulous, the plot a page-turner, and engages the reader so deeply that you feel as if you are in the story. Lucy Hathaway and Rand Higgens don't meet under the best circumstances. The night they meet is during the great Chicago fire in 1871 during which a great portion of the city was engulfed in flames. Lucy rescues a child from a flaming building, the same daughter whom Rand was trying to save, but became injured and incapacitated for weeks afterwards....... Five years later Lucy, advocate of equality for women, is struggling to make ends meet in her controversial bookstore The Firebrand. While applying for a loan she encounters an emotionally and physically scarred Rand, and discovers that the daughter she has is the daughter he thinks he lost five years before. Lucy struggles over what to do but eventually feels that she should tell Rand, and they try to find the best arrangement to suit the needs of all involved, especially the innocent Maggie, they daughter they both love so fiercely. Can Rand and Lucy's mutual love for Maggie draw them together despite their differences? Rand and Lucy are two of the most powerful characters I have chanced to read. Lucy is dogged in her determination to stick with her principals and to help the women of the world. Rand disagrees with Lucy because of his own personal experiences with women, not to mention that any connections with her could cost him a lot. Their different opinions and natures kept me turning the pages, waiting to see how they would react to each other and what the outcome would be. It was amazing and beautiful to me that these two characters should find love together and truly become a family with their daughter, because Ms. Wiggs weaves the tale in such a manner so the reader can't help but care about the characters. The time period was also a fascinating one in American history and the premise an unusual one. I found little details about the time interesting and the story is written so as the historical tid bits don't become tedious, as often occurs with historical novels emphasizing the historical. The setting truly added to the story. I highly recommend this book for someone looking for a touching romance between two mature people who are able to work around each others differences and care enough about each other to compromise. This is the first I've read by Ms. Wiggs but it certainly won't be the last. Happy Reading!
Rating:
Summary: Great Susan Wiggs!
Review: THE FIREBRAND was entertaining from beginning to end. I have now read all of the Chicago Fire trilogy, and this one was the best of the three, followed by THE MISTRESS and THE HOSTAGE. The little girl, Maggie, is adorable and a lot of fun to read. Probably one of the best-written children characters in any recent romances that I've read. You can see why Lucy and Rand love her so much. Lucy Hathaway is refreshing because she is not a typical romance novel heroine. Katharine Hepburn, in her younger days, would have been able to play her very well. Rand is also different. His calm demeanor blends well with Lucy's passionate beliefs. I definitely recommend this book highly.
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